Page:Oregon Historical Quarterly volume 23.djvu/305



OREGON MISSION RECORD BOOK 257

Wednesday 2d August.

Rev. J. Lee and wife and C. Shepard sat out in com- pany with Mr. Des-portes on an excursion for health, followed up the Willamette and its branches for several days and from thence crossed over to Pudding river, thence to the Campment Du Sable, thence crossed the Willamette & returned to the Mission where they arrived safely on Thursday 10th Aug. about 12 o'clock at noon, somewhat recruited in health found all well &c &c Monday 14th Aug 1837.

Messrs. Lee and Shepard with their wives and Mr. J. Gervais set out on an excursion to the Pacific. Crossed the Willamette about 1 o'clock P. M. and rode in a west- erly direction & encamped the first evening on a branch of the Yamhill river. Next morning continued on the journey through a most beautiful country and encamped at evening at the foot of the mountains. Wednesday commenced crossing the mountains & encamped at night in a deep valley. Thursday set forward again intending to reach the shores of the Pacific but were disappointed and encamped in a narrow vale 11 or 12 miles distant rainy during the night & next morning. Friday resumed our journey about 11 o'clock A. M. thinking the rain over but it commenced raining again soon and continued raining most of the way. Arrived thoroughly drenched at a beautiful encampment in a small grove of Cypres & pine about 5 p. m. and were soon dry and comfortable by the aid of a good fire.

Saturday 26th Aug. 1837.

Started on our return and arrived safely at Mission on Wednesday 30th. The way over the mountains is very rough, large trees have fallen across the path over which the horses were obliged to jump so that in some places we were obliged to allight every few minutes on the whole the journey has been one of fatigue but we hope will eventually prove a benefit to our health and better enable us to pursue the business of our calling.