322 
FROM RITTER ROOT VALLEY TO FORT HALL. 
the trip. I think the road from here to the Jefferson fork of the Missouri can he made a good 
road for wagons in going towards the south. Wagons have never as yet passed over this road 
in going to the south—it being thought, by those living here, perfectly impracticable—though 
wagons from below have passed over it in going to the north. We had snow when recrossing 
the “Big Hole mountain” to a depth of three inches. Should the weather be sufficiently mild, 
I think that this reconnaissance will be followed by one of greater extent and of greater interest. 
Truly, your obedient servant, 
J. MULL AN, 
Lieutenant U. S. Army. 
Governor I. I. Stevens, 
In Command of Northern Pacific Railroad Survey, i\c. 
REPORT OF A RECONNAISSANCE FROM THE BITTER ROOT VALLEY TO FORT HALL, THENCE TO 
THE HEAD OF HELL GATE RIVER, THENCE TO THE BITTER ROOT VALLEY. 
Cantonment Stevens, Bitter Root Valley, 
Washington Territory, January 21, 1854. 
Sir: I have the honor to report, that, in conformity to the paragraph of your letter of instruc¬ 
tions, dated at the St. Mary’s village, October 3, 1S53, directing me “ to continue the exploration 
of the country between the Rocky and Bitter Root ranges of mountains, extending to Fort Hall, 
to connect with the survey of Colonel Fremont, and northward to the Feather lake, and even to the 
upper waters of Clark’s fork of the Columbia,” I left my camp on the Bitter Root river on the 
2Sth of November, 1S53, to reconnoitre the country between the Bitter Root valley and Lewis’s 
fork of the Columbia as far as Fort Hall, taking with me as guide Gabriel, the Flathead inter¬ 
preter; Mr. Adams, artist; and Corporals Rose, Simpson, and Gates, of the detachment left in 
the Bitter Root valley. The general course intended to be followed was up the Bitter Root valley 
to its headwaters, thence across the dividing ridge of the Missouri and Columbia waters, crossing 
the main stream of the Jefferson fork of the Missouri, following up one of its head branches to 
the dividing ridge of the Snake river waters, to the Snake river valley, or the valley of Lewis’s 
fork of the Columbia; our return route to be governed entirely by circumstances and the char¬ 
acter of the season. I have already submitted for your consideration a brief report, giving a 
general description of the route travelled, the character of the streams, mountains, prominent 
landmarks, &c., intending that it should be followed by a more full and detailed report, giving a 
description of each portion of the route followed, the character and features of the immense bed 
of mountains extending over three and a half degrees of latitude, which, being travelled at such 
a late season, naturally adds to the already interesting character of the route ; together with such 
information, facts, and incidents as our trip called forth. In order, therefore, to do justice to the 
description of each point of the route, and lay it before you as we found it, I have made such 
extracts from my daily journal as will go to show the nature and character of the country, its 
capability, adaptation to useful purposes, its practicability for wagon trains, and such facts of 
general interest as a new and unexplored route naturally developed. Owing to many and unfore¬ 
seen contingencies, straying away ot animals, &c., we were unable to make more than seventeen 
miles of our journey up to the 1st of December, when we camped on the right bank of the Bitter 
Root river. We started with ten mules and fifteen horses, whose ability to withstand the fatigues 
of the long journey we very much doubted; but being the best we could then find in our large 
band of animals in the valley, we determined to undertake the trip with these rather than defer 
it to a later period, as the season was so far advanced that, should we not take advantage of the 
present opportunity, we would be compelled to leave the work untouched till late in the spring. 
We heard news to-day from the States for the first time since last May, which told of anlici- 
