A very serious difficulty of another kind now confronted Governor Stevens. He found that the funds allotted to his exploration would not suffice to carry on the work so far and so thoroughly as he deemed necessary, and he was forced to the alternative of cutting it short or incurring a deficiency. He decided to continue the work, notwithstanding the great pecuniary risk to himself, and the risk, too, of incurring the serious displeasure of the government:—
“I very frankly and explicitly stated that to continue the survey, and to carry out the instructions with regard to the work to be accomplished, it was absolutely necessary to incur a deficiency: believing that, if the facts as they existed were known to Congress and the department, their instructions would be for me to continue the exploration, I determined to incur the deficiency and make the survey. My instructions required me to examine into the question of the snows on the route, into the freshets of the streams, and the period of time they were locked up by the ice, to do which it was indispensable that there should be winter posts established at Fort Benton, and in the Bitter Root valley; and it was desirable, in connection with these posts, to have such arrangements made, and such facilities afforded, as would enable the gentlemen in charge of them to continue the explorations of the passes and the adjacent country.”
In a letter to Professor Bache the governor gives the reasons for his incurring the deficiency, which were, briefly stated, the delay in the start, owing to the young and unbroken animals furnished by the quartermaster’s department, notwithstanding that the governor had sent an agent especially to St. Louis to insure the securing of seasoned and broken animals, and to the unusually late and rainy season; the distance across the continent, which turned out to be greater than the best estimates previously obtainable; the fact that in consequence of the great number of Indians on the route, and the warlike and treacherous character of some of them, particularly the Sioux and Blackfeet, it was necessary to make the expedition strong, especially in guides, interpreters, and hunters; and that to carry out the instructions and objects of the exploration it was indispensable to make extended examinations, and to leave parties to continue the work throughout the winter, in order to determine the questions of snow and climate.
It is perfectly apparent that the $40,000 allotted to the Northern route, even though eked out by the details and supplies furnished by the War Department, were altogether inadequate to the task intrusted to Governor Stevens. His management was marked by strict economy and good judgment; he was simply not given sufficient funds for the work. And it is most creditable alike to his judgment and moral courage that he shouldered the responsibility of the deficiency, and made his complete and exhaustive exploration.
Having completed all these arrangements, made his reports to the War and Indian departments, and started off the several detached parties, the governor decided to visit personally the main camp of the Blackfeet, near the Cypress Mountain, about one hundred miles north of Fort Benton, and just above the 49th parallel, in order to confer with their chiefs in regard to the contemplated council at Fort Benton next year, and secure guides for the survey of the Marias Pass. He desired, also, personally to examine the approaches to the several passes of the mountains from the boundary southward, expecting to overtake the main party before it reached the Bitter Root valley. Says he in the final report:—
I gave my instructions to Lieutenant Donelson on the 9th instant, inspected the train, found everything in good order, the men cheerful, satisfied, and confident as to going on, and the means of transportation ample, and set off towards night, having been preceded a few hours by Mr. Lander, on the way to Cypress Mountain. I encamped that night on the Teton, fourteen miles from Fort Benton. Besides the party of Mr. Lander, I was accompanied by Mr. Culbertson, special agent; Mr. Stanley, artist; Augustus Hammell, interpreter; and three voyageurs.
September 10. We had been joined last evening by a considerable party of the Blackfeet, who accompanied us to-day, the principal men being the Little Dog, the Three Bears, and the Wolf that Climbs. Started before seven, and after traveling three hours reached a fine spring, with excellent grass, at a celebrated landmark known by the name of the Rotten Belly Rocks. It is a formation of sandstone, and has the characteristic of Les Mauvaises Terres. Columns with capitals, resemblances to the human figure, etc., etc., abound. Beneath, in the coulee, passes the broad Indian trail leading to the Piegan camp. Here was killed Rotten Belly, the Crow chief, in an encounter between one hundred of his braves and eleven well-armed Gros Ventres of the prairie. This celebrated chief, urged on by his people, had previously beleaguered Fort McKenzie. He captured all the animals of the fort,—thirty-five horses. The place was in charge of Mr. Culbertson, and there were but nineteen men to defend it. For a month this little force baffled all the attempts of the Crows to get possession of the fort. Being, however, in a starving condition, and it being apparent that it could not hold out much longer, resort was had to stratagem. All the squaws, twenty-nine in number, were dressed in men’s clothes, and with arms in their hands were distributed around the fort in sight of the Crows, who, thus deceived in reference to the force defending the place, became disheartened, drew off, and separated. Rotten Belly, with a portion, mortified at his failure, declared that he would go north and seek death in battle. On reaching the rocks, and seeing the Gros Ventres, he said: “Here I will die to-day; you have brought me to this!” And, rushing upon his enemies, he killed two, and then received his death wound. Before his death he advised his people to be the friends of the whites, saying it was their only chance to escape defeat and utter ruin.
Kept on through the afternoon, passing over a rolling country, and reached the Marias about half past four o’clock, where we camped. This stream at our crossing was about fifty yards wide, one foot deep, and of somewhat rapid current, and the river valley was about a mile wide. There was plenty of cottonwood, and we had a most excellent camp. Spent the evening in conversing with the Indians who accompanied us.
September 11. We were off about seven o’clock, and after traveling until near noon halted at a spring, where we procured a small supply of water. Continuing on without unsaddling, in less than an hour I was overtaken by Baptiste Champagne with an express from Lieutenant Donelson, inclosing a brief report from Lieutenant Grover, to the effect that he met Lieutenant Saxton near the dividing ridge, and that they were returning together to Fort Benton. Lieutenant Grover intimated in his brief letter that Lieutenant Saxton reported the route could not be traversed by wagons. This changed the aspect of affairs, and I determined to send Mr. Stanley to the Piegan camp with the interpreter Hammell, and to return immediately with Mr. Culbertson to Fort Benton. I determined, also, to defer the examination of the Marias Pass to another season. There was not that harmony in Mr. Lander’s party which I deemed indispensable to making the examination which I had intrusted to him. Accordingly I ordered him to return with me. Stanley continued on to the Piegan camp, and I started back on my way to Fort Benton. It made a long march for us, for to get a good camp it was necessary to reach the Marias. Our Indian guide made his way pretty directly to the camp: one hour and a half we traveled in the dark. The descent to the river was steep and difficult. We succeeded in getting into a good camp about eight o’clock. Before starting on my return, I dispatched an express to Lieutenant Donelson to push on with his advanced party, but to keep the main train till my arrival.
September 12. Started early, and, pushing rapidly, reached the fort by three o’clock.