The Vancouver independent. (Vancouver, W.T. [Wash.]) 1875-1910, 1883-08-02

Lieut.. Geo. w. Goethals and his assistant
Mr.. A. Downing, with their escort consist
ing Of Sergt. Borrel and Privates Prediger
and Davis. of the End Infantry, returned to
Fort Ceur d'Alene July 23rd, from their re.
connoissance into the Okinakane country
and beyond.
The party left Vancouver June 10th and
fitted out at Fort Ceur d'Alene few days
later. At old Fort Colville they procured
cayuse pack ponies and saddle horses, and
crossed the Columbia at that point on June
10. Striking the Kettle river trail theyifol-
lowed it to Dead Mans creek, and at this
point they got on the "Little Moutain trail"
and proceeded to O-so.y oos Lake and camped
about miles below the boundary line. From
here MIR. Downing with the packer, l..
Mayer. with two saddle horses and two pack
ponies, crossed the line and took the Hud.
son bay trail via Similkameen river and
Hope mountains to Fort Hope on the Fra.
zler river, British Columbia distance of
l4l miles. This journey was accomplished
In 81 days over rugged mountainous coun.
try. A rest of "a hours was made here and
field notes worked up. He returned over
the sane trail-the only trail practical-in5
days to O.so-yOos Lake. In the meantime
1t. Goethals and remainder of party had fol.
lowed up Rock creek, the Tenasket creek
and numerous other trails between the CO.
lumbia and the Okinakane, with view to
finding practical route for wagon road.
The Little Mountain" trail was the only
one found adaptable, and that only by
mouths of labor and large force of men
could it be accomplished on account of
heavy grading and rocky distractions. The
whole party left O-so.yoos about July 9, and
separated; one portion with Lit. Geethals
heading for the Columbia via Bonaparte and
Sin pail-hu creeks; while MIR. Downing with
the packer and Davis made for the Colum.
bia via Rock creek and Kettle river trail.
Through negligence of the packer to follow
instructions aud who switched off on to the
Little Mountain" trail, Mr. Downing was
left without blankets and foou to follow the
trail on the north bank of Kettle river for 80
miles with lame nurse. He was % days
without food but kept the trail and made
30 miles day, mounting his horse only
when the trail struck level country. At
noon on the third day after being left. he
fell in with an Indian and procured meal.
and by sunset On the same day he reached
old Fit. Colville. and found that 1t. Goethals
and the Sergt. had gone out with food and
blankets to his and, after seeing the packer
and Davis come into camp without him.
They struck his trail ON Kettle river, but
missed it where he found the Indian; pick.
ing it up again at daylight they followed
him to the Columbia river and arrived at old
Fort Colville about IL hours after his return.
The party returned to Eort Ceur d'Alene
via Che.we-lah aud Fort Spokane. thence
through to Spokane Falls to the post
They have journeyed in the saddle about
$50 miles and about $50 by ambulance. not
to mention the long miles on foot. They
appeared much weather worn and tanned,
having more the appearance of band OF 81.
washes than white men. They were all in
good health and BY sunset after they had
got shaven and shorn they were hardly re-
coguizable. f u ID.
Fort Ceur d Alene, July %, 1883.