Page:Oregon Historical Quarterly vol. 3.djvu/99

Rh and the raft caught under the limbs of a partly submerged tree and it tipped on one side, so we lost our iron articles and many of our percussion caps, as well as our powder, and our other goods were damaged. This was a very serious and absolutely irreparable loss.

June 15—We came to the Black Hills, so called because of the thick growth of cedar. Here, also, we found red sandstone. It was a region of rattlesnakes and large fierce bears. Some of the best hunters of Captain Sublette's party shot one five or six times before they killed him. Snow was seen on the mountains, although the middle of June. We crossed a spur of these mountains while the main range lay away to the north.

June 16—It rained half a day. This is the first rain we have had. Here we took what was afterwards known as the "Laramie Pass."

June 18—We crossed the Platte, where it comes from the south. Along the river were beautiful flowers. We again used our "bull boats." After crossing we turned north five miles and then struck across a broken, hilly plain on both sides of the river, with no vegetation but sagebrush, grease brush, and wormwood. From an eminence we got our first view of the craggy granite peaks of Wind River Mountains.

June 23—We reached the Sweetwater, traveling through a naked, bleak country, the bare granite rocks lifting their craggy heads above the sea of sand and sandstone. There was no timber even on the river, but much snow on the mountains. At noon we reached "Independence Rock." It is like a big bowl turned upside down; in size about equal to two meeting houses of the old New England style. We encamped here. There being no timber in this valley, we had to dry buffalo dung or chips, as they are called, to use as fuel to cook by. This beautiful, clear, cool stream was a luxury, and a pleasant remedy for our sick. We wound our way as best we could through this pleasant valley, until the Sweetwater became a mere rivulet that one could step across. We crossed several snowdrifts on the way.

June 27—We encamped on the southeast foothills of the Wind River Mountains, and the last branch of the Sweetwater, and June 28 found us on the great watershed between the Atlantic and Pacific oceans. It was on open prairie, with ranges of mountains on the north and immense prairies on the south. This is the celebrated South Pass, and from it the waters flow into the Gulf of Mexico and Gulf of California. On this extensive prairie buffalo are feeding by the hundred thousands. We continued traveling northwest, as near the foot of these mountains traveling was good.

June 30—We crossed a number of tributaries of the Colorado River.

July 2—Was cold. Our camp was fired on about midnight. Unperceived by the guards, the Indians approached the camp, gave their