74 
NARRATIVE AND ITINERARY-NEAR HEAD OF DES CHUTES VALLEY. 
August 29.—As the supply of grass began to fail, I moved camp about 3.3 miles down stream 
this morning, to a point where the river bottom spread out into a fine prairie, carpeted with an 
abundance of rich bunch grass. To reach this prairie, we passed through a nearly level country 
covered with pine forest. We encamped near some small trees on the river bank, where we 
found all the requisites for an excellent camping place. During the night, ice of considerable 
thickness formed in the water vessels, and just before sunrise the thermometer stood at 15° 
Fahrenheit. 
August 30.—The day was spent in taking observations and computing. The glass crystal of 
one of the chronometers was unfortunately broken ; but Mr. Coleman pounded a piece of tin 
until he gave it the requisite curvature, and thus supplied an admirable substitute. He had 
previously repaired a watch in the same manner. 
August 31.—We remained in camp taking the usual observations. Early in the morning 
the air was quite uncomfortably cold, and the thermometer ranged below the freezing point 
until nearly nine o’clock. The altitude of the camp above the sea was only 4,129 feet. 
September 1.—To-day we were greatly surprised by the arrival of a party of gold seekers 
from the Umpqua valley, who were journeying to the Coleville mines. They had crossed the 
Cascade Range by the wagon road south of Diamond Peak, which Lieutenant Williamson 
subsequently examined. After remaining a few moments with us, they continued their march. 
In the afternoon a corporal and two men arrived, bringing me orders from Lieutenant Wil¬ 
liamson to join him on the second tributary of the Des Chutes river below camp. 
September 2.—Our course this morning lay through a fine prairie, from half a mile to two 
miles in width, and bordered with pine timber. The river wound through the middle of the 
open space, concealed from view by a line of willows, and the trail followed its general course. 
The soil was mostly of a pumice-stone character, but there was an abundance of fine grass. 
After travelling 13.5 miles we found, by the greatly increased size of the stream, that it had 
received a tributary from the mountains. As the bushes were too thick to admit of riding near 
the water’s edge, I walked hack, and in about a quarter of a mile reached the junction of the two 
branches. The new tributary was too large to ford, and the depth and swift current of the 
main river threatened to give us much trouble in crossing. Beavers were very numerous in 
this vicinity. Continuing our march we soon reached a place where the trail crossed to the 
other bank ; but the ford was so deep that the water rose to the backs of our largest mules. 
After searching in vain for a more shallow place, I decided to make rafts, rather than wet the 
packs and endanger the animals by driving them loaded into the swift current. The men 
worked hard, and at sunset all our packs and instruments had been transported to the western 
bank in safety, on a raft formed by lashing dry logs together. The escort were not quite so 
' successful, and some of their property remained on the eastern bank until morning. The 
river was about 150 feet in width ; the bottom was hard and free from boulders, and the banks 
were low and firm. The depth of the water and the swift current alone prevented fording. 
September 3.—In examining the vicinity of camp this morning, I found the remains of an 
old Indian rancheria, surrounded by numerous deer and elk horns. A little above the crossing 
place on the western bank, several springs gushed from the rocks and united to form a stream 
nearly fifteen feet in width, which discharged itself into the river. 
We started at about eight o’clock. The trail led near the river bank, through a pumice- 
stone region covered with pine timber. There were a few hills, and they gradually increased 
in height and steepness as we advanced. The river abounded in short bends. About five 
miles from camp, trap rock suddenly took the place of pumice-stone, and the stream entered 
