Through the Blues to more river crossings

Attribution: wyoshpo (Wyoming State Historic Preservation Office) Public Domain

We were in Oregon Territory, the last part of our journey. August was passing quickly, and we had yet to claim our land, build a snug cabin, and chop enough firewood for the winter. Here was the Umatilla - another river to cross! Descending the last hill into the river valley we could see way ahead, two wagon trains larger than ours circled in camps near the river where they were watering their stock. Some days I feel as if the whole world has packed up and gone to Oregon! There are stretches of the trail where hardly any distance lies between one wagon train and the next.