202 NARRATIVE OF 1855. 
CŒUR D'ALÉNE MISSION TO STEVENS’S PASS. 
Tuesday, June 26.—Before starting—for I remained at the Mission until about two o'clock 
to-day—I had a conference with the Indians in regard to their own special treaty arrange- 
ments, and about sending a delegation to the Blackfoot council. It will be sufficient to state 
here that the conference was entirely satisfactory to all parties; and bidding adieu to our 
hospitable host, we moved eleven miles to a large prairie, where my party encamped in Octo- 
ber, 1853. The road was for the most part very easy to-day, except that in coming into the 
prairie there were some wet places. The grass is uniformly good, and although the immediate 
valley of the Cœur d’Aléne is not wide іп any place, yet the hills slope back very gently, 
making it an open country. A rain came on about midnight, and I remained in camp here the 
two following days. On Wednesday a Flathead from the Bitter Root valley joined our camp, 
and gave us information in regard to the several tribes of that nation. Everything was quiet, 
and all were looking forward to the council. | 
Friday, June 29.—This morning was clear and delightful; but the rains of the two previous 
days had made portions of the road muddy and the crossings of the streams difficult. We met 
the superior of the Missions of this country and two other gentlemen of the party returning 
from the Bitter Root valley. where they had gone to inspect the Upper Pend d’ Oreille Mission. 
The following is the itinerary of to-day’s journey. We made in all thirteen miles. The first 
half mile we crossed two sloughs, and in half a mile further we reached the largest cedar that 
I ever saw in the Territory—some twenty feet in diameter. Continuing up the bottom half a 
mile further, we take a side hill, which we pursue for three-eighths of a mile; crossing then a 
small stream, and sometimes on side hills and sometimes in the valley, we at length reached 
camp. Without going into details of this route with more particularity, I will observe that 
there are a number of good camps, with excellent grass, and firewood plentiful everywhere. 
We crossed the river sixteen times in to-day’s journey. The ascent of the valley was very 
gradual, in almost a straight direction, presenting no sharp curvatures and no obstacles either 
to the construction of a wagon or railroad; and the river crossings would be no obstacle to a 
railroad, because the water does not rise more than three or four feet above its present level. 
Saturday, June 30.— We made fourteen miles to-day, and camped on a little tributary of the 
Coeur d' Aléne river, about one mile above its junction with the latter stream. Іп five and one- 
half miles from camp we reached the foot of the mountain which is referred to in my trip of 
1853; but I resolved to keep up the river itself. I have already referred to this route as 
having been pursued by Lieutenant Mullan last year, who described it as exceedingly eligible 
either for a wagon road or for moving with pack animals. His general account of the route 
was exceedingly accurate, and the trail presented more advantages than I anticipated. After 
leaving the foot of the mountain a mile and a half, we made our seventh crossing of the Cœur 
d' Aléne to-day, in a cedar swamp, easy in this season of the year, but very muddy soon after 
the melting of the snows, where considerable work would be required for a wagon road. For 
the remaining distance to camp we crossed several streams of water, occasionally keeping on 
side hills or over rolling ground; but no obstacle of a serious character presented itself for any 
structure which the wants of the people might require. The hills occasionally have a steep 
pitch, but are low; there is generally very fine grass on our route, and abundant water; and 
here we came to fine limestone, which was scattered about in blocks. Plenty of fine timber in 
the valley of the Coeur d'Aléne in view to-day. Nor will there be any difficulty on account of 
freshets. In this portion of the stream the highest water is only about four or five feet above 
its present level. 
