138 NARRATIVE OF 1853. 
disposition of the Indians, made it advisable to take a larger party than was afterwards found 
necessary. 
The country east of the Cascade range being more open and traversable than that on the 
western slopes, it was considered best to reach there early and conduct the examination of the 
mountains by striking in with small parties whenever a practicable pass was met with. The 
unusually high stage of water in the Columbia made the usual trail eastward, on its banks, 
impracticable, and that of the Klikitat Pass, near Mounts St. Helen and Adams, was adopted. 
This trail being but little used, and much obstructed by brush and fallen timber which 
required cutting, the party made slow progress at first, and reached the summit of the moun- 
tains on the 5th August, having made only seventy-eight and three-quarter miles in twelve 
days’ travelling. The route up the western slope was through a densely timbered country, 
some small prairies occurring at intervals in the valley of the Cathlapootle and its branches. 
These became fewer, and grass was scarce, as the train progressed, so that the animals suffered 
severely, while, from the flooded state of the valleys, or the ignorance of the guides, he was led 
over some very rough mountain spurs, among which one of the best mules got killed by rolling 
down a precipice. On the mountain summit excellent pasture was found, though timber of 
immense sizejstill covered all but the highest peaks, up to an elevation of 4,500 feet more. 
Three days’ halt was made there to refresh the animals and to examine the country. As 
there seemed to be no practicable road pass in this portion of the mountains, Captain McClellan 
resolved to pass along their eastern slopes northward to Mount Rainier, where better passes 
were said to exist. 
The first pass explored across the Cascade range was, therefore, the Klikitat. This 
ascends the west side by the valley of the Cathlapootle, which has numerous beautiful 
prairies on its lower portion, and presents no difficulty for twenty miles upward. But, on 
account of the uncommonly late continuance of the summer flood, Captain McClellan was 
obliged +о take a different course to reach it, crossing several very rough and densely wooded 
spurs northeast of Vancouver, among which there are numerous small but rich and beautiful 
prairies, and good soil almost everywhere, even in the gigantic forest by which they are 
surrounded. 
The Cathlapootle was struck about twenty-five miles from its mouth, where it runs between 
rugged broken hills, leaving sufficient valley for a wagon road for ten miles further, when for 
the remaining fifteen miles spurs coming in on each side to the river bank compel several 
crossings; when leaving the valley the trail led up a very steep mountain side to a rolling 
table land at its summit. 
Except this steep ascent, which might, doubtless, be avoided by a different location of -= 
route, there is no great obstacle to the construction of a wagon road up to this elevated region, 
where there is a great extent of beautiful and rich pasture land, and where even cultivation of 
some products might be successfully carried on. г 
Its general elevation is from 3,000 to 5,000 feet above the sea, and its delightful climate, in 
the middle of summer, alone offers much inducement for further exploration. 
- Besides the Cathlapootle, flowing west, there are the Washookat, Wind, White Salmon, 
and Klikitat rivers running from it towards the south, and emptying into the Columbia, fifteen 
or twenty miles from the line crossed over by the western division. These all offer avenues of 
approach, and probably have much fertile land in their course. No cold weather vus à 
perienced until at the highest camp, Cheguos, already alluded to, where, on the night 
