I have fallen behind on the trail!  John Bidwell & Company are getting ahead of me. Let’s go back a week and see where our intrepid pioneers were on Sept. 9th.

“Thursday, 9th.  The part of the Company that remained yesterday went on and overtook the 2 wagons.  Capt. Bartleson & Hopper returned, bringing intelligence that they had found the head of Mary’s river—distant about 5 days’ travel. Distance traveled today about 12 miles S.W. direction. The Indians stole a horse—day cool. ”

Two wagons (or the men with them) had gotten tired of waiting and moved on ahead a couple of days previous. Then on the 5th the rest of the Company began moving forward, with the aim of meeting up with the returning scouts, “grass having become scarce” where they had camped for a week.

At last on the 9th Bartleson came back with the cheering news that Mary’s River (the Humboldt) was only 5 days away. The company pressed on, unaware that it would take more than 5 days to get to the river.