The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1845-10-09
Oregon Territory.

indians Three Salmon for a Fiah-hook-Indian
Misunderstanding Snake River-Salm0t killed by
Wagon Wheel-Great Boiling Spring-Fort
Eaize, &c.
JAMES 6. BENNETT, ESQ:
DEAR SIR
On the morning of the 3lst August we crossed the
PartAith again, by fording, which we found safe.
This river, at this ford, is about fifty yards wide,
clear, beautiful, rapid stream, running over pebbly
bed. Our course now lay down Snake river and
the difficulties ahead we could only anticipate
This day We came twelve miles down Snake river
road. wood, water, and range flne September
I've came fourteen miles over bad road, steep
gulleys, and rocky creeks, and large quantities Of
rock on the surface Of the plain. Range good
Sept. 2-We came q miles, over an excellent road
Range and water fine, and ssdge for fuel
This scdse makes very pleasant FIRE to
sit by, but does not do so well as wood
Tor cooking, but Is still an excellent substitute
for wood. On yesterday we passed many beautiful
cascades and waterfalls in Snake river. Sept B.
Came IL miles and encamped on Snake river; range
wood and water fine. and road good. Sept A.
Came twenty miles over good road, EXCEPT the sedge
and dust, and encamped on Rock creek; water good
but range and wood inferior Sept 5-Came twelve
miles down Rock creek and encamped on its bank
To-day we passed through good deal Of sedge and
over some rocky. road. This Snake river, and the
streams running into 1t, are very peculiar. From
point, few miles below Fort Hail. until you get to
the Salmon Falls, $50 miles below the Fort, the RI
yer has very deep narrow channel, which in many
places Is cut through the rock, leaving perpendcu-
lar walls Of rock each side in places several hum
dred feet high. In other places. the channel is
hemmed In by very tall banks of sand, running
parallel with the river, and coming up to its very
brink. The banks OF this river are several hundred
feet high; and when you ascend the banks, you sec
wide level PLAIN, running from the river bank
back to the mountains, sometimes ten, and some-
times two miles off, Through this wide plain our
road lay, and we would frequently not see the river
for several days, This wide plain is, in some
places, very thicky covered with sedge; and where
the sedge grows, the soll is loose and sandy, and
the dust very oppressyr In other places, the sur
face OF the plain, Tor mics, Is covered with small
rock, over which wagon can pass, but which is
very aborious to the oxen, and hurts their feet In
many places, again, this plain is firm and smooth,
covered with few scattering lunches of sedge,
and producing the bunch grass THIS is very pc.
culiar grass and is found the poor sand-hls and
plains from this to the valleys, on the Co.
lumba. 1t looks as though it were entirely dead,
and had no strength or nutriment in it
but it is, perhaps, the finest grass for stock
in the world. It grows green in the spring, and
when the summer heat comes on, it dries up, and
there being no rain, 1t is like made hay and is equal
ly good. Where this grass is found the soil is gen
orally dry and sandy. In the fall the slight rains
they have make 1t put forth green. forgot to men,
ton that while we were at Fort Hall it rained gently
on three different days; and there FELL altogether
rain sufficient to wet the ground about two inches
deep on the surface Mr.: Grant said this was more
rain than ne had seen fall for great while. This
Rock creek, upon the banks of which we encamped
on September 9th, Is SO called from the fact
that 1t has deep and generally narrow
channel, cut through the rock, so that there are
but few places where you cross il. We found
a place, where we made quite passable road, by
rolling away the loose rock. Range, wood and
water good Sept. 6-Came over an excellent
road 20 miles, except heavy bodies of sedgc, cross
ed no streams, and encamped about one. third of
mile from Snake river, after descending the bluffs,
at a good point, which was safe and easy Range
go0d, and sedse for fuel; water we carried from the
RIVER. Sept. 7.-Came ten miles to the Salmon
Falls, and had some billy roads, but none mpassa-
bic, and which could have been easily avoided, had
we known the way. We this day passed large
spring, on the opposite side of the river, few miles
above the Salmon Falls furnishing water enough for
a large creek, which fell perpendcularly over wall
OF basaltic rock two hundred feet high, forming
most beautiful scene the river this day saw for
the first time, the spotted LIZARD and the most beau
hful OF the specles-body and tail covered with
scales, similar TO those of the rattle snake, and spot
ted with dark brown and white spots, the size of
pea. The body was about five inches and the tail
about eight inches long, shaped like the green striped
lizard in The United States, but twice large Al
the Salmon Falls, we found some dozen lodges
of Snake Indians, almost naked, but as fat as
beeves. OF them we purchased salmon, mostly
dry, and gave IN exchange powder and ball, and
III,
OF powder and one ball. For fish hook, they
would give us three salmon, and for an old coat as
many as you wanted. They were exceedingly
anxious to buy clothes of all kinds These Indians
were exceedingly friendly and honest. We never
lost any thing while in tho Snake country The day
before we reached the Salmon Falls, / left one oI
my oxen some four miles behind. Next morning,
one of these Indians came driving him int
camp, for which suitably rewarded him. 1t seem
ed to afford him great satisfaction. They were ex-
ceedingly liberal with their salmon; and when we
made them small presents, they would offer
salmon, and insist upon our taking them. These
Indians make business OF fishing here, as this Is
the highest point on Snake river where salmon can
be taken, although, few have been seen some high
erup the river They take immense numbers OF
salmon here which they cut into thin slices and dry
In the shade. All the emlgrant5 obtained much
they needed, and then left the supply ample. We
here eat the first fresh salmon; which, to use term
common on the road, was not hard to swallow.
1t was too late IN the season, and the salmon
poor, but were still delicious. These falls are
about eight feet perpendicular, with large rit-
files below. The salmon taken here weigh gen.
orally about twenty pounds. Sept. 8-We this
morning assembled from the river up the bank to the
wide plain, and travelled about fifteen miles and
camped on the bluffs OF the river, carrying our
ter up steep bluff bank, half mile. Range bad,
and sedge for fuel. and bad road. Sept 9-,-Came
twelve miles to the crossing Snake river, through
much sedge IN places, and descended very high
bluff to get to the river The descent was long and
Steep but the hill was sandy to be entirely safe,
with careful driving. Range good, and willows ioI
mile wide, by fording. The mode OF crossing,
which was originated by Dr. Whitman, was this =
We selected the strongest, most manageable ox,tcan
to 60 before. Before the front yoke Of oxen, was
hitched a, single horse, gentle, and that would
pull steadily. This morse was led by an In
dian on horseback, who knew the ford. The
next wagon followed in the rear OF this one, with
the foremost yoke OF oxen fastened with chain
passing through the ring of the yoke to the hinder
part OF the front wagon. Seven or eight wagons
and teams were thus all fastened together in one
line On each side Of the teams were men on horse
back with OK whips, to keep mp the hlndmost teams
In this way we all passed the river with our loaded
wagons and our families in them, safely and exPe-
dluously, The bed of the river was pebby, and tn,
places II ran into the wagon beds little, but W,
had urtbaggage propped up on the inside. In
crossing the river large salmon, weighing twenty
passing over its body, and was taken out by
Mr.. EphraIm Ford, who was Immediately be-