260 
FROM THE COLUMBIA VALLEY TO FORT OWEN. 
I found two stray horses belonging to the Pend d’Oreilles. As they were much diseased with 
the glanders, 1 had them killed to prevent contagion. A French voyageur of our party begged 
hard for their lives, alleging that the killing of them would bring down the vengeance of the 
whole tribe upon us. 
Tuesday, August 23.—Marched twelve miles to the river—Clark’s fork of the Columbia. All 
hands are busily engaged in constructing a raft to take across the baggage. The forest resounds 
with the unwonted sound of the axe. We shall have some trouble in crossing, as the river is 
deep and the current rapid. 
Wednesday, August 24.—We were occupied all day in completing the raft and crossing the 
baggage. The timber used in the construction of the raft is so heavy that it almost sinks in the 
water by its own weight. Navigation with such an unwieldy craft was exceedingly difficult. 
The party were at work in the water until 10 o’clock at night, and had passed over but about 
half of the loads. After this, a line of sentinels was posted to guard against the Blackfeet, who are 
supposed to be prowling around us for an opportunity to plunder. 
Thursday, August 25.—Roused all hands at an early hour and completed crossing the baggage 
with our heavy and water-soaked raft; it w r as a tedious and severely-laborious operation. How¬ 
ever, we succeeded in getting everything over in safety. Marched five miles and encamped in 
a beautiful meadow on Clark’s fork, the men very much exhausted with the labor of rafting; 
many a silent vow was made not to serve Uncle Sam again. The soldiers may well complain; 
seven dollars a month is poor compensation for such hardships. 
In the course of the night an alarm was made by one of the sentinels, who supposed that he 
saw an Indian. It was probably a bear, that had, by accident, strolled into the camp. 
Friday, August. 26.—To-day We moved our camp twenty-five miles to the southeast, and 
encamped on a small creek, a tributary of the Columbia. Our route was along the Flathead 
river, through a fine, open country, with an abundance of fine timber upon the hills back from 
the river. I found a great quantity of wild fruit, particularly excellent plums, nearly as good 
as those cultivated in the States. 
For the last eight miles of the march we followed up the valley of Jocko river, a beautiful 
mountain stream, full of fine trout, and capable of supplying water-power enough to propel all the 
cotton-mills of Lowell. 
Near our camp is a place called “Course de Femme” by the trappers; of which tradition is, that 
a white man many years ago lived here who used to make the squaws run foot-races for his 
amusement. Hence the name. I do not vouch for the truth of the tradition. 
Saturday, Avgust 27.—Arrived at “Hell Gate Run” after a march of twenty-eight miles. 
This is said, by the Indians, to be the best and almost only entrance to the pass through the 
Rocky mountains north of Pierre’s Hole. A wild stream conies through the mountains at this 
point, called the Hell Gate river. It is not navigable, but would furnish excellent water-power. 
Up the valley of this beautiful river is the mountain pass through which the Pend d’Oreilles, 
Nez Perces, Flatheads, and other tribes west of the mountains, go to hunt on the plains of the 
Missouri. The western Indians take their families and property with them on those excursions, 
but the Blackfeet come west only on war parties, and therefore none but young men come. 
Sunday, August 28.—After a march of twenty-eight miles we arrived at St. MaryUs village. 
Much to my disappointment, Governor Stevens’s party has not yet been heard from. 
I had intended to place the provisions in depot here in charge of Lieutenant Arnold, and with 
Lieutenant Macfeely cross the mountains to Fort Benton; but in consequence of the lateness of 
the season, and the great losses sustained in transporting provisions, I find it necessary to send 
back every man who can be spared from the expedition in order to save, for Governor Stevens’s 
party, as many subsistence stores as possible. According to all our information, Fort Benton is 
still at a long distance to the eastward. 
I should do injustice to my own feelings, and to the services of a gallant officer, if I omitted 
