Page:History of Oregon Literature.djvu/71

 men without food this day.—All hands out with traps.—The mountains (Blue Mts.) appeared about 30 miles distant covered with snow and trees. They gave hope of red deer.—Snow at night—Many of the horses can scarcely crawl for want of grass, owing to frozen ground.—We are now on the very high land and expect soon to see another river from the long range of mountains visible.—About dusk we reached the sources of the Day's River, which discharges into the Columbia—Our course—(was) along the main branch of Day's River, a fine large stream nearly as wide again as it is at the Columbia—From appearance this river takes its source the same quarter as the River of the Falls and Utakka—Here the grass is green, no snow, the frogs croaking merrily as in May—

Friday, March 31st (1826). Counted 40 horses dead in Snake winter camp; 27 beaver today, which makes our first thousand, and leaves two to begin the second thousand. I hope to reach Vancouver with 3000.

Monday, 5th (March, 1827, in Shasta country). Men killed 2 deer and report bears numerous. These gents will soon leave their winter quarters and ravage about in quest of food after 4 mos. of quiet.

August 24 (1827). Left Ft. Vancouver for the Snake Country with 28 trappers and hopes far from sanguine. 1st Sept. we reached Nez Perces (Walla Walla), on 5th Sept. set off.

Friday 26th (September, 1828). Started at an early hour 6 A. M. and encamped on the Grand Ronde at 2 P. M. our horses fatigued, 8 in the rear—wild horses are very unfit for a long journey. Two trappers joined us with 4 beaver.

The Journal of Harrison G. Rogers gives a vivid account of Captain Jedediah Smith's trip from California by way of the Umpqua