Los Angeles daily herald., 1890-03-03

high. The boys had gone into camp on
the bank of Bear river, just below the
mouth OF Smiths fork, only travelling
seventeen miles. The grass was hne,
and it was great relief to get down from
the high altitude We had been in several
days.
On Monday, June 25th, we left camp
at 6 80; crossed Smiths Fork, where we
had to elevate our wagon beds about
twelve inches. The ford was good, but
the bottom beyond was very swampy.
The road followed down the Bear river
bottom for some distance then the river
passed through canon, and the road
made detour to the right and we came
to Thomas's fork, another good sized
stream, where we had to elevate our
| wagon beds again. Here We nooned.
After noon we crossed high spur OF the
mountains, then down . narrow canon
and through q most beautiful valley
about a mile wide, with beautiful
stream running through the valley.
Then we had to ascend peak 5000
| feet above ocean level, and then down
again into Bear valley. travelling twenty.
five miles, encamping opposite Peg Leg
Smiths.
On Tuesday, June 26th, we spent
part of the forenoon visiting
Peg Leg Smiths trading post,
which consists of four log cabins and
some Indian lodges. The old trapper
was power in these parts until he lost
his leg, since which time he has turned
bis attention to trading. He was fairly
we'll supplied with articles to barter with
the Indians for the furs taken in this
section. He has good stock of noun
tain sheepskins, as we'll as deerskins,
clothing, pants and coats, or hunting
shirts, as we'll as any lamount of moccas-
ins. l got a pair of deerskin pants with
long fringes down the seams on the legs
and a mountain sheepskin hunting.
gown. They are preferred to the deer
skin, not being so heavy. That also had
long fringes across the shoulder and on
the sleeves. When rigged out in my
new suit and tiny moccasins, I imagined
l looked stunning, with my white hat
which already looked very much like the
one worn by the first clown ever saw in
Stickney's circus in 1887 ,and my long hair
and my belt around me, with scabbard
and hunting knife, which I carried to cut
my bacon-I supposed l looked noun
tainser like. Anyway I begin to feel as
if / would make rough picture behind a
dry goods counter, handling silks and
sstins, ribbons and laces, etc.
After laying in good supply of use
full clothing, and some dslicacies in the
WY of eatablee, We traded one of our
mules, which had become somewhat
jaded, for a span of four-year-old half
breed. iron grey herses. paying ten dollars
to boot.
These mountain traders do not care
much about the kind of animal they get,
but must have at least $40 to boot. This
was the slightest mule we had. We
called her the race filly, but it would have
been the same had we proposed to trade
the best mule we had, we would have
had to pay $40 difference.
We left Peg Legs at $50 O'Clock, and
travelled down the Bear river bottom on
a road good, grass very fine, and crossed
several small streams. After travelling
some nineteen miles, the road leaves the
bottom, turning to the right up a stream
where we encamped at quaking-ash
grove, travelling twenty miles. Every
thing was delightful tor good camp,
fine grass, plenty of wood aud delightful
water; but oh, the mousquitoes-the
were horrible.