Page:Oregon Historical Quarterly vol. 20.pdf/13

Rh the Indians very minutely relative to roads and obtained valuable information regarding the topography of the country and locations of the rivers. This interview resulted in Captain Clark's deciding to make his way to the road used by the Piercednose Indians in crossing over the mountains to the Missouri, towards the north, which, latterly, became known as the Lolo Trail.

In making some enquiries as to the exact trail which Dr. Whitman followed south from Fort Bridger, in making his memorable journey in 1842 'to save Oregon," a pre-historic road of uch importance is, to a limited extent, brought to our notice. It would seem that this trail extended from Vera Cruz, Mexico, northward to the Rio Grande near El Paso thence to Santa Fe, where it probably converged with the old Spanish trail until it reached the western part of Mesa County, Colorado, near a place called Westwater Canon. From this point the Spanish Tra ed in a more westerly direction crossing Green river near where the Denver and Rio Grande Railway now crosses that stream. The other ascended Westwater canyon, crossed over to White river, thence to Green crossing near where Fort Thornburg was in after years located. From this point the trail followed practically a direct line over the Uintah Mountains to where Bridger was afterward located and from thence to the Snake river near the Fort Hall site. From here it iollowed the Snake to Henry's Lake, where it diverged into three distinct trails, one in the direction of the Yellowstone, one to Three Forks and one toward Ross's Hole, each prong passing through a separate and distinct pass in the Rocky Mountains directly above Henry's Lake.

Returning to the Westwater canyon it may be of interest to note that, several years ago, an inscription was found orn the wall rock of this canyon written in French, a liberal translation of which follows:

"Antoine Robidoux passed this way the 13th of November, 1837, for the purpose of establishing a mission for trading or Green River or the Uintah."