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 THlE COLUMBIA VALLEY TO FORT OWEN.
F.
251
SURVEYS FROM THE EASTERN BASE OF THE MOUNTAINS TO THE LOWER
COLUMBIA.
17. RIEPORT OF THE ROUTE OF LIEUTENANT R. SAXTON, U.S. A., FROM THE COLUMBIA VALLEY TO
FORT OWEN, AND THENCE TO FORT BENTON.
WASHINGTON, D. C., February, 1854.
SIR: In obedience to your instructions of April, 1853, appointing me acting assistant quarter
master and commissary for the expedition under your command, for the exploration and survey
of a route for a railroad from some point on the Mississippi river to Pucet sound, and directing
me to proceed by the way of the Isthmus of Panama to Columbia barracks, in Washington Territory, and there organize a supply train, and establish a depot of provisions at the Flathead
Indian village of St. Mary's, and join you at Fort Benton, proceeding thither by the Blackfoot
Pass of the Rocky mountains, I have the honor to submit the following report of my operations
in the performance of that duty.
As incidental to the establishment of a depot of provisions for the use of the main parties
engaged in the exploration, I was directed to make such observations with reference tothe
topography of the country through which I should pass, and the facilities or difficulties it presented to the construction of a railroad, as would not interfere with the main object of my
expedition.
The distances stated in the report are only approximations inferred from the pace of a horse,
and the directions were determined by the bearings of a pocket compass. They will, however,
I trust, give a tolerable, if imperfect, idea of the country through which I passed.
I left New York on the 5th of May, and proceeded, by the way of the Isthmus of Panama to
San Francisco, California, where I arrived on the 1st of June. It being necessary to procure
most of the articles required for the use of the expedition at this place, my arrival in Washington
Territory was delayed until June 27th. The abundance of gold in California, and the consequent high price of labor, made it very difficult to procure men for the expedition, even at the
highest rates. But for the assistance afforded by the agents of the Hudson's Bay Company, I
should have been unable to organize a party at all. I applied to Governor P. Ogden, the chief
factor of the company, for aid, which he very readily granted. It is worthy of remark, however
little flattering to American pride, that the power and influence of that company over the inhabitants of the country which I traversed is greater than that of the government of the United
States. Even the Quartermaster's department is obliged to depend upon them for the transportation of troops and army supplies.
On the 2d of July, Lieutenant Arnold, 3d( artillery who had volunteered for the expedition,
started up the Columbia river with the greater part of the stores destined for the Flathead vilage,
and twenty-one men employed as packers. In consequence of high water in the river, the
passage of the Cascades was exceedingly difficult, and it was necessary to transport all our
baggage for a considerable distance on the backs of men. Lieutenant Arnold, with characteristic energy, succeeded, after a week's hard labor, in landing his stores at the Dalles of the Columbia. I completed all the arrangements for the expedition, and with the soldiers detailed as an escort,
and the remaining commissary stores, arrived at the Dalles on the 14th of July. As all the
animals in the possession of the Quartermaster's department at Fort Vancouver were required by
Captain McClellan's party, we were obliged to depend, in a great measure, upon the Indians for
our horses. Reports were in circulation that we were fitting out a war party against them, and
they showed great unwillingness to bring in horses. Every aid in their power was promptly
rendered by the officers at Fort Vancouver, a.nd the DI[!es, to forward the interests of the
expedition.