Journal of a Mountain Man
Page 15
16 Pased down the Kenyon to the mouth of a Small river & over the ridge to the little or upper Salmon Falls whare we found a number of Indians encamped who offered us plenty of dried Salmon cheap & almost for any thing we offered them these falls are Surrounded with high inaccessable Clay & rock Bluffs the vally norrow & Broken up with ravines Sandy without vegitation except Sage & some of the Same Kind of useless hardy plants Made 25 miles over Sage plains deep ravines clay Bluffs &c &c it being the most uneven roade we have yet had for so greate a distance & the most Barren county of grass Likewise as well as an intire want of water except in the River [which] runs in such a precepice that only a few places can [be] desended even on foot & then to return to the summit is ½ a days hard labour
17 Left our position & went down the River whare it was with difficulty that our pack horses could Travel on account of the steepness of the way at length about 10 A.M. we came to the ford or upper crossing of the river & saw a few Teams on the opposite side that had left Fort Hall 6 days before us. Soil since we left portnuff Slaked & unslaked lime volcanic rocks & fine & coarse sand Sometimes simple & pure & other times mixed in various porportions vegitation Sage prarie Thorn & Liquorice plant all Shrubby but thick set with Scarcely any grass on the uplands Some lowlands are Sometimes well set withe Short grass made 24 miles & encamped on a Small Brook with Several Wagons & found Some Ney Percee Indians with them & a few Snakes Some difficulty was likely to grow out of a Stolen horse. the [matter] was easily settled
18 After crossing the River yestarday we Steered north Several miles We raised a high bluff & crossed an uneven sage plane on a western direction & at Starting we Steered N. W. to the point of a low Mountain intirly destitute of Timber But Plenty of Sage & the ground Strewn thick with Cynders & other volcanic Rock verry rough & Sharp to travel over passed a verry hot Spring & grazed at a muddy Brook overgrown with canes
The afternoon about 10 miles was the most Rocky rough road we have yet seen made 25 miles & encampd on a Small Brook running through a deep kenyon the mountains again made their appearanc on the South Side of Snake River which had disappered for Some days past the Rocky cliffs to our North of us appear verry dry & Rugged
19 A few hours from our last nights encampment Brot us to an entire chang of Surface & we gladly exchangd the rough volcanick rocks for good hard gravel road but Quite uneven and the Burnt earth & rock entirely disapeared & was succeeded by the rough grey granite Standing like Stumps on a fallow or more like a monumental church yard this singular appearance lasted in groups for several hours & we saw but little sage during the day Made 30 miles & encamped at the first possible chance we found to desend to the River Gross Boise or Bigwood which here comes rushing out of the most uneven Ruged Mountain I had yet seen & passes rapidly down through a Steep Kenyon which cannot [be] assended or desended even on foot except in a few places this is a rapid Stream about 40 yards wide & is fine for Salmon
20 Set out down the river west the mountains to our right and the perpendicular rock Bank to the left both receding & deminishing a fine wide vally opened to our view & we pased down through the dust which was almost past endureance but not much wose than it had been for Several day past This stream has more Timber & Brush than most of the streams of this [region] allthough this vally is wide yet it has scarcely any grass & the land is as dry as ashes & would not produce any Known grains or vegitables made 20 miles & encamped on the river which is as clear & fine as a mountain Torrent which it is of the finest Kind ourselves & animals are completey tired out with dust & burned Prairies which has generally been the case since we left the devide between Bar River and Snake River
Campd with 2 Teams that were ahead Made 28 miles
“Fort of Boise”
21 Left our camp & Took to the dust again in a few miles we passd 9 wagons in camp about 4 miles further passed 14 or 15 more all making a move for the road crossed over the river to the north Side & made our way down a dry dusty plane untill noon this river so far has but little grass & what is is dry or Burned close to the ground to day we are almost out of Sight of Mountains only the tops of a few being visable The country we have passed over will be distressing to the teams in the rear as it is already bare
Afternoon again Bore down the vally found in verry dry & dusty But better grassed course North of West a little Before Sundown came in sight of Fort Boisie & encamped for the night a beautifull clear evening & the sun went tranquilly down behind the Blue mountans without a cloud to be seen
Sunday
22 Left our camp 2 miles above Fort Boise & passed the mud walld Fort of Boise & the clerk was Kind enough to make us out a Sketch of the rout to walla walla crossed Snake River a Short distance below the Fort found the ford good & Smoothe but rather deep for wagons unpacked on the opposite Side Several Families of Ponacks [Bannocks] & Sauptins [Nez Perces] ware encamped at the Fort it being Sunday the sauptins refused to trade with our men on account of the Sabbath Packed oup & put N. of W. Snake River running N. The Trail carried us over another Sage plain 14 miles to Malure [Malheur] River a dirty deep Stream running to the N. E. with a fine large dry vally covered in strong coarse grass & small willows a hot spring comming out on E. Shore under a high cliff of volcanic rocks Made 28 miles
23 Left our camp on Malure & Struck out N.W. up a vally the eastern branch of which we assended to the head & decended another dry ravine beyond the ridge the entire country covered with sage which from some cause or other is nearly all dead passed the Birch Spring and encamped on Snake River which here comes out of a rough looking mountain to the east & makeing a Short curve goes off into the mountains again to the North our camp is verry poor for grass which has been the case for Several days & no appearance for the better many of our horses are nearly exhausted & several afoot this evening we raised our bread with saleratas picked up a few miles east of independenc rock on sweet water
24 Clear as usual for it has not rained Since we left Fort Larrimie passed a ridge & soon Struck by what we Supposed to be Burnt River Quite a small criek Bound in by steep high Lime rock Mountains almost impasible for our horses yet the wagons have gone this rout these mountains as well as those passed yestarday shew all the visible effects of fire Some red some yellow Brown white & green mostly of decomposed rock & remarkable fine clay all dry & dusty even to the touch Made 17 miles through the worst mountains and over the worst road we have yet seen the sides of these mountains are nearly pependicular & composed of granite & rough Slate rock without any timber or any other kind of vegitation except Short grass and in many places entirely bare
25 Left our camp in the slate mountains & after making two or three curves in the hills we came out on an open country comparatively & Struck Burnt river again in a vally north of which stands a singular conicle Knobb crownd with several pinicles of rocks resembling horns no game of any kind seen not even the appearance of a rabbit which are so plenty on snake River Made 18 miles & encampd at a Spring amongst rounded Knobs well clothed in Short grass as all the country in sight has been all the afternoon there seems to be an entire change of Soil from any we have passed over Lately all the streams are likewise (are) slightly skirted to day with willows alders & a Species of Birch & other Shrubery but no valluable timber has been seen since we passed the Black Hills
“the whole country has been
on fire for a month”
26 Left our camp at the spring & took the trail bearing N. up though the hills arived at the top of the ridge Saw to ou left mountains clothed with pine or othe[r] evergreen timber a few hours brought us to another detested sage plain that vegitable being Scarce for the last 2 days Nooned at what is called the lone Tree in the middle of a vally & a fine one it has been of the pine Spicies now cut down & all the branches used for fuel the day verry Smoky & I Begin to daubt Mr. Espys theory of produceeing rain by any phisical means as the whole country has been on fire for a month past & no rain yet a range of mountains lying close to our left seem to be all enveloped in Smoke Made 25 miles & encamped
on Powder River which runs (when there is Plenty of water) through a fair vally of grass the hills Likewise are generally well covered with the Same, our selves & animals are becomeing tired of travel
27th Came to our camp last night Mr [William C.] Dement and 4 Indians going to meet the wagons their object I did not assertain but some (some) speculation no doubt Passed through a beautifull vally this fore noon well grassed but to dry for cultivation a Timbred mountain close to our left the same seen range yestarday morning As we caught our horses for our aftenoons travel Some Indian as is their habit when they discover Strangers in their country set fire to the grass about a half mile ahiad of us our rout being N. & a strong south wind blowing the fire kept ahead of us though the hills about 6 or 8 miles and when we overtook the fire we had some difficulty in passing it but all got through nearly suffocated with smoke & dust & entered the grand Round vally the whole mountains which surround this vally completely enveloped in fire and Smoke neare Sundown we discovered a man rideing rapidly toward us which proved Mr Watters [James Waters] from Willamitt waiting for his family which he expects to come in this seasons imigraton made 26 miles and encamped close under the Bleue Mountains in company with Mr. Watters & Mr [Rice?]
28 Concluded to ly still to day and rest ourselves and horses before taking the Blue Mountains which we are informed will be two days without grass this is a well watered well grassed vally but the thick smoke preventes me from seeing the probatile Size or extent I think however it is not large Remained in camp to day which was Quite warm although we had a white frost last night as we have had for several nights past. Encamped in this vally are several hudred Indians of the Skyuse nation now amalgamated with Shehaptin or Pierce nose nation 30 or 40 of these people visited us this afternoon & from whoom we traded a little cammerce thy bringing with them some peas & Squashes of their own raising they seemed to be anxious to see our wagons & cattle they being anxious to trade horses (for) of which they have great Quantities for cattle & appear to be rapidly advancing in civilization this vally is also verry favourable to the groth of the (root) Cammerce [Camas] root a root much esembling & onion in appearance but of a Sweet rich tast when roasted after the manner of the Indians the smok appeared to encrease
29 Sunday Left our camp in the grand Round vally and took up the Blue Mountains which are steep & rough but not so bad as I had anticipated from Previous information came to the grand round creek in about 10 miles the mountain so far is mostly Prairie & fairly covered with g[r]ass some parts However espicially the ravines & vallies are covered with pine & spruce timber the rocks all shew the effects of internal fires Left our nooning & proceeded on N. Westward Pased some remarkable wild & lonesome groves of pine & firr that had a dark appeearanc & the more so on account of the thick smoke that enveloped the mountain in such clouds as to nearly hide the sun at midday continued untill dusk along bare rocky rough Sides of the mountain extremly bad for wagons & encamped with out water there being but little water in these dry vitrified ridges made 26 miles saw but little sign of any wile animals Except Pheasants which are plenty in some parts of this range & live upon the berries of winter green which grows in Quantities in many places saw likewise a specees of Laurel or Ivy on the Ridgis
30 Saddled up at day light and proceded on our way found the trail tolerable for hosses in about 8 miles came to some pools of Standing water whare we took Breakfast these mountains are partially covered with Several Kinds of evergreen timber the South sides of the ridgis are bare or thinly sit with grass all the rocks & they are plenty shew the effects of fire at some remote period the caly [clay] is of the same kind as that found on the plains verry fine and Soluble in water but of a yellow colour Some a verry deep yellow with all Shades down to a pale grate Quantities of coarse pummice stone laying strewed over the ground particularly near the western desent of the mountain the western desent of the Mountain is much more easy & grduel than the easterm so far I have seen but little land that would be called fit for cultivation in any of the Western States allthough there are a fiw Spots that would bare cultivation Made 25 miles & encamped on a Small brook or rather Spring to the right of the trail & close to the foot of the mountain
[Inside back cover]
Madison Gilmore tell these
Joel Walker Gentlemen
Peter H. Burnett that Gnel [General]
Anarson [Anderson] Smith Gilham is on the road
James Watters and scarce of Provision
Notes on Chapter Eight:
Clyman seems well aware, in his notes for August 20, that his party under Jedediah Smith and Tom Fitzpatrick was responsible for bringing South Pass to general knowledge.
Apparently Clyman carved the headstone for the unfortunate Mr. Barnette, whose death is recorded on August 26. Clyman had developed a distinctive carving style when he chiseled the milestones on the Vincennes-Springfield turnpike as a surveyor in Illinois. A photograph published in L. V. Loomis’ Journal of the Birmingham Emigrating Company, (Salt Lake City, 1928), shows the inscription on Barnette’s grave carved like Clyman’s milestones.
Chapter 9
Notebook Four—The Blue Mountains to the Valley of the Willamette
[October 1, 1844 to January 31, 1845]
Tuesday Oct 1st 1844
A Beautifull morning & fine clear nights I neglected to mention yesterday that this vally was nearly covered with horses when we came down the mountain but no Indians came to our camp this as well as the grand round vally being one of the great Stoping places of the Kyuse tribe of Indians & from them we obtained Some Potatoes Corn Peas & Squashes of their own raising they likewise are verry anxious to obtain cows & other cattle for which they exchang horses of which they have great Quantities There is no climate finer than this if dry weather constitutes a fine climate & indeed the days remind one of Byrons discription of Italy not a cloud to be seen neither day nor night for months togather
Left our encampment & proceded on the Trail 2 or 3 miles when we came to a Kyuse farm Krailed [corralled] in with willows and planted with corn beans potatoes &c &c here we left the wagon trail which turns to the right & goes to Dr Whitmans said to be 40 or 50 miles further than the rout we took which goes down the Utilla I here observed that the wild Bunch grass of this country was intirely eat out near the Indian farms and does not seem to grow again Traded some potatoes of the Kyuse Women & proceeded on down the Utilla a fine mill-stream made 16 miles & campd on the creek at the head of a Kenyon through which the creek passes during the day saw several large roads leading in different directions
2nd I neglected to mention that I forwarded all the letters intrusted to my care & directed to Mr [H. H.] Spalding & Dr. [Marcus] Whitman to Mr Gilbert who left us in the grand round vally to go directly to Dr Whitmans & I hope they went to their proper directions Last night about 8 oclock & while we ware all siting by our camp fire talking & thinking ourselves one niight safe for horse thieivs we heard an unusual tramping of our horses When I arose & walked out in the direction of our horses what was my surprise to find my fine but most st[a]rved mare being driven off by an Indian on hose back not haveing brought my gun with me I called to him to halt at which he put off at full speed leaveing the mare & 2 mules that ware following so much for the Kyuse who are said to be the most honest Savage people on the continent our fore noons travel has been mostly down the utilla through a very dry country the stream confined amidst a black wall of volcanick rocks & over a dryer upland thinly coated with short grass made 26 miles & encamped on the utilla several Indians made their appearance but did not come to us this afternoon passed some small patches of cultivated land in a small but rich vally near the creek the weather contines verry smoky allthough we have not seen aney fires for several days this creek does not afford any valuable timber ther being nothing but cotton wood that grows to any size & that is verry shrubly
3d Left our camp amidst the walla walla camps there being 3 of their fires in sight none of them came near us during the night & as several men ware robed by th
em last season we ware glad to [see] that they kept at a distanc our party being now reduced to 4 men the others some haveing gone to Dr Whitmans and some having preceded us on leaveing camp We likewise left the timber which extends no farthe down the utilla the stream running over black burned rocks to whare it enters the columbia came on the banks of the great river about 11 o’clock which shews no change but runs through sand planes & rocky banks so far as we went without timber or drift wood except here & there a small clump of willows & those scarce passed several encampments of Wallawallas sutuate on sand bars along the river which came out & gazed at us as we passed
Made 24 miles over mostly sand plains covered with sage & prickly pears bothe of which we thought & hoped that we had passed at our camp we found it difficult to gather as much Brush weeds & sage as would boil a fiw potatoes & a cup of coffee the river looks Beautiful & the water clear and good but nothing else can be seen to change the sight of the detested sage & and sand planes—
Greate Quantities of Salmon are taken in the utilla when the water is up in June and their appears to be plenty of that Fish in the stream yet as we could hear splunging on the ripples all night but they are [not] considered good at this season haveing become Quite poor from their long stay in fresh water as the smallest kind of a fish could not assend this streame at this season of the year the upper vally of this stream would make some handsome farms if their was any timber to be had but none is seen except cottonwood & willow