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FIELD PARTIES AND OPERATIONS. 
they were found to be weary and thin, and inadequate to the duty. Accordingly, the whole force 
was sent down the Columbia, Captain McClellan and Lieutenant Donelson with instructions to 
make such examinations as their opportunities permitted. The remaining operations consisted in 
their continuing the survey. The animals were placed in good grazing at the first three places; 
men not needed for office duty were discharged at Columbia barracks, and the office was estab¬ 
lished at Olympia. Mr. Lander made an excellent railroad reconnaissance of the route to Puget 
sound by the Columbia and Cowlitz rivers. 
Captain McClellan’s party, in addition to the scientific corps already mentioned, consisted of 
five assistants in observations, carrying instruments, &c.; two sergeants, two corporals, and twenty- 
four privates fourth infantry; two chief packers, three hunters and herdsmen, and twenty packers— 
sixty-four persons in all, besides himself. 
He left Vancouver on the 24th of July, and striking the Cathlapoot’l on the 1st of August, fol¬ 
lowed up its valley four days, crossed the divide on the 5th to the south of Mount St. Helens, 
turned round to the south and east of Mount Adams, and reached the Wenass (a branch of the 
Nahchess) on the 20th August. At this point one party was sent, under Lieutenant Hodges, to 
Steilacoom, across by the Nahchess Pass; another, under Lieutenant Mowry, to the Dalles; a 
third, under Mr. Gibbs, to the mouth ol the Yakima; a fourth, under Lieutenant Duncan, to the 
main Yakima; whilst Captain McClellan went in person to examine the Nahchess Pass. 
The camp was moved to Ketetas, on the main Yakima, September 3d. From this point the 
main Yakima Pass was examined, and on the 19th all the detached parties, having previously 
rejoined the main party, moved northward, and reached the Columbia river a little below the 
mouth of the Pischous on the 21st, and Fort Okinakane on the 27th of September. 
Subsequent to this date, the party examined the country to the Barrier river, (its several heads 
by small parties,) its valley to the Columbia river, that river to Fort Okinakane, and explored the 
whole country east of the Cascades to the Columbia river, and north to above our parallel, and 
crossed the river at Colville on the 18th of October. 
On leaving the Yakima, September 19th, Captain McClellan’s party was reduced to thirty-six 
men in all, including himself, by the discharge of a portion of the scientific corps and of the pack¬ 
ers, and by sending in all the troops but one sergeant and seven privates. 
Subsequent to reaching Olympia Captain McClellan had made an examination of the eastern 
shore of the sound to north of Snohomish river, and of that river and the Snoqualme, and of the 
adjacent country, for some miles above the Snoqualme Falls. 
The remaining operation^ may be summed up briefly as follows. Lieut. Arnold, Dr. Suckley, 
and Mr. Tinkham have completed the explorations intrusted to them, with the single modification 
that Mr. Tinkham has crossed the Cascades over the Snoqualme instead of the Nahchess Pass; 
Lieutenant Mullan has explored the passes in the Rocky mountains from Hell Gate to Fort Hall; 
and Lieutenant Grover has crossed the several mountain ranges in winter, leaving Fort Benton 
on the 2d of January, and reaching Wallah-Wallah the 2d day of March. 
I have examined, personally, the harbors on the eastern shore of the sound to Bellingham bay, 
the channels thence to the Straits de Fuca, and the harbors of Penn’s cove, on Whitby’s island, 
and Port Townsend, at the point where the straits join the waters of the sound. 
