We shall
not follow him minutely in his journey; which lay at times over steep
and rocky hills, and among crags and precipices; at other times
over vast naked and sunburnt plains, abounding with rattlesnakes, in
traversing which, both men and horses suffered intolerably from heat and
thirst. The place on which he fixed for a trading post, was a fine point
of land, at the junction of the Pointed Heart and Spokan Rivers.
His establishment was intended to compete with a trading post of the
Northwest Company, situated at no great distance, and to rival it in
the trade with the Spokan Indians; as well as with the Cootonais and
Flatheads. In this neighborhood we shall leave him for the present.
Mr. M'Kenzie, who conducted the third party from the Wallah-Wallah,
navigated for several days up the south branch of the Columbia, named
the Camoenum by the natives, but commonly called Lewis River, in honor
of the first explorer. Wandering bands of various tribes were seen along
this river, travelling in various directions; for the Indians generally
are restless, roving beings, continually intent on enterprises of war,
traffic, and hunting. Some of these people were driving large gangs of
horses, as if to a distant market. Having arrived at the mouth of the
Shahaptan, he ascended some distance up that river, and established his
trading post upon its banks.
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