VALLEY OF LEWIS FORK OF THE COLUMBIA. 93 



north, Fort Hall, with its whitewashed walls, is plainly in view. 

 The " Three Buttes" rise in the distance, while the Port Neuf, 

 with its bright, sparkling waters, flows at our feet. The scene was 

 one of surpassing beauty, and richly repaid us for our dreary ride 

 across the desert plain of sage. 



The Port Neuf, where we forded it, is a fine, clear, bold stream, 

 one hundred yards wide and three feet deep, with a moderately 

 rapid current and pebbly bottom. The plain between it and Snake 

 River presents a level bottom, formed principally of decomposed 

 vegetable mould, reposing on sandy loam and gravel. Numerous 

 springs of cold, pellucid water, abounding in speckled trout of de- 

 licious flavour, break out in every direction, giving rise to many 

 little streams, which rapidly increase in size and afibrd great 

 facilities for irrigation as well as for the construction of mills. 

 Passing over this delightful plain, we left Fort Hall on our left, 

 and five miles beyond it terminated our journey, at Cantonment 

 Loring, our point of destination. 



I was most courteously received by Lieutenant-Colonel An- 

 drew Porter and the officers of his command, which consisted 

 of two companies of the regiment of Mounted Rifles, left here by 

 Colonel Loring on his way to Oregon, with the view of selecting 

 a permanent post for the protection of the vast emigration across 

 the continent. The troops were quartered in tents, but were 

 busily engaged in the erection of quarters, of a more substantial 

 character, for the winter. 



The result of this exploration has been to demonstrate the entire 

 jpractieahility of obtaining an excellent wagon-road from Fort 

 Hall to the Mormon settlement upon the Great Salt Lake. With 

 the exception of the ridge dividing the waters of the Pannack 

 from those of another affluent of the Port Neuf, the line traced 

 is unexceptionable, and ofiers facilities for the best natural road I 

 ever saw. Although when we passed there had not been even a track 

 broken, so favourable is the surface of the country that I trans- 

 ported my provisions over it without the slightest difficulty, load- 

 ing my wagons with not less than thirty-five hundred pounds each. 

 The ridge referred to can, by a little labour, be rendered easy to 

 cross ; and even as it is, ofi'ers but little obstruction. In seasons 

 of high water, Bear River and the Port Neuf would have to be 

 crossed by ferries ; or, should the travel ever demand it, timber for 

 the construction of bridges could be obtained in the vicinity of 

 both localities. 



