, 1858-05-28

government employees are now working to-
gether towards the Lake. This Lake is
about five miles long, aud has general
east and west direction.
The country to the east of the lake has
not yet been explored, but the guides went
to the eastern end, and could then see the
country, which there presented
a level appearance without any mountains
The Indians also told them that one days
journey, say 20 miles, would carry them ell
tlrely beyond the timbered country into the
plains, from whence the travellers could pass
either to Thompson's River or to Fort Col
vile, to both of which there has long exis-
ted Hudson Bay Company Brigade trails
The general direction Of the Cascade
Range as defined by its prominent peaks,
Mounts Baker and Madison, is about n 250
L. The lake, assumed to be the true pass
OF this range of mountains, bears from the
most southerly peak (M't. Baker, about
n. 4O0 f.; thus showing that the Lake lies
fahto the eastward of the general course
of the Cascade range, which seems to show
that the pass is like the Snoqualmco pass
in the same range, which mike manner has
a lake on its highest elevation, and as bat
rometically determined, has the same altil
tude Of about 5000 feet above the sea
level
would remark, also, that SO convinced
were the officers that the true pass had been
found, that they returned, and the trail was
commenced Immediately by the Boundary
Commission. ..
By the last mail, letters were received
by Gen. Tilton, Surveyor General of this
Territory, from Col Fitzhugh of the Bel
lingham Bay Coal Company, stating that
the combined party of citizens and Boun-
dary Commission employees had reached a
point AZ miles from Whatcom; that the In-
dians were perfectly friendly upon the
route, and supplied the working parties upon
the road with potatoes and salmon; that
the route traversed three large prairies Of
rich pasture land-and the party were ad-
Vancing at the rate of FIVE miles per day,
and cutting good road.
Thirty-eight miles further will bring them
to the pass, FIVE miles in the pass or lake,
(by fnrry, thence 20 miles to the open
country, from whence the distance to Fort
Thompson is supposed to be about As miles,
making total distance of one hundred
and fifty miles to the centre of the gold
mines at Fort Thompson from Bellingham
Bay or Puget Sound
That q practicable trail exists from the
Dales of the Columbia TO the gold region
is very true, but for comparison Iwould re-
fer your readers in California and the At
lantic States, (those resident in Oregon and
Washington Territories already knowing
them, to the following facts, which an in-
spection of the map will fully demonstrate.
The miner leaving San Francisco viG the
Columbia river has first to encounter the
danger of the Columbia river bar, and is
then landed in Portland, o. T. Here,
transferring himself and goods to river
steamer, he ascends the Columbia to the
Cascade; disembarking here, he goes over
a portage Of FIVE miles, and embarks upon
another steamer which takes him to the
Dalles. Here commences the pack trail,
which by crossing the Columbia twice, and
pusSlnB IuIOuBh WV VI 'ui0S dlOoS VI So'-
ages who are hostile to all BOstonS, and
who put to death some dozen of the Col
vile miners who were passing through
their country few years since; the adven-
turer reaches Fort Okinikane in two hun
dred and fifty miles from the Dalles; from
Okinikane l5O miles will bring the miner or
trader to Fort Thompson.
Your readers can thus Judge for them
selves which route is best, or whether the
miner or trader from California could not
be at Fort Thompson ria the Sound at
least one month sooner, and for one hundred
dollars per man less expense, than the Ore
gon or Columbia river route.
am, sir, respectfully,
Your obedient serv't,
W. W. DE LACY,
CiuI Eagineer.