SOUTHERN OREGON. 
229 
descended to another plain, where the soil was a fine loam. The 
prairies were on fire across their path, and had without doubt been 
lighted by the Indians to distress our party. The fires were by no 
means violent, the flames passing but slowly over the ground, and being 
only a few inches high. 
They encamped on Billey’s Creek, named after a man w T ho had been 
killed here by a grisly bear, whilst passing through with a party belong¬ 
ing to the Company. Large game was seen in abundance, and 
Guardipii brought in an elk as large as a good-sized horse. 
On the 19th, Burrows and his squaw, w 7 ho had the night before made 
up their minds to leave the party, determined to continue with it. Lieu¬ 
tenant Emmons, in order to avoid any chance of an encounter, now 
deviated from the direct road, and took the upper ford or pass across 
the Umpqua, as he had every reason to believe that the Indians had 
made preparations at the lower one to obstruct his passage. About noon 
they reached the north fork of the Umpqua, and succeeded in fording 
it without accident, though they experienced some difficulty in conse¬ 
quence of its rapid current and uneven slippery bottom. Its breadth is 
about eighty yards, between banks from fifteen to twenty feet high; its 
depth varies from one to five feet. 
As many of the party were very unwell, Lieutenant Emmons deter¬ 
mined to halt, and the party encamped in a beautiful oak grove. With 
the geological features of the country, the botany had also changed: 
and this was also found to be the case with the animals. A new shrub 
was met with, resembling the shrubby geranium of Hawaii. A beau¬ 
tiful laurel (Laurus ptolemii,) with fragrant leaves; a Ceanothus, with 
beautiful sky-blue flow r ers of delightful fragrance; a tobacco plant 
(Nicotiana), of fetid odour, with white flowers. For further information, 
I must refer to the Botanical Report. 
On the Umpqua, the first grisly bears were seen ; here also the white¬ 
tailed deer was lost sight of, and the black-tailed species met with. Elk 
were seen in great numbers. 
Two Indians made their appearance on the opposite bank of the 
river, and were desirous of coming into the camp; but deeming that 
their object was to spy out the strength of the party, it was thought 
more prudent not to permit this; they were accordingly motioned off. 
At this encampment, the horses fared badly; for it became necessary 
to fetter them to prevent them from being stolen, as these Indians are 
notorious thieves. 
On the 20th, they resumed their route at an early hour, and passed, 
during the day, through valleys and over narrow plains, that afforded 
good pasturage for cattle. In the course of two hours, they reached 
U 
