292 OVERLAND EXPEDITION TO SAN FRANCISCO. 



mountain, although they had evidently intended to attack us ; 

 fresh tracks were observable in every direction, and large 

 trees felled across the path to prevent the party from ad- 

 vancing. 



On arriving at the summit of the range, we obtained a view 

 which more than repaid us for our trouble. The Shaste 

 Mountains with their snowy peaks, were to be seen some fifty 

 miles to the southward, swelling and soaring to the skies, 

 while the Klamet Valley into which we descended, like that in 

 which the poet built his Castle of Indolence, was 



" A lonely dale fast by the river side, 

 And was, I ween, a lovely spot of ground." 



This valley is watered by the Klamet River, and is bounded 

 on all sides with hills of considerable elevation, rising one be- 

 yond the other, and covered with forests of oak, which added 

 materially to the picturesque beauty of the scene. 



During the 30th, we remained encamped to enable the sick 

 to recover from the fatigue undergone in crossing the moun- 

 tains. Near this camping-place was found an Indian hut 

 constructed of bent twigs ; it was small and extremely low. 

 The temperature in the shade during the day was 100°, at 

 night, it was 32°. No doubt these great and sudden changes 

 in the atmosphere tended to aggravate the ague attacks from 

 which we suffered during the journey. 



On the 1st of October the sick were much better, and we 

 pursued our way. At 10 A. M. we forded the Klamet River, 

 where it was about seventy yards broad ; it was between three 

 and four feet deep, with a beautiful pebbly bottom. There 

 were rapids both above and below the ford, and from the 

 appearance of the banks, it is subject to overflow. After 

 crossing the river, masses of volcanic rock were observable in 



