Page:California Historical Society Quarterly vol 22.djvu/217

 weather during the day. This being a holiday with the Canadians did not raise camp^^

Friday 2 Sharp frost in the night Mild weather during the day.

Raised camp and proceeded down the river 1 2 miles S. W. We crossed to the E. side of the river. The men visited their traps but with little success, only 3 beaver and two otters taken. There are tracks of Indians quite fresh, but they fly on our approach and none of them are to be seen. On the W. side of the river there is a hot spring at such a high temperature that the finger cannot be endured in it^*.

Saturday 5 Frozen keen in the night, fine weather during the day.

Continued our course 8 miles S.W. down the river. The river runs through a sort of swamp these two days past. The hills on both sides are bearing pretty well wooded. The hunters were out these two days, but without suc- cess. They saw the faint tracks of some deer but could not come up with them.

Sunday 4 Sharp frost in the night raw cold weather during the

day. Quit the river, the banks of which become rocky, & proceeded S. 1 2 miles across a mountain^ ^ to another small fork of the river. The river where we left it this morning takes a turn to the Westward it is then pretty well wooded and apparently well adapted for beaver, but some of the men who visited it yesterday, found very little appearance of them, a few traps were set but only one beaver taken this morning. The road the greater part of the way today very stony. Several of the horses are becoming lame, their hoofs are being worn out. Found some oak in the mountains among the pine & cedar trees^^. F. Champaigne & J. Toupin each killed a horse to eat, pro- visions are becoming scarce among the people. The hunters were again out in the mountains but without success. There are some deer tracks but they are very shy, probably on account of being much hunted by the Indians whose tracks quite fresh are to be met with in every direction.

Monday j Cold, blowing fresh part of the day. Continued our jour-

ney down the river 8 miles S.S.W. The road stony part of the way. This fork here is pretty large and pretty well wooded with ash, poplar^^ and wil- lows, but there are no appearances of beaver in it though apparently well suited for them.

Tuesday 6 Frost in the morning, cold weather. Continued our jour-

ney 10 miles S.S.W. across a plain, a rocky hill & then another plain to the big river, part of the road very stony. The large river here runs through a swampy place & has little or no wood. Just below where we are encamped it is confined between rocky hills^^. There are numbers of geese in the river but very few of them were killed. The hunters were again out in the mountains but as usual without success. Several Indians were encamped here but fled on our approach and gained the rocks. Some women were found in the plains