Page:Oregon Historical Quarterly volume 14.djvu/416



374 JOURNAL OF ALEXANDER Ross

Sunday 28th. All this day in camp to wait those laggard freemen who arrived in the evening and camped on the opposite side of the river to show contrary.

Tuesday March 14. There fell seven inches of snow; south wind soon dispelled the gloom. This being a good place for horses, we resolved to pass the day to prepare for passing the mountains between head waters of the Flathead and Missouri Rivers. Killed eleven elk, four sheep, seven deer. They're very fat here.

Thursday llth. Proceeding over slippery stony road, at every bend a romantic scene opens. The river alone prevents the hills embracing. Our road following the river crossing and recrossing. Here a curiosity called the Rani's Horn 15 out of a large pine five feet from root projects a ram's head, the horns of which are transfixed to the middle. The natives cannot tell when this took place but tradition says when the first hunter passed this way, he shot an arrow at a mountain ram and wounded him ; the animal turned on his assailant who jumped behind a tree. The animal missing its aim pierced the tree with his horns and killed himself. The horns are crooked and very large. The tree appears to have grown round the horns. Proceeded over zigzag road.

Monday 15th 16. Early this morning thirty men, ten boys, fifty horses set off to beat the road through five feet of snow for twelve miles. Late in the evening all hands arrived well pleased with day's work having made three miles. The horses had to be swum through it, in their plunges frequently dis- appearing altogether. Geese and swan seen in passage north today.

Thursday 18th. This morning sent off forty men with shovels and fifty horses to beat the road. Weather bad with

14 Now seem to be near 'the forks of the Bitter Root, above the town of Darby, Ravalli County, Montana.

15 See pages 18 and 19 of "Fur Hunters"; they follow the trail through the gorge of Ross Fork of the Bitter Root. This Rams Horn tree was a common sight to Montana pioneers who traveled that trail in the fifties and sixties. It is yet known as the Medicine Tree, because so revered by the Indians. The trunk still stands in Sec. 22, Tp. 30 N., R. 20 E., B. M.

1 6 He is now in Ross' Hole, his "The Valley of Troubles," as described on page 20 of "Fur Hunters." Lewis and Clark were here September 4, 1805; also consult Pac. Ry. Report, Vol. 12, Part i, page 169, for description and engraving.