Page:California Historical Society Quarterly vol 22.djvu/136

 on slowly we camped on a small creek plenty of wood distance traveled today 1 2 miles our men stand it well

June 2 Today the men are better we have traveled over a roling prara some of the most beautifuU landscape views I ever saw it looked as though some wealthy monarch of the East had spent a fortune in laying it out today we could not camp till late on account of not finding water and wood we camped at sun set on the banks of a small stream George is tired and quite sick I am to watch with him tonight distance traveled today 1 6 miles

Sunday June 5 We concluded to move on a short distance we got started at 1 1 oclock George is not much better it is hard to ride all day we passed some verry bad places lowered our waggons down the steep pitches it is the most vexing life man ever led tonight while eating supper a German party came along and pasing a bad place over goes a waggon wheels broke all up men cross and tired We camped early on George's account he being tired distance traveled 1 5 miles Just as we were coming into camp one of our toungs got broke and so it goes

Monday June 4th This morning was spent in mending our waggons this afternoon we started on over roling prara with but little to relieve the monotony except the great number of plover and prara hens that start up at every rod we camped today on a small stream at half past five distance traveled 10 miles

Tuesday June jth This morning we were all up for an early start most of our party indulge in bathing when they have a chance and this morning they looked like ducks dipping in the limpid stream we got started at six oclock crossed we passed the Big Vermilion before noon moved on at a rapid pace and arrived at the Big Blue at 4 oclock the stream was low and we were soon over we camped just out of the timber near a fine spring that run a stream out of the bank of rock there is a rich smell on this river resembles the odor of a strawberry bed here some of our party caught a pail full of fine fish distance traveled according to Fremont 25 miles^ George is still improving fast and with good roads will not retard our progress any Esterbrook is got out about camp

Wednesday June 6th This morning our sick are still better we got an early start traveled 1 5 miles before noon came to a small creek of poor water but learned by one of Fremont's guides that near by there was a fine spring we did not find it not knowing where to look we moved on till four when one pair of mules in the last team gave out from hard driv- ing Mr Wilson and I started back with an extra pair and a shower coming up in a hurry we had to stand and take it and such a shower is seldom seen one continual stream of lightning all about us some of the men had quite a shock after the shower we found the team and started for camp the first team having got in just as the shower commenced we got in at 9