GENERAL REPORT ON WESTERN DIVISION. 
195 
crossing the divide between the Atahnam and Simkwee, opposite the mission. From the Atah- 
nam to the Dalles there were three trails; the most eastern is the longest—leaving the Atah¬ 
nam near its mouth, and making a large bend to the eastward—but it is the only one practicable 
in winter. Of the other two, the most western is the shortest and best in summer. Lieutenant 
Mowry followed this last trail. Leaving our old trail at a point three miles south of the Sahpeniss 
crossing, the Dalles trail passes for half a mile through open woods, then lor a quarter of a mile 
through the northern extremity of a fine prairie; on leaving which, it again enters the open woods 
and ascends a difficult hill some fifteen hundred feet in height; then over a rolling country, and 
descends into a second prairie about two and a half miles from the first. Lieutenant Mowry 
describes this prairie as extending a considerable distance to the south and east; as being covered 
with excellent grass; as having a fine spring near his camp ; and as possessing the richest soil he 
had seen in the Territory. For the next twenty-four miles the country is covered with open 
woods of pine and spruce ; occasionally small prairies are met with, which, as well as the woods, 
furnish a thin growth of bunch-grass for the first seventeen miles; in the last seven miles the 
grass disappears. Four small streams are crossed in these twenty-four miles. The country is 
generally a high, rolling tract; the trail, during the last few miles, skirts the western slope of a 
lofty range of hills. The remaining distance to the Dalles is destitute of timber, with the excep¬ 
tion of a strip half a mile broad, at the distance of about ten miles from the Columbia Imme¬ 
diately north of this strip there is a fine prairie, varying from two to four miles in width, several 
miles long, covered with excellent grass, and watered by a fine stream. On this prairie stands 
a good log-house, belonging to Skloo, brother to Kamaiabkan, and one of the principal chiefs of 
the Yakimas. South of this last strip of woods the country is at first rolling, and then sinks into 
a prairie, which extends to the base of the range of high hills bordering the Columbia. Good 
bunch-grass exists as far as the foot of the range, which is very high, exceedingly difficult of as¬ 
cent and descent; much broken by canons, outcropping of basalt, and has but a scanty growth 
of grass upon it. During the three days that elapsed between my return to Ketetas and Lieut. 
Hodges’ arrival, several small parties were engaged in searching the neighboring streams for 
gold, examining the country, &c.; no rich deposits of gold were found. 
On the 16th September Lieutenant Hodges arrived from Steilacoom. He brought with him 
twenty-nine pack-horses loaded with provisions. He was eleven days on the march from Steila¬ 
coom to Ketetas. Had it been possible to foresee the length of time necessary for the train to 
return from Steilacoom, a longer time might have been bestowed upon the examination of the 
Yakima Pass. I regretted that it should be so short, but felt obliged to retrace my steps in time 
to reach the depot camp about one day after the probable time of Lieutenant Hodges’ arrival; 
besides, I at that time hoped to find a better pass than the one in question, farther to the north. 
It being now determined to send into the Dalles all the indifferent animals that could, under 
the new arrangement, be dispensed with, the 17th and 18th were employed in arranging packs, 
&c., and in making the preparations for the main party to move northward and the spare 
animals to be sent in. On the 19th September I despatched one corporal, one private, (just dis¬ 
charged,) and one civilian packer to the Dalles, in charge of thirty-two miserable horses. On the 
same day the main party moved to Nahnum, at the northern edge of Ketetas valley. 
The command now consisted of thirty-six persons, including myself; lorty-two riding animals; 
fifty-two pack animals. 
The animals were mostly a good deal recruited by this time; the train in good order; the 
party well armed, and supplied with about seventy days’ provisions. 
On the morning of the 20th we commenced the passage of the mountains between the Yakima 
and the Columbia; this range, which from the valley of the Yakima seemed but an ordinary 
ridge, proved to be a difficult mountain range. We had expected to find the country north of 
this range rather level, or, at most, rolling and covered with open pine woods. Our surprise may 
be imagined when the view spread before us from a commanding point, a little below the summit, 
