The Madisonian. [volume] (Washington City [i.e. Washington, D.C.]) 1837-1845, 1839-11-27
lal.er were generally seen on the banks Or


which their leader and guide (keliy) pro-
nounced Ia be those Of Indians. As these
were to have been expected, the event pro-
duced no other change than to cause the par
~ TO keep better look out. Encamped To-
night in beautiful valley, called Bayou Sc
lard. % miles from the head OF the south iork
Of Platte. Ii is level prairie 80 miles
long and wide, and was covered with thick
growth Of fax, which every year springs up
spontaneously
%. Made between Is and 20 miles, in
the course Of which they crossed branch OF
the south fork Of the Platte.
%. Crossed the dividing ridge between
the stream just mentioned aud Grand river.
the first western water. and emptying into the
Gulf Of California. They were consequent
| ly upon the back bone IF The oestera conii-
nent, and descending towards the Pacific
ocean.
20 One Of the horses died from poison,
by eating, as was believed, wild parsnips
Found to-day the cIearest and best water they
had ever drank.
%. Killed another buffalo, by which the
stock Of meat, which had been nearly ex-
hausted, was pIentifully supplied Camped
tonight on one of the branches OF Grand
river.
80. Swan the main branch of Grand
river, a stream nearly as large as the Illinois,
and very rapid
81. Very rough travelling day, through
and over fallen pine timber. Though con-
slant diligence was used, the company were
unable 10 overcome more than four miles.
August l. Crossed the dividing ridge
between Grand and Little Bear rivers, the
i tattar anptyino into (,raan river One Of the
branches of the Columbia. Country exceed
ingly rough, approac hing TO precip,ous.
2. Met three trappers belonging to CON-
pany of ten, who had with them their Indian
wives and children. Their names were
Charles War6eld, - Burrows, and -
Ward, all from ST. Louis Warfeld recog-
approached with How do you do, Mr.. Car
roll Pm very glad to see you! !" Carroll,
alais Smith, took him aside for moment, and
Warfeld was afterwards careful to call him
Smith. Burrows and Ward, with the wife of
one, continued with the party four days, dur
ing which nothing material occurred, except
that the party killed an elk, and the trappers
in one. night caught two beaver.
G. Soon after parting with the trappers just
named, me, four others (French) at the forks
i
for sport the flesh being too fat to eat. Some
Of these animals are of enormous weight,
reaching, as the hunters say, 900 pounds.
One killed, during the journey, year old,
exceeded 600.
7. First pleasant day since entering Noun
tains. For the last twenty -one, it had either
rained, hailed or showed, on each The an
telopes seemed inclined to improve it, and
4 hon
bers Continued down Bear river, along its
unrodden bank, There was no ves,ige of
footsteps, except here and there buffalo
trail, which the party would follow so long as
it continued in the proper direction ; but when
it direrged therelorn, they would leave it.
| 8. The meat was entirely exhausted. Ex-
pecting to find buffalo wherever they desired,
the men had been improsident in its use, and
now began to entertain fearful torebodings of
the future.
49, Arrived at Browns Hole. the men
nearly lamished having been without food
for four days This is trapper's fort in the
mountains, on the east branch of Green river,
belonging to Craig 81 -, and affords shell
ter and accommodation for 80 men when all
all are present. All were now out on trap
ping excursions, but two, and these were with
on, any provisions except dog meat, which
they obtained from the Indians. Some In
dams passing with dogs shortly after, bar
gain was struck for three or four, the dogs be-
ing valued at SIS piece, and the articles
given for them as follows: powder 81 pint,
vermilion 5 a paper OF | and half ounce,
tobacco SIS pound, and lead and knives at
corresponding prices They found the dog
meat excellent-much better than our domes-
tic beef, and next to buffalo.
Here the party remained six days, when as
they were preparing to resume their journey,
a company of five persons appeared in sight,
travelling from the West. They proved TO
be party which had, few weeks previous,
escorted to Fort Hall, in the Nez Perces, or
| Flat Head country, about 300 miles further,
two missionaries, viz. Rev. Messrs. Monger
and Griffith, with their wives. The party
were Paul Richardson, (leader,) DR.. Wisize-
nus, Eugene - Mr.. koontz, and Charles
Kline. Captain Richardson had spent two
years in the Oregon country, had been to the
mouth Of the Coum'ia, was well acquainted
at Fort Vancouver and had visited the Me-
thodist missionary station at Wilhamet. To
meet and converse with him was, therefore,
matter of the deepest interest to our adventur-
ers. The prosecution OF the journey was de-
ferred, and all gathered around the speaker to
listen to his relation. With an air of truth
that demanded implicit confidence, he repre-
sented the country as undesirable in all its as
/ poets. In the richest portions, about Vancou-
yer and Wilhamet, not more than 5 bushels
Of wheat could be raised to the acre. The
rainy season continued five months, and this
was followed by six months Of drought, in con-
sequence of which neither corn nor potatoes
ever came to maturity. The ears Of the for
1 I'll, 10