The Long Haul West: Life on the Oregon Trail By ... - Lourdes College

Mary Ann said this of the river, “the water was so swift it washed John’s pants and socks off.” 48
In any case they made it across with no real harm and they camped there a day. 49
Here where they camped they came across a note, near three fresh graves, that read; “we
a company of emigrants of five wagons called a halt here yesterday noon finding a man about
forty years, woman about thirty-five, with front teeth filled with gold , [something] around her
neck, been dragged down to waters edg[e]. a boy about ten years old all have their throats cut
from ear to ear. Advising all that coming to be on the look out for Indians.” 50 <strong>The</strong>y moved on
from that spot quickly and drove on throughout the night until midnight. <strong>The</strong>y would have
continued on, however, they came across an abandoned wagon. This was used to build a fire
because there was scarce fuel source. All was well this night and the caravan went on for a few
weeks with no problems. 51
<strong>The</strong>y finally arrived in the Snake River Valley. Yet again the Boatman-Scott party was
going to be reminded why it was so important to keep away from the Indians. <strong>The</strong>re was a camp
of Indians who would go around and get the dead salmon from the river banks. <strong>The</strong>y would then
go and trade them with the emigrants. <strong>The</strong>se people were more than excited to see fresh meat and
ate it all up. By the morning everyone was sick. <strong>The</strong> reason for the sickness became apparent to
them further down the river. <strong>The</strong> river was littered with ox carcasses that went for a drink in the
river to find that the bank of the river was too steep to get back up and the poor creatures would
end up drowning. Many of the fish had been feeding on the rotting flesh of the dead beasts and
were dead as well. As Mary Ann said, this “ended the feast of fish.” 52
Along the Snake River, the Boatman-Scott party came upon a cabin. This would have
been something quite odd to have seen in this wilderness country. Two men lived in the cabin
and told people they could make their wagons water tight boats. <strong>The</strong>y also told them that the
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