The Southwestern Historical Quarterly, Volume 20, July 1916 - April, 1917 Page: 48
426 p. ; 23 cm.View a full description of this periodical.
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The Southwestern Historical Quarterly
shore of the bay and camped at a point of land near a village of
Indians who appear to have been very friendly. One day only
did they remain in camp here when again they turned their faces
toward the south.
It had been our intention at the outset if we succeeded in
discovering the bay, and providing the surrounding country was
adapted to agricultural purposes, and was sufficiently extensive,
to locate claims for ourselves and lay out a town; but the de-
plorable condition in which we found ourselves, reduced in
strength, health impaired, our ammunition nearly exhausted,-
upon which we were entirely dependent, as well for the little
food we could obtain, as for our defense and protection-and
destitute of either farming or mechanical implements, induced
us to abandon such intention, at least for the present, and use
all possible despatch in making our way to the settlements.
The third day after leaving the bay the party came to another
river, which on account of the large number of eels that they
obtained from the Indians was called "Eel River." The river was
now very high because of the recent storms but canoes were se-
cured from the Indians and a crossing made at a point just be-
low the mouth of a branch stream now named "Van Duzen" in
honor of one of the party. Here a difference of opinion arose
between the members of the expedition as to the most advan-
tageous route to pursue: some urging that they should follow
down the coast; and others, that by following up this river they
could the more easily cross the mountains and reach the settle-
ments further south. No amount of argument was able to pro-
duce harmony, so the different proponents took their respective
routes.
Mr. Wood, the writer of the narrative, with three others, fol-
lowed up the river, while Dr. Gregg and the remainder of the
party went south toward the coast. The river party made good
progress for a few days but soon hardship overtook them. For-
tunately they had kept the hide of a small deer which they had
killed, for we are told this and a few buckeyes were all they had
to sustain life, "the former we cut up and boiled in water and
afterwards drank the water in which it had been boiled, and
chewed the hide." After continued hardships these men suc-
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Texas State Historical Association. The Southwestern Historical Quarterly, Volume 20, July 1916 - April, 1917, periodical, 1917; Austin, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth101070/m1/54/: accessed April 23, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Texas State Historical Association.