Continuing with the Diary of James Field:
Fri., Aug. 1. - Went only eight miles to-day, as many of us had some trading to do at the fort before starting. A wagon was repaired which had a tire bursted on a forewheel 100 miles from the fort, and we took raw buffalo hide cut in strips and wound about half the circumference of the wheel with it, and although we had a stony road some of the way, it lasted to the fort, holding the wheel firm and solid. One thing about Fort Hall is noticeable, their cattle look as fine as I ever saw grass-fed cattle in old Connecticut. Old, broken-down oxen purchased of last year's emigration were just rolling with fat. This is owing to the excellent grass about the fort, the land affording as fine natural pasturage as I ever saw, but is rather poorly adapted for cultivation, being too moist.
Sat., 2. - As one of our company had lost three of his working oxen in the neighborhood of the fort, we lay by to-day to help him hunt them, and they were brought in before night. Companies should never camp close to a fort when it can be avoided, as their cattle and horses are liable to be run off by the Indians who are always found in greater or less numbers in such localities. They are constantly riding about the camps of the whites, always on a full run, and scatter the stock terribly.
Sun., 3. - Took a fair start to-day for the Columbia Valley, glad to leave Fort Hall and all its appendages behind. Traveled about 10 miles, upset a wagon, and camped in the barrens without water or grass. Wood we never miss now, as we can make a fire and cook with wormwood, which grows everywhere upon the barrens. About 12 miles from our last camp we passed the American Falls, where the river passes over a bed of rocks, having a sloping descent of about 30 feet. Here the level river bottom terminates, and here we should have camped. But Capt. Tethro was close ahead of us, and some of our men had determined on passing him this night, so we kept on after he had camped upon a narrow strip of grass. In crossing a ravine the upsetting of one of Capt. Riggs' wagons brought us all to a standstill. I omitted to mention that a short distance from the last camp we crossed the Portnuef River, which was the worst crossing we have had yet, owing to the steep and miry condition of the banks, and the water being the deepest we have yet forded, requiring thick blocks to be put under the beds of most of the wagons.
Mon., 4. - Went about 16 miles to-day, camping upon the Cajeux river, where we found excellent grass. We turned out our cattle about midway between camps, near the crossing of a creek called the Creek of Rocks, as they had no water or grass last night, and many of our company went on there before they took breakfast. This creek runs through a deep ravine, as indeed nearly all the small streams do, and is rather a difficult crossing. Legget's company upset a wagon in it. The road along here would be tolerably fair were it not for the numerous ravines, some of them being very deep.
Tues., 5. - Went about 16 miles to-day, crossing fewer ravines than either of the two previous days, the road being very stony, however, which jostled the wagons terribly. Ever since passing the American Falls the rocks have presented a dark, rusty appearance, as though they contained iron ore.
Wed., 6. - Went about 14 miles over a tolerably fair road, camping on Goose Creek. We nooned alongside a very pretty little lake which is formed by the outlet of a spring. Just at evening a child fell from one of the wagons and was run over, but happening to fall in a miry hole in the road, it sustained little or no injury. This is the third run-over in our company.
Thurs., 7. - Traveled about 18 miles to-day, camping upon the dry fork of Snake river, the water of which stands along in pondholes. That pretty little lake mentioned yester-day I think must have been Snake river, which again came up this noon. The reason of my mistaking it for a lake was that we happened to strike it where its banks were low, its channel broad and deep, giving it a very moderate current, which caused it to present the appearance of a still lake. Since passing the American falls the river has ran most of the way between perpendicular bluffs of rocks, so that we often approach within a short distance of it without seeing it.
Fri., Aug. 1. - Went only eight miles to-day, as many of us had some trading to do at the fort before starting. A wagon was repaired which had a tire bursted on a forewheel 100 miles from the fort, and we took raw buffalo hide cut in strips and wound about half the circumference of the wheel with it, and although we had a stony road some of the way, it lasted to the fort, holding the wheel firm and solid. One thing about Fort Hall is noticeable, their cattle look as fine as I ever saw grass-fed cattle in old Connecticut. Old, broken-down oxen purchased of last year's emigration were just rolling with fat. This is owing to the excellent grass about the fort, the land affording as fine natural pasturage as I ever saw, but is rather poorly adapted for cultivation, being too moist.
Sat., 2. - As one of our company had lost three of his working oxen in the neighborhood of the fort, we lay by to-day to help him hunt them, and they were brought in before night. Companies should never camp close to a fort when it can be avoided, as their cattle and horses are liable to be run off by the Indians who are always found in greater or less numbers in such localities. They are constantly riding about the camps of the whites, always on a full run, and scatter the stock terribly.
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| American Falls as it looks today. Photo from http://smilingglobe.com/where-to.aspx?Visit=Idaho&Go=Central_Idaho&Re=America. |
Sun., 3. - Took a fair start to-day for the Columbia Valley, glad to leave Fort Hall and all its appendages behind. Traveled about 10 miles, upset a wagon, and camped in the barrens without water or grass. Wood we never miss now, as we can make a fire and cook with wormwood, which grows everywhere upon the barrens. About 12 miles from our last camp we passed the American Falls, where the river passes over a bed of rocks, having a sloping descent of about 30 feet. Here the level river bottom terminates, and here we should have camped. But Capt. Tethro was close ahead of us, and some of our men had determined on passing him this night, so we kept on after he had camped upon a narrow strip of grass. In crossing a ravine the upsetting of one of Capt. Riggs' wagons brought us all to a standstill. I omitted to mention that a short distance from the last camp we crossed the Portnuef River, which was the worst crossing we have had yet, owing to the steep and miry condition of the banks, and the water being the deepest we have yet forded, requiring thick blocks to be put under the beds of most of the wagons.
Mon., 4. - Went about 16 miles to-day, camping upon the Cajeux river, where we found excellent grass. We turned out our cattle about midway between camps, near the crossing of a creek called the Creek of Rocks, as they had no water or grass last night, and many of our company went on there before they took breakfast. This creek runs through a deep ravine, as indeed nearly all the small streams do, and is rather a difficult crossing. Legget's company upset a wagon in it. The road along here would be tolerably fair were it not for the numerous ravines, some of them being very deep.
Tues., 5. - Went about 16 miles to-day, crossing fewer ravines than either of the two previous days, the road being very stony, however, which jostled the wagons terribly. Ever since passing the American Falls the rocks have presented a dark, rusty appearance, as though they contained iron ore.
Wed., 6. - Went about 14 miles over a tolerably fair road, camping on Goose Creek. We nooned alongside a very pretty little lake which is formed by the outlet of a spring. Just at evening a child fell from one of the wagons and was run over, but happening to fall in a miry hole in the road, it sustained little or no injury. This is the third run-over in our company.
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| The Snake River By Colleen Taugher - originally posted to Flickr as Pete at Chief Tim, CC BY 2.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=6315474 |
Thurs., 7. - Traveled about 18 miles to-day, camping upon the dry fork of Snake river, the water of which stands along in pondholes. That pretty little lake mentioned yester-day I think must have been Snake river, which again came up this noon. The reason of my mistaking it for a lake was that we happened to strike it where its banks were low, its channel broad and deep, giving it a very moderate current, which caused it to present the appearance of a still lake. Since passing the American falls the river has ran most of the way between perpendicular bluffs of rocks, so that we often approach within a short distance of it without seeing it.
From “The Diary of James Field” Willamette Farmer (Portland, OR, Fridays: April 18 – August 1, 1879).
27 Jun 1879 (July 29-August 3)
4 Jul 1879 (August 4-11)
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