The record-union., 1893-12-02
Special to the REcoRp.UN1oN.


party, who were supposed to have been
lost in the Bitter Root Mountains of
Idaho, and whose rescue has excited so
much interest during the past few weeks,
arrived here safely, with the exception OF
George Colgate, the cook, who fell sick
and was left to die in the mountains.
The party consisted of w. +. Carlin,
son of Brigadier- General William 2. Car
lin; J. II. Pierce, brother-in-law OF Mr..
Carlin. and a. L. A. Himmelwright, Sec
retary of the Columbia Granite Company
of New York City.
Himmelwright gives the following ac-
count of the party's experience:
1.-THE party organized last summer and
started from Spokane, Wash, where they
engaged Martin Spencer as guide and
George Colgate of Post Falls as cook.
''They proceeded by train to Kendrick,
Ida, and with ten cayuses and five weeks
provisions started out from that point on
September 18th. The route was by the
wav of Snel's Mill, Weitfe, Browns
Creek, Mussel-sheH Creek, and thence
via Lo-Lo trail 10 what are known as
the Indian Postonices, ffty-fve miles
from Mussel-shell Creek. At this point
the trail branches from the Lo-Lo trail
and leads to Warm Springs. on the Clear |
water River, the destination of the party, |
which was reached Septem ber 2Gth.
Although it rained steadily for thir-
teen days, which interfered considerably !
with the pleasure of the hunting party,
they met with great success, and on Oc-
tober 10th started on the return trip over
the Lo-Lo trail.
latter reaching the top of the first
ridge parallel to the Clearwater River,
two and half feet Of snow was found,
and the guide estimated that the snow
would be four feet deep on the higher
portions of the Lo-Lo trail. and should
the horses become exhausted from the
lack of food, the party would be COM
PEELED 10 walk the balance Of the distance
to Mussel-shell Creek, and as the cook
was sick and unable to walk, his position
in that case would be very serious.
''It was consequently decided to return
to the old camp on the Clearwater and
build rats. If by the time the RATS were
completed the cook was still unable to
walk, an attempt would be made to float
down the river to the South Fork, near
W which several ranches were known to be
located.
Fifteen days were consumed in build
ing two RATS, and several days more were
devoted to the final examination of the
Io-Lo trail, and securing meat for the
: proposed trip down the river.
spencer found the trail impracticable,
amer a laDOrlOQS III the SHOW. Inc
cook, in the meantime, had been growing
feebler every day. a trapper, Ben * eeley,
was engaged to accompany the party.
with the supply of provisions equally
divided on RATS, SO as to avoid the poSsi-
bilitY of losing all their provisions in case
either of the RATS were lost, the. party
embarked and began the journey down
the river on November Sd.
1.-TWO upsets and delay caused by the
necessity of examining the river in adj
vance of the RATS made progress slow,
and by the 18th OF November only twen-
ty-two miles had been accomplished.
'At this point the river was found to be
full OF projecting powders, and the water
was very swift. Further examination re-
suited in the discovery Of several other
impossible places in the river, which |
made rafting impracticable.
at was therefore decided to abandon
the RATS and proceed the remaining dis
tance of about thirty-eight miles on foot.
1.-THE cook at that time was in semi
unconscious condition, modification hav-
ing set in in his legs below the knees.
Only eight days provisions were left, and
as the cook could not possibly live but
few days longer, and was, beside, per-
fectly helpless, he was made as comfort
able as possible and the rest of the party
began the journey on foot.
1.-THE shores Of the river were mass of
ragged rock, on which one could get at
best only an uncertain footing. FIRE.
ouently a large projecting cliff would
hang over the river, and an hour or more
would be consumed In Surmounting ii.
ION the third day after abandoning The
RATS the party reached Black Canyon,
which proved 10 be eight miles in length
The river there has almost vertical walls, |
varying from 200 to l,000 feet in hight.
Clinging to bushes and small saplings,
with the footing sometimes only a few
in II
feet above the water, the progress of the
party was necessarily slow and extremely
hazardous.
"Three days was consumed in passing
through the canyon, without shelter or
blankets, and sometimes harrasSed by
rain and snow. Very little sleep could
be secured, and when, on the eighth day,
the supply of flour was exhausted, there
was ample cause to feel discouraged. But, !
enfeebled as it was from the loss of sleep |
and the scarcity of food, the party pushed |
bravely on.
son the tenth day of their tramp, No
vember I'D, after having subsisted for
two DAYS on tea, three fish and few ber-
rieS, while moving slowly down the
river, and when within five miles of the
nearest ranch, the party was fortunate
enough to meet Lieutenant Elliott, who
was in charge of one of the relief expedi-
uons sent out from Vancouver barracks.
for the hungry men.
AS soon as the party was able to travel
they were hurried onward by boats on
the river to Indian Ferry, on the north
fork of Clearwater River, twenty-four
miles from kendrick; thence by wagon
to SnelPs Mill, and thence to Kendrick,
where they arrived safely on November
30th, and were met by Brigadier-General
William 2. Carlin.
''The route by trail was abandoned
The party was compelled to rely on its
own resources. as the guide was not ia
niliar with the river or the management
of small craft in swift water. Thev GER
tainIy could have gotten out by Novem-
Der lst by pushing through the snow on
foot after exhausting the horses or by
snow-shoes. 1t was solely the hope of
bringing out George Colgate safely that
led them to sacrifice month and to en-
dure the untold hardship and suffering
which the trip down the river certainly
necessitated."
HOBOS AT ASHLAND,