G. S. Hillard, Life and Campaigns of George B. McClellan, Major-General , U. S. Army

[51] this mountain one day, trudging around on foot. Next day I sent the animals back by the trail, and started on foot to examine the divide and Willailootzas. I had a very rough climb for some six hours, discovered another small and very pretty lake, from which the water runs both ways, and found my mule waiting for me on the trail at about two o'clock.

A ride of about sixteen miles, over a horrible trail, brought me into camp just before dark and fully prepared for a respectable cup of coffee. Next day we went back about three--miles on the trail, and then struck off to visit the largest lake of all,--Kahchess,--about eight miles long. It is very beautiful, situated, like the others, in the midst of the mountains. Yesterday we travelled about sixteen miles, to visit another large and beautiful lake,--Kleallum. These are all in the mountains, and on the heads of different branches of the main Sahawa,--most of them fully as beautiful and picturesque as many celebrated in the fashionable world. I doubt whether any whites ever saw any of them before: certainly they were unknown to the settlers. Whether steamboats will ever run on them, or Saratogas be established in their vicinity, is with me a matter of exceeding doubt. The only things we have seen of much interest are the mountains and the lakes,--both fine in their way, but rather hard to get at. To-morrow I shall go into the main camp, and hope to find things about ready for me to start into the town incognito to the northward. I shall send an express in a day or two with reports to the Secretary of War, and this at the same time. I hope to reach M. t. Baker in about twenty days from here. Where I will go to then, circumstances must determine,--I think to Colville,--perhaps thence to the Rocky Mountains.

Lieutenant Mowry had returned from the Dalles on the 2d of September, and on the 16th Lieutenant