The New York herald., 1845-09-19
Oregon Territory.

Emigration, &c.
Our route now lay down Bear river. Suffer me
to remark here that from the time we entered the
mountain pass, until we reached Fort Bridger, both
ME dust and sedge were troublesome to us other
wise, our road was good enough, and that the
range for our cattle was sometimes very good, and
sometimes very poor The last buffalo we saw was
on Sweetwater, about the place where Mr.. PAYNE
died, as have already stated. From Fort Brldger
to Bear river, the dust and sedge and rock, were
found to be troublesome; and we passed over some
very rough road but the way entirely practical
BILE, and we suffered no losses On this part of the
road, too we were frequently put to some trouble
to find our oxen and mules, as they often concealed
themselves among the bushes, on the margin of the
streams. As we passed down Bear river, we cros-
sed 1t several times, at very safe parts, where we
found no difficulty. On the 10th August, we came
to the point, where the mountain puts in to the very
bank of the river and we were compelled 10 take 10
the right, up long valley, until we reached a point
that ran down the mountain. Up this point, which
was not rocky, but stsep ascended to the top of
one tall ridge, and then up another, and then down
the mountain, to Bear river again. This we accom-
pllshed without loss, in few hours We did not
even double our teams. On the 2lst, we passed the
Snake village The Indians came out to meet us,
on their fine horses We purchased of them several
horses. We here met Mr. Smith, better known as
Peg-leg Smith, with party of trappers, going to
California, to trap for beavers They had procured
their outfit at Fort Hail.
On the 22nd day of August we encamped at the
great soda spring, on the bank Of Bear river This
IS, certainly, the greatest natural curiosity, have
ever seen. There are several soda springs in this
ylcln1iiy. l1 The ground around this pont is mostly
level, but back little, 1t rises gently. There is
grove of pines and cedars, that comes up near the
brink OF the river The first soda spring | saw,
was about one mile from the river, not far from a
stream OF clear water, that ran into it, and about
Two hundred m yards from the timber in an open level
prairie. There was mound, about ten feet high
and nearly at the top OF this mound, there arose
from IT. upon little bunch in the side of it, another
mound, Of a concal shape, about three feet high,
and about three feet In diameter at the base, and out
Of the top or this little mound issued a small stream
OF soda water. These mounds, and one other that
saw, which then had no fountain issuing from it,
had evidently been formed from this deposite of
da, made by the water. The water bubbled and
loaned out at intervals and tasted very well, but
there was mixture of sulphur with it. But the
great soda spring was upon the very brink of the
river some mile and halt, perhaps, from the other
high, perhaps, gently declining towards the river
aud this bank came up within five or six yards OF
the spring, which issued from the top OF little
mound, about three feet high, and the same in dia-
meter at It's base, and in the form of cave The
stream that issued from this fountain was quite
a large one, and issued at short intervals.
AT one moment you could see no water at all, but
you could hear raging some distance beneath the
surface OF the earth. Then, all at once, it would
spout out large vdnme OF water to the distance of
six or eight feet in height raging and foaming most
violently. Then, again, 1t would subside, and again
burst forth, like pent-up flame. Some one of the
company, when the paroxysm subsidized put his
mouth to the aperture, when another convulsion
came on, and washed his face for him most hand
somely. The water was quite warm In the. bed
of the river, could the bubbles be discovered rising
from the bottom Some Of the company made up
some bread with the soda water, and it rose very
handsomely in baking. All the ground in the inn
If hollow underneath | have no doubt but that the
beds of soda had been washed out to great extent
below the surface
On the 23d we passed the sheep rock, a high pro-
so called from the circumstance that great many
mountain sheep are found upon this tall peak, and
upon which scattering cedars grow. This rock is
about eight miles from the soda spring; and here
the south, and runs into the Great Salt Lake. about
one hundred miles below this point. This lake was
found by Lieut. Fremont to be within the limits OF
California The general course of Bear River,
since we struck 1t, to this point, is N. w. We here
bore OIL to the right, and encamped, about sun
down, upon the Partnith, tributary of Snake river;
and here we first drank OF the waters of the Great
Columbia. The Partnith is here large creek, with
low banks, and the bed of the stream was full of
grass and moss, through which the water made its
way. We passed to-day over some very rocky
road, and through wide plains, covered with thick
sedge but our pilot had mistaken his way, and we
had travelled some eight miles further than we
should have done. From the Pdrtnith we bore off
to the right, and, passing the ridge dividing the
waters of the Partnlth from those of the Snake
river, on the 9th of August reached Fort Hail.
This being Sunday, no business of any kind was
done We found the Fort under the charge Of Mr..
Grant, large, corpulent old gentleman, of about
habits, quite full Of humor, and very polite and
obligng. Fort Hall stands upon the south bank of
Snake river, in wide, level PLAIN, extending from
Snake river back to the mountains, at least ten if
not fifteen miles oil. This plain affords the finest
range imaginable. Along the margin of the river,
there is quite grove of cotton wood timber. per-
haps foot in diameter. This Fort, like Larimu,
Baise, and Walla Walla, is built with dobies, and
rod dxxyitIr I hare he Graet
cattle had ever seen. Many exchanges were made
by our emigrants they giving two poor oxen for one
lat one. Goods, and especially groceries, were very
high. Every thing is here sold by measure. Flam
rice Sa cents Many of the emigrants purchased
as much as thirty dollars worth of flam and rice at
these rates. We remained at this place several
days. We have met a letter from Dr. White,
stating to US, that it was wholly impracticable to
come with wagons any further than Fert
Hail. the old route, and that no new route had been
discovered He concluding, by advising us to leave
our wagons at this point, and pack from here Mr.
Grant said he thought the route impracticable for
wagons, he would not say impossible for nothing
seemed impossible for the Americans. Every voice
was dlscouragng, except that of the indsfatigabIe
and intrepid DIR. Whitman he, amidst all dlscour-
agements, assured us we could and would succeed
In taking our wagons through to the Columbia
river. we owe this energetic and persevering man
an immense debt OF gratitude, which, regret to
say, some OF our emigrants were not very anxious
to repay. He had been with Capt Applegate's COM
pany until they reached this side the Rocky Noun.
:alns, and had then come on in advance of us to
Fort Hall, where he had remained until we over
took him AT this point he was informed, if not
before, that his mill had been burned down by The
Indians, and that his family had left home and were
then below Under all these circumstances, excl
ting as they were, he remained with, and aided us
TO his very utmost. From this point great many
young men and Mr.. Payne performed the Journey
on pack animals. Those who went on pack ami
mails suffered great many prvations, many more
than those who remained with the wagons Hav-
ing no pilot they were lost in the mountains five
days, suffering greatly for want OF provisions and
only reached Fort Balse two days ahead of the FORE
most Wagons None, however, perished, but all
came through safe. There will be no danger of
being lost hereafter, as we left trail behind us that
can be seen and followed On the Both of August
PLAIN to Partnlth, which enters Snake River some
mics below the Fort: To this point we had found
the route entirely safe and nraci,cakIa ...I