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Show A T IP ACROSS THE PLAINS, horses. About twenty miles further we encamped ~en.r Fort Hall, crossing several small streams. The last e1ght miles, heavy sand road and marshy streams. CHAPTER VII. Fort llali-Port Neuf River-American Po.lls--Knft S.iverFall B.i.-el"-Orc~ou I'C.oad-Goosc «Jreel~-«Ja~tt.lc llocks-SaU .Lake Valley. There a1·e two forts nt this point; the upper one belonging to the United States, the lowet· to the Hurl son Ba~ Com• pany. They are about five miles apart. No sup~lles are to be obtait:led at either pl~ce, except bacon and wlttskey,the lattel' at six dollal's per gallon. I think the establishment belonging to tho United States, was deserted a few mor,ths bince, probably on account of the sevel'ity of a number of the winters. \¥e were informed that several hundred ho rses had died, during the win tel' of '49 and '50, from cold and want of f'oorl. 1\1 J'. Grant, of the lower fort, received us very kindly, and gave milk to those of the com· pan y who applied for it, for which he would receive noth .. in g. This was the fi1·st we had seen since loa ving the Stales. 'l'hese forts nre situated on Lewis' Fork of the Columbia river, about 1,300 miles from St. Joseph. At this time and fo1· about ten days previously, great nun1bers of the Company were su"ffering fl'om uRocky l\!ountain Fever," peculiat· to these mountains. It i~ very mild, and brief in it~ duration, rarely l'equit·ing more than a dose or calomel followed, 1f necessary. by a few doses of Dover's Powdet· ot· Ipecac. Aside fr0rr1 this we were a ll in the enjoyment of excellent health. We left the~e forts about 9 o'clock, A. M. (June I st. ) and about noon forded the Port Neuf river seven miles below. 1'hi& stream is about one hundred yards wide, and fou1· feet deep. The opposite bank is rather marshy.The Panack River is seven n1iles !owEn· down-would not be difficult to ford, but for it~ miry banks. There is a spl'ing of good water &ix miles farthet·, in the valley of Lewis river. Here we encamped. We had considerable mar .. shy road during this duy. \ ' . AND LlFE JN CALl-FOR.NIA-. Next morning, five miles travel brought us to :t·he Amer· ican Falls on Lewis River. 'The water faiJs -thirty 0 ·1· forty feet over a-n irregu lat· mass of rocks. A visit to the faJJs will amply repay the traveller for his trouble. Full River js seventeen mi:les farther. This derives its nnme (J"om -the number of falls neat· its mouth. Many of them are old beaver dams petrified. It is about thirty feet wide and two feet deep. The descent to, and ascent from, the stream are ;pretty steep. We encam.ped on Raft River about eight miles farther. Good road this day. Some who have written "Guides to Califo1·nia" describe the road from Ft. Hall to this riveT as being a very bad one, but if they were to travel it. they would hardly find the desperate places they describe.. There is only one or ·two ravines Ln th.is distance and they are not at all tl·oublesome. Next morning forded the river at encampment and ref orded one ·mile farthea·. Between these two fords we left the Oregon Road, which keep to the right, following fo1· a considerable distance, Lewis or Snah:e river. Fourteen miles from the second ford we again crossed it. The strean1 here is about twenty-five feet wide, and .five feet deep. Be·iflg too deep to ford we made a bridge by dt·awing two wagons into it, and on these we ·carried a- ·cross the baggflge. The road on both sides of the strean1 at this crossing, is very marshy. Mud in many placPs f!·om twelv-e -to eighteen inches deep. Goose Creek is nine miles fart:heJ·. We encamped he'l·e--plenty or wood, water and grass. Hedgpeth's cut-off comes in at this point. 'This "cut-off" leaves the road about four 1n il'es west or :soda Spring&, and goes by a more direct route to Goose 1Creek. Probably twenty-five or thirt.y miles are gained by taking this "cut-off," but after aH very little time is gained by it. The weather at this time was pa·etty cool, especially in 'the morning, the therrnometer at 5 o'clock A. M. generally ft·om two to six degrees below the freezing point of water. Next day towards evening we passed the ''Castle Rocks," quite an assemblage of fantastically f!lhaped rocks. Smne enterprising traveller has painted the word "hotel'' or ~'Ci ty f-Iotel" in tar on one of them. The "hotel" is suf.· Cl , |
