Page:Route of Meek Cut-off, 1845.djvu/6

6 water shaded by a beautiful grove of pine trees; distance 10 miles.

30. Traveled 10 miles and encamped on a small branch; found a few willows.

1. Had bad road; traveled six miles and encamped at a good spring; found a few willows.

2. Road continues bad; traveled four miles and encamped on Chutes or Fall River.

3. Spent the day in crossing the river. Had no timber to make boats; were compelled to make boats of our wagon beds to cross our families and goods.

4. Rigged our wagons, loaded up and traveled three miles to a delightful stream shaded by a few cottonwood trees, where we encamped for the night.

5. Traveled 12 miles and encamped in a beautiful white oak grove; found no water.

6. Made an early start; traveled five miles to a branch, where we stopped to take breakfast, rested two hours and started again; five miles further brought us to another stream where we encamped for the night.

7. Eight miles brought us to the mission on the Columbia River, where we got a fresh supply of provisions.

Fort Boise being at the confluence of the Boise River with the Snake almost west of Parma, Idaho, the crossing of the latter and a southwest course of 12 miles took the train to the Owyhee, which enters the Snake from the south, a few miles upward from Fort Boise. The succeeding two days' travel was still along or near the Owyhee, while the next four days (northwest and westerly) took them through the mountainous region between the watershed of the Owyhee and that of the South Fork of the Malheur. The next four days (westerly) to the South Fork of the Malheur River a few miles above the entrance of Middle Fork.

September 4th and 5th, still proceeding westerly, approach was made on the latter day to the "beautiful valley," but being