oclock from Spokane and arrived at the Kettle Falls at 1/2 past 6 in
the evening which is good days ride. We had two horses each, we left
the ones which we rode in the fore part of the day about half way,
though they were not knocked up. We were only two hours from the South
end of the long plain[165] to the Kettle Falls. The men who left
Spokane on the 15th arrived last night.--
Monday 19
Cloudy weather.
Set the Express men to work to gum the boat and sent them off[166] at 4
o'clock in the afternoon. The crew consists of 8 men. The boat is not
deep laden but a good deal lumbered on account of the passengers, Mr
McLeod's wife & 2 children, Mr Ross's wife and 4 children & St. Martin
& 1 child. The men have provisions, corn, pease, dry meat & dry salmon
for 36 days. The despatches are in Pierre L'Etang's charge.--Two of the
Express men were sick one with venereal, two others had to be sent in
their place.--
Since I have been here last very little progress has been made in the
building. Not a stick of the house is up yet nor will the timber be
in readiness for some time, I expected the frame at least would have
been up. The causes assigned for this slow progress is principally the
want of a proper hand to lay out the work for the men. L. La Bonta it
appears is quite unfit for this duty, the whole of the posts (14) were
squared too small & others of a proper size had to be taken out of the
woods.--J. B. Proveau is now laying out the work & the business is
going better on. The timber for the frame is now pretty well advanced
in readiness to put together, but only about the 1/3 of the filling up
pieces are squared. Sawing also has gone on very slowly, only about
93 boards & planks are yet cut--the saw at first was badly sharpened,
& some time was lost putting it in proper order. Some of the men were
also often sick, or pretended to be so, & unfit for work. Certainly
there is little work done for the number of men & times they were
employed.
7 men since the 10th or 12th August and 9 more men since the 1st inst.
Tuesday 20th
Raining in the forepart of the day.--
Set out at 11 oclock on our return to Spokane & encamped at 7 at the
Big Camass plain.[167]
Left directions with Mr Dears to keep the men at work a few days
longer to have the timber for the store all in readiness to be put up
in the spring if another situation does not be fixed upon. There is no
other convenient spot near the fishing at the falls on which to build
a fort. It will be necessary to call home the men to put the houses,
etc., at Spokane in order to pass the winter.--Mr Dears is to be in
readiness to proceed up the Pendent Oreville River when the men are
called home.
Wed.y. 21
Foggy in the morning, fine weather afterwards.
Proceeded on our journey at 6 oclock and arrived at Spokane before 11.
Mr. Kittson & I crossed the point from the (Buffau de Chaudin[168]), in
50 minutes.
Nothing material has occurred during our absence. By an Indian arrival
lately from the Flat Heads it is reported that the Blackfeet have
stolen the most of our peoples' horses which were in company with the F
Head Indians. It seems the horses & some of the freemen who last left
Mr Ogden were ahead of the Flat Head camp with some of the chiefs and
that the women & people had stopped to gather berries while the horses
went on a short distance ahead with (Revit)[169] & crossed a small
River where the Blackfeet were lying in wait and drove them off. The F.
Head chiefs, on the alarm being given, instantly pursued but could come
up with only a few of the horses, and killed one of the thieves, and
it is now reported that the F. Head chiefs are so exasperated that war
is determined upon & that the Blackfeet will be attacked immediately.
however this is only Indian reports.
The young Indian who was sent off with the despatches to Mr Ogden on
the 28th Augt. is supposed to have reached the Flat Head camp some time
ago.--
Thursday 22nd
Clear fine weather.
Part of the men here employed covering the store with mats, the others
getting firewood.
Fresh provisions are now very scarce scarcely a sufficiency of trout
and a small kind of salmon can be procured for on our table, and very
few of the bad salmon are got so that the people are mostly fed on dry
provisions.
Friday 23
Clear fine weather.
The people employed as yesterday, two covering the store with mats &
two getting firewood.
Saturday 24
Clear fine weather.
Men employed as yesterday. Finished covering the store with mats.
Sunday 25
Weather as yesterday.
Part of the Nezperces Indians went off today. they have been here some
time.
Monday 26
Fine weather.
Late last night Faneant one of Mr Ogden's men arrived from the Missouri
with letters dated on the 11th inst--Mr. Ogden is now on his way with
20 men to Wallawalla by the Snake Country[170] and has sent orders here
for the part of his outfit that is at this place, with about 50 horses,
20 saddles and appichimans, leather, cords, etc., to be forwarded to
meet him at Wallawalla. he expects to reach that place about the 20th
October. He also requests Mr Dears to be sent to meet him with the
horses.--There will be only about 20 horses left, and the most of them
unfit for any duty.--
Tuesday 27th
Clear fine pleasant weather.
Sent off an Indian to Wallawalla with Mr Ogden's disptaches, so that
they may reach Mr Deane as soon as possible, that he may forward them
to the sea if he deems it necessary & also have time to purchase horses
for Mr Ogden.--An Indian with some horses was sent off to Kettle Falls
with instructions for Mr Dears to get the potatoes put in a pit and
well covered up so that the frost cannot injure them, that they may
serve for seed next year. He is also to get the timber laid up in a
proper manner, & come home as soon as possible with the men and all the
tools.--We will have plenty of work for all the men here, preparing
material for boats, & providing fuel for the winter and repairing the
houses. These jobs require to be done before the Express arrives as the
number of men allowed for this place will have plenty to do attending
to the boat building and other necessary jobs during the winter. My
object in having them at Kettle falls when I was last there was to save
provisions & to have the material for them ready to set up. Mr Dears
is directed to leave strict injunctions with the old chief to see that
nothing that is left there be injured by the Inds. The tools are all to
be brought home.
Wed.y. 28
Clear fine weather.
A few Indians coming & going, but very little doing in the way of
trade. I am busy arranging the accounts, but the Inventory was so
incorrectly taken in the spring and the goods disposed of in the
beginning of the season so badly accounted for that, I cannot get any
kind of a satisfactory account made out out.--
Thursday 29
Fine weather.
Had a man employed these two days past cutting (?) (?) into cords. An
Ind. was employed, boiling gum.--Scarcely any fresh provisions. Nothing
for the people, and but very little for our own table.
Friday 30th
Cloudy mild weather.
Visited the hay makers they will require a day or two yet to have a
sufficiency made.
Octr. Satd.y. 1
Some rain in the night, cloudy mild weather afterwards.
Mr Dears and the men under his charge arrived from Kettle Falls with
all their tools baggage etc. They were sent for in good time as they
would have been obliged to come home or have had provisions sent to
them as no more could be got there.--He took up the potatoes and put
them bye in a little house that was built there by one of the men, the
produce is only 13 kegs[171] from six that were sowed. they burried &
(put) a good thickness of earth over them that the frost may not injure
them so that they may serve for seed next year if the Indians do not
steal them in the winter. The old chief is directed to take particular
care of them. The timber &c is also left under his charge, and he
promised to take good care of it as well as the potatoes.
It would require ten men, 8 or 10 days yet to have the store up and
ready for covering the roof. The frames are now all ready for setting
up and about the one half of the filling up pieces ready, of the
covering planks 18 feet long are ready plank of ten feet for doors &c
and boards of two feet for the gable ends are also ready.--There have
been 7 men at work from the 10 or 12 of Augt. to the 30th. 16 & part
of the time 17 from the 1st to 19th Sept. and 9 men from the 19th of
Sept to the 28th were employed doing this work.--had there been an
experienced hand to lay out the work for the men much more would have
been done.--
We will have full employment for all the men now till the Express
arrives preparing material for boats, making cor(r)als, getting
firewood, and putting the houses in order for the winter, these works
will require to be done now, as there will not be enough of people here
to attend to them in winter.--
Sunday 2nd.
Heavy rain in the night & forepart of the day.--
The Indian who was sent to Kettle Falls with the horses did not return
till today. One of his horses which he had to leave by the way was
stolen by an Indian & taken to the Chutes, he said he had taken him in
revenge for a quarrel he had with one of the women of the fort from
whom he got a bloody face, this happened only a few days ago.
Monday 3
Fair mild weather.
Had four of the men off seeking timber to saw for boats, they felled
nine trees none of which would serve, they are a good distance up along
the River seeking it.[172] Wood of the dimensions required, 40 feet
long & 14 inches square, is difficult to find.
The most of the others were employed getting firewood, they tried to
raft in the morning but the wood is so far from the water side and the
river so shallow that they could make nothing of it & had to commence
cutting cord wood which will have to be carted[173] home by horses.
Tuesday 4
Fine pleasant weather.
The men employed as yesterday, those in search of the boat timber found
three trees suitable for the purpose & have made some progress in
squaring them.
Wed.y. 5th.
Clear fine weather.
Two more men were sent to assist the squarers. The others were employed
taking up the potatoes, the crop is but very indifferent only about 28
kgs from 5 that were sowed, they had begun to grow again & some of them
were budded several inches.
Prepared & tied up sundry articles to be sent off tomorrow to
Nezperces for the Snake expedition, the horses were brought home in the
evening to be ready.--
Thursday 6
Sharp frost in the morning.--
The Indian Charlie who is to accompany the people to Nezperces did
not arrive as he had promised and one of the men's horses being lost,
deferred sending the party off till tomorrow.
The men were sent off to assist in getting home the timber, they got
it in and down part of the way. The River is very shallow & it is
difficult getting it down the rapids.
Friday 7
Weather as yesterday.
Sent off the party to Nezperces at 8 oclock, it consists of Messrs.
Kittson, Dears, their wives[174], six men & 2 Indians, with 50 horses
18 of which were loaded, the loads are not heavy. Mr Kittson, 4 of the
men and 1 Indian are to return, some of the horses are to be brought
back if they can be spared. Mr Dears & the other two men who belong to
the Snake expedition are to remain.--The party are well armed and I
think sufficiently strong to pass through the Indians with safety.
The men at the Fort got home the timber and were afterwards employed
getting wood for a sawpit.
Trade has been improving a little for some time past, a few beaver are
coming in daily.--No fresh provisions, this will likely be a starving
winter with the Indians, they are getting no bad salmon, formerly at
this season they used to be abundant.
By the old Kettle Falls chief I sent a note to be handed to the
Gentlemen coming in with the Express.--It was intended that some one
would, in compliance with the Governors orders, would have gone up the
Pedent Oreille River to examine it. Mr Dears was to have gone, but
his having to go to Nezperces prevented it. Mr Kittson in consequence
of a hurt in the foot received by a fall last winter of which he is
not yet thoroughly recovered & which prevents him from undertaking
any journey on foot of any extent he was incapable of going, moreover
it was considered necessary that for the more safe conveyance of the
property to WallaWalla & the safe return of the people who have to
come back, that he should (mak) (an effort to?) accompany the party.
Mr. Birnie declared himself totally incapable of embarking in a small
Indian canoe & could not undertake the trip but in a large canoe
with at least four men, from the press of business at present, & a
great deal of work being absolutely necessary to be done before winter
commences it is impossible to spare the men, the examining the River
must, therefore be deferred until next season. I am sorry it is out of
our power to execute the Govrs instructions[175], though as we are at
present situated, not having been able to remove the Fort, the trade
can sustain no injury by the river not being examined this season, for
even were the River navigable, the old rout would be preferable.
Satd.y. 8
Cloudy cold weather.
Some of the men employed finished the sawpit & getting everything in
readiness to commence sawing on Monday.--The others cutting firewood.
Sunday 9
Weather as yesterday, some rain in the night.--
Monday 10
Cloudy cold weather, showers of rain & hail, rain in the night.
Men employed as follows.--Two sawing wood for boats, 2 seeking stem and
stern posts, and six cutting wood for coals. The sawyers got on pretty
well. The wood for stem & stern posts was also found.
Tuesday 11
Cold showery weather.
Sent off 4 men with 6 horses to seek cedar for boat timber. 4 were
employed cutting wood for coals & 2 sawing.
Wed.y. 12
Heavy rain the greater part of the day.
Men employed as yesterday, but on account of the bad weather, both
the wood cutters and sawyers were stopped a considerable time.--A
sufficiency of wood is cut for the coals, but they have yet to build it
into a pit or furnace.
Thursday 13
Heavy rain the greater part of the day. The rain kept the people idle a
considerable part of the day. With this unfavourable weather the work
is getting on very slowly.
Friday 14th
Cloudy fair weather.
The woodmen finished arranging the wood for the coals, they are now
ready to set fire to. Those who went off on tuesday returned with the
wood for boat timber sufficient for 4 boats they would have been back
sooner had it not been for the bad weather. The sawyers got on pretty
well, but unfortunately one of the logs which we had so much trouble
getting, turns out to be rotten in the heart, it was sound at both
ends. It will not answer the purpose & finding trees of a proper size &
getting them home is attended with a good deal of difficulty.
Satd.y. 15
Cloudy fair weather.
Four men employed squaring a piece of timber 40 feet long, 12 inches
wide and 6 thick to make up for the boards that are deficient in the
one that was rotten. Two others of the men brought home some white
earth to whitewash the houses. The sawyers made about 120 feet today.
Sunday 16
Wather as yesterday.
Monday 17
Cloudy fair weather.
The men brought home the log which was squared on Saturday.--Afterwards
6 were employed cutting firewood, 2 cutting wheels for a truck, to cart
home wood & 2 sawing. It requires all hands to be employed at firewood
as none was cut in summer it being supposed that the fort was going to
be removed.
Tuesday 18
Cloudy pleasant weather, frost in the night & foggy in the morning.--
Men employed as yesterday. The sawyers made about 110 feet. The Indians
had taken away the canoe so that the men could not get home the wheels
after they were cut.
Old Philip occasionally catches a few little fish with the scoop net
which with a choice trout got from the Indians serves on our table but
the people are fed entirely on dry provisions.
Wed.y. 19
Cloudy weather.
Men employed as yesterday. Mr Kittson and his party arrived from
WallaWalla[176] in 5 days. All the property &c reached that place safe.
He has letters from Dr McLaughlin and Mr Dease, the former had just
arrived at WallaWalla and intimates that he will probably visit[177]
this place to meet the Express.--Mr Kittson brought five horses &
four men back with him, two of the men which were sent (Cender) and
(Laduoite), were exchanged for Wagner and Pierre, the former is sent
here by way of punishment for disobedience of orders.--Mr. Kittson had
six horses with him but he had to leave one of them by the way, which
the Indians promised to take back. So that 5 will have to be deducted
from the number sent.
Thursday 20
Fine weather.
The four men who arrived yesterday employed packing up saddles.
appichimans, cords &c for N. Caledonia & Thompson's River, which are to
be sent to the Forks to be forwarded to Okanogan by the Express boat.
Our men employed white washing the Fort, the others employed sawing &
cutting wood as yesterday.
Friday 21
Weather as yesterday.
Men employed as yesterday. Finished packing the saddles appichimans
&c--and sent a man & an Indian off to the Plains[178] for the horses to
send off to the Forks tomorrow.
One of the (?) Soteaux who has been here some time set off in the
evening to the Flat Heads with several of the Spokane Indians. he got
a small supply of ammunition and other necessary articles. Mr. Ogden
requested this man to be sent to him to Wallawalla but we could not get
him prevailed on to go, he is an Indian and it is useless to withhold
these supplies as he would have gone off without them & in sulks &
probably hunted more during winter. We endeavored to detain him till
the arrival of the Express but he would not stop.--
Saturday 22
Cloudy fine weather.
Part of the men employed cleaning about the Fort, the others as before.
Sent off J. B. Proveau, Louis (Shaegockatsta) and two Indians (one of
them the chief of this place.) to the Forks with 16 horses loaded with
the appichimans saddles &c for New Caledonia & Thompsons River. The
people are to remain at the Forks till the Express arrives.
Sunday 23
Clear pleasant weather.
Some Nezperces Indians are now driving towards the Fort.
Monday 24
Pleasant weather.
Two men employed sawing, 2 beating & changing the furs to another
place, 5 cutting wood, 1 making wheels & arranging a carriage for wood,
2 sundry jobs.--The sawyers finished the wood for 3 boats, in all 73
boards 6 Inches wide and 40 feet long & 3 broad pieces for keels 40
feet long & 14 Inches wide, and 6 pieces for gunwales 40 feet long &
2 Inches wide in 15 days, they worked well, they were retarded a good
deal by bad weather when they commenced.
Sunday 25
Clear pleasant weather.
The sawyers squaring two trees for plank to make a stern box for the
boat timber. 1 man carting home wood, the other employed as yesterday.
Wedy 26
Frosty in the morning fine weather afterwards.
Two of the men employed covering the dwelling house with mats, the
sawyers squared a log for boards to make a stearing box, the others
cutting cord wood.
Thursday 27
Weather as yesterday.
The sawyers sawing, the others employd as yesterday--The horse keeper
came home & reported that three of his horses have strayed.--
Friday 28
Weather as yesterday.
The men employed as yesterday.
Old Philip & another man finished covering the dwelling house with
mats,--and afterwards commenced burning a pit of coals.
Saturday 29th
Overcast mild weather.
Men employed as before. The sawyers brought home another log for a few
more boards.--
Sunday 30
Clear mild weather.
Employed all day taking an Inventory of the goods in the store.
Monday 31
Mild pleasant weather. At midnight last night, A. R. McLeod[179] Esq.
C. T. & Mr. F. Ermatinger arrived from the Forks with the Express. Mr.
Black & Mr. E. Ermatinger remained at the Forks.--Towards evening Mr.
McLeod with three men and an Indian on horseback set out for Nezperces
to meet Mr McLaughlin with the despatches. Three men were also sent
off with provisions for the people at the Forks and to bring up some
property that has been brought back from the Rocky mountains.
One of the passengers St. Martin who was going out, was drowned
crossing a small creek near the mountains. By Mr. McLeod I wrote to Mr
McLaughlin and to Mr Dease, apprising them that it will be incumbent
on Mr Dease who is to come & take charge of this District, to make all
the Expedition in his power that the Flat Head people may get off in
sufficient time not to be stopped by the ice.
Tuesday 1st (November)
Overcast mild weather.
Messrs. Kittson[180] and Ermatinger left for the Forks the former to
return with the horses and property, the latter to accompany the boats
to Okanagan.
The men remaining at the Fort were employed cutting & carting home
wood. Mr Birnie & I finished taking the invtry.
Wed.y. 2
Overcast cold weather.
The men employed as yesterday. Two attending the coal pit that is
burning, (charcoal) 3 cutting wood and 1 carting.
Thursday 3
Overcast cold weather, some snow in the night and the morning.
Mr. Kittson arrived from the Forks. he left the men behind they will
not arrive till tomorrow.--The Express gentlemen also left the Forks
yesterday. From some misunderstanding between Mr. McLeod & Mr.
Black respecting a man P. Wagner who was exchanged for one of the
Spokane men at Wallawalla by way of punishment for disobedience of
orders, & was to be taken to Okanagan taken in his place, and the
Spokane man's place supplied by one of the new hands coming in, instead
of which Wagner is taken on & no one left in his place. altho' Mr
Kittson explained how it stood yet he said he had no orders, tho' mr.
McLeod mentioned the circumstance to him in his letter. We will be a
man short unless one is sent from Wallawalla.
Friday 4
Stormy cold weather, snowing.
The men arrived with the property from the Forks. they were so benumbed
with cold that they could scarcely untie the loads.--the outside of
some of the Bales were wet with soft rain & snow.
Satd.y. 5th
Snowing & raw cold weather, winter like weather.
Dilivered the Kootany outfit to Mr Kittson.--
The men that arrived yesterday not employed. The carter had to stop
work, the snow clogged so to the wheels that he could not work.
Sunday 6th
Stormy, cold, snowing weather.
There is a good thickness of snow on the ground.--
Monday 7
Disagreeable weather soft snow and sleet.
The horses were brought home from the plains[181] & all the Kootany
outfit prepared to be sent off tomorrow.
The Coer de Alan chief brought home three of our horses which have been
missing some time. One of them was thought had been stolen.--two or
three more have been missing some days.--
Tuesday 8
Some showers of rain and sleet & overcast foggy weather.
Mr. Kittson sent off his people, five men with nine horses and the
Kootany outfit on horses to the Forks where they are to embark in
a canoe or small boat and proceed up the Columbia to the entrance
of McGillivrays Kootany[182] River, up which they are to continue
to a place called the falls[183] about half a days march below the
Old Fort, where they are to build. This road is taken in obedience
to orders received from Governor Simpson.[184] By this route a
considerable deal of horse carriage will be avoided, and the Fort
being situated farther down the river will be the means of keeping the
Indians in a part of the country, where beaver are more numerous than
where they usually hunt near the Flat Head lands. Another advantage
attending this track is that if necessary they will be able to put out
much earlier in the spring. The only objection to this road is running
the risk of being taken by the ice on account of the lateness of the
season, as the River is not known but very imperfectly except from
Indian reports, but as they will not be deep laden being only 14 or 16
pieces including baggage & provisions and as there are five men (an
additional one being sent on account of the road not being known, &
buildings to be erected) it is expected they will still arrive before
the ice sets in calculating by the other road the distance cannot be
very long.
Wed.y. 9
Foggy soft mild weather.
One man employed repairing & making horse harness, one filling up a pit
in the boat house,[185] and one working about the store, two men are
still attending the coal pit, which is not yet burnt out.
Put aside the greater part of the Outfit for the Flat Heads.
Thursday 10
Weather as yesterday--The snow has not all disappeared off the hills &
very hollow places yet--
One man employed cutting wood, the other as yesterday--