NARRATIVE OF 1853. 87 
the lightness and the lateness of the snow this side of the mountains, and therefore little 
difficulty was found in satisfying the men that they had been trifled with in this matter. There 
were also some little differences of rank between two of the military gentlemen, growing out 
of a mistake of my own, soon after leaving the Mississippi, which were adjusted on terms most 
honorable to both, and in the most satisfactory manner to myself. 
On the Tth of August there was a distribution of presents to the Assiniboines, at which I was 
present. I now took a deep interest in the welfare of these Indians, from their kind treatment 
of my party at their camp before crossing the Cóteau du Missouri ; and I took this occasion to 
give my mite in the way of cultivating friendly feelings on their part towards their own agents 
and the government of the United States. 
The same day the steamer St. Ange arrived from St. Louis, bringing some supplies from the 
quartermaster's department, and giving a most favorable opportunity for the return of such of 
the hunters and guides whose engagements expired on their arrival at Fort Union. .I deter- 
mined to send the quartermaster and commissary clerk, Mr. Everett, to Washington, by this 
steamer, to report in person as to the progress of the expedition. I did not think he was 
strong enough to encounter the fatigues and hardships of the remainder of the journey, and 
his return was deemed a matter of necessity. 
Mr. Stanley, the artist, was busily occupied during our stay at Fort Union with his daguerreo- 
type apparatus, and the Indians were greatly pleased with their daguerreotypes. The scientific 
parties were also diligent in making their observations. As I have before observed in a former 
part of this narrative, I had suffered greatly from debility on the route, and I determined to 
make my arrangements so that I should be relieved from much of detail duties. I was anxious 
to cover as much of the country as possible, and determined to organize two parties to explore 
the country—one party, under Lieutenant Donelson, to pursue the general course between the 
Missouri and Saskatchawan towards the Cypress mountains; and the other, under Lieutenant 
Grover, to continue on the usual travelled wagon road, via Milk river, to Fort Benton. The 
supposed point of separation of the two parties was the Big Muddy river, and it was deter- 
mined that the final arrangements should be made at that point. Accordingly, on the 9th of 
August, both Lieutenant Donelson and Lieutenant Grover's parties started, and I remained 
behind until the following day to settle my accounts and to complete my arrangements generally 
with the companies. Dr. Evans had not yet arrived from his examination of the Mauvaises 
Terres, and a letter was left for him, expressing my strong desire to meet him at Fort Benton. 
An expressman, whom I had despatched to Fort Benton on the 6th of August, with a letter of 
instruetion to Lieutenant Saxton, was, unfortunately, obliged to return, in consequence of the 
loss of his horse and some difficulties he experienced with the Indians, and I concluded not to 
despatch him again until my arrival at the Big Muddy. 
