, 1866-05-25
The CIars,s Fork Route.

The CIark's Fork Route.
R1NeoLp's Csrr, ELK CREEK, May IL, 1866.
En-. SrArRsNAN As the route from Spokane
river via the Mullan road has been often des-
cribed, and travelled by great part OF the float
ing mining community, will pass over that
portion of the country in silence,saud will give
you description ofthe trail known as
THE PEN D'oREILLE ROUTE.
From the crossing of the Spokane to the ferry
on the Pen d'Oreille, distance of forty-two
miles, the road is already passable one for
wagons, and the last thirty miles is nearly des-
titute of feed Leaving the. ferry, we next took
the trail leading toward the Bitter Root, around
the edge Of the lake. This is the part of the
trail which is most feared on account of the mud
and water. The fats over which the trail passes
are exposed at low water, being from eight to
| fifteen feet above low water mark. The soil is
clay and is covered with swamp grass, which,
after being water soaked under the snow during
the winter, is very poor feed for animals. 0c-
| rasiopally we met with rushes, which helped to
fill up our otherwise starved animals. The
lake flats are bordered by cedar swamps, in
which the snow was still lying from foot and
half to three feet deep, and water was stand
| ing in ponds and pools, making them Impassa-
ible. Sloughs put in from these swamps, which
are more properly the mouths of the small
streams which drain the country to the north.
The fats are muddy from the travel, but not
bad, as horses only sink In about six inches !;
then the ground is stiff enough to hold them u d.
| The sloughs spoken of look formidable, but
pack horses seldom mire down in them, aud, al
together the trail is not so bad as was expected.
Thirty-fve miles from the ferry we crossed Pack
| river, and in sixteen miles more reached the
head of the lake, at the mouth of Clark's fork
81 miles.
THE PEN DoREILLE LAKE
Is a beautiful sheet of water, environed by
mountains, whose steep, precipitous sides are
covered with snow, and trees stick amongst the
the rocks wherever the soil or a convenient crew.
ice affords fOothold. The maps do not give a
correct idea of the confguration of its shores,
but detailed explanations alone can show the
identatiOns ofts bays or its rami6cations amongst
the mountains. For wagon road the lorth
side of the lake presents but few obrtacIes, but
to construct it will be expensive-say $500 per
mile.
UP THE CLARK's FORK,
For six miles the trail keeps up the right bank
and crosses two large creeks coming from the
north then we ascended the Cabinet mountain,
covered with snow april l3th), and struck the
Clark's Fork above the Cabinet. The river thus
far seems to present no obstacle for steamers :;
but the rapid, six miles above, or twenty four
miles from the lake, will, think, prove impass-
able, unless a boat can be Invented that will run
up bill. Another rapid is found about five
miles above this. We followed arouad the river
bank to Nermillion-sixty-fv miles from the
lake. The old trail lies farther back, but being
covered with snow it was not followed by tray
elers this spring The course of the river thus
far is very direct and does not materially increase
the distance.
After leaving the vermilion, where we found
the hIst grass, we took an ascending ridge, and
in twelve miles reached the summit of ridge
some 800 feet above the river. Here a slope
leads down to the river at an angle of forty FIVE
degrees, and this is the only point where the
river is visible in ten miles. Descending this
mountain we came to the river in four miles,
and then travelled over plains covered with
open timber which formed marked contrast
with the heavily timbered region which We had
just left. In six miles. more we came 20 the
hlls-S1 miles above the lake. The river rushes
over ledge OF rocks making,A descent Of about
fifteen feet in two hundred yards. There is a
portage of about half mile around the faIls,
believe. From the falls it is Ubout six miles
to Thompson river, ut the east end Of Thompson
prairie.
THOMPSON PRAIRIE
Is about three miles in length and was the
first place where good feed could be had since
leaving the Spokane Plains-l distance of l75
miles Rushes, oats and -four subsisted our
horses through this distance. Fording the
Rll
Rock, which is mountain spur, coming down
to the river. We.had heard>> >much of this place
and expected to hnd nearly insurmuunlable
obstacle to our further progress but very pass
able trail leAds over 1.-THE descent to the east
being the worst but even that is not worse
than places | have passed over on the ether
mountain trails. From Bad Rock to Horse Plain
fourteen miles, the trail is good, passing over
level plateaus and rolling hills.
HORSE PLAIN
Is about three miles long and from one to
three miles wide. This is a famous wintering
ground for animals, although the feed does moi
seem to beso good here as at Thompson Prai.
rie. The river makes q large bend to the east
and north and the trail takes over a mountain
passes over camas prairie and then descends
to the ferry Of the Cligks Fork, TWENTY-FIVE
miles from the plains. Then VIC ascended the
left bank of the river over good trail, and in
10 miles reached the Jocko thence up the
Jocko 10 miles TO the Agency thence by way
of the COrcan de6le to He'll Gate Ro6de. 25
miles to Missoula City, at the mouth of Rattle
Snake creek. the junction of the trail with the
MuIIan Road. The estimated distance being
441 miles, or nearly 100 miles farther than the
wagon road.
The steamboat on the Pen d'Oreills was lying
on Que side of the river, covered with boards,
and, from appearances, will soon be ready for
the travel. As the trail appears to be 100 miles
farther thsg the wagon road it IS very doubtful
whether the steamboat project will prove a sue
cess. The navigation will not exceed fifty miles;
thence pack trains will have to be employed 10
transport freight, or else two portages win have
to be made, with two steamers on short stretch
es of the river above, and ;he land travel, if
adopted, will be longer than the Mullan road.
Parties 9ave already explored the river careful.
" with view toHards anspOrting freight, and
suppose That eieir detailed reports will be
published, so with this, as an expressed opinion,
will close this description of the route by the
Clark's Fork of the Columbia.
Yours truly. W. W. JOHNSON.
A NEW READING.-The Latin maxim.
" Hor popui Uor Dei"-the voice of the