NARRATIVE OF 1853. 137 
lan’s, and accordingly determined on going to Colville to-night. Antoine has horses half way. 
We rested until 2 o’clock and then set out, Antoine and myself pushing ahead of the train. 
We met Antoine’s family encamped in a fine prairie, with whom Antoine remained, sending his 
brother-in-law on with us as a guide. At 4} we reached the ferry, where we were detained 
fifteen minutes. At 4$ we meet Jack, who informed me that Macfeely reached Walla-Walla 
three weeks ago, being 22 days coming from St. Mary’s. Не lost twenty animals, and was 
detained two days in an unsuccessful search for a man who had strayed from the trail. The 
road was bad, and they got off the trail, having struck too high up. Jack told us that it was 28 
miles to Colville, and that we could not reach there to-night, but being determined to do so we 
pushed on and reached Brown’s at 5}, who informed us that the distance to Colville was 18 
miles. After partaking of some bread and milk, we resumed the road with the same animals, 
dashing off at full speed, going 8 or 9 miles an hour most of the way, and reached Colville at 
9 o'clock. Mr. McDonald, the trader in charge, gave me a most hospitable reception, and 
addressed a note to McClellan, who had just gone to his camp near by, informing him of my 
arrival. McClellan came up immediately, and though I was fairly worn out with the severeness 
of the ride, we sat up till one o’clock. At 11 we sat down to a nice supper prepared by Mrs. 
McDonald, and regaled ourselves with steaks cooked in buffalo fat, giving them the flavor 
of buffalo meat. I retired exhausted with the fatigues of the day. 
CAPTAIN McCLELLAN’S EXPLORATIONS. 
October 19.—This morning I met Captain McClellan and the gentlemen of his party, and 
possessed myself of the main facts of the explorations made by them of the Cascades. The 
map had been well kept up by Mr. Duncan, the topographer; and all the gentlemen had seemed 
to co-operate most zealously with Captain McClellan in the discharge of their duties. 
Captain McClellan reached Vancouver on the 27th of June; but finding much difficulty in 
procuring the proper pack animals, and other necessary outfit, he did not get his party in motion 
until July 18. The necessity of having Lieutenant Saxton’s train off as soon as prectiosble, 
and the preparation of his party, delayed him, besides thus exhausting the supply of serviceable 
animals; and Indian horses, many of them of poor quality, had to be substituted for the mules, 
Which, for service in such a country, should be of the best kind only. ; 
The party, as finally organized, consisted of Captain McClellan, Lieutenant Duncan, 3d 
artillery, as astronomer, topographer, and draughtsman; Lieutenant Hodges, 4th infantry, 
quartermaster and commissary; Lieutenant 8. Mowry, 34 artillery, meteorologist; Mr. Gibbs, 
geologist and ethnologist; Mr. J. F. Minter, assistant engineer; Dr. Cooper, surgeon and 
naturalist; Mr. Lewes, interpreter; five assistants carrying instruments, &c.; two sergeants, two 
corporals, and twenty-four privates as escort and workmen; twenty-two packers and three 
hunters and herders made the whole number sixty-six. 
Guides were engaged among the Indians as they p 
knowing more than a very small area of country around them. Тһе animals obtained were one 
hundred and seventy-three in number, of which only forty-six were mules, and one hundred of 
all were used for packing. The pack-saddles brought from San Francisco proved worthless, as 
well as those bought from the Hudson Bay Company; and abont fifty gld:paliorn dragoon 
saddles, which happened to be at Vancouver, fortunately filled their place admirably, as far as 
they went. The almost unknown character of the country to be traversed, and the uncertain 
186 
assed from one tribe to another, few 
