James Akin

DIARY OF JAMES AKIN, JR.

Thursday, April 15, 1852 – First day crossed Fish Creek, three-fourths of a mile; roads pretty good; plenty of water and wood.

Friday, April 16, 1852 – Rained until noon; started and came in Salem; left Salem at 3 O'clock; traveled 6 miles; plenty of wood; not much water.

Saturday, April 17, 1852 – Start pretty soon; rains nearly all day; roads very muddy; travel 15 miles; camp; plenty of water and wood.

Sunday, April 18, 1852 – Start at 8 o'clock; roads very bad; pass Birmingham and Winchester; camp at Libertyville; corn, 55 cents per bushel, hays 50 cents per cwt… Good place to camp.

Monday, April 19, 1852 – Roads better; travel 15 miles; passed through agency; camp in a good place; plenty of wood; not much water.

Tuesday, April 20, 1852 – Roads very good; travel 16 miles; passed Ottumwa; pretty cold day; camp in good place, and plenty of wood and water. Overtook Caleb.

Wednesday, April 21, 1852 – Bad roads; travel 16 miles; cold weather; passed Eddyville about noon; had place to camp; plenty wood and water.

Thursday, April 22, 1852 – Travel 15 miles; fine weather; crossed the Des Moines River in the evening; good place to camp on the bank of the river.

Friday, April 23, 1852 – Travel 3 miles and then stopped and stayed the balance of thee day; cool cloudy weather; oats, 40 cents a bushel; corn 50 cents. Good place to camp.

Saturday, April 24, – Traveled 12 miles; roads hilly and rough; cloudy weather; passed Knoxville; crossed White Breast Creek and camped on the bank; bought hay.

Sunday, April 25 – Laid by all-day; cloudy weather; herded the cattle all-day; good place to camp – plenty of wood and water.

Monday, April 26 – Traveled 12 miles; cool weather; passed Pleasantville; crossed South River and camped on the bank of the river; good place to camp.

Tuesday, April 27, – Traveled 16 miles; very good prairie road; passed Palmyra and Indiolia; camp in the prairie; good place to camp – plenty of water; not much wood.

Wednesday, April 28 – Traveled 16 miles; very good roads; crossed Big Creek and camped on the bank of the same creek; good place to camp – plenty wood and water.

Thursday, April 29 – Traveled 7 miles; warm day, and good roads; crossed Middle River and camped on the north side in two and one-half miles of Wintersette, good place to camp; stop at noon.

Friday, April 30 – Start at 9 o'clock and travel 3 miles and pass Wintersette; roads very good; windy, cold day; stop and camp 1 mile west of Wintersette; camp in a deep hollow; good place to camp; 47 wagons on the same ground.

Saturday. May 1, Start early; travel 20 miles; very good roads; camp in the prairie; plenty of water; carry wood three-quarters of a mile; herd cattle till 9 o'clock.

Sunday, May 2, – Very cold, windy morning; start about noon and travel 8 miles; camp in the prairie and haul wood with us; not much grass; plenty of water; rains at night.

Monday, May 3, – Start early; travel 15 miles; cool weather; camp in the prairie; good place to camp; plenty wood and water; more grass than common; muddy branch.

Tuesday, May 4, – Start early; travel 18 miles; pretty day; plenty of grass; plenty of water; camp in the prairie; drive the cattle a half of a mile to grass.

Wednesday, May 5, – Start early; travel 15 miles; good roads; warm day; rains at night; camp in the prairie; plenty of water and grass; good place to camp; no timber.

Thursday, May 6, – Travel 16 miles; good roads, but muddy; rained part of the day; camp in a beautiful place on the bank of the creek; grass plenty.

Friday, May 7, – Start early and travel two and a half miles to the creek and wait 4 hours to cross, and the boat sank; good roads in the prairie; camp in the prairie; plenty of water and grass no wood.

Saturday, May 8, – Travel 15 miles; good roads; camp in Kanesville; bad place to camp; plenty wood and water, but no grass; beautiful day; great many teams camped around.

Sunday, May 9, – Travel 3 miles and camp on the bank of the Missouri River; beautiful day; good place to camp; plenty wood; water and grass.

Monday, May 10, – Camped in the same place; corn 20c per bushel; new boat started; fine day; many Indians around the tents.

Tuesday, May 11, – Beautiful day; ferry boat sunk, 2 or 3 drowned, herd cattle; plenty grass; flour $16 per barrel.

Wednesday, May 12, – Camped in the same place; rains in the evening. A man killed by the wagon running over him. Teams coming in all the time.

Thursday, May 13, – Camped in the same place; beautiful day. A great many teams on the ground. Not much grass; river raised a little.

Friday, May 14, – Camped in the same place; boat sunk; bought flour at $16 per barrel; beautiful day; pack up the wagons.

Saturday, May 15 – Start early and travel 14 miles up the river to another ferry; warm day; camp in 2 miles of the ferry; good place to camp; plenty wood, water and grass. Rains at night.

Sunday, May 16, – Camp in the same place; cold, windy day; good place to camp; plenty wood, water and grass; great many teams pass.

Monday, May 17, – Start early and go to the river, but could not get to cross; camp here and drive the cattle back about 2 miles to grass.

Tuesday, May 18, – Commence crossing in the morning and cross nearly all day; very windy; cross till midnight; get all the cattle across except 10 yoke.

Wednesday, May 19, – Ferry the other 2 teams early in the morning; start and travel 12 miles; herd the cattle twice; camp in a good place.

Thursday, May 20, – Travel 15 miles; cross Elkhorn River; wagons $2 apiece; camp in a good place.

Friday, May 21 – Start early; travel 10 miles; rains nearly all day; camp at 2 o'clock; got scared at nothing and went back a mile for company; camp on Platte River.

Saturday, May 22 – Travel 16 miles; warm weather; travel up Platte River bottom; camp and then leave the smallpox; good place to camp.

Sunday, May 23 – Travel 15 miles up Platte River bottom; bad roads; saw 30 Indians with their ponies loaded with buffalo skins; good place to camp.

Monday, May 24 – Traveled 18 miles to Loup Fork ferry; then went up the river 6 miles; camp in a very good place; plenty wood water and grass.

Tuesday, May 25 – Start early; travel 13 miles up Loup Fork to the ferry; cross Beaver River; camp near Loup Fork; bad place to camp.

Wednesday, May 26 – Travel 10 miles; bad roads; warm day; cross Loup Fork in the evening; deep fording with quicksand bottom; good place to camp.

Thursday, May 27, – Laid by all day; pretty good grass; water and wood plenty; camp near Loup Fork; good place to camp; no Indians about; came to the Sioux Indians.

Friday, May 28, – Start early; travel 18 miles; come to the buffalo range; sandy roads; camp in the prairie; plenty grass; no wood; water scarce.

Saturday, May 29, – Start early; travel 18 miles; prairie road; some bad places to cross; saw the first antelope; camp – no wood.

Sunday, May 30, – Travel 16 miles; very good roads; pass no timber; crossed one small creek; camp near Wood River; plenty of wood and grass-not much water.

Monday, May 31, – Travel 15 miles; very good roads; travel in half-mile of Platte River all day; camp in a good place; drive cattle to Platte River to water.

Tuesday, June 1, – Start early; travel 17 miles; very good roads; water the cattle at noon in Platte; camp in good place-plenty water and grass, no wood.

Wednesday, June 2 – Travel 20 miles; very got, calm day; roads very dusty; cross Elm and Buffalo Creeks; camp; not much grass; drive cattle two miles to water; rainy, windy night. Grand Island.

Thursday, June 3, -Travel 18 miles; muddy roads; cool day; came to Platte River again; saw 5 graves; camp near Platte; no wood – some buffalo chips; come to alkali.

Friday, June 4, – Travel 16 miles; good roads; saw 5 buffalo in the morning; passed 1 grave; camp near Platte; good place to camp.

Saturday, June 5, – Travel 16 miles; good roads, but sandy; crossed over a low, sandy bluff, extending to the river; rain and wind in the evening; camp in a good place; near Platte.

Sunday, June 6, – Travel 20 miles sandy roads; crossed Skunk Creek; three died with the cholera along the road; camp on Carrion Creek; no timber.

Monday, June 7, – Travel 14 miles; crossed Carrion Creek; passed the last timber for 200 miles; took a buffalo hunt and wounded one; camp in a good place, near the river; buffalo chips.

Tuesday, June 8 – Laid by all day; 13 of the boys went hunting and killed one antelope; good grass and buffalo chips for fuel; a good many wagons passing all the time.

Wednesday, June 9 – Travel 19 miles; road ascends the bluff; very sandy roads; cross North Bluff fork and Bluff Creek; camp in a good place; plenty of grass and chips; water scarce.

Thursday, June 10 – Travel 25 miles; cool day and sandy roads; Platte River very high; springs along the road; camp in a good place; plenty of grass and chips.

Friday, June 11 – Travel 18 miles over very sandy bluffs; very warm day; camp in a bad place-no grass, not much water; great many campers in sight.

Saturday, June 12 – Travel 12 miles until noon, then stop and stay the balance of the day; camp in a good place; a good spring and plenty of grass; lone tree.

Sunday, June 13, – Start early and travel 16 miles; good roads and warm day; rains in the evening; good place to camp; plenty grass and water.

Monday, June 14, – Travel 14 miles; sandy road; cool day; come in sight of Chimney rock; had storm in the evening; good place to camp; water, grass and chips.

Tuesday, June 15, – Laid by all day on account of sickness; not much grass; Caleb Richey and his company overtook us; plenty water, not much chips.

Wednesday, June 16 – Louise Richey died at 2 o'clock in the morning; traveled 15 miles; good roads; pleasant weather; camp on Platte; not much grass.

Thursday, June 17 – Travel 18 miles; very good roads; passed Chimney rock; drive the cattle two miles to the river to water at noon; camp near Platte; plenty of grass.

Friday, June 18 – Travel 16 miles; excellent roads and warm day; passed Scott's bluffs, camp near the creek; good spring, burnt up one old wagon.

Saturday, June 19 – Travel 16 miles; good roads and grass; camp close to Platte River; good place to camp.

Sunday, June 20 – Travel 14 miles; sandy and dusty roads; drive the cattle into the river at noon to water; camp near the river; plenty grass and water.

Monday, June 21 – Travel five miles; camp within one and one-half miles of ____________________camp, close to Platte; considerable sickness in company; good place to camp.

Tuesday, June 22 – Travel 20 miles over the Black Hills; found no water until 2 o'clock; camp in good place; plenty of pine and cedar wood, but no water.

Wednesday, June 23 – Travel 12 miles; very hilly; bad roads; pine and cedar bluffs; cloudy, rainy weather: Elva Ingram died; camp in good place; plenty wood – no water.

Thursday, June 24 – Travel 15 miles; good roads but hilly; very cold, rainy day: some sickness in company; camp in a good place; plenty wood and grass; not much water.

Friday, June 25 – Travel 18 miles; good roads; road returns to the river, warm weather, camp near Platte; plenty wood and water; not much grass.

Saturday, June 26 – Travel 16 miles; bad roads and very broken country; Platte River very small; not much grass many place; camp near the river; not much wood.

Sunday, June 27, – Travel 17 miles; level, sandy road; warm day; passed no timber; camp near the river; drive the cattle two miles to grass; not much wood.

Monday, June 28 – Travel 18 miles; sandy roads; met six men and 16 mules packing through from California; passed considerable timber; camp near the river; plenty grass.

Tuesday, June 29 – Travel 18 miles; dandy road and windy day; get to the upper ferry; camp near the river; good place to camp; plenty wood and water; drive the cattle three miles to grass.

Wednesday, June 30 – Left the upper ferry on Platte and travel 18 miles without water; good roads; camp near a spring; good grass; the cattle got scattered very badly.

Thursday, July 1 – Travel 12 miles; good roads, but dusty; camp near ____________________pass; no timber; not much grass; drive cattle three miles to grass.

Friday, July 2, – Travel 18 miles; sandy and dusty roads; pass Independence rock; cross Sweet Water; pass Devil's Gate; camp near Sweet Water; not much grass.

Saturday, July 3 – Travel 18 miles up Sweet Water. This river is about 40 feet wide. Rattle Snake Mountains on the north side; Snake Indians; camp; not much grass

Sunday, July 4 – Laid by all day to let cattle rest; cold and windy day and night; not much grass; plenty sage brush for use; many teams pass us; wrote a letter.

Monday, July 5 – Travel 17 miles; sandy roads; windy, cold day; cross Sweet Water four times; bad to cross; camp near the river on the south side; some grass and sage brush.

Tuesday, July 6 – Laid by all day; good grass; sage brush, great many Indians come and camp within two miles of us; trade some with us.

Wednesday, July 7 – Travel 17 miles; drive the cattle two and one-half miles to grass; Joseph Mace overtook us; not much grass near; Indians camp one mile above us.

Thursday, July 8 – Travel 15 miles; drive the cattle two and one-half miles to grass in the morning; rough roads; Indians plenty; camp within two miles of the river; good grass on the river.

Friday, July 9 – Travel 15 miles; rough, rocky roads; cross north fork of Sweet Water; passed some snow; camp on south fork of Sweet Water; good grass at camp.

Saturday, July 10 – Travel 13 miles; good roads; crossed Sweet Water the last time; passed over the summit of the Rocky Mountains; Camp at Pacific Springs; pleasant day.

Sunday, July 11 – Travel 20 miles; very good roads; camp on Little Sandy; drive the cattle two miles to grass; poor place to camp; plenty wood.

Monday, July 12 – Start about noon and travel six miles to Big Sandy; camp one and one-half miles above the ford: drive the cattle six miles to grass; good place to camp.

Tuesday, July 13 – Camp in the same place and let the cattle rest; no more water for 40 miles ahead.

Wednesday, July 14, – Start at 10 o'clock; and travel 'til night; stop for supper; travel 'til midnight; stop and hour; travel till daylight; plenty grass.

Thursday, July 15, – Travel 'till noon and reach Green River; Green River quite low; camp one mile below the ford; take the cattle on to an island and let them stay without guarding.

Friday, July 16, – Lay by all day; not much grass; warm weather; Green River low; plenty wood and water.

Saturday, July 17 – Ford Green River; good ford but swift current, two feet deep; travel 10 miles to Bear Creek; good place to camp; plenty grass, water and wood.

Sunday, July 18, – Lay by all day; good grass near camp; sold and ox and bought a cow and an ox; Gillhams left the company; some rain and hail up the creek.

Monday, July 19 – Travel 20 miles; very hilly roads and broken country; windy day; camp on a small creek; good grass; plenty wood and water; rains at night.

Tuesday, July 20 – Travel 12 miles; very hilly, bad roads; pass some quaking asp; graves; camp on Ham's Ford of Bear River; very good grass, wood and water.

Wednesday, July 21 – Travel 18 miles; rough, hilly roads; pass over summit of the Bear River Mountains; camp near a good spring; good grass.

Thursday, July 22 – Travel 14 miles; good roads on Bear River; very dusty; camp on Bear River; very good grass on the island; plenty wood; mosquitoes very bad.

Friday, July 23, – Travel 16 miles; very bad roads; cross Thomas' Ford on the bridge; paid $1.00 per wagon; camp on Bear River; good grass; mosquitoes bad; overtook Caleb Richey.

Saturday, July 24, – Travel 10 miles; very good roads, but dusty; crossed several small creeks; camp near a good spring; plenty good grass and water.

Sunday, July 25, – Travel 10 miles; stop at 10 o'clock and stay 'til night; very good grass; plenty wood and water; good place to camp.

Monday, July 26, – Travel 16 miles; very dusty roads, but good; passed Soda and Steamboat Springs; camp on Bear River.

Tuesday, July 27, – Left Bear River; travel 18 miles; very good, dusty roads, passed the forks of Oregon and California roads; plenty water; good place to camp.

Wednesday, July 28, – Travel seven miles; stop at 11 o'clock; stay the balance of the day on account of sickness; Powekee (Ponca) Indians plenty; camp on Deep Creek; good grass.

Thursday, July 29, – Travel 18 miles; rough roads; passed plenty of springs; camp on a small creek; very good grass; plenty of wood, water and service berries.

Friday, July 30, – Travel 17 miles; very rough and dusty roads; shower in the evening; camp on the creek; plenty grass wood and water; no wagons in sight today.

Saturday, July 31, – Laid by all day; good grass; Miranda Jane Richey died; rained some in the evening; wood and water plenty.

Sunday, August 1, – Travel 10 miles; sandy and muddy roads; considerable rain; passed Fort Hall; camp on a fork of Snake River; plenty of water; wood scarce.

Monday, August 2, – Take an Indian cut-off and travel 2 12 miles to the other road; travel 7 miles further; cross Snake River; camp; grass plenty.

Tuesday, August 3, – Travel 18 miles; very rough roads; passed the American Falls of Snake River; camp on Birch Creek; grass very scarce; wood plenty.

Wednesday, August 4, – Travel 12 miles; stop at 10 o'clock and give cattle grass; rained considerable; camp on Raft river at the forks of the Oregon and California road; good grass.

Thursday, August 5, – Travel 15 miles without water; very rocky, rough roads; camp on Marsh Creek; drive cattle two miles to grass.

Friday, August 6, – Travel 15 miles; good roads; passed many dead cattle; camp on Goose Creek; good grass; plenty wood and water.

Saturday, August 7, – Travel 25 miles, the last 13 without water; very rough, dusty roads; camp an hour after dark on Dry Creek; water scarce; grass plenty.

Sunday, August 8, – Laid by all-day; very good grass; great many camped around; water ver scarce; great many dead cattle on this creek.

Monday, August 9, – Travel eight miles; camp at 2 o'clock; very good roads, but dusty; camp on Second Rock Creek, very good grass; water plenty.

Tuesday, August 10, – Travel 12 miles; very rough and dusty roads; grass scarce; camp on Second Rock Creek; some grass, water and wood plenty; mother taken sick in the evening.

Wednesday, August 11, – Travel 16 miles; start very early; very bad watering place at noon in Snake River; stop at 4 o'clock and take cattle to grass; start at dark and travel eight miles to water.

Thursday, August 12, – Travel 3 miles; stop and camp on banks of Snake River; lay by the balance of the day; good grass three miles off; wood and water plenty.

Friday, August 13, – Lay by all day; good grass; wood and water plenty.

Saturday, August 14, – Start and travel 12 miles to Salmon Falls; water plenty; Indians fishing.

Sunday, August 15, – Lay by 'till sundown; start and travel 'till 2 o'clock; stop and sleep till daylight.

Monday, August 16, – Travel ' till breakfast; stop on good grass; start and leave the road and go to the river; very bad place to water; lay by 'till night; start and travel 'till 1 o'clock.

Tuesday, August 17, – Start at daylight and travel six miles to the crossing of Snake River; lay by the balance of the day; emigrants going down the river in wagon beds.

Wednesday, August 18, – Lay by all day in same place; very bad place to camp; preparing to cross the river.

Thursday, August 19, – Try all day to get the cattle across the river and could not.

Friday, August 20, – Tow the cattle across the river between the wagon beds; ferry the wagons over in the evening. James Nicholson starts down the river in a wagon bed.

Saturday, August 21,- All cross the river excepting two; cool weather.

Sunday, August 22 – Mother taken worse in the morning and died about 9 o'clock in the evening. We are now about 30 miles below Salmon Falls on the north side of Snake River.

Monday, August 23, – Mother was buried about 10 o'clock in the morning about 200 yards above the crossing of the river. Travel eight miles to a spring.

Tuesday, August 24 – Lay by 'till noon; Moses Rhodes died in the morning. Travel 11 miles; good roads; camp on Dry Creek; water scarce; grass plenty.

Wednesday, August 25 – Travel 15 miles; good roads, but hilly; plenty grass all the time; wood and water plenty; passed boiling hot springs; camp on beautiful creek.

Thursday, August 26 – Travel 14 miles; very rock creek; camp at Charlotte Creek camp; no water for cattle; grass and wood plenty.

Friday, August 27 – Travel 15 miles; hilly roads, but good to plenty of grass all the time; camp on White Horse Creek; wood and water plenty.

Saturday, August 28, – Travel 20 miles without water; good roads and cool day; camp on Boise river. This is a beautiful stream; wood and grass plenty.

Sunday, August, 29 – Travel 12 miles down Salmon River; good grass all the time; camp at 2 o'clock; good grass, wood and water; hares plenty; got some fish of the Indians.

Monday, August 30, – Travel 18 miles down Salmon River; good roads; cool day; camp on Salmon River; excellent grass, wood and water.

Tuesday. August 31, – Travel 15 miles down Salmon River; cross the river; good grass, wood and water plenty.

Wednesday, September 1, – Travel eight miles to Fort Boise; cross Snake River in the evening; pay $2.50 per wagon; good grass on the north side of the river.

Thursday, September 2, – Travel 15 miles to a large creek; good grass; camp at 10 o'clock in the night; very dusty roads.

Friday, September 3, – Travel two and one-half miles down the river to a spring; good grass and water; wood scarce.

Saturday, September 4, – Start at 2 o'clock a.m.; travel 12 miles to Sulphur Springs by 8 o'clock am; travel 12 miles further to Birch Creek; not much grass; water and wood plenty.

Sunday, September 5, – Travel 10 miles to Burnt River; camp at 1 o'clock; not much grass; herd the cattle on willows; wood plenty.

Monday, September 6, – Travel 10 miles; stop at noon and stay the balance of the day; windy and cold nights; considerable sickness in company; willow wood and water plenty.

Tuesday, September, 7 – Travel 18 miles; leave Burnt River; very rough, hilly roads; camp on a branch of Burnt River, no grass; wood and water plenty.

Wednesday, September 8 – Travel 11 miles; rough roads; camp at noon on Burnt River; grass, water and wood plenty.

Thursday, September 9 – Lay by all day on account of sickness; company all left except Uncle Stewart and Caleb; not much grass; wood and water plenty; Eliza Ann Richey died at 9 o'clock p.m.

Friday, September 10, – Start at noon and travel nine miles; good roads; camp at Small Creek; not much grass; wood and water plenty.

Saturday, September 11, – Travel 23 miles; very dusty roads; camp on dry branch; not much water; camp at 9 o'clock; grass pretty good.

Sunday, September 12, – Travel 12 miles; good roads and cool day; noon at Powder River; camp on a small creek; good grass, wood and water.

Monday, September 13, – Travel 12 miles; good roads and cool day; noon at Powder River; camp on a small creek; good grass, wood and water.

Tuesday, September 14, – Travel 16 miles to the west side of Grand Ronde; bought some beef at 20 cents per pound; excellent grass and water; fine wood.

Wednesday, September 15 – Lay by all day; great many camped here on account of sickness and to recruit their teams; plenty of Kioose (Cayuse)

Thursday, September 16, – Lost nine of our cattle; hunt for them all day and find them just at sunset; considerable sickness in our company.

Friday, September 17, – Travel 15 miles; cross the Blue Mountains and Grande Ronde River; roughest roads we have every had; travel through pine timber all-day; camp.

Saturday, September 18, – Travel 13 miles through thick timber and rough roads without water; camp on a creek; plenty water and wood; some grass; tie the cattle at night.

Sunday, September 19, – Start at 10 o'clock; travel five miles through the timber; roads better; camp in the timber; some grass, not much water.

Monday, September 20, – Travel 10 miles; good roads to Umatilla River; pass a Kioose (Cayuse) village; camp on the river; grass scarce.

Tuesday, September 21, – Travel 12 miles down the river; good roads; rained in the morning; camp on the river; no grass; wood and water plenty.

Wednesday, September 22, – Lay by 'till noon; travel 11 miles; dry camp; plenty grass; no wood or water.

Thursday, September 23, – Travel seven miles to Umatilla; camp at noon; lay by the balance of the day;

Plenty wood, water, and grass.

Friday, September, 24, – Travel 12 miles to Butter Creek; pass agency and cross Umatilla; camp on creek, good grass, wood and water.

Saturday, September 25 – Lay by all day; plenty of Walla Walla Indians about camp all night; plenty grass, wood and water.

Sunday, September, 26 – Start at noon; travel 10 miles; dry camp; no wood or water; grass plenty.

Monday, September, 27 – Travel 12 miles to Muddy Springs; water scarce and not good; travel six miles further; dry camp; not much grass.

Tuesday, September, 28 – Start at 3 o'clock a.m.; travel nine miles to Willow Creek; water scarce; not much grass; wood plenty.

Wednesday, September, 29 – Start at noon; travel ____________________miles; hilly roads; very windy day; camp; no wood, water, or grass.

Thursday, September, 30 – Start at noon; travel 18 miles; good roads; camp on John Day's River; plenty wood and water.

Friday, October 1, – Travel 12 miles; cross John Day's River; camp six miles from John Day's River; no water; good grass, good roads.

Saturday, October 2, – Start at midnight; travel 12 miles by sunrise; get breakfast; travel five miles further to Columbia River; camp on De Chutes River.

Sunday, October 3, – Cross De Shoot (Des Chute) River before breakfast; start at noon and travel six miles; camp on a creek; not much wood; plenty water and grass.

Monday, October 4, – Travel 10 miles; good roads; camp on a small creek; not much wood; plenty water and grass; camp within two miles of The Dalles.

Tuesday, October 5, – Travel 10 miles down Columbia River; pass The Dalles; flour 35 cents per pound; camp in Columbia River bottom; wood, water and grass.

Wednesday, October 6, – Travel two miles; camp and go to preparing to raft down river; haul some pine logs to the river; grass plenty.

Thursday, October 7, – Cut logs and caulk wagon beds all day; very windy evening and night; plenty wood, water and grass; boats and canoes running up and down the river.

Friday, October 8, – Very windy; cool day; haul logs all day; no boats running; cattle doing very well.

Saturday, October 9, – Still preparing our raft to go down the river; blustery, cool weather.

Sunday, October 10, – James Nicholson, John T. Stewart and John Akin start with the cattle on the pack trail.

Monday, October 11, – Calm day; take our raft to pieces; put it together again.

Tuesday, October 12, – Start down the river about 10 o'clock; travel six miles; wind upstream.

Wednesday, October 13, – Travel five miles; high wind up the river; camp in a big willow thicket; plenty of wood.

Thursday, October 14, – Travel five miles; all leave the raft and go down the river in an Indian canoe except Uncle Stewart and W. A. Colter.

Friday, October 15, – Reach the Cascades about 2 o'clock in the evening; everyone sick.

This is the last entry in the diary kept my James Akin, jr.

Mrs. Nancy Hanson tells me that we paid the Indians who brought us down in the canoe $20 in money and our big tent.

Our little sister, Mary Ann Akin, died at the Cascades and was buried there. We were at the Cascades about a week waiting for the steamboat to bring us down to Portland.

Our father died two weeks after we reached Portland.

Frances Rowe

There were eleven deaths in this company. From numerous sources, reasonably reliable, information has been secured which indicates that probably not less than five thousand persons died on the plains in the year 1852, principally from cholera-George H. Himes, Secretary

This diary is copied from "Transactions of the 36th Annual Reunion of the Oregon Pioneer Association"

Portland, OR June 11, 1908

Content

James Akin
DIARY OF JAMES AKIN, JR.