Page:California Historical Society Quarterly vol 22.djvu/212

 through a swamp which would probably at any other season have been impassible.

Friday 5 Heavy rain the greater part of the day and very stormy.

The unfavourable weather deterred us from raising camp. The people out with their traps, 8 beaver taken.

Saturday 6 Sharp frost in the morning fine weather afterwards.

Proceeded 6 miles down the river 2 hours S.E. 1 2 beaver and an otter taken. Four wretched Snake Indians visited us.

Sunday 7 Stormy cold weather. Raised camp and cut across a

point^^ 4 hours 1 5 miles S.S.W. to a small lake^^ along side of a salt Lake. The salt lake^* is of considerable extent but destitute of wood. All the way from the station we left this morning is a chain of small swampy lakes, without wood. The hunters passed along them, they found no beaver but killed a good many wild fowl. 1 1 beaver and an otter were taken in the morning. From our last station I intended to have proceeded S.E. to Ogdens river and searched to the Southward of it for a river which the Indians give some vague account of, but the season is too far advanced and before we could get there even did we find a river the winter would be probably set in & the river frozen so we could not trap it were there beaver. We have been there- fore induced to alter the plans and proceed straight to the Bonaventura.

Monday 8 Stormy cold weather. Did not raise camp in order that

the people might shoot wildfowl of which there are plenty here. All hands were out and killed a good many. Two of the men who left their traps behind went for them but caught no beaver. An old horse gave up on the way yesterday, today two Snake Indians visited the camp. Four also visited us at our last station & were kindly treated. The most of these people fly at our approach.

Tuesday 9 Fine warm weather. Raised camp and proceeded 3/2

hours 1 2 miles W.S.W. along the North side of Salt Lake to a small camp at the West end of it. The people out shooting wildfowl but with little success.

Wednesday 10 Frost in the morning, fine weather afterwards. Con-

tinued our route 3 hours 10 miles W.S.W. to a small spring near a lake which is now dry. Another lake lies behind a point of rocks behind the camp.

Thursday 1 1 Rather stormy part of the day. Continued our journey

at an early hour and after a hard day both on men & horses of 9V2 hours march 32 Miles, 18 Miles W.S.W. & 14 miles S.S.W. encamped without water and not much grass for our fatigued thirsty horses. We have this day made two usual days journey, in consequence of not finding water at the first station where the people used to find it when they passed this way twice before but earlier in the season than at present. On proceeding on to this place a small stony ravine, a former encampment, we have the mortification to find the spring dried up. Our situation is rather gloomy, the more so as a