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 CANTONMENT STEVENS TO FORT DALLES.
bed. The valley of this stream is about nine miles wide, and bolnded on each side by high,
steep clay banks, destitute of timber. While descending the steep hill to gain the river we met
with large quantities of volcanic rock lying scattered over the ground, presenting a vesicular honeycombed surface. We crossed the Clearwater after dark, and at a mile distant reached a few
lodges of Nez Perces Indians encamped on the Komyer creek. Here is the country of the Nez
Perces Indians, where they have large fields enclosed, large herds of cattle, and an abundance of
the fruits of nature. The soil here is very fertile, and the winters are represented as being very
mild. They raise large quantities of wheat, potatoes, beans, peas, and onions.'he Salmon
river, which is only two days distant, affords thein an abundance of fish. Large quantities of
berries are found on the streams flowing into the Clearwater. Their Camash prairie is only
twelve miles distant; nature thus affording them every advantage and every means of sustaining
life, and causing them to live happily and contented. At present they are provided with no mil,
the want of which they feel very much; at present they make use of the wheat by either boiling
or pounding it.
The journey across the mountains having proved very fatiguing to our anirnals, I concluded to
rest a day in camp with the Indians, and did not resume our journey until 4 p. m. on the next
day, having been delayed in searching for some of our horses that had strayed from cam. e
lost them yesterday, and though the men were in search of them all day, they were unable to
discover them. I was disposed to believe my Indian friends had cached them;' for it was only
after offering them a large reward that -they started in search of them, when in a few minutes
they brought them in. I was at this place forcibly reminded of the national characteristic
meanness and avarice of these Indians. I have met them many times in the mountains, and
they have to me always displayed those same traits of character. I desired one of them to
accompany me on my journey, but he demanded such an enormous reward for his services that
I told him I preferred travelling alone to being imposed upon by them.
Resuming our march, our course tended over the high bluffs bounding the Clearwater on the
south for a distance of three miles, our course being 5~ north of west magnetic. At the end of
this distance we reached the high, broad, rolling prairie, over which we travelled five miles, to a
fork of the river now dry, but when supplied with water, flows through a deep, narrow, rocky
gorge or ravine. At six miles farther we reached a second creek, containing water also, flowing
through a narrow ravine, the creek being fringed with willow and a few broad-leafed cotton-wood
trees; a few scattering pines were also to be seen growing along the slopes of the hills. Having
travelled a distance of fourteen miles, we encamped on the right bank of the creek, having travelled until after sunset, in order to reach good grass and water. We found the old grass of the
prairie burnt, but the young grass was now springing up. We had an excellent view of the
Rocky mountains from the west, as also of the mountains bordering the Snake river, all being
clad with the pine. The day was bright and pleasant, and the night clear and mild.
October 3.-Commences clear and bright, though cool. Ice made this morning about daybreak.
Resuming our journey at an early hour, our trail lay over the rolling prairie for a distance of six
miles, when we reached a creek emptying into the Clearwater, and flowing through a deep, narrow gorge of volcanic rock about one hundred feet deep. From this point, for eight miles, our
trail lay over the rolling prairie, whlen we entered an open pine forest, through which we travelled for a distance of eight miles, when we reached a. small creek running towards the west, and
called by the Nez Perces Lappahwat, which we followed for a distance of six miles, when we
reached the trading establishment of Williani Craig, where we encamped, having travelled a distance of twenty-eight miles. The Lappahwat valley is five hundred yards wide, bounded on each
side by high, bare hills or bluffs, and the soil is quite fertile. Here we found several fields enclosed, and at night the Indians brought us onions, cantaleups, pumpkins, and tomatoes, being
the first we had seen for twenty-one months; they proved truly refreshing. The climate here is
mild, and all garden vegetables are found to grow well, and in- the greatest abundan e. The
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