Continuing with the diary of James Field:
Fri., 8. - Went about eight miles to-day, camping at the Rocky Fork of Snake, which proves to be only a small stream.
Sat., 9. - This morning our camp was visited by a large band of Indians, who brought with them a mare belonging to a person in one of the forward companies and gave her up, receiving a few presents as a reward for their honesty. Contrast this with the conduct of the owner of the mare, who is reported to have robbed a Sioux grave a little this side of Larimie of several buffalo robes and other articles which it is their custom to deposit with their dead. But thanks be to goodness, the emigrant companies are not all composed of such shadows of men, for before our big company split, he was considered the meanest one in it or on the road. Went about 16 miles to-day, camping again upon the Rocky Fork, or not precisely upon it, for the bluffs are so steep as to oblige us to camp in the wormwood and drive our cattle down loose over the rocks. About 4 miles from our present encampment, crossed the Rocky Forks and the bluffs there were very difficult both of descent and ascent. In fact it has wound through a deep narrow glen with its sides a wall of perpendicular rocks, nearly all the way from our last encampment.
Sun., 10. - Went about 20 miles, camping late in the evening upon a small branch just at its entrance into Snake river. Had a very naked camp of it, there only being a patch of tall rushes and cane grass for our cattle to feed upon.
Mon., 11. - A part of our company consisting of 15 wagons, camped last evening where we first struck Snake River, and this morning they took out their cattle so that our company is again divided, - this time we divided even, as we had 20 wagons, five having left ours and joined Stewart's company on Sweetwater. A number of Indians are encamped on the opposite side of the river. Went about 6 miles to-day, camping again upon Snake River near where a large creek puts into it, near which we found an excellent piece of grass. A number of natives passed our encampment in the evening, one of them having a couple of salmon with him which he sold us. These are the first salmon we have seen, but the Indians being so plenty along the river the last day or two, I think we must be getting in the neighborhood of salmon. There is little or no game at all on road this side. Fort Hall and the Indians are obliged to live on fish. There are no less than four companies piled up here, ours, Parker's, Leggets, and English's. Parker's is the one that broke from Stewart on Sweetwater about the time five wagons joined him from our crowd. Just below our present encampment on the opposite side of the river are a number of as fine springs as ever were seen. They are near the top of the river bluff, which is between 80 and 100 feet high and as the water bubbles down the nearly perpendicular rock it forms a line of beautiful cascades along the dark wall of rocks which here line the opposite shore of the river. If the hills around us were carpeted with grass instead of being covered with wormwood, this would be one of the prettiest spots on the globe for the study of a painter.
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| Landscape, Fall Creek Falls and Snake River Idaho |
Tues., 12. - On passing those springs this morning I take back the last sentence written yesterday and say, leave all as it is, the brown appearance of the barren hillsides contrasting with the bright green fringe of willows and grass which here border the smooth surface of the river, spreading occasionally up the side around the springs, only to render the same more striking, and should I see it transferred to canvas 50 years hence, I would be sure to recognize it, no matter where I found it. About five miles from our late encampment we passed the Salmon falls, the river there falling over a wall of rock in a succession of tumbles, making a descent of about 25 feet. Here were a number of Indian camps with lots of salmon for sale. These fish cannot ascend the falls, and the Indians have a great fishery there. We could plainly see numbers of their traps in the river as we passed along. We traveled about 18 miles and then tied up in the wormwood, as there was no grass anywhere near us, and the river banks were so steep and high it was utterly impossible to descend them with wagons. My patience was this day tried to its utmost by the conduct of English's company, which hurried its wagons into the road this morning, taking the lead of all the companies. They have been racing and crowding other companies all the way since the start, and now their teams are cut up so that they can hardly travel, and we were obliged to wait for them to work their passages up the hills, occasionally an ox or old cow lying down to rest upon it.
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| Salmon from Flickr Public Domain |
Wed., 13. - Went about 11 miles this morning, which took us to the crossing of Snake river, and crossing to the first island, turned out our cattle. We found the McNearys, the Waymires, and a number of our old company, in all 13 wagons, on the opposite side of the river wishing to join us, they offering to pilot and assist us over. We crossed in the afternoon, they rendering us valuable assistance, as they were well acquainted with the ford, which is not easily followed, as it runs across to two islands and then crooks up stream. The water only ran into the wagons a few inches, and as everything that could wet was raised to the top of the wagon-beds, it did no damage. They told us it ran over the sides of some of the foremost wagons, and upset one. The Walla Walla Indians are reported to have assembled some 75 or 100 miles below here for the purpose of stopping the emigrants passing through their territory, and it is said they have killed two of the Frenchmen who were with us as pilots on Sweetwater. This is the reason of their wishing to join us.
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| Walla Walla Native Indians Image from https://www.warpaths2peacepipes.com/indian-tribes/walla-walla-tribe.htm |
Thurs., 14. - Traveled about ten miles, camping upon a small branch. We had a squally time ascending the bluffs, which are several hundred feet high. We passed from a hill to the side of a bluff, upon a high, narrow ridge of just sufficient width upon the top for the wagon road, the sides descending very steep each way. Just as the wagons were upon this a gale of wind in advance of a thunder shower struck us, and blew with such violence directly across the track that it seemed as if wagons, teams and all would be blown away.
From “The Diary of James Field” Willamette Farmer (Portland, OR, Fridays: April 18 – August 1, 1879).
4 Jul 1879 (August 4-11)
11 Jul 1879 (August 11-22)
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