, 1889-08-22
A Magnificent Country Viewed
With Commingled Pleas
ure and Disgust.
Thousands of Acres of Valuable
Lands Reserved for the
Worthless Siwash.
A Night With Red Dog Bill
Chief Tenascuts wealth
The Hee He Stone.

the subsequent news pertaining to the
losses and plans for future rebuilding,
ctc., having taken so much ofyour space
of@pte, has kept me from sending you
any items from this section of Spokane
Falls tributary country. Since my last
communication have spent some time
In the saddle, viewing with mingled
pleasure and disgust AS fine an agricul-
tural, grazing and mining country as IA
white man would care TO see. The coun-
try travelled over is n grand one, every
mile Of the road presenting some new
and pleasing sight. The disgust that
strikes the traveller forcibly is the
SUPREME ADVANTAGE
that the Indian has over the white pco-
pie, as will be briefly narrated in this
letter.
On July 23d in company with
Colville Savage, not one of
the nations wards, a red devil, but
Thomas L., one of Colville's live bisi-
ness men, each astride cayuse, we
turned our backs on the thriving town
of Colvillc and spurred our horses to-
ward the setting sun. As VIC made u
late start we camped for the night on
the east side of the Columbia river, at
Kettle Falls. During the evening we
amused ourselves by watching the sal
mon, whom in their endeavors to get up
the river are compelled to leap over the
falls, often making leap 10 feet ver-
tically and as much as 40 feet horizont-
ally. These fish weigh from 20 up to
near 100 pounds each. At one spot they
have been counted a number of times us
they jumped over the falls, by placing
their weight ut 20 pounds each, which is
d low estimate. During the running
season from ton to sixteen tons of sal
mon pass given point ON their way up
the river each hour. a number OF
Indians from the reservation and other
points are Camped on the beach engaged
In catching and drying salmon for
winter use.
Early iii the morning of the 9th we
were on our way. We crossed
THE BEAUTIFUL COLUMBIA
at Marcus and set foot on the sacred soil
Of the Siwash, being on the great reser-
yation bounded on the east and south
by the Columbia river, on the west by
the Okanogan, and ON the north by
British Columbia. Here we strike ket-
tic river, and follow its course for
nearly 100 miles; u distance of about
thirty miles from the Columbia, and we
cross the International boundary line
and enter tho domain of Her Royal
Majesty, where the white man is more
welcome than on the immense area of
magnificent country set aside for the
nation's wards, and averages one Indian
% ten square miles.
For about twelve miles from the mouth
nj Kettle river sinnullN Indian
arm is seen. They have fine fields of
wheat and other grain, vegetables, ETC.,
and live in comfortable log houses, " hich
proves that the noble red man could
support himself were he allowed to do
10.
"A short distance across the line and
Grand Prairie is reached. At the eastern
boundary of this magnificent piece of
land, which is about II miles in length
and from one halfto two miles in width,
Is the falls of Kettle river, where have
understood a town will be laid out in
the near future. Nearly all of Grand
Prairie has been taken up, mostly by
Americans, so am informed. The soil
or producing hay, grain, vegetables and
ruit Is
MORE THAN ORDINARILY RICH.
One case in point, and one that l took
considerable pains TO examine, was the
ranch of w. III. Covert at the upper end
of the prairie. -Four years ago MIR.
Covert settled on this land. He had to
borrow money to bring himself and
family 10 the spot, as the Indians held
undisputed sway ON the United States
side of the boundary line. Mr.. Covert.
although an American, was compelled
20 become u British subject and found
his home on the soil of another govern
ment. On account of the lack OF funds
and himself and wife being compelled to
work for wages for other parties, he has
only done about two years actual farm
Ing, yet the result Is most wonderful,
showing what intelligent application
toward the cultivation of the soil will
accomplish. His fruit trees and grape
vines. although only in their third year.
are very prolific. He raises several va
rieties of corn, including broom, his
corn for fattening hogs. in size and APP
pearance, very much resembles that
produced in southern Illinois. | have
never seen larger vegetables not even at
= county fair, than saw on his ranch.
Imagine parsnips between three and
four feet in length and thirteen inches
In diameter; beets so large that they
cannot be placed in kettle; potatoes,
hill after hill producing twelve pounds
each. The depth of this soil is not
known, as no one has ever sunk through
t. As near as could learn this farm
Is q sample of what the entire country
Is capable of and doubtless when the
reservation Is thrown open to settle
ment by the whites, every foot of desir-
able land will be speedily taken.
From the upper end of Grand Prairie
Kettle river makes sweep to the west
in United States territory. Following
the stream il is about thirty miles TO
where it again intersects the boundary
line. About half way, at the mouth of
Curlew creek, is the ranch and home of
CHIEF rENAscuT.
This willy old savage is possessed of
many of this worlds goods, and has
horses and cattle by the hundreds, yet
he waltzes up to the agency on annuity
iay for his portion of Uncle Sans gifts,
like an ordinary Siwash.
As the traveller over the country spo-
ken of sees and inspects the farms of
the white man and Of the Indian, there
is one fact that cannot escape his OBJ
servation--that il, he will notice that
the Indian farmer has his factory-made
wagon while the poor white, in nearly !
every instance, has to whittle his out of
pine log. The Indian has his moving |
machine and hayrakc, while the white |
can cut his hay with the old fashioned |
,cythc and rake il by hand.
Instead OF following the river the |
traveller can follow the trail up Fourth |
of July creek tqueer name for stream |
In British Columbia) over the noun |
lains and down Boundary creek, strik- |
ing the boundary again at Louis |
Ebault's ranch. liound0ry crock has |
been mined considerably in times past |
for gold in placers, and quite number |
of gold and copper lodes are located oil |
.l..s a. ...iI