Notes by the way, Memoranda of a journey across the plains from Sundee, Ill., to Olympia, W. T., May 7, to November 3, 1862

Page 14

In the manner tiLintl v d0scrilwd in H1e eould be u1adc through the H\\·nrup. A foregoing pages, l..ws anotllPr 1noutb few hours \vere spent jn cutting wjllow passed \vhilc on the road. brush to flll in holc~s and forrn n kind of ) r- _ , _. , .., .} • . I conleroy botton1 over \vhicl1 \\·c· \verr CA~n oO,_ ~·\."Le t. 1 1' I.SG_ .-. On <on- tra11Rportc<l with but httlf' trott1>lr.- sultatlon \. ~ Vlth t)w COI.n. iJtt11"Y , Jt .\ Y. ttS dt'- (-irr lnt "tl(l lll 1 lsq 11·to "" · t f' 1 u • u ~. 1. ei"" 111 cr ere<. ve1T mded no~ to cro::;~ tlH'. nver nt tln~ placr, JtJuch v.rith the prace of both anirnafs beeause fiftr('n nnles furthf•r \Vn. ·anotlH)r c d t ., ·1 ') .. , d B . :t • t =~·fi"' 1 ~ tl' 1. 1 dl1 1 avcct~to- ay . .>Uta!~nonhleezr. er s rea1n n·s1 CLt 1ru I, ·1 a]s . -lL~, \Y 11<' 1 "'" Oon set' tl'r--.1 tl ·. ~~- ·t 't t · th r 1 eu <turn1 y. ~a c 1 n e \Ve nrcesf(an v "·ou < 1ayr to l)n s~ . 1Clv d t f' ·1 d . • < UJ vvc n1ove ou a e\v 1111 es an A fevv nnles b<'1ow the h,·o forn1ed a . 1 "' 1 b t _ t f junction, wher(' ~t ferrY 11<H1 hecn plnrc<l. tc' _nlpec .tl(' '' ec;l /wdo ra~ge~ to moAun- 'rr o :1 1 . • , . a1ns, w1 . 1 .rrooet JCe anu \Va or. n- frO no vn1 t H' rn-('l' tn i' h('l it' IT\. \\·as . ~ . . -1 1 :1 ltl 1 ·t 1 cone !l other vrry d1sngreeable w1nd greeted us U( eCL o·n ; al lOlt Hr 1 1 ,,·ou < ro11- t1 1 ' i · t 'll bl · l 1-3un1e ~ome tnne, anc ta1 '- <' n~ son1e out on 1e roa(, m1c IS s 1 O\Yn1oo- . of OUr way, it \YUS t.}JOttght fo he the ., _ r best jn thP end. 1\ t, 0 o',·1o1.5k jn thr CA:\Jr D3, A~a . 4 :-rho n1ost of the morning can1p \\·as aron~rd, n nd nn hour da~ wn~ occup1ed 1n the l_lSLHl l ope­later found 11 :-; 0 •1 our ,, .. "''~- dl·!1rr<r1·nn· rat1ons t11at c1nploys all the t1n1e of dayA • nn' <'Db u J '1 ] . t 'll l k' along over a rough nnd nncZ·e11 pi~<~l' ~t' '!'1 ~Le 11 Y1~g s :r '. s~c las coo_ 1:1g, w~sh~ country; part of tht:l \Yay along- the ~n~ anrl reno¥ attn b . Tovi at d~ nJghi. river bottonm nnd thrri OY('r Rtrrp hjgh the _order cnn1e to_ n1ove on, vvJnch wa~ hluffG, \Vhcre they rcnchcd tlw river; t·o a httl? 11n~xpectr(1, bnt neverthel?ss ascenrl the last, ·ext.rn. te::uns \Ycrc\ rc- v.r~s vv1th evident good . grace complied quire~. 1\ :f(~,v rnilc~ out stopped ior '~J~th. S'i~on aft~~ r .'tarting t~:. road en­brcakrast and to feed tlH? n ninJa!:-;. At tm~d a Canyon 1n the. rnounta1ns, along the river tlle animah; hnd to R\vinl-tbe wh1ch ~ sn1all bnt.rapHl strcan1 coursed. b_oat bei~g too frail---and the \vngons fer- ~novv h?ed the .side~ a:nd p eaks of thP ned, vvhlch \vas accolnplishe(l in ,'f)af.lon nlonntatn. on ('Jthei side' for .tvvehrp and safety. Campf'rl n fe,r nliles be- ~lnyR \ve ha:(' not hc<)n 01:t of stght of yond. Uood \Vater, no fuel, grass ('X- 1t. In~o tlns narrow <leflle vve \Vent, cellent. ._ ~~ncl trmle<i over the rongh(•st. ron<l fol· ;!, fl~\V Jnj]('l-~, that \Vr l1ad yet found.­CAMP 51, At·n. 2 :-The sjrunbon of Cro. ·M~ll the crrd\. five tin1c~. A.t one Ja~t night vYas n?t· UC('n1cc1 in eYery Vi'fl.Y pbce df'scmH1Pd n stc•'P bnt Hhort hill, su1table to ren1a1n P.n,~ lenO'th of tin1e \Vh('re thr traHJI-4 had to h(' t·nken fron1 "' ,-, ' ~o \Ve started 1-o S€ek. a bet.tf'r. The thf\ "'·:-~gons, nnd thry ]o,yen'(l by hano rou~e' sj rr:Ular to that alr('nc1y clr:-:~rihed, and rop.t·s~ all (} hy thiF; tn('iln~ drn{!gt"}rl nnt1l ·we reached a. ]o\Y ~\Yarnpy piece OY~r a frail l>nd,gt>. TlJ(' rerna i11ing pia­of Janel t l1rough v'\·h1ch thP road ')ilf.:.·ed cr~ \\"('!"(' f()rGf'<L ,\ high \Yj.nc1 prPvnil­n. nd which it \Yas impoRsjblr to ~,-oid. rd Jno .. t ol' thr \vny, nn(l du. t \vns not because of its extent. I t vvas skirted \Vanting. ( Jnntpf'~i at a point. -vvberr tbr on hoth Rjdes by high bl nff.~, leavin0 o· t bjs nJonntains draVir near too·ether, in con1- l . 0 as ou1· on y pass._ JJ ere \Ve Jocn.tec1 for pa11y \Vli·h another · conHiderabl(' train. the present alt1Jongh the "sitnnrion" is 'J'hf' n1oon Hhining hril1ianth·, anrl tlH' not a very desirable one. cheerful 1 igl Lt of i~lle , cveral ~ e::t.1np-fl rN; lend a_ rnorr pl0~.sant charm to the spo1 C.DfP 52, SrXDA y At·(;. 3 :-;\ftrr than I r ot·hPI'\YJRe \\'Ollld l1fl.VP. Thr prospecting for a \Vhilr jt \Yas fonnrl myria cls of' 11111 1'q 11 ito(ls t hat kept 11~ t.hnt. hy ~omr lahnr a \rf'r_,~ }'HI~Rnhle road c.ompany 011 I hP w;.1.v havr b<><·nmp rtnirl. The cool11 u·~~ of tlte t~veni.ug, arJJ]. the smoke existing, 1Javc in.luced tltmn to with<lntvv in silence. V\T e do not eo1u­. plain particularly of t1~c i~ "in~inuati11g ways," but after as ·ocJatl_ng w ttl1. thc111 a while one can apprccw.te thetr ab­sence. Hu.vi11g fortuuately cut ~-ra;,;~ for the 1n ulcs, vve vvere cnab lc<l to iavor thctll vvi tl1 a hearty 111eal, ebe they woulcl baYu fared 1nuch vvon;e than \Vt' . tlJe uninlill~. 'l'he ki ·kH a11<l pavYing8 of the anuiuml:-;, and the ltWllY slars tllat vvcr · given, u ~1d the StHHlry hnrcl thi11gs that \Vt'rc ~mic1, fnl1y attetJt '(l as to tile annoya111.5 ., . C:u1 1pcd a? an ·ar1y !Jour'. \VCUI'ic<l UlJd Ci1.l'C\VO I'll i l'UHI tlte labor Of the <lav. Uv.;iiJg to tlH~ ein·unL'tauce~, uu1do 'but a :-;l10rt tli~taucu thi~ aft.8r­noon. CA.i\lP (.)£>, ~ \ l '\L G :-\VIwt \\·us Raid of r lle roadH of y ), ·t en1a}·, iH e(1 ualJy trw~ UAMP 54, Auo. [) :-\Vo :su1liecl forth of to-(lay, and if posNibl<', t'Vf)n u1ore NO. this n1orning, poorly kn o\\~ing th~ char- Cr01'4::3e<l t ltn·e 'lofty n 1uuntuin~ ; to a~­acter of the eouutry through \Vlnch ou~· l)Olld, tJw roud \\.Otlllcl nrotmd thrn1 iu path leJ, aud the aifli.cnlties vVC W01~ld tlHJ fol'lll ofn spiral :::;t;.~ir-ca~l' , }ike that have to encounter and overc<nn e. :b or of t1w To\ver of BabeL 'l'lw rock aud two n1iles the road. ,~ra~ 1no .~t abo1nina- ear th \Yttl-4 cut Jown suf1 ie~eut to n1nke a. ble. It haH be<.'n bette r, hut is no\v tntek on the si.lel'l. T'h (lc~ceut \vas not badly washed. Rough, stony aud sitle- ,'O gra<hwl, and iu pl~(WI'l \Va:::> <1anger­ling barely nauws it . The ereek V\'a~ ous. Through the ravlnt),' the road::) are forded five tiu1es, a,u<l holes 1n it filled , very rough, oftru follo\Ying ::)Orne dis­with stones in several places. A vvug- \ tauce j u the bc<l of a creek. On the on belonrrino- to one of the party iu 1 top~ of the~e 1nonntains V\·c vv?re eleva­going thn~u~h wus brokeu. We e~~nped I tc(l high nb_ovc n1any ~urrouncln~~ pe~ks. without accident, but hn,ve no w1sh to In tbe gulf.-- below are beds 01 ~tc1nal turn and t ry jt over.. 'l'ho H~Ol.'ning \Yc.~s I ice anJ SllO\V, an<~ deusc, uh~1o ·.t JD1~eu­cold and the 1nounta1ns BO ln <rh, that 1t etrnb]e gro\Yth ot brush and tun beL­was late ere the sun aro. e ~ufticicutlv 1'\.lon<r tbc topci and ~itlf's of' the rnoun­to vvarrn the atmosphere in this dnrk \ tuin. l .ires have rngcd auc1 t:ipreaJ, taking and cheerless place. Ou clenri ng t.hi:-; 1 everything_i. n its vYay. lVIany trees have hollow vvc passed ucros:-; a ]('vel table \ f:dJr·n, \vlule oth('l'S s~n.r:d, bln.~ken~d, a short distance, and stoppcJ for noon, 1 tn.ll and litnbless, .Po1:ntJng sp1re~hk e havino· ll1acle a lo11o· drive iLTid aceou1- 11Iea\·eu\vard, as a ·dent recorJ of the 0 lJ l plished but a short journey. The road ' rclent1css flan1es t1wt have paHsec over for the afternoon \VaH <L'CC1Hli11n· and Jc- t.lleu 1. S:nv tvYO graves by the road­scendino · hirrh n,ud steep mon~1tains.- side, ou t.he top of oue of the nJountains; 'l'he as0c ent0 . .1 1 l . \ Vas t.?ai.ou ·, tl1c descent ouc \YaB that of a lauy, Ill~ qsec 111 a even more so. ...\ t the ba_.c of each, oth- neat picket fence; the other a 1nan sup­er creeks interfcd at-i obstac1eJ:l tn delay 1 posc<L to have been kill(:lcl by Indians.­rapid progress. T'ovvar<l evening '\Ve 1 rl'hc last hollO\Y \Ve e~1t~n·d, secrned to changed our conrso fro1H d n c \\·e~t to 1 be do\YH, do·wn to a lnn1 t1ess abyss. .A north through another Can you. The ! Jeep, S\vift strcan1 \VC found, \vhen. at mountain sides and hollo\Vcl \Yerc hcav- last \o\"e reached the bottorn, rus]nng ily timbered with Rpruce nnd poplar, like a torrent at our feet. rl'his we re-. and the road. \vas n1ade by cutting th(ln1 peated1y crossed, nH a1so a nu1nber oi do\vn and draO'gino· then1 out of the n1udcly sloughR. For .·overal rods a log­ ·way. Throughout t he aflcrn~on, gnats \vay l1ad b~en laid, \\·hich '''a? rnuch musquitoes and largP horse-fliPs Sf't 1nccl thP wor~e from the .nmonnt of t ra,-pl to conRpirr to anno_y both onr~f' h· c~' and thai had pas~erl OYPr Jt.