80 JOURNAL OF LT. WILLIAMSON’S SIDE EXPLORATIONS, COMPILED FROM HIS NOTES. 
hope of obtaining grass, we at length turned back to encamp in the ravine where we bad seen 
water. It was after dark when we succeeded in reaching our destination. 
September 8.—As the animals were suffering from want of grass, and as it was impossible to 
advance, we went back as far as the whortleberry patch and encamped there. I took a different 
route, hoping to find it better, but I was disappointed. 
September 9.—In order to make a thorough examination for the Indian trail, if any existed, 
I determined to remain in camp to-day while Bartee went in search of it. He returned at 
night, and reported that he had found a trail leading north from the lake on which we had 
encamped on the evening of the 6th. He had followed it for several miles. As there was no 
other course to pursue, I determined to examine this trail to-morrow. 
September 10.—We followed the trail which Bartee found yesterday. In five or six miles it 
joined our trail from the summit of the main ridge to the lakes. We continued on and encamped 
at Camp 40, where we had all separated. We found that Lieut. Crook had moved the Depot 
camp to Why-chus creek. 
September 11.—I remained in camp to day, and sent to Lieut. Crook for more provisions. 
My plans for the future were to follow the trail toward the south and take any fork leading 
to the west, in the hope of reaching the Willamette valley. 
September 12.—This morning I followed the old trail towards the south, crossed the divide 
among the Three Sisters, and encamped on the mountain brook. 
September 13.—This morning we followed the Indian trail, with a general southwest course, 
and crossed the divide of the Cascade Bange. Many ridges and ravines rendered the route 
utterly impracticable for a railroad. In the afternoon the trail forked ; we took the right hand 
branch, and encamped on a little brook bordered with grass. Directly east of our camp the 
summit of the main ridge was very much lower than where we crossed. The night was cloudy. 
September 14.—This morning the trail led towards the northwest. From a hill covered with 
whortleberry bushes we obtained a fine view, and saw that our course from the snow mountains 
had been winding around the heads of some very deep, steep ravines. We descended from this 
hill to a ravine, and then ascended the opposite ridge, upon which the trail seemed to partially 
give out. We therefore descended to two little ponds in the midst of a grassy spot, and waited 
while Bartee searched for it. As he returned unsuccessful, I encamped, and sent him again to 
make a thorough examination. Upon his return, he reported that the trail entirely gave out, 
and that the country to the west was one mass of rocks and ravines, which were apparently 
impassable even to Indians. 
September 15.—I returned to-day to the forks of the trail, in order to try the other branch. 
It rained all day, sometimes quite violently, and we encamped near the forks. 
September 16.—It rained furiously, and we remained in camp. 
September 17.—It rained, and we did not leave camp. In the afternoon three Indians, with 
a squaw and horses, arrived from the south. They told us that the trail we had followed, only 
went a short distance. Beyond were precipices and fallen timber, which could not be crossed, 
and the only route in this vicinity, to the Willamette valley, was by the wagon road south of 
Diamond Peak. I determined to follow the left branch of the trail, and try to reach the 
wagon road. 
September 18.—It was cloudy this morning, with every prospect of rain. AVhile packing 
to continue our march, the barometer was found to be broken. As it was useless to explore 
