DOWN a brook. . . . Jan. 13th, sent back to Height of Land for some things left there, but wolverines had destroyed everything except 5 lbs. of balls. Jan. 14th, dogs could no longer haul their loads owing to depth and softness of the snow; reduced all baggage to a weight of about three and one-half pieces, and abandoned everything not absolutely necessary, including his tent, courage of the men fast sinking. Jan. 15th sighted mountains on other side of the Columbia. . . . Jan. 21st, down to the Columbia. Jan. 22nd, up the Columbia 1 m. to a bold brook and 1 and ½ m. to a cedar point. F. d. P.[1] men dispirited, 'useless as old women' . . . determined to return to Canoe River and wait for men, goods and provisions and build canoes." So we see that even in these desperate circumstances he was ready to proceed, and had he been able to cross the mountains by the Howse Pass in September or October, 1810, in all probability would have pushed on down the Columbia to its mouth during the winter and anticipated the Astor party in actual occupancy. Failing in the effort he proceeded more slowly.
Courage and ability to endure hardships were but common attributes of the fur trader, but ability to observe intelligently and record with continual care the daily events and experiences, and the habits and names of the Indian tribes and localities was not so common. David Thompson kept his note book or journal under all conditions of weather or travel, and made record of the daily camping places in scientific terms and with such exactness that these localities can be checked today with scarce a variation. His instruments were small, only such as were held in the hand, but his observations were accurate. A prominent engineer and scholar of, Canada has had occasion to follow many of the routes of travel and gives testimony to this fact. And this ability and habit were not based upon the diploma of any school or institute of
- ↑ Fort de Prairie.
