Page:California Historical Society Quarterly vol 22.djvu/205



THE JOURNAL OF JOHN WORK

Augt. 1 8 ^2 J Friday ij Warm sultry weather. Left Vancouver^ a

little before noon and joined the Snake Trappers, (who were sent to a little above the fort yesterday evening to take their regale,) we embarked in three boats & proceeded up the river to a little above the saw mill where we put ashore for the night. The party this year is to consist of 26 men.^ Our instructions are to proceed to the Old Lake [Snake? ] country^ or the Bona- ventura valley'* which ever may be deemed most advantageous. Our present plan is, if the season does not be too far advanced, to go by Ogden's River^ where a few beaver may be caught before the river freezes over and then go on to the Bonaventura by the S. branch^, but if it be too late in the season we will have to push on direct to the Bonaventura by Pit river^ or the N. branch. Either way our prospects of making anything of a hunt are but very indifferent.

Saturday 18 Rained part of the day. Proceeded on our journey up

the river with the paddles, there being no wind, to below the first rapids of the Cascades.^

Sunday ip Fine weather.^ Continued our route at an early hour, got

across the portage at the Cascades a little past noon, lost some time guming the boats, and then proceeded up the river with the paddles, there being very little wind and that little ahead.

Monday 20 ... Proceeded up the river with the paddles, the wind

being still unfavourable, and encamped some distance below the Dalls.

Tuesday 21 .... Continued our journey at an early hour and by the evening had the boats & cargoes across the Dalls portage and encamped at the upper end of it. This was a hard days work on the people. There are a great many Indians here at present, some few of them have the ague. Our sick men are recovering very slowly.

Wednesday^ 22 ... Proceeded on our journey a little before sun-

rising and got across the portage at the Chutes before noon when we pro- ceeded up the river with the paddles, the wind being still unfavourable, and encamped in the evening some distance below Day's River.^^ The Indians at the Dalls & Chutes inform us that our man Soteaux whom we lost on the 8th July was murdered by two Mountain Snakes who lay in wait for him as he passed a thicket and shot him with arrows but little reliance can be placed on the account.

Thursday 25 ... Continued our route up the river with a fine sail

wind and made a good day's journey.

Friday 24 ... The sail wind continued and wafted us up the river

to below Utalla river.^^ C. Groslui's boy taken ill with the fever. The men who were ill recovering very slowly.