The weekly pioneer and Democrat. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1855-1865, 1859-09-30

question. Night was fast approaching, and
it was equally impossible to descend at this
point or to pass the night upon the summit
without freezing to death about half mile
further on we made another ascent OF the
ridge, but with no better success. just at
nightfall, however, we found place, where
the descent, though sufficiently bad, was
yet, we thought, not utterly impossible.
For four or five hundred feet the pass was
so steep that neither horse nor man could
retain their footing, but beyond that, we
fancied the descent could be accomplished
by the pack animals. 1t was solemn
moment, as our little band Of ten, stood
together on that chill November evening,
on the snow crowned summit of the noun
tain. We had but little time for reflection,
the shades of night were closing fast around
US; the cold was already intense. No fuel
was to be had, and we knew that, did we
spend that night on the mountain, the en-
suing morning would, in all human proba-
bility, find but few of US left to tell the tale.
The only alternative was to abandon our
animals and retracing our steps with what
speed we might, endeavor to regain the
plains on the east side of the mountain,
where at least there was game, and we
might possibly winter-or to push boldly
on, in the hope that the valley below us
was the one leading out of the mountains to
the Kottonais Fort. The latter course in
volved terrible risk. We had only six
days provision left, and should our hypothe-
sis prove Incorrect, and no trail be found in
the valley below, it was almost certain that
every one of US would perish by cold and
hunger, as, unless some other route could be
found, it would be impossible for US to re-
trace our steps. Hastily ran over these
points, and then and there vote was taken.
Had single voice been heard in favor of
turning back, we had never crossed the
mountains, but perilous as was our position,
not one of the little band faltered. "On-
ward" had ever been our motto ard was so
still. And without further hesitation, we
commenced the descent.
Divesting the horses of their packs, we
showed them one by one over the rid &c, and
for the first few hundred feet they rolled
down headlong. Out of fourteen animals,
twelve reached comparatively level ground
in safety, two being killed by the fall. We
threw the packs after them and fortunately
accomplished the descent ourselves in safety.
We continued the descent that evening, till
we came to the edge of precipice, several
hundred feet in depth, which arrested our
progress. 1t was now quite dark, and we
camped on ledge Of rocks, where the snow
was not very deep. With some difficulty
we succeeded in keeping up small fire
through the night. AS socn as we began
to get warm, we discovered to our dsmay,
that two or three of our party were slightly
frozen. One young fellow had his feet very
badly frosted one of my feet was touched
little, but not enough to be of any conse-
quence. Morning came at last, and we re-
sumed our tosome way down the mountain.
About two clock in the afternoon, to our
great joy, we struck broad, open trail
and though not loud, heartfelt and earnest
was the prayer of thanksgiving that as
eended from more than one breast.
That evening we camped on the banks of
very rapid river, where there was no snow.
On the morrow, we pursued our course, and
on the lst of December. finally reached
the long wished for "Kottonais Fort.
We had again encountered more or less
snow on the road. At this post we stopped
a couple of days to recruit, and then started
again for Fort Colvilie, Hudson's Bay
Company's post on the Columbia river.
We left here the lad, whose feet were so
badly frozen as to render it impossible to
proceed. We likewise obtained a supply of
provisions.
We continued our journey, (encountering
more or less SNOWY till the Goth December,
when the death of two more horses and the
increasing depth of the snow, warned US that
we must either abandon the remainder of
our stock, or make up our minds to winter
in the valley of the Kottonais River, where
we were told that stock wintered well. We
held consultation that night, and finally
determined that four of the party should go
on to COlville on snow shoes, and the re-
naming five return to the" KottOnais Val
ley, which we had left three days before, and
endeavor to winter there. We did so, built
log shanty and lived there, suffering consid-
cradle privation from hunger, till the Oath
February, when nearly all the Indians hav-
ing left the Valley, we made up our minds
that it would be impossible for us all to re-
main there until the spring, without eating
all our horses, and accordingly resolved that
three more of US should attempt to reach
Colville on snow shoes. 1t fell to the lot of
myself and German to remain, and try to
save the nine horses that were still living.
After the departure of the other three, our
hard times commenced in earnest.
The little fish (about half the size of
smelt) on which we had previously subsisted,
(and which had formed the principal food Of
the Indians) having ceased running, most of
the Indians left the valley, and we expert
enced the greatest difficulty in supporting
life. Our horses all died, and were devoured
by the wolves, so that source of subsistence
was cut off. For upward of five weeks we
lived almost wholly on moss gathered from
trees, and the inner bark of species of
pine with now and then little half rotten
horse meat, which the Indians would bring
in when they found a dead carcase. On the
goth of April, the Hudson Bay Company's
train from the "Kottonais Fort en- route
for Fort Colville, arrived in the valley, aud
we once more started Oh our travels, rejoic-
ing that our sufferings were at last ended.
But cur rejoicings were premature. Be
tween the valley Of the " Kottonais River
and Panderie Lake, distance of something
less than fifty miles, we encountered snow
from five to eigth feet in depth, and though
we had thirty-seven horses to break track,
it took us eighteen days to accomplish this
distance. In the meantime, all hands got
short of provisions again, and before we
reached the lake had to eat colt about
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