Page:Oregon Historical Quarterly vol. 5.djvu/384

374 "Advances of outfits were made to such men as Hastings and his party, Burnett, and other prominent men ....

Those who proposed going to California could readily get all the supplies they required of the company by giving their notes payable in California.—Gray's "Oregon," 361."

This is a mistake, so far as I was concerned. I had plenty of wheat, cattle, and hogs, and did not need advances. My outfit cost very little additional outlay, for the simple reason that I had my own wagon and teams, except one yoke of oxen which I purchased of Pettigrove, in Portland, and paid for at the time. I had the two horses that I took with me, and all the provisions that I required, except a few pounds of tea. I had an ample supply of sugar, for reasons already stated. I had all the clothes required, and plenty of tools, except two picks, which I got a blacksmith in Oregon City to make. I do not remember having purchased a single article on credit.

I was elected captain of the wagon party, and Thomas McKay was employed as pilot. We followed the Applegate route to Klamath Lake, where we left the road and took a southern direction. Thomas McKay, myself, and five others, well armed and mounted, went on in advance of the wagons to discover the best route, leaving the wagons to follow our trail until otherwise notified. We, the road hunters, took with us plenty of flour, sugar, and tea, and depended upon our guns for meat.

We passed over comparatively smooth prairie for some distance. One evening we encamped at what was then called Goose Lake. It being late in the season, the water in the lake was very low, muddy, and almost putrid. Vast flocks of pelicans were visiting this lake at that time, on their way south. I remember that we killed one on the wing with a rifle.

The water being so bad, we drank very little, and left