NARRATIVE OF 1853. 165 
and then continuing up the west bank from Dearborn river to Prickly Pear creek, he struck 
upon Lieutenant Mullan’s route, as just described. The country becomes gradually fiore 
hilly, though perfectly practicable for wagons to the Little Blackfoot Pass, at the head of the 
last-mentioned stream. He was not much troubled either with snow or cold after getting 
within forty miles of the summit, the thermometer never ranging below 20? above zero, and 
generally much higher. On the 16th of November, he passed over in company with a large 
troop of Pend d'Oreille Indians returning from the buffalo hunt. "The dividing ridge is a mere 
hill, up which, on the eastern side, loaded wagons can be drawn without serious difficulty; and 
the descent on the western side is, for a wagon road, all that is desirable. An inch or two of 
snow lay on the eastern side of this hill. 
Following down the valley of the Little Blackfoot and Hell-Gate rivers, he found it un- 
usually favorable either for a wagon or railroad route. It has an average descent of about 
twenty-two and a half feet per mile, and the valley generally wider than that of the Big 
Blackfoot, as well as less obstructed by trees, so that a small amount of labor could make it an 
excellent wagon road. Most of it is also desirable for settlement, and he did not consider the 
distance essentially increased over that by Cadotte’s Pass. On the 17th he reached Canton- 
ment Stevens, and was delighted with the Bitter Root valley. 
Again starting out, on the 20th, with a fresh band of horses and provisions, he went up to 
the head of the valley, and left it to cross the Bitter Root range by the southern Nez Percés 
trail. The route explored is described as follows: 
The southwest fork of the St. Mary's (Bitter Root) river is, a short distance above its union 
with the main stream, above eighty feet wide, three feet deep, with a bottom of large round 
stones of granite or gneiss. The valley is narrow, closed in by high wooded hills, and the trail 
leaves it near its end, a distance of twenty-four miles. "The horse trail is narrow, and is not 
practicable for wagons. Snow appeared soon after leaving the valley of the Bitter Root, and 
was finally about eight inches deep, and the streams were half frozen. 
After leaving this valley the trail passes over a high and hilly ridge to the Kooskooskia. It 
is steep and laborious, wholly impracticable for wagons. It was rendered more difficult by the 
snow, which covered the summit to the depth of three feet, and made the crossing a journey of 
three days, though only fifteen miles. 
Directly across is not more than five miles, but the trail уой the stream and follows the 
steep grassy slopes and ridges north of it, being less obstructed with timber. It is probably 
usual to make the crossing in one day. 
The trail here crosses the headwaters of the Kooskooskia, which is sixty or eighty feet 
broad, with a pebbly bottom, and flows in a deep, gorge-like valley, wooded with pines, fir, 
Spruce, cedar, hemlock, &c. Again, ascending the high hills on the opposite side, he was 
brought to a halt on the 27th November by snow four feet deep, with a steep hill before him, 
up which it was impossible for the animals to make their way. Here he remained recon- 
noitering and endeavoring to break a trail for the animals, but as two feet of snow fell in 
addition, and afterwards a rain, he determined to send the animals back to the Bitter Root 
valley, while he and the rest of the party pushed on. Accordingly, his party spent a week 
here engaged in making snow shoes, when each one, taking a pack upon his back, proceeded 
through the snow towards the Nez Percés country. 
For eighty-nine miles further the trail led over the summits of high and very rugged hills _ 
covered at their tops with deep snow, and ш forming the dividing page between the 
