American Falls press. [volume] (American Falls, Idaho) 1907-1937, 1917-08-21

ing his trek across the plains. His
Journal was started Monday, March
Is, when he left Rensselaer,, Ind, at
1 o'clock for the far-off Oregon" The
entry for Monday, July 26, follows:
Drove only about y miles, as in
passing Fort Hall we delayed some
time to see the place. Fort Hall was
built by the Hudson Bay
this is an error; the fort was built
by Captain Nathaniel j. Wyeth, who
sold it to the British cOmpany.-D. W.
H.) for a trading post and is used as
such yet. II is built of dobies or un-
burnt brick, and covers an area of
100 feet square, with a piquet 20 feet
high. We crossed Portneuf river this
evening, which was rather deep ford
ing. Country today was splendid. Had
a view Of three buttes. Now 1742
miles from home"
E. W. Conyers, another pioneer of
1852 The left Quincy, ILL.,, April 2O),
wrote at greater length regarding Fort
Hall. His account is given:
July 20. Monday-We started at
z a. m. and Travelled four miles to an
old house made of sun-burnt brick.
This house is supposed to be built by
some old trapper so as to be neal the
fort. There is a good cold spring
near this old house. From here we
travelled on one mile to Fort Hall,
which also is built of s%un-burned
brick. We came to a halt for a short
time to give the opportunity to those
who desired to visit the fort.
Here we found a few of Uncle
Sans soldiers under the command of
a sergeant, and saw about 100 large
wagons standing outside of the fort
rOtting. They were marked u. s.
in large letters. Some of the emf
grants who were short of provisions
purchased a few necessary articles
of food at this place. but it was dealt
out very sparingly. After visiting
the fort we travelled on three miles
to a large stream of water-I cannot
name it.
1--WE travelled on three miles fur
Their to Port Nueff river, which is
about 60 feet wide and between five
and six feet deep. with very steep
banks on both sides and very hard
for the cattle to climb out. There is
q small ferry at this place, but the
man III diAtilldiNt OttAll0 " Ut lOO
lazy for anything. This stream was
ferried. Toll 81 if we ferry ourselves
or 50 If they ferry you. All the rest
of our train forded the stream, the
water coming into the wagon beds ov-
er one foot. We travelled on four miles
and camped on this same stream.
Plenty of sage brush for wood and any
quantity of good soft water to drink.
Excellent bunch grass, and mosquitoes
by the million.
Yesterday we passed several very
large herds of black crickets about
l IA inches long and t-hree-quarters
of an inch in diameter. These crick-
cts are used by the Digger Indians in
making their bread. They first dig
holes in the sandy loan about three
feet across and two feet deep, then
ill them with sagebrush or willow
wood. making a good hot fire. more
fuel being added at intervals until
the furnace reaches the desired heat.
Then all the old bucks. sQuaws and
kids. provided with brush to whip
the surrounding grass and soil. circle
around a drove of these large black
crickets and make a drive for the
heated hole in the center.
Very few crickets escape being
caught in the furnace. There they
sizle and fry until they swell up and
burst like a roasted chestnut. The
squaws take these cooked crickets and
mash them fine, mixing a quantity of
roots and herbs and finally rolling
them into flat cakes and baking or
drying them in the hot sun. nus COM
pleting the work towards furnishing
the winter supply of bread for the
family use"