Page:Oregon Historical Quarterly vol. 24.djvu/275

 John Work's Journey to Umpqua River, 1834 253 we left in the morning. Through all the hilly country through which we passed the land on the sides of the hills and in the intervening valleys appears to be of a superior quality, or at least the vegetation is more luxuriant than on the low flat plains even where they do not appear subject to inundation. There is also some timothy grass similar to what we have from England. The clover is of the white or red kind & grows most luxuriantly on the border of swamp or on the plains, where the ground is a little damp & springy. The timber today was mostly oak & a few other trees, & pine on the higher hills. June 5. Rain. The unfavorable weather deterred us raising camp, as passing [200] the mountains through the thick woods & bushes which are loaded with water would have wet & spoiled and baggage and horse agnts [ ?] An Indian, Catarah joined us here & state that M. Laframboise had gone along the seacoast & that reports had been received that the Indians attempted to pillage them of their property which caused a quarrel in which 16 of the natives were slain, & that subsequently the Indians had assembled in great force & cut off all, or the greater part of M. Laf ramboise's party. This part of the story I do not think probable. The hunters were out but without success. There are but few tracks of animals, besides the weather was unfavorable. June 6. Heavy rain. Did not raise camp on account of the bad weather. The hunters were out but without success. June 7. Fine. Proceeded 4% hours, 15 miles, first S 8 miles across the Elk mountain to Elk river, & then S W. 7 miles down the N side [201] of the river to the traverse where we camped. We were an hour ascending the mountain on the N side, & 1% in descending. All Comments June 7. Elk River was the later Elk Creek. The "traverse" and the camp probably were near Drain.