NAVIGATION OF THE COLUMBIA RIVER. 
109 
“ While on the subject of timber, I will briefly allude to its quality and quantity. Along the 
Bitter Root and Hell Gate rivers, and in the mountains in their vicinity, the red pine and the 
larch, favorite trees in ship-building, are found in great quantities. Farther down their streams 
we find, in addition, cypress, cedar, hemlock, spruce, and fir, besides several hard-wood trees. 
The timber country extends from the main range of the Rocky mountains to a point about 80 
miles below Fort Colville. From thence to the Dalles there is no timber. At the Dalles it again 
appears, and trees of many descriptions, and frequently of enormous size, are found thickly 
covering the valleys and surrounding hills.” 
Also, in reference to other subjects, he says: “Good building-stone is found along nearly the 
whole route. There are a few pieces of excellent land along these rivers; their waters are clear 
and beautiful, and filled with thousands of fish of the different kinds of the. salmon family.” 
By trifling improvements on Clark’s fork and the Columbia several considerable lines of com¬ 
munication by steamers could be opened, which would greatly facilitate the construction of the 
road. The Hudson’s Bay Company’s large freight boats ascend from the lower end of Pend 
d’Oreille lake to Horse Plain, a distance of one hundred and thirty-five miles, making two port¬ 
ages, and descend from above our northern parallel to Vancouver. Steamers drawing from 20 
to 24 inches of water can, at low stages, ascend to nine miles above the lake, and still farther at 
higher stages of water. Between Colville and De Chute’s rivers, on the Columbia, there are 
but three bad obstacles to navigation for steamers drawing 20 to 30 inches of water, viz: Kettle 
falls, the Priest’s and Buckland’s rapids. A portage would probably be required at each of 
these places. None would be required at Ross’s rapids, nor at any other points below the mouth 
of the Spokane than those designated. One or more may be required between Okinakane and 
the Kettle falls. The Cascades and the Dalles are also bad obstacles. By improvements either 
in the bed of the river or in the use of locks at these several points on the Columbia and Clark’s 
fork, and by the substitution of the rail where such improvement is impracticable, it is not 
doubted that a continuous communication can be established from the mouth of the Columbia to 
the mouth of the Spokane, and probably to Colville, and from the Pend d’Oreille lake to Horse 
Plain. Rails will undoubtedly be required at several of the places, and transfers be made from 
steamer to steamer. 
The steamers should be of light draught, great power, and will be used chiefly as tow-boats. 
By a thorough organization, transportation could be effected at a moderate expense, when the 
amount is sufficient, as in the case of a railroad, to authorize the requisite preliminary outlay. 
The present high rates of transportation by the Columbia river arise from the monopoly that is 
exercised and the scarcity of labor. In the construction of the road the river must be availed 
of to the mouth of the Yakima, and for 135 miles on Clark’s fork, from the Pend d’Oreille lake to 
Plorse Plain. 
For many interesting details in reference to this river, the country, and forest growth of its 
banks, the advantages which it affords for manufacturing, and for suggestions in reference to intro¬ 
ducing the salmon into the upper country, and thus affording food to the almost starved Indians, 
by blasting a race-way in the Great Falls twenty-five miles above the mouth of Clark’s fork, 
I will refer you to Dr. Suckley’s report, a copy of which is given in the appendix. 
I will also refer you to the reports of Captain McClellan, Lieutenant Donelson, Lieutenant 
Saxton, and Lieutenant Arnold. The latter officer, after having ascertained the latitude of the 
mouth of Clark’s fork, which was about 49°, ran a line from Fort Colville, by the Grand Coulee, 
the mouth of the Spokane, and the mouth of Snake river, to Wall ah-Wallah. 
Lieutenant Arnold says as follows in relation to the Grand Coulee and the vicinity between it 
and the Columbia: 
“I again descended to the river by a steep and rocky trail, and marched three miles, encamp¬ 
ing near the mouth of the coulee. 
“ The trail leaves the river to the north, and passes nearly south. After an ascent of 243 
