FROM CANTONMENT STEVENS TO FORT DALLES. 
635 
soil in many places is a rich loam, and about two feet deep; in fact, since leaving the mountains 
we have found the soil very fertile. Through this valley, as also in those already passed, we 
found large bands of Indian horses, and on arriving at Mr. Craig’s we found hogs, goats, and 
chickens in great abundance. 
October 4.—Commences bright and pleasant. Having secured a guide at the Nez Perces’ 
camp, we resumed our journey, which lay down the valley of the Lappahwat to its junction with the 
Clearwater, thence down the left bank of the Clearwater to its junction with the Snake river or 
Lewis’s fork of the Columbia, where we encamped for the night. The valley of the Lappahwat 
near its mouth we found to be half a mile wide, and contains many Indian farms; the soil here is 
very fertile, and large fields of corn and potatoes are here grown. At the mouth of this creek, 
on the right bank, is Spalding’s old mission, winch was abandoned after the Whitman massacre. 
This place being well sheltered by the high hills and bluffs of the valley, renders it a very desira¬ 
ble station for a trading post or a large farm, or an Indian agency. The grass along this route, 
however, we found very sparse, being either burnt, or destroyed by the large bands of horses 
roaming over it. The rock along these bluffs is volcanic. The valley of the Clearwater we 
found to be half a mile wide, and the river one hundred and fifty yards wide, and flows with a 
gentle and equal current to its mouth. At its junction with the Snake river it is nearly two hun¬ 
dred yards wide; the Snake river at the same point being two hundred and fifty yards wide, 
with a rapid current. The bluffs on the right bank are high and steep, and perfectly destitute of 
timber and grass, while those to the south are quite low, and covered with a rich growth of 
nutritious grass. 
October 5 .—Commences cold and rainy. It rained moderately during the night, accompanied 
by a heavy wind from the west; and having encamped on the bare rocks of the beach, our camp 
this morning proved truly uncomfortable. As soon as the wind had lulled, we crossed the Snake 
river in a canoe that we had secured the day before. We made the crossing without difficulty, 
and at 12 m. resumed our march along the left bank of the Snake and Clearwater rivers; the 
water is of a deep sea-green color, and is very deep. The banks are formed of gravel and 
rounded water-worn stones, the marks on which show that at the high stage of water the 
river is from ten to fifteen feet higher than we found it. Our road along the Snake river was 
much obstructed by rocks and stones for a distance of seven miles, when we reached a great 
bend of the stream, the river turning towards the north, which here is two hundred yards wide, 
and flows with a rapid current, with falls and cascades, through high, steep bluffs or hills; those 
on the right bank being covered with a very sparse growth of grass, while those on the left are 
formed mostly of columnar rock, fragments of which are continually falling, obstructing the path¬ 
way along the whole route. On reaching the bend referred to we left the river, our course being 
nearly due west. Here we reached a small stream or run flowing from the west, through high, 
steep bluffs, similar in every respect to those along the Snake river. This creek is called by the 
Nez Perces the Alpahwah. Jt is bordered by the willow, long-leaved cotton-wood, birch, 
sumach, cherry, white haw, honeysuckle, and gooseberry. It is from eight to ten yards wide 
and fifteen inches deep, and its valley bordered on each side by high, bare bluffs. Having 
travelled a distance of twelve and a half miles, we encamped on the left bank of the Alpahwah, 
at its forks, finding very good grass and an abundance of wood. On reaching the Snake rrver this 
morning, the guide, who was a Shawnee Indian who had accompanied us from the Bitter Root 
valley, desired to return. Permission was granted him, when he returned on foot, packing his 
saddle and bedding to the nearest Indian camp. The rain, which poured in torrents during the 
earlier part of the day, abated towards noon, but recommenced at 3 p. m., and continued with 
force till night, accompanied by a heavy wind from the west. At 7 p. m., however, it ceased, 
with a clear sunset, giving promise of a bright morrow. The soil along the route to-day, where 
not covered with rocks and stones, we found fertile, and is well adapted to the growth of corn, 
potatoes, and wheat, together with many garden vegetables. We saw several fields that had 
