Elizabeth Wood

“ We forded the Snake River, which runs so swift that the drivers ( four to a team ) had to hold on to the ox yokes to keep from being swept down by the current . The water came into the wagon boxes , and after making the island we raised the boxes on blocks , engaged an Indian pilot , doubled teams , and reached the opposite bank in safety . It is best in fording this river to engage a pilot . — The " Telegraph Company , " as we call them , who passed us in such a hurry on the Platte , have left their goods and wagons scattered over the
mountains . ”

“ AUGUST 15. - We have found some good grass , and the cattle are into it up to their eyes ; it looks like timothy , off at a distance, just ready to mow . – At one place here we have had to drive our cattle down 2000 feet to water ; in doing this we were obliged to leave a cow , which had not strength to walk after the fatigue of going down and up this mountain of a hill . – Again , there is no grass , but the soil is of an ashy nature , very mellow and conse a
ELIZABETH WOOD a quently dusty , and produces nothing but the sage brush . ”

“ This is a dismal morning , as it has been raining ; the hills are very slippery , and before us is a mountain that looks as if it could not be climbed . We are at one of those places where the way cannot be seen twenty steps ahead , but as we proceed openings are found to let us through , and where others have been we can go . ”

“ Looking back to the train , you would see some of the men holding on to the wagons , others slipping under the oxen's feet, some throwing articles out of the way that had fallen out , and all have enough to do to keep them busily occupied . Often the teams get going so fast down hill it is difficult to stop them to double lock , and when , at a still steeper place , there is no stopping them at a l l , the driver jumps o n the near wheel o x and the whole concern goes down with a perfect rush until a more level place i s reached . ”

“ This valley is one of Nature's beauty spots , and at the foot of the hill we were met by a great many Indians waiting to see the emigrants . This valley is very fertile , its area is about 10,000 acres , fenced in with very high mountains , covered with fine trees . ”

“ You would see the women and children in advance seeking the best way , some of them slipping down , or holding on to the rocks , now taking an " otter slide, " and then a run till some natural obstacle presented itself to stop their accelerated progress , and those who get down safely , without a hurt or a bruise , are fortunate indeed . ”

“ On the opposite side of the river from us is a spring flowing out of the wall of a rock , large enough to turn a mill ; it is a very beautiful stream , clear as crystal, and runs so rapidly that it looks white as ice as it flows over the rock , and roars like a mill race . We got some salmon of the Indians here .— Monday the 18th we passed the Salmon Falls , at which place Capt . ”

“ Sometimes the dust i s s o great that the drivers cannot see their teams a t all though the sun i s shining brightly , and i t i s a great relief t o the way - worn traveler t o meet with some mountain stream , meandering through a valley , after traveling for miles over these rough and dusty roads , through a country where every blade o f grass has been dried u p , with the drouth that generally prevails here a t this time o f year , except i n the bottoms along the river banks , where we can yet get feed for our cattle . ”

“ They will exchange a good pony for a good cow , orgiveasquawforapony!oraponyfor$100. The hills here are all covered with fine timber . Some of them are awful steep , however . We went up one today and it took twenty -two head of cattle to haul up one wagon , and there was not much in the wagon either . Emigrants will therefore see the necessity of kind and careful treat ment of their teams at the outset and indeed through the whole of this long journey , to reserve their strength for these difficult places . ”

“ While making the preparations , and reflecting at the same time of what the people of Morton and Peoria were doing , and contrasting my situation with what it was this day last year , a storm arose , blew over a l l the tents but two , capsized our stove with its delicious viands , set one wagon o n fire , and for a while produced not a little confusion i n the camp . No serious injury , how ever , was done . After the storm was over , we put u p the stove , straightened up the tent , and got a s nice a dinner a s we had upon the “ Glorious Fourth ” i n Morton last year . ”

“ Its fertile soil produces several kinds of luxuriant grass — blue grass , timothy , clover , red top , and “ broom corn " grass , that looks like oats , only the head is not heavy enough . As we ascended the high hills upon leaving this delightful valley , we found that the trees , which looked like bushes before , were of the very largest and tallest growth . Some of them I was told would make 300 rails , and they would , evidently , the best kind of saw logs . A large number of Indians fol lowed us here , for the purpose of trading with the emi ”

“ The dogs , now , are all killed
but the cattle get frightened a t any thing , and sometimes a t nothing . We dare not ride i n the wagons , for the cattle are perfectly wild and I believe the people are too , for they don't know what they are doing . - Saturday the 9th , started and drove all the loose cattle ahead
the men , women and children also go ahead o f the teams , o r far enough behind , s o a s not t o
frighten the cattle . In this wild region we cannot milk our cows any more than so many untamed antelopes . Perhaps they smell the wild animals , or scent the Indians ”

“ Cold weather ; the leaves on the trees are killed with the frost . ( To be continued ) [ From the issue of February 13 , 1852 ] JOURNAL OF A TRIP TO OREGON - The long financial report which we published in our last crowded out the continuation of Miss Wood's “ Jour nal of a Trip to Oregon ," commenced the week before. We continue its publication this week , and will give the conclusion in our next . OREGON , AUGUST 3. - Snakes and grasshoppers rule here ; but of the former I mean the Snake Indians instead of the genuine serpent . ”

“ The Indians we have met with here are more savage , cunning and treacherous than any we have yet seen . At one place they had cut a road through the willows , s o that they could come up t o camp after night undiscovered . The willows were not cleared quite up t o the road , but a short space was left t o hide i n ambush , s o that the enemy could attack u s b y surprise . They know where we have t o camp , and often see u s when we are not aware o f i t . I f a company i s large enough they are too great cowards t o attack i t , but watch an opportunity t o steal . ”

“ ELIZABETH WOOD posed to comply with this sanguinary , though I believe necessary , decision of the captain's , and threatened retal iation in case their dogs should be killed . So , after repairing , we started on our journey with the expectation of having another run -a -way scrape ; an expectation which was shortly realized . We had not gone far when the train commenced running . ”