Page:Oregon Historical Quarterly volume 37.djvu/225

 & that we shall find it so. The Walla Walla river has many branches and much good land on all of them. The Fort is on Columbia river just above Walla W. river. We shall be near neighbors to them. They intend to build both houses this fall & winter and be prepared for crops next spring. Say they shall put in their crops next spring & if they cannot fence, employ Indians to guard during the day, and yard the animals at night. When they left here did not expect to make but one location this fall, feel that they are greatly prospered in making both. We expect to leave here on the first of Nov, would be glad to go sooner if we could get our things made on account of the rain; have had none yet which is quite remarkable. Have the promise of having a room ready for me as soon as I get there. Mrs. S. goes immediately to her location without waiting for a house to be built.

"Oct 22d.It has rained today considerably the first I have seen since the 22d July. In all the journey have not suffered any inconvenience from rain, while last year in the early part of it their was rain almost continually

"25I thot I would tell what kind of a dish we had set before us this morning. It is called black pudding. It is not a favourite dish with us Americans. It goes from the table untouched. It is made of blood & the fat of hogs well spiced & filled into a gut. The grapes are just ripe & I am feasting on them finely. There is abundance now on the table before me they are very fine I save all the seeds of those I eat for planting & of apples also. This is a rule of Vancouver I have got collected before me an assortment of garden seeds which I take up with me, also I intend taking some young sprouts of apple peach & grapes & some strawberry vines &c from the nursery here. Thus we have every thing we could wish for supplied us here we brought an assortment of seed from Cincinati with us over the mountains. I think every time I look into the glass if Mother could see me now she would not think my cheek bones were very promenant. We have every comfort we can ask for here, enough to eat & drink & are as well provided for as we should be in many boarding houses in the States

"Nov 1st I have seen a sight today which makes me shudder.