1104½
15th—4 miles to Fort Hall, and 2 miles farther to camp, on Portneuf creek.
1110½
16th—7 miles to Portneuf crossing, about 25 rods above its confluence with Snake river. At this place, and also below, on Snake river, I gatherd a great quantity of red, yellow and blue currants, the stalks of which grew, in some places, from 10 to 14 feet high.
1117½
17th—12½ miles to camp, at some springs near Snake river. After leaving Portneuf crossing, we passd a mile down Snake River bottom, and came to a slough, bad to cross. Passd about half a mile farther, and came to another bad crossing of a small stream. Thence, down the bottom about 2 miles, to a considerable stream, whose banks were steep and its passage difficult. Thence, about half a mile, to where the road ascends the first terrace above the river bottom. The river bottom along this day’s route has considerable grass, furnishing camps at almost any place.
1130
18th—18 miles to camp, on Cascade creek. Two miles to American falls, 10 miles to palaisades, 6 to camp. The water of the American falls does not descend perpendicularly, but like a cascade. The whole descent from the upper to the lower expanse is from 40 to 50 feet, reckond by perpendicular measurement. The rocks about the falls appear volcanic, though some of them show marks of stratification. The table lands here close in, so as to make the bottom lands draw to a point at the falls. Below the falls, the table lands border the river, and being entirely destitute of grass, render encampments difficult, much of the way.
19th—8 miles to Cassia creek. No wood. At this camp, the California road leaves the Oregon trail to the right hand. West of camp, and near to it, is a range of basaltic trap rocks, of a prismatic and columnar structure, the fairest specimens of basalt I have seen. Range about 60 feet high above the creek.
20th—16 miles over a district of basaltic rocks, slightly hidden from sight by a thin layer of clay, though in many places they protrude so as to render traveling with wagons irksome. Camp on Marsh or Swamp creek. No wood, plenty of grass bordering the creek. Country around, both mountains and plains, destitute of soil. On the plain, is the famd sage. On the mountains, are clusters of inferior cedar growth. Rest of the mountains totally barren.