Page:Oregon Historical Quarterly volume 12.djvu/178

 170. J. NEILSON BARRY The fact that the party under Mr. Stuart returned through it and described it and Hot Lake (Astoria, Chapter XLIV), makes it practically certain. The valley reached December 28 was over 20 miles long run- ning north and south (Chapter XXXVII), so that their route December 29 and part of December 30 was to- ward the north and as the Grande Ronde Valley was over a low range of hills beyond where the "little river entered the mountains" it must necessarily follow that this valley was near the Grande Ronde, apparently south of it, and the only valley which answers this description, and furthermore exactly and entirely satisfies every condition is the Baker Valley. (1) The distance from the point on Snake River "above where the (Snake) river enters the mountains" they left the Snake December 24th and arrived December 28, making "about 14 miles a day," 5 X 14=70 miles. (2) A fine level valley. (3) A small stream winding to the north. (5) "Woody mountains covered with snow" on the left hand (or west side as they were going northward). (6) The length of valley 21 miles to camp- ing place on night of December 29th and apparently a few miles further December 30 (the exact length of valley is 22 miles. (7) The river at the north end entering the "moun- tains" (canyon above Thief Valley). (8) The loca- tion of the Grande Ronde Valley just beyond this across the low divide at Telocaset (9) The fact that Stuart's party "retracing the route" (Chapter XLIV, opening sentence), ap- parently went along the direct route from the Grande Ronde to the point on Snake River (Huntington) above where the river entered the mountains. The identification of this valley with the Baker Valley satis- fies every particular and there is no other valley that does so.