by Win Blevins
The natives of this vally seem to have a hard way of living their being no game and but few roots and when the oak miss to bear they live on clove[r] not unlike the pigs or domistic animal but when the oak bears acorns they are plentifully supplied for the time being in the summer they live on grass and have no clothing Except a deer skin or a short apron of plated grass They are the sworn Enimies of the whites and would be verry dangerous had they the use of fire arms
23 Under way Early and I could not but admire the varied diversity of the Hills Lying to the North some of the advance came suddenly upon a small party of Indians who all ran but one supposed to be a chief who stood and made signs about a minuet and put out to the brush course still East of south up the vally about 12 we began to climb the Siskiew mountain which is not difficult nor steep compared with some we have passed near the top of this mountain is a bad thicket to pass whare nearly all the parties passing this Trail have been attacted several men with Capt McMahan went in ahead and we drove in our packed animals all came through same & soon had a view of the country south from the summit which was wild and awfully sublime snow was seen in more than 20 places some quite nigh and amongst the timber which goes to shew that an [un] usual Quantity has fallen late in the spring moved on down the mountain which is steep but not difficult made 25 miles
“the female was taken and
her horse taken from her”
24 Left our encampment under the Siskiew mountain and proceeded down an uneven mountainous vally [Cottonwood Creek, in Siskiyou County, California] a south Easterly direction the country gravelly dry and Barren passed several old Indian wigwams whar Quantities of acorns had been gathered last fall no game is to be seen in this Region some of our advance pursued a fale [male] and female Native the male made his Escape the female was taken and her horse taken from her (Mr Sears & Mr Owens) Came to the Clamet River a strong swift stream running rapidly over a Rocky bed after some search a ford was found a short distance above when we all crossed over and encamped on the South side This river is about 80 yards wide and is Quite muddy from the thawings of the snow on the Mountains course S.W and appears to fall into a deep Kenyon a short distance below saw the recent marks of a trapping party supposed to [be] Indians Travel to day about 14 miles
25 Left our camp on Clamet River and immediately left the River the general appearant course of the vally being North of East we going South of East passed a few miles of rough rocky country [Willow Creek] when a fine level vally hove in sight through which we passed steering for a Tripple shaped high round peaked snowcapd Montain known by the name of the Snowy Bute [Mount Shasta] at about 15 miles we came to a clear handsome small stream of water [Little Shasta River] running westward as do all the streams of this region whare we encamped amidtst innumerable swarms of fine large Brown grasshoppers and [so] voraceious ware they that we had to baet them off of our Baggage with sticks and when not allowed to eat baggage the live ate the dead greedily—and five or six living ones fought for the body of one ded one The land of this vally is dry and barren lies very high and is nearly surrounded by snowcapt mountains whose summits do not appeer high above the plain
26 again under way we passed through amidst a great number of round conicle peaks of rock standing out in an uneven plain all formed of rock Mostly black rough and porus some nearley as open as a riddle in the forenooon passed Chesty River a deep clear stream running North of west and probaby falling in to the clammet River some distance below Continued our course East of South over a rough rocky plain and approched near the western base of the mountain came to a clear Brook of water and beautifull small green valley whare we encamped haveing traveled 25 miles the high snowy Butte Lies S. E. of our camp not Exceeding 15 miles from the everlasting snow saw recent marks of a large trapping Party which cannot be far distant from us antelope have been tolerable plenty for 2 days past
27 Concluded to remain in our present camp to day and rest our animals as we are informed that we have an extremely rough country to pass through on our way down the sacriment a large high rounded rock [Pilot Knob] can be distinctly seen which stands on or near the top of the Siskiew Mountain a few miles East of the pass This vally is no part of it fit for cultivation but is finely clothed in grass in many places but not generally
verry little timber is found in the vallies the mountains are covered with pitch pine generally knotty and shrubby game not plenty The two men that went out this morning in search of the trapping party this morning returned again in the evening unsuccessfull a Black conicle Knob [Sugar Loaf] of considerable elivation seems to stand in the center of the pass Between the Bute and the point of a Snowy mountain [Eddy Mountain]
28 Left our camp on Chesty vally proceeded up some small streams Isuing from a snowy mountain Lying to the west of the trail Intered a beautifull pineery consisting of white or sugar and yallow pine Firr and cedar of Large dementions and fine straight stems passed the Black rocky Bute close to the East made 15 miles and encamped on a Limpid Brook [Cold Creek] of cool clear water comeing from the Snowy Bute and Being some of the Extereme Northwestern heads of the sacramento River Land generally timbered gravelly and poor several deer ware seen and some killed on the way the snow on the Bute to the East seems to be Quite nigh and considerable Quantities yet Lying some distance below the point of vegitation but this cannot be a common occurrence or if it is the groth of Pine must be cool as well as rapid
29 Proceeded down the vally of the Sacramento through some magnificent Timber land some of the finest I Ever beheld after some hours travel we desended into the vally of the main river near whare a Soda spring [Upper Soda Springs] Issues out of the East Bank of the river But this spring is deminutive in comparison to the greate soda springs on Bear River both as to Quality and Quantity not containing but trifling portions of gass still it is a fine pleasant cool dr[a]ught in a warm day as the present has been the river comes tumbling down over the rocks in numerous rapid whirls & is confined all most to its channel between high mountains on either side which rise verry steep and are covered in pine timber and underbrush to their summits generally forded the river at the soda springs and continued down on the west side over steep Bruff and deep ravines traveled 20 miles and encamped on a dry narrow pine plain North west of our camp is an awfull steep craggy cliff of grey granite rock the pinecles of which look as sharp as Icyceles
30 Early on our saddles and pushing ahead on account of the poorness of the grass and in ½ a mile we assended a steep Bluff of the River which was followed by another and another throughout the day in fact we rode the whole of 20 miles on the steep side of amountain crossin impending ravines desending down one side and assending up the oposite amidst declivities of sharp rock some of which was a whitish grey granite and intermixed with Black slate standing in a perpendicular form pointing at all who ware hardy enough to oppose: the River tumbling and fomeing down a narrow channel at a desperate pitch of rapidity the day proved to be verry warm in the ravine along whose sides we wound our tiresome way not a drop of rain has fallen on us since we left the settlements on the Eighth of the present month but still the mountain Brooks are plenty and well supplied with cool water
“When will we get out of these mountains”
July the First 1845
The sun arose in his strength and looked down upon us in a narrow confined spot near the River the vegitation all dried Brown on the earth our animals striving to pick up a scanty subsistance our selves standing about in groups and you might hear the Question frequently asked or other ways propounded (when will we get out of these mountains) Started down the river crossing a rough rocky Brook [perhaps Dog Creek] and turned up the ridge missed the old trail and followed the trail of a recent Trapping party continued to assend the mountain about 4 miles when it was concluded to Retrace our steps so turning around with some difficulty on account of narrowness of the ridge we came to the river again and unpacked our animals to graze packed up and continued down the River some Indians came up with the rear of our pa
rty and Mr Sears shot two of them our road this afternoon was some little beter than yesterday and we made about 18 miles over a dry rocky country of a mixture of Slate and granite rock verry keen and sharp for our horses feet which are verry tender The hills are bald or thinly covered with pine timber intermixed with oak of several kinds grass scarce and vegitation light and starved three Indians came to camp in the evening which ware soon sent away as our camp was not a safe place for savages there being no controle of free americans in this region
2 The grass was so poor that we packed up from the stake this morning and immediately put to the trail crossed several deep ravines and at length to cap all we commenced assending the side of a nearly perpendicular mountain composed of slate and granite an hours sweating puffing and blowing brought us to the sharp top when we commenced desending on the other side which was worse if possible another hour brot us to the bottom again whare we found a small uneven bottom large enough to graze our animals an hour on a scanty supply of grass and wood enough to prepare our Breakfast 17 [miles]
Immedeately commenced assending another mountain the steepest I ever saw for hoses to climb But we made the summit at last by taking zig zag sheers back and forth over the rough rocks and through the Brush in fact it was almost to steep for brush to grow continued along the ridge which was composed of Slate set edge wise and in many places too narrow for a Rabbit to walk over in such places we had to desend along the perpendicular sides whare a precareous foot hold could be found for a few animals in the decomposed rock that had tumbled from the higher parts at a late hour in the afternoon we dsended on to a small brook running through a Kenyon you could see the water but not taste it some few miles below we campd
“the [Sacramento] river”
3 Again we saddled at the stake and took down the creek and soon came to [the Sacramento] river which had more than doubled its waters since we left it yestarday but still running through a norrow confined rocky channel onnpacked for Breakfast Before we packed up several Indians ware seen across the river and several guns fired at long shot across the River and eventually one killed
After packing we again took to the Rocky hills the greate vally in plain view from the hills has occasionally (has) been seen for several days all anxious to leave the Eternal mountain urged our Jaded animals to thier utmost capabilities and about Three in the afternoon we entered the lower vally of the sacramento and threw ourselves under the shad of the wide spreading oak Trees that stand scattered promisquesly over this vally
The earth seemed to be verry dry for the season and as might be expected the weather we found to be warm our Travel to day 20 Miles
July the 4th 1845 again we ware on the march a few miles of midling country broughte [us] to a small River shortly after crossing of which we bore to the right across a range of gravelly hills covered in thorn Bushis and bearing no grass no[r] much vigetation of any [kind] that canbe usefull two or three hours ride brot us to another smal river runing over a gravel and rocky bed on this we encamped having traveled about 20 miles
5 Took across the ridges again found them gravelly poor and hard course a little west of south about noon we came to the river again Quite Enlarged and the shores lined with willow and Sycamore soil appearantly dry but saw several patches of wild oats now ripe and mostly d[r]oped off the straw has the exact appearance of the cultevated of the states but the grain or berry is dark brown and covered with a thick fuzzy film snowey mountains can be seen from this vally in all directions except south some Quite large and high others small Travel to day 16 miles and encamped on he River most of the vegitation grown and dry and considerable of it rotten the days we found verry warm and the nights ware also
6 Left our camp on the river and took down the plain some miles from the river the praries [are] hard clay mixed with water worn gravel mostly granite and rough white flint and thinly covered in grass which is (is) generally short passed several chanels of dry Brooks some of considerable width passed one running stream of water deeply sunk in loose gravel Banks some fine grazing lands lying adjacent but no timbr fit for mechanicle purposess the vegetation to day completely dry and mostly Burned off smokes ware raising in all directions from the grass being on fire Travel to day 28 miles encamped near a hole of stagnent water standing in the channel of a dry Brook the vally here is Quite large and the mountains compartivly Low
“the male natives…go entirely naked”
7 Loft our dry camp on dry creek and took down the plain over a hard gravelly surface at a rapid rate of Travelling for Broken down animals the day was cool and cloudy passed some appearantly good soil in the afternoon and several large patches or fields of wild oats the straw still standing but (but) the grain mostly droped out Turned in and encamped on a misserable Slough of Bad water near the river shortly after we unsaddled it commenced raining and [rained] steadily all night a Large village of Natives was in hearing across the pond but as they remained at home themselves we did not visit them Our travel to day being 30 miles near and about our camp is a groth of Large shrubby oak of the white oak spices during the day we crossd a fine small river of running water in a deep gravelly Bed
8 Continued raining but we saddled and started through the rain passed over beautifull level prarie near the timber and about 10 oclock it Broke away and ceased raining about one oclock the prarie appeared nearly black with Indians to our left but only one approached near us who spoke bad spanish and we still worse so we had but little conversation and continued our rout and shortley turned in to the river and encamped haveing travelled 20 miles of level loose country along our rout Found it verry difficult to water our animals at the river on account of the Loose and soft nature of the banks and bottom the day was cool and pleasant after the rain which Likewise softened the Earth and made it pleasant travelling. the male natives of all this region that I have yet seen go entirely naked
9 A cool pleasant day after the rain we ware early on our saddles and steered for a gap in the mountain a southwest direction over a level prarie which from appearances is some times covered intirely by water but is dry and firm at present about 2 in the afternoon we reached the channel of a dry creek much disapointed as our selves and animals ware very thirsty and fatigued no alternative was left us but to push forward to a pount of timber about 15 miles ahead so on we urged our Jaded animals and reached a small brook of water about sundown and encamped our guide thought he knew the place and rode out to look for the settlements and in an hour returned with a Mr Sumner [Owen Sumner Jr.] whose father was with us Let our animals run loose for the first time and all lay down and slept Quietly and sound under the spreading oak trees 40 miles
10 At an Early hour we ware visited by a Mr. [William] Knight who informed us that the country was in a verry unsettled state there haveing been a kind of Revelution or Rebellion during the winter and spring and that the govornor had been driven out of the province but was now returning with a strong force to reinstate matters on a more firm Base than heretofore Mr Wolfscale [John Wolfskill] and several other american gentlemen visited our camp during the fore noon could not ditermine what course to pursue in this unsettled state of publick affairs all concluded to remain in our present camp to day and rest ourselves and animals in the afternoon Mr Wolfscale Butchered a Beef and kindly invited all of us to take what we wished without money and without price so that the evening was spent in feasting on the fattest kind of Beef
11 on account of our animals we remain in our present camp to day to give them rest many of our company are much discouraged at the report of the dullness of all kinds of Buisness as they Expected to find immediate employ at high wages
Notes on Chapter Twelve:
Apparently Clyman was leading a group of settlers unhappy with the situaton in Oregon into California to look for better conditions. Camp mentions that a Joseph McKay met Clyman’s group, and wrote: “The majority of Mr. Clymers [Clyman’s] Companions seemed to be thoroughly disgusted with Oregon or Columbia as it was then called, and it was inte
nded to make up a party sufficiently strong to undertake the journey southward, across the mountains into California. The general opinion then was that it was an exceedingly dangerous undertaking on account of the warlike nature of the Indians on the route.” (Joseph William McKay, “Recollections of a Chief Trader in the Hudson’s Bay Company,” Pacific Ms. C-24, Bancroft Library). Clyman doesn’t seem to have been especially worried about the dangers of the trip, though travelers from Jedediah Smith’s early expedition through the settlers of the 1860s had trouble with these warlike and dangerous Indians.
In Clyman’s entry for June 21, the “narrow point of rocks juting in neare the rivir” is identified by Camp as near Grants Pass, Oregon.
Among the snowy peaks Clyman mentions on June 22, the “one nearly east is High round & sharp with snow a long way down its side” is Mount McLoughlin, known to early pioneers as Mt. Pitt; the “Table rock” is one of the table rocks near the junction of Bear Creek and the Rogue River.
Clyman’s camp June 24 was on Cottonwood Creek in Siskiyou County, California. The trail crossed the Siskiyou divide where the railroad now runs, according to Camp.