Dearest Mother. We commenced our journey to Walla Walla July 18th 1825. Under the protection of Mr. McLeod, & his company. Came ten miles, in a southwestern direction. The Flat Head or Nez Perce Indians & some lodges of the Snake tribe, accompanying us to Port Half White—they are with us, we shall make but one camp in a day. On the 19^th we did not move at all. 20^th Came twelve miles in the same direction, as on the 18^th over many steep & high mountains. On the 21^st our course was southeast in the morning. Traveled fifteen miles. Yesterday the 22^d was a tedious day to us, we started about nine o’clock And rode untill half past four, PM. Came twenty one miles. Had two short showers in the afternoon which cooled the air considerably, before this, the heat was oppressive. I thought of Mother’s bread & butter many times are as any hungry child would, but did not find it on the way. I fancy pork & potatoes would relish extremely well. Have been living on fresh meat for two months exclusively. Am cloyed with it. I do not know how I shall endure this part of the journey. Find it much harder to make one camp in the day, than we did to make two, while with Fish for our dinner and two hours rest in the heat of the day, prepared us for a lengthy ride in the afternoon. Our ride to day has not been so fatiguing or lengthy as yesterday. Rode from nine o’clock AM. until one o’clock PM in the same direction, south west as yesterday. Felt a calm and peaceful state of mind all day. How sweet communion with him who delights to dwell with the humble & contrite heart, in heart. Especial in the morning I had a freedom in prayer for my beloved parents. Earnestly desired that God would bless them_ _continued from page 20_ But the giant of all the trading firms was the Hudson’s Bay Company. Growing steadily larger, it merged with the North West Company in 1821 and thereby inherited the fur wealth of the Oregon Country. In the early 19th century, many Americans believed that the western boundary of the United States should be the Pacific. They also believed that the northern boundary west of the Rockies should be set at least as far north as the 49th parallel. But Britain was not willing to give up its interests on the lower Columbia. In 1818 the two countries agreed to a temporary arrangement for joint occupation of the whole area. Citizens and subjects of the two nations could enter the Oregon Country without affecting either nation’s claims. The United States also reached agreements with Spain and Russia that resulted in these two countries surrendering all claims to the land between California and Alaska. [Illustration: Alfred Jacob Miller’s painting of the first Fort Laramie. In 1836 it was still called Fort William.]