Clearwater Republican. [volume] (Orofino, Idaho) 1912-1922, 1921-12-09
Written by Jack Harlan.

lbui anu null ili'O'' {" '~SN'N~
land. opposite Il small creek, tCot
tonwood) on the left side OF tn
river. Five miles lower is anothe
island on the left, mile and |
half below is a fourth At shor
distance from this is a large creel
from the right, (Potlatch) to which
we gave the name of Golfers creek
from Golfer. one of the men. W.
he'd left this creek about Il mile anc
half, and were passing the last o.
fifteen rapids which we had beer
fortunate enough to escape, Wher
one of the canoes struck. and hole
being made in her side, she immed'
lately filled and sank. The men
several of which could not swim
clung to the boat till one of oui
canoes could be unloaded, and with
the assistance of an Indian boat
they were all brought to shore. All
the goods were so much wet that
we were obliged to camp for the
night and spread them out to dry.
While all this was exhibited, it was
necessary to place two sentinels
over the merchandise, for we found
that the Indians, though kind and
disposed to give us every add dur
ing our distress. could not resist the
temptation to pilfering some of the
small articles. (This reminds one
of the present disposition of the
white souvenir hunters.) We
passed, during our route of twenty
miles today, several encampments OF
Indians on the islands and near the
rapids, which places are chosen as
most convenient for taking salmon.
AT one of these camps we found our
two chiefs. who. after promising to
descend the river with us, had left
us; they however, willingly came
on board after we had gone thru
the ceremony of smoking"
One can not pay much attention
e he distances they mention; it is
nearly always overestimated. they
f'o now camped near the mouth OF
what is now called Catholic creek,
hnt rot = mile and half below
Potlatch creek.
Wednesday,, Oct. 9th. They re-
+. in ali day at this camp drying
IN If effects. In the afternoon
they were much surprised to learn
OF the 5udden disappearance Of their
ol \ Shoshoni guide and his son who
ha Gro ed tn. mountains VIA
them. The two had resolved to re-
tn Il home to their people. They were
: en- running up the river they had
m@da no explanation to any one
Homesickness is a Opposition strong
er N the Indian than any other
race of people. Force him into
changed environments and he with
err and pines his life away. as he
lc"S for tin scenes Of his nativity
Tie impulse TO return gripped then
lie the instinct of the wild geese
tha, mutually rise and wing their
wy 10 The south in their yearly
mlGtations. And as unerring as
tie blds and animals the two
Gesture sped their way homeward.
I'D though il was late in the year
to @ecloea the mountains. it is
len to ore eoniecture in their favor
tLey made it without mishap.
The two Captains requested some
of The Nez Perez chiefs to stop
them. that they might get the pay
co'1il to thcm. but in this tho
Oh ~ fisue de them for they wei,
~ q" his dispostio. ara further.
iheg kiew L was trait of their
roaplc I" haze stripped tn N of ali
ffe presents That night have been
'aea then. .h1Eah they would fed
theM he passed back thru their
toaot:y
~" d.. Oct 10th, 1905. 1t is
IN morning They load their
e@f"e ard se' off They pass the
OF h e Lapwai creek, and in
me aft5 noon reach the mouth of
ne Clearwater, and camp opposit.
The mouth of the Snake river
N-eWis river as called by them)
desc 10 the State linz Of Idaho and
Washington
Here what their journal says
about the present townsite OF Lew
iston and Charleston. THE country
at the junction of the two rivers is
an open plain on all sides. broken
towards the left by distant ridge
OF highland. thinly covered with
timber. This is the only body OF
timber which the country possesses.
for at the forks there is not a tire,
to be seen, and during almost the
whole descent of sixty miles down
the kooskooskee from its forks there
are |ery few. trhis southern branch
Is, In fact the main stream of Lew is
river. on which we eneamped when
among the Shoshonis. The Indians
inform us il is navigable for sixty