GENERAL REPORT ON WESTERN DIVISION. 
199 
limbered with yellow pine, and is by no means so rough and forbidding as near Fort Okinakane. 
The fort is situated somewhat back from the river bank, in a pocket or widening of the valley. 
Of all the Hudson’s Bay posts in this Territory, Fort Colville stands next to Vancouver in size and 
importance. The soil in the vicinity of Colville is better than it generally is throughout the 
Territory ; but it is said to be soon exhausted. Not a particle of information had been received 
at Colville in regard to any of your parties. When I had about made up my mind to push for St. 
Mary’s with two or three men, I was agreeably surprised by your arrival on the 18th. Every 
possible kindness was extended to my party by Mr. Macdonald. Coming thus under your 
immediate orders, I of course abandoned my original intention as to the completion of the expedi¬ 
tion, and merely carried out your instructions. 
I left Colville on the 22d, and reached a camp on a small branch of the Spokane on the 26th. 
As you remember, we were here joined on the 2Sth by Lieutenant Donelson, with the main 
party of the eastern division of the survey. 
Leaving this camp on the 30th, I crossed Lewis’ fork on the 4th November, having followed 
the same trail as that taken by Lieutenant Donelson up to this point. The crossing was effected 
without the loss of either animals or baggage—in perfect safety. From this crossing I took a 
different trail to Wallah-Wallah from that followed by Lieutenant Donelson; we passed by Dr. 
Whitman’s old mission. This trail, though somewhat longer than Lieutenant Donelson’s, is a 
much better one; the first march to water is much shorter. We reached Wallah-Wallah on the 
7th, and left next day for the Dalles, following the river trail as far as the Des Chutes crossing. 
Reached Fort Dalles on the 15th November. 
The description of the country from Fort Colville to the Dalles is fully given in Lieutenant 
Duncan’s report, and will doubtless be found in your own report as well as that of Lieutenant 
Donelson; and as it is by no means an unexplored country, 1 have not thought it necessary to 
touch upon the subject. Upon arriving at the Dalles, my animals were too much worn out to be 
able to carry loads down the river trail at that advanced state of the season; the rains had already 
set in at Vancouver: for these and other reasons I determined to send the animals down without 
loads, and to take water transportation for the party. 
The animals started on the 17th; the party in the small steamer Allen on the same day. We 
reached the Cascades that evening, and arrived at Fort Vancouver late in the night of the 18th 
November, having come down from the Cascades in open boats. It rained heavily during the 
whole of our passage. The animals reached Vancouver in six days from Fort Dalles. Two 
were drowned in crossing a creek not far from Vancouver; their condition on their arrival was 
such as to prove that they could not have accomplished the trip with loads. In my railway 
report will be found my opinion of the Columbia River Pass. At Vancouver my party was 
broken up, and the portion required for office work was sent to Olympia. 
Being greatly delayed in making arrangements necessary for the disposition of my own and 
other parties, it was only on the 16th December that I arrived at Olympia, by way of the 
Cowlitz. On the 23d I left Olympia, with Mr. Minter and a small party, lor Steilacoom, in a 
canoe. My intention was to endeavor to complete the barometrical profile of the main Yakima 
Pass, and examine the approaches on this side. At Steilacoom I found it impossible to make 
any arrangements for land transportation—the Indians representing the road impracticable for 
animals at that season; I therefore determined to proceed by water to the falls of the Snoqualme, 
and thence as far as it might seem advisable on foot. I left Steilacoom on the 29th with two 
canoes, reached the mouth of the Sinahomish on the 1st January, and arrived within a mile of 
the Snoqualme Falls on the 7th January. We proceeded but a few miles above the falls on 
foot; the trail was entirely obliterated; no Indian could be induced to accompany me to the 
pass as a guide. The barometer with which I was furnished had proved entirely worthless; and 
irom the information obtained, there seemed to be no possibility of proceeding farther than Lake 
Nook-noo; I therefore concluded that no object would be attained by keeping on, at all com- 
