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

GENERAL REPORT ON WESTERN DIVISION.
impracticable for a road of any kind. The descent of this stream is rapid; at five miles from
the mouth is a pretty fall of probably ten feet: as we were obliged to view it from an elevation
of some three hundred feet, we could form no correct estimate of its height. There are 1o trees
in this ravine; its soil is of sand and gravel.
The valley of the Sahtlilkwu (east lork) is generally a broad one, but is almost entirely filled
with lakes and marshes. As far as the Great lake it presents a route practicable from the
Columbia, with difficulties at some points; as it leads to nothing, and communicates with no
pass to Frazer's river, it is not a subject for consideration. The Hludson's Bay trail frotn the
Okinakane to Fort Langley leaves the Sahtlilkwu a short distance above our camp of the 8th,
and after crossing a mountain ridge enters the valley of the Millakitekwu, follows that for a
considerable distance, and then crosses the mountain into the valley of Frazer's river. It is
represented by all who have travelled it as an execrable and just practicable trail, as following
no pass, but crossing directly over the mountains.
On the tenth 1 left the main party in camp, and with all of the officers and two of the gentlemen rode to the Great lake, returning the same day.
Upon an attentive consideration of the more important points of what has already been said,
I think it will be very evident that there is but olie pass through the Cascade range, from the
Columbia to the northern boundary-that of the main Yakima-that is at all practicable for a
railway; nor am I aware of any reason for believing any to exist between that boundary and
Thompson's river.
In the event of any future surveys of the Cascade range for railway purposes, the whole force
may safely be thrown upon the main Yakima Pass and that of the Columbia. I now considered
the most important part of my duty performed, having carried the reconnaissance of the Cascade
range somewhat into British territory. The winter was now close at hand, the weather
becoming cold, and the snow increasing rapidly in the mountains. Our animals showed unmistakable signs of the effects of their very difficult service, and the pass of the Columbia was still
to be examined. As nothing but geographical information could now be gained by a longer delay
in the mountains, I determined to leave the range and move for Colville. The route selected
was that from the forks of the Okinakane to the head of Ne-hoi-al-pit-kwu, or Colville river, and
down that stream to the Columbia; a portion of the country known only to the employcs of the
Hudson's Bay Company. I hoped on my arrival at Colville to receive some intelligence of the
progress of your party, or even to meet you in person by a lucky chance.
It was also my determination, if nothing had occurred making it necessary for me to keep
on to the Rocky mountains with the whole or a portion of my party, to make an examination of
the country in the vicinity of the Grand Coulee, the approaches to the mouth of the Yakima, &c.,
and finally to return to Vancouver by the trail down the Columbia valley.
On the 11th we turned back; left the Okinakane on the 12th at the forks; reached the head of
one branch of the Ne-hoi-al-pit-kwu on the 13th, and arrived opposite Colville on the 17th. This
trail is impracticable for a railway, although a wagon road could be carried over it, with considerable difficulty, at some points. The soil in this district was the best we saw. Fine larch trees
abound.
Soon after our arrival in camp opposite Colville, Mr. Angus Macdonald, the gentleman in
charge of the post, came over to our camp, and kindly undertook to provide the canoes necessary for crossing our baggage next day.
By midday of the 18th all our stores and baggage were safely landed on the left bank of the
river, and all of our animals had crossed in safety. Three small canoes, two of them of birch
bark, were the only ones available. We encamped at an excellent place about half a mile from
the fort. At the place where our animals swam the river, the current is very rapid and the
river very deep; it is a good crossing for animals passing firom the right bank to the left, but very
dangerous for any crossing in the opposite direction. The valley of the Columbia is here well
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