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Las diagrammas suivants illustrent la mAthode. rrata to pelure, lA H 32X 1 2 3 1 2 3 4 S 6 47TII roNOBKSS, ) 1«^ Session, SENATE. Ex. Doo. No. 180. R E V O K T OP AN EXAMINATION OR TUB UPPER COLUMBIA RIVKR AND THE TERRITORY IN ITS VICINITY IN SEPTEMBER AND OCTOBER, 1881, TO DETEKMrNE ITS NAVIGABILITY, AND ADAPTABILITY TO STEAMBOAT TBANSI'OHTATION. MADR BY DIKECTION OF THE GOMMANDINe GINKBAl OF THE DKPAKTMENT OF THK COLUMBIA, Lieut THOMAS W. SYMONS, COHI-H nt KNOINI'KRa, U. B. AHHY, CHIEF ENQINKKK OK THE DEPARTMENT OF THK COLUMBIA. WASHINGTON: OOVEBNSIENT PBINTINa OFPIOB. 1882. William IT. Floy COLLECTION. NO. 47th Conobess, l»t Semion. SENATE. i Kx. I )(>(). ) No. im. LETTER PKOM THE SECRETARY OF WAR, TRAN8MITTINO In regponne to Nenale Re»olHtum of April 5, 1882, a letter from the Vhivf of KnginefTH of tjenterday'H date, and the aaxmpanifing oopi/ of a report from lAcut. T. W. Wy;»«»j», Corpn of Engincern, emhracing'nlf the infor- mation in thin Department respecting the narigablc waterit of the Upper Columbia River and it» trihutaricH, and of the country adjacent thereto. Ai-KIL ai, 188!i.— Kufemxl to tlio Committee on Printing. WAB DBPAltTMBNT, Washington City, April a I, 1882. Tlio 8«crotJtry of War hivs tlio honor to transmit to tlie Unittnl SttitoM 8cn»t«, in rosiwiiHe to tho rosolution of that boily of the 5th iimfant, calling for information on tho Hubjcct, a letter from the Chief of Engi- neers of yest^nlay's date, and the accompanying copy of a report from Lieut. T. W. Symons, Cori)s of Engineers, enibrm-ing all the informa- tion in this departmei't respecting the navigable waters of the Up; or Oohimbia River and its tributaries, and of the resources of tlie country aiya«ent thereto. RQBEKT T. LINCOLN, SecreUtry of War. Tlie President pro tern. of the United Htate» Senate. Office of the Chief op Enoiisbkbs, United States Army, Washington, J). C, April 'M, 1882. Sib: I have tho honor to return herewith the rosolution of the Senate of the Rth April, 1882, directing the Secretary of War to report to tlie Senate of the United States — Any and all infunnatiuu in his poBiiowiiiin respoctiuK tho navigable waters ef tJie Upper Columbia Kivcr and its tributaries, and the resources of the country through 37610 S CULUMlilA RIVEU. which inch navigable wntuni l>um, anil the nhnraotvr and o"- I,„,,n>ve ,.rnl of l.iitl.- I».ll. ,-K„«,| fnun Clvill.. U. I,it»l« IMIl.MK-Almv, Uttl- l»»ll«->f.»iK«l.l h-.U, R«,.i.U_ (•|ianicJ.T of louiitry nluiiK rlvor— IVnd .rOr»ni« Hirer .-, 'l.rk.V Kurk-l'riHl «rOn5ilI« L»ke-I)r. HiickU-y-n Jo.irimy in IK\% fnmi Fort Oirrn l« V«i«y,nv..r- N.vijpil.iiity of Clnrko's Kork-Mi««..l» B«.i„-niuer l£.«,t ll.mi.uin, .ml Kivrr- Klk City trail-Bitter R.H.t V«lley-Mi«o,.l« Riv,r-Hrll (iuU^li^t IxmIk*-!.!- Jlarkfoot-Llttlo Hlaokfoot-KUthea.l Rivrr-C„ri.e«n l>rm.-J.K:koKiver-IU* Iu«4l Idike-Hot 8|iriiiK Crrok-NavignWIily of n«tb<«all,« an.l (tiau.l IU,.i,l»-M„,l«)i. H,y Fort-Briti«li Fort <;olville-<«,lviil,. liHlian K.« r- v«li„n-C«lvlll«ValK.y-KortColviiI,.-Komli»-KeitleF.II.- Bar- EllH.w-Bcnd-Mitr« Rock-Spokane Rai-ida-Kaay improvement of 8,M.kai.,- Rai.i.U- Conutry alongthe Colnnil.ia— Ueantiful country— Cliinei» minen-Spokaiie River— CaiDp 8iK,kaufr-8,K.k«ne Falls-Bridge over 8i»k«ne River-Ferry overCoIumbia. ClIArTKH III. COLUMBIA HIVRR KROM TUB SI-OKAXK RIVBR TO LAKB fllBLAN. Leave 8|mkane River-Hawk Creek-" Vi>,^Dia Bill "-R«m1 fn.m IIh- ,„iliI,rinm Rapid»-N,»- pilem River-Cannon or Maii-kin ioe of boats to use — Rise and fall of the rivor — Improvement of Cabinet and Rock Island Rapids — Improvenioiit of the Nf spilem Rapids— Summary of improvements advocated— Cost of inipi-ove- inunts — Other possible uiethoils of improvement — Grand Rapids, Kettle Falls, and Little Dalles — Portage about these rapids — Portage system on the Columbia — Cap- tain Piugstoue's report on the Upper Columbia. Chapter VII. OENBKAI. DK8CRIPTON OK TUB COLUMBIA AND ITS TRIBUTARIES. Importance of internal water communication — Drainage areas — The Snake Rivor — Lake Bonneville— FallH— Tributaries of Snake River- Salmon River — Clearwater River — Palonso River — Upper Columbia — Canoe River — Portage River — Commit- tee's Punch-bowl — Athabasca Pass — Journey across the Athabasca Pass — Boat oii- uainpmeut — Beautiful Cataract — Selkirk and Gold Ranges — Dalles des mort« — City of Ro<:ks — Little Narrows— Terrible story of hardship — Arrow Lakes — Kootoaay River — Clarke's Fork — Fliilhead Rivor and Lake -Pend d'Oreille Lake — Spokane Klver — Okinakane River — Lower tributaries. Chapter VIII. III8TORV OK the KI8COVERY AND EXPLORATION OK THE COLU-MBIA RIVER. Pope Alexander VI— Treaty of Partition of the Ocean — Search for passage to India — Spanish colonies and explorations — Discovery of Pacific Ocean — Straits of >nian — Straits of Magellan — Coni|uest of Mexico— Explorations along North American coasts — Proposed Isthmian Canal — Russian dihcoviirios — llecata's discovery of the Columbia — Explorations into the interior ironi the East — Captain Jonathan C.trvor — Oregon Rivor— Meaning of Oregon — Fur trailo with China — Mearo's discovery — Discoveries and voyages of Gray and Kcndrick — Gray's Harbor — Discovery of the Columbia River by Gray— Broughton's examination— Expedition of Levis and Clarke — Aster's Pacific Fur Company — Tominin — Hunt's Land Exi>cdition— North- west For Company — Thompson's voyage down the Columbia— Fort Okinakane — Spokane House — Explorations of the I<'ur Traders — Astoria transferred to North- west Fur Company — Fort Ne« Perci5 or Walla Walla -Consolidation of Northwest and Hudson Bay FurCompanies — Fort Vancouver — Captain Bonneville — Captain Wilkes — Lieutenant Johnson — Captain Fremont — Title of Oregon confirmed to COLUMBIA RIVER. 9 United SUUiH— OrKiiiiijiiition of Orogoii Territory— DiHCOvnry of gold in Ciilifoniiu — I'licilic, Rnilroad SiirvoyH— Warron's Map of tli«' United StiT h— Mllilary Map of Dupartnitint of tliu Coliimliia— Need of further HiirvojH in nepartniciit of Mio O'o- liiinttia. ClIAPTKIi IX. , ; TIIK flKOLOOICAL 1II8TOI1Y OK TIIK CASCAIIK MOUNTAINS AND TIIK COt.lTMIlIA UIVRIt. Paloo/.oin Era— Rocky Mountain cliain- Sierra Nevada and CaHoadi' Han){cs— Oorjje of Columbia throuRli CiwcadeN— Upheaval of CoaHt KauRe— Fitwurc Kruptiotis friini the Cascades— Great hiva How— Fissure eruptionH cliaiiKed to eratcr eruptiorm— Mount Pitt— Mount Scott— Union Peak— Crater Lake- Klamath Hiwin and LakeH ■ Elevated Region- Diamond Peak— Odell Lake— UeHcliutes River— UaviH' Lake- Throe Hinters- Mount Jortoraon— Monnt Hood— Mount Adanm— Saint IleleuH— Ranier or Taconia— Recent eruptions of Mount Saint Helens- Voloanie activity of Mount Hood— NachesH Pass— Yakima Valley— Sentinel Blutrs— Yakima Pam— Wenatoheo MonntniuH- Si«ikaue River— Limestone and granite- Oreat Masin- Tertiary Uplieaval— Post Tertiary Oscillationg- Olaeial Epoch— Pend d'Oreille Tertiary Heds— Glacier- Spokane Plains— (ilacier l.-ikes- ^/iciciif /.ah: Uwiii— Charaplain and Terrace Epoch- Puget Sound— I'onnation of River Canons. ClIAPTKU X. THK QRKAT PLAIN OF TIIK COLUMUIA. Area— Bunch-grass— Soil— Production— Test of soil— Drawbacks- Sag.i-hrush lands- Combat of sage-brush and bunch-grass— Statististics of prodnetl venoss— Di viNion of the Great Plain— Pai.ou.sk skction— Scab Itud— Steptoo Hutte— l»arallelism of streams— Paloiise Falls— Legeud—SPOKANK Skction— General features— Divide botwt^en Crab Creek and the Spokane River— Railroads— Siiokane Piiiins— Spokane Falls— Cceur d'Alfine Lake— Medical Lakes— Chah Cuiskk ani> Gkand Coi!i,i;;i.: Skction— Inhabitants— Camp Chelan— Ritzville to Camp Chelan- Grand Conli^e- Middle Pass of Grand Couldo— Moses Coul(5e— FoMtring— Crab Creek— Pilot Roek and Grand Coul<5o— Lake Chelan— Walla Walla Section— Yakima Skctkin— Lkwiston ani> Mount Idaho SKCTio.v-Craig's Mountains— Great duiudalion— Camas prairies. ClIAPTKK XI. OEOORAPIIICAL NOMENCLATUllK OF TIIK COLU.MBIA UIVEU IIKOION. Origin of names— Cmur d'Aldno— Palonse- Spokaiu>— Okiimkano— Nez Perc<^— Flat- head— Columbia River— Snake River- Yakinui—DesClmtes—Unmtilla—Hangniiin's Creek— Rock Creek— Union Flat Creek— Pine Creek— Steptoe Bntlj!— Wenatehee— Methow— Lawyer's Creek — Tacoma. ,' Map Illustrations. > Little Dalles. Kettle Falls. Grand Rapids. -v r Spokane Kapids and vicinity. '■,:•• Rock Island Rapids. » < Victoria Rock. Glimitse of the Grand Coulee. Map of Columbia River from the boundary to Snake River— 3.1 Hlieel*4. Skeleton map of the Upper Columbia from Department map, showing location of river shoetu and ancient Lake J^wis. S Kx. ISfi 2 :ifA- , CIIAPTKK I. THIS DPl'JSU VOLUMUIA KIVKll ABOVE OKANl) UAl'lUS. EXPLANATORY. During,' the, nioiillisof SeptenibenuKlOLtolHirof theyoar 1881 I miul« a voyage iii a bateau down the Columbia Kiver from theColvillo VaJloy to Aiiisworth, at the iiioutL of the Siiakc Kiver, making as (;i>rerul ii Hurvey of tbc river and examination of the rapids as the time ai- \ means at my disposal would permit. I also, while performing the dtai.-s re- quired of me in the Colville Valley, made au examination of the Little Dalles, and of a portion of the river between the Little Dalles and Kettle Falls. The country about the Columbia and its tributary streams is rapio8us, as well as largely brought under cultivation and made to uiinister to the wautM of man. It is certtkir. that upon the upper waters of the Okinakane, from lifty to seventy-five miles to the west of the Columbia, much Hue land exists, and there settlers have alrettdy found homes. I'BND D'OUEILLK KIVER OR CLAUKE'S FOUK. Just north of the boundary line the Columbia receives from the oast the waters of the Pond d'Ureille Uiveror Clarke's Fork of the Columbia, which is described in the lower portion of its course as being a tem- ])estuous unnavigable stream, full of rocks, rapids, and falls, flowing through a deep and rugged caiion, discluvrging its waters into the Co- lumbia witli a great roar over a fall flfteen feet in height. About the headwaters of this river and Pond d'Oreille Lake immense bodies of line timber are known to exist; many rich mines have been discovered, »» well as a quarry of the finest marble. Pend d'Ort'Ue Lake is naviga- ble nearly throughout its entire extent and the river below the lake is reported by Dr. Suckley, in 1853, to be navigable for thirty miles, when a fall of six and a half fetit is met with. Dr. Suckley, while connected with the Pacific Ilailroad surveys, started October 15, 1853, froui Fort Owen on the Bitter Eoot Hiver in a canoe made from three bullocks' hides, and a crew of two white men and an Indian. No one knew any- thing of the character of the river ahead of them, and it was, therefore, necessary to proceed with great caution. The Bitter Boot was found quite shallow in many places, and the canoe, which, when loaded, drew only ton inches, had frequently to be lightened until he passed the Hell Gate River. About sixty miles below the mouth of the Hell Gate, the mountains crowd clof»e upon the river, making it very rapid, but further down it is straighter, deeper, and more sluggish, with large flats on one or both sides. The Horse Plains are Just below the junction of the Flathead Itiver with Clarke's Fork, and from this point to Saint Ignatius Mission ho proceeded, passing through the lake and making two portages. He says that the Hudson Bay Company were formerly in the habit of carry- ing up their goods'from the foot of Pent! d'Oreille Lake to Horse Plains in. largo boats, making two portages on the way — one probably at a point nine miles above the lake, and one at the Cal)inet, fifteen miles above the lake. Below the lake there is no obstruction to navigation for about thirty miles, when a fall of six and a half feet is met with. From this fall to the point uino miles above the lake, he thinks that steamers drawing from twenty to twenty-four inches could easily ascend, and in high water the distance might be increased from sixty to one hundre«l miles, 14 COLUMUIA KIVER. ur from a itoint iilMHit ton iiiiloa l>olow thit initwioii to tliu Oul)iii«>t, fitlvuu miles nlwve thu litke. Ho 8»yH that at the fallfl a lock might easily be uuiiHtruvtctl HO as to admit of navigation at all HoaHous. At the Cabinet the river is compresHud between rocks about one hun. dro«l feet in height, and becomes very rapid and narrow, so that thu poHHibility of passing through with steamboats is uncertain. At the mission the Fathers being deeply impressed with the unnavi- gability luid dangers of the river below, and having an eye to his safety, refnse distanci* the whole chain is brokcii down, att'onl- ing great nninl>ers of p)VHh4eH, all of them having an altituile not far from (>,(HH) feet almve the sea. (l^oing north from the gates of 8iin Uiver the mountains rise in elevation, so that when we come to our iMiundary ]>arallel the heights of the passes exMH;d 7,4MN) feet almve the sea. The country lying lu'tween the tw«» great Iwu-klwims of the Umsky Mountains, and esiHH;ially that lM>,autiful region whose stn'ams, tlowing fi-om the great mouulainons semicircle altove mentioiiert8 of (Jovemor Stevens. As these reports are out of print and very difHcult to be jirocunMl, I gi\ the description of the country as pnblisheil in these rcitorts, only leaving out some unini))or- taut details of the surveys and making some slight changes and luldi- tioiiH. From the Big Hole Prairie on the south the Bitter Uoot Uiver flows due north ; it has a branch from the southwest known as Nez Pen>d (.'reek, up which go<;s a trail much useil by Indians and voyngeurn pass- ing to the Nez Perc<5 country and Walla Walla. This is now known as the KIk City trail. The Bitter Itoot Valley above Hell (iate Uiver is al)out eighty miles long and from three to t«Mi in width, having a dire parnllol 4

rairie, which is watered by many streams, those coming from the east having their sources in the Uoastoral jiursuits. COLU^tDIA RIVER. it TIio Big Bluokfoot draiiiH tho Heniioirclo from tlio Hull Oato Puhh to Hoinuwhtit north of the Gntc of Sun Kiver, the main Htroam tiowinf; from tho mountains at Ciulotte's antl liewix and ClarliuV I'aHHCN. Tliit4 stream f\irniH)icH at least four passos to the MiHsouri, two of wliit-h weru carefully examined in the oourHo of the oxploratiouH. TIio rivrr lius a general course a little south of west, winding considerably in some parts, but the length of its valley is alxtut «<«venty Ave miles and vary- ing from half a mile to twelve miles in width. Neither this nor t\w Hell Gate c^n be considered navigable alnive their Junction. Its greatest rise and fall is six feet On the 18th of July, lH5;"i, its water-level was from eight to twelve inches above low-water mark ami live feet below high- water mark. All these streams, together with the Bitter Hoot Itiver, constitute a system of waters flowing from the semicircle, uniting oppo- site Hell Qatc, and pursuing a genenil northwest course to their junc- tion with tho Flatheml lliver, forming Clarke's Fork. Thiit portion of tho river from tho junction of tho Bitter Root and Hell Gate rivers to tho junction with the Flatheiul is now generally known as the Missoula Kiver. The Flathead, coming in from the north, drains nearly as large an extent and as fine a country as tho Missoula. The^c two systems of waters are separated by a low mountain-spur, which is generally well timbei-ed and well watered and a large jMrtion of the land arabel. Passing from the Missoula to the Flathewl River, we cross ovov this spur by a low divide, going through the Coriacan deflle and coming on the waters of Jocko River. The height of this divide above the Hell Gate is 560 feet, aiul above the Flathead River at tho mouth of tho Jocko is 650 feet. From this divide a view of surjtassing beauty is pre- sented to the beholder as he looks to the northward. lie sees before him an extraordinarily well-grassed, well-water', Jid inviting country. On the east are the divides, clothed with ])ine, separating tho Jocko and its tribnt^iries from the streams flowing into the Big lihickfoot and into Flathead Lake. To the north the Flatliea«l Lake, tweuty-flve miles long and six miles wide, is sprea iiorMiwi'Nt uiiil ill iiiiiuU-uii iiiiloH joiiiN witli tliu MiHfMiiilu. Tliu FlutliiMid UivtT, liy |»MNitiK tlio rapitlH ittiil failH Imlow tliu lako with » fthort canal, ffivim a iiavi^ablo HtroUsli of at luaat Mttvunty-Hvw iiiileM tu the bend of FiathviMl Lake. Thu Iuw«r portioiiH uf ('larkuV Fork have Ix^ii already iiit'iitioiKxl. AIm>V(! tlic Cabinet (tiftvon inilcn alM>v«« IVml d'On'illf Lake), the rivor wonid be uxoellont for rafting; purjtoiH'M. Itt« f^rpatcMt rim) and fall itt lift«H«n feot. The valley of ('larke*H Fork in generally a wide, amble, aner watent of the ititter Itoot; the Ijo Lo piisH eriwHud by the northern Nez I'ert^i tniil, pursued by Lewi.s and Clarke in their great exploratiuuH, and 'low known im the Lou Ijoii trail; theCieurd'AlenepasM, over which thcMullan roiul now goi'H; and the piwH by way of Clarke'^ Fork. The Southern Nez I'erce trail goen up the southwest fork of the Ititter Itoot ( Nez Perce Creek), and, croHHing a dividing ridge, winds alnuit over the siininiit of i.ie high and ruggeil nioiintaiiis separating the KiMmkoos- kia from the Salmon Itiver, taking a very circuitous course to the Junc- tion of the main forks of the Kooskooskia. Elevation of the iMiss, altoiit 7,000 feet. This is a mere Indian trail whirli avoids thedenst>ly-wooiled valleys and goes over the mountain siimmitfl, where the elevation pre- vents the growth of trees and substitutes a growth of grass. Should it lie found practicable to cut a road down the valley of the Kooskooskia or Clearwater, the divide between it and the Bitter Itout is still nearly 7,000 feet in altitude. The Lou Lou trail is in character much the same, but it« course is more direct. It passes up the valley of the Lou Lou fork of the Bitter Hoot, and, crossing to a branch of the Kooskooskia, winds along the heads of branches flowing into the main sti-eams of this river till it comes out on the Great Plain at "the same place as the southern trail. The mountjtin traveling required in crossing by the southeru trail is about 138 miles, and by the northern trail is about 120 miles. Between these two trails there are undoubtedly pasi^es across the mountains much lower, but they are blocked up with fallen timber and rendered almost inaccessible on account of this and the steei^, narrow valleys. It is claimed that a practicable railroad route exisU; by a pass oallen««t u)> tlio Ht. Ucg^H Uorgin ItiviT, rnNtiWH n iliviiU* n,0(NI ft^t iiltnvn the .-M'ii, and tlcHCMulH loCii'iird'Ah'-iio liUkf by wiiy ufthuCwiird'Altaiu Kiver. it JH to4t waII known to n«^l Hny ilowriptioii. Th«< piMW li> way of ('L.rkit'ri Kork i-hmmhi by Iho .F MiHMoiihi t4) lh« KlathtMul Uiv«T, iihIiii; thnCoriiUMiidoHb', and k«v|M on down thu l-'lath<-ad Uiver and ('lurkc'H Fork and uronnd I'<>ihI d'On'illo l. ThiM in t]w ront4i a Northern I'acilU- ICail- I'ond, which fontitnit'H on np lltdl (>at«> and I>(>4*r I/tMlKo riverH and nntHM'M to llio lli^r lloh>, or WiMdoni Itiver, liy thi* IKwr lAM\m> paHH. From iiw divide of tlie KiH^ky Monntainn t«i the divide of the Itittor l(4M>t Monntainn there in lliiM intermediate n>(;i<>n »r MixjMtnhi IlaMJn, over onethinl of wlii«';h in a e,nltivabh< area, and a lar^t* |Nirtion of it iH a prairie conntry, inHteae comput4>d (IHTtS): In the n>i;ion watered by tlie MiHMonla and the Hitter Itoot and tlieir tributaries, iiot inchiding Flell H«pian^ milett; in that wt)ten'«l by the Hell (iate and itH tribntarieH, 'J,ri(Nt square mil squun* miles of anible and prairie land. litttcr determinations, based niton the laudo(Hc«' surveys indio^tte that this is not an overestimate. (iovemor Stt^vonssays that the timlter land will l>e found unquestion- ably !:ett4tr than the prairie lanst lve their .junction with the mail) stream. The observini; and thinkiuf; man will In« astonisheil at the coiclusioiis which lu^ will rciM^h in n>^anl to the .if^rieultunil ml- vautage>i ')f this country. As s4Mtn as the niilntuU n'ju-h it and pm|>er facilities fAY BIVEB. About twenty-five miles svlwvo the 'loundary there comes into the Cidumbia from the e^st the Kootenay Kiver. Tlie lower luirt of this river is unfit for navigation on account of nipids and falls, but if a short portage is ma4le around this b»osod of gravel and alluvium, resting on the rock at the level of the bed of the river. This flat, which is a true river terrace, luw very steep sides towards the river, and I believe that any plan to givo navigation around these rapids would involve cutting a canal through this terrace and the underlying bedrock — a very expensive undertaking. If the time ever comes that commerce shall demand navigation around these two obstructions of Grand Itapids and Kettle Falls, the method by boat railway would i»robably be tho best one to adopt. The coufor- matiou of tho ground is well suited for this purpose. KETTLE RIVER. This river, which is put down on nearly all maps as the " No-hoial- pit-qua" Itiver, is known to all white people in the upper country as tho Kettle lliver, in consequence of which, I suppose, this unpoetical name must be adopted. This river rises within a few miles of the Okiuakane, and flows in a generally easterly course,- emptying into the Columbia just above Kettle Falls and nearly opposite old Fort Colville. 1 was informed thatmuch good country lies along this river, suitable for agri- cultural and gi-azing purposes, and that large tracts of flue timber, cedar, fir, and pine, exist in its vicinity. As it is highly probable that in the future a line of railroad will be located along this river, I will give the words of Governor Stevens, in describing General (then Captain) McClcllan's exploration of it in 1853, taken from Pacific Kailroad Report : The country between the Okinakane and the Culiinibia at Fort Colville, sixty uiilcH in a direct line across, was traversed by Captaiii Mc( lellan's party al)out lifty miles to tho north of the Groat Plain. Five miles from the Okinakane, the Ne-hoi-al-iiit-(iim, flowing eastward, was reached, the dividing ridge being rolling and grassy, covered with forest at its summit, which is about 1,500 feet above the Okinakntio and S,G47 above the sea, as observed with an aneroid barometer. Tho valley sloping toward tho east, though narrow, ia fertile, with alternations of prairie and forest, while the hills bordering it are wooded with large trees, mostly on their northern slope. M COLUMBIA UIVEB. CIIAPTEU II. UKANI) RAl'IDS TO THE SPOKANE ItlVER. PREPARATIONS FOR THE JOURNEY. Having completed the work assigned uie in the country about Fort Colville, I niiulo preparations for my voyage down the Columbia. I WHS fortunate enough to procure from John Kickcy, a settlor and tnwler, who lives at the Grand Kapids, a strongly-built bateau, and had his assistance in selecting a crew of Indians for the journey. The bateau was about thirty feet long, four feet wide at the gunwales, and two feet deep, and is as sinal* a boat as the voyage siiould over be at- t4*m])ted in, if it is contemplated to go through all the rapids. My first lookout hiul been to secure the services of " Old Pierre Agaro" as steers- man, and I had to carry on negotiations with him for several days be- fore ho finally consented to go. Old Pierre is the only one of the old Hudson Bay Company's Iroquois voyageurs now left who knows the river thoroughly at all stages of water, from Colville to its mouth. In the palmy days of the fur triders, he came with them from Canada, and made many voyages down and up the Columbia, married and settled at Colville, and now has a large family of children, grandchildren, and great grandchildren about him. The old man is seventy years of age, and hale and hearty, although his eye-sight is somewhat defective, which is almost a certain accompaniment of old ago with an Indian. The other Indians engaged were Pen waw. Big Pierre, Little Pierre, and Joseph. They had never made the trip all the way down the river, and their minds were full of the dangers and terrors of the great rapids below, and it was a long time before wo could prevail upon them to go, by promising them a high price and stipulating for their return by rail and stage. Old Pierre and John Rickey labored and talked with them long and faitlifully to gain their consent, aud I am sure that they started oft" with as many misgivings about getting safely through as we did who had to trust our lives to tlieir skill, promptness, and obedience. When all was ready we entered the boat and took our stations, Old Pierre in the stern at the steering oar ; next our baggage, upon which I took my station ; then came the four Indian oarsmen, and in the bow Mr. Downing, topographical assistant. Mr. Downing and myself both worked independently in getting as thorough a knowledge of the river us possible, he tivking the courses with a prismatic compass, and esti- mating distances by the eye, and sketching in the topographical features of the adjoining country, while I estimated also the distances to marked points, and paid particular attention to the bed of the river, sounding wherever there were any indications of shallowness. Eiich evening we compared notes as to distances, and we found them to come out very well together, the greatest difference being 6| miles COLUMIUA RIVEK. 96 in a diiy'H run of M{ miles. Some days they were identical. Tlio total diHtan(!e from our Htartinp: {wint, just IhjIow Ornnd KapidH, to Ainswortli, at the mouth of Snake Uiver, wiw estimated by Mr. Downinfj to Im) 3fl.}.25 nuleH, and by myself to l)e '.iiiO miles. His distances were ob- tained chiefly by estimating how far it was to some marked ))oint ahead, and correcting it when the point was reached ; mine by tlie time re- quired to pass over the distances, in which the elements consideivd were the swiftness of the current and the labor of the oarsmen. The following are the distances, as estimated for each day's run by Mr. Downing and myself: I>»7*. Flrrt... K» S8.2S OJ. .-.o £7.00 M (10 15.75 16.00 Total. 303. 25 As a general thing, it was deemed best to use the greater estimate of the day's run in plotting the notes, and the final distairce adoitted was 3G5.5 miles. GBAND BAPIDS TO SPOKANE UIVEB. September 29, 1881, 9:40 a. m. — Everything being in readiness, wo pushed off, Rickey giving us his last words of advice, and the Indians, their squaws, and friends, keeping up a chafiiug sort of conversation, in which they were no doubt encouraging each other to be of good cheer. Three miles below we came to a collection of black-rock islands in the middle of the river. The islands are apparently of black basalt, and rise from thirty to fifty feet above the water at the present stage, and have a great deal of drift-wood upon their tops, and lodged in the crev- ices of their sides. To all api)earances there is a channel on both aides of the rocks. We took the one toward the left bank, which I think is much the better. On account of the contraction caused by these islands there is quite a strong rapid here, which, however, would offer no ob- stacle to a good steamer. It is altogether probable that in higlier stiiges of water the current becomes stronger, and at higliest water an ordi- nary steamer might have some difficulty in getting through. About nine miles further ilown we passed by a small village of Sans Toil Indians, on the right bank of the river. Opposite this village the river is quite shallow, the bottom covered with large gravel and bowl- ders, whicli were plainly seen from the iKiat. The depf' is aooiii/ six feet along the middle of the stream, and as the water is considerably above extreme low water, this depth would probably be decreased to four, and 8. Ex. 13(3 4 s« COLUMBIA RIVER. inny be to Uiioo fuut at lowoNt ntage. Thuro ivitpuiired hoiiiu evidencuH of tho duptli hiiiiiK Hoiiicwhivt grviitur toward tbc right bank, but of tbiH I am not curttUn. Home distanoo buluw wo puHbcd tlirongh a portion of tbe river con- taining a number of rocky iuhind points, Hunkon rocks, and i)oint« Jut- ting out from Hhoro. Among tlieso rocks are several sharp little rip- ples with strong eddies, l)iit nothing that can bo considered as an ob- struction to navigation. At one p. ni., at a distance of twenty and one-fourth miles from liickey's Landing, we came to Turtle Rapidn, which result from the presence in the stream of a number of largo and small Dlack -looking bod-rock islands. The main and best channel passes about in the center of the stream between the islands. The water is quite strong and rapid, but I do not consider that a steamer would have groat difficulty in stem- ming the current at any stage of water. In running through, care would have to bo taken to avoid sunken rocks. About throe miles further, after passing a largo, promising-looking bar, on which a number of Chinamen were engaged in mining, wo came to another rajtid, of minor importance, however, caused by a point of rock jutting well out into the stream from the left bank. Six and one-half miles on and we came to Rogers' Bar. Both above aiul below this bar there are quite strong ripples, tho one just above being quite shallow, with, however, sutUcieut water for purposes of navi- gation. Four and one-half miles further on we came to what is called the Elbow Bend of the river. Here are some bed-rock islands with a gravel- bar island near the right bank, and jutting points of rock below, also from the right bank. The channel is near the left bank all the way, with a rather strong ripple near tho rock islands. After four miles further traveling we passed some more bad water, swift and strong, with rocks near the left bank, ofi'oring, however, no obstruction to navigation ; and at 4 : 40 we went into camp on the right bank of the river, where a pretty stream comes down, having made a distance of forty-seven and three-fourths miles during the day. . Sq>tember 30, 7:28 a. m, — Left camp, and fo r miles b^low passed a very rugged portion of tho left bank of the river. Among the rocks was one resembling very much a bishop's mitre, being conical and split down the center. I have called it Mitre Rock. At 9:10, four and a half miles further on, we entei'ed tbe* mouth of Spokane River, and made camp, having passed through tho Spokane Rapids, M'hich are situated about a half mile above the mouth of the Spokane. These rapids are the most serious obstructions to navigation met with since leading Grand Rapids. The river runs through a narrow channel between it« two banks, pi* COUrMniA RIVER. ST which nre eoiitmcteil and (y)V(>r(Ml with ffrtfut Itowhlora ami iniuwive roeSffl. The Hpnco fVnfl fh)ni rockn in inirrow, and thri>nf;li it thv^ wiitor ninhos with gri'flt velocity and j)«>wer. I doubt very much if any river IxHit h)M tteen built in thiH weittprii c«>uutry that can aitccud thcAu ni))idfl without lining over. The m)>idH arc vcr>' short, and, with proiH'r np- pIiAnc4*«, n boat could be oaHily HuikI over. ' I think it well to conmder the Hubjcct of the iniprovcnicnt of thcxc H|M>kane Hr^pidB, inaHnuich aH they art^ the only real oliMtructiitn to navi- gation for a long distiuice alwve and btdow them, and lut their improve- ment would be comparatively inexpensive. Mimt of the ImwlderH form- ing the obMtruction could be handled by an onlinary Htcam derrick, and reniovetl by this meiins from their present i>osition. During low water Liioy could all be reached and taken away. NolK^I-rock ap|iears that I could SCO. The water above the rapitls is a imwI, quiet, deep, and wide, which would easily stand all the quickening require«l to distribute the fall that now t^ikos place through the rapids over a sufficient length of river to render it ascendable by river steamers. For the first thirty miles below Onind Rapids, until Itogers' Itar is reached, there is considerable bottom land along the Columbia, much more than is generally believed, and on both sides of the river are iHMiches, some of them containing hundreerha|>s thou- sands, of the very finest land, well wateretl and covere«I with burich- grass and scattering belts of timber. The Indians told me that back from the Columbia, lietwccn it and the Colville River, wore many fertile and beautifid i)rairie8. Below Itogers' Bar the cailon narrows and the mountains close in aiid the river in crooken tind)er and very little underbrush. Except where it breaks through the Cascade Mountains, this is the most bcjiutiful (xtrtion of the Cobunbia within our territory. Many beuutiful and pleasant homcf! arc certain at no v^^ry distant day to adoni its banks, and the demiinds of iulvancing civilization will cer- tjiiidy require that within a few yearu steamers shoidd navigate its waters, communicating with railways reitchin^; it near the mouths of the Colville and Spokane rivers. It is to lie IioinmI that^ in the years to come, this portion may become a part of a continuously navigable river from GrRB'l Rapids to the sea. There are quite a number of Chinamen engaged in mining on the river bars. Many bars have been worked and abandoned, and others have not lieen workef these works they often display nmch ingenuity and knowIe«lge of hydraulics. In one 28 COLUMniA RIVER. placo just below Mie Spokane River they have taken the water from Hawk Creek and conducted it about tbree miles in ditches and wooden flumes made of whip-sawed lumber, and have taken it to a large bar- island in the river, crossing the intervening channel by means of an inverted siphon, also made of whip-sawed lumber. THE SPOKANE BIYEB. The Spokane River at its mouth is about 200 feet wide, and flows tlirough a canon very similar to that of the Columbia, and aucr.L 2,000 feet bolo'v the general level of the pliiins to the south. It is broken by many rapids and falls, and is entirely unnavigable. From it;8 mouth up to S[>okane Falls, about seventy miles, this cailon is very deep and difficult to cross or traverse. This river, with that portion of the Colum- bia from its mouth to the Okinakane, forms the boundary line between the rich and treeless great Columbia Plain on the south, and the more rocky, timbered, and mountainous country to the north. Camp Spokane is situated on a level terrace plateau about one and a half miles from the month of the Spokane, and four hundred feet almve it, on its southern bank. From this plateau it is easy to descend to the Spokane and Columbia rivers, and to ascend to the great plains to the south. The Spokane River, by its situation and characteristics, is bound to play an important part in the settlement and ultimate well-being of the whole country within a great distance of it. At Spokane Falls is a magnificent water-po^er, one of the finest in the world, and situated as it is in the midst of a eplendid agricultural country, most of which, however, is treeless, there seems no room to doubt that it will become a great manufacturing and commercial center. By means of tlie river and Cceur d'Alfine Lake, and the tributary streams of the latter, a magnificent and n idely-extended area of timber- land lying along the Cceur d'AlCne aiul Bitter Root Mountains can be made to yield its forest covering for transportation by water to Spokane Falls, there to be manufactured into lumber and distributed throughout the agricultural lands to the south and west. In return for this lumber and fuel, these lands will send their wheat to the falls to be manuftictured into flour, and sent from there to the seaboard to be shipped to the mar- kets of the world. Large portions of the country are better suited for pastoral puri)08es than fur agricultural, and it is reasonable to expect that here at these falls will be erected great woolen manufactories, to work up the raw pro- duce of the country into the cloths and blankets required by the inhab- itants ihereof. Large quantities of brown hematite iron ore have been found near the Spokane River below tl»o falls, and it is known that other iron denosits lie to the north. COLUMBIA RIVEH. 39 Quantities of flax hnvo boon grown tlio past few years in tlie country to tlie south of Spokane Falls, ar/l it must also be brouglit to this great water-power to be manufactured into tbrea^l, cloth, &c., and the seed into oil. The number of manufacturing enterprises for which this place seems adapted is very great. I may enumerate, besides those mentioned above, the manufacture of all kinds of wooden ware, of agricnltural and farm impkments, wagons, carriages, furniture, leather, harness, boots and shoes, pork, beer, and iron and metal works in groat variety. Large numbers of emigrants have been and are coming into this Spokane country, lured hither by the fine agricultural i)ro8pects, by the abund- ance of remunerative labor, the prospects of large manufiicturing estab- lishments, and the bright miuing outlook. Tliis influx of cntigrnnts will bo largely increased as soon aa ra''road8 roach the country and render it clieai)er and easier for them to come. Tiie Spokane, in the upper 'lart of its course, presents the estimable pcculip'-ity — espetiially valiable in view of its use as a water-power — of never freezing. It seems to he fed by many springs between the falls and C(eur d'AlCno LaK-o, which have the effect, in the coldest weather, of keeping tiie temperature above the freezing point. Immediately about the falls the soil is not adapted to farming 02\ a large scale, as it is, more or less rocky and gravelly. It is, however, on this account, particularly well Itted for builling purposes. The total f^dl of the river is about one hundred and thirty feet, divided into several plunges and r'*pids, and broken by i&lands i;nd rocks, and so situated that its entire force can bo controlled and brou^'ht into use. It would scorn as if nature could not have done nioro to make this a great manufacturing and commercial center, and a beautiful, healthy, and attra^ifcive place. My duties required me to remain several days about C.imp Spokane, doing work au'l making examinations required by the department com- mander, amoufj which wore the location of a bridge over the Spokane Kiver and a ferry over the Columbia, the object being to furnish facili- ties for the troops to cross these rivers and penetrate into the Indian country. The locations selected are marked on the map of the portion of the river about the mouth of the Spokane. On account of the swiftness and turbulence of the water below, it was necessary to locate the ferry above the T okane Kapids. I'lstimates for the bridge were sent in, and the troops have been ordoied Uy build it. 80 COLUMBIA RIVER. CIIAPTEBIII. COLUMMA niVBR, FROM 'THE SPOKANE RIVER TO LAKE CHELAN. iraving flnisliod work about Gainp Spokane on October 3, at 11 :45 a. m. we pushed out from the Spokane Kiver and t )ok our course down the Cohimbia. At 12:15 we had run the f^ve miles to the mouth of Hawk Creek, and the ranch and trading post of Williaxi Covington, generally known as " Virginia Bill." llavrk Creek heads at Cottonwood Springs on the old White Bluflfs road. It is abdut twenty-five miles long, and flows for the greuter part of the way tlrough an extremely deep and precipitous canon. Virginia Bill has constructed a wagon-road from the Great Plain near Cottonwood Springs to his ranch, y. hich is a., ex- cellent road, and the best way to reach the Columbia from the upper I)laiu with which I am familiar. There is an easy grade and a firm soil all the way, and I believe a praeticable raiiroad route could be laid out to the river in the vicinity of this road. The river between the Spokane and Hawk Creek is very swift and strong, the current running from six to eight miles an hour. A couple of rades further on we passed the month of Welsh Creek, so named from a settler on its banks in the valley about four or five miles from the river. Some of the prettiest country in the world is situated upon Welsh Creek and its branches. There are beautiful little valleys nestled in among the rolling, timbered hills, and beyoud, up on the great plain, mile after mile of bunch-grass-covercd gently-sloping prairie. The river now becomes v^ry deeply encauoned with steep, rocky, and, in some cases^ perpendicul ir bluffs, ou one or both sides. The caflon is in many places vety beautiful ; the rocks comiwsing the bluft^ are many- colored, black, brown, pink, and white, and have many patches of bright red and yellow moss. To this mn.st be added the green of the trees, of which all shades, from the darkest to the brightest, appear ; the bright autumnal tints of the bushet', and beyond, above, and about all, the old gold of the withered bunch-grass shining in the sunlight. The rocks take all imaginable forms, showing up na pinnacles, ter- race?, perpendicnlar bluffs, devils-slides, and giants' causeways, the whole ♦brming one of the grandest, most beautiful sights in the universe. Tlie material of which the lock iscompoeiod is all apparently of igneous origin, trachyte and basalt. With this, es{>ecially o., the north side of the river, there is a great int and the flrst groat island and continue for a consider-ible distance below the last rock island. Tho channel is very ci-ooked, as will be pc?n by a glance it the map of this portion of tlio river. Although a biul i^lace, it seems to me that a good steamer would easily ascend the rapids acd go thro.igh if the proper course was taken. Tliis course, 1 should say, wouI:i ^d to hup the north bank until nearly to the islands, then cross over to the south bank and steam well up to the jutting point of rocks, and then cross over between this jutting point and the first islands, and then around the jutting point. Tho only dan- ger that a Steamer would ^encounter coming down would be that some- thing would happen to the steering-gear. During a high stage of water the jutting point mentioned above be- comes an island, and the currents are changed, and it probably would be a much worse place to go through than during low and miulium stages. Three miles below we passed tho mouth of the Sans Foil River. This 82 COLUMBIA BIVKB. comes in from the north, rising in the mountains nearly ilno west of Kettle Falls, and flows through a region in which there is much good farming land. This word has been variously spoiled, but the above I believe is correct, as it seems to be a French name applied to the In- dians living along its banks, on account either of the scarcity or short- ness of their hair and beard, or from the fact that they were very poor and had no fu '> spII to the traders. Old Pierre told me that this latter was the origin • >rd. After passing i u two ripples we went into camp, at 4 :30 p. m., on the left bank neai .a immense spring, which came pouring out f.-oin the rocks about fifty feet above the river. This day we made about twenty-three and a half miles. Tuesday, October 4, 7 :52 a. m., we started again on our trip, having pa^scil an uncomfortable night on account of the rain, which gave us a severe wetting. The timber has been getting scarce, and along this portion of the river very little is seen, except where some breaking away of the northern bank gives a glimpse of the distant hills, which are covered with forests. We row along very quietly and pleasantly, with an occasional ripple and rock, and now and then a bar-island and rather shallow place in the river. 10 a. Ml. — After about eleven milos are passed we come to the mouth of tlie Grand Coulee, which, however, would not have been noticed if old Pierre had not told us, as it presents the same appcmrance as the rest of the loft bank, the Coulde bottom being higii above the river. Six miles further on we came to Monaghaii's Rapids. These arc caused by a number of small rocky islands. The channel is toward the left bank. During the early winter of 1879 and '80, James Mou ir ghan, of Colville, one of the most enterprising men of the country, wen^ from Colville with some rafts of lumber and supplies to the troops camped near the Okinakane. On these rocks he struck with some of his rafts and had great trouble to get off. I have named them for him. The country here, what we can see of it, presents a very weird, wild appearance. It breaks away on both sides with white cliffs in tlio dis- tance, and in the foreground largo black rocks, about the size of houses, scattered here and there over the brown earth, and now and then a lone, sorrowful-looking pine tree. These isolated rocks present a very excellent example of the tremen- dous transporting power of moving ice. They have evidently been brouglit down from tlie upper regions of the river on floating ice, which, emerging from the cafions, has grounded with its immense loant bar-island just below. The country here is very much terraced ami broken on the northern side. Down the river further, on the south bank, a larjfe, Hue bench extends along the river for several miles. It is divided into two or three terraces and covered with bunch-grass. The river is generally very good until at about eight and a half miles further we reach Oaunon or Mah-kin Rapids, which are nearly a mile long and very swift. They seem to bo caused by a contraction of tho water-way between the rooky banks. The water is very swift, but I think that at this season a steamer could ascetul them. It would be very difficult, however, and at most seasons it »vould be necessary to use a line. These rapids may be considered as the limit of na^'igation for a great part of the year; and a portage road built around the Great Nesi»ilem Itapids below should embrace these Mah-kin Rapids. This gives a stretch of river from Grand Rapids to Mah-kin Rapids, which can, I believe, generally Lc navigated, the only two obstructions of note being Spokane Rapids and Hell Gate. Mah-kin Rapids are the first bad rapids of the Nespiloin Caflon. The river is here contracted in width and the banks are steep and rocky. A little below, the shores are strewn with huge masses of black ba- saltic rock of all sizes and shapes, and this continues for several miles, forming a characteristic picture of (3oluml)ia River scenpry. The com- plete silence and lifelessness add(id to the scene makes it excjcodingly wild, almost unearthly. And so we iilunge along swiftly througli the rolling water, with huge rocks looming up, now on one side and then on the other. Kvery stroke of the oar is bearing us onward, nearer and nearer, to that portion of our voyage most dreaded, the tenible Kali- chen Falls and Whirlpool Rapids. We hear the low rumbling of the water, and see the tops of the huge, half-sunken rocks and the white foam of the tumbling wat^^rs. For a few moments the rowing ceases, while brave old Pierre gives his orders to the Indians in their own tongue. He knows that everything depends upon his steering and their rowing or backing at the right moment, with iill tho strength that they possess. Years ago he was in a Hudson Bay Company bateau which capsized in these very rapids, and ont of a crew of KJ men .Si>«r- ished in the water and on the rocks. Tho Indians make their prepara- tions for the struggle by stripping oif all their superfluous clothing, re- moving their gloves, and each ties a bright-colored handkerchief tightly about his head ; poles and extra oars are laid ready in convenient i)lace8 to reach should they become necessary, and then with a shout the In- dians seize their oars, and commence laying to them with all their strength. We are rushing forward at a fearful rate, owing to the coin- S. Ex. 18(i 5 ■I 34 COLUMBIA RIVEB bii>u4l uxertiuus of the ludiaus and the raciug current, and weahudder at tliu thuughtof Htriking any of the huge blauk rocks near whicli we glide. Now we are fairly in the rapids, and our boat in rushing madly through tlio foam and billows; the ludians arc shouting at every stroke in their wiltl savage glee; it is infectious; we shout too, and feel the wild ex- ultation which conies to men in moments of great excitement and dan- ger. Ugly masses of rock show their heads above the troubled waters on every side, and sunken rocks are discernible by the action of the surf. Great billows strike us fore and aft, some falling squarely over the bows and drenching us to the waist. This is bad enough, but the worst is yet to come as we draw near with great velocity to a huge rock which appears dead ahead. Has old I'ierre seen it J The water looks terribly cold as we think of Ills failing eyesight. Then an order, a shout, backing on one side and ])ulling on the other, and a quick stroke of the steering oar, and the rock appears on our right haud. Another command, and answering shout, and the oars bend like willows as the Indians struggle to get the boat out of the strong eddy into which Pierre hiul thrown her. Finally she shoots ahead and passes the rock like a Hash, within less than an oar's length of it, and we shout for joy and breathe freely again. This eddy becomes in a high stage of water a veritable whirlpool, with the well at its center many feet in depth. Hence the name of Whirlpool liapids. For half a mile now the river is comparatively good, and our staunch crew rest on their oars preparatory to the next struggle, which soou comes, as some more rocky, foamy rapids are reached. Ucre the swells are very high and grand, and our boat at one time seems to stAuA almost perpendicularly. Through parts of these rapids the river is very narrow, from 300 to 400 feet, with perpendicular banks 100 to 200 feet in height. For about nine miles further the river continues studded with rocks, and swift, with ripples every mile or so, until we reach Foster Greek Kaitids. Here the rocks become thicker, being generally toward the left bank, with the channel near the right, and the water iierce and wild. For a mile more wo plunge and toss through the foaming, roaring water, •imi«l wild yells from our Indian friends, and we emerge from the Foster Oreek Kapids, which appear to be as rough and dangerous as any place we have yet encountered. We are now fairly out of the Nespilem Canon and through all the Nespilem Itapids, and we certainly feel greatly relieved, and make for the shore and camp at t)ie mouth of Foster Creek, where some of the companies of the Second Infantry passed, very uncomfortably, the winter of 1879-'8(K This portion of the river through which we have come to-day is the worst on the vhole river, the most complete bar to navigation. From Mah-kin Kapids to Foster Creek Itapids, a distance of about twenty- seven miles, the river is exceedingly rough, with many rapids, rocks, and ' li columhia river. 85 rippliR, and a contractort, crooked cliaiincl. I liml no inoaiiR of «lpt«'r- mining the fall of the river in this jjortion of its course, but it is very groat. A 8t«an)cr could come down through this stretch of river, but at coiisidorablo risk ; I doubt very niU(;U if a Rte^mcr coidd got n]) through it except at great expentio, time, ami risk. Foster Creek is important, us it is along its course that a wagon road finds an easy doi^ccnt from the level of the Oreat Plain to the (Columbia, and by the same route a railroiul will l)e certain, at some future day, to follow. This day's traveling we niailo about sixty-three miles. October 5, wo w.^le an early start, and at 8:1.5 a. m. reached the Okinakano. I si>eiit considerable time examining the ;ii dining liall, two good Iioiihud for thu nuni, and aHpauioiiM Htoru for tliu fiirii and ini'rcliiindiw), to whicli wax attaclnid aHliop for trading witli tliu nalivoH. Tho wbolii was Ht'.rronnded by strong paliHadoH llftoon foet liigh and llankod liy two linHlioiiN. Kaidi liaHtion liad in its h)wor Htory a light briuw foiir-poniulpr, and in tho upper, looplioles wuru left for tbo use of Diuaketry. Tho climato of Okinagan iohigltly snInbrionH. We have foi weeks together ob»orve1»natioii or Uio moniiH he inliMiilnl t<> iiiw, for frnr wn iiiif^lit IiiiikIi uI. Iiini, iililt'm wi! ('(iiiHi'iiti'd to lulopt tlioiii. Wn ni-oonliiit(ly Iii'lil it coiiNiiltittioli, llii< rcHiilt of wliii'li wiiH that (liu luiliiui hIioiiIiI Ihi uIIowi'iI to follow IiIh own iiiiithiMl. It coiilil not niiiko lii^r woi-w*, and tliurc wuh it |MHwibilit.v of hiiv, h<< iiiiinH, in which poMition ho kept thoin until thu eurciths iHieaniu cold. IIi< then tutik them out and ltitndit)(«d them with wnriii Ihtnnel, which ho Raid wit8 " very k<**>*1-" Thu followiiiK day another dof; hmt it« life, and a N'lnihtr operation waw |ierloriiied. TIiIn was uontiniind for wnno tim« nntil every ill-dinpoHed cnr in the vlllaK'' '■■>es at a few miles distjtnce, which towards their gnmniits Vcomo covered with pino woods. Tho forest ovideutly descends lower towards tho north, nnd with tho improving grnss shows the inlluenco of more nbnndnnt rnins. After going alxmt twelve miles up the Okinakane, tho country grn aliiiudnntly, aim there is uvidciiMy it large ext«ut both of the valley and rolling hills bordering it capnbhi of cultivation. I 'I M COUIMHIA RIVER. Atnlxty iiiilPH, liinvovor, lofly wcmhIoiI IiIIIm i'Iiihi< in on ii* bmnkii, iiml thrnce to tlie fiirty-iiinth pnrnllol it iircHoiitM littlii iiKliU'rinciit fur M>ttli-nipnt,llionf{b rapitlileof Tiir- niiiliinK abnnx(')!ll)'nt, timber. TlHirii Ih n flnn fall im tlio Okinnkaiio, thirty-flve niilmi •bov<> its month, of five foot (litcli, mill nlioiit twenty niili'H fiirtlinr up, on its woi«t fork, f»nr mitnt sliovo tlio Junc- tion, another full iif ton fm^t, Hiipplyiii); itlinndance of watcr-powrr. On the top of the lofty table iif Ihn Orent I'luin, oppimito the mouth of the Okinakano, in ii enn- milerikble extent of pinn wooiIh, gevenil tliiiniukiiil fet't iilmre the Columbia, into which it ciinlil be eoflily tlirown or hIIiI ilowii, uh the rliff in alnioat |irr|M>niliriilar. TIiIh In probably the hi);lieHt point of the plain, and in tlin point wbern a «)>ur appear) to oroMt the river and to Rink into tlio lovelof the plain. I atn HtroiiKly of tlio opinion tliat at the montli of the Okiiinkanc there iH ImxiiuI to be ii commercial and manufacturing center at Aonio time in the future, wlicn tlie whole cotintry in thrown open to Hettlement. There iH a great deal of e.xcollent land in itH vicinitj' for agrienltnml and grazing puri>oHoa, and it is easily reached from any direction. Uy striking Foster Creek at its heaortant articles of com- merce, being floated down the river to itM mouth, tliere to be manufact- ured and shipped by water down the river, or by rail, to the[»eople set- tled on the Great Plain oi>po8ite. Oitjtosite the month of the Okinakane the blufts back away to a considerable distance, and leave near the river a flue tlat containing from three to four square miles. The timber mentioned V)y Captain McClellan as covering the blufl's opjMisite the mouth of the river is very much exaggerated. Only a small amount exists on the slopes of the blutfs near the top, and in the gullies near the top. The tippearance from the river is deceptive, aniil8, wlilcli h»ro form un inipeiliniunt to tiie ntiviKOtion of the C'oliinibia. Tliuiie nipitlH an> not biul (mioiikIi to prevent Hloitnierit fnini Roing np or down, at anyrntu during low anil niediuiii HtuRexof water, altliouRli tlie water 18 very Hwift. It in liigldy probable tliut during liigli wivter HteanierH uiiglit not be able to aucund witliout tlie uHe of a line. Tlie river between the Okinakane and Metliow in verj- go«Ml for HtMindxiating, with theexeeption iierhaiwofa bar Hituatt d at a lH>iid of the river about two luiloH below the Okinakane. l'|M>n l im bar (here waM aliout seven feet of water when wo pawed over it, vliich depth would probably bo reduced to sHwnt three or four feet f' extreme low water. Captain McClollan's ro|)ort h|>i aks of the Mcthow in this fashion : Tlio M«thi)W Rivrr, wliicli wng i'X|i1on>rit)>l(i oxtoiit of giHHl BKriciilliirnl anil KrnziiiK Iniiil ill iU upper vallvy. Itx lowt-r part, fur twciit}' iiiilrH up, iit lieniuiuil in by hi);)! wiknIi-iI hills; alwvo tliio, llicy Im>i'o!iiu moru nilling anil griuuiy, and its bunks aro bordero«l by level wide t4:rTa<^-« uf butter mtil than thiMte on the Yakiina. I Iiave understood that quite a numlter of Indians live in the Upiier Methow Valley. After two and a half hours more of pleasant traveling thntiigh a giMxl river, with a swift and even iHirrcnt, and here and there a little ripple and sand-bar island, we reached the river landing opposite Lake ('helan, and luiule camp among our old friends the Chelan Indiana, whose principal village is locatetl here. In-nomo-setch-a, the chief,- is an old man, and is one of the best Indians that it has ever been my lot to meet. The highest character is given him by nil who know him, for honesty, sobriety, entire trtistworthiness, and a cheerful tlesire to give everybody all the assistance in his power. He was absent when we arrived, but soon returned. His oldest son, "Bill," how«;ver, met us with apparent joj' and did all he coidd to make us i^mfort4tble. Ho ha«I been unfortunate of late in getting into a tight with another Indian, who had cut his nose almost completely oft' his face. He had it all plasteretl up with some kind of pitch ointment that the Indians pru- pared, but he will be a noseless Indian for the remainder of his life. Chelan Creek comes iuto the Columbia altont one mile below the In- ilian village ; it is altout two and a half miles long from the lake to it« mouth, in which distance it has a fall of about 25U feet. I first visited Lake Chelan iu the summer of 1879, when searching for a sit* for a military post in its vicinity. Colonel Mcrriam of the Second Infantry, and I, with lu-no-mo-setch-a and one of his sons, pjwi died about twenty-four miles up the lake in a dug-out canoe, and found that the farther tip we went the more granrl and lM>autifuI the scenery l>ecame. About its mouth there is a large area of arable pniirie land. The hills in the vicinity are covered with trees, and the lake shores, ! II mi 40 COLUMBIA BIVEB. with tho oxcei)tiou of those near the outlet, are conii»letc1y timbered. Tlio Hliores are in phwjes exceedingly Hteep, tha granite vails rising smooth and shiny, without a tree or blade of grass, for a thousand feet or more from the water's edge. Numbers of bciiutiful little streams put into tho lake, and generally about their mouths there is a fine •series of flats or benches. One which I recall to mind on the south shore of the like, about twelve miles from the mouth, is one of the most beautiful pi aces tbat I have ever seen. Fine timber exists along the lake, and can oasily be cut and put in it and brought down to its mouth. Oolonel Merriam afterward went further up the lake, aiid says that the timber becomes better and better as tho lake is iiscended, and cedar is foudn about the head of it. wJiich region he describes as being wonderfully grand. At the extreme upper end he fourul solid vertical walls of rock, and on these, several hundred feet above the water's edge, were a large nu nber o* hieroglypiiics v/ritten on a horizontal line, ev'dently by people in boats when the waters were at this higher level. Abo'.e the first line were others at varying alti- tudes, but always in a horizontal line. The present Clielaii Indians couhl tell nothing about them, but said that they must have been made by i)eople who lived there long before they came there to reside. I hope during the coming summer to go up the I;}ke and examine and skettih these aged marks. Perhaps it may be possible to interpret them, and thus gain a link in tho chain of the history of tho aborigines ot this country. Siuiilai marks are said to exist in a rocky point on Lake Pond d'Oreille, which the IndianL egard with superstitious awe, never going by them, believing that they form the outward token and sign of the evil spirit, who v, ill punish them if they go near. In tho spring of 1880, the troops which had been encamped at the mouth of Foster Creek for the winter, removed to Lake Chelan, and Camp Clielan was established just where the lake narrows in^« the creek, on a beautiful bunch-grass-covered plateau on tho north bank, stretching back about a mile to the rocky and timbered ' troojjs, with a very little assistance from outside. Temi)orary dwellings ha(K> feet; the crossing of tho river where there was quite a swift current; and the ascent of the hill to tlie lake. All these drawbacks so im])ressed themselves upon the mind of ni earned considerable sums of money, and a feeling of desire to labor and pros- pc ■, and lay up for the future, was rapidly taking the place of the old careless improvidence. Procuring a couple of ponies from the Indians, Mr. Downing and myself went up the steep roa. Looking down, we see almost a continuous wall across the i < r, (ormed by the uplifted island points, and around us bubbles a ' whirls the water over the sunken rt)cks, whose heads lie just below the surface. The rocks iire projecting points of black ba.s .Itic roi^k, and tliis is cer- tainly a part of the river requiring skillful navigation. The rock 1 ind shores are steej) and rugged. On we glide, winding in anforo she roiiclics tlioin, liov/ever, she is caught ia an eddy, and it is only by tlio most supifiiie exertion that our oarsmen can get her out. Finally she is free, and away she goes like a bird, shooting through between the .jiitti:ig points and the large island into the main rapid, wiiere she is almost engulfed in the tumbling, roaring waters; on she goes into the river below, and then makes for the shore, and we go into camp for the nifiht; on the right bank, just below the rapids. Much better idea can be obtained of these rapids by tho mr.p oi' them whioli accompanies this report than can he formed by any description. There are two channels, the east and west. We used the west, and at this stage of water I liave every reason to believe that a good, power- ful steamer, properly handled, could go up it. Old Pierre says that in extreme low-water this channel becomes nearly dry, and in this condition is unnavigable. This west channel is consiflerably wider than the ea«t one, and is quite straight, except at the lower end, where it is rendered crooked by the jutting bed-rock. The oast channel is the dee-ier one aiui is the better one, Pierre says, in low-wawr and also in exti* .ue high- water, but in ordinary stages the west one is the better. The small steamer Chelan was brought down during high-water through the east channel, and she struck two or three times on account of breaking her rudder, but managed to escape. The course is very crooked, and there is quite a fall nejirthe heml of the large island which divides the channel. There are several sunken j-ocks among the rapids. In regard to the improvement of navigation at these rapids, theproper system to be adopted can only be determined after observations extend- ing over months have beeu taken. I will hazard the assertion, how- ever, that for all ordinary stages (if water the west channel can be made navigable by the removal of rocks and j(i. ling points. In com])ariHon with the Nespilem liapids, the obstructions caused by these raitids is slight. All along on the east side of the Columbia the bluffs are precii)itou8 and 2,000 to 2,500 feet in height, being in some places nearly jierpen- dicular and in others slightly broken away. In some i)lace8 the bluffs r((ce(le short distances frtun the shore to give plac3 to bowlder llata. The west side is still more mountainous, but is brokca here and there by a small stream, and through the gaps distant views of wooded and snowy mountains are had. Nothing of this kind brea' the monotony of the eastern shore. There are several Indian farm > along the river between Chelan and these rapids, and a number of Cliiiiese miners were j)iissed during the day. An excellent route for a portage exists along the western shore on a terrace about one hundred fict above the water. After leaving the main rapids wo ))a8sed throu;;!) about one mile of river ni whii^h wei-e many nniks, and then through arapiil of (ionsidora- ble strength. Then ciime a quiet stretch of water for tiiree or four milc», JKodhlsLandL Rapids Columbia Rh^€r \i ^ COLUMBIA RIVRR. 46 nnd Cabinot Rapida wcro roachod. Tlioso aro cansod by focUh Ntickiiif; ii]) nuar tliu left bank and jnttint; out therefrom. The rapidH arc Hwill and bad, and if the river is to be navigated ninat bo improved by removing Mome of the points of rocks and regularizing tlio n1oi>o. Jnst below these rapida there is a Goulde mouth on the I(>ft bank. A few miles further down tliere stAiids in the Columbia River a rock which is one of the most i>erfect profile rocks in existence. Approach- ing it from the north, it presents a striking likeness to the profile of (iueen Victoria, from which circumstance it was given the name of " Vic- toria Rock." Coming nearer to it and passing it on the west, the profile changes and merges into a more Grecian and Sphinx-like face, whoso placid immobility takes one's mind involuntarily to far of!" Egypt. It rises from the surface of the water alwnt one hundred feet, and a pair of eagles have selected it as their home, and upon its extreme top have built a nest, giving, as it were, a crown to this goddess of the Cobnnbia. The T-jck is of columnar black basalt The portion of the river in which this rock is situated is very grand and beautiful. The banks are nearly precipitous bluflfs, from 2,(KM) to 3,000 feet high, composed of columnar black basalt, which takes many wonderful shapes and protluces many pleasing effects, rivaling the famous Giant's Causeway of Ireland in weird beauty. The columns are in every conceivable position, sometimes pilend bent, forming niches, arches, grottos, crowns, &c. In one of these niches, a thousand feet above the river, there lies in an inclined position a stick of timber, barkless and white with age. It never grew there. It is a thousand feet from the top of the vertical bluffs, and could not have been put there from above. Tha only way in whi(!h it could have reached its present position was by being caught there when the river was a thousand feet higher than it is now, drifting in and lodging, and being left there by the receding river. My pilot. "Old Pierre," an Indian pilot and royageur of the old Hud- son Bay Company, said that this log was a landmark in the days when this company transported their furs and inerc.i.andise up aiid down the river in bateaux. He says that the Indians always considered that the log was left there when the river was up at that height. This is one link in the chain of evidence that proves tliiit at no distant dat« the Columbia was a stream of such magnificent proportions that the present river is a tiny rivulet compared with it. If this bo the true explanation of the location of this log, it is a remarkable example of the preserva- tion of wood for a long ^teriod of time. It may be that the log is pet- rified, but I had no means of getting at it to determine. There are many other things which may be cited in jjroof that thia river has but lately Iwcome reV5copted an the continniilion of the Orand Ooult^e. In three or four miles further we come to Gnalquil llai>id8, whi«!h are about a quarter of a mile in length and form no obstruction, and then we had seven or eight miles of the most perfect river, and we went snuMttbly gliding along, with no sound but tlie monotonous rhythm of the oiirs to break the stillness. The bluffs have been getting h)wer and lower on both sides of the river, and the strata seem to slope down from the north, indicating an upheaval lo the north or a subsidence to the south. The t«rrace fornuition so prevalent further north, hero has almost entiiely disappeared. After jjussiug a small stream coming in from the right about two miles, we come to Island lvapir, wliicli sotMiis to be of p»M)r (|iiiility ami not well fitted for itny piu'iKiM^ of ii^rienltnn>. Tlu* liills hack from the river appear more fertile, Inniig e,ovorelainly that many others were just below the sur- face. Our course lay about the middle of the stream, and the souruling- l»ole wouUl indicate one instant perhaps a depth of three or four feet, the next tt^n or twelve, and the next five or six. Through this portion of the river a steamer could go now in safety after finding and knowing thoroughly a gooinu otiivrs wliich ap|>viire<;e horse down through the caual-like chan- lutl between these two long rock islands. For about u mile we tore along with the united speed of tho raging torrent and our yelling Indian oarsmen. This channel seem d to have plenty of water, but is quite narrow, being altont sixty to o.ghty feet wide. We went through it at the rate of about twenty miles m\ hour. The left-hand channel is thf/ one better suited to pur|M)8es of naviga- tion, I believe. I did not examine it, but it hits been examined by (Jap- tain (iore, of the Oregon .'tailway and Navigation Company, who in- formed me that he took a stoi mer up through it and brought it bock. The little steamer Chelan we lociited flour and saw mills, as well as warehouses and stores. Logs can be brought down the Columbia to be here sawed into lumber and distributed to the sur- i-ouudiug agricultural regions. The rapids are centrally located for COLUMBIA RTVKB. many fine valleys and much proniisinfr conntrj*, and arc canily rem'hiHl by waKonroadH from many directionn. AInnf; tlie Iowct ]tortion of tho river travenwMl tliiH day the riw^ and fall of tli« vaUir in much lew* than alonf; any other portion of tho river, jud(iriri^ by the line of dritt-wmtd along the Imnkn ami the nniitll eleva- tion of tho plainH above the river. On Siitunlay, Oetobor 8, we left our camp l>elow Priest UapidH and pnlled down the river. Very few obje(;t« of interest were to Ih» neen. Tho conntry on eaoh Ride is low, Hat, and the soil a|)|>oarH Handy an to tho north and cuts into the bluffs, leaving a very nearly vertical wall of from one hundred to six hundi'ed feet in height. The rock is si sundy marl, soft and friable, whiasse(l a great many bar islands, and encam|>ed about six miles almve the month of the Yakima. The next day, Sunday, Octf)ber 9, we left camp bright and early, and by ten o'clock reached tho mouth of Snake Ri\er. The country along the river, with the exception of a small area near the month of the Yakima, is very i>oor; in fact, must be considered a desert. Ba'!!• -fock waw now \'ory much roduccd. Wu cantiouKly abHtaintMl from giving any hntnannlcHHnirdicinoH, and iiM wc could not possibly do harm, our proscriptioua, though uuHiinctioni'd by tlio faculty, might bo nscful, and wcro thonifore entitled to hoiuc romnnoration. It was only by utilizing this source of revenue, after their at(K',k in trade n'as exhausted, that the distinguished explorers were enabled to make their way back to the regions of civilization. The railroad terminus ii«ross the river from Ainsworth was named, and for some time bore, the appropriate name of Hades, but some of the higher authorities condemned the name, and substituted therefor South Ainsworth. V^e drew our boat upon the bank, put the oars in her, and abandoned her. The Indians were very much interested iu everything about the phice, and I explained things to them as well as I could. I paid them off, gave them tickets back to Oolville, and ea<'h a letter of recsoiinuenda- tion, and Mr. Downing and I gave them all our extra clothing, and they seemetl supremely happy. Old Pierre made sundry visils to a whisky saloou, but promised not to get drunk until ho returned to Colvillo Avhere he saul he would have two good drunks and then stop. The other Indians did not seem to have any inclination to drink. I cannot praise them too highly for their skill, their uniform goodnature, hon- esty, eiulurance, and sobriety. I think it would be very dillieult to pick up at a few hours' notice four white men who would row a heavy l)oat through dangerous rapids for four hundred miles without wanting strong drink, or be able to witlmtaud, after being paid oft', the temptations of drinking-saloons. Thus our jouniey down the river ended. We left the Ii'diaiis to pur- sue next day their way back to Oolville, and that night .Mr. Downing and I took the cars and safely tirrived at Vantsouver the next day. CIIArTEIl V. TABLE OF DISTAUfCES ON THE COLVMIilA HllEB. In computing the following trtble of distances I have made use of the lan, Indian Kciit; . Called also Ross Rapids. Rapids li nilira long. 234. 5 I Rapids 4 niili's long 235.5 23&6 ■240 241 242 244. £ 240 I Cnlli il .ilso Cannon Rapids hH 54 COLUMBIA RIVER. ':i^'~- Koapllom KtTcr Ei|iiilil>riiini Rapliln MonnKliAU H ItupidH Btrniig IlApid Kiipiil Granil Ooulfto NenlikwaCrucV ... Hunimotli Spring Bniis roil Riror nm.i. Oatk Frirdiniidor'H Storo Wiiitcatimo and WlilUwtono Creek . . CnstliiCovo WolHliCnmk TIawk Clrwk; " Virginia Blll'«" Cliiiin Cftinp on Islnnd Btokakr RlVRIl SJ'OKANK ?U1'I1)8 Mitrol{oART URK t 3 2.5 4.S 3 2 7 7 2.6 4 2 2 S 4.5 1.5 ZS 2..') 0.5 t 4 1 1 3 2 2 2.5 1 2 3.5 3 7 1 1.5 2 9 3 4.5 2.6 3 2.5 3 4 2 1 6 8 11 16 6W 533 605.5 600 603 606 612 610 621.5 626.5 627.5 629.5 634.5 639 640.6 643 645.5 646 650 6M 655 656 650 661 663 66.15 606l6 608.5 672 675 682 683 684.5 686.S il88.5 691.5 tl06 608.5 701.5 704 707 711 713 714 720 726 737 76S I 162 150 196.6 152 140 147 140 133 130.5 12a 5 124.5 :?2.6 117.5 113 111.6 109 10&6 100 102 98 07 06 93 91 80 86.5 85.5 83.5 80 77 70 60 67.5 65.5 63.6 60.5 06 53.6 50.5 48 45 41 39 15 I- ii 5 254 2.^7 250.5 264 267 200 276 283 285.5 280.5 201. 5 203.5 298.5 303 304.5 307 300.5 310 314 318 310 320 323 325 327 320.5 330.5 332.5 330 330 346 347 348.5 350.5 352.5 355.5 360 362.5 365. S 368 371 375 877 378 384 390 401 416 Remarks. Road to the South. Excellent road to the soiitb. Rapid. COLUMBIA RIVER. 55 To this I odd the foUowiiig distances derived from the woiks of Alex- ander Boss and others : BOURIIAItT lilRB Pond d'Onillle Ulvcr Koot«iiay River Lower Arrow Laku Do Upper Arrow liUko Do Littlo Narrowa or Dalloa. City of Rocka Dalk'a ilea UorU Boat Encampraont i I Ikt^nmrka. Hoiitli fiid, Norllii'iiil. Hoiitli Olid. North <4iid. Ciiiioo ICivur iiud Puit- agt) Uivor. CHAPTER VI. .,« i NA FIG A TION OF THE COL VMIilA RI FEB. ' ' ' ' From its month to the month of the \ illanietto, the Coltimbia iN nav- igated by ocoan steamers, sea-going ships, and river craft of all kinds. From the Willamette up to the Cascades, river boats find abinulant water and go freely at all seasons of the year except when the river freezes up, which happens generally eaeh winter. The freeze-ui)8 on this portion of the river last but a short time, however. At the Casciules the obstruction to navigation is complete, lioats cannot ascend the rapids at all, and they cannot descend with any de- gree of safety. Here, in order to render the river navigable, means must bo adopted to pass boats both up and down over the ra])i(l8. A canal with locks has been adopted as the means to do this, and work ha« progressed on it for several years. When this is completed naviga- tion will be continuous up to the Dalles. This will throw the river open to all who wish to navigate it, and a healthy competition will be the result for all the trade centering on the river at and below the Dalles. The Dalles is another complete and total obstruction to navigation. Boats can neither go up nor down them, and in consequence means must also be adopted here to pass them both up and down, if complete river navigation is propt)8ed. Surveys have been made and ])lans and estimates are now being prepared for the desired improvement here. With these two serious obstacles removed, there would be tjontinuons navigation to Priest Rapids, a distance of 409 miles from the sea, and by the Snake River to the Grande Ronde River, .'50 miles above Lewis- ton, a distance of 51G miles from the sea, making a total of navigable •^ 56 COLUMBIA RIVER. water of 589 miles. To this mnst be added the navigable waters of the Olcarwater, the extent of which I do not know. Tliis would throw open to competition the river transportation de- manded by tlic great grain belt between the Cascades and the Hitter Root Mountains, south of tlio forty-seventh parallel. By no other means could the government confer a more decided and lasting benefit upon the people ot this great section than by removing the obstructions to navigation at the Cascades and Dalles. The portions of the river at present regularly navigateortiou ut' Mu! Metliow tlowH tIiroii(];h ii rmi^^e of wooth up uiitl down for HUiaiiierM. U' it in proved to Iw too Hwift for lioata to attctMid, tluMi soiiio iii»tliod iiiiiMt l)eae brought into direct river conununicatiou with tide-water is aa follows : Sqnans mile*. Vicinity of NoHpilom Uiver 'MtO Vicinity of Sung Foil Kivcr MO Iniinedlnto vicinity of Colnmliin Rivor l.CW) Vicinity of Colvilif! Kiv«r WK) Vicinity of Hpoliano Kivcr. iJlK) Uro»t Plain south of 8|Hikane and Columbia 2,400 Total r., 120 It is scarcely worth while for mt. to enlarge on the general l)eneflt to the whole North Columbian liasin, which would be conferred by re- moving all the obstructions and giving through river navigation from Grand Hapids to the sea. The continued, earnest, and united efibrts of other counti'ies and sec- tions to obtstin water transportation to the seaboard by means of rivers and canals, sufticicntly attest the estimation in which it is held by the people, and its value and importnnt^ are clearly shown by all the navi- gable rivers and internal water routes of the world. The Government of the United Stivticture to ourselves all this with the Columbia in it.s present stat« of inter- ru])ted navigability, and then picture it with the river cxiniidettdy navi- gable from the Orand Kapiu the water waH at a low stage and with an unloa4leear lowering and quickening a great ileal, suHiciently to enable the river to assnnui a navigable 8lo|HMlown to tlu* middle g(M>d water. If the liver from the mouth of Crab OI•«^ek Coulee to a jioint a few miles below the rapids could Im) regularised, it wonld nndonbtedlybeniivigable. If, however, when tlu^ proper detaileticabln to improve the IhmI of the rivi suttlciently to give goixl navigation, then some other means must be adopted. The iMjst means to adopt for this purimse I conwive to be a railway, over which boats can be transported from the foot of the ra|)ids to the head. 1 would advocate a railway in preference to a canal and locks, on the ground of exjiense. The cost of the construction of a railway and its adjuncts would probably be not more than than one sixth to one- fourth of the cost of a canal alwut Priest Ka])ids, and its operating ex- penses wouhl not bo very much greater. About the Nespilem Rapids, fmm Foster Creek to Mahkin Rapids, the cost of a (ianal with locks would be so gi-eat as to render it entirely out of the question to build it or even to contemplate building it; while the cost of a railway would be a reasonable sum proportionable to the iHjnefits to be derivcid from it, and would answer every purpose of a canal. Steamboats can certainly go down Priest Rapids safely if under st,eam and with sound steering-apparatus. To give entire safety and avoid as far as possible all risks, it might and probably would be found neces- sary to remove some rocks from the channel. Tho cxi>enso of doing this would bo slight. Tho coufonnation of the ground is |)eculiarly favorable for the <'(>ii- struction of a railway. It is, along the left bank, a level plain of solid soil, largely composed of bowlders and gravel, at a slight elevation, probably not more than forty feet above the river. As the rivtu" is na\ igablo for boats bound down, the railway would have for its end only the tnking of boatA up stream, and, in consei]uence, tho construction and operation would be very simple. It proVtably would not take more than a quarter to a thinl of tho time to build a railway that it would a canal, and onc« well built the railway could be nmintainct in ortler ivs cheaply as the canal. While it is very far from my intention to give a delailevm a very (;«iiHriil oiitliiifl (»t° hu»Ii ii pluii. •FiiHt biilow tlio foot of tlic nipi |) wut«r. A carriii^o, or the head of tho rapidN, and bring back the carriage. At I'rieHt RapidH thecoiirHe of the railway coidd Iw |)erfectly straight, ob- viating any necesMity for u horizontal change of dire4;tion. The time which would be (Htcupicd in making the iM)rtage netnl not exe^MMl two liourH at the moHt, and by having Ncveral carriagCH the |tm<-eHH of taking one boat u]) the incline could go on coincidently with the trauHport^ition of another to the heiul of the rapids, ho that, with everything working \vii\], it may be mifely entimatetl that a lM>at e^uid Im) taken over every hour with a Hingle track. TIiIh would accomnioihite the river C4>nimorex) for many yearn to come, and if it ever became ne4»'8sary the fat^litieH for trauHporting boatn could be indetlnitoly increaHc*! by building a double tra(!k for the return of the carriage, and ailding the ne<'.eHHary improvcmentH to the plant. The class of boatn which it will bo found most advantageouH to nm on the lJi)por (/olumbia will proltubly be f(nnid to l)c Ninular to thoHO now run on the Hnake River, and of which the 8|M>kanc, Annie Faxtui, anil Abuota are types. The Annie Faxon, the largeM of these, is 105 fei^t long, 37 feet beam, "i foot 9 tons. If we suppose a boat with hor load having a dinplacement of 80t) tons, which is ])robably the largest boat that would demand triinsiHHtation, the carriage or car on which to transport her must weigh alNUit 1(M> tons. This i)(H) tons is the weight to l)e traus]M)rt«oro than would ordinarily be taken over, as most of the freight would l)e down river, and boats would bo lightly laden going np Htreani. Another very favorable circumstance which wonld facilitate the oj)er- ation of a boat railway aliout Priest liapids is the very small riHc and I'all of tho river here. I cannot say what the difference between high and low water is, but it in very much less than at most other pointn on the 'iver, and ])robably not more than tiighteen to twenty feet. If a eanal shoidd be decided on instead of a railway, tho rout« wonld lie tho same, along tho loft bank. The same may l>OHaid of an ordinary' portage railway for tlu^ transfer of fri'ight, &c., from lioatii at one end to iMmta at the other end of the rapitlR. li^ 1! ■ ' "it COLUMIilA KIVKU. 63 IMritdVUHKNT OF CAIllNKT AMD BOCK I8LAND UAI'lUH. Uiirt! till* rivur iit Uiohu rupids in wull known to un cxiMTtontH')! iiiiil Hkilirul HUnlllliHm^ captain, liu can take IiIh lM>atut tT.'iO per yard, making an expeuHe of #(>(),, would lie Hutlicient for the pui'po,s«>, I believe, and give Hatmfactory navigation up to the foot of lUx-k iMlund UapidN. Kock iMlaud Uapiids will be of great vidue in scuttling the country abovi.'. The fiiud and complete improveinent of liock Island Uapids will undoubtedly re^piire that either a (;anal or a railway shall be con structed to allow tho jiussage of boatN from lielow to above the rapids. As at Priest Uapids, so here, I shou'd a G4 COMJMH'A KIVEK. tlio milw&y would be wwily iiitKio, »ud 'Vfilil bo solid and eiiduriii^'. Tlu' pliUwiii ^I'li'iis (lilt, coiisidcnibly at Kock Itilaud l{iiiud8, and v,x- Wutln lor about threv riiileH itl>ovt. rWPRONTSMENT OF THE NE8PILEM RAPIDB. - •' Tbc iiiiiiri.vcmfiit oi' the (^)Iiunbia River fi"oin Foster (Irw^k to Mali- kill KajiiilN, Vw w hcWe systcni boiiig known as tli** Iiespileni Itapids, i« K.'Xt to be, (soiisabMvd. After traversiiif^ this portion of tlio rivt-r I iMUiif to the coiicliiNioii, at ti."8t, that it was ho bao derived tlierefrom tvouM not justify the work. Further re- Ih'ctioii however, and stuily of the (iountry, tlie viver, and inethodi* of improvenieiir, cotivinee me to the contniry, and I thorouj,'hiy believe that nieaiiH can Im» iwloptod at leiit occurred on the st^iamboat itself 1 sec no reason w'ly goo«l steamers, with cr.ieful and experienced captains, ci:i;..ot i imule to permit the ascent of boats ; about the others, boat railways, similar t'j those jiropoaed for Triest and Uock Island Kapids, can be built. Hy a well considered system of river improvement, and boat railways, I iliink that the passage of the Nespilem Kapids can be successfully accoinpiislied. A railway w<>uhl probably be necessary about ro8V"«r Creek Uapids, ubout the Long itapids, embracing Kalichen Falls and Whirlpool Uaisids, and po-ssibly iiboiit Mahkin Kapids, three in all. The tirst woiinl be about two and a half miles long, the second about four aiul^i lialf, and ti'c last t'vo miles long. At the Fost«'r (reek liajiids the ground is favorable for any kind of construction, ai'd a railway would be easily built. At the other jvuices the ground is uot favorable, and the construction would be ditlicult and COLUMBIA KIVKR. 65 ox|M-nsivc in Roin])iiri80ii to \vii»t it Wdiiltl 1m^ i!t'«' led. It would 1k' still luort- uuliiMUiililr (or any kiml ofcaniil i'oustrM .' )U. To HUimnarizo tlu'U, tlif s.VNteni of inipro •fuiciit.s tliiit I would lulvo VAVti'. to pvt' continuoiiK iitivi;;ulioii from (irand Kapids to tlir nioutli of tilt! Oolutuliia Kivor in an follows: First. The iinprovoiiiciit rc><|iiire*l at tlio Hpokmu; llapidH, tho expouNu of which would Iw slight. Hecond. A combined H.VHtcni of river impntviMuout and hoaf iiiihviiy,s u! '.he Nespilom l{apid». Third. A boat railway at Ii.)ck iHland Uapids, ami the iinprovenienl of the river at t'abinet Kapids, Fourth. Tl'^^ (ioUHtruetion of iv boat niilway aitiuud I'riesi ItapidN. Fifth and .sixth. The eouNtrnction of a canal with htcka about the DallcH and the (?a.scadeH. The foliiiwinji ai)i)n)ximatc estinutt** of thucost of the impi-ovenients above the .iioiith of Snake Itiver is fjiven : lldiit raiiw.i.v unmnil rrii'sl Ku|ii(lH #('iO,7IN».0(HI Improvpiiien' of tlie rivor at l*riest Rapids fill, ikik Improvfiiu'iit U,(MKJ luiprovci.ii'iit of tlic river at Spukiiiu' liapidn 'Jti, (MM) , Total $;), (M)5, 000 III view of tho probability or at least possibility of the govern nient, at some future time, undertaking the iinprovenients mentioned, it would seem to lie a wise stej) to secure now the lands which would be needed for the railways and works. The lands are, I believe, unsur\eyed, and strips conid be set aside and reserved from sale for the purjioses of improvement wilhonl (•()«( to the government or hardshi]) to any private iti(li\ idinil. Whatever system of improvement be adojittMl it would be necesHary to have these lands, and I would suggest that proper steps Im^ taken to reserve them. ISesides the method of taking boats up around the rapids by lailway, other niethtKls and combinations of methmls may 1m' found when the attention of engineers is thoughtfully directed tliereto. It is highly probalile that in sotne localities, ju'rhaps in all, a system of waiping lines can be arninged whi(!h will enable the boats to snrmounl flie most rapid portions of the eiirietit, their own power fakiii), them ovei all the intermediary water between the si'.ccessive ripph'.^. S. Ex. l.Sti 1> m ','WM* Jii^li^W"«I^IPfP"«ipH^W 66 COLUMBIA RIVKR. A l)oat proviiliMl witli ii k'xmI Ht4>ani capHtuii or (Iriiin could make tuHt to II (1,x«m1 wai'piiiK liiH' or lii.i's and work liiTHcIf up oviT the rapids; <)r tliu liiMt could he worked \>s, a steam eu/rinc and drum on sliore :it the hciul of the rapitln, thuH K>^'i"l7 (!■<' Ix'^t having lioUl ot the line the ailditional jiower re(|uired. Uock Ishuid Kapiilii, portions of the Nonpilem I{a]>idH, an steum, being tlutroiighly aeriuaintc^y laying the portage on the east hank, a i)ortion of the Colvillo Valley Itoad to (irand iiapids would be utili/.ed. Above Kettle Falls the river is navigable for twenty six miles to the Little Dalles. Thest- latter can be ascended by steamers using a lino, but this is not. of (course, satisfactory navigation. It would not take a very large amount of money to rendcir this obstruction ]»assahle. In all probability, however, it will he found when the country becomes settled, and the river alM)ve the Little Dali.s navigated, that a branch line of railroiul will t)e required from the nniin Colville Valley up Mill Creek and Echo Valley, and through to the river above the Little Dalles. This branch line, in counexition with the portion of the Colville Valley Mosul running through the lower part of the valley to the river below Grand liapids, will form a i>ortiige road aronud all these falls. The length of COLirMrtlA KIVKK. 67 tliia line by the cin-.uiU>u8 roiit« tlitit it would go in aXwnt tliirtytlvo niilos. Above the liittle DiiUes the river in iiiivij;al>Ui for two limuhed iiiiit eighty iiiilcH to Death Itaplds, iieeordiii^ (<> the eHtiiiiiitt^ of ('ii|)tain Piiif;stoiie, or two hundred and lwenly(iv<' miles, nceording to the eHti- inat4> of Alexander Hohm ane many j'ears before the ini|)rovenientH mentioned in the preceilinn; ilineiission ar«^ eonipleteil or even undertaken by the ;feneial jnvernine.nt, 1 wiil jjive a Nuinniary of the portages reiguired m> f;i\e a (HtiitinuouH line of river navijration from Hnake Kiver lo Di^ath Kapids, the river remainintf iii its present eonditioii. 8link*> Utvpi- to I'?-ii'ftl ICnpitU lNirtii^<> aroiiiid IM-irst liApiiln rrit'Ht Kn|>l(l!4 toraliiiii't UapiilH rorta^t' iii-«)iit)il (Jiiliiiuit and Kof'k IhIauiI KApiilH litwV iHlaiitl KapidA t<» FoMti^r (-'iTok KapiilH INirtAjri- Hniiind Fimti-r (?i-fek and tiir lapldfl of Ch(i KnApllt^ni (lanon to Hnh' kill Uapidn Mahkin HapidH Ui (iraiid Rupida I'orta^i' f'n>lii n Lilllc DallcHlii Ooatli Uapidn Ill the inontliH of February and March, 1880, Capt. Alfred T. Ping- Htone, of the Oregon Railway and Naviffation Onnpany, examined the Cohnnbia from Kettle Fal!.* U> the Hnakt^ River. His examination was ..liMle at a very low stafje o!" water, which must a(M!oiint partially t'nr the ditt'eriMiee in the diw^criptions «)f rapids, &c., as y^iven in his report an'at weiglit. CAPTAIN PINiJ.HTONKVS UKPOKT (HXTUACT). IMPROVKMKNTS NECK8SABY TO INHUBiO OOOD STiHiAMIJOATrNCJ. Pioeeediii}; np the (\»lniid)ia from Ainswinth until Priest Itajiids are reaeheil, the river is in an «|nitl)y navipiblw river In IkmI for fift.y iiiileM to Itork Island Hapids. At lt(lll llciul to moil III i>f riirioii Vi From caftoii to moiitli of Oklnii^nii 1'.' From (IkiniiKiiii to t'lu'liiii '.H From Clu'jjtn to lii'uil of Kovk InIiukI KiipiiU 'tr> From Kock I»liiml tliroii);li bud wntt'r H From (ll<'ln■<^ to lii'iid of l'rli'nt Uitpidi fiO From lii'iiil Jo foot of I'rIcHt KapIdH !l From fidM to Aiiiswortli •*.• .; ■ -■ ; i'J7 February 2H, 18S1.— Fliivinp secured tlic Heivi(!osoftwo I'end d'Oreillc IiidiiMis, one ol' wlioiii, tweiit) yeaiH Uj^o, Imil iiiade tlie ti'i|i down tlie river when in tlio employ of the IIiid.son Hay Oonipany, we Uift KettU^ Fiilln in Ji bireh-hiuk <;tinoe, which was about twenty ft vc t'cit huifi and weifjlied eighty pounils. Kettle Falls are distant from Fort Uolville about ftfteen miles. They are the most serious obstruction to navij^a- tion on this ))art of the Columbia, being a per]K'ndi(;nlar liili ol about twenty feet at low water. We eii>barked in the morning at about ileven o'clock, and proceeded thence down the river for about live miles, when w» arrived at (inind Itapids. The river is now at dead low water. The^e rapids are about one and a half miles in length and have three riflles. The upper and lower ones could be run by boats either uji or down stream without the use of lines, but the iitiddie rapid li.is a fall of about sevcH feet. It could Im run at high water with a limn. This wotdd be a proper landing for Fort Colville. We made a portage around the rapid of about one hundred yards, and camped just below (fraud Ua]>ids for the night. March 1.— I^ft foot of Grand Rapids at 8:20. Three miles IhI- w Kickey's Bar there is a high bench of rocks on the right bank of ,''!■ river coming down. These rocks an; in the bend of th(^ river and woi.!«i form an island at high-water with the channel on either side. It would l>e no obstruction to iiaviKatioii. On Rickey's J5ar there is sonic drift, and a few trees standing. Four miles below that, opposite what is called t he ." Five thousand dollarelaini," there is a luyivy rajtid — very strong wat«'r — with lu'd-riH-k sticking upon both sides of the river; best channel at the head of rajjid is in middle of river, thence tlown left bank aiidat the foot to the right bank. The river is then gotnl to Rogers" Itar, alxtnt thirty miles l)elow. Shoal rilHe at Rogers' Ihir. .hist below Rogers' Har there TN a large island of rocks, also a riOle running partway acrross, but a gnoat channel there, lielow, about six miles, there is another bench of r.icks with channel on the right bank of the river. Thiitc miles My4^ 70 COLUMllIA BIVEK. 1m»1ow tlmtiH anollu'rlMMicli of nxskn in tli»^ middle of the rivor; straight (;ImiincI ahoiit a hiiiitlred feet wide on right tmnk. 1'hcreiKiig4MMl C4mn- try iiliHi;; t lie Cohiinhia from (.'olville to thin point, large HatK and valU'js running into the river. IV.wM of Itogers' Har there is a Hettlcnient of eight or ten t'aniili<>s witii ])i'oiiii.si-d mhlition.s from outside this Kpriug. From tliis point to Spo] is not navigable, bnt dis- charges considerable water. There is an much water in it iw in the John Day. The " post" is located on the south side of the Spokane alMut 2 miles from its nuiuth. There are three comimnie>( st-ationed there. The location is go(Hl; it is on high table laud, surrounded by scattering pine tind>er. Wa** inforineport a large irapulation. Arrived l)ack at the canoe at about three p. m. Innm'diately above the mouth of the Siwkane is a strong ni]>id. The river (Columbia) at thisiwiiit num between two bars covered with very larg(* bowlders. The channel is straight; current very swift. It would b(t all a boat could do to sU'm it at high- water, but by the use <»f line« for one hundreelow the mouth of the Spokane. Manh '.i. Lell ("amp at seven a. m. Paddled the first fourteen miles through a canon. Theriver is good — not more than a four-mile current. Mountains very high and rocky. In many plai-es the walls of iwks ju-e from r»()() to 1,(HK) feet in heiglit, rising iierpendicularly from the river. There issonie mining carried on upon what few bars t here are in the c^iilon. At nine a.m. we arrived at llell (late. Herr i lie channel makes aiiomplete 8. A l»oat ••onid go through it now, but it looks iw though it would l»e » rough 1 ilace during high water. There are two big islands of rry way suitaule for steainboatiiig. March 0. — Ii«*ft t;ainp at 7:10 a. m. The river was good to the hoiwl of Rock Island, a distance of twenty milei*. The bml water (rommenees about three miles above what is ' .dle miles in length. This canon cont;4iins inan.\ rocky islands. Tiiere is one which rises from the river to the height of a hundred feet. This (^afioM would be a rough place for a boat to get through during liigli-wati-r, but during an ordinary stage i^ innigable. For two inile« (between the canon and It4iek Island proper) there isagO(Mlriver. Rim k Island Rap- ids projier are not navigable at this stage of water. Boat« may be taken up or duwu at a high iituge oi water — but always at griuit link to the 1 72 COLUMBIA RIVEB. )H)iitH. TiKtrn An\ two cliiinnvlH -tlio one on the ri);lit hunk '\h widest. TIk* ii|)|H-r fiiil is ^•^^'.iiv nf i-ix-kH, hut tlxt lower end is crooked tind full of lii(;li hid ro<-k. It is (;iit up in niiiiiy numU ehannciN and ho raitid tluit li Hteimdioat <;onld not Ntuni it witliont the iMHiHtimce of a line. Tlie chan- nel on the left hank ends in two little falls at this stajje of water, hut it would he hest to take a hoat throU};h at a little ahoV(5 a half sta^o. Itoek Island «',an uvvfi he snc(H'Hsfnll,v steand)oated in its itresent condi- tion, hut at coni|)arativel,v Hinall (expense can he made navi^ahlo at low waitu-. Tlu! wat. necessary at this point, commencing ahout thr«H> miles helow Kock Island Uaiiids, on the riji;ht hank, and eiulinff in aixtut fc .r miles. This i)ortage roaasH over a higl" tiat with an easy grsule^uo excavation nexiessary if railroad were huilt there. March!. — Tieft camp at 9:15. We broke our . anoe yesterda.N, and were some tinu^ in fixing it. The river is voiy good today, l-'onnd only one rapid. It is called " Kagle Kajtid" and is hM-atwl alxmt thirty miles helow Itock Island. It can be navigatoats at all stages of water. I he river from Eagle to iicad of Priest Kapids is ex- cellent for boating purj)oses. Wo «^Hm|>o(l at I'riest Uapids at six p. m. During the day's run found high hanks on either side the entire course. We passed the months of two couli'-os. March -S. — Priest Rapids ar*' about nine miles in length. They are sitUHtvd in a semicircular K>iiliii^. \Vti iirrivod at Aiiiswortli tit twttlvo in., our Joiirncy oikIimI. I procoisliul t our iU'm- tiiiation, wliiln iii.v two Imlitiii coinimiiioiis leiivc for Fort C.'olvillo ovi-r luiul, 11 (liMtiviiir, of210 iiiik'H. Very n^siiect fully, " ,. ALFUKI) T. riNlSHTONK. ■-■;;- r CIIAPTKIl VII. UKSERAh nKSCRll'TlON OF THE COLl'MIIU AND ITS TRIRVTARIES. Ill Mi« eiirly ilovolopnicnt of a country itn navifjablo ri\ciM jiiay a vory iiii|iortant part, funiiNliin;; natural lii;;liwayN for travel ami tnMie, and liaNcsof opiM-ations from wiiicli tlie iMlventiirouH pioneer ain extend liJH reNCiirelies aftijr the unknown attractioimof tlie wilderiiesM, Astlio popiilat'.iii and produetions of the coiintry incre^ise, and railroadN are built XI every dii-ee/tioii, these artiticial liiieH of eoininunieatioii make the natural river lines of less relative importance. [ii the full and coin- plete development, however, these water liiu^s fiirniNli tran«iMHtatioii for all the slow freij^ht and surplus prmliietions, and iM',t as a regulator upon all of the internal eominereo of the country. Their ^fieat value in this respeot cannot lie overestimated, and the general government inis for iiiiiny years shown its wisdom by o]ieiiing up and freeing from oli strnetioiis the natural water-courses within its domain as fast lus tliey are reipiircd by the demands of commerce. The great country drained by the (Joliimbia Uiver is still in its in- fancy, and it is the (;lierislu>d scheme of all who are alive to its best in- terests to see tlie whole river, or as mucb of it as is priwitieable, iipeii to free navigation, and the healthful competition which would grow therefrom. In these pages I have aihled as much as I am abU^ to the knowledge of the river and the conntry dr.iined by it, and trust that it will be use- ful in any ettbrt that may Ixj made to secure the free navigation of the whole of it, or at least of a very large jiortion. Knteriiig the I'a<'ific Ocean near the forty sixth degree of latitude, this river forms a great arm of the ocean, n\> which st^a going vessels can go for one hundred miles and iikhc to the fiKit hills of the gn'at range of mountains whose snow-elad summit peaks can Ix; seen by the sailor as lie nenrs tlii' foaming breakers at the river's mouth. Tde Coluiiibia by means of its tributaries drains the western slopi^ of the Hoik.v Mountains, from about the forty-second to the Htty third piirallel of north latitude, a distance of about U04J miles, and has a drain- Bge basin aggregating almost 2i5,000 square miles. a. Ex. 18(i 10 If I It I 74 COLUMUIA lUVKK. Th*^ rollo\viiiKtii)>loKivi'^tliu aruiiH (IraiiHHl in tliu tliHuruiil HUiLoHund Ti'iTiUuiiiM by tbo iiiomI iiapurtant tiibitUdoM: >= DHAINAOR AHKAH. Or<'K"" : WilluiiKtttit (mill Coliimliialwlow immtli iif WillmiiotU)) K,*m DrMCImt.H 10,000 .loliii l>»y, Willow Crwk, uml W»Ila Wiillo 12,(MK» Hiiukc Uivor IT.VOO WiiHliiiiH'oii 'IVrridiry: Norlli »iilo ('i)lmiiliiH, Imlnw Hiinkn 8, (KK) Colniiiliiii, aliovti Himkii IM), 3)'>0 Siiako ''•,'Z'M Idiklio: Coliiiiiliiii Kiviir 7,(>0(l Snuk.' Kiv.r 70,040 Nminlii, Hiiiik.' Uivor li.iWO Wyiiiniiij;, Nimkii Kivor .1, IH4 Ut'ali, Hiiiikr Kivor 7(K» Miiiituna, CNiliiiiiliia Hivcr UO, WOO ItriliHli Ciiliiiiil)ia, Cipluiiibia Ulvtir IIH, ^05 Totrtl aroa ilraiiiwl by Culiiiiibio — Nj«ir than all tlio New Kiijilaiitl aiul Miilillc 8lal<'s, witli Maryliiiid, Vii'tfiniu, and VVcwt Vir},niiia conihiuwl. For i»nri>o,soH of coni[»aiison, 1 yive theii' aroas as taken I'loiu tlio lawt ('ensiiw ilL'i»ort: . ' 8()imre mllea. Maiiio :«j,000 Nii« llaiiijtHliiri) 9,280 Vriiiioiit io,aia MaHHattliiiHotlH 7,800 CoiiiiiMiticiit 4,750 Khoilo Islaml 1,;J0« 08.348 Nfw York 47,000 PoniiMylvaiiia 40,000 Now .iorHi>y 8,:i--J0 Dolnwitru !i, 120 103, 440 Marylaml 11, lit Virginia 38,348 u": Wost Virginia 2;}, 000 72. 472 Total iHinaru uiilos 244,200 I also give liero for comparison the areas of tlie principal European countries: S(|unr» iiiilfH. Great Hrttaiu and Ireland 121,230 Franco 201, yoo Germany 212,091 A stria Hungary 22(), 400 Italy 112,077 Spain 182,758 roMiMntA RiVKU. 75 TlitMlraiiiiifio iin^aot' tlio Coliiinltiii may itlw) lor fniivoniciicf bo ili vidrd UM followH: Si|iiiirr lulliMi. Hiiakii River li'l.tiin TT|i|Mir Ooliimliiii ulinvc Jiiiii'tiiiii w llli Siinkr...,. W.lKt Mitin ('iiliiinliiii Ih'Iiiw Jiiiictiiui 1:1, '^Nl Total 'iU.mt At a distiintu' oi;>.'ft \\w miiin rivor Ih fornxMl by it« two jitv.il briiiiolioH, tilt' soiitlHTn om> boiiijfiiow jjoiiornlly known n» tlio tSniikt^ and tiio nortliorn as tlic (%>luiiibia. TilR HNAKK RIVKR. Tlic Snuko Rivortjvkosits vimi in tlio Houtliern piirt of Mio Ycllowslonn Niitioiml I 'ark, very near tlio lu-adwatcrs of tlio >ranrso until it ooiiios within sixty niiU'H of tlio proHont limits of tlio (Ireat Halt Lako of Iftiili. It liius been cUiaiiy provon that this lako, in tho years lonj,' f,'ono by, wiw very niuoh larger than it now is, oovoring an iininoiiso extent of territory, and that it^ waters fuiiiid an outlet to the north into tho Hnake River nod theneo to tho Columbia and Piuiitle Oeean. The outlet of this an cient lako was determined and its boundaries traced by a party of the Wheeler Survey, who gave to it tim name of Lake Honnovilh^ after the (irst and most illustrious explorer of this section of the (Country. The giiMbial upheaval of the northern portion of the continent lias taken away the outlcst and left the lake what it now is. From tli(^ vicinity of the (ireat Salt Lake the river takes a northwoHt- erly course, tlowing through a treinendous canon in which are numer- ous rajuds and falls of great magnitude and beauty, ranking with Ni- agara and the falls of the Zanibesi in .\friea. Tlio ))rin(;ipal are the (Ireat Shoshone Falls, the American Falls, and Salmon Falls. A num- ber of stroanis flow into the Snake from tho lands to the south and west of its course, principal among them beingthe Bruneau, Owyhee, Malheur, Burnt, Powder, and (Irand Iloiide Itivers. Tho main braiuihes froiii tiie east are the Mahule, Boist'), Payette, Salmon, (Jl«arwat«r. and l*a ioaae Rivera. Nearly all the streams tlowing into tho Snako may bo cliaract«'rlzod ;*H mountain torrents Howing through ih'op cafions, entirely unnavigablo and with voi->' little valley lands along their courses. ' Some of them deserve more than a passing mention, especially tho Salmon, the principal tributary of the Snake. It drains a large extent of exMintry au grand, gloomy, and doso- ni 'I: i IMAGE EVALUATION TEST TARGET (MT-3) 1.0 I.I 1^121 |25 US ■ 2.2 lU 1^ 12.0 m |l.25 1 U |,6 < 6" „ ^ V] ^.^*' ■> O / /A Photographic Sciences Corporation 23 WIST MAIN STRilT WEBSTIR, N.Y. 14S80 (716) 873-4503 ^^^-7^ ^^V^ 4^> % ^■^ u Jk 76 COLlIMniA RIVKH. Into tliiin whero these two rivnrH Join thoir watorn. Both coino flowing clown with torrontiiil veloitity tliroiigli caiionH 3,<)00 feet in depth, with mgged, bliuik, anil utmost vertical Hides, the Riilltwhite wators of the Snake cotirHing alongside tlie clear bhic Salmon water for a half mile or niofi) hefore they Anally mingle among the jagged rocks of the Htupon- doiiH caflon below. At liowiston the Clearwater aen were taken up in nniking the lust thirty-five miles. The "un down was made in one day ; I was once informed in five hours. This illustrates the (!harnct«r of the Snake Uiver for punmses of navigation. The I'alouse is the lowest tributary of the Snake, and, although not of any im]>ortanc« oh a large stream, it drains an exceedingly fertile and promising country. A large proportion of the best farming lauds of I'iiistorii Washington Territory lie along the Palouso and its tributary streai:~, THE UPPBB COLUMBIA. The great rortheru branch which unites with the Snake to form the main river is designated as the Columbia, or iu coutradistiuctiou Ui the hirer river, as the Upper Columbia. Amid the universal gloom and midnight silence of the north, a little above the fifty-second parallel ol" latitude, seemingly surrounded on 'ill sides by cloud-piercing snow-clatl mountains, and nestle*! down iu among the lower and nvm: sr ctMlar-mantled hills, there lies a narrow valley where three streams meet and blend their waters, one coming from the s«>utheast, one from the northwest, and one from the east. The [)rincipal one of these three streams is the one from the southeast, which rises in a small lake near the fiftieth parallel of latitude, and Hows to the northwest in a deep gap between the main Rocky Mountain chain on the oast and the Selkirk Jliuige on the west, to the point of Junction, anuth, fiowing through a densely timbered valley in which the trees overhang the stnutm to siu;h an extent as alnuKst. to shut it out from tlie light of heaven, and attain an enormous COUTMniA RIVER. Tt ni7.o, ]>nrticiilar1y tho pin«N niul cedars, oiio of tlie latter, mennnrcd by Alexander IIohh, l^cillg forty-fivo feet four incheH in girth at a lioiglit of four fe(«t from the ground. Portage Kiver, tlie third of tliiH trio of HtreaiuH, the HnialhtHt and the moat remarkable of them, is tho one which enters from the tmst. It Iiim its source in tho very he irt of the ll«M;ky Mountains and flows through a tremendous deft in the main range between two of its loftie.st imiks, Mounts Brown and Hooker. Just underneath tht^se giant mountains, on the divide known as "Tiie Height of Land," lie two small lakes, each abass across thfe mountains by the I'ortage River, the Commi^tet^'.s Punch Howl, and \Vhirl]>ooI River, known as the Athabasc^v VtisH, was for many years the prine'',)al route of the Hritish fur triulers in going fVom one side cf the Rocky Moutitains to the other. This route is far from l)eing an easy one, and a e made in the spring l>etore the summer thaws and rains set in, or in the autumn after severe cold weather had liN;k(Ml up the uumntAin drainage. During the summer tli<; stream Ite- coniea an impetuous impassable UKmntAin torrent Alexander Itoss, after making the Journey from the C'oluuibia to the Athabasca, thus pictures tho delights of the Journey up Portage Riv^^r; Let tli« ran|i«ry witli ice rroin tlioir tops ilowu to tho water'H v:\m', ; miil on iIdi otiivr niiIc it ImaiJieniiipamlivclyluw, InitHtmliled ill an irn!giilui' iiiaiiiKT witli Htaniliiit; ami I'alli'n trw'H, rocks, and ici>, ami full of drift-wood, over ., liich the tonviil everywhere rimlicH with HUch irreoiHlilde inipetnoHity that very few wnnld dare to ndviMitnn- IhcniwlvcH ill tlie Htreikin. Let hlin again imagine a rapid river deHcemlini; frp it uiootx the fVont of a Imld rock, which repulses back the water with such vio- lence as to keep it whirling round in a large basin. Opposite to this rises tho wing of a shelving cliif, which overhanpi tho basin and forces back the rising spray, refract- ing in the sunsliinoall the colors of the rainbow. The crook then enters tho Coluhibia. Numerous islands exist in the river, some of them remarkable for Iteing formiu. almost, if not entirely, Arom drift-wood, compressed by the force of the current so closelv vad. solidly together that it seems to have iMHsn laid in tiers w by liio hand of man. Tho Selkirk Range, whose Jagged, craggy peaks are li-om 7,000 to 0,000 feet high, lies to tho east of the river. To tho west lies the low Oold Range from 2,000 to 6,000 feet high, and beyond this and between it and the Okinakane and the Thompson liivers the country is generally rolling and covered with bunch grass. At a distance of about seventy miles fh)m Boat Encampment there is a very Lad system of rapids, known to tho vot/ageur$ as the J)allat des Mort«. They are about two miles long from end to end. Many a iH>or fellow has closcoke<1 at the more complete becomes the illusion. Twenty-two miles lielow the City of Rocks are the Little Dalles, or Narrows, where for about a mile the river is almost completely shut in by mountains and rocks. This is passable by steamers, however, while at tho Dalles dtts Morts steamers are I'.nabio to ascend. Along this imrtion of the river there occurred in the year 1817 ono of 'Unas. ! if: COLUMBIA BIVEU. 79 those turriblo upiHodoH of froutior life, at the thought of whiuh tho huurt turiiH Hick. On the Itith of April of this year, a party of twoiity-tliivu moil loft Fort George, now Astoria, tu ascend the Columbia ur Lake of the Columbia by two Indians who wore coasting it in a canoe. They took him on board and to Kettle Falls, from whence he was con- ducted to Spokane House. lie stated that after the death of the tlfth man of the party, Dubois and he continu(;d for some days at the siiot where he Iiad ended his sufferings, and on quitting it they loaded them- selves with as much of bis flesh as they could carry ; that with this they succeeded in reaching the Upper Lt^ke, aronnd the shores of which they wandered for some time in search ul Indians; that their horrid food at length became exhausted, and they were again reduced to the prospect of stiirvation; that on the second night after theij* last meal, ho (La Pierre) observed something suspicious in the conduct of Dubois, which induced him to be on his guanl ; and that shortly after they hail lain down for the night, and while he feigned sleep, he observed Dubois cautiously opening his clasp knife, with which he sprung on him, and inflicted on his hand the blow which was evidently intended for his neck. A silent and dosperato conflict followed, in which, after severe struggling, La Pierre succeeded in wresting tho knife from his antago- 80 COLUMBIA BIVER. 1 >>iNt, niul having no other resonrce left, ho was obligeil in Holf-defenso to cut ] >ulMiiH'8 tliroat, and tliat a few dayo afterward he whh diHcovercer Arrow I^ake is reached. This is an enlargement of the river, in which, liowever, very little cnrrent is to be detected. It is about thirty-three miles long and three Mride. The view along this por- tion of the river is much more open and the conntrj' more le^'el than along the river to the north. Fur abont sixteen miles the river narrows somewhat nntil the Lower Arrow Lake is reached. This lake is two and a half miles wide and alHiut forty-two miles long, and is a beantiful sheet of water. About ten or twelve miles below the southern extremity of the Tjowor Arrow Lake there comes in from the east tiie Kooteiiay River, the larg- est branch of the Up]>er Columbia. This river pursues a very circuit- ous (iourse and drains a large extent of mountainous ciountry. It rises near tlie flfty-flrst parallel of latitude and pursues a southerly course for three liundrt^d itnd fifty miles to the old Kootenay Fort. Here it makes a great I>end to the northwest, and after flowing in this direction two* hundred miles it makes another turn to the southwest, and in tifry or sixty miles distance reaches tlie Columbia. Just before making tliis last turn it Hows through a lake about seventy Ave miles long and from two to five broad, similar to the Arrow Lakes of the Columbia. This Kootenay Lake and a great part, of the river is navigable, but in the lower portion of its course it breaks throngh the Selkirk range of mountains and has many rapids and falls, one fall of flfteen feet being a sliort distance from the Columbia. Its principal tributaries are the M(H>yic, the Yakh, and the Tobacco rivers, all small streams. This is the flrst of the tributaries of the Columbia which flows in any iwr- tioii of its course within the territory of the United States, a great liortion of its angular southern bend lying south of the forty-ninth par- allel. The hetulwaters of the Kootenay are within a very small distance of the headwaters of the Bow River, a tributary of th<- Saskatchewan, which flows to Hudson's Bay. JuHt north of the forty-ninth parallel, and about twenty-four miles down from the mouth of the Kootenay, there enters the Pend d'Oreitle River or Clarke's Fork from the east. This is the longer and by far the most important biiMich of the Upper Columbia, although it is doubtful if it flows as much water as the Kootenay. It drains all that portion of the country lying between the 2ocky and the Bitter Root Monntains. Tlie Flathead River is its principal northern tributary ; risingin British Columbia it flows south, through Flathea«l Lake, a magnificent sheet of water, audunites with the Missoula River to form the main Pend d'Oreille. * R088 Cox. COLUMBIA RIVKP 81 JoahuA Piloher, one of the early explorers of this oouutry, sivyit of this Flathead Lake : It \» almnt tlilrtjr-flvo milm in length liy flvo or «lx In width, Thla lake ronimiiiii- oatea with Ciurke'H River and ia formod by ita northern branch. It ia RiirroniidtMl by lofty uiouiitaina, whoau aiimiiiita r>ro in many caaea covered with |ieriietiial aiiow. It lioa in a valley, which ia oxteiutiva, rich, and would anpi>ort a cunaideraldo |)o|i(ila- tion. Tbu valley itaelf ia covered with liixnriant graaa, iinil the foot of the nioiin- taina with a variety of timber and vegetation iudicntiiig the rioheat miil. * * ' The upper parta of Clarke'a River iaanefkvm rugged mouutaina covered witli ainumt impenetrable foreata of pine and oedar, but there are aeveral altuationa on tliia river which would admit of aottlementit to u oonaidurable ext«nt ; and though not compitr- ablu iu fertility of aoil to the rich lauda of Mlaaouri and Illinoia, yet a!iporior to nuiny of the inhabited and cultivated parta of tlie Atlauti'! Statoa, where itowerftil uoin- nmnitioa have grown np. The Flathead Lake and ita rich and lieaiitiful valley aru on thia fork, and vie iu apiiearauco with the beautiful lakea and valleya of Hwitzur- land. At the foi>ed brcsikerH of ita biir into the placid wtwtem ocean. li 11^ Mil: CnAPTKIlVIII. uis'wuy or thk discovery and kxiiohation of tub colusioia my Kit. About the uame time in the eventful year of 1402 that the indomita- ble energy and geniuH of ColumbuH was rewanlod by his discovery of a new world, a conclave of cardinals at Rome rewarded an almost nn- paralleled course of hyiMKjrisy by electing Alexander VI Poihi «>f Uome. The ti^mi>oral i)Ower of the Itoman Church Itegan about this time to topple and to take its downward course to the pitiful condition which it oears for the last time in history as theundis- pute^l bestower of kingdoms and the ultimate tribnnal of apiieal for Christian nations. Spain and Portuijal rosortecl to him for the adjust- ment of their claims to the new world ; by tnicing a line on a map he dis- posed of three-fourths of the human race, and more than three-fourths of the world of land and water. Never, according to mediteval ideas, ha.at naniefltiioH8 and hiiccohh In pluntiiiK colonicH ill the Went Indies, and in exploring the coiimIh in the vicinity, whieh th<\v hooii ascertaineil to be tho Itordera of a gntat coiitlnont. With the object of awM^rtniniiig tho extent of thin continent, they itoi- severed in their exainiiiatioiiH, in which they were onconraged by the coiiHtant awinrance of the uativefl of the coants and islaiwln i'UH|)eotiiig the existence of a great sea and rich and powerftil nations towanls the sotting Hiin. In tlio year 1513 this great sea wa» discovered near where Panama now stands by Vasco Niiiiok de Balboa. This was naturally Hupposc«l to lie the Sonthern Ocean which bathed the shores of India, and us its proximity to the Atlantic was at the same time ascertaiiietl, it was very reasonably hopeo fonnd encimragcnieiit in the fact that a Portiignese navigator namcil Cortereal claimed that in 141H) and 1500 he sailed through a narrow channel, named by him the Straits of Anian, into another great sea coinniiinicating with tho B«mthern or Indian Oce4vn. The great hope was, however, diH]H>llc4l, as the ex]>lorationH soon proved oonoluHivelj' the entire st^paration of the oceans in the regions near the West Indies. In the year 1620 Fernando Magellan discovered and sailefl through the Ktrait bearing his name, south of the American continent, into the great o<;ean discovered by lialboa, and pro«M)eding wttstward, Iiulia was reached, and for the iirst time in the history of inankind the worKi was circnmnavigateil. This route for reaching India by the Straits; of Magellan was not sat- isfactory, owing to its length, difticiiltios, and dangers, and the search was Htill continue exclusive dominiou over all the wet^torn world deteired mariners of other nations from making persistent efforts. Until the beginning of the seventeeuth century the Spanish naviga- tors pushed their voyages of discovery as far as they conld along the coiulicy of Spain. She hail ceased to desire the existence of a northwest passage from Europe to the Pacific, because, though such a passage might in some resiMMJts be useful to her, it would be greatly more iiyurious to her in other respects, inasmuch as it would bring down upon her possessions in the Pacific and Indian Seas the piratical cruisers of the northern nations of Europe. The expetiitions of Drake and Cavendish had shown that the circuit of Cai>e Horn did not furnish to Si>ain a complete security for her possessions in the Pacific. Still more alarming would have l>een their insecurity if accessible by au easy piissage from the vicinity of Hudson's Bay. In this connection, and illustrating the policy of Spain, it may be in- teresting to know that in the time of Philip II it was propdser8 were sent to examine the place with that object. They, however, found the obstacles insuper- able, and the Council of the Indies at the same time represented to the 'M iM COLUMRIA RIVKB. Kiiifc thfl ii\|iiri«s which Huch a onnal would oootution to tho inoiinnthy, in noiiHcqiKMiott of \fliich liis iniyoiity deorotMl tlint no on«« hIiouIiI in fnture attempt, or men propoee, nueh an undertaking under penaltj/ of dfatk^ All thiH time tho Columbia waa imuring itfi undiHoovernd wiitoi'N int<» tho Piuuflo, ivnd the HpaniBh und EnKlinh »»^ i|{»tora who voutunjd into thiH wo«t4)ni ocoan wont blindly by it Discovory in tin* North Piiciflc wtw revivwl by Ruiwift, who, in oonHO- qnonco of her AHiatic ]NMHOH8ionH, very nntuntliy tnnuMi li«>r att^'ntion to tho opiMwit^ coast of Amorioo. Tho voyage of HohriuK and Twliiri- kow, in 1728, 1729, and 1741, led to a more exiust knowlMlg** of tho rol- ativo beiuiiifcs of the Asiatic and American itoiiMt:fi in the IiIkIi northern latitiules, and to the llussian eatabliahmenU^ on the Aleutian IhIiuhIh and tho promontory of Alaska. These events alarmed Spain and stimulated England, and the numer ons voyages of those two nations to the northwest const eusucanish Government, in which the west coasts of America were exam- ined as far north as the sixtieth degree of latitude. The second of these voyages was under the command of Capt. Bruno Ilecata, and he, on tho 15th of August, 1775, arrived opposite an ojtening, in the latitude AVfi 17', from which rushed a current so strong as to prevent his entering it. This circumstance convinced him that it was the mouth of some great river, or, i)erhaps, of the straits of Fuoa, whioh might have l>eeu erro- neously placed on his chart. He in consequence remained in its vicinity another day in the hope of asoertaining the true character of the place, but, Iteing still unable to enter the oi>ening, he continued his voyage towards the south. On the opening in the coast thus discovered Ilecata bestowed the name of EnaeSada de Asuncion, or Ataumption Inlet, calling the imint on its north side Vape 8an Boque, and that on the south Caj)e Frondono, or Leafy Gape. lu the charts publishci in Mexico soon after the conclu- sion of the voyage, the entrance is called En SeAada de Heonta, or Hecata's Inlet, and Eio de 8an sioque, or river of Saint Roc. It was undoubtedly the mouth of the great river of the western side of America; the same which was, in 1702, first entered by the ship Columbia, from Boston, under the commaud of Robert Gray, and has ever since been called the Columbia. The evidence of its first discovery by Ilecata on the 15th of August, 1775, is unquestioned. By this time the iwwer of Spain in the New World hiul become very much reduced, owing to tlie tx>ntinual and daring warfare and explonv tions carried on by tho gallant sailors of Britain and her American colonies. * Qreenbow. I 86 COLITMniA RIVEB. I'l Tilt) I'lifliflo wiiM now <>])en to tlio odventurouH Hailors niid trndorfl of nil iiatiiHiH. * III the iiinaii tiiiiu tb« BiiiKliflh mid French, and tlioir Ainorioan de- NmiidaiitM, hiui Iteeii piiHliiiiir their disoovories to the w(wtfn>iii tlio At- luiitM! (Miiutta, mid oiich your hv.w HOinothing iwldod to thn knowliMlK« <>r i\w unmt interior of Ainurio),. To tlio Fronoh nnd BvlKiaii otli«wrfi mid iiiiHMioiiiirim iiiiiHt 1m) kIvuii thuomdit for the moat cxtvndml nnd during (ix|ilorntionH nnd Murvcya. From the IiidimiN Hinoiif; whom tliey Hojoumed they doriveil a viif^iio Ion nearly nil tlio iiin|m of Aniericn pnbliHluHl diiriii({ the (Mirly pnrt of tlio fliKht^Hinth cen- tury may be fonnd one or more Huch riverH repreiNtntoil. Tlieflo rivers v/vni given the iintiie of Uiver of the Went, Hirer Thegaya, River AffniUir, or Home other, and were reproHcntiHl on the authority of accounts re- (■4«iviHl from the IndinnH, or of ermiicouH or fabuluna nooonnts of voyogita along the North Pacific counts. (Jn t. .Tonnthan Cavver, of Connecticut, spent the years 170fl-'O7-'O8 anions the Indians of the Upiier Mississippi, ai.d ten years Inter pub- HnIumI an account of his travels, &o., in which he sevenil times si>eaks of this as the (^^at river of the west, or the Oregon, or Origan. This is the flrst mention of the name Oregon. Mr. Greeiihow says that iiiu(;h labor has been exiieiidcd in vain to discover its meaning and derivation, and that it was most probably invontflrtainty the origin of the word Oregon, it does not seem at all probable that it is a nicnninglcHH word invented or coined by Carver. It has been claimed, and not without some reason, that it is from the Spanish word Oregnw, the wild marjoram. Origanum Vulgare It, found growing in abundance along the coasts. It also may bo from the 8pan- inIi word Oreja, the ear, or some of it« derivatives, as Or^on, or Orejonee, signifying dried fruits, and in the familiar language of Spain sigiiifles iloff^H-mrt, an ear-pulling, &c. A derivative word Orejera signifies a sort of car-ring worn by Imlians. Carver did not write his lM)ok until ten years after he flnishod his travels and returnu('t to England, and it is very probable that he heard the word or saw it in some Spanish chronicle and made use of it in his own narrative. The expedition which left England in 1776, under the command of tiu\ intrepid navigator, Capt James Cook, made known to the world the immense proflta which conhl be derived fh>m the tmmmcrce in furs between the PaciHc coastu of America and China. In this trade were soon engaged a number of ships sailing under various Hogs and com- mandoil by men of difierent nationalities, but principally by English- men. Captain Meares, sailing in 1788 under the flag of the British East India Company, searched for Hocata's river of Saint Itoc, but, instead 1 COLUMBIA RIVKB. tr of ftiKliuK t'v river, he fmitul in the pliioo wliero it wm looaUMl on tlie HiniiiIhIi c'liiirUi a larffo bay, whfuh lie was iiiiiiMo to «Hnt(«r hiiiI Ut wliicli lie gare tlie nuiiie of l)e«eption Hay; to the northern promontory hu gave the name of (/a|M) UiHapimintinnnt, wiiich nnino it Htill tmirH. Ilu explicitly denied the exiHtence of any Hnoh rivrr iih the Biiint IttHi. .11 the Hunimer of 1787 the Columbia and WaiiMHffton, tHinuniindcd by John Kemlrick and Robert Gray, were ntte, n the forty-Mixth d«>grt)>ia. Uray remaint^JI on the coast (! > ig 178!), ongi^^wl in explorutioim and trading voyages, in tho oonri^o of which no ''cntenxl and hhIUmI up u gn«t arm of the sea for fifty miles in a roiithoast direction and found the iNuuiagc five leagues wide.^ This wits the Strait of Juan *lu Ku(;», disoovereil by the old Greek pilot in la02, and seen, but not cnt(>red, by Iterkoley in 17A7. In the latter p;irt of tho year (1780) Gray sailed in >; rionnind <»f tlio Columbia to China, which he reached in Dei'^inlier, and from thonce sailed ariHind the Cajie of Go4n1 IJoi>e, and arrived iu liostoii AnguMt lU, I79U, having carrietaral to rivor-coloreil water, but did not consider the oi>ening worthy his attention, and from tlio lino of breakers deemed it inaooessible. He records his emphatic disbelief iu COLUMBIA BIVEB. H t --'■ the exiMtoiice of any Hafe port or large river aIon{; the part of the coast examino08- session of Oregon, " it was this chart that outflanked the schenung of Vancouver and gave the broad estate of silver-tented Hood to free America." • In October of the same year, 1792, Lieutenant Broughton entered the month of the Columbia in the Cliatham and found tlici-e the brig Jenny, from Bristol. Broughton examined the river for about one hundred miles from its mouth, going up it in a small Iwat to about where the town of Vancouver now stands. The discoveries of Gray, Vancouver, Broughton, Kendrick, and others, added largely to the knowledge of the country and attracted the atten- tion of mariners and merchants. Many vessels were now employed in carrying on the trade with the Indians. This trade, owing to the peculiar relations existing among the nations of Europe and their colonies, both with each other and with Cliiini, was almost entirely in the hands of citizens of the United States, and it is certain that previous to the establishment of Astoria in 1811 many vessels entered the Columbia. Alter the transfer of the French possessions in America to the United States in 1803, the government of our country, under the enlightened * SimpDon. COLUMBIA RIVER. 89 and far-8eeiug Jefferson, became imbued with the d'>'uro of obUiiiiing »n lusuarate knowledge of its new western territory, with a view to the ultimate objects of colonization and commerce. In furtherance of this desire a number of exi)6ditions were fitted out, whoso explorations re- sulted in geographical discoveries of great importance. B,v far the most important of these expedition's was the one intrusted to the command of Gaptains Jjewis and Clarke, who were directed to ascend the Missouri, cross the Bocky Mountains, and trace tlie Columbia, the gretit river of the west^ from its sources to the sea, and determine thus the most direct and practicable water communication for thu pur- poses of commerce. Proltably no two men ever had a t^isk given them of greater difllculty and magnitude, and involving the exerciw of more skill, wisdom, intre- pidity, discretion, and all manly attribut«s, and whiuli, after an " ex(H>ri- enceepiciu the grandeur of its unwitnesseil valor," was carried to a complete and successful termination, than hivd these two men, Captains Lewis and Clarke. The history of man furnishes few instances in which so mucli has been added in so short a space to the geographical knowledge of the world, and which has stood the test of time like that gathered and recorded by them. These travelers began the ascent of the Missouri in 1804 and spent the winter of 1804-1805 at Fort Mandan. The next season they continued up the Missouri to the tliree forks, calleer Missouri, and from thence starteil in thn spring of 1811 acroes the mountains and reached tho headwaters of the Bnake Kiver, down which thuy tritMl to make their way. After complicated and almost incredible Huflurings from hard travel, cold, thirst, and liuuger, and annoyances trom tho insolence and craft of tho Indians, suritassing all that is told of any equally well appointed body of travelers west of the Itocky Mount- ains, finally, on January 21, 1812, the jwrtiou of tho original party re- maining with Mr. Hunt came in sight of tho Columbia Biver near the mouth of the Umatilla, and proceeding down it arrived on the ISth of February at Astoria. It was not, however, until the 11th of May, 1812, that all the strag gling members of the party got to their desired haven at the mouth of the great river. While tho land exiHidition was thus straggling i>ainfully across the mountains and down the great southern branch of the Columbia, and tho Astorians were engaged in preparing and laying out their future homes and trading with the neighboring Indians, the Northwest Fur Company hi^d not been idle. In 1810 an expedition under Mr. David Thompson, the astronomer and surveyor of the company, started from Canada with the hope of reaching tho mouth of the Columbia before Aster's parties, of whose plans they were cognizant, and forestalling them in the occupation and traile of the country bordering the river. This party experienced so many difliculties and delays in crossing the Uocky Mountains that they wem obliged to winter near tho headwaters of the Columbia under the tiftysecond ]KU^llel of latitude. In the spring of 1811 they hastened down the river, building huts and raising tiags at various places by way of taking {Hissesslon of the coun- try, and arrived at the mouth of the river on the 15tli day of July, and found, much to their chagrin, that they had b'sen forestalled by Aster's sea party. Mr. Thompson and his party wore the first white persons who had navigated tho Cpiwr Columbia, or traversed any part of the country draincil by it. Eight days after Mr. Tliompson's arrival at Astoria Mr. David Stuart, one of the Astoria partners, with a dcta<-limeut set out on a voyage up the river to eitablish a trading i>ost in the interior. The place selected wivs the level prairie at tho junction of the Okinakane and Colnmbia, which point was reached on the Ist of Septembei', 1811. This i)ost was COLUMItlA RIVER. 91 occupied for many yonrs uiid wiw lui iuii>ortant, center of the fin- trade. Now, however, no white men live near it, and it han Imwh so completely deatroyod that not a vestige of it remains. In the following year, 1812, Fort Spokane, or, as it wiis commoidy tlen- ignatoil, Spokane llonsc, wan established by a party of Astorians nnokane and Little Spokane Kivers, p» they anartioularly in reference to its fur-prow- erful nation called the She-Waps (now written Shuswaps). 'le re- tunieil to Fort Okinakane in March, 1812, and brought the first authen- tic information concerning the country which ho hail visited. From Spokane House Mr. Fillet conducted an exiieditiou into the Kootenay country and gained much information concerning it. As illustrative of the hostility existing l)etweeu the different fur companies it is recorded that he met and fought a dnel with Mr. Mantour, the agent of the Northwest Company — pistols at six paces — in which afiair neither were mortally wounded. Mr. Farnham, from the same {tost, crossed the Bitter lioot and Cteur rocuro all their necessities by the sale of their steeds. In conscquenc;e the trading post among them was abandoncedition under Commander Charles Wilkes of the COLUMniA RIVER. M United States Navy filled np with antheiitin information another great blank in the maps of this western country. The expedition arrived in Orepon in 1H41, wlion a party under Tjiou- tenant Johnson was dispatohecl up the Nisqually, crossed the Cascmlo Mountains near Mount Kanier, and reached theColnnibin near the ntoutli of the Wenatchee. Tiience they jirocealed up the rivt v to Fort Okina kane, on to the month of the Spokane, and np to Fort Colvillo. They then tnrned south, and going through the Golville Valley, visiting Walk- er and Eel's Mission, and reached the Kooskooskia or Clearwater a1>out forty miles below where Lewis and Clarke struck it, and kee]»ing to the west went to Fort Walla Walla. From Walla Walla the party kept up the Yakima Kivor to its source, and crossing the mountains reached the Nisqually and the point from whence they started. In this expedition the Columbia was surveyed np as far as the Walla Walla, and a party was sent nj) the Willamette Valley, and crossed over to the sources of the Sacramento, which river they followed down to the Bay of San Francisco. The next givat explorer to api^ear upon the scene is Capt. John C. FrC' niont. This active, energetic, and inti-epid man, who has lieen duhln-d the Or eat American Path Finder, and whose travels and ah was sitnatt'd old Fort Walla Walla, or Noz Perc6, he traveled by land and water to Fort Vancouver, where he arrived in November, 1843. Leaving Vancouver after a short stay, Fremont proceeded to the Dalles, and thence up the valley of the Des Chutes until near its head, when 'le left it and crossetl over a low tiud)ered country into the upiter portion of the Klamath Basin. Here he turneil east and visited Sum- mer Lake, Lake Abort, and Christmas, or Wanier Lakes, and thence on to Pyramid Lake and the south. The latter part of his jonrnt^y was jHirformed amidst the snows and cold of winter, and his party iMTformed almost incredible labor, and suft'ered terrible hardships. During all the long years in v;hich the Oregon n^gion was 1)eing first exjdored and settled, a dispute htul heen going on between the United States and Great Britain in regard to its ownership, which at diH'orent times waxed so fierce that it threatened war between the two countries. Fortunately an arrangement was finally arrived at, and the l»oundary line Ix^tween the British and American possessions fixed at the forty- ninth parallel of latitude. On the 15th of June, 1H4G, the tritaty was signeil which gave to our country the extrusive Oregon region, com- 94 COLTIMBIA RIVER. I V ,' posing tho present State of Oregon, and the TerritorioB of Wasliington and Iilulio. This groat region was organized into a Territory by act of (Congress, api^oved Angust 14, 1848, and on Maroli 3, 1849, General JoRepli Lane, the first Territorial governor, arrived at Oregon City, and proclaimed the inaiignration of the new regime. About this time strange rumors began to circulate through the popu- lous portions of the East; rumors from the regions of tho setting sun, far Iwynnd the Rocky Mountains ; mmors of rivers and mountains of gold in the t)eautiful sunny land so lately wrested from the swarthy, cruel Spaniards. Days and months pas8eokane, where, being joiuoia. Ue went ap the Teton Uivor and eroaaed over to the Bitter Itoot Uivor. Leaving the Bitter Boot Valley, he proceedetl by way of the Uaint.l{v{;iH Borgia Uivor to the Gwur d'Al^ne Mission, whence he pur- Muud a H()uth\testerly course to Fort Walla Walla. Leaving Walla Widla, he went up the Columbia to the Yakima Kiver ; thence up that stream to its source ; tlieuce through the Yakima Pass to Olympia. In 1855 an exploration and survey for a raUrosul route from the Hiiu- rameuto to the Columbia was uiatle by Lieutenants Williamson and Ab- bot, of tiie Topographical Engineers. As a matter of curiosity, I may here state that the escort of this expedition was commanded by Lients. II. G. Gibson, George Crook, J. B. Hood, and P. H. Sheridan, all soon to achifvc great distinction in the civil war. The Des Chutes and Wil- lamette liivers and their valleys were very carefully examined by parties of this expedition. A great mass of information concerning the geography of the Colum- bian Basin and other portions of the great west had been collected and wits on Ale in the departments at Washington. Most of this was in the form of reconnaissauces, and few of these possessed any groat accuracy, and the geographical positions were very uncertain and ofttimos con- flicting. To Lieut. G. K. Warren, of the Coriw of Engineers, was given the task of compiling all this information on a map of the country between the Mississippi liiver and the Pacific Ocean. Uis instructions were to — Mil J, [ Ciirufiilly i-uoil ovory report and examine every map of Borvey, rooonnaissancfl, 1111(1 travel which could he obtainml, to oscortaiu their several values and to oniltotly the authentic information in the map. This aiu8taking research and care, combined with the soundest judgment, and was most successfully performed, a-'d the map was for many years the foundation for all the maps of the great west. Since the publication of General Warren's map the knowledge of the geography of the Columbian Basin has increased, not so much by any new discoveries of magnitude as in accuracy and detail. The land surveys under the Interior Department have added much to our knowledge of the settled portions, and the scouts, reconnaissances, and itineraries of ofticors of the Army have added much more to our knowledge of the settled portion and of the wild regions through which I? . COLUMBIA BIVER. 97 the AruiyiH genunilly obliged to movo iu ita coiiHiuto and doaliiigH with the IiuliiiiiH. Ill tliu rou4)iitl.Y piililiHliod iiiii|i of tlie Milititry l)H|uirtinuiit ot'tliit (Jo- lunibia, wliicli euibritcuH ucurly all of tliu ColiiinlHun Diutiii lying within our 1'erritory, coinpiled by nio whilv on duty oh uhiuf onginoor (»f thu de[Hirtnient, I have given nil thu toiiogrophicHi and euononiiu intor- nnition whioii I nouhl obtain. It :i- foundtnl on the moHt itMtent Wat- Department map publiHhu8 is largely hypothetical. The regions to which I would particularly allude are thu Olympic Mountain region ; the region Iwunded on the north by the international boundary line, on the east by the Itocky Mountains, on the south by thu Columbia and Wunatchce rivers, on the west by Puget Sound ; tho regions of tho Saint Joseph and Clearwater rivers in Northern Idaho ; and esi>ecially the regions of the Salmon, Weiser, and Tayette rivers in Central Idaho. There ai-e thousands of stjuare miles in these regions of which no ac- curate information has ever been obttdned. These i-egions nuty at any time become the theater of Indian wai-s iu which a certnin knowledgu of the country wonld be of inestimable value and save the goverinnent, iu money alone, more than it would cost to make a satisfactory survuy of all the unknowu portions. Gommertiial enterprises are poshing chcir way into chese regions, im- S. Ex. 186 13 98 COLUMBIA RIVER. |N>rt«iit traiiHiNirtiitioii roiit«H may piiHH tliniiiKh them, and nil br»noh«M of tlio ^MVorniiMMit lut wull »h lii-r priviito vitiKvim mid coritorationH will WMiii nM|iiiru itcMHiiplHU) nnd tliontiigli kiiuwItMlgv oftliu whole uoiiiitry. I thoraforu call uttoiitlori to thoHO iiiikiiowii uud oiiBurvvyud ivgiuiiH, and the iiuuti of iiioiiuy to carry on the iiocvHtuiry cxuiiaiiatioiiH uud HiirvcyH therein, aud U> flx the Keographicul iNwitiouH of a number of ini- ]H»rljuit aud central {MtintH in the department by aHtrouomicul obticrva- tions and comi>utatious. CUAPTKU iX, i I III U'\ 't\ THE UEOhOUlVAL HISTORY OF THE CASCADE MOUNTAINa AUD THE COLVMlllA ItlVER. In onior to nndemtniid and fully compn;liend the various featuren of tbiH country, it ih higldy deairablo and etwential to know it« gindogical history, its building up, and the changes which h'lvotakou place reduc- ing it to its prcHciit condition. This is depicted with groat distinctness u|)on itM face and in it^ deep caiions, and is easily read by the student of nature. If wo turn Imck to tho tlrst pages of the geological history of tliiH continent, we shall see that at the beginning of the Pal(x>Koic era nearly all our present land was under water, not having yet emerged from the primeval seas. In the area of the United States two strips existed, forming the nuclei about which has been built the land as we now see it. One of tliesi>, strips was the Appalachian Mountain chain ; the other the Itocky Mountain chain. With the former we have nothing to do except to draw ih)m it lessons applicable to the latter. By the Itocky Mountain chain is not meant simply a range of iMiaks, but a grand and wide l)elt of country in form of a gigantic fold, from which, in later times, the present ranges and iwaks have been sculiitiinxl by erosiou. All to the west of this chain, whore now stand the Sierra Nevula, Cas- mule, aud Coast ranges, was buried beneath the occitn. Many rivers existetl then eiiting away at the western sloiies of this great uplifted range, and deiiositing tho d6bris along the shores of the pristine sea, fonning thus sedimentary dei>osits of great depth and extent. This doiiosition of sediment went on during the Paleozoic ent, and the whole Triassic and Jurassic iMjriods of the Mesozoic era until an enonnously thick mass of off-shore deiwsits hitd aeonmulated. This groat marginal se&bottom became the theater of iutouse aqneo- ignoous action in itH deeply-buried strata, producing a lino o." wotikness which, yielding to the horizontal thrust prodncod by the secular con- traction of the interior of the eaith, was crushed together and swollen up into tho Sierra Nevada and Cascade ranges at the end of the Juras- sio period. The Cascade range thus prodnoed was for ftom presenting COLUMIilA RIVF.n. 99 any Riinilnrity to tlin rnnf^e an wn now hoo It. Ah far aH enn Iw aHoor- taincd, it was a mnge of not vory gnat liniKl't, bnt probably liiKlu^r to tlift Honth than to tli« north. Tliin ran^o oxiHtcil for nnknown mnturioH, and in iU tnrn wan tlio tlioator of ttroHion and of ]ilant ((rowtli, and wiih roani(Ml ovor l>y the wondurnil nxtinot aniinalH of tlifl On^t4UM'4)nH and Tertiary iM^riodn. It wan not yot «»vorod by tlie Rroat hiva flow and nionn ■ t4iln mngo Hoon to lio durnirilMxl, bnt ioHtaiul Ity foniHtA of (H>niferH and oakH. Wliero tlin Cohimbia River breakH tbrongli the (^aaciMle Monntains them are fonnd, iN^noatb the overlyinp: lava: Pirat. Along the watiir's edge, and for aJ»on( fifteen feet npwanl, a very eoarne oonRlonierate of roundml iiorphyritie i>M and lN>wldera of all Hi/.eR up to five or Hix feet in diameter, cohering by an iniperity.tly lithifled earthy paste. Beooiid. Altove this conglomerate is a very distinct, irrejjnlar, enetrating into the bowlder material Iwnoath and evidently in iiitu. This is undonbteilly an old forest ground surfnee. Thinl. Itesting directly on this ground surface, and therefore inclosing the erect Hlum]>s, is a layer of stratified sandstone, two or three feet thick, (illeil with Iteauti^il inipresHions of leaves of several kinds of foii^st ti-ees, possibly of tln^ very trees about whose silicifled bases they are found. This layer is not (toHtinuous, like the ground surface on which it restA. Fourth. Above this stratifled leaf-licariug layer, rests a coarse con- glonoerate similar to that iMmeatli at the water-level. ScattertMl alutut in the lower part of this upper conglomerate and in the stnitilled sand- stone, and sometimes lying in the dirt-l>ed lieneat.' are fragments of tninks and branches of oaks and cx)nifers, in a sibciflcd or liguitiziMl condition. They are evidently silicifleil drifb-wood. Fifth. Above this last cx>nglomerat4), atul re»ting upon it, rise the lay- ers of lava, mostly columnar basalt, one aliove another, to a height of more than 3,000 feet.* All these facts were noted and stndief time, and the Hilicillnutidn of llio w(mmI anil the t!««in«nt4tti<)n of tlio ilrilt by tlin |M«r«»)lutinn of Uio hot all(iilin« watora coiitniniiitf Hilica, liH linpiMtuH no ooninioul.y in Hnblava tlrittit. Hixtli. Finally foll(»w**)ttt diHtAitctut. ThiH \h jmtbably the ;n^Hiderit and inoHt extniordinary lava How which ever tat- CHt tliicknesa is not less than 3,700 feet, as dcmonHtratotI by I'rofessor liC Conte. To produce thisononnous tliioknessmauy sncccMHive flows took place, and very long iieriods of time must have ola]tse4l during which the vol- canic actions were going on. Along (he I>(^s Chutes, on the Simko lliver both alN>ve and Itelow L(^wist4Mi, and on tlie Columbia Itelow Itock Islan«l Biv]tids, and in other ])la(;us, the colunnmr bnAalt lies in horizontal layers, well-nmrketl jdains inti^rrupting the continuity of the vertic:d columns. Magnificent exam- I»leA of this structni'c are found in the basalts of the CiihcmIo range. In tlu* (irand Cou]<^e the basaltic walls are il-oni 300 to (MM) feet in height, anti iH^tweeu some of the layers there is a w»ll-markeniiH nrtioii tnkiiiK place in lov»tm! Titini tlie i'urillfl to tlio wont of tlio Vonnt rnugi'^ ; imil il lliiM Intti^r followN tiM' exHni|il« of itM prolotyix^, the (lofMuuloH, it will inve birth to luvii iUmnIh ori^rwIit'lniinK tlio WillHinvttv nnil n\\ otlii^r viil- leyH lying Itetweon tlio two ninf^eH. Tlio |iPrio«l of the grcut flnNuro oniptionN in tlio CikicndcA tlrow t4) a cloM> by tlio flKHiiros iMHMtniinK bUMtknl up; tlio volciini« iiction vmn con- r«*.ntrat4Hl in Honio feakH wliioli mteni to III! to have lieen forever loekeil in the olnbra(M^ of eternal winter. ('oinnieneinR at tlio aoutheni liounilur.y of UroKon, the ilrat of thene lieakH IH Mount I'itt, which I afimMuleil in 1K7H, anil fonnil it a iHuuitifiil cone Hliaiieil ntnicture, coin])OfMMl ondroly of volcanic rock, llankeil on all Hiiica by nniiierouH ontlying spam anil foot-hill raiif^. AlM)iit it>« luuie are mvoral Hniall lakoH, probably of };liu3ier origin. Thifl peak I fiMiiMl to lie W,8I8 f«wt above nea level. Forty milea north of Mount Pitt Btanils Mount Scott, the next promi- nent peak of the range. Itetween thefle two ]ieakH the range in Nome- what hiw, with aevival well-ileflnoil iieaks however, the highoMt of which iH Union Peak, directly west of Fort Khunatli, and which is 7,208 fiwt high. Tlie beautiful level baain, lying at the head of Klamath Lake, ill which is Bituated Fort Klamath, ia 4,108 feet above the (tea. Tnivel- iiig along on the eiuitern nloiiea of the (!aHcadeH we found the noil to Ih« eoiii|M>M>.HeH of 8IIOW, HhelteriMl irom the aummer aun, and forming rcaervoira of waU\r which irrigate lieautiful patchea of green in the lowlanda at tl.eir feet. To the aoatbweat, following down along theae walla, our gave at ItiNt reateil upon one of the moat remarkable and iiitercating fcivturea of na- tnre'a handiwork. In the calm atillneaa of an exquiaitc Huiimier'H day, lying in *«e denae and lonely wilderneaa, we aaw Mystic or (rater lAike, a great ei iticflly ahai»ed baaiii of water which we cHtimat'Ml to lie live niilea lon^ ind three niilea wide, witli unbroken clitT walla varying from 500 to 2,0u0 feet in altitude, crowued out the Klamath Baain and the Klamath Lakes. The portion of the mountain chain from Mount Scott on the south tm Diamond Peak on the north was a region of numerous volcanoes and of very extensive local lava flows. It has a very high average elevation, and in it all the principal rivers of Western Oregon have their soui-ces : the Willamette, running to the northwest; the Dcs Chutes running to the northeast ; the headwaters of Klamath Biver, running to the south antl breaking through the range and flowing to the west ; the Rogue Itiver, flowing to the southwest; and the TTmi)qua, to the west and north. The great local outflow to the east fonns the divide separating the headwaters of the Des Chutes from those of the Klamath system of waters, while the outflows to the west form the Calnpooia Mountains, separating the Willamette from the Umpqua waters, and the mount- ains se])arating the Uin})qna from the Rogue River waters. Diamond Peak is 8,807 feet high, and is another typicjil high peak of the Cascade range. The peak itself gives evidence of Imng the south- east portion of an old crater rim, from four to seven miles i]i diamef<>r, now very much broken away to the west oasible for I)ea6ts of buitlen to reach its shores. The main or west fork of the Des Chntes, issuing from Odell Lake, ha« cut for itself a deep and wide canon among the erotled hills in which to flow. Following down this stream wo came to where it opens out into a lake, surrounded by tree-covei'ed clifls, with bottom lauds and mead- :i' if? CO.XJMBIA BIVEB. 103 OW8 of couHiderablo ext«ut, aiul exteusive nmtl flatis neat thu lake. Fol- lowing arouua itH westerii Bhoru wo found that it Liul no viNiblu ouMvt. Thuro were watermarks twenty feet above uh on the lava blutl't* of the uortlieru and northeastern shores of the lake, and dnring thu u'lghi we liuard rnuiblings among the sharply-cnt rovk^< couii>osing tlio bitill's. We fonnd the next day that these lava beils for noil tui impassable bar- rier, extending unbroken for about four miles to tlosing this barrier to the waters is extremely hard and close-gniined, in fact almost obsidian, and is bi-oken into irregular blocks with very sharj), clear-cut edges. It seems to have come from some volcituo to the south, Iwtweeu the east and west forks of the l)es Cinites. Its recent origin is shown by the fact of its iiaving dumme edges aud unworn, new api>earance, ami having no iiccumulatiou of soil of any kind on its top. That there wc^re volcanoes away to the east of the Cascade nmge there can be no doubt. Mr. Ksirl observed wcll-deline*! cratei-s and local lava Hows iu the Pauline aiiu Walker Mountains, which are com- posed largely of obsidian. It is Jighly probable, and I believe that in time it will bo demonstratjoil, that there were many volcano and fissure eruptions in the desert country of Southern and Central Oregon, and also within the limits of the Great IMain of the Columbia. The Three Sisters are the next marked i>eaks of the range. There are, in fact, five well-deflneil peaks, and it seems highly pi-obable that they ure all portions of a grand old crator-rim, twelve miles in diameter, now bit)ken and woru away. Further examinations wil! Ije retpiired to deinonstnite whether this is so or not. Various small volcanic cones are iu their vicinity and lying between them and Mount Jeilerson. Mou it Jetl'ersou follows next aud then Mouut Hood, both being true volcanic cones. Pei-s(a ho cfaim to have seen smoke in large quantities issuing trom this mountHiin. To the north of Mount ilooil the Columbia Kiver has dug it« way through the Casctides, Ibrming for its use one of the moijt magniti- ce'it mountain canons in the world, cutting through the entire thickness o! 4,000 feet of the overlying lava aud far into the previously formed conglomerate upou which it rests. To the north of the Columbia the range widens out considerably into a region of high, grassy mountain plateaus, of deep cii.nons, lieavily timliered sIoimjs, and volcanic peaks. Among the latt<;r, now do;i«l and shrouded iu suow, but once alive with the terrible foi-ai of the volcano, are the huge, stately masses of Adams, Saint Uelens, and Itanior. 104 COLUMBIA RIVER. ■I' The poriod of volcanic oruptiouH is just over iu these inouiitainH, if it can be coiiHideitMl a>; yet entirely over. Iu a journal of a journey across the continent to Oregon in 1843, the author states that Mount Haint lleleits burst into a burning volcano iu 1843, and was still burning on the Kith of February, 1844, when he described it thus: 'I'liit iiioiiiititiii liiirniHl iiiont iiia)r<>i'icv"tly — (lunw) niaHKUH of Hoioko roHO up in iiii- iiiniimicoliiiiiiiH, mill wruiUhud Mm whole crest uftho peak in Boniburiind iiiiUwivocloiiilH, :mi(I in the uvuning iU lire lit up the lluky mountain side with a Uood of H«ft yet brillia:it rudiiuioe. The jiccount is in a '^rintetl reiwrt in the Portland Library, but the uaute of the writer i not given. Judge Thornton, writing of Mouut Saint Helen's, says: It iH un itutivc volcano, near 4U" 2eH it is covui-od with niagniilcont forests, principally of fir, the trees growing to an immense size. (Jiio tree lying on the ground was measured by one of Commander Wilkes's parties, and found, at t«n feet from its base, to bo thirty-five feet in cir- cumcumference and tblee hundred feet long. The general elevation of the plateaus is from 3,(KK> to 5,.d a delightful climate. On the oautern slopes the forests are more oitou, and consist of pine, fir, and white cedar. The ^achess Pass has an elevntion of 4,900 feet aoove the sea, and in the upper part of its course the Nachess liiver flows through a very narrow cafion four hundred feet deep, the walls l>eing of solid, compact volcanic rock. There have been several very large local outflows of lava from thio part of the main rang«>. Several of these go to make up the eastward stretching ridges forming the Simcoe Mountains. Out of thestt lava flows extended to the oiwt just south of the forty-seventh parallel, crossing the OolumhiaBiver and forming Saddle Mountain, which uxtends to the eastward and is lost in the general surface of tlie Oreat IMain. The base of this Saddle Mountain outflow has all been worn away by the Yakima and Nachess systems of waters, and by the ghusiei's whiuh must have come down scooping out the valleys of these rivers. Where the Columbia cuts through the outflow, just north of Priest Itapids, the bluff's are close together and stand out very prominently, viewed both from the north and south. The name of the " Sentinel lilufl's " was be- stowetl uiwu them. The Yakima Pass, m about latitude 47.p, crosses the mountitiiis in a region of deeply-embosomed beautiful lakes, the high clitl-like banks of which are crownetl with splendid forests of pine, flr, and white cinlar. These lakes in all probability owe their existence to ghiciers which in former ages swept down the valley of the Yakima. To the north of this puss very little is known concerning tlut nmin chain of the Cascades. It is a region of high and rugged mountains, more Jagged and rough than the regions to the south, heavily tiinlmred, and with a number of lakes and deei>Iy cncanoned streams. There seems to have been a volcanic center between the Yakima and the We- natchee and lying aliout midway between the lakes of the Upi>er Yakima and the Columbia, from which outpoured a grand flood of lava to the eivst and south, forming the elevated range between the Wenatchec and the Yakima, known as the Wenatcheo Mountains, and crossing the pres- ent channel of the Columbia and forming Uiulger Mountain on the east. To the north of the forty eightii parallel, which is about tlie line of the Spokane and the westward flowing portion of the Columbia, the country changes, bcwmiing more independent in its mountain forma- tions, and joins on the east with tie ea i tier rock mattn-ials of tli*'. west- ern spura of t**.: "ocky Mountains. Near the mouth of the SiK)kano, and ci'ossing that river in a tlirection northeast and southwest, there is a great vein of granular magnosian limestone. (iraniUs is also found in this vicinity underlying the basalt. About the mouth of the Colville liiver the rocks are very largely oomiwsed of limestone. The Columbia at the Little Dalles and Ket- S. Ex. 18fl U 106 COLUMBIA BIVEU. tie FallH cuts throujrh the liiuestoiio, which, to the wcHt, Heems to be covered up benetith hillH of basaltic rock. Thiu liuiOMtone in of good quality for building imr[)OHeH and for lime. There in a luagiiiilcent field for the geologist iu the exploration of thiu region lying along the boundary lino between the Givsciulea and the Itocky Mountains. The natural conBe<]nence of the upbuilding of the Sierra Nevada and Oasciule Mountains was the formation of a grand interior basin. The waters of this basin collected into secondary basins, some of very large extent, and were carried off by the rivers which have cut a way from the interior to the sea. The Ooluntbia and its tiibutarios drained the northern portion of this great basin, and it was at this i>eriod, doubtless, that the Salt Lake of Utah assumed its old colossid propor- tions and found its outlet by the Snake lliver. The commencement of the Tertiary period saw a great basin between the Itocky Mountains and the up-swollen primary range of the (Jascades, esiMicially in the i-ugion south of the Blue Mountains. This reg'tn was covered with fivsh- water lakes and marshes, which were af'arward over- tlowu with lava. This lava has since become denuded in places, expos- ing the Tertiary biHls, and fumishiug evidence of the former condition of the region by the fossils found therein. At the end of the Miocene the Coast range was upheaved, and the lava Hows from the Cascade fissures commenced, but it wsts a long time before the lava Hows reached the entire extent of the basins of Oregon, which continued to exist and Im) endowed with lite away into the riiocene perioil. The ft)Hsil beds of tlie John Day country and those near Christ- mas Lake in Southern Oregon are the principal ones that have been found in the country. Tin TO is no evidence of which I am aware of any Tertiary basin north of the Blue Mountains. Iu the cailon of Sniike liiver, a little below Lewiston, the basaltic layers, aggregating 2,000 feet thick, rest on granite. Above Lewiston, on the Snake, 1 uund the same thing, as well as on the Upper Columbia near Lake Chelan, and the mouth of the Spokane. It has been demonstrated to the satisfaction of geologists, and well stated by Professor Le Conte, that during the whole of the Tertiary period there was a gradual upheaval of the whole western half of the continent by which the axis, or lowest line of the great interior basin, was transferred more and more eastward to its present position, the Mississippi liiver. Probably, correlative with this upheaval of the western half of the continent, was the down-sinking of the mid-raciflc bottom, mdicated by the coral reefs there existing. Also, as a conse- (lueuce of the same ui»heaval, the erosive iwwer of th^ rivers was greatly increased, and tins wore formed those deep canons iu which they now How. Thus thi> uuwn-slukiug af th ) mid-Paoiflc bottom, the upheaval of the racific side of the contiueut, and the down-catting of fl: u. COUIMniA RIVER. 107 th« rivCT channolH into tholr woiidorfiil cnfionH arc closely connected with each other. Wo may picture to ourselves that, at the on«l of the Tertiar>' and the cointnenceniont of the Qnat<'niary, the hnndreds of volcanwm of tlMi Cascailes wore bolchinff forth their fire and smoite and liquid roer Columbia lliver. During tho (ilacial epoch, when the mountains wore being chiseled out by the moving ice, glaciers, largo and small, 8we]>t in dift'eront directions across tho great plain of the Columbia, grindiUfj away at tho solid rocks, partially filling the coulees, and strewing the country for many miles with a thick bed of bowlders. Probably tho largest of these glaciers was one which formed in the region of Pond d'Oroille Lake, swept to the southwest across the Spo- kane Plains, receiving tho C(«ur d' AlAno glac''ira, and on across Hang- man's Creek, the Four Lakes country, and still on t,o the southwest, spreading itself out like a great fan, an six inches to one foot and more in diame- ter, closely jamined together and tho interstices filled witii soil. During the Champlain epoch following, this Spokane plain was cov ered with a great lake, leveling off the ui)per surface of this bowlder formation, filling up the cavities with earth, and spreaarty which first saw any of tho heatlwaters of the Columbia. Th Champlain and Terrace epochs have loft very marked evidences of their existence in tho canon of the Colunibia, espncially in that por- tion of it between the Colville and Spokane rivers and the Okinakane and Wonatchee rivers. In both these sections of tho river there are ter- racesof all elevations from five to five hundred feet, aggregating aheight of more than two thousand feet alwvo the present river. I counted twenty-two of these terraces at one iwint in descending from tho Great COLUMniA RIVER. 109 riain to tho rivor opitonito Lnko Cliolnii. Tlio rivor lioixi flows nt a dnpth of 2,500 foot bolow tlie lovol of tho Great I'laiii. Alwut Lake Oliolaii and in tho Korgett and aniphitlicatroUko vatUwH of tho niountaiiis forming the right bank of tho rivor thcHo toiTaco plateaus are seen. About the mouth of tho Spokane th(^ tcrraoos aro extroinoly distinct and marked; Camp Spokane is situated on one ol them 400 feet al)cve tho liver. Along by Lake Chelan, and in many otlier ])laces, the bed of the present rivor is compownl of l)o\vhlers ex- tending down to an unknown depth. All those facts go to show tliat previous to the Champlaln epoch the cafion of the Columbia was outt« its pntsent depth, and in some places far below it; that duHng the downwuril oscillation of the Champlain eiwch this caiion was filled up by debris, bowhlers, &c., to a height of 2,000 feet above the i)resent river surface; and that at this time there was a great lake in tho south- western part of the Great Plain of tho Columbia. During this ejKMili also the Grand Coulee was occupio«l as a se<;ondary channel by the Columbia, and the deeply cut cuiions of Moses Couldo, Wilson Creek, Kenewaw Itun, Marlin Hollow, Lake Creek, Crab Creek, &c., wire oc- cupiitd by large streams pouring their waters into the great Columbian Lake. When the downward movement of tho Champlain opwsh came to a close, and tho upward movement of the Temvco eijoch commenced, then tho Columbia Itegan to cut its way down through its old elevated be«l of bowlders and drift with which its previously-formed canon was fllled, and the waters began to draiu away from tho Columbian Lake. The Columbia Canon being very narrow, tho terraces only remained where they were protected from erosion by tho jutting clitt's of rocks forming recesses. This must account for their lack of continuity. To the west of tho Cascmle Mountains, in Washington Territory, there aro beautiful illustrations of these post-tertiary higli-latitu Pngot Sound. These complicated channels are without doubt the work of glacial erosion at a period of greater elevation than the present. Subsidence fdled them with water from tho sea, which also spread over the land far to the south. Numerous gi-avelly prairies between the Columbia and Puget Sound, and tho Suoqualmic, Steilaguamish, and other flats, attest tho presence of a much more extended sound than now exists. A partial re-elevation has brought tho soun(1 vitridtMl appcamix^o, ami it sooins to mo that for wator to wear tliroiii^li tItiR Hnnko llivor Cafioii of iiioro than 3,000 fiiot of oxtn'inoly hanl rooch ; by thoiiction of summer's rain and heat, winter's fntst and cold, and the chemical decomi>ositiou arising from exposure to tho atmosphere. Tho eastern portion of this plain has a much groiter thickness of soil than the western, and this is owing undoubtedly to the gn^ater amount of umisture in the atmosphere, and to the soil brought down by its streams from the mountains on the east and south. Soil arising fmm the disintegration of volcanic rocks is known to possess in a high de groe the qualities and mineral constituents iiotMlod by plants. The most fertile soils of France, Italy, tho Sandwich Islands, and California are of this nature, and tho wondrous harvests in some localities in the biinchgrasH country show that, its soil has no superior anywhere. Early travelers over these sections formed aiul recorde the lack of water. But in this same country in all probability a sutticicncy of water can be hatl, either from natural sources or by diggin,;;, to sui>ply the needs of the people and animals engaged in culti- vating the soil. The volcanic rock underlying the country is, I believe, well adapted It ■' COLIIMHIA UIVKR. 113 to tlio HtorftKti of wiitor falliiif; uim>ii it und purcolatiuf; tlin)U){li Hh hiiiiUI tiHNuruH iiiiil iiitvrHtiCUH to tlio i^roittur (iHHiinw iind onuskH Ik)Iow. In iMuirly uvery plucc whura it liiis hovii tried, water hoM beou x>rouurud by digging. SAOE-OBUSn LANDS. S»Kfl-l>ru8h bas bncoiiio alinoHt a Rynonyiii for worthlcHHrutHH, iiiid to H»y that a ]»iecu of land iH Ha|i;e-briiNli Iiind uondeiiiiiH it at «iiu;h in llio iniiidH of many iHM>pl». Rut ttiiH iH not riKlit; for wliile a ^roat deal, ]>rolml)ly the greater portion, of the Hagu-hruHh land of tlio country ih poor and comi)aratively worthleHs, tliero are large troetn e^von-d with HagobruHh which are of the flneat quality. The little, Hliort, Htuut^Ml sagebruHh, hucIi an growH about the inoutli of Snake Kiver and the Central Oregon doHerts, in irulicative of very poor, unpnxiuctive soil, lint far ditteront is the case when the Hage-bniHh is thick and Htrong, tttanding from four to twelve feet high, a» it does in the vicinity of Honey Ijake, SurpriHe Valby, and many other placcH in California and Nevaerienoe to grow only in the richest soil, which, when brought under cultivation, ])roduc(SH tlie greatest harveata. When I visited Honey Lake Valley, a few years ago, the people had already adopted the expression ^,hat the bigger the sago brash the bettor the land. Sage-brush is very hanl to ertulicate, th)m the fact that no matter how thick it stands tire will not run in it. Its moat fatal enemy, strange to say, is graas. I have been inforniod by old settlers about The Dalles and otiier places that largo areas which aro now covered with bunch- grass were, when they flrst came into the country, covered with sage- brush. They describcfl the metho in the State of Oregon and Territories of Washington, Idaho, and Mon- tana, comprising those regions drainetl largely by the Columbia Biver and its tributaries. Montana is included in this region for the reason 8. Ex. 186 15 a 114 COLUMHIA KIVRR. that, whilu nioHt of the Territory Ih tlruiiuMl by the MiHHoiiri, ii large proportion of the (;iiltivateni. OnU. I Rjro. Whrat. 17 M M 27 83 13 Kroin thiH it Ih soon that the av«ir!ig(i yiehl of barley per atire in this ('ohnnbia conntry is 50 jior cent, greater than the average yield in the whole United BtatoH, inclnding thin region ; the average yield of bnck- wheat in liO {wr cent, greater; the average yield of Indian corn in 11 \wir cent. U'hb; the avenige yield of oat« in 40 per cent, greater; of rye, is 04 per cent, greater, and the avenige yield of the most inijwrtwnt cereal of all, wheat, is 77 ywr cent, greater than the average of the i iiit«d StatcH. I give Inflow the average yield of the cereals i»er ivcre of the cereal cropn of 1870 for the principal agricnltural States of the Union, and th(«e whose averages are the largest. Ml Arkaiiaaa Caliriirnla IHknta Illinuia Indiana Iowa KanaaH Kentucky MiMitaclniat^tUi.. Miohlj^n MliinoHota Minminri Kebraaka Now York North Carolina . Ohio rennsylvauia... Toxaa Virginia Wiaconain Barley. Bunk- wlieat. 13 21 17 22 , •i'i i a> I "! 2S 23 26 10 IS 22 U 80 IB 13 17 Indian com. Data. Ky«. Wheat. t to 11 IS 18 10 9 10 16 19 11 12 16 5 18 13 g 13 jirfBU COLITMIilA KIVKK. 116 The Btatistius ivKAnling tliti pro4liivtioti of IriHli potattHw in tlin St»U«H aiul TurriUirivM whore they ure prinoi;<(Uly riiiseil Ih k^voii in tht« rolluw> iog table WMlliB«««l. C'aUfcnbi. nibwU In llMMckaartU ... r- ..iKHi MfaUMMte NaWMka New HaapaUn. Maw Jmajr KavYaft OU* PpBnajrlTaaia ..., Kkodeldaad... Vrnooat Wb AOM. «,IKIII II, IM U,4TI 113,176 151, IM ni.iws l3t,3M 71,4Ifl S3,aM (1,41« ?H,M7 w,aw 41,683 UO,0(KI lAMl 1«S,43» 6,a8« S8,8I» IW,2«a •.IMO Bwhala. 1,«M, 177 l.SM.BSn 4,5M,MS ■i, IW4, IMI ia,a«i,7a7 «, 232,24(1 g, 063, 6117 7,MW,62S a, 070, 3»» 10, »33, 060 ^ IM, 676 2, ISO, ma 3, 868, t.m a, 66S, 7«3 33,612,918 12,710,216 16,284,810 606,700 4 438, 172 8,600,161 664,086 Ylolil p«r 163 123 83 NO 60 08 83 113 IH 81 101 76 113 HS «6 78 88 101 114 86 U Theae statistics are only given to show the great fertility of the soil in this country drained by the Coliiiiibia, its mhiptability to support a large population engaged in agri«;ultural pursuits, and the enoriiioiii> cro|>H which its immense Heritage must yield as soon an a i>opiiIati(iii siUlicieut for their cultivatiou is attained and nieaus of traim|)ortatioii provided. Tliis country is far away from the seat of government and is very little known, but it is bound 8ociou8 inutiils, anil in its climate. Id consequence of its great and sure promise our legislators should look upon it with liberal eyes and grant abundant aid to all desirable works of public improvement which may be undertaken to facilitate trausiwrtation, sure of a prompt and rich return in the increiuuMl ]iros- l>erity and loyalty of the i)eo])le. From the interior water-ways, the Columbia and Snake Rivers, should be reinovetl, as far as prncticuible, all the rocky fetters which prevent and hinder full and free navigation. Commerce will require it, the l>6ople will demand it, and it must bo done sooner or later. In order to partitularixe a little in regard to this gi-eat jilain of the Colombia, let us sujiiMise that {Mirtion north of the Buuke and Clearwater to be tlivided into four nearly equal parts by a line drawn due south fh)in the Big Beml of the Columbia, near Camp Spokane, to Snake Kiver, and 116 COLUMBIA RIVER. I< A> a due ea^it and west line tbrougli the soutborn end of Big or Colville Lake. The northeaHtcrn portion may be designated as the Spolcane section ; tlie southeastern as the Palovse seetion; tho nortliwostorn as the Grab Creek and Grand VoulSe section, and tho southwestern ai the Mows Lake or Desert section. To these must be added the section south and west of the Snako or the WaUa Walla section; the one south of the Clearwater and oast of the Snake, or the Letciston and Mount Idaho section ; and tlie one to the west of the Columbia, or tho Yakima section. THE PALOUSE SECTION. The lands of this section are nearly all of gooil quality, and are being rapidly settled. The section is well watered, the main streams being the Palouse, Cow Creek, Kock Creek, Pine Cieek, Union Flat Creek, Itebel Flat Creek, Potlatch Creek, and the head waters of Lahtoo or Hangman's Creek. These streams all flow through deep canons with narrow valleys or through deep dei>re8sions bonnded by rolling hills. Besides these there are numberless smaller streams. ('onsiderable «c«6 land exists in the western and northwestern jiarts of this section. The land so designated by the people of the ccmntry is that where the original volcanic rock is eximsetl and uncovered by any soil. Patches of this exposed rook exist scattered through the most fertile regions. This is the most fertile, most thickly settled, and best known of the fou; sections north of the Snake. Several line towns have been startir their destination at the great<>r river or ir, and mer- chandise required by the inhabitants of the country through which it ])assos. Among the singular features of this country are the Spokane Plains. Lying along the banks of the Upi>er 8iK)kane, and extending «»ft' towards • St»n!ey. :p 118 COLUMBIA RIVER. slv Pend (VOroille Lake, there is a system of nearly level plains 'Ising one above the other into terraces towards the north. These plains are <)om- po3eeaatiful place, which is already assuming the dignity and business appearance as well as the name of a city. The Northern Pacific Railroad here crosses Hangman's Creek, and first reaches the Spokane liiver; several other railroads have been projected which, when built, will make the town an important railroad center. Its situation and natural advantages must make it a place of consequence, and great things are predicted of it. The climatfl is truly delightful and of the most undoubted healthful- ncss. In the vicinity are all the elements which go to make up an attractive place of residence; beautiful scenery of varying plain and mountain, prairies, and timbered hills, lovely lakes for boating, fishing, bathing, &c.; a picturesque ri\ sr abounding in the finest trout; unex- cellcti rides and drives, and hunting of all kinds, from prairie shooting to deer, elk, and bear hunting among the summits and gorges of the mountains. (3uMir d'Alene Lake is an extremely beautiful sheet of clear water, well stocked with the finest trout and surrounde if' --m COLUMBIA BIVER. 119 I and forming the lake. Litiie bottom land lies along the lake, and the banks are generally steep and high. In the Four Lake country there are three small lakes, whose waters are strongly impregnated with the carbonate of smla, and which have been dubbed the Medical Lakes. The water has jv very soapy feol and effect, ar.d is delightful to bathe in. The eft'ccts of a strong and con- tinued wind storm on the lakes is very curious; the water is l»sho very white and light, which coUcHsts on the banks to a deptis, at times, Oi several feet. THE OBAB OBKEK AND OBAND COHL^E SECTIONS. This is a portion of the country which is and has been very little known. Its remoteness has deterred settlers from going to it. Before I first went into the section, in 1870, 1 could obtain very little infornm tion in regard to it. Then, all the inhabitants were three or four cattle- raisers living along Crab Creek — " I'ortugce Joe," living on Kenewaw Run, and " Wild Goose Bill," on the heailwators of Wilson Creek. The establishment in 1870 and abandonment in 1880 of the military jtost of Camp Chelan, caused many i>ecple, in t' e capacity of tcivmstitrM and other government employ<5e, as well as th. military, to go ovjr the country, and a knowledge of it has been thus acquired and dissemi- nated, and now there are cpiite a number of settlers v* ho have Rono into the country to make themselves homes. Of course it cannot become much of an agricultural country until a market for its products is aff«)rded by the construction of a railroad into it. This section has n.ever sei>med to enter into the minds of people except ''«s a broken and almost desort land, but I oueak from a knowledge acquireil by traveling over nearly the whole of it, and I shall not hesitate to characterize it as a very fine agricultural and grazing section. The country l)etween Crab Croe?r and the Columbia is well watered by streams hea! si>riiigs and much good hmd in it. Thd laud butweeu the two coulees is ii;ostly rich and covered with Imneh grass. This Moses Coulee comes to an abrupt end, inclosing a little lake. Foster Creek, with its many branches and fertile soil, lies to the north. Many sjtrings and little lakes exist throughout this i)ortiou of the sec- tion under discussion. There is every inducement in the way of natural advantages for thousands of settlers in this portion o^" the country. West of Moses Coulee there is a coudsiderable area of tiudjer land, and the vegetation indicates a rich soil, but water is not plentiful. It may be obtained by digging, but this has not been tried, and hence is uncertain. In the southwestern portion of this section lies Badger Mountain. This could only be called a mountain in a country as flat as the Great Plain, and does not deserve the name. It is a loug, rolling divide, whose sides are cut by gullies, iu many of which springs aie to be found. The COLUMUU UIVEB. ISI soil of this mouutain appears to be exceediugly rich, aud, iudoed, if I was aslced to name tbu richest, most fertile area iu thiis whole Columbia Basiu, I know of none tliat I would uame before Badger Mouutain. The vegetation is indicative uf its fertility, being, besides bunch-grass, rose bushes, choice-cherry bushes, haws, willows, &o., all growing thick and strong. The country is well watered, and will, in time, have an easy outlet by the Columbia Uiver, and deserves the attention of everybody having the great transportation and ether interests of the country iu hand. Throughout this section the Groat Plain lies about 2,(H)0 to 2,500 feet above the river level, aud It is extremely diiUcult to get &oui one to the other. West of the Qiaud Conl6e, the only practicable luilroad route to the Columbia, that I am sure of, is by way of Foster Creek. By this route an excellent grade can be made to the river. It is iws- sible that by the wa^y of Moses Coulee, or the southern side of Badger Mountain, an easy way to the river may be discovered. The commercial center of this section will probably be somewhere iu the vicinity of the Middle Pass of the Grand CouliSe. Another and greater center will, in the future, be located near the mouth of the Okiuakane. THE HOSES LAKE OB DESEBT SBOTION. This last one of the four sections which I have been considering, can be dismissed with a few words, and those almost entii ely of condemna- tion. It is a desert, pure and simple, an almost waterless, lifeless desert. A few cattle exist along the Columbia, where they can reach "the river for water, n id some more along the lower Crab Ortek below Moses Lake. This section is much lower than the remainder of the Great Plain, and evidently was a lake for hundreds of years^ forming deiH)sits several hundred feet in thickness, and which are plainly shown at the White Blnflfs and Crab Creek Coulee. A large portion is covered with bowlders embedded in a loose, light, ashy soil ; other portions are covered with drifting sands, and, taken all in all, it is a desolation where even the most hopeful can And nothing in its future prospects to cheer. jj. Crab Creek sinks soon after receiving the waters of Wilson Creek, and rises just above Moses Lake, of which it is the only feeder. At this l)oint the water is passably good to drink. Moses Lake la stagnant, alkaline, and unttt for any use. At its lower end are great saud dunes and sandy wastes. The water seeps through this sand aud rises again a few miles to the south and flow^ southwesterly to Saddle Mouutain, where it is tumetl to the west, siui^ing and risiug several times. I do not think that it now ever reachet> the Columbia. Below Moses Lake the creek water is alkaline, filled with organic matter, and uni.»alatable. S. Ex. 186 16 122 COLUMBIA RIVER. fi.'): \vm, The following account of a journey across the two westeni sections of the Great Plain is from my report to the Chief of Engineers in 1880 : In AngiiBt, 1979, I left Walla Walla and proceeded to Wallula, and tbencu np the Columbia to the White Bloifa. At the head of the long island, we leit the river to look out for a practicable route for a wogou-road to the military camp, tlion iu the vicinity of the mouth of the Okiiiakane, on the sappositiou that it was to bo perma- nently located there. We reached the top of the bluffs, which are hero about 540 feet high, by going up through a long guloh greatly beaten by cattle. The soil is dry and is ground to powder by the feet of the cattle wherever they make a path, and is not well suited for a road. We however fouud, a short distance down the river, a gulch, up which the ascent to the top of the bluffs is easy and gradual. From the summit the country spreads out, gently rolling, as far as the eye could •'each, to the northeast and east. To the north and northwest a small monntain chain, devoid of timber, stretched itself ih>m east to west across our way. It is called Saddle Mountain. The country was covered with a luxuriant growth of bunch-grass, with here and there a traot of sage-brush. The soil is of firm and excellent quality. Quito a large numbeT of cattle wore seen, all of which had to descend to the river for water. Proceeding somewhat to the northeast, to skirt Saddle Mountain, we soon found our- selves getting into a country more sandy and more rolling, and our mules and horses had greater difflculty in getting along. In the afternoon, being on the lookout for water, we made for a green-looking spot off to the east, hoping it was a spring. In this we wore disappointed, and we continued on our way nntil nine o'clock at night, when, not finding any water, we unloaded and made ourselves as comfortable as pos- sible without it. The next morning before dbylight we took up our laborsome march through the sands of the desert and traveled until about two in the af)«moon, when, as our animals were sufferinfr intensely from thirst, and as we wore uncertain about what lay before us directly vrurth, we concluded to strike to the westward, as from all the indications it was more likely to give us a supply of water. About three o'clock we came to an old road, which gave indications of having at one time been well trav- eled, and we turned and followed it to the northward, trusting that it would take ns to water. At five o'clock our animals seemed utterly unable to carry their packs any further, and so wo unloaded them and piled up our baggage and kept on without it. About nine o'clock that night we came to a small alkali pond, which, vile os it was, seemed like nectar to ns and to our poor horses and mules. The country we had traveled was covered partly with sage-brush, bunch-grass, and weeds, and was utterly waterless and lifeless. Not oven the cheerful coyote lived there, for not one lulled us to sleep or molested our abandoned provisions and camp equipage. The next day we found the flno spring which feeds the alkali pond above mentioned. I afterwards learned that it goes by the name of Black Rook Spring. Here the face of the country changes to a certain extent and becomes more broken up. Block Rock Spring is at the head of a ooul(te which extends off to the soutliwest, and probably as far as Moses Lake. From Block Rock Spring we kept to the north, and in about nine miles came to Crab Creek, which is here quite a stream, flowing through a rich bottom half a mile wide. Up the stream the bottom narrows and becomes a ohasra, formed by the perpeniicular and overhanging wails of bosoltio rock. Lower down the bottom became a marsh, entirely filling the space between the basaltic wails, in which the creek sinks to collect again further below. Where we crossed it the bottom was good, and the descent and ascent from the great table land wore comparatively easy. A goodly number of fine fat cattle inhabited this valley and the a4Joining high grounds, and no doubt fine gardens could be made and nearly every garden vegetable raised. Leaving Crab Creek we went nearly northward, taking as a guide the Pilot Rock, a mass of rock about thirty ieet high, bat which, on account of the general flatness of COLUMBrA RIVER. 196 the country, can be noon for a great diatnnoe in every dirootion. Stion wo oroased Konewaw Sun, the dry be ous little ponds, which, fed by springs, keep a supply of water all the year, and also nnnierous springs of excellent water. Pursuant to Instractlons trom General Howard, Lieutenant-Colonel Herrlam and I began a search for the most suitable location for the new post. We examined both sides of the river £it>m the month of the Okinakane to Lake Chelan, and decided that the most adrantagoous sight, taking everything into oonsldoratlon, was at the outlet of Lake Chelan, the plateau on the north side of the lake and river. An unlimited supply of timber and pure water is at hand and available for every i<'m tho melting snows of the 91088 of snow-capped mountains lying about it. In a dug-ont canoe paddled by old In-no-ma-aotch-a, thochiof of the Cholans, and his two sons. Colonel Merriam and I went up the lake about twenty-fonr miles, and found it to Increase in nigged grandeur and beauty at every paildle-stroke. Walls of granite rose in places almost vertically for a thoiisaud foot above the waters and down below them farther than the eye could reach. Elsewhere tlie steep mountain walls were covered with fine plno and fir and dense undergrowth. Game was abundant, ita evi- denced by the game-trails and tho report) of tho Indians. At one of our landings Colonel Merriam killed a black bear and saw two others. We were sorry not to lie able to go any farther up the lake. It Is the most grandly beantiful body of water that I have ever seen. Lying about two hundred and fifty feet above the Columbia, It discharges Its waters through a gorge, a oloft-llke channel u mile and a half long and only a few feet in width. After deciding upon the location of the post, I left the temporary camp to go to tba \\- 184 COLUMBIA RIVER. |ii Bpokane Fall* and Fort Cn>nr d'A!Ane. The conntry travenml wait nearly all rolling bnncli-grasH land of the riohnat deacription, and tlio moat of whioli will, I believe, bo available for raiaing grain, WALLA WALLA SEOTIOK. The Wnlla Walla p,oction, bounded on tlie north by the Snake and Go- Innibia Rivers and on the Hontb by the Blue MonntainH, is too well known for ony dencription here to l)e necessary. YAKIMA SECTION. The Takima section is snffioiently described in another iiortion of this report. LKWISTON AND MOUNT IDAHO SECTION. Tlie Lewiston and Mount Idaho section alone remains to be noticoe» Ohutet River or Im riridre aux 0hut4», tlie river willi fallH; " Leg Ballet (let MorU," the Rapidn of the Dead or Death Tlapids, &c. These namen have in many iimtanceH l)eon elianged into thei.'* Kugliah Bynonymn, as the Ckaudiire lias l)ecomo Kettle FalU. The names wliich are Anally adopted and live, belong to all the pre- cci< of objects bearing the same name is a groat inconvenience at times. Many names are given in rt^nombrance of localities in distant States and foreign lands, as Portland, Albany, Damascus, &c., or in honor of some distinguished citizen of the world, as Colfax, Astoria, Mount Jefferson, Abert Lake, Vancouver, &o. Many are given in honor of the first or some promi- nent settler in the locality, as for instance Wilson Creek, Prineville, Powell's Valley, Applegate Creek, Bitzville, &c. Some names show in a high degree the poetical and religions a8])ira- tions of those giving them, as for instance Aurora, Zion, Sweet Home, Sublimity, Buttcroup, Olad Tidings, Corvallis, &c. Tn the works relating to the Columbia region I have fonnd a great diversity in the manner of spelling certain names as well as in the names themselves, nnd as there have been articles written about some of those names, and the pro])er mode of spelling eiiem discussed, I give in the following pages such information in regard to them as I have Iteen able to gather. The proper and complete study of the geographical names of this re- gion would take vastly more time and labor than I have l)een able to devote to it. It is to be hoiteil that some one may take up the subject ami carr^- it to completion. OCBUB D'ALfiNE. This name, which literally translated means " heart ofawl^ was ap- pHoil to the Indians living about the lake which now bears this name, by the French voyageurs and partners of the Hudson Bay Company. These Indians used to come to Spokane Honse with the furs which they had gathered to trade. Tliey brought them of such fine quality and In such quantity that the Hudson Bay Company deemed it desirable to establish a branch post among them, and made them a proposition to that effect. To it the Indians replied " No ; that their country was so Itcautiful that when the white men saw it they would want it for them- selves ; that they were willing to come to Spokane House and trade, but that they did not want the white men to come into their country." COLUMUIA BIVER. 127 Thuy were, nioruovur, very Hharp and onto at hurgaiiiiiiKi»ii«l wcreuon- Hidered the '' Yankees" of the Indian ritce. The wliit«H*i;avo tlieni the name of Oosur d'Alfinoa, " Awl-heartH," " yiuirii-heurtH," or " Poiutod- huartfl," as imlicativo of their ohariMitera aa 8linr|t«r8 and cheats at Itar- gaining, and on iux)ouut of tlieir p<«r8iHt«nt refusal to allow tlie wliitu men to come Hinnng them. Thia origin of the name was given niu by Father EuIIh, of the (Jheiiiakane Mission. It is al)out the same ivs that given by Lieutenant Mullan. Cwur d'Aldne Lake was called by ita Indian name of Bketch-hugh Lake, by Alexander lloss. A. N. Armstrong, a writer on Oregon and Washington Territory, in a book written in IMTiG, gives the following explanation concerningtheaii- pellatiou Oceur d'Alfine, as applied to the *' Skitauuih or Couur d'AKino Indians" : Ainoii({8t thu flnt trMluni that vUited this tribe wiw u Canndiaii of a oIinh), nig- gardly dlHiMNiltlun. The nutivos wnro not long In dlttuovcring thU, and made in tliuir own lunguago atlorUivu rvniark roHpuuting him, tu tho oD'ovt that "thu whlto ninn hiMl the heart of an awl," nienuing that ho hod a contraotvd, illiberal diii]Mmition ; the term " awl" being UMud by thoui as wo Honiutimus use tint word " pin," to donute u very trifling obJei <, They are in many respects more savage than their neighbors, and I have bo«>.. > .i.jc of them often eat deer and other meat raw. They are also more unfeeling husbands, and frequently beat their wives iu a oniel manner. VXLOVSE, This word seems to be a corruption of the French word pelousc — greensward, lawn, &c. It is very descriptive of the country to which it is applied, which is a rolling bunch-grass covered section. It is writ- ten " Polouse" by many old writers. Notwithstanding these facts there la a strong probability that the word from which it is derived is an In- dian word. Lewis and Olarke call the Indians inbaibitiiig the country to the north of Snake Biver in the lower part of its course the Selloat — 128 OOLUMUIA RIVEB. }MUalu. I'uIIuliH (uul Pnlouae are very aiiiiilttr iu Hoaml. A1«xni>«ler llOHH, whuii about to Hturt on a trip »ftvr fUrH, iu iiuiuinj; over tbe In- (liuuH witli liiui HiHsalcH of a Palooche, wliiuh iit uIho Hiniilar to I'uloiiae. ItoHH uIho H|MtuleakinK of tho AHtorian tnuliiiK uHtubliahnunitH tliumt n«iK>i-t8 Hay : "One of tbrne HubonlinaUt eatabliHbnutiitt) appitarH to liave b»(eii at tb»! mouth of Ijcwi8 River (Fort Nez PertXj or WaUa Walla, where Walliila now HtandH); one at Lantoii (8i>okane Ilouse, near the Juiietion of the H|M>kano and Little Hpokauo riverH); a third on the Columbia, 00() inilutt from the ocean, at the confluence of the Wantana Itiver (Fort Okiiia- kane) ; a fourth on the East Fork of liCwiH River (I l>elieve thia wtw on the Clearwater at the mouth of Tmpwai Creek, where the Indian agency now IH, but I am not oerUtin); and the fifth ou the Multnoma (Willa- mette)." The following are the metbodu of HiHslliug the word Hi^okaue, aM aiKipted by dififerunt writera: Hpokan Ofliulal tranttt. [.iipuni, i'ucillo Fur Coinjtmiy to North- went Fur C'lHiipany, Hpokan Kou Cox. 8|>okaiie War Deiiartraent uiai>, IKVi. 8|H>kaiie Couiniixlorc Wilkmi. Spokein Knv. 8. Parkiir. TIiIh writor, who viHittMl tlio country in 1K)6, says: "The nitirin of thin nation in Konerally will- ten 8|iokan, aomutinieH Spokane. I culluil thuni HiiokHiiH, but thoy corrected my pronunciation itiul Haiti Spiikmn, and this they repeated sovoral tinieH, until I watt con- vinced that to give their name a correct pronunciation it should be written Spokein." Spokan Orecuhnw. Spokain ...McVickar. Simkaii Nath. J. Wyoth'8 report, 1889. Spokane..... Roltertsou. Spokane Thornton. SiMikane A. Kow. Spokan Franchere. Spokan Irvln);. S|>okaii Natioual Railroad Memoir. S|Kikan ArniHtroni;. Spokan St. John. Spokane Pacific Railroad KeportH. Spokane Mnllan. Spoken Robertaon and Crawfonl. OKINAKANE. I have never been able to deteruune the meaning of thiH v/ord. It haM iMien »i)elle.'' awfurd, Okonagan R. M. Alartin. Okanagan Armstrong. NKZ PEBC:S, As applied io the Iiidiiin tribe, Ih a iiiiBiionier. Lewis and Olarke rcMord their arrival among the (Jliopunnisli or I'ierced Nose Indians, «* they call thcm.ielvc*. No writ<;r has ever accused them cf piei'cing their noses, aud it is certain that they never did so excei)t in very isolattjd cases, if at all. They have b« :u described by a number of early ex- plorers, but thip custom has never aeen muutioned. It is certain that they do not do so now. PLAT-HEAD, A» applio(^ to the tribe of Indians inhabiting the country about the heiMlwfttbfS of the Columbia auu Missouri, is a misnomer. These In- dians novrr were guilty of the deforining habit of flfittcnijig t'>e hi ',n Rotw Cox. ^"■^"oa. PaciHe Kailroad RcpoHN. '''''I'*'*"'* LowiB and Clarke's mrt^j. 'l'*I"»*«l'> Hector and Bober... ,'s map. Tapetolle l^'inley's map. Eyakema War Dopartniei lunp, imH. Eyakenia Robertson. Yakimii, Commodore Wilkes. Eyivkama I'aw! Kane. '^likimn. Thornton. DES CHUTES. JkJt Ohuten Rirer, called Tm Riviere auw Chuten by Frdmont and the early French voya^eurs, often called Falls River by the early settlers and finally changed t« Des Chutes River. Its Indian tiame wa«- ' To-wah-na-hiooks According to Lewis and Clarke. To-war-nah-cooks According to Finlev's map. To-war-njv-he-em.ks. ...... According to BectoV and Boberdean. ^'^«'-"""' Acconllng to Alexander Ross. If 132 COMIMHIA I.MVKR. .. ,: ' iriLVTILLA. UnMtilUi has been spelled as follows : IJmatallow War Pcpartiiient map, IHflH. yoii-iua-talla Alexander Koas. Uniatallow Alexander Koos. Uniatalla Irving. Euo-tal-la Irving. Yonr-nia-talla Rector and Roberdean's map. Uinatilali Fremont. Umatilla National Railroafl Memoir. Umatillali Mnllan. Umatilla Mnllan. Umatfllla Rev. S. Parker, HANOMAN'S CEEEK. This beantiful creek took its detestable appellatioti from the fact that on its banks in 1858 Colonel Wright caused to be hung the Indians captured by him who had been guilty of murder and other crimes. Its Indian names given by Mullau were Nedlewhauld, Nedwhauld, Lahtoo, or Oanias-prarie Greek. It would be highly commendable to the people of the section if they would «',hanpe the name from Hangman's to Lahtoo or Nedlewhauld Creek. BOOK CBEEK. In Eastern Washington Territory Mullar says tills was known to the Talouse Indians as the Wah-rum, ur.d to the Spokanes as the Oray- tay-ous, aud the upper part of it as the Sil-seip-o- vet-sen, or Sil-say- poowest-tsin. UNION FLAT CBEEK. TndJnn name, Smokle Creek. Mullan. PINK CRKKK. Indian name, Tngossomen Cre*k. Mullau, STEPTOE BUTTE. Named for Colonel Stept^e, who wa« «lefeated on the Butto by the Spokane and other Indians, called Pyramid Butt« in the Pacific Uail- road Reports. It.s Simkane and Ccenr d'AlAne Indian name was Se-emptee-ta, and its Palouse aiul Ne/- Perce nami m\s E-o-mosli-toss. Mullan. WENATOHEB. Calhd— Wall na-acha. by Lewis and Clarke. Pisscows, by Alexander Itoss. COLIJMHIA RIVER. 133 Pisquonse or Wenatslmpani : Pacsiflc Ilailroiwl Ileport«. Piscoiis : War Department map, 1838. Piaclioiw : Commodore Wilkes. Waiiiape: Oalled by some of the lutiiaiis, aceonliiig to (Commodore Wilkes. None of the early writers called it tli«» Wi Matcliee. METHOW. Called— Meati'ow and Buttle-mnle-emaneli or Salmon Fall River, by A. Koss. Barrier River: ComnKMlore Wilkes. lawyer's caSon and opsbk. Nf«med for Lawyer, a liend chief of the Nez Porces. TACOMA. Tiumna is the Indian name for Mount Ranier, and signifies the A'owr- inhing hiew.i. This name was given it probably both on account of its shape and from the fiict that it is a great .,?*!«: .# ^^A-P^' i.**^ ::^»-- r '^sl :'i '^ »vT-- 'fc^^ ^qf ; •^:t lit ir* jVack /. * • SuU SfN. EX. DOC No. /8S. 10 S£SS.. 47tli CONS. '&■ SfN. EX. OOC. Ha 786, ht MSS., 47ft CONG. ; ! i\ h ! V 'i .. ' ^ /• S£N. EX. DOC. No. / S S IM StSS, <7lh COHB. Ml i^ VM. EX. OCC lk..tas., M KSt, 41* CON& m mmmm M r,\ k ntU I '/i A o SEN. tX. DOC No. lU., W StSS., 47lli CONG. m h SH fX. OOC Do. /8«. W S(», 4M COWL .1«J .„l^iftM 1' f. ~M»yp'/»»yy»» ^-^tf^' ^•'■■^-'■3-", IMAGE EVALUATION TEST TARGET (MT-3) 1.0 I.I 11.25 UilM 125 ■U 1^ 12.2 140 lllll 1.8 ^m ^ //, ^/\ ■^ . \r^ -y '/ Photographic Sciences Corporation ti WEST MAIN STREET WEBSTER, N.Y. 14510 (716) •72-4503 %Ti'^ ^. •1 1l 9 'v.. S^fTr 3ru.th. TZA.itt. } •■■'''■!'? 1 1 SeoU t mUm sen EX. ooc. ii*/.9jS, m s(ss^ 47tt turn. •i II SCN. EX. OOC No. IS6, M tut. *m OIM JW ». n. oocik /.Ml . ki stn, 4nii COM. ii ; ■iBilliHIBiliii Mifi UN. EX DOC. N^y.Sfi. M SCSI, 4»> iggg_. iHii SHEET as. sn. OL DOC. )h /.S6. M ssxt., 4,1* am. 9fH I RlTZVll Portion of tlieMapof MILITARY DERARTME of River Surve SEN EX. DOC. No. 186.., 1st SESS., 47th CONG. 7Nl(f5 I I I I , ? ScAlt 7 / /Y %...JL 47 40 EPARTMENT OF THE COLUMBIA sTiowingJocaiion rev Survey 31ieets ScaU '.6 Jf /ni7f5