Page:The Cowlitz Farm Journal, 1847-51.djvu/9

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Tuesday 7th. Smoky weather, wind strong from North. Commenced thrashing wheat. 6 ploughs agoing. Sutherland[1] with the women taking up potatoes for present use. Carrier making a coffin for an indian & putting up a temporary stable. Derval[2] put the post & beam that draw the water out of the well. Maalo[3] & the boy have got down 20 feet in the new well. Kawasi & Sow-a-sow took charge of the sheep to day.

Wednesday 8th. Very very close & densely smoky weather. Barometer fell a good deal. Received from Nisqually & for warded to Vancouver by a small two man canoe the packet from Barque Columbia arrived at Victoria from the Sandwich Islands. Employed ploughing, thrashing wheat, dig ging well—Derval hauling wood for a temporary stable. Carrier sharpening X [cross] cut & pit saws. 6 Indian women taking up potatoes for present use. Received 22 10 feet 1½ In[ch] Plank from Plomondon.

Thursday 9th. Rather clearer than yesterday. Strong westerly wind. Got the 8 ploughs in operation & only fear now we shall get done with the pea field the only land now ploughable before sufficient rain will have fallen to soften the other fields for the plough. Employed thrashing wheat—carting manure—digging well—making a small stable &.

Friday 10th. Smoke denser than ever—employed much as yesterday—8 Ploughs agoing—3 Indians employed cutting 7½ feet pickets for a garden fence.

Saturday 11th. Cloudy or densely smoky & foggy weather. Considerable depredation made in the potatoe fields by indians who live 10 or 12 miles up the river. Rode out after them with the ploughmen & several others, found the thieves & took 5 bushels potatoes from them. Gave one of the prin-

  1. ↑ John Sutherland, a shepherd, 1847-51, Cowlitz Farm employee lists, H .B. C. Arch. The Lewis County 1850 census gives his birthplace as Scotland and his age as twenty-eight.
  2. ↑ Denis Durval, middleman, 1847-49, Cowlitz Farm employee lists, H. B. C. Arch. He retired from service, possibly to French Prairie, since the 1850 Marion County census includes Denis Derval (Duvalle).
  3. ↑ Maalo, laborer (probably a Hawaiian), 1847-49, Cowlitz Farm employee lists, H.B.C. Arch. Later stationed at Victoria, he is mentioned in the Nisqually Journal in April 1850 as a deserter (WHQ, XI:222).

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