Portland Brother Wilford I shall expect in the course of five or six days to receive letters from July your mail of Aug. 1st and shall probably have occasion to write you in reply. My object of writing at this time is to make enquiries, what the pros pect is for a market at your place for stock next spring or summer. I should not want to make an investment unless the prospect was particulary favorable of its proving profitable I have no money that I can afford to loose yet I am desirous of making an effort to get rid of my old liabilities. I have carriaid that load until I am nearly exhausted, and now feel as though I would make one more ef- fort to make something to help me out of the difficulty. I should not feel like starting with a share of cattle to drive through to California but I could go to your place I think (by the as- sistance of Providence) very comfortably and safely I have been on the Humbolt once and that is about as much as I desire. If any of you folks who are responsible that are doing a California business would purchase three hundred head of stock such as would be desired for that market. I should like to drive to Salt Lake next spring that number, is thereabouts— [upside-down text] We recd a letter from Middleton & [Riz] St Josephs a few days since, they say that they knew nothing about this affair of [Himas], that they knew him well & had confidence in him. [end of upside-down text]