Reports of explorations and surveys, to ascertain the most practicable and economical route for a railroad from the Mississippi River to the Pacific Ocean: Vol. 1, Pt. 2

FROM FORT HALL TO HEAD OF HELL GATE RIVER.
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 d(lown, 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 Blackfoot 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 fromthe
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 iocks, 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 nmiles, we encamped 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, 1854.-Commences cold, and snowing. We resumed our march at 9 a. m.; 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 difficulty 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 regretted it. The mountains proved to be very steep, and, being covered with a thick sleet,
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