Camped on
the Wigwam Creek.Previous entries from Palliser's Journey through the Rockies
September 4, 1858
Eight miles from our encampment we crossed the tributary of the Kootanie River, about 150 yards in breadth, which issues from a narrow valley to the east.
September 5, 1858
Travelled in a southerly direction, and camped near Elk River. My old hunter and I interrogated a young Kootanie who had found our party, and who also had a considerable knowledge of the Cree language. Being away from his companions he now became more communicative, and admitted that he had turned one of a war party against the Flat Bow Indians, with whom they had previously been at peace, stole their horses) and shot two of them without any previous provocation.
He also told me that the horses I had received in exchange for my tired ones were virtually the property of the Flat Bows, and I considered this as additional reason why I should not have been wise in going further into their country at that time.
September 6, 1858
Came early to Elk River at its junction with the Kootanie. At this place I was obliged with great reluctance to change some of the meat of the young ox I had traded the day before yesterday, because neither my half-breed nor my Indian hunters would touch it. I persuaded the young Indian to taste it, but he immediately spit it out again in great disgust.
Editor's note:- As you follow Palliser over the North Kootenay Pass selecting the pictures will take you to Thomas Blakiston's journey (note change in background colour) so you can compare Blakiston's and Palliser's thoughts at the same locations. You will notice that Palliser is heading east while Blakiston was travelling west.
We crossed the river at 1 o'clock, and began
our first ascent, which we found very bad and steep. We could have pursued
an easier course by crossing the river higher up, but I was dissuaded from
doing so by the river
being deep at that spot. Camped on
the Wigwam Creek.
September 7, 1858
Started very early, had easy travelling (for
first few miles then...) the climbing
was very severe both for men
and horses. We now were on the height of land of the continent once more.
We remained a short time in contemplating the mountains from a height of
about 6,000 feet: : I cannot speak accurately, as our barometer had been
broken (by a horse).
We then commenced our descent, and stopped for dinner at the first spring we arrived at. We were now once more upon the waters which flowed into the Saskatchewan. (Not so. They were at the headwaters of the Flathead River which is a feeder of the Columbia -Editor's note)
September 8, 1858
Started a little after 7, and stopped at the base of the Curtain or flanking range of the Rocky Mountains, after a descent of about 1400 feet.
Here we dived into a swampy
valley 
between the watershed
and the Curtain range we were about to ascend; the weather was threatening
and lowering. We did not stop long for dinner but hurried off, and had hardly
commenced our ascent of the Curtain range when it came on to blow from the
north, accompanied with such heavy snow that I was very fearful of losing
the track.
After a severe climbing of about an hour and
a half we arrived at the top of the flanking range, having
ascended out of the valley about 900 or 1000 feet.
(Editor's note - Though severe, the ascent was not as formidable as that of the previous day. Palliser concluded that the North Kootenay Pass was a less favourable route than that by the Kananaskis Pass, as that had only one height of land to be overcome and the route was free from swamps and marshes.)
The descent of this Curtain range was very severe on account of the rocky nature of the ground. On reaching the end of it we fell on a tributary to the Belly River where we found the partial shelter of the wood very grateful from the cold north wind; by half-past six o'clock, however, we had left wind and snow behind us, and were comfortably encamped again, after a descent to the N.E. of about 1500 feet.
(Now called the Old Man River, he was following the Carbondale which flows into the Castle and then the Old Man - editor's note)
September 9, 1858
Enjoyed fine warm weather again. We were now out of the mountains, also out of provisions. We travelled till 11 o'clock. I started after a moose and was unsuccessful, but I killed a deer: the Indian killed a swan; Paul caught a fine dish of mottled trout.
September 10, 1858
At noon reached latitude 49° 47' in sight of Windigo Mountain
( G. M. Dawson lists this among the unidentifiable features of the Palliser map. " Report on the Region in the Vicinity of the Bow and Belly Rivers, North-West Territory," GSC, Report. 1882-3-4, p. 9)
September 11, 1858
Travelled for five hours; breakfasted... made a long spell in the evening, and camped on High Wood River.
We killed two grizzly bears yesterday, but to-day two other bears defeated us; they frightened the Indian by springing at his horse and tearing some of the hair out of his tail. I was too far back at first, and in the end fairly distanced
September 12, 1858
Started after breakfast; took latitude at noon, 50° 35'; found we had made 26 miles since noon yesterday. For the last three days we have been travelling through fertile undulating lands, the soil of which was particularly rich in the hollows.
September 13, 1858
Travelled slowly, the Indian and I hunting away off the track; found the deer very wild; killed nothing. The nature of the country is similar to that we had been travelling through for the last few days; in the afternoon we arrived at Bow River.
September 14, 1858
Paul and I rode out, one up, the other down the river, to find a good crossing place, then returned to breakfast on a very short allowance of fish which the others had caught meanwhile. After breakfast crossed. Saw buffalo to the east, struck off our course to follow them; came up with them about two; ran them and killed three; two of them very good. We have meat now for the whole way to Edmonton, though our tea and sugar are gone long ago.
September 15, 1858
Started after breakfast, and resumed our northern course. Our run after buffalo had taken us so far to the east, that we were beyond the line of fertile country which skirts the mountains. We made a long day, and camped about 30 miles distance from the edge of the woods, and nearly due south of our old Caché Camp, which had been our quarters at the end of July last.
September 16, 1858
Arrived at the edge of the woods in the neighbourhood of the old Caché Camp. We came in sight of two tents of the Blackfeet; not knowing what humour these Indians might have been in, and having nothing in the way of tobacco or ammunition to give them, I forbad the rest of the men to go to the tents, except old Paul, who was half a Blackfoot, and whom I allowed to go and visit them...
...he returned to our camp very late at night with accounts that made me congratulate myself on my determination to conceal my whereabouts, and holding no communication with them. They had had war with Crees and Stoneys, and had killed Paul's brother-in-law. It was with difficulty he could get away in the night to reach my camp. I had driven in the horses, and guarded them closely all night.
(September 17 is missing in the Palliser Papers. On that day the party continued travelling rather to the west of the route of Highway No. 2, from the vicinity of Cache Camp to the Bear Hills, northwest of Hobbema.)
September 18, 1858
Started early, and left the Bear Hills; the country was now swampy and covered with willows. Camped very late at night. Old Paul took a fresh horse of his own, and started off in the night for Edmonton.
September 19, 1858
Very wet day; started a little after seven, and travelled till half-past one. While we were at dinner, two of my men arrived from Edmonton. Old Paul, who arrived early in the morning, after travelling all night, brought the news that I was on my way. The men immediately started, and brought us a supply of tea, sugar, and flour. They were mounted on my two best buffalo runners, and so joined us in less than four hours. After dinner we started again, and camped about six miles from White Earth River.
Arrived early at Edmonton
.
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