Page:Oregon Historical Quarterly volume 37.djvu/388

 keep the dust out of your eyes & nose & mouth. You will not have any of any account until you get this side of Fort Hall, but if you should have mules, and be among the first teams you would have but little dust all of the way.

The diarrhea and mountain fever is the two kinds of sickness to be watch, and to be feared, but if you will watch the first closely you need not fear the latter, but in order to avoid the diarrhea every one must use one kind of water all of the way, and by all means avoid water that comes from holes dug in the ground, it is not good and most alwais gives people the diarrhea, but the Platt water is healthy, if it is full of mud. But yet I do think if I was in your place that I would come by water, you can come quicker, I think saffer, and cost in the end, but a little if any more, and can bring more of your goods with you than you can across the plains.

4TH The Lotwhitcomb Steamer went to Van Couver on a pleasure trip today and the mate had given Esther & Frances an invitation to go, but when the boat came down the river the Captain would not land, so they were cheated out of their ride. But they had a dinner here, and the girls and Ann had their dinner with them. I stayed at home, and they kick out their own fun.

They have a flag pole here that is one hundred & ten feet out of the ground, ten inches through at the bot, and as straight as an arrow, an as true a taper as you ever saw, all in one stick. ...

10TH I saw Thomas Mercer day befor yesterday, he has been to Pugets Sound, he likes the country very much, he says he thinks he shall settle about 60 miles north east of Olympa. If they should prefer the northern rout for the great rail road, he thinks it will cross the mountains and come to the sound about there.

Write often,

Affectionately Yours

Milwaukie O. T. 24th August. 1853

... I returned from my trip down the river a most two weeks ago. ... I did not go as far as I expected, when I left home, for we had to walk from the mouth of Shoal Water to