534 
FROM CANTONMENT STEVENS TO FORT DALLES. 
bed. The valley of this stream is about nine miles wide, and bounded on each side by high, 
steep clay banks, destitute of timber. While descending the steep hill to gain the river we met 
with large quantities of volcanic rock lying scattered over the ground, presenting a vesicular honey¬ 
combed surface. We crossed the Clearwater after dark, and at a mile distant reached a few 
lodges of Nez Perces Indians encamped on the Komyer creek. Here is the country of the Nez 
Perces Indians, where they have large fields enclosed, large herds of cattle, and an abundance of 
the fruits of nature. The soil here is very fertile, and the winters are represented as being very 
mild. They raise large quantities of wheat, potatoes, beans, peas, and onions. The Salmon 
river, which is only two days distant, affords them an abundance of fish. Large quantities of 
berries are found on the streams flowing into the Clearwater. Their Camash prairie is only 
twelve miles distant; nature thus affording them every advantage and every means of sustaining 
life, and causing them to live happily and contented. At present they are provided with no mill, 
the want of which they feel very much; at present they make use of the wheat by either boiling 
or pounding it. 
The journey across the mountains having proved very fatiguing to our animals, I concluded to 
rest a day in camp with the Indians, and did not resume our journey until 4 p. m. on the next 
day, having been delayed in searching for some of our horses that had strayed from camp. We 
lost them yesterday, and though the men were in search of them all day, they were unable to 
discover them. I was disposed to believe my Indian friends had cached them; for it was only 
after offering them a large reward that they started in search of them, when in a few minutes 
they brought them in. I was at this place forcibly reminded of the national characteristic 
meanness and avarice of these Indians. I have met them many times in the mountains, and 
they have to me always displayed those same traits of character. I desired one of them to 
accompany me on my journey, but he demanded such an enormous reward for his services that 
I told him I preferred travelling alone to being imposed upon by them. 
Resuming our march, our course tended over the high bluffs bounding the Clearwater on the 
south for a'distance of three miles, our course being 5° north of west magnetic. At the end of 
this distance we reached the high, broad, rolling prairie, over which we travelled five miles, to a 
fork of the river now dry, but when supplied with water, flows through a deep, nari’ow, rocky 
gorge or ravine. At six miles farther we reached a second creek, containing water also, flowing 
through a narrow ravine, the creek being fringed with willow and a few broad-leafed cotton-wood 
trees ; a few scattering pines were also to be seen growing along the slopes of the hills. Having 
travelled a distance of fourteen miles, we encamped on the right bank of the creek, having trav¬ 
elled until after sunset, in order to reach good grass and water. We found the old grass of the 
prairie burnt, but the } 7 oung grass was now springing up. We had an excellent view of the 
Rocky mountains from the west, as also of the mountains bordering the Snake river, all being 
clad with the pine. The day was bright and pleasant, and the night clear and mild. 
October 3.—Commences clear and bright, though cool. Ice made this morning about daybreak. 
Resuming our journey at an early hour, our trail lay over the rolling prairie for a distance of six 
miles, when we reached a creek emptying into the Clearwater, and flowing through a deep, nar¬ 
row gorge of volcanic rock about one hundred feet deep. From this point, for eight miles, our 
trail lay over the rolling prairie, when we entered an open pine forest, through which we trav¬ 
elled for a distance of eight miles, when we reached a small creek running towards the west, and 
called by the Nez Perces Lappahwat, which we followed for a distance of six miles, when we 
reached the trading establishment of William Craig, where we encamped, having travelled a dis¬ 
tance of twenty-eight miles. The Lappahwat valley is five hundred yards wide, bounded on each 
side by high, bare hills or bluffs, and the soil is quite fertile. Here we found several fields en¬ 
closed, and at night the Indians brought us onions, cantaleups, pumpkins, and tomatoes, being 
the first we had seen for twenty-one months ; they proved truly refreshing. The climate here is 
mild, and all garden vegetables are found to grow well, and in the greatest abundance. The 
