, 1860-03-23

Junction with the Clearwater. Lewis and
Clark took canoes on the kooskOoskia, SO
miles above its junction with Snake river,
aud descended the KOOSEooSkia and tie
Snake to the junction Of the latter with tho
Columbia, from the 9TH to the 10th day Of
October, 1905, the river being at its low
est stage, Their course on the KooSkOos,
ka was SO miles and on the Snake 1891
miles. Comparing the difficulties they met
with on the Snake, with those they eucoun,
tered on the Columbia, from the mouth of
ihe Snake to the DalIes, they seem to be all
Of the same general character, leaving but
little or no doubt Of the nayigability Of the
Snake for steamers to the mouth OF the
Kooskooskia. Snake river is probably nav
igable for steamers go miles above the
mouth of the Kooskooskia.
Besides Priests Repids, where canaling
would be required, or a laud portage ofsome
three miles, the other obstructious are Back
lands Rapids, siXty-six niles above Priests
Rapids, Ross Rapids, near the mouth Of
the Met-how river, and Kettle Falls Ross
Rapids would not be an obstruction to
steamers, but both at Buckland's Rapids
and at Kettle Falls, locks and canals would
be required, aud especially at the Kettle
Falls, where the Columbia pitches over
ledge of rocks making fall of abou; fifteen
feet perpendicular.
To Kettle Falls, distance Of about 725
miles from the ocean, the Columbia, in order
to make continuous navigation, will there
fore require locks and canaling at the Cas-
cades, at the Dalles, at Priests Rapids, and
at Buckland's Rapids, giving the following
reaches Of navigable waters, VIII
Miles.
Entrance TO Cascades, l60
Cascades to Dalles, As
Dalles to Priest Rapids, lS0
Priest Rapids TO BuckIand Rapids, sc
Buckland Rapids to Kettle Falls, 274
1t will be well to state that at high wa
ter steamers could probably ascend the
whole distance from the Dalles to Kettle
Falls, say from the middle Of May to the
middle of July
Steamers have been running regularly in
the two first mentioned reaches for some
years, and steamer was, at the last ad-
vices, being about put on the third reach
The business has increased quite rapidly
so much so that for three years there have
been from Portland and Vancouver two
lines Of steamers to the Dalles, aud the
rates Of freigbts and passages have become
greatly reduced q
The annual freshet of the Columbia is
caused by the melting of the SNOW in the
Alpine regions of the Rocky Bitter Root,
and Cascade Mountains; and, as a conse-
quence takes place in the warm months of
spring and early summer, commencing about
the middle Of April, and attaining its
greatest height usually, and very regularly,
by the fifteenth Of June, at which time all
the rapids from the Dalles to the Kettle
Falls near ColVille, are, SO to speak, sub
merged. - nI-4
The Clark's Fork empties into the Co
lumbia by a fall of fifteen feet 10 height,
and hundred and fifty yards in width; at
the distance Of quarter of mile from
the main stream it passes through deep
gorge in the range, where it has further
fall Of three feet. From this point to the
Mission of St. Ignatius, (sevenry miles by
the river,) it has never been explored ItI
IS supposed to be navlgabie. The Indians
arc too ndolcnt to travel for the sake of
exploring, or for pastime and as their
hunting grounds lie in another direction,
they have never made the attemPt.
Dr., George Suckley, surgeon and natu-
rallst for Northern Raelhc Railroad, who
passed down from Fort Owen on The Bit
ter Root River, to Its Junction with the
tlathead or Clark,s Fork, and thence
through Lake Pend d Orellle to the Mis-
sion OF ST. lgnatlus, above referred to,
mentions IN that distance only one portage
of thirteen hundred PAGES, at the Cabinet,
few miles south OF Lake Pen d Orellle.
He traversed this riveg In October and No
vember, period OF the year when the wa
ter is at It's lowest stage.
DR.. Suckley says in his official report Of
the exploration Of this river to Gov Ste
vens, that STAT q point about sixty miles
above the Pend d. 0reille Mission [of st.
Ignatius) is the Pend d. Orele or Kalisp-
ali T.,k. rorp,aJ bv ,l;I.tf,, of, 81