North Fork Salmon River, impassable route — Patrick Gass: September 2, 1805

proceeded up the creek, and passed some part closely tim-
bered with spruce and pine. We went on with difficulty on
account of the bushes, the narrowness of the way and stones
that injured our horses feet, they being without shoes. In the
136 GASS’S JOURNAL OF THE
forenoon we killed some pheasants and ducks, and a small
squirrel. In the afternoon we had a good deal of rain, and
the worst road (if road it can be called) that was ever trav-
elled. The creek is become small and the hills come close in
upon the banks of it, covered thick with standing timber and
fallen trees ; so that in some places we were obliged to go up
the sides of the hills, which are very steep, and then down
again in order to get along at all. In going up these ascents
the horses would sometimes fall backwards, which injured
them very much ; and one was so badly hurt that the driver
was obliged to leave his load on the side of one of the hills. In
the low ground there are most beautiful tall straight pine trees
of different kinds, except of white pine. Game is scarce ; and a
small quantity of dried salmon, which we got from the natives
is almost our whole stock of provisions. A son of our guide
joined us to-day and is going on. We went 13 miles and en-
camped; but some of the men did not come up till late at night.