, 1854-02-04

the Bitter Root range of mountains instead
of turning them at the north as is practica
blc,it will be found that even here the depth
of SHOWS will be found no more serious
than in our northern Atlantic. StatcS-.
Leaving the valleys of the streams
down which the railroad if constructed
must follow, the trail to avoid the trees and
brush and the side hills, passes over the
high and steep but more open hill tops for
nearly an hundred miles, occasionallytouch
| ing the head waters Of some small tributary
of the KooS-kooS-ki-a. Here in the mid
die of December on the high grounds oc-
cupied by the trail, at least six thousand
and even seven thousand feet above the sea
was there snow three feet deep, occasional
ly for short distance four feet deep, and
in spots of few hundred feet extent, six
feet deep. But this was on the high
grounds, while the railroad line far below,
following the valley of the Koos-koos-ki-a
would at that period of the year, be free
from snow
Emerging into the open valley of the
Koos-kOos-ki-a when Christmas was close at
hand, the grass was green and high; the
pea vines of the Indians were several in
ches high, and their horses and cattle were
thriving with the excellent pasturage.
Passing onward down the Columbia, and
following up the Yakemah river towards
the Cascade Mountains, there was to the
middle of January, an interval of over 200
miles, where there was not the least snow.
Mr. Tmkham brought his horses from
Walla-walla to the head waters of the Yak
i-mah river, about l40 miles, and distant
from the summit of the Pass in the mount
aims called the Sno-qual-me pass, about 35
miles. Here, on the 18th of January, the
snow was but from ! to , feet deep Be
yond this point the SHOWS rapidly deepen
until the summit is attained, and exchang-
ing to snow-shoes, the balance of the ex-
= animation was made on foot Heavily wood
ed and still, rarely does disturbing wind
affect the snow from the time of its deposit,
and branch and bush are bowed earthward
under their load of the successive falls
= and the earth is evenly covered with this
light dry mass, easily displaced, and too
light to afford good snow-shoe travelling.
), Without other company than the Hak-e'
: nah Indians whom he took with him, Mr.
Tinkham crossed the divide called the SnO
qual-me pass, on the 2lst of January, after
deep fall of snow, and the depth was then
, on the summit, no greater than from six to
seven feet; the accumulated SHOWS W
to that period, and which, taken in their
: successive deposits, would be an insignili'
cant obstruction to a road properly equip
! ped. The railroads Of our northern and
eastern States, especially the railroads Of
, Maine, encounter much worse SHOWS with
out breaking the regularity of their run.
ming time.
I Fourteen miles this side of the Pass, the
, snow is only eight inches deep, and then
gradually fades away as the descent is
made towards the Sound; so that the whole
; extent of country covered by snow over
, feet deep, is only some As miles broad,
while the deep snow of six feet depth, ex-
tends for only some half dozen miles.
1t is a fact not unworthy of notice, that
an express, which left Walla-walla three OF
four days before Mr. Tinkham, reached
: here by way of the Columbia, the same day
> that he did, Notwithstanding his many de
tentions from the difficulty of procuring sui
table Indian guides, their laborious and
slow method of travelling, &c.
1t is expected that 1t. Grover will also
: pass over the Cascade Mountains in his
4 route to this place, and should he do this
as supposed, near the first of March, the
necessary winter examinations Of the rail
road route will be complete.
1t may not be known that on the prairies
east of the Rocky Mountains no trouble is
to be npprehended from the snow. The
snow does not accumulate there-the falls
are not heavy, and travelling with horses
continues throughout the year between
the different posts of the American Fur
Company on the upper Missouri. Slcds
are rarely if ever used, and the ,transporta.
tion of their robes, goods and supplies is
with carts.
HURRA FOR LEWIS COUNTY!-Wc have