Page:Oregon Historical Quarterly volume 14.djvu/325



JOURNAL OF JOHN WORK 285

Thursday, April 28th.

Cloudy, fair weather.

Moved camp and proceeded 6 miles down Snake river to near the American falls, here we had good feeding for the horses. All hands out visiting and setting their traps. Twenty- two beaver and two otter were taken, 1 1 of the beaver from the little creek in the plains. Below the rapids there is some little appearance of beaver notwithstanding the Americans 1 passed this way last fall. Some of our hunters had trapped big river down to near the falls early in the spring.

Friday, April 29th.

Stormy weather, very heavy rain mixed with hail and sleet.

The unfavorable weather deterred us from moving camp but it did not prevent the people from visiting their traps and setting several more. 19 beaver were taken.

Saturday, April 30th.

Heavy overcast weather with some rain in the morning. Cloudy, fine weather afternoon.

The unfavorable appearance of the weather in the morning prevented us from raising camp. The men visited their traps, and took 50 beaver in a small creek called the big storm river. This little stream appears to have been hunted by the Americans last fall, yet there are marks of beaver being still pretty numerous. Several of the people's horses became jaded and gave up by the way, some had to be left behind, and it was dark by the time others reached the encampment. The poor horses are still so lean and weak that they are unable to bear any kind of a hard day's work. They are in much want of a week's repose and good feeding, but the lateness of the season will not admit of our allowing them so much.

Sunday, May 1st, 1831. Heavy, cloudy weather, some showers in the afternoon.

i See note on page 370, Vol. XIII.