I took a ride along the river, through a point where there is some fine timber. The most expeditious mode of getting the dwelling house and other houses built will be to have the timber squared a few miles from the fort and rafted down the river. There seems to be some fine timber on the opposite shore about the same distance off. The potatoes look well, but the moles are destroying some of them. the ground they occupy may be about 35 yards square.-- Saturday 3 Fine pleasant weather. The men were differently employed, four preparing the frame for the store, some sawing, some squaring & one carting. there are now fifteen men fit for duty at work I expect as they are now properly set agoing they will get on well, and be able to have the store so far completed that the property can be deposited in it if we can effect a removal from Spokane this fall. This must in a great measure depend on what assistance we can give the Snake people. Two Indians, the old chief's sons, were spoken to and having agreed to accompany a gentleman up the Pendent Oreille River in case he can be spared to go, to examine the lower part of it. An Indian was also engaged to accompany me to Spokane & bring a supply of some articles of trade & toll that are wanted. Sunday 4 Pleasant cool weather. Set out from Kettle Falls at 1/4 past 6 oclock and arrived at Spokane at 7 in the evening, which was a hard days riding, I was accompanied by two Indians who were driving ten horses to the (Buffer de Chideu) where I left them in the evening as some of the horses were giving up. The Indians changed horses frequently, but I changed only once the one I rode in the afternoon came from where I left the men in 1-1/2 hours. Monday 5 Clear fine warm weather. Three of the freemen belonging to Mr Ogdens party arrived here two days ago for supplies & say they were permitted to leave the party to proceed across the mountains to the S. side. But as they had no writings with them but notes specifying the state of their a/c which we did not consider sufficient authority to give them any advances and deeming it necessary to send them back to Mr Ogden, so that he might keep his party as strong as possible, they were refused any advances but a little ammunition to take them back to where they would likely meet Mr. Ogden. These men are (A. Valle). A. (Curvais) and (Wetacass), they have brought some beaver & have all money coming to them. Mr Ogden's notes are dated on the 15 Augt. when all the freemen but 6 had parted from him,[145] his party then was only 15 strong, and he was going through a dangerous country, they had been successful in their hunting since Mr Kittson left them.--All the freemen but these three and another, turned back with the Flat Heads.--These men met the Indians who went off on Sunday week with the despatches to Mr Ogden, he was getting on well.-- The Indians whom I left yesterday evening arrived with the horses, some of them are much fatigued.