The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1845-10-09


lows, and afiording fine range for Our teams II is
about twenty yards wide, clear, running over
pebbly bed, has numerous npples in il and ford
aoie al almost every point, and affords the finest
salmon trout we have seen any where. This
flsh resembles the salmon in form, and is nearly
as large, weighing about fifteen pounds. 1t may
be readily distinguished from the salmon by its
head and the small spots on its body. The Indians
spear them In great numbers and we purchased OF
them what We wanted. From this to Fort Balse the
road is good, may say first rate This stream de-
sends SO rapidly, that 1t is one continued ripple,
without, however, any abrupt falls. On the , 2oth
the forts we have passed, (save Fort Bridge which
is no Fort at al) Is built of dobies. This Fort we
found under the charge OF Mr. Payette, large port
ly gentleman Of French extraction, and who speaks
very bad English. Here we found some fine cattle,
and several exchanges were made by our emigrants,
giving two poor for one fat animal Mr.. p. had on
hand good supply OF butter, which he sold us at rs
cents per pound. On the 2lst Sept we recrossed
Snake river in the same way we crossed it, The ford
perhaps six inches deeper than the first crossing,
but was entirely safe. From this point to the Uta RI
yer the road is more difficult than any where else on
the whole route land there is no opportunity fprocur-
ing provisions short of DR.. Whliman's at any point
on the route we came. But the route we came will
never be travelled again by emigrants farther than
the Julia rlver;. as DR.. Whltman's and Walla
Walla are too high up the Columbia, and from fifty
to one hundred miles out of the way. 1t is now
supposed that new and good route can be found in
a straight direction from Fort Baise to the Dalles,
making the distance much less. 1t is also said that
route direct from Fort Use to the Willamette
valley, entirely practicable for wagons, can be
found and Mr.. Jarvey, an old resident and trapper
of this country has already been employed to point
out the latter route, and will start, in company with
several other gentlemen in June next If this latter
route can be made practicable, (and Mr.. Thomas
Mckay saws he has passed it several tlnes and that
It can easily be made passabe tor wagons,) then the
distance TO Vancouver, from Fort Baise, will be
shortened about one hundred and fifty miles, and
wagons can be driven all the way But if neither Of
these routes should be found practicable for wagons
one thing IS certaln-emlgrants can follow trail
to the utlla river where they turn to the left
passing down that river to the Columbia, along a
better road than the route by Walla Waa. Persons
who are at all scarce of provisions, when they reach
the Salmon Falls, had better secure good supply
OF dried salmon. MIR. Payette had plenty of dried
salmon at 10 cents per pound, but our emigrants re-
fused to purchase, as they considered the price op-
press!ve The dried salmon we got at the Falls
cost us about one cent per pound.
WILLAMETTE FALLS, Oregon Terry, June 10, 1915
lam safely in Oregon, my health is good, and am
doing well. started from st. Louis, May Is, lS43
and went 5OOmies to West Port here stopped
week until the emigrants all arrived, when we put
out IN earnest for Oregon. Our company consisted
OF about 900 souls, men, women and children; be-
sides, we made display in Wagons, oxen, horses,
mules, cows, &c. We travelled about Is or 20 miles
per day the first ferrying place we found was Cow
rivers here all our trumpery had to be ferried over
the contents of over 100 wagons some of our way
lay across barriers, praires, and some covered with
grass, but all extensive; many large streams and
rivers. Platte river our terrying place. and
we had to build our own ferry boats, which we did
from buffalo hides; our cattle swan across this
was accomplished on the 4th July; here
we, saw immense herds of buffalo-thousands
and misunderstanding and believing over
the plains, which are large enough to hold many OF
them; their flesh is good food and needs no bread
with 1t; had the satisfaction of killing one myself
they are very large, and savage enough when firsI
wounded, but soon grow more doclie. Next stream
we came TO the north fork of the Platte river at
Fort LARAMIE, owned by the American Fur Compa-
ny. Here we rested three days; we have to travel
on this river about two hundred miles, there is no
the black hills, the road has been good after we
passed the black hllls then comes the Rocky Noun
tains-good road and plenty of good, cold water,
and grass and game IN abundance The next place
is Fort Bridge, good fort-ths country contains
savage Indians always at war with the whites and
with each other; they are the Pawnees Caws, Sioux
Sheans, Crows, Blackfeet, Pursees, and F atheads
The next place we come to is Fort Hall. belonging
to the Hudson Bay Co, large fort and does large
business. Here we all rested week, killed cattle
and laid in a quantity OF Buffalo meat and few
things out OF the FORT flour is worth % cts pint and
everything else very dear in these forts 30 of us e
company and packed through to Willamette we
travelled about days and got divided and Is OF us
got lost in the mountains; it very cold on the
top ofthose high knobs; this was September 6h and
here We wandered around over these mountains and
fell in with gang of wild Indians, very hostile
they were not numerous, in state of nature, very
poor and naked, men, women and children The
9th day we found ourselves on Snake river; tor 5
days we expected to perish with cold and starvation:
from Snake river we procured plenty of salmon
which went first rate. The next place we came t.
was Fort Busher, this also belongs to the H. b Com
pany; large fort does an extensive business Snake
Indians on Snake river; ITO miles to Walla Walla
here is Missionary standby DR.. Whitman's, mis-
slonary; he has small farm, hogs, cattle and
horses; wife, but no children fort at Walla Wal
la owned BY n: b Company on Columbia river; we
go down this river all the way, l20 miles to Perkins,
(MethodistiMission. Indians all the way on thin
river, very poor, and mean, steal every thing they
can lay their hands on, such horses they stole
my hunting SHIRT and cap from under my head when
was asleep at nght II made me wrathy; | went
next morning amongst them in the camps, but couo
not find my things; good many of the men
got robbed OF everything; wherever there are
missionaries look out for bad Indians;
sorry say it but it is so; bad roads, very sandy
good grass, some good land and some very poor on
The Columbia river; about three days travel from
Walla Walla, you come in sight OF Mount Hood,
always covered with snow like the Cascade noun
tains; from the mission several people went by
water, twcnty-three died OF the men, women ano
children on the journey; some of them were drown.
ed. Wagons came no further than the foot of the
SdsCdue mountains, one nunOTeu ana twenty miles
TO the Wala's falls and eighty miles to Voncpuver;
he majority OF the people left their wagons there
and went by WATER some got large boats and took
their wagons around to Vancouver. 18th Oct
went back to help some families dOwn-it was YER,
cold up in the mountains LIST Nov-Columbia river
runs through the mountains, (large falls here,)a
very dangerous place; got out oil provisions; the
wind blew so hard we had to lay by hemmed up b,
rivers SIX or seven days; at night the seventh day
we got across, eight of starved for six days; w,
ate an old beefs hide with the hair on; next morn.
ing three OF US young men sat out on foot TOR Van.
cPuver and left the boat and the families--dstanc,
uniI'y-nve mues; .waded tine streams, climbed higl
and low, and by night reached Vancouver; we wer,
saunt looking ielows-hcre was plenty to eat. pro.
visions were sent to the boat Immediately; she gol
rehef rom starvaton--you will, / expect, Sc,
our adventures IN PRINT; II will be sent L.
ST. Louis, and be printed. have gone a good man,
lays without eating, and got used to il | hav,
lived week on deer's shin bone; we stood guare
from Cav river to Fort Hall, distance about 1000
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