The enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1804-1815, 1806-11-04

mountains is, however, practicable from the
latter part of June to the Lar of September /;
and the cheap rate at which horfes are to I've oh
tanned from the Indians Of the Rocky noun
tains, and wet of them, reduce the expences
of transportation over this portage to mere
triHe. The navigation of the Koofkooike, Lew
ISIS river, and the Columbia, is fate and good,
from the 6rt of April to the middle of Auguft,
by making three portages on the latter river.
The fri of which, in defending is 1900 PAGES
at the falls Of Columbia 26l miles up that river {;
the fecond of two miles at the long narrows
miles below the fails and third, alto of 9
miles at the great rapids IS miles till lower
down. The tide flows up the Columbia 1873
miles, and within Z miles of the great rapids
Large Hoops may with fafety afcend as high as
tide water, and velieis of 500 tons burthcn,
reach the entrance of the Multuomah river,
large Southern branch of the Columbia, which
takes its rife on the confines of New-Mexico,
with the Callerado and Apoitle's rivers, diff
Charging itfelf into the Columbia ls5 miles
from irs entrance into tie Pacific ocean. I
confider this tract acrofs the continent of i'm
mente advantage to the fur trade, as all the furs
collected in nine-tenths of the NOT valuable fur
country in America, may be conveyed to the
mouth of the Columbia, and liipped from
thence to the Eaft-Indies, by the fra Auenn
IN each year; and will of courfc reach Canton
earlier than the furs which are annually export.
~
ed from Montreal arrive in Gyeat-Britain,
In our outward bound voyage, we Attended
to the foot the rapids below the great falls
ofthe Miiiouri, where we arrived on the 18th
OF June, 1905. Not having met with any of
the natives of the Rocky mountains, we were
ofcourie, ignorant of the paiies by land which
exifted, through thofe mountains TO the Co,urn.
bia river; and had we even known the route.
we were deftute of horGes, which would have
been indifpenhhly necefiary TO enable us 70
traniport the requiiite quantity of ammunition
and other tores TO enfure the remaining part of
our voyage down the Colombia we therefore,
determined to navigate the MifIunri, as far as il
was practicable, uneGs we met with fome of
the natives from whom we could obtain hor(es
and information of the country. Accordingly
we undertook mott la5orous portage ar the
falls the MifTouri, of ID miles, which we eff
feeted with our canoes and baggage by the 81
OF July. From hence attending the Minouri,
we penetrated the Rocky mountain at the diff
lance OF IL miles above the upper part of the
portage, and penetrated as far as the 8 forks of
that river, dftance of $50 miles further
Here the Mi1ouri divides into three nearly e.
quail branches at the fame point. The two
iargeit branches are 10 nearly of the fame digni-
~, that we did not conceive that either of them,
could with prnpriety retain the name of the
Miiiourl /; and therefore called thefe dreams
yeherfon's, Madifon's and Gallatin's rivers
The confluence of thofc rivers, is es4s miles
from the mouth of the MiTouri, by the mean
ders of that river. We arrived at the three forks
OF the Miffouri the 9th of Tuv. Not havios
YET been 10 fortunate as to meet with the ma
tives, although had previouny made feveral
exertions for that purpofe, we were compelled
IT'LL to continue our route by water
The NOT northcrly of the three forks, that
to which we had given the name of Jeherfon's
river, was deemed the mon proper for cur pur-
pole, and we accordingly attended it 24s miles,
to the upper forks, and its extreme navigable
point; making the total difance to which we
mad navgatec the waters of the Miiiour so9e
miles, OF which 429 lay within the Rocky
mountains. On the morning of the 18th of
Augut, 1905, arrived at the forks of Jefer
ION river, where / met captain Lewis who
mad previoully penetrated with party ofthree
men, to the waters of the Columbia, dilcover-
cd band OF the Shoihone nation, and had found
means to induce IS OF their chiefs and warriors
to accompany him 70 that place From thcfe
people we learned that the river on which thew
rehded was not nayigahle, and that pafIa.e
through the mountains in that direction was
,mpractcable being unwilling TO coniide in
tbis unfavourabe account of the natives, it was
concerted between captain Lewis and mvfrlf
that one of US ihould go forward Immediately
with inall party, and explore the river while
the other IN the interim would lay up the Ca
noes at that place, and engage the natives with
1helr hortes TO afiift in Transporting our flores
and baggage to their clWp.--Ao cordingIy Get
out the next day, pafied the dividing mountains
between the waters or the MiGour and Column
bia, and defended the river which fince cali
the EAT fork of Lewis's river, about 10 miles.
FINDING that the Indians account of the coun-
try Inthe direction ofthis river was correct, |
returned and joined captain Lewis on the goth
of Auguf at the Shoflione camp, exceiTiyely IA
tIgued as you may fuppofe having pafed
mountains almof inacceiiiblc, and compelled to
fuohit on berries during the greater part of m v
route. We now purchafed 81 horfes of ,hefe
Indians, and hired guide, who affured us that
he could in fifteen days take us TO large ri
yer ~ an open country wet ofthefc mountains,
by rout fome difance to the north of the Ri
yer on which they lived, and that by which
the patyes wet of the mountains, vi6t the
plains of the Mifiour, for the purpofc of hunt
ing the buffaloe. Every preparation being
made we fat forward with our guide on the SIT
OF. Auguf. through thofe Tremendous noun
tains,in which we continued until the 22d of
September, before we reached the lower coun-
try beyond them /; ON our way we met with
the OleIach fhoot band Of the Tuchapaks,
from whom VIC obtained an accelIion of feven
boTtes and exchanged eight or ten Others this
proved OF minute fervice to us, as we were
ron pa4l. o. 4 r 4