FROM FORT HALL TO HEAD OF HELL GATE RIVER. 
345 
of snow. The weather toward evening became quite cold, the wind blowing very strong from 
the southwest, which continued with much force during the night. 
January 4, 1854.—Commences exceedingly cold, windy, and snowing. The wind was very 
strong during the night, accompanied also by much snow. At midnight it blew so hard that 
our tents were thrown down, and before they could be put up our limbs were benumbed with 
cold, compelling us to spend a long, dreary, and uncomfortable night. We were not able to 
resume our march till 2 p. m., on account of the severe storm. Our animals suffered very 
much from the snow and cold, and early in the morning they were seen standing around the 
camp-fires shivering from cold. Our march continued down the valley of the Hell Gate fork on 
its right bank, crossing it at our camp of last night. Two miles from our camp we crossed the 
Little Blackfoot fork, the largest tributary coming in from the east. This is the stream that I 
followed down in crossing the mountains from the Muscle Shell river in September last. Our 
course, by a very excellent road, continued for three miles farther to our camp—making a march 
of only five miles—encamping on the right bank of the Hell Gate river, finding here good grass 
and excellent wood. We crossed during the afternoon the trail leading down the Little Black- 
foot fork, which is the main Flathead trail across the mountains. The day, as also the night, has 
been exceedingly cold. 
January 5, 1854.—Commences like yesterday, very cold. We resumed our march at 7 a. m., 
which for five miles continued on the right bank of the Hell Gate river. The country from the 
mouth of the Little Blackfoot to the Bitter Root valley having already been described in detail in 
my report from the Muscle Shell river, I do not here give it place. Travelling a distance of 
twenty-five miles, we encamped on a small tributary coming from the south, having crossed the 
Hell Gate river twice during the day. We passed during the day a small creek coming from the 
south, in whose waters gold has been found, and at whose head is said to occur a gold mine. 
I intended to stop a day to examine the head of this stream, and the valley through which it flows ; 
but finding the ground covered with snow, and the creek frozen over, I was unable to examine 
it for the present. Passed to-day the Flint creek from the south, and also the Quagmire creek. 
Found the snow four inches deep on a level, though in places it had drifted to a depth of from 
twelve to twenty inches. 
January 6, 1854.—Commences clear, but very cold. We resumed our march at 9.30 a. m. 
The road to-day we found very difficult to travel, the ground being covered with a thick sleet; 
and, although this was covered in some places with six inches of snow, it made the travelling not 
only difficult but dangerous. During the day our trail lay along the side of a hill of very 
steep descent, down which two of our animals fell; one holding on to the brink of the precipice 
by its forefeet, we were enabled to put a rope around his neck and take off" the pack, when, at 
tempting to lower him gradually down the precipice, the rope broke, rolling him from the top 
to the bottom, ovei locks, stones, and trees; he was so much stunned and injured by the fall that 
we were compelled to leave him on the road. Travelling a distance of twelve miles, we en¬ 
camped on the right bank of the Hell Gate river, finding an abundance of fuel, but scanty fare 
for our horses, on account of the snow. We crossed the Hell Gate river once during the day, 
finding the channel open, though much broken ice was met with in the ford. 
January 7, 1S54.—Commences cold, and snowing. We resumed our march at 9 a. in.; crossed 
the Hell Gate river within two hundred yards of the camp, the channel of which we found open, 
though there was ice for several feet along the margin, and three inches thick. We had great dif¬ 
ficulty in crossing the stream, everything in our pack becoming thoroughly saturated with water, 
and every one was wet as far as the waist, some being compelled to wade the river. From 
this crossing there were two trails we could follow—the one leading down the valley, crossing 
the river several times; the second leading along the side of the hills. I told the guide that we 
would take the latter, which turned out to be so difficult and dangerous, that I afterwards re¬ 
gretted it. The mountains proved to be very steep, and, being covered with a thick sleet, 
44 f 
