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 SNAKE RIVER

IN HISTORY

15

white man's peculiar ideas, appropriated one of the captain's horses and made way with it undiscovered.

On

the evening of the 14th, the party was encamped at Willow creek where the old Humboldt and Boise river trail

They appear to have established their a on large island in the river there which afencampments it as forded, yet does, good pasturage for stock. They were still here on Saturday evening when the captain visited the camp of the missionaries and informed them that it was his purpose to remain in that vicinity to trade with the Indians and trap beaver until the following March. Just what effect the operations of Mr. Wyeth back at Fort Hall had produced upon the sagacious captain I have no means

crossed the Snake.

Certain it is, however, that when the Whitman the river at Three Islands and journeyed which crossed party, over the northern trail, and which was attached to the brigade of the same valiant captain just two years later, arrived at a point nine miles below the Canyon ford on the Boise river they were welcomed to Fort Boise by the captain who had gone on ahead from the Snake river encampment to arrange Here it was that that historical bone of for the reception. Whitman the contention, wagon, was left and which remained there in the custody of the Hudson's Bay Company, as an interesting -exhibit, until claimed by oblivion. When Mr. T. J.

of knowing.

Farnham, of the Peoria party, arrived here three years later he found the company engaged in building a new fort twelve miles below at the mouth of the river. From the Winthrop diary under the date of Sunday, Sept. 11, 1853, we learn

was washed away that spring and that the comwas then engaged in building a new one out of the old pany

that the fort

adobes. The site of the old post is now in the channel of the Snake river about 200 feet from the right bank. After its abandonment in 1856 there remained no sign of activity

here by white people until the advent of the mining period when it became the most prominent crossing on the river. With the opening of other roads and construction of bridges the ferry business by 1909

had so dwindled that the location was