FROM CANTONMENT STEVENS TO FORT HALL AND BACK. 
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distance; this plain, or prairie, being surrounded on all sides by high ridges of mountains. We 
followed along this stream till it led us to the ridge of mountains firming the eastern limit of the 
prairie, where the stream enters the canon of the mountains; our course lay through this canon, 
over a very rough and rugged road, for twelve or fifteen miles, leading us at times over very dif¬ 
ficult hills, at times down rough and steep declivities, and at times compelling us to take the bed 
of the river. After passing over this exceedingly rugged road, where the canon was about three 
hundred yards wide at its greatest width, we entered into a prairie valley, still following the 
direction of the stream, which we followed down till we struck the main stream of the Jefferson 
fork, which we found to be a bold stream of twenty-five yards in width, rapid current, and about 
three feet deep, unwooded save with the willow. The course of this stream, at the point where 
we struck it, was north 30° west, which was about a quarter of a mile south of the junction with 
the tributary along which we had been following; from the junction the stream took a bend to 
the north 40° east, flowing in this direction till, by its windings through the mountains, it was lost 
to view. Our course lay up the main stream for a distance of fifteen miles, through a beautiful 
prairie valley of from twelve to fifteen miles in width, till we arrived at the junction of a large 
tributary coming in through the south-southeast, winding through a very beautiful and broad, 
level prairie valley; from this junction the stream bore from the south of west a few degrees, our 
trail during the meanwhile leading over a very excellent and level road. The valley of this stream 
was from fifteen to twenty miles in width; the stream along its banks being lined with the willow, 
growing to the height of twenty feet. No timber was to be seen through the whole valley, save 
a few scattering cotton-wood trees; at times on the main stream, and at times on some of the 
small mountain tributaries. We followed up this road for a distance of twenty miles on this 
stream, (an excellent road,) till it opened into a large prairie, surrounded on all sides by high 
mountains, many of the peaks being perpetually snow-clad. The stream forks in this prairie, 
coming from the mountains by two separate and distinct gaps; the direction of one being nearly 
west, and the other a few degrees south of west. My course tended along the northern branch of 
the two, which we followed up for a distance of twenty-five miles to its source; making the 
whole distance travelled up the fork about sixty miles from the point of striking it after having 
left Wisdom river. The gap of the mountains through which this branch of the fork flows is about 
five hundred yards wide; the tops and slopes of the mountains on each side were well clad with 
the pine, growing to a height of fifty feet. It was following up this branch that we first met with 
ice and snow, some of the small streams being so thickly frozen that our animals passed over 
without breaking the ice ; we had snow about two inches deep in ascending the valley. Follow¬ 
ing the branch lo its source, we arrived at a divide of a very gradual and beautiful ascent and 
descent, which led us into the southern portion of a large prairie, known and before referred to as 
the “Big Hole” prairie. This divide is also well wooded with the pine, growing to a height of 
seventy and eighty feet, and perfectly straight. We followed a small trail over this divide till 
we struck the main trail, which we had travelled on when we left “Big Hole.” We again took 
the trail, and followed it to our camp of this river. I would remark, that in this “Big Hole” 
prairie there is a series of boiling springs, where the water issues from the ground so exceedingly 
hot that you cannot bear your hand in it for a moment. These hot springs are so numerous that 
the water from them forms quite a large stream, and of a cold, frosty morning the vapor rises 
from the surface, and as seen from a distance looks like a large cloud of smoke. The grass near 
the springs is dry and parched, and at a distance gives the appearance of a burnt prairie. I have 
understood, also, that about twenty-five miles north of the “Big Hole” there is another series of 
these “ hot springs.” The water from these springs has no unpleasant taste whatever, though 
the stones and weeds over which it flows are covered with a green incrustation. On the greater 
part of the route game is to be seen, consisting of elk, antelope, moose, bear, deer, ducks, and 
geese. We found very good grass, also, on most part of the route; our animals, however, did 
not stand the trip well, as thev were all weak and had been broken down before they started on 
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