Journal of John Work. 309 what is worse, we will be two nights more without anything for them to eat. This was an exceedingly harassing day, both for men and horses ; the latter on account of the heat of the day, and the difficulty of the road, particularly jumping over the large trees and ascending the steep hills, are com- pletely jaded; one of them stopped on the road, but was got up to the camp in the evening. The ridge, our road lay in this afternoon, is divided from the foot of Mt. Rainier,^ by a deep valley and river along which our road lay. Friday, May 23rd. Proceeded on our journey about 5 o'clock, and in less than 3 hours descended a steep hill and fell upon the river. During this distance, the road was the same, and through the same sort of country as yesterday. There is a pretty broad and very rapid river, its banks covered with thick woods, at this place burnt. Here a river falls in from the southward, which has now but little water. The main river seems to run towards the W. N. W. Our road here lies on the north shore of it. After some search, we found a fordable place, and with some trouble, got across a little past noon, and continued our journey. The woods were burnt and the road barred with immense large fallen trees through which we made our way with a great deal of difficulty, and much labor, both to men and horses, particularly the latter ; indeed, it is sur- prising they don't break their legs. We encamped at past 6 o'clock. No grass for the horses. Saturday, May 24th. Fine weather till towards evening, when there was some heavy rain. Continued our journey before 6 o'clock, and had proceeded but a short distance till we came to where the road used to
I Mt. St. Helens.----
