NARRATIVE AND ITINERARY—TRINITY TRAIL—FORT READING. 
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elevation of 2,141 feet above camp was gained. The snow was about four inches deep upon the 
top. In the winter it sometimes renders the trail impassable. A sudden descent conducted to 
the head-waters of a branch of Trinity river, which flows, in a deep and narrow ravine, between 
heavily timbered ridges. We were compelled to cross and re-cross this stream eleven times at 
bad fords, which became more and more rocky as they grew deeper. At length we encamped 
near a public house, after a hard day’s march of twenty-four miles. This very bad trail, is, at 
present, the most travelled route between Yreka and the settled part of the Sacramento valley. 
November 13.—To-day we continued our course down the narrow valley, crossing the stream 
five time's more at very rocky fords. It received several small tributaries, which increased its size to 
nearly a hundred feet in width and about three feet in depth. The current was rapid. At the 
point where the river first bends abruptly toward the west, the trail leaves.it and crosses Trinity 
mountains, the divide between it and Clear creek. A spur from the main ridge, lying between 
two immense ravines, extends about six miles towards Trinity river. The trail winds up the 
steep end of this spur, until an elevation of nearly 2,000 feet above the water is gained, and 
then follows along the top to the main ridge, through a forest of pine and oak. The descent of 
2,543 feet to Clear creek is exceedingly abrupt. Although much labor has been expended upon 
the trail, this mountain is a very great obstacle to travel. We encamped at the first house we 
reached in the valley, after a hard march of about twenty-four miles. 
November 14.—This morning we followed a pack trail about five miles down the narrow 
ravine of Clear creek to a mill, which is the terminus of the wagon road from Shasta. A few 
miles further on, we reached French gulch, a celebrated place for gold washing. The valley 
of the creek was here about a quarter of a mile in width, and the water had been conducted 
through it in every direction, by ditches. As many as a hundred men were engaged in digging 
and washing gold when we passed, and quite a little village had sprung up near the road. I 
was told that although the ground had been dug over several times, the amount of gold seemed 
to be undiminished. 
We continued to follow the narrow valley of Clear creek, occasionally crossing low spurs from 
the sides to avoid bends, until we reached a few houses called Whiskey town. At this place 
the road left the stream, and passed through an open, rolling country to Shasta, one of the 
principal towns in northern California. Here we encamped, after travelling about twenty-one 
miles. 
November 15.—To-day we arrived at Fort Heading, distant about seventeen miles from 
Shasta, and thus completed the field work of the survey. The road between the town and the 
Sacramento river, which we crossed at Johnson’s ferry, led through an open and undulating 
region From the ferry to the fort, it passed over a nearly level plateau, in some places 
well wooded, and in others entirely destitute of trees. We were received with great kindness 
and attention by the only officers at the post, Major F. 0. Wyse and Lieutenant D. R. Ransom, 
both of the 3d artillery. 
Lieutenant Williamson arrived from San Francisco a few days afterwards. He considered 
the season so far advanced as to render it inexpedient to attempt any exploration of the 
Sierra Nevada, near the sources of Carson river, before the ensuing spring, particularly as the 
most important examinations contemplated had been already anticipated by the State. Orders 
were soon received from the War Department, directing him to dispose of the outfit and return 
at once to Washington to prepare the report, maps, profiles, &c., of the survey already com¬ 
pleted. The party reached the city in the latter part of January, 1856, and immediately 
entered upon office work. 
