Page:Oregon Historical Quarterly volume 25.djvu/179

 part of the road to be most convenient on account of camping.

August 15.—This day we traveled 15 miles. At the end of five miles the road leaves the creek for a distance of six miles and runs over the hills, then strikes and follows the stream again. The road has been very rough and uphill all this day. Good camping here.

August 16.—This day we traveled fourteen miles; our road led up branches, over ridges, by springs, down branches and through valleys too tedious to mention. Here are good camping places all the way. The numerous springs and the grassy hills all go to make it delightful.

August 17.—This day we traveled sixteen miles. Our road today led over ridges, up and down branches, first right, then left, till at last we passed the summit and descended to Powder River valley. Here we nooned and rested awhile, and moved on to a small creek or slough in the main valley, where we camped.

August 18.—This day fourteen miles across and down the valley, brought us to the main stream. One little incident I will here mention, that occurred on yesterday evening. After we had camped some of our boys concluded to take a little hunt, in timber on the opposite side of the valley, as it appeared to be but a short distance away and they had several hours to spare. They set out and traveled until sunset, when they turned back to camp, which they reached by the aid of the camp lights, at 10 o'clock at night. The distance to the timber was fifteen miles.

August 19.—This day we traveled fourteen miles on the west side of Powder river. The road has been over gentle ridges and across small creeks coming in from the west all the way. Here the valley is striped with small streams of clear, cold water all along the west side of the valley. This night we are camped at a spring at the foot of the dividing ridge between Powder river and the Grand Ronde valleys.

August 20.—This day we traveled fourteen miles; two