Lewiston teller. [volume] (Lewiston, North Idaho) 1878-1900, 1878-08-02
Especial Correspondence Of the Oreyonian.
Sis A NIM~MAx uOWtT ]

SIS NIM>MAx HOWIT.
On the Wallowa Trail. July 1G.
The principal "bjec. in view 10 reyar
to last move of Gen. Howard is simpl
to place a f"rce between the host,I
Soakes and Bannocks. to prevent az
other Montana business on one hand
and on the other to keep them fro,
joining the other dissatisfied bands q
Bannocxs in the Salmon river countr
on the line between Idaho aud Montana
Past experience has proven 10 the coun
try that no Co operation eau be depend
ed npon either from tina frontier citizen
OF Montana, as illustrated by Bite
Root valley only a short year since
when the citi ems allowed the Me-
Perces to march peaceably through the
valley, encountered rs they we're will
wornout stock, women and children, o,
the sole condition that they would no
mhlest tho people Of their imnedia.,
vicinity. This aud the extreme ieal ,us,
OF the military in that department i:
what doubtless has prompted Gen
Howard to this move,' aud do his own
heading of" ~s
Leaving the mouth of the Grand
konde river at an early hour on the
10Th inst. the command moved up 10.
seph's creek, named from the doughty
leader o! the Ncz perces last Summer
This country was his hame. What
there is TO tempt the whites to covet
this coustry we have yet to disc ,ver
There is not single acre of ayricnltur.
al land in the whole % miles Travelled
over. True, tho hill, are covered witt
fine bunch grnss, but they arc s, cx..
c-cdlngly steep and rocky that nothing
snort OF monkeys, goats or mountain
sheep could ever hope TO succeed in
reaching the summit Of nine out Of every
ten Of them. This applies more ospeci
ally to the country bordering on tho
Grand Rohdc and Snake rivers. So
rugged is the land that confusion worse
confounded' is the only terms aopIica.
Die to give faint idea Of the country
The rocky creek bottom is literaliy
honeycombcd with holes used as caches
or reccpt,cles for storing food, &C., &c.
when discovered last year they were
illied with tons OF provisions, clothing.
NC. II isplain enough that The ho.t,les
determined at the outset of their career
70 make stand and defend the country
they loved SO well right at this SPOT.
Had they continue IN the same frame
OF mind, with their determined pIuck
and gaIlantry, their position would have
been well nigh imrregnab!e. and il
would have cost more blood and tire .sure
- onst them than even tho AIoaoc affair
Al last to day We assembled very steep
grass covered moiiltain aud are now
campcd on the summit. The scene
changes somewhat f,rthe better, Lux.
nriant green grass covers the hills. pine
and hr abound, the prairie portion is
thickiy strewa with innumerabl, wild
flowers OF various Lnes and DESCRIPTIONS
many OF great beauty and pew to Us.
More especially the seco abounds the
hard. hocky soil proving cnnsenial to
its thriving The rot is greatly es.
teemed by the Indians as dcIicacy. +,
Is white, shaped like small onion and
has a sweet, nu'ty favor. The flower is
shaped like tulip. and there are appar
entity two varieties, one small and sf \
beautiful purple tint. and the other M
large as small tulip, cream y wh;,e
sP,ttea with purple blotchcs. Some Of
the says have attempted Intellectually /,
gather supply. The depth Of the root
the hardness of the ground, together
with the brittleness of their kni,es and
ths saIallness 1T thu root has illustrated
IN . very st. liking manner the lesson IN
calcated BY Mr.. Esop IN bis fable Of the
fox and the gra0es.
From the early start thi, morning the
clouds we're gathering. and So
'sWc knew II would rain, for all the morn
A spritsM slender ropes armist
Was i"wering its g,ldcn buckets down
lntp the vsPory amethyst"
About ? P. NJ, It commenced to dr;zz,e
and grow c.ld The latter continues.
and overcoa's arc ia demand. eyea
though this be tho middle Of the hot. rs,
month. We have attained very hiuh
altitude. and around US the scenery ia a
chain of liomeric sublim:ties from
Alphaio Oacga. Our camp is situated
on the Wallowa trail. On one side the
mountain falls away to heavily timhered
rsviaes and sulehes; on tho other l. m
immense HORRIBLE lookin. gorge, very
suggestive of the bottomless nit. A re-
20 I came in to-day, while on the march, ,
that Whcaton's men had been defeated
BY the hastile. VIII, had crossed the ca
lambia at White Is uif.. No reliance is
placed on the news. II il 100 incredi.
Bile TO be true. aud We continue ~ we
we're. everybody. from the General down.
eager TO intercept them and once again
enJoy the inn II driving them from
heir chosen positions. This rs an I'D ,
Neg Perce camp. aud being literally Ii
translated means aThornbark Ridge" ia ,
The Neg Pcrce vernacular. ,
UNION Town. july 10.