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description of the Tobacco Plains with Galton's Range in the background

He was now travelling along the route of British Columbia highway #93 south towards today's Roosville border crossing.

"As we advanced along the prairie the trail forked, and our Indian took the branch which led nearest the river, as from information he had received he believed it to be that which led to the trading post. Towards evening, according to my reckoning, we crossed the boundary line, and camped about two miles within the American territory, and not more than a mile from the river."

Nowadays it is often of interest to note how language and customs differ on the two sides of the border. Blakiston seemed to have had an indentical problem and interestingly enough, just after he crossed the border.

"In a few minutes a Kootanie Indian came to us on horseback. My Indian guide "James," knowing but a few words of his language and a little Blackfoot, and he not knowing one word of Cree, we had some difficulty in comprehending that he wished to inform us that there were no people at the trading post, which he described as being quite close. A small present of tobacco and something to eat were thankfully received by him, and he took his leave. Shortly after there came several more from the same camp, having a chief among them. They were mounted on good looking horses, and raced up to our camp as hard as they could gallop, no doubt with the idea of creating an impression. The evening was spent in a talk with them, one of them understanding Blackfoot.

"Following the track still S.S.W. the following morning in a thick fog, we came on the river, and within a few hundred yards found three diminutive log houses. Two of them, not over ten feet square, and to enter which it was necessary to crawl through a hole as an apology for a door, had evidently been used for dwellings; the other, somewhat larger, without a chimney, we were informed was the Kootanie chapel which had been erected the previous spring when a priest was there.

"The Kootanies afterwards informed me that white people always come in the fall, remaining the winter trading with them, and returning to Colville, eight or ten days' journey, in the spring. These are the Hudson's Bay Company's people, and this post is what figures on maps in large letter as "Fort Kootanie"Today, the site near Rexford, Montana has been flooded by Lake Koocanusa.

"In the afternoon I rode four miles across prairie in an easterly direction with a chief, the pack animals following, and arrived at the Kootanie camp, where I was under the necessity of shaking hands with every man, woman, and child. The people had a rather dirty and wretched appearance, but their herds of horses, and some few horned cattle, showed that they were not poor.

"Having pitched my tent at a short distance from the lodges of the Indians, which were in a pleasant situation near a small stream with some woods along it at the base of Galton's Range, I was soon inundated with presents of berries, dried and fresh, dried and pounded meat, and cow's milk. Of course, although no payment was asked, I paid these people for their food in tobacco, ammunition, &c.

"Seeing that there was no chance of starving, I determined on remaining here some days for the sake of the horses; the next five days were therefore spent in trading, and exchanging horses, buying provisions, &c., and obtaining by actual observations and Indian report such knowledge of the country as I was enabled to do.

We are now coming to a part of Blakiston's route that is the most difficult to follow from his papers. Knowing that this part of the route lay in the United States he appears to have decided that the detailed description would be unnecessary for his report.

"They told me that there was a pass entering the mountains a little to the southward of their camp, and which came out on the east side near the Chief's Mountain; that there were long hills, but not so steep as to the Kootanie Pass, and that they used it sometimes when the horses were heavily loaded. This information of another pass in a portion of the mountains that I knew should be explored caused me at once to decide on recrossing the mountains by this pass, although I knew that it must be wholly or partially on American ground. I, therefore, prevailed upon a Kootanie to accompany the party across as guide.

"Leaving the Tobacco Plains at a point where they were pretty thickly wooded, we followed a narrow trail which, turning the south end of Galton 's Range, followed up a small creek towards the north-east.

Blakiston's map suggests that he travelled up the valley of the Tobacco passing modern Eureka. By following highway 93 at this point you will find yourself going in a south, south-east direction. It would appear that Blakiston turned and followed Grave Creek which comes down from the north-east.

The road will tend to get narrower and considerably rougher but the beauty of the thick woods and the sparkling streams will make it worth the trip.

"The day after we descended by successive steps to the Flathead River, where it is joined by a creek from the N. W. Here I remained till noon for the purpose of fixing the positions of this part of the river, which was just twenty-five miles south of where I had fallen upon it in my progress westward. Several peaks of the mountains showed well from this valley, and I did not lose the opportunity for sketching.

We now find that Blakiston has camped at the spot where the Kishinena has joined the Flathead from the north east. Our hope is that he will continue sketching for a bit longer as depending on the conveniences our modern explorer is using, there are some problems involved in getting to the next location. The hiker may be able to find a place where with care and depending on the time of the year he can wade across the Flathead. If you prefer to stay relatively dry then you will be forced to head south to Polebridge, where after entering Glacier Park you take the road towards Kintla Lake. Today thousaands of people visit America's Glacier National Park every year. Although Blakiston only touched the northwest section of the park, literature available in the park gives him credit for being the third known European to have stepped inside its borders.

To continue your journey you must look for the trail to get to Kishinena Patrol Cabin. You are advised to check with park authorities relative to access into this area.

More In the Footsteps of Thomas Blakiston

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Thomas Blakiston in Japan

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