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river we found The Kirkers Company trying to cross & they kindly gave us some ham. this alone made our next meal & was as much too salt as the venison was too fresh, but perhaps it made one meal balance the other for seasoning, slept under a large cottonwood tree rained hard in the night but it did not awaken me. I think I am getting used to it. The Kirkers said they had tried the river and found a little gold here We succeeded after considerable trouble in swimming our horses through the river & crossed our traps etc on a raft, towards night our company came up & we were glad to see them. 29th in camp repairing packs, making a litter for the sick, as we should now have to leave our waggon. 30th started about 9 Oclock travelled up the valley of a creek called Zeempeleau? (I believe) grass poor at our noon halt? started about 2 & camped for night about 6 oclock saw a few deer but too far off for a shot grass better at night made about 25 miles, July 1st Started early saw a number of deer shot two through the body but too far back to kill them immediately & I lost them both, one I think hid in the waters off the creek we searched through all the bushes on the banks, & he did not come out as men were watching outside, & he was very badly wounded, I very much dislike to wound animals & then have them die a lingering death, & I always try to avoid it but cannot always do so. in the first case the deer was a long way off & the wind blowing quite hard. I did calculate right on the strength of the wind to vary? my ball torn page slowed? too much. perhaps there was a lull in torn page the ball struck him about where I aimed