FIRST ATTEMPTED ASCENT, 1857 



They were evidently discussing the subject of hunger, 

 for the Irishman said: "I've often seen the squaws 

 coming about the cook-house picking the pitaties out 

 of the slop-barrel, an' I thought it was awful ; but I 

 giss I'd do it mesilf this mornin'." 



The morning of the eleventh day we left the Nes- 

 qually to cross over to the Mishawl, and traveled on 

 the mountain all day, until we reached the stream at 

 night completely exhausted. We should have stopped 

 sooner than we did, but we were almost perishing with 

 thirst, not having had any water since we left the 

 Nesqually in the morning. What we took along in 

 our canteens was exhausted in the early part of the day. 

 We were not more than two miles from the camp in 

 the prairie, and notwithstanding that we had had 

 nothing to eat all day, except a few berries we had 

 picked by the way, we were so exhausted that we 

 lay down to sleep as soon as we had quenched our thirst. 



We started up-stream the next morning, thinking 

 we had reached the Mishawl below our camp ; but soon 

 discovering our mistake, we turned down. At this 

 point the Irishman's heart sunk within him, he was 

 so exhausted. Thinking we were lost, he wanted to 

 lie down in the stream and "drownd" himself. He 

 was assured that we should soon be in camp, and we 

 arrived there very soon after, before the men left in 

 charge of the horses were up. 



Our first thought was of something to eat. I cau- 

 tioned all about eating much at first ; but from sub- 

 sequent results am inclined to think my advice was not 

 heeded. I contented myself with a half cracker, a 

 little butter, and weak coffee ; and an hour after, when 

 I began to feel the beneficial effects of what I had 

 eaten, I took a little more substantial meal, but re- 

 frained from eating heartily. 



After a short rest we caught our horses, and the 

 doctor and I rode into Steilacoom, where we arrived 

 after a hard ride late in the afternoon. As we 



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