& 
165 [ 174] 
with a song gale from the south, which commenced at 11 ‘of the last 
nig e road to-day led along the river, which is full of rapids and 
small falls. Grass is very scanty; and along the rugged banks are scat- 
tered cedars, with an abundance of rocks and sage. ‘We travelled 14 miles, 
and eneamped in the afternoon near the river, on a rocky creek, the bed. 
of which was entirely occupied with boulders of a very large size. .For 
the last three or four miles the right bank of the river has a palisade 
pearance. One of the oxen was killed here for food. — The thermometer 
at evening was at 55°, the sky almost overcast, and the barometer indi- 
eated an elevation of 4,400 feet. 
» . + . 5 # fg * 
September 26.—Rain during the night, and the temperature at sunrise — 
42°. Travelling along the river, in about 4 miles we reached a picturesque 
stream, to which we gave the name of Fall creek. It is remarkable for the 
many falls which occur in a short distance ; and its bed is composed of a 
calcareous tufa, or vegetable rock, composed principally of the remains of 
reeds and mosses, resembling that at the Basin spring on Bear river. 
The road along the river bluffs had been occasionally very bad 5 and 
imagining that some rough obstacles rendered such a détour necessary, we 
followed for several miles a plain wagon road leading up this stream, until. 
we reached a point whence it could be seen making directly towards a low 
place in the range on the south side of the valley, and we became imme- 
diately aware’ that we were on a trail formed by a party of wagons, in com- 
pany with whom we bad encamped at Elm grove, near the frontier of 
Missouri, and which you will remember were proceeding to Upper Califor- 
nia under the direction of Mr. Jos. Chiles. ‘At the time of their departure, 
no practicable passes were known in the southern Rocky mountains with- 
in the territory of the United States ; and the probable apprehension of dif- 
ficulty in attempting to pass near the settled frontierof New Mexico, eer is 
} } nf L ‘lh oe. Rape mY the: er : 
with the desert character of the 
i rf ~ , alin oe ee 
to take a more northern and circuitous route by way of the Sweet Water pass. 
and Fort Hall. They had still between them and the valley of the Sacramen- 
to a great mass of mountains, forming the Sierra Nevada, here commonly 
known asthe Great California mountain, and which were at this time 
considered as presenting an impracticable barrier to wheeled ia 
Various considerations had suggested to them a division of the pa 5 and 
a greater portion of the camp, including the wagons, with the mail an other 
stores, were now proceeding under the guidance of Mr. Joseph Walker, who 
had engaged to eonduct them, by along sweep to the southward, around 
what is called the point of the mountain ; and, crossing through a pass 
known only to himself, gain the banks of the Sacramento by the valley of 
the San Joaquin. It was alongand a hazardous journey for a party in hicks 
there were women and children. Sixty days was the shortest period of 
time in which they could reach the point of the mountain, and their route 
posed Indians, and 
lay through a country inhabited by wild and badly dis 
very poor in game ; but the leader was a mati possessing grea intim 
knowledge of the Indians; with an extraordinary firmness and decision of 
character. fn the mean time, Mr. Chiles had passed down the Columbia’ 
with a party often or twelve men, with the intention of reaching the set- 
tlements on the Sacramento by a more direct course, which indefinite tn- 
formation from bunters had indicated in the direction of the head waters 
of the Riviére aux Malheurs ; and having obtained there a reinforcement 
of animals, afid a supply of provisions, meet the wagons before they .¥ should. 
7 
