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Show 50 Notes By the 1'flay. bed is soft if it is dirty. FeeJ poor · and far~ft: If this is not " roughing it" 've have yet to find it out. Our stock of flour having becon1e neatly exhausted we obtained son1e here at $12,- 00 per hundred pounds. The Ides of Septen1 her are nun1- bered among the past. being confined to a narrow strip on either si.rle of the river; but what there is, is productive, and grain grows to the utmost perfection1 vegetables to almost a fabulous size. Cotton-wood grows along the banks of the rive~·, but only in quautities to supply the vvants of the fanner. I11 the afternoon drove on twelve D1i1 es to Dry Creek anu canlped. All day the weather vvas very cold, and in the evening a heavy snow stonn passed over and lodged in the Blue Mountaius to the cast. We have two large pack trains for cotnpany to-night. CAMP 106, OCTOBER 1 :-It being late when we started this n1orning as n. n1atter of course it required uiligence to reach our next watering place, a spring, which was twenty tV\ro 111iles distant. The sky was cloudy, and a few slight showers of rain sprinkled us; bu i soon a brisk breeze cleared avvay the clouds CAMP 108, OcT. 3 :-Fron1 last cmnp and scattered the sand furiously around vvhich vvas but six 1uiles fr01n Walla in an exceedingly uuplcn ant style.- Walla, vvc n1oved on to .a Slua]l creekAll of those disadvantages hovvcver, did lVIud creek we believe it js culled, auJ not deter us fron1 pursning our ·course certainly it sustains that character-and ascending and descending hills, crossing halt e<1, it being as ncar the place us we ridges, hollows and plains. Anon vve call go and have feed for l.he anin1als. would find a short s11ace of country The vveather this forenoon could be no where sand diJ not abonnu, and we better; the snow ston11 of yestenla.y could afford tin1e to vvipc the dust from had cleared the air, and the sun shone our eyes and take a long breath with vvann and pleasant. In the afternoon a sighs of cahn enjoyn1ent. Late n.t night south wind blevv up a cold rain. Wood we reached the above n1entioncd spring; beiiJg scarce, vve coul~ have no fire, a~d and imagine our cha<Yrin on findinO' the the day dragged out 111 the 1nost dls-water only in small b quantities abn d of agreeab1 e manner conceivable. . bad quality, and no 'vood iit its vicinity; After months of journeying and toil, but here 've are, and l1ere \VC 111uRt exhausting alike to tJle energies of travstay" for the rmna.indcr of the night. e1 cr and aninw.l, we have at length rcachccl a point that has been looked CAMP · 107, OcT. 2 :-Struck can1p forvvard to vvith in1patient anxiety. Tht: and started on our way, as by previous towu is the heaJquartcrs of the mining arrangen1ent, before sun-rise. 'l'he road in this Territory, and is decidedly a fast was good and we rolled rapidly down one. The principal business is gan1- to the Touchet-Tu-sha--river, and bling and charging exhorbitant prices stopped to take breakfast ; the . animals for everything. It is situated near a were taken to the hills, so1ne distance river of the same nan1e, thirty. miles off to get their usual allowance of dry fro1n the Colu1nbia, on a s1nall stream grass. This river is narrow and shal- called Mill creek ; contains about one low, but flows through a very fertile thousand inhabitants, and has but one valley. Its attractions has induced the principal street. 1.,he church going hardy pioneer to select a hon1estead population find an1ple room in one s1nall here, and fann houses are dotted here church. But as Sunday is the best and there along its bauks. The agricnl- business day, it is not expected that the tura_l capayity of the '•all ey is litnited, n")sidC'nts ·will RpPnd ntuch time in that ... Votes By the Way. kiud of diversion. About two n1iles tivatcd. We soon passed fror.n this into from Walla Walla, is a U.S. Military a ban·en, sandy, J esert region where station, established for the protection of ouly sage and grease wood can find suben1igrants and citizens. It is on a sight- sistance. Our course lay through what ly place an~ cout~j ns in a?<lition to t he is known as the Walla Walla valley, barracks, neat residences for officers. along a strean1 of 1noderate dimensions Our appearance on our arrival here of the same nan1e. Seventeen 1niles was somewhat ludicrous, almost baffling out was the first place found on which description, and we will not attempt it . to ca1np. Crossed the Touchet river on With our dilapidat.ed and seedy hats, a high bridge, near the junction of that soiled and threadbare gannents, open and t he one 1nentioned, and halted for jointed, well worn boots and bronzed the night on the banks of the fonner.features, we would readily be taken for The weatl~er delightful. that class ~ of persons who solicit alms Where patchos of sage and grease at street cor?c:s. I-Iaving been exp~sed wood had gr~vvn near t ogether they to great vanet1es of vveather, and pnva- were a pre>tectlon to each other ; fron1 tions as vvell, on a )_)rot ractcd journey, around t hen1 the wind had blown the yet with slight except ions we are phys- sand, leaving the shrubs to grace the ically sound. Our aniina]s p,re weak- tops of n1ounds, iu 1nany places several enecl and travel worn-but the experi- feet high. The 'vincl had also blovvn ence that all anin1u.ls on si1nilar trips the sand. fro1n the road to the depth of are subject t o. · several feet, for n1ing a canal, with a We learned here that the "E1n igrant deep sandy botton1, taxing to the utmost Escort," from whose "overshadowiug the strcugth of our teau1s in dragging protection" we were glaJ to escape, has our vvagons through. not arrived, but is expected in about two weeks. The story of all emigrauts agree that an escort on the principal -they arc carried on, are but the merest sham, a costly play-t hing, benefitting only those who conduct then1. Although the intenuion is good, the result is not wJJ.at was auticipated. If the large stuns thus unnually and uscless- 1y expended by the govern1nent vvere applied towards repairing t he roads, establishing n1ilitary posts and sinking wells along the way, vvhercby the hardships of the journey could be lessened, it would be of lasting and incalculable benefit to the e1nigrant . * CAMP 109, OcT. 8 ~-The· intervening time from the third to the ejghth inst., was passed at carnp where located as recorded. To-day we starLcd for t.he river. For a short distance frotn Lhc settlement the land is t.aken up and cul- CAMP 110, OcT. 9 :-The roads to-day vvere similar to those of yesterday, aside fron1 being 1n ore hilly. Forded the river t vvice, and can1ped by it at an early hour within two 1niles of our destination. 'I,he thoug·ht goes straight home to our hear ts, -vvhen we think that but two 1niles lie between us and the enu of our journey in this part of the country. This being the only place where feed can be obtained, our stopping here can1e frorn necessity. We have hearu n1uch about the fer tility and productiveness of this valley, and vve 111ust say that the portion of it vve 1)assed through did not in1press us very favorably as to its resources. We do not vvish to detract fr01n it s merits or reputation, and can only add, that the part to sustain ·what has been said of it must lie far ther up tovvards the mount ·ains. OcT. lO ;--Before s un-ri~e \Ye were |
