Page:California Historical Society Quarterly vol 22.djvu/141



Thursday June 28^ 49 Today has been rather hard drive we have passed over a good deal of hardy sandy Bluffs today we have found wood and three the finest springs man ever quenched his thirst at this afternoon we had one of the hardest pulls we have ever had to get on a rise before going into ash hollow this is a most beautifull place we found the Verginia party camped in the mouth of the hollow Mr Crist the gentleman that joined us at Independance went to see them they asked him to take some supper he sat eating and one of the party had a revolver and by accident it went off the ball passing through his arm struck a rib and passed round saving his life whereas if it had struck between his ribs it would have killed him we camped near by distance traveled 2 3 miles

Friday June 29' Today we lay by on Mr. Grist's account he is better and we hope to move tomorrow our cooks have been busy baking here plenty of wood and good spring of water we have now filled a wheel to- day and rearranged our loads all well in camp now but the shot man

Saturday June 50' This morning were moveing early fixing Mr. Christ a bed in a waggon We passed on over a sandy hard road the Bluffs coming down to the river the country grows more sterile and the grass poorer we camped at 5 oclock distance traveled 1 5 miles. Just at night a white wolf passed a head of the train I took a rifle and after following him a short distance I put a ball in his hip which stoped his progress our dog had a clinch with him his teeth were like sheers when they came together this is the first one we could get near enough to shoot at

Sunday July ist We have commenced this month by a fine drive we camped on a fine creek of clear water and good grass nothing of note we passed a large company who were laid by for Sunday distance traveled 25 miles

Monday July 2 We got an early start this morning made our noon halt opposite Court House bluff after noon several of our party went over to take a look at it I climed to the top and engraved my name and such a view man seldom sees we overtook the train just before camping camped tonight on a Bluff two miles from the river no wood or water distance traveled 25 miles

Tuesday July 5 Last night two men that formerly belonged to the Dayton Ohio company came to camp and wanted to stop the night with us their party has broken some gone back these were returning hartily sick of the trip this morning we were of in good season we camped some 5 miles before reaching chimney rock this we thought worthy of a visit it being one mile of the main road before reaching it we passed several new made graves we found a spring near the rock coming out of a clay bluff cold and reviving we climed up the base of chimney rock some two hundred feet engraved our names and returned to the party they halted at noon near the river five miles beyond the rock good grass this