72 ў NARRATIVE OF 1853. 
it I sent a letter to Lieutenant Grover, congratulating him on his preceding me into Fort Union; 
giving him a resumé of our labors up to this point; informing him as to Mr. Osgood’s duty, 
and alluding briefly to the continuance of our labors towards the mountains. I instructed him 
to have his report ready on my arrival, and informed him that Mr. Osgood would confer freely 
with him; expressing much confidence in his ability to furnish valuable suggestions, based upon 
the experience he must have undoubtedly acquired. A letter was also sent to Lieutenant Don- 
elson by Osgood, announcing to him my approach, and the date of my expected arrival. I 
informed him that I desired his views of the mode of conducting tho survey to and through the 
mountains, hoping that he had collected much valuable information; he was also instructed to 
furnish Mr. Osgood certain of the detachment of sappers, to assist in the preparation of the 
means of transportation. He was informed that the duty of preparing transportation was 
placed in the hands of Mr. Osgood, and that he would therefore turn over to him all the 
animals he had collected. 
Messrs. Tinkham, Lander, and Paul Boulieau, went to-day to make an тайына of the 
Mouse river valley and the River of the Lakes. They are to look carefully for coals and iron, 
and to see what quantities are likely to be supplied, and join our camp to-morrow night. The 
road to day was excellent, being over a rolling prairie, at times very hilly. We had but one 
coulée to cross, and that was very shallow and offered no impediment. We made to-day 21 
miles, and found fine grass and excellent water at our camp. Lieutenant Grover's trail has 
crossed our route several times to-day, and passes only some twenty rods from our camp. 
July 26.—We started this morning about 6 o'clock, and travelling 113 miles we halted on the 
bank of a lake. А herd of buffalo approached on the south side of this lake to drink, and 
crossed within gunshot on the opposite side. Some of our party fired at them, and Le Bom- 
bard followed and killed a fine, fat cow. About seven miles further on, I received a letter from 
Mr. Osgood, by the hands of an Assiniboine Indian. The express party camped last night, 
about ten miles ahead of this place where we camp to-night, at a large encampment of Aissini- 
boine Indians, numbering 150 lodges and some 1,200 persons. The Indians built for them a - 
lodge in the centre of their camp, and treated them with great hospitality. One of them 
offered to act as Mr. Osgood’s express, and he told them that on my arrival I would have a talk 
with them and make them some presents. By this note I also learned that Lieutenant Grover 
had passed some eight miles to the east of our line, about four days ago. 
Here were four men received kindly and treated well in a camp containing 1,200 persons, 
and an express volunteered. I felt very grateful indeed to those Indians, for their kindness 
to my men, their proffer of kind feeling and hospitality to myself and the survey. I reflected 
much upon the commentary thus given on the remarks constantly being made about the intentions 
of the Indians. 
As we passed an old encampment of the Indians to-day, we found numerous bundles of light 
wood tied up, and as we did not expect to reach wood very soon, the men were ordered to 
place а lot of it in the wagons. I learned from the Indian, who remained with us all night, that 
Grover had a Sioux Indian as a guide. I determined upon visiting the Assiniboine camp to- 
morrow, and consequently the Indian was retained as a guide to that point. I sent Lambert 
and Moffett in advance some five or six miles to a high ridge, to make a reconnoissance and 
obtain a barometric profile. 
