Page:Oregon Historical Quarterly volume 25.djvu/159

 was brought from eight miles below. Fair weather now.

May 20.—This day we traveled up the Platte valley to where Plum creek enters Platte. The storm the day before had raised the creek so much that we drove into the river and drove around the mouth of the creek. After we got on the opposite side of the creek, we traveled about five miles, making in all 15 miles today. Here we had no wood but found plenty of buffalo chips, which we could use as a substitute. Here the river is about three-fourths of a mile wide and is from 10 to 12 inches deep.

May 21.—This morning we started at 7 o'clock. After traveling a few miles, we could see traces of wagons on both sides of the river as far as our visions would reach. Encamped at 5 P. M.

May 22.—This morning all in uproar. After we had just got to sleep last night, the cattle took a scare and stampeded. We had them corraled, and they ran over and smashed two buggies all to atoms. They ran ten miles upstream, when the men after them overhauled them and succeeded in turning back, in a desperate storm. They succeeded in getting all but 18 head back against noon. We stayed here till the next morning, the 23rd.

May 23.—This morning we gathered our ragged teams and traveled on as best we could. When we had traveled about 12 miles we passed the forks of the Platte; here met our renegade cattle. They had run 32 miles. After traveling 23 miles, encamped where we had plenty of wood.

May 24.—This day we find narrow valley, not averaging more than one and one-half miles wide. The formation here looks like lime core and is very broken and rough. Grass could be found only in the narrow bottoms. We found wood along the bluffs. This country along here is rougher than usual.

May 25.—This day, after traveling a few miles, the road turns over ridges, which form a gentle slope from the high plains to the river. Here our road was more hilly than usual. We camped this night opposite the main forks of the Platte river. Here some of our men got after