290 WALTER BAILEY While Barlow was absent some horsemen arrived from The Dalles. 14 Their leader was Joel Palmer, who with Barlow had been aid in the company of Presley Welch, and who was after- wards the government Indian agent for Oregon. Having ar- rived at The Dalles after Barlow's departure, Palmer had deter- mined to follow and had induced about twenty-three wagons and nearly as many families to accompany him. After getting started he had gone ahead of the wagons to explore. He fol- lowed Barlow into the mountains but returned after several days reconnoitering without meeting him. After Barlow re- turned to camp, it was mutually agreed to join forces and push on with the road building. At this point it was decided to send a party with the loose cattle onto the settlements.^ Two families determined to go on with the drovers. This party was instructed to procure pro- visions and assistance and meet the roadbuilders. After dispatching a small party back to the Dalles for beef and wheat the main party now began the arduous task of cut- ting a road through the timber. The eastern side of the Cas- cades was not heavily timbered, however, and progress was rapid, though there is recorded some complaint about the in- compatibility of big trees, rusty tools and tender muscles. It being the dry season, fire was used effectively in clearing the mountain sides. When they came face to face, with the steep mountain sides several families gave up the enterprise and returned to The Dalles. 16 Palmer and Barlow were still determined to push on. On the morning of October llth 1 7 they set out ahead to find a way over the main dividing ridge. This lay further to the west than they had expected and their previous exploration had showed no sign of a western descent. In their absence the company continued the road building. 14 Palmer's Journal, p. 126. 15 Ibid., p. 128. 1 6 Evans. 17 Palmer's Journal, p. 131.
