The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1845-08-30

Tn the 18th OF September no arrived ~ ''rort
Hall, and was joined there by those Of his party
from whom he had separated when he changed his
course TO the "Great Salt Lake" Sort Hall" is a
trading establishment upon the head-waters of
"Snake river" tributary Of the Columbia.
| "Exccpt that there is greater quantity of wood
used in its construction, Fort Hall very much re-
sembles the other trading-posts which have been
already described to you, and would be another ex-
celleht post of relief for the emigration Il is in the
low, rich bottom OF a valley, apparently 20 miles
long, formed by the confluence Of Portncuf river
with Lewiss fork of the Columbia, which i enters
about nine miles below the fort, and narrowing grad
unlly to the mouth of the Pannack river, where it
has a breadth of only two OF three niles Allowing
81 miles for the road from the Beer YrWgs Of Bear
river TO Fort Hall, its distance along the travelled
road from the town of Westport, on the frontier of
Missouri, by way Of Fort Laramie and the great
south Pass, Is 1928 miles. Beyond this place, on
the line Of road along the barren valley of the Upper
Columbia, there does not occur, for distance Of
nearly three hundred miles TO the westward, fer
tile spot Of ground sufficiently large produce the
necessary quantity Of grain, or pasturnge enough to
allow even temporary reposo 10 the emigrants. On
their recent PASSAGE they had been able to obtain,
at very high prices, and in insufficient quantity only
such assistance as could be afforded by small and
remote trading -post--and that foreign or1e-which
IN the supply Of Its own wants, had necessarily
drawn around II some of the resources Of civiliza-
ton but which obtained nearly all its supplies from
carriage of $50 miles up the Columbia river and d
| land-carriage by pack-horses of 900 miles. An
American military post sufficiently srong to give to
| their road perfect security against the Indian
tribes, who unsettled in locality and very ncer-
tain IN then disposition, and which, with the neces-
sary facilities for the repair of their equipagc, would
10 able to afford them relief in stock and grain from
the produce Of the post, would be Of extraordinary
value to the emigration. Such post (and all others
which may be established on the line to Oregon)
g..
which supplies and repose would be o. tanned by the
emigrant, or trading caravans, which may hereafter
traverse these elevated, and, in many places, DESC
late and inhospitabe regions"
Reducing his party to meet the circumstances to
which he was exposed, on the 22d of September
Capt. r. was ready to pursue his journey to the
west, notwithstanding the cold and Indictment wealth.
er. He thus describes one of the cncampments of
his route:
sour encampment was about one mile below the
Fishing falls series of cataracts with very inclined
planes, which are probably named because they
form barrier to the ascent of the salmon; and the
great fisheries, from which the inhabitants of this
barren region almost entirely derive subsistence,
commence at this place. These appeared to be un-
usually gay savages, fond of loud laughter; and in
their apparent good nature and merry character,
struck me as being entirely different from the In
dams we had been accustomed to see. From sever
al who visited our camp in the evening, we pur-
chased, in exchange for goods, dried salmon. At
this season they are not very fat but easily
| pleased. The Indians made us comprehend that
when the salmon came up the river in the spring,
they are so abundant that they merely throw in
their spears at random, certain of bringing out
fish.
"These poor people are but slightly provided with
winter clothing there is but little game TO furnish
skins for the purpose; and of little animal which
seemed to be the most numerous, it required 90
skins to make covering to the knees. But they
still
become poor with the salmon, which at least never
| fail them-the dried being used in the absence Of
the fresh. We are encamped Immediately on the
river bank, and with the salmon jumping up out Of
the water, and Indians padding about in boats made
Of rushes, or laughing around the fires, the camp
tonight has quite lively appearance"
On the Sd of October he was 208 miles from "Fort
| Hail." On the 9Th, he met with hot springs, hav-
/ Ing temperature Of 1910 of Fahrenheit. The de-
pose from these springs, in incrustations upon
rounding rocks, is remarkable for its quantity Of
silica, being about 70 parts in the hundred On the
9th Of October the vegetation had entirely changed
the hitherto interminabe artomisa disappearing.
4 On the 7lh he reached the valley Of the "R,viere
5oisee," and was delighted to make pleasant
| encampment under fine old trees"
This river is sometimes called !" Reid's river"
| from the destruction of party under leader by
| the name of "Reld" On the 9th he reached "Fort
Bosee, IA 'smple dwelling-housc on the right bank
of Snake river, about mile below the mouth Of
| Riviere Boise; and, on our arrival, we were re-
cevcd with agreeable hospitality by Mr.. Pay
ette officer of the Hudson Bay Company in
charge of the fort All Of his garrison consisted of
one Canadian engagt.n Some idea may be formed
of the Indians of this REGION from the following
marks of Capt. Fremont:
| "Many little accounts and scattered histories, to-
gether with an acquaintance which gradually ac-
qured of their modes of life, had left the aboriginal
inhabitants Of this vast region pictured in my mind
ms a race of people whose great and constant occu-
| patton was the means of procuring subsistence !;
and though want of space, and other reasons will
prevent me from detailing the many incidents which
made these things familiar TO me, this great feature
among the characteristics Of the country will gradu-
ally be forced upon your mind.
Pointing to a group Of Indians who had Just ar
rived from the mountains on the left side Of the val
| ley, and who were regarding our usual appliances
i of civilization with an air of bewdered curiosity
Mr.. Payeitc informed me that, every year since his
arrival at this post lie had unsuccessfully endeav
ored to induce these people to lay up store of sal
mon for their winter provision. While tie summer
weather and the salmon lasted, they lived content
eddy and happily, scattered along the different
streams where the fish were to be found and as
the winter SHOWS began to fall, little smokes
1 would be seen rising among the mountains, where
they would be found in miserable groups, starving
out the winter; and sometimes, according to the gen.
eral belief reduced to the horror of cannibasm-
the strong, of course, preying on the weak Ger
tain it is, they driven to any extremity for food
and eat every insect, and every creeping thing, how
ever loathsome and repusive. Snails, lizards ants
all are devourcd with the readiness and greediness
| Of mere animals.
"In common with oil the other Indians we had en-
countcrcd since reaching the Pacific waters, these
| people the Shoshonee or Snake language, which
you will have occasion to remark, in the course of
The narrative, is the universal language over very
extensive region.
son the evening Of the 10Th, obtained, with the
usual observations, a very excellent cmcrsion Of the
first satellite, agreeing very nearly with the chro-
i nomecr From these observations, the longitude of
the fort is ll6o Az CO.,; latitude 43o 49, 22' and
elevation above the sea 9, 100 feet.
"SItting by the fire on the river bank and waitiDg
for the immersion Of the satellite, which did not
take place until after midnight heard the monot-
onous song Of the Indians, with which they accom-
pany certain game of which they are very fond. OF
the poetry we could not judge, but the music was
miserable" M