Page:Oregon Historical Quarterly volume 37.djvu/335

 the mouth they will swim & drag you over. (Edward how do you think you would like to ride this way.)

15thYesterday Mr McLeod with most of his men left us wishing to hasten his arrival at Snake Fort, leaving us a pilot & his weakest animals to come in with us at our leisure. This is a relief to us for it is difficult to bring our cattle up to the speed they wish to travel we have had such a cool wind today & it has been so comfortable traveling that we have made better proggress than usual. Considerable stony however. We passed the hot Springs just before noon which are quite a curiosity. Boiled a bit of dry Salmon in one of them in five minutes.

16thThis evening found a plenty of berries called hawthorn on the stream where we have encamped. They are as large as a cherry & taste much like a mealy sweet apple. Our route on this side of the river is less hilly & difficult than on the south side & said to be two days shorter.

19thArrived at Snake Fort about noon. It is situated on Big Wood River, so called because the timber is larger than any to be seen this side of the mountains. It consists chiefly of cotton wood, and is small compared with timber in the States Snake Fort is owned & built by Mr McKay one of company whom we expect to leave here. He with Mr McLeod gave us a hearty welcome. Dined with them. Mr McLeod was ready to leave on the morrow but said he would stay a day longer to give us the opportunity of doing some necessary work, for which we were thankful.

20th Sat.Last night I put my cloths in water & this morning finished washing before breakfast. I find it not very agreable to do such work in the middle of the day when I have no shelter to protect me from the suns schorching rays. This is the third time I have washed since I left the states, or home either. Once at Fort Williams & at Rendezvous. Mr McLeod call this eve to see if we were ready to leave Observed that we