Page:California Historical Society Quarterly vol 22.djvu/144

 on the banks of a small stream not a spear of grass this is the first time our teems have had to be tied up without some f eede the guide book says some 17 miles we find a stream grass and water we have found several glorious good springs the water boiling up out of the clear sand we found camped here severall parties that passed us some time since while laying by with our sick we have several unwell from diarea &c distance traveled today 20 miles

Wednesday July nth This morning we moved early out five miles found some grass and turned out two hours here our mules got quite refreshed we have passed over a verry hilly country, this afternoon we could not find a green patch of grass and were obliged to bait on dried up Buffalo grass we camped on a small stream, now but has the appearance of quite a river in a wet time we could not find near this stream grass enough for one mule we tied our teems up with a view of an early start dis- tance traveled 25 miles

Thursday July 12th Today we have made a good drive to arrive at deer creek we passed several streams but the banks are grazed as close as sheep can perform that duty this forenoon we saw a buffallo I followed a short distance the ground so uneven my horse could not keep up with him we baited at noon near a cold spring these springs coming out of the hills are a perfect "God send" to the traveler the road today has been over hills and bluffs we struck the platte some ^yq miles before arriveing at Deer Creek a mile further we saw at a distance a buffalo Mr Whittier and I started after him it proved to be one that had been shot today we saw several carcases indicating they were here we took a survey and to our joy we [saw] three at a distance We made for them by hideing behind the hills we came directly upon them I put a ball in back of the fore- shoulder he went on I loded up and started my horse slowly and suc- ceded in comeing up to him and putting a ball in his back it is difficult to shoot on the full gallop we though we had him he laging behind the others we came up to him I headed him and he stoped I fired at his head he droped on his knees and came up and with a tremendous rush came directly at me my horse was to quick for him and saved me a shock we followed him slowly expecting to see him fall he was bleeding freely and his lungs was evidently pierced as the Blood was runing of his toung he passed in a ravine that led to a branch of deer creek We lost sight of him and it being near night we could not find him in time to return to camp we struck the creek five miles above the mouth of the creek we started down the stream it was dark and comeing across a party hurding cattle we staid with them over night distance traveled 2 5 miles

Friday July iph This morning Whittier and I returned to our party found them camped near the crossing of the river we moved up the creek six miles to stop a day or two for our mules to rest and cut some hay we