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 HEADWATERS OF THE MISSOURI TO DALLES OF THE COLUMBIA.
Last night it rained some hours, but turned off cool and windy towards morning. Camped on
"Steep river.'"
February 8.-This morning about two bushels of oats and barley were fed out to the animals,
which allowed them a little over four quarts each. Some of them chewed off their pack-straps
with which they were tied in the night, but did not stray, as but few got loose.
We have passed to-day several old Indian camping places, indicated by the skeletons of their
lodges still standing. At one of them was a mud-built structure about six feet long and three
wide, arched over at the top like an oven, and lined inside with pine boughs. At the end was a
hole sufficiently large for a man to crawl in. It was probably the dormitory of some bachelor
Indian.
Though the great mass of the forest growth is pine, there are some hemlock and fir; and on
the banks of small streams, and near the river, a few cedars, white and yellow birch. Some of
the cedars were as large as six feet through at the butt, tall and straight-grained. The snow is
still increasing a little in depth, but does not as yet offer much of an obstruction to travelling. It
varies to-day from twelve to eighteen inches. The weather is still cloudy, and a little sleet has
been falling from time to time. Travelled to-day about 14 miles.
On the evening of the 9th, after having travelled about as far as the day before, we camped
on a small stream whose banks were fringed with hemlock and cedar. A sufficient quantity of
them were felled and their boughs fed to the animals. They would pick at them a little, but
more from force of habit than from any relish. They preferred hemlock to cedar.
We have given up riding altogether, for travelling is getting bad, and we wish to save the
animals as much as possible.
The snow is now from eighteen inches to two feet in depth, with a light crust over it. For
two days past I have frequently observed tracks of an animal caled in this country the panther,
or tiger-eat. The tracks in the snow are about as large as a saucer, and the stride of the animal,
as he trots, is about two feet.
Last night it rained for several hours, but turned off towards morning to snow, and it was
stormy all the morning. It is still cloudy, and threatening rain to-night.
February 10. —My guide, Paul, seems to be totally unacquainted with the trail, now that it is
well covered with snow. In consequence we have followed the bed of the river all day. Though
the channel is not frozen over, there is a strip generally along the edge, a few feet wide, which
answers very well to travel on, provided the animals are closely watched. Notwithstanding every
care, they will sometimes get in. Just before halting for the night we passed a camp of eleven
lodges of Pend d'Oreille Indians. The lodges were similar to those passed on the 7th, but the
inmates were a little cleaner and better clad; but they all appear to be on a short allowance of soap.
After supper they brought some venison into camp, to "swap" for anything, we might feel disposed
to give them. With some powder and balls, and a few old shirts, I purchased as much as I wished.
We found a few cotton-wood trees near our camp to-night, and felled them. The poor animals
ate the browse with great good will. Since 9 o'clock this morning it has been raining lightly,
and bids fair to continue some time.
February 11.-We continue to pick our way along the river. When a few miles from camp,
an old Indian camping-ground was passed, which, from appearance, had not been deserted long.
In its midst was a scaffolding, erected by making four poles fast in the ground in an upright
position, at the corners of a rectangle, and lashing cross-poles to them about eight feet from the
ground. These latter supported a platform, upon which, in a rude enclosure, was the body of a
deceased Indian.
There was another structure near by, built of logs, matched and jointed at the corners like a
log-house. It was about seven feet long, four feet wide, and four feet high, and closely covered
at the top. This I took to be also a place of sepulture.
The average depth 0f #nt to-day wab from two feet to two and a haif.
508