ITINERARY OP THE ROUTE FROM FORT BENTON TO FORT OWEN. 
369 
some bread and milk, he resumed the road with the same animals, dashing off at full speed, eight 
or nine miles an hour most of the way, and reached Colville at nine o’clock. Mr. McDonald 
received him and his party with great hospitality. Captain McClellan, soon over from his camp, 
supped with him, and chatted until a late hour over the various incidents and success of the 
enterprise. 
The rest of the party followed Governor Stevens on the morning of the 19th, ferried their packs 
across the stream in a canoe, and descended a broad valley, in which they found settlements of 
half-breeds and Indians living in comfortable log houses. They cultivate farms and gardens, 
have herds of cattle and horses grazing in the bottom, indicating much prosperity. This valley 
extends twenty miles, and will support a large population. 
Distance from camp on the Spokane to Colville, sixty miles. 
31. Itinerary of the route from fort benton, by the northern blackfoot trail, to 
FORT OWEN. 
Washington, D. C., July 31, 1854. 
Dear Sir: I give herewith an itinerary of the route which I travelled from Fort Benton west¬ 
ward to Wallah-Wallah, crossing the Rocky mountains by a pass at the source of Little Blackfoot 
river, and the Bitter Root mountains by the southern Nez Perces trail: 
October 31, 1853.—Ford the Missouri a short distance below Fort Benton, and encamp 
soon after, hid from the sight of the sun only by the high bluffs bordering the river. At 
the ford the Missouri is not far from six hundred feet wide, and has a least depth of three 
feet. Some of the animals, missing the ford, got into deep water, wetting their packs 
somewhat. Camp on a small stream making into the Missouri, with sufficient grass and 
water, and a scanty supply of wood.„ „ _. 
November 1.—Run a nearly parallel course to the Missouri, but kept at some distance 
from it, to avoid, as far as possible, the deep coulees which cut its banks; road somewhat 
broken with coulees; but there is little doubt that a practicable wagon-road, with care, 
could be selected; cold and snowy; neither the river nor the adjacent country could 
be seen during the day; camp on the.Missouri; wood and water good, and grass also, 
save that it is somewhat snowy. 
November 2.—During the first half of to-day’s journey three brooks are crossed, which 
cut the country in deep trenches and coulees, and the road is much broken. The latter 
half of the day’s journey is easy, and the country is much less broken. Camp, at night, 
on the Missouri at some point above the falls. Our route during the day was too distant 
from the river to obtain a view of the falls, but their roar was distinguished about 
midday; a cold day, with a morning temperature near zero; soil good during the day; 
game very plenty; several small droves of elk, a few buffalo, some black-tailed deer and 
antelope, and at night, near our camp, large numbers of geese, swan, and ducks. 
November 3.—Above the falls the country bordering the Missouri improves in appearance, 
is less broken with coulees, and the river is not bordered with the steep bluffs as below. 
The soil and grass are better, and the banks lose their former barren and bare look. A 
river, the first tributary above Fort Benton on the south side, which will bear the name 
of- — river, was crossed about ten miles from the morning camp. It was, at the cross¬ 
ing, some eighty feet wide, and a ford was found with difficulty. In times of high water 
it would be a troublesome stream to cross, and, as it was, caused us a delay of an hour 
or two. Camp, at night, on the Missouri, with good wood, water, and grass, save that 
the latter is partially buried with the snow; cold and snowy during the day; game plenty 
November 4.—Day’s travel wholly on the river border, or near it, and the road is good 
until, at the end of about fourteen miles, rocky bluffs, almost impassable, crowd upon the 
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