even when the patients do get a little better they very frequently relapse again but we cant help it.
Tuesday 4. ... cool but stormy. Some of the men being sick the
people did not raise camp. I was employed writing letters.
Wednesday 5 ... The people moved a little further down the
river. Finished writing letters. My favourite horse which I kept here to follow the people with, was sent out with an Indian to feed, the fellow left him & his cord got entangled about a bush & he fell in the river & was drowned.
Thursday 6 Sultry warm weather. Left the Fort & came up with
the people at Utalla [Umatilla] river, found one of the men J. Favel on the way he had remained behind the others he was so ill with the fever, I brought him up with me. Three others of the men C. Rondeau, F. Cham- paigne and J. S. LaRocque are very ill with it indeed, there was another new case a boy L. Lavalle was taken ill on the way, the others are recovering a little. F. Payette^* who has been some time ill was unable to accompany me and I was reluctantly obliged to leave him behind. This I much regret as in the event of anything happening to me he was the only person to take charge of the party.
Friday 7 Fine warm weather. Did not raise camp on account of the
sick men. Three of them were too ill to move. We are badly situated for patients in their condition their being obliged to move & being exposed to the sun destroys the effect of the medicine, and even when they have recov- ered a little occasions a relapse. I had a good supply of medicines from Vancouver but such a continual & heavy demand wastes it so rapidly that we will soon have none.
Saturday 8 Stormy yet warm weather. Did not raise camp so that
the sick men might have a little repose. Rondeau, Champaigne and J. Favel are a good deal better these three days past. But C. Plante has fallen ill. The Bindach^^ gave the men permission to kill two marons^^ which he says belong to some of his relatives.
Sunday g Stormy cool weather. Raised camp & proceeded S.S.W.
4 hours 13 miles to a small creek.^^ The sick are a good deal better but still very weak, the cool weather today was favourable for them. In the evening an Indian arrived from the fort [Nez Perce] with letters from Col- vile^^ & one from Mr. Pambrum,^^ a boy that was left sick at the fort came with the Indian. F. Payette who was also left sick at the fort had recovered a little of the disease he was labouring under, but had a slight fit of the inter- mittent fever the next day.
Monday 1 Fine warm weather. Five of the horses were astray in the
morning and could not be found till near noon when we moved 5 Miles i Vi hours S.S.E. farther on and encamped. We would not have found water within reach to go farther on. One of the men Rocquebin refused to go and
