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384 JOURNAL OF ALEXANDER Ross

thirty-two beaver; twenty were brought in. A strong guard for the horses. All slept armed.

Sunday 20th. Again invited the Piegans to smoke ; gave them presents ; and told them to set off and play no tricks for we would follow them to their own land to punish them. They saddled horses and sneaked off one by one along the bushes for 400 yards then took to the mountains. The big gun com- manded respect.

Monday 21st. Decamped. Found a fresh scalp; sixty-five beaver today.

Thursday 24th. This is the spot where Mr. McKenzie and party fell on this river in spring of 1820 on the way to Ft. Nez Perces.

Saturday 3rd July 32. We left River Malade and proceeded to the head of Reid's River 33. In 1813 during the Pacific Fur Company, Mr. Reid with a party of ten men chiefly trappers, wintered here ; in spring, they were all cut off by the natives.

After Mr. Reid this river was named. At its mouth an establishment was begun by Donald McKenzie in 1819. It was burned and two men killed. In spring 1820, four men more were destroyed by the natives. This river has already cost the whites sixteen men.

August 24th. Number of miles traversed to date, 1,050; number of horses lost, 18.

Saturday, Sept. 18th 34. While our people were crossing the height of land, I left the front and taking one man with me ascended the top of a lofty peak situated between the sources of River Malade and Salmon River, whence I had a very ex- tensive view of the surrounding country. Both rivers were distinctly seen. The chain of mountains which for 150 miles separates the waters of the Salmon River from those which enter the Great Snake lie nearly E. W.

32 Descending the Malade (Big Wood River) to the mouth of Camas Creek, the party turns west across Camas Prairie and the divide to the head of the Boise

River; see pages 80-89 of "Fur Hunters.'

33 Consult Irving's "Astoria" Pacific Fur Company.

3 Consult Irving's "Astoria" for account of the death of Mr. Reed of the

34 This journal omits entirely all mention of Mr. Ross from the time he reached the Boise until he returns on September to the rough mountain pass dividing Blaine and Custer Counties, Idaho; for this interim see pages 90-118 of "The Fur Hunters." His lofty peak now mentioned may be Boulder Peak of today, but he named it Mt. Simpson.