hey can be told by the smell for 40 rods before
reaching them. We found good grass to-night, although there was
considerable alkali mixed with it.

33 miles.

16. About 10 miles drive brought us to the Humboldt, which is about 20
yards wide and three feet deep. We crossed it and followed down it on
its west bank. The valley here is wide and filled with abundance of
excellent grass, clover, wild oats, wheat and red top. The day has been
very hot and dusty, yet on both sides of us, but a few miles distant,
the tops of the mountains are covered with snow. We passed two new
graves to-day; one of them was of a man who was shot by an Indian
whilst on guard on the night of the 2d of July, and died on the fifth.
His name was Oliver; he was from Waukesha, Wis. The Indians are rather
troublesome of late, as the Diggers always are when they dare to be. We
find a great many dead horses now, and some that are left alive, the
effects of hard driving and alkali. The most of the dead stock
heretofore has been oxen, but it seems now that oxen stand this part of
the trip the best.

25 miles.

17th. Course still down the river--crossed a considerable branch of the
Humboldt, probably the Kanyon creek. The Humboldt here is very swampy.
Had some of our horses mired--general complaint of like nature. The
road last year followed down the bottoms, but this year the water is so
high, that the bottoms are one complete swamp, and as a consequence we
have to keep on the sage plains and cross ridges, making the road
longer and worse to travel, and also to wade in the mud and cut grass
for our stock. Passed another grave this evening of a man killed by an
Indian; also some men digging a grave for one of their comrades who had
died. There is an abundance of red clover along this drive in the low
grounds.

32 miles.

18th. Continued down the river--stopped and set the tire for our wagon.
This afternoon we entered a canon leading across a spur of the
mountain, distance about 12 miles, and without water. Camped on a small
creek, with but little grass. A horse was shot a short distance from us
by the Indians.

23 miles.

19th. About five miles from our last night's camp we crossed a mountain
brook of excellent water, then entered a canon which we followed for 26
miles, the first 14 without water. After turning the summit, and
descending about two miles we came to a spring of pure cold water by
the road side. We camped this night on the