Part 7

We Set out Early up along the West Side of the River and at two miles Came to High Short Hills Which Put In Cloce to the River on both Sides and Continu for about three miles Wheare We find Wide and low Bottoms—Heare We See timber a Head Wheare We Will Indevour to Camp this night—and at ten miles We Came to Slovers party In Camped about two miles up Pikes forke of the Delnort and about three miles below His Block House Wheare He Was taken by the Spanierds—this fork Is oppen ocationed by the large Warm Spring Spoken of In Pikes Jurnal this party Has Caught Some Bever and their Is Sign of more in the River our Cors this day Was north 30 West ten miles—there is plenty of Cotten Wood trees and Willowes along this but Scarce a tree on the main River

N 30 West 10 miles[107]

Wensday 20th Feby 1822

We moved up the River threw the Bottom Which is about fifty miles Wide In Cluding the second Bottom leavel and Rich and not a tree to be Seen Exsept a few along the River bank—We maid twelve miles. and Camped on the East Side among Some Willows and geathered drift Wood for our fier—the Weather Is very Cold the Snow fell last night about two Inches deep—Cors north 12 miles[108] See nothing to kill

thorsday 21st Feby 1822

Crosed over on the Ice and up the West Side of the River the timber and Brush Is now plenty In the low bottoms Which are from two to four miles Wide tho these are not all Covered With timber—and Hear there Is on both Sides What We Call a second bottom a little Higher than the first—the Hole now makeing a distance of from 30 to 40 miles now Since We Have Came to the timber We find much Sign of Bever—But the River Is So frosen that We Cannot ketch them We Camped on the East Side of the River and Conclude to go to the West mountains[109] In the morning and try to kill meet to Eat as our provetions are all gon—nor Have We Seen any kind of game Since We left Slovers party N 45 West 18 miles

Friday 22nd Feby 1822

Robert Fowler and my self Set out Early on futt for the West mountains and Steered for a Small streek of Brush Whear We Exspect to find Watter as that kind of Brush dos not grow With out We on the Way See Eight[y] or 90 Wild Horses and In devour to git In Shot distance so as to kill one to Eat—but In that We failed for Whin We Ware at about one miles distanes the Seen us and all Run off—We Went to the mountain and Camped by the Side of a large Rock Wheare We [found] both Wood and Watter Was plenty but nothing to Eat Pall and taylor Came up With the Horses We all Went up the mountains to Hunt But See nothing to kill—but there Was Some Sign of the Big Horned Sheep on the Sides of the mountain amongst the Short Pine Which Is plenty Heare In Some plases—the Weather Is Cold and Some flying Clouds—our Corse Was this day West 12 miles—We Heare found by going up the mountain the Snow Was So deep We Cold not travel tho there Was little or none In the valey

West 12 miles[110]

Satterday 23rd Feby 1822

We Conclude to go to the River and up it till We find game—Pall and my Self take the Horses and Steerd north to the River about ten miles Robert Fowler and Taylor out on the Hunt—Camped on the West Side of the River—nothing killed this day—

north 10 miles [to] West Side of the River[111]

Sunday 24th Feby 1822

nothing to Eat—Taylor Purposes to take Robert Fowlers Hors and Ride Hunting Which Was agread to He Went on the West Side of the River I Went my Self on the East Side up the River about ten miles to the Short Hills Seen Some Caberey but killed nothing Taylor did not Return at night—nothing to Eat but look at Each other With Hungrey faceses

monday 25th Feby 1822

this morning Taylor Came Into Camp on futt Haveing lost the Hors With Sadle Bridle Blankets nek Roap and all In the first Short Hills on the West Side of the River at Some ten or twelve miles up—and that He Said He Head Seen many deer Elk and Bares—to Which place We moved as fast as poseble and got there about 3 oclock Seen a great many deer but killed nothing—our Corse West ten miles

tusday 26th Feby 1822

all out and Hunt till about 10 oclock but killed nothing tho Seen Some deer—We now begin to think of killing one of our Horses—but first move to a fresh Camp Wheare We Have not disturbed the game and try In the Evening again to kill Something We move about two miles to the River—as We Were now Camped on a Small Crick[112]—and put out the Horses Robert and my Self took our guns to Hunt on futt as there Was much timber land Heare—but Taylor and Pall Began to Complain of Hunger of Which Taylor began gro black In the face and Pall Was gitting White With the Same Complaint and the both thaught the Hors Shold be killed. to Which Robert and my Self Consented and gave them liberty to kill Him as Soon as the Cold—but not Willing to See that operation Robert and my Self Went off to Hunt but We Soon Heard the gun fier that We Soposed to kill the Hors—but We kept our Corse down the River on the Ice as the Brush Was thick and dry So that If We Went on land We maid So much nois that We Could not git neer the game—but We Head not gon far before Som deer Was Seen In the Brush and Robert Went after them and killed two of them He then Went to Camp for a Hors leaveing me to take Care of the deer—but When He got to Camp He found one of the Horses about Half Skined—but another Was Soon got up and the deer Caryed to Camp Wheare We Soon Head Suntious feest and much Plesentness now appeered Round the fier tho We lamented the fate of the Poor Hors—as now [we] Head no use for His flesh Which feel a pray to the Birds and Wolves

Wensday 27th Feby 1822

Sent Pall out Early to look for the Horses We Soon Heard the Report of gun and not long after Pall Came In With a deer on His back the first He Ever killed In His life—We Have meet plenty and the Weather Is now moderate Some Holes appeer a longe Shore In the Ice out at Which the bever Workes We Sot some traps this day—

thorsday 28th Feby 1822

Caught one bever—and Hunted for the lost Hors—but Have not found Him—

Friday 1st march 1822

Taylor Caught one Bever—Hunted for the lost Hors—met With vanbeber and two of His party the had found our lost Hors—the Remained at our Camp that night the Hors Head lost all but the Bridle

Satterday 2nd march 1822

vanbeber and His Party Set out Early up the River We Con Clude to follow them one or two days Exspecting We may find Some Elk—We Went up the [River] twelve miles pasing at Seven miles a large pond of Watter of about 40 acers on the West Side of the River—the Bottom of Which is about one mile Wide the mountains High on Each Side—the tops of Which are a great Hight above vegatation at about ten miles We Crost a fork[113] Puting In on the West Sid about one third as large as the River it appeers to Head to the West—Heare the River makes a turn to the north as fare as We Cold See up it—We Camped With vanbebers party the Head killed one Elk—our Cors West 12 miles—Heare the mountains Put Close to the River Which [is] very Croked

Sunday 3rd march 1822

I Remained at Camp Robert [Fowler] and Taylor Went Hunting the formor killed two Elk and left the latter to butcher them While took out Horses and braught them In to Camp

monday 4th march 1822

Went up the River to look for Sign of Bever but found none

tuesday 5th march 1822

We moved down the River to the first High point of Rocks on the East [north] Side at the Head of the large vally and about one mile below Where We killed the Hors—Some Snow fell last night the Weather Cold the River Is yet frosen up Close Except a few Springs in the River bank Which keeps it oppen a few feet—High Wind last night—

Wensday 6th march 1822

Sot Some traps—Taylor Came In late at night Reports that Some Indeans are Camped about Eight miles below us on the River

thorsday 7th march 1822

Taylor purposes going to the Indeans Camp I gave Him Some tobaco for that purpose—He Went to the Indeans Robert my Self and Pall Road out the mountains and on our Return We See a nomber of Indeans at Camp Which We Cold See at Some distance from the point of one of the mountains and not noing what Indeans the Ware we vewed them about Half an Hour—the then moved off from our Camp and We Came In—Wheare We found taylor—tho the Indeans Had Stolen two Buffelow Roabs Some lead and two knives—and Ware of the utaws nation [Utes] Which Roame about and live In the mountains Without Haveing any Settled Home and live alltogether on the Chase Raising no grain—Slover With His party Pased up the River this day—

Friday 8th march 1822

We Remain at the Same Camp—Caught one Bever and one aughter [otter] Ward and duglass Came to our Camp from touse [Taos]—and State that the Spanierds Have Sent 700 men against the nabeho [Navajo] Indeans—and of a battle being faught between Spanierds and the Panie Indeans East of the mountains

Satterday 9th march 1822

Ward and Duglass Set out for vanbebers Camp—In the Evening two Spanierds Came to Camp—Hard frost last night

Sunday 10th march 1822

Went up the River above the forkes to kill meet the two Spanierds With us—

monday 11th march 1822

We Hunted till 12 oclock for Elk but found none—We Continued up the north [fork] about Eight miles Heare the mountains Close in on both Sides So that our Pasege Was Defequal and the River turning to the West—We maid ten miles and Camped With Slover and vanbeber Partey the Have all meet Heare together—the Have killed two Elk Nᵒ 8 miles—West 2 miles[114]

tusday 12th march 1822

Robert and myself Set out Early to Hunt and Haveing been Informed that a Hot Spring Had been found up the Crick Which put In to the River from the West [south] Side a little above our Cam[p]—We Went to the Spring about one and a Half miles up the Crick—But the Smoke appeered like that of a Salt furnis—as Soon as We Came In vew of it—the Snow Was now about Six Inches deep over the valley of the Crick But the Hot Watter Head kept the ground Cleane for a few Rods Round the Spring—but What appeered Straing to look at Was to see Ice Exstended about three feet from the Shore over the Watter—tho a boiling up In the middle of the Pon[d] Which Was about three Rods a Cross and nearly Round the Spert of Watter Rose up Some distance above the leavel of the Watter In the Pon and Was about the Size of a flour Barrel—now the question Was How Can the Ice Existe on Hot Watter. I Caught hold of the Ice as I Soposed—and [was] not only Scalded With the Watter but the [was] Burned With the Ice it being nearly as Hot as the Watter—bout on a farther Examination I found it Was a mineral Substan that Had Congeled on the Watter of Which there Ware vast quantitys laying below the Spring In the Crick Which Run from it—We then Went up the mountain till the Snow got So deep We Ware obliged to Return—killed nothing—this forke [Hot Spring creek] of the River Heads nearly [south] in the High mountains—the main River Heading north[115] and from appeerence the mountains Seperates and be Comes Lower as you go up the River leaveing a large valley—and low Bottoms along the River—the two Spanierds tell us it is about one days travel to the Head of the River—the Cuntry is low a Crass to the arkensaw—about twenty miles north [west] from Heare and Six East [north] of this River there Is a large lake[116] or Bodey of Watter that Has no out let that there is Some Island In it With trees on them—the all So State that this lake lyes be twen the Delnort and the arkensaw and that the Cuntry is low all the Way betwen the two Rivers—

Wendsday 13th march 1822

We Heare left the two Spanierds With Slover as We Head Dick Walters at His Camp on Pikes fork We moved down the River a little below the main forkes and killed one Elk Wheare We Camped for the night—bothe the other partys pased us Heare and Camped about one mile below us—the Ice begins to thaw and all makeing for the Bever Sign—

thorsday 14th march 1822

this morning two of our Horses Ware mising—about twelve oclock We found them and moved down to Hanging [Rock] as We Have Called it at our old Camp—the Weather Has got Cold and the Ice Harder—We Will not be able to trap for Some time yet—We Heare find the flax [_Linum perenne_] In abondance the Rute Is purenal [root is perennial] but In Every other appeerence it is like ous—

Friday 15th march 1822

Remained In Camp—the Ice begins to thaw in the day time but Hard frost at night—

Satterday 16th march 1822

Remained in Camp all day—

Sunday 17th march 1822

Remained in Camp all day—

monday 18th march 1822

Some difequalty With Taylor He quits us or We leave Him—and move up a Crick to the South a bout four miles to Some bever Dams—Robert Fowler Complains of the Sore throat for Some days—and is gitting Worse

South 4 miles

tusday 19th march 1822

Robert is Still Worse With the Sore throat—We apply a sock With ashes Round His neck—He finds Releef in about two Hours—Hard frost this morning and Cold With High Winds

Wensday 20th march 1822

Caught three Bever and Examin the Crick about Six miles Higher up to Wheare the mountains Close In on both Sides there Is timber and Willows all along this Crick and the bottoms about Half a mile Wid and Well adopted for Cultavation on acoumpt of Eragation—as no other lands Can be Cultivated Heare for the Want of Seasnable Rains—

Sᵒ 30 W 6 miles

thorsday [Friday] 29th march 1822

We Have Remained Heare Waiting for the Ice to melt out of the Crick but the Weather Continues Cold and Clouday With frequent Snow Storms the Ice is Still frosen over the bever dams So that We Caught but few—Robert Sore throat Has gon much better—We moved down to the River about 3 miles above our old Camp killed three gees—Sot Some traps—the gees is now Coming plenty and those We killed fatt Which is pleasing to us as We Have now lived a long time on Poor meet—Cloudey and begins to Snow—the Ice is nearly gon out of the River

Satterday 30th march 1822

the Snow is about four Inches deep Caught one bever killed one Sand Hill Crain [_Grus mexicana_] and five gees—the day is Warm—the Snow all gon out of the valleys but the mountains are all Covered moved to down to the old Camp

Sunday 31st march 1822

Caught four Bever and killed five gees—the Weather is gitting Cold

monday 1st aprile 1822

Killed five gees—the Watter frose over the traps Caught no bever

tusday 2nd aprile 1822

Caught two bever—and Remained the ballence of the day In Camp

Wensday 3rd aprile 1822

Caught one Bever killed three gees—the Weather much Warmer We move up the Crick to the Bever dams—find the Ice much thiner and Sot Some traps—

thorsday 4th aprile 1822

Hard frost last night and frose up the traps Caught but one bever We now find that In this Crick the Watter Rises by Suns thaw Ing the Ice and at night With the Hard frost so that the Rise and fall of the Watter will defeet the traping

friday 5th aprile 1822

moved Early about East threw a low [gap] In the Spurs of the mountains about ten miles and Camped a little below the Spanish Road leading to Pikes [fork. In the] gap In the mountain—We Sot Some traps—N 70 East 10 to the River[117]

Satterday 6th aprile 1822

Caught one Bever—We find the River as Well as the Crick Rises In the day with melting of the Ice for it Cannot be the Snow In the mountain the distance up to the Snow prevents the Watter from Ever Retching the vally the ground is so dry and loose that the Watter all dis appeers before it Can Rech near the futt of the mountains and Haveing Had frost at night the River falls as much as it Rises in the day—Taylor Came to our Camp to day and States that there are a great many Indeans on the River both above and below us that the Had Robed His Camp and taken all His traps but that He Had followed them and got all back but two traps

Sunday 7th aprile 1822

Caught one Bever and moved down the River about 12 miles on the north Side We Have killed twelve gees Since We Have been on the River last—

monday 8th aprile 1822

Caught one Bever—Killed five gees moved down the River to the lower Eand of the timber—the Indeans are all gon to the West over the mountains the Ware the utaws nation—

tuesday 9th aprile 1822

moved down the River about ten miles—and then turned East across the valley to a crick[118] and up it about five miles—this Crick Heds to the north as Is the Same We Came down Where We Crosse the mountains In feby last—We this day mett With venbeber and Ward—

Wensday 10th aprile 1822

Heare Is Some Indeans from the Spanish Settlement—We moved up the Crick about ten miles lost one bever trap—Nᵒ 10 miles

thorsday 11th aprile 1822

Went up the Crick about three miles and found Some Sign of bever—Sot Some traps—We yesterday pased threw Some of the Richest bottom on the Crick that I have Seen and Contains Six or Eight thousand acers[119]

N 20 West 3 miles

friday 12th aprile 1822

Cold and Clouday the Crick frose up—We Caught nothing—We Set out threw the Pirarie down the Crick a Snow Storm Came on and Caught us In the Pirarie the Wind and Snow in our faces So that We Cold not See one another two Rods—this Storm lasted about two Hours and it Was Weel for us it Seesed for We Cold not See Which Way to go and our Setuation Was Realy unplesent—

We Camped near the mouth of the [Trinchera] Crick Wheare We found Some timber—

Satterday 13th aprile 1822

the ground is now Covered With Snow and Hard frosen—We Have not Seen one morning With out frost Since the Winter first Sot In—We Crossed the River a little above Pikes forke [Rio Conejos] and ConCluded to go back to the timber up the River for Which We Steered for three or four miles and Crossed a large Streem [La Jara] of Runing Watter forty feet Wide and nearly beley deep to the Horses—We Head Crossed this Same Crick In febuy last [Feb. 20] but the Was no Watter then In it it Haveing to pass over about twenty miles of oppen leavel Pirarie it Was all frosen to Ice—at that time and Is now melted and Coming down—the Snow Has disappeered In the valey but the mountains Covered—

[Sunday, April 14th—no entry]

monday 15th aprile 1822

Caught 2 beve and killed one goos We yester day Seen our Hors lost by vanbebers Party but So willd We Cold not take Him—

tusday 16th april 1822

Caught one Bever and moved up the River about four miles and Camped on the West Side vanbebers party pased us on the East going up all So—

Wensday 17 aprile 1822

Caught one bever and moved up the River about 12 miles the day Cloudey and Cold Comesed Snowing fast In the Evening and Continued till late at night—

thorsday 18th aprile 1822

the Snow about Six Inches deep We Caught one Bever and killed four gees—the day Warm the Snow all gon before night—

Friday 19th aprile 1822

killed two gees and Caught two Bever—Remained the ballence of the day at Camp—

Satterday 20th aprile 1822

Caught 2 Bever and killed two gees the Weather Warm the grass begins to appeer a little moved up the River a bout Seven miles Seen about twenty Elk Robert Shot one but it went off With the Rest—the mountains are Still Covered With Snow tho none In the valeys—

Sunday 21st aprile 1822

Caught two bever killed one goos moved up the River about Six miles Seen nine Elk—

monday 22nd aprile 1822

Caught two bever killed one goos and moved up the River to the Hanging Rock[120] and from that to the Bever dams on the Crick Wheare We left on the 6th Instent Soposeing the Ice Wold be gon out of the Crick—

tusday 23 aprile 1822

Caught two bever—the Weather Cold—no game Hear and the Bever Poor We Will move to the River In the morning on acoumpt of killing gees to Eat—

Wensday 24th aprile 1822

Caught two bever moved to the River and Crosed over to the East Side and Camped a little below the Hanging Rock killed one goos and one duck—

thorsday 25th aprile 1822

Caught one Bever killed one goos and moved down the river about five miles—

Friday 26th april 1822

Set out down the River Intend to go to the Settlement We are giting Scarce of Powder Haveing to Shute So much at gees for Want of larger game—killed two Caberey and one Elk—maid Eight miles and Camped on the East Side of the River—

Satterday 27th aprile 1822

killed two gees moved down the River near the lower Eand of the timber Seen many Elk the Have now left the mountains and Come Into the timber land on the River to feed on the young grass—

Sunday 28th aprile 1822

no frost this morning and the first We Have Seen this Spring—the grass groes but Slow the trees not yet Buding the ground is as dry as dust no moisture but the Snow Since We Came to the Cuntry and the Spanierds Say that It is three years Since the Have Had Rain—we moved down the River about four miles and Crossed to the West Side of the River and Steered South at about ten miles Crosed the Willow Crick and at about fifteen miles pased a Spring In the leavel Pirarie Which Contained about on Hog-set of Clear Cool Watter Standing on Rise or mound of Earth a little above the leavel of the Pirarie the ground Round this Spring Was quite Soft and Wen We Ware at the Watter by Jumping on the ground you Cold See it Shake for about two Rods all Round—about five miles farther We Crosed Pikes forke at the mouth of the Warm Spring Branch Spoken of by that gentleman In Jurnal[121] We then pased threw Some low Hills a little East of South Seven miles to the River and Crossing over found the Watter up to the Saddle Sceats and one of our Pack Horses fell down with his load and Was not able to Rise So that We Had Some difequalty to Keep Him from be drounded We then pased over a low Ridge about Half a mile and Camped on a crick Wheare We found Some Woods—

monday 29th aprile 1822

Clouday With High Winds Some Snow—We moved on Intending to Camp on a branch With Some timber on the East Side of the Snake Hill at twelve miles We maid the Branch but no Watter—We Went up the Crick about Eight miles and there found it a Bold Runing Streem[122] Hear We Camped for the night makeing in [all] twenty miles We Seen Heare on this Crick a great many Cabery but very Wild

South 45 East 18 [_sic_] miles

tusday 30th aprile 1822

Hard frost the Ice about the 8th of an Inch on the kittle of Watter Killed a Woolf at Camp—and Set out up the [Culebra] Crick to[ward] the mountains about three miles Whear We Struck the Road to touse [Taos] Which We took and Camped at the Hords mans villege but no purson to be Seen the Have deserted that place—about Sundown Six Indeans Came to our Camp the Ware of the apacha nation now at Pace With the Spanierds—the derected us to go off Emedetly Saying that the utaws Had Stolen three Horses from our men and that [they] Wold Steel ours if We Stayed at this place all night—We geathered up our Horses and after night moved off about three miles and lay Without fier—

Wensday 1st may 1822

We Went down to St flander [San Fernandez de Taos] in the nibor Hood of touse [Pueblo de Taos] and find Conl glann Is gon to stafee [Santa Fé] We Remained Heare two days vanbebers Party Head Came In and the french partey Is Heare all So—We now find all the Horses that ware left Heare very Poor and the Rainge near the vilege all Eat out I then ConCluded to take all the Horses out of the Settlement to good Rainge So as to fatten them or the Will not be able to Cross the mountains on the first of June as that Was the time We In tend to Set out I therefore derected them all to be Collected and that I Wold move them In the morning.—

We Ware Informed that Spanish army Had Returned that they Hag taken one old Indean and Some two or three old Horses that Ware So poor the Nabeho [Navajo] Cold not drive them up the mountains—for it appers the Went up the Steep mountain and Role down the Rocks on their Pursurs So that the Ware Compled to discontinu the pursute—

Satterday 4th may 1822

moved up the Crick South about five miles and Camped in the forks near Some Hords men Ho kept a large lot of Cattle from [whom] We obtained Some Cows milk We took With us 16 Horses—all We Cold find

Sunday 5th may 1822