direction more to the east in order to strike the pass in the mountains through which I passed in going out. Owing to the wearied condition of the animals I did not deem it advisable to make an excursion out on the desert to the west, where there is some probability the Indians have fled to. On the morning of the 15th I dispatched an express to the Pueblo Silver Mines, some thirty-five miles south of me, with a letter to Lieutenant-Colonel Drew, First Oregon Cavalry, hoping to gain some information from him concerning the region to my south and west, but as he had not yet arrived at that mining camp I gained nothing. On the morning of the 16th I sent Captain Barry, First Washington Territory Infantry, will twenty men of his company to make a scout through the mountains to the south and west of this cap, and for the information elicited by his movement I respectfully refer you to his report, herewith transmitted. About noon on the 19th instant a party of about twenty-five Indians, who were undoubtedly ignorant of the location of this camp, came in sight at a distance of about three miles from camp, but as soon as they saw the camp fled for the mountains apparently panic-stricken. As soon as I could bring in the animals which were out grazing I mounted a detachment from Companies A and E and pursued them until near night. Got within long-firing range of some of the hindermost. They abandoned six horses, three of which they killed; several back loads of skins and Indian provision lay strewn along their road. As the pursuit became hotter they directed their course to the more rugged cliffs of the mountain, and at sun about an hour high they succeeded in reaching the head breaks of Horse Creek, and scattered among the deep canons and rocky ledges. Further pursuit being useless, I returned to camp. You will observe from Captain Barry's report that this camp is located in the vicinity of the good winter rendezvous of the Indians. * In fact, winter camps are found in nearly every canon on the east and south side of Steen's Snow Mountain. On to-morrow morning Sergeant Gates, Company E, First Oregon Cavalry, and a detachment of twenty men will go to Jordan Creek and learn what is going on in that direction. I am almost discouraged at the prospect of being able to accomplish anything very definite by the 1st of October; the country is so vast and the Indians so familiar with it that until the mountain fastness are blocked up with snow and they are compelled to seek winter camps I can devise no means of striking an effectual blow. I have already traveled over 1,300 miles, and yet find a vast region to my west and south untraversed, and, as far as I can gather, unknown to the whites. I shall move as soon as my animals have regained strength to warrant a delve into the unknown desert to my west. I arrived at this camp August 12.

Very respectfully, your obedient servant,

GEO. B. CURREY,

Captain, First Oregon Cavalry, Commanding Expedition.

ACTING ASSISTANT ADJUTANT-GENERAL,

Headquarters District of Oregon, Fort Vancouver, Wash. Ter.

HDQRS. EXPEDITION INTO THE INDIAN COUNTRY, Camp Alvord, Oreg., August 30, 1864.

SIR: I have the honor to inform you, for the information of the general commanding district, that since my last letter of the 20th instant I have remained in camp recruiting my animals. Sergeant Gates with

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*See p. 328.

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