The large lakes, lush marshes, and verdant meadows of the Klamath Basin signaled the richness of the Oregon country, but emigrants still faced serious hardships there, guarding against cattle stampedes by Indians while contending with mud, rain, limited grazing, and other unexpected difficulties. Unlike on some other trails, after passing the Great Basin desert they generally found enough potable water, and grazing was available near water. In 1850, when food was scarce, John Mclashen wrote that a few handfuls of corn meal mixed with a little water gave each animal a mouthful, while the emigrants themselves took a small drink of brandy. On October 24, 1853, William Hoffman wrote that his party crossed the Klamath River with their wagons without difficulty except for a loose ox that became mired on the riverbank and delayed them, then continued to a nearby mountain where steep ascents required double teams, and after driving 10 miles near dusk one wagon broke down when its fore wheel was smashed, a total loss.