Viewing page 8 of 78

This transcription has been completed. Contact us with corrections.

10 
Mah-kas to the - 
July 27th Again set out to follow Capt. McClellan and found him at the "Yakolt" Prairie 9 3/4 miles from the last camp 
The route for the first 4 miles was very rough crossing two high hills & discending on their north sides by pricipitous paths nearly 100 ft. desent & at an angle of about 30°[[degree symbol]]. 
These hills are composed of basaltic frag [[insertion]] ments [[/insertion]] mixed with mica schist & quartz. The ascent of the South sides was in both cases gradual, the abrupt descent being towards the north. In each valley was a stream the first a mere brook the other a small river called the "Yakolt", very picturesque at the point of crossing. The route from this Basin to the plains was through a young forest chiefly of trees from 1/2 to 1 ft. in diameter with a few large ones scattered among them as if the ground had lately been a prairie & the trees had grown up suddenly and all together. The ground being nearly level & little obstructed by logs or underbrus, it was the pleasantest part of our route so far. 
This march was performed in about 4 hours walking our horses all the way and stopping while at the river Noticed on the way Mulgedium leucophocum, Dycentra eximia & Panax horridus

[[end page]]
[[start page]]

11
Yakolt prairie
[[underlined]] July 28th [[/underlined]] This prairie is four miles long extending towards the south and two miles wide. The Red fir is the most common tree about here & is scattered in groups over the surface Along the borders grow the Pyrus rivularis Amelanchier, Spirea Douglasii, which are now in fruit - Cerasus mollis a bitter cherry not yet ripe. The ground is covered with Vaccinium caespitosum a species about 6 inches high with a blue berry from such the Indians name of the plain is derived. Walked with Mr Gidding on the forward trail about 4 miles to a small stream to catch some trout of which the Indians have brought in some from 8 in to 1 ft in length. Caught none the nets I have being useless for streams like this. Caught some small crayfish of a species common through out the streams & branches of the Columbia - It is when fresh of a brownish green color smaller ones tinted with red & grows to a foot in length it is said to equal the lobster as food 
Saw on the way Vaccinium ovalifolium a blue acid berry growing near the red fruited species mentioned The Actea arguta is common through all these woods & bears white as well as red fruit a fact not mentioned in Fl. of N.A. Trillium grandiflorum is now in fruit. 

Transcription Notes:
Oplopanax horridus found in state flora listings Actea arguta listed as Actaea arguta Most plant names checked - @roswilkes