The spot selected for forming our establishment was a handsome point of land, formed by the junction of the Pointed Heart and Spokan rivers, thinly covered with pine and other trees, and close to a trading post of the North-west Company, under the command of a Mr. M'Millan' one of their clerks, who had ten men with him. He had two other posts detached from this: one about two hundred and forty miles from it, in a north-easterly direction, among a tribe called the Flat-heads, whose lands lie at the feet of the Rocky Mountains, and are well stocked with buffaloes; the other about two hundred miles, nearly due north, among a tribe called the Cootonais, in whose country there are plenty of beavers, deer, mountain sheep, and, at times, buffaloes. Mr. Finan M'Donald of the North-west Company had charge of the post among the Flat-heads; and a Mr. Montour was stationed among the Cootonais. Mr. Pillet was despatched with six men to oppose the latter; and Farnham and I were destined for the Flat-heads. Owing to the length of time our men were detained at Spokan to assist in cutting down timber for the fort, we did not set out until the 17th of October. We had twelve men and fourteen loaded horses. On leaving Spokan our course for four days was
