Page:Oregon Historical Quarterly volume 25.djvu/185

JOURNAL OF A TRIP ACROSS THE PLAINS, 1851 167 west and is good for two miles, to a small creek, with short, steep hills. Six miles farther brought us to a small creek at the edge of the timber. Here we found several of our advanced company. September 10.— This day, five miles travel brought us to a small creek, known by the name of Barlow's Gate. Here we found a large number of wagons overhauling, for the purpose of lightening their loads. Some of our com- pany who had left us on Snake river on account of our slow traveling were here with their teams run down, so that they were in worse condition than ourselves. September 11. — This morning, when we got ready to start, we found that several of the loose cattle were miss- ing, which caused us to lay over this day. September 12. — This day we traveled eighteen miles. Our road from Barlow's Gate turns onto a ridge west, and follows the ridge several miles. We then descend the hill to a small creek, then up and cross another ridge and down to a second creek, after which we climb the third ridge, which winds along for some considerable distance, then down a very long steep hill, to a large swift creek, called Sandy Deschutes. We traveled up this stream for several miles and camped on a narrow bottom, entirely destitute of grass. Here we cut maple and alder for our cattle to brouse on. September 13. — This day we traveled fourteen miles on the worst road from S$. Joseph, Mo., to Oregon City, first up the creek six miles, then up one of its tributaries eight miles, through brush thickets, over boulders, through mud holes, among trees, on side hills, all as bad as it was possible to get through. No grass here. September 14. — This day we followed up the zigzag three miles to the summit, which we reached at the top of a miserably steep, stony, muddy hill, then down a very long but not steep hill, to a long sandy valley, studded with small pines. Three and a half miles down this valley we came to a small creek which we crossed, and crossed a low ridge, half a mile to a small prairie. Here we found ft