Lieutenants Saxton and Grover also reached Fort Benton the same day. The former successfully led the western subsidiary party by way of Pend Oreille Lake to the Bitter Root valley, from which point Lieutenant R. Macfeely, with twenty-six men and sixty animals, no longer needed, returned to the Dalles, crossing the Bitter Roots by the southern Nez Perces trail, a more direct but vastly more difficult route than that of the lake. Lieutenant Richard Arnold, with his brother, Mr. Daniel Lyman Arnold, and four men, remained with the supplies at Fort Owen in the valley; while Lieutenant Saxton, with seventeen men, pushed on across the mountains, and was met by Lieutenant Grover at the summit on September 8; and, as the governor remarks, “He felt rejoiced that the plan of our operations had been successful and the object of the expedition accomplished, as a party from the Atlantic and one from the Pacific, each in search of the other, had met by appointment, after traversing thousands of miles of unknown country, at the foot of the dividing ridge between the oceans.”
The same evening Mr. Tinkham arrived, after an extensive and successful trip of exploration up the Milk River to the Three Buttes, across country to Marias River, and thence to Fort Benton.
In consequence of Lieutenant Saxton’s positive representation that it was impracticable to take the wagons across the mountains, Governor Stevens reluctantly decided to leave them at Fort Benton, a decision he afterwards regretted, for after traversing the route he was satisfied that he could have taken them at least across the main range to the Bitter Root valley without difficulty. The whole train was now outfitted with pack animals, and was pushed forward on the 16th under Lieutenant Donelson. Lieutenant Saxton, with all but three of the dragoon detachment and some discharged men, and accompanied by Mr. Culbertson, making a party of twenty-eight all told, was sent down the Missouri by keelboat with instructions to examine the river, especially as to the navigability for steamboats of its upper waters, disband his party at Fort Leavenworth or St. Louis, thence proceed to Washington, and make a full report, in which he was to urge the necessity of holding the proposed Blackfoot council, and of continuing the surveys of the mountain section of the route. The governor also instructed him to advise with Professor Bache in relation to the continuation of the survey, and to providing for the deficiency, necessarily incurred, in the next deficiency bill; giving him letters to the professor, and to Judge Stephen A. Douglas, Hannibal Hamlin, Dr. Gwin, H.M. Rice, then delegate from Minnesota, and other prominent senators and members of Congress. Mr. Culbertson carried the governor’s reports to the Indian Department, and was charged also to urge upon that department the importance of the council.
Mr. Doty, with three men, was stationed at Fort Benton for the winter to make meteorological observations, and such examinations of the country as he could, and more especially to collect information about, and take a census of, the Blackfeet, and improve every opportunity to impress upon them the benefits of the proposed council and peace with the western Indians. As already stated, Lieutenant Grover was directed to examine the Missouri for two hundred and fifty miles below the fort, and the country between it and Milk River, and afterwards to cross the mountains in midwinter with dog-sledges, and study the depth of snow and winter climate.
Lander, with a detached party, was directed to examine along the base of the mountains from the Marias Pass to Cadotte’s Pass. As already stated, the governor had countermanded the survey of the former by Lander in consequence of the lack of harmony in that engineer’s party. After leaving Fort Union, Lander developed a fractious, almost insubordinate disposition. He chafed at the presence and authority of the army officers. At Fort Benton Governor Stevens had to curb his insubordinate spirit with some severity, and even told him that he would shoot him down like a dog if he disobeyed his orders. Lander, realizing that Governor Stevens would enforce discipline at whatever cost, yielded, professing his readiness to obey instructions, but thereafter he did so according to the letter, not the spirit. Yet the governor, both before and after this occurrence, gave him the best opportunities for distinction, intrusting to him the most important side explorations, and in the reports gave him full and generous commendation for all he accomplished, passing lightly over his shortcomings. A bold, energetic, high-strung man, Lander could ill brook any authority. He afterwards conducted an independent government survey with credit, and but for his early death would undoubtedly have achieved distinction as a soldier. This appears to have been the only instance of lack of due subordination, or harmony, shown during the whole expedition, and certainly some of the governor’s orders had been rigorous enough to cause restiveness, as, for instance, requiring the scientific gentlemen to break their own mules, to stand guard, and to walk a part of each day’s march. Remarks the governor:—
“I was exceedingly gratified at this time by the spirit of the men. Several men, who I was afraid had not strength to make the trip, and whom I had ordered to accompany Lieutenant Saxton down the Missouri, were so anxious to go on that they brought me a certificate from the surgeon, Dr. Suckley, stating that in his opinion they were strong enough for the journey, and accordingly I allowed them to go on. We had now been together some three months, and there was great confidence between the several members of the exploration.”
On the 20th Mr. Stanley returned from his trip to the Blackfoot camp, having traveled on horseback three hundred and twenty miles in eleven days. A thousand Indians accompanied him back as far as Milk River, where the main body remained to hunt, while thirty of their chiefs, with their families, came with him to Fort Benton to hold council with the great white chief, who remained for that purpose.
“On the 21st we held our talk with the Blackfeet. The chiefs and warriors were all richly caparisoned. Their dresses of softly prepared skins of deer, elk, or antelope were elegantly ornamented with bead-work. These are made by their women, and some must have occupied many months in making. The other articles of their costume were leggings made of buffalo skins, and moccasins, also embroidered, and a breech-cloth of blue cloth. Their arms were the Northwest guns, and bows and arrows. On all solemn occasions, when I met the Indians on my route, they were arrayed with the utmost care. My duties in the field did not allow the same attention on my part, and the Indians sometimes complained of this, saying, ‘We dress up to receive you, and why do you not wear the dress of a chief?’
“The governor addressed them in the same strain as the Gros Ventres: ‘Your Great Father has sent me to bear a message to you and all his other children. It is that he wishes you to live at peace with each other and the whites. He desires that you should be under his protection, and partake equally with the Crows and Assiniboines of his bounty. Live in peace with all the neighboring tribes, protect all the whites passing through your country, and the Great Father will be your fast friend.’”
Low Horn, the principal Piegan chief, replied favorably in behalf of the Indians, but spoke of the difficulty of restraining their young men, who were wild, and ambitious in their turn to be braves and chiefs. They wanted by some act to win the favor of their young women, and bring scalps and horses to show their prowess. To this the governor rejoined:—