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diff --git a/12236-0.txt b/12236-0.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..b489208 --- /dev/null +++ b/12236-0.txt @@ -0,0 +1,14332 @@ +*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK 12236 *** + +DEATH VALLEY IN '49. + + * * * * * + +IMPORTANT CHAPTER OF California Pioneer History. + + * * * * * + +--THE-- + +AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF A PIONEER, DETAILING HIS LIFE FROM A HUMBLE HOME IN THE +GREEN MOUNTAINS TO THE GOLD MINES OF CALIFORNIA; AND PARTICULARLY +RECITING THE SUFFERINGS OF THE BAND OF MEN, WOMEN AND CHILDREN WHO GAVE +"DEATH VALLEY" ITS NAME. + +BY WILLIAM LEWIS MANLY. + +1894. + + * * * * * + +Entered, according to Act of Congress, in the year 1894, by WM. L. +MANLEY, In the office of the Librarian of Congress, at Washington, D.C. + + * * * * * + +TO THE PIONEERS OF CALIFORNIA, THEIR CHILDREN AND GRANDCHILDREN, THIS +BOOK IS DEDICATED, WITH THAT HIGH RESPECT AND REGARD SO OFTEN EXPRESSED +IN ITS PAGES, BY THE AUTHOR. + + * * * * * + + +CONTENTS. + + +CHAPTER I. Birth, Parentage.--Early Life in Vermont.--Sucking Cider +through a Straw. + +CHAPTER II. The Western Fever.--On the Road to Ohio.--The Outfit.--The +Erie Canal.--In the Maumee Swamp. + +CHAPTER III. At Detroit and Westward.--Government Land.--Killing +Deer.--"Fever 'N Agur." + +CHAPTER IV. The Lost Filley Boy.--Never Was Found. + +CHAPTER V. Sickness.--Rather Catch Chipmonks in the Rocky Mountains than +Live in Michigan.--Building the Michigan Central R.R.--Building a +Boat.--Floating down Grand River.--Black Bear.--Indians Catching +Mullet.--Across the Lake to Southport.--Lead Mining at Mineral +Point.--Decides to go Farther West.--Return to Michigan. + +CHAPTER VI. Wisconsin.--Indian Physic.--Dressed for a Winter Hunting +Campaign.--Hunting and Trapping in the Woods.--Catching Otter and +Marten. + +CHAPTER VII. Lead Mining.--Hears about Gold in California.--Gets the +Gold Fever.--Nothing will cure it but California.--Mr. Bennett and the +Author Prepare to Start.--The Winnebago Pony.--Agrees to Meet Bennett at +Missouri River.--Delayed and Fails to Find Him.--Left with only a Gun +and Pony.--Goes as a Driver for Charles Dallas.--Stopped by a Herd of +Buffaloes.--Buffalo Meat.--Indians.--U.S. Troops.--The Captain and the +Lieutenant.--Arrive at South Pass.--The Waters Run toward the +Pacific.--They Find a Boat and Seven of them Decide to Float down the +Green River. + +CHAPTER VIII. Floating down the River.--It begins to roar.--Thirty Miles +a Day.--Brown's Hole.--Lose the Boat and make two Canoes.--Elk.--The +Cañons get Deeper.--Floundering in the Water.--The Indian Camp.--Chief +Walker proves a Friend.--Describes the Terrible Cañon below +Them.--Advises Them to go no farther down.--Decide to go +Overland.--Dangerous Route to Salt Lake.--Meets Bennett near +there.--Organize the Sand Walking Company. + +CHAPTER IX. The Southern Route.--Off in Fine Style.--A Cut-off +Proposed.--Most of Them Try it and Fail.--The Jayhawkers.--A New +Organization.--Men with Families not Admitted.--Capture an Indian Who +Gives Them the Slip.--An Indian Woman and Her Children.--Grass Begins to +Fail.--A High Peak to the West.--No Water.--An Indian Hut.--Reach the +Warm Spring.--Desert Everywhere.--Some One Steals Food.--The Water Acts +Like a Dose of Salts.--Christmas Day.--Rev. J.W. Brier Delivers a +Lecture to His Sons.--Nearly Starving and Choking.--An Indian in a +Mound.--Indians Shoot the Oxen.--Camp at Furnace Creek. + +CHAPTER X. A Long, Narrow Valley.--Beds and Blocks of Salt.--An Ox +Killed.--Blood, Hide and Intestines Eaten.--Crossing Death Valley.--The +Wagons can go no farther.--Manley and Rogers Volunteer to go for +Assistance.--They Set out on Foot.--Find the Dead Body of Mr. Fish.--Mr. +Isham Dies.--Bones along the Road.--Cabbage Trees.--Eating Crow and +Hawk.--After Sore Trials They Reach a Fertile Land.--Kindly +Treated.--Returning with Food and Animals.--The Little Mule Climbs a +Precipice, the Horses are Left Behind.--Finding the Body of Captain +Culverwell.--They Reach Their Friends just as all Hope has Left +Them.--Leaving the Wagons.--Packs on the Oxen.--Sacks for the +Children.--Old Crump.--Old Brigham and Mrs. Arcane.--A Stampede +[Illustrated.]--Once more Moving Westward.--"Good-bye, Death Valley." + +CHAPTER XI. Struggling Along.--Pulling the Oxen Down the Precipice +[Illustrated.]--Making Raw-hide Moccasins.--Old Brigham Lost and +Found.--Dry Camps.--Nearly Starving.--Melancholy and Blue.--The Feet of +the Women Bare and Blistered.--"One Cannot form an Idea How Poor an Ox +Will Get."--Young Charlie Arcane very Sick.--Skulls of Cattle.--Crossing +the Snow Belt.--Old Dog Cuff.--Water Dancing over the Rocks.--Drink, Ye +Thirsty Ones.--Killing a Yearling.--- See the Fat.--Eating Makes Them +Sick.--Going down Soledad Cañon--A Beautiful Meadow.--Hospitable Spanish +People.--They Furnish Shelter and Food.--The San Fernando +Mission.--Reaching Los Angeles.--They Meet Moody and Skinner.--Soap and +Water for the First Time in Months.--Clean Dresses for the Women.--Real +Bread to Eat.--A Picture of Los Angeles.--Black-eyed Women.--The Author +Works in a Boarding-house.--Bennett and Others go up the Coast.--Life in +Los Angeles.--The Author Prepares to go North. + +CHAPTER XII. Dr. McMahon's Story.--McMahon and Field, Left behind with +Chief Walker, Determine to go down the River.--Change Their Minds and go +with the Indians.--Change again and go by themselves.--Eating Wolf +Meat.--After much Suffering they reach Salt Lake.--John Taylor's Pretty +Wife.--Field falls in Love with her.--They Separate.--Incidents of +Wonderful Escapes from Death. + +CHAPTER XIII. Story of the Jayhawkers.--Ceremonies of Initiation--Rev. +J.W. Brier.--His Wife the best Man of the Two.--Story of the Road across +Death Valley.--Burning the Wagons.--Narrow Escape of Tom Shannon.--Capt. +Ed Doty was Brave and True.--They reach the Sea by way of Santa Clara +River.--Capt. Haynes before the Alcalde.--List of Jayhawkers. + +CHAPTER XIV. Alexander Erkson's Statement.--Works for Brigham Young at +Salt Lake.--Mormon Gold Coin.--Mt. Misery.--The Virgin River and Yucca +Trees.--A Child Born to Mr, and Mrs. Rynierson.--Arrive at +Cucamonga.--Find some good Wine which is good for Scurvy.--San Francisco +and the Mines.--Settles in San Jose.--Experience of Edward Coker.--Death +of Culverwell, Fish and Isham.--Goes through Walker's Pass and down Kern +River.--Living in Fresno in 1892. + +CHAPTER XV. The Author again takes up the History.--Working in a +Boarding House, but makes Arrangements to go North.--Mission San Bueno +Ventura.--First Sight of the Pacific Ocean.--Santa Barbara in +1850.--Paradise and Desolation.--San Miguel, Santa Ynez and San Luis +Obispo.--California Carriages and how they were used.--Arrives in San +Jose and Camps in the edge of Town.--Description of the place.--Meets +John Rogers, Bennett, Moody and Skinner.--On the road to the +Mines.--They find some of the Yellow Stuff and go Prospecting for +more--Experience with _Piojos_--Life and Times in the Mines--Sights and +Scenes along the Road, at Sea, on the Isthmus, Cuba, New Orleans, and up +the Mississippi--A few Months Amid Old Scenes, then away to the Golden +State again. + + +CHAPTER XVI St. Louis to New Orleans, New Orleans to San Francisco--Off +to the Mines Again--Life in the Mines and Incidents of Mining Times and +Men--Vigilance Committee--Death of Mrs. Bennett. + + +CHAPTER XVII Mines and Mining--Adventures and Incidents of the Early +Days--The Pioneers, their Character and Influence--- Conclusion. + + * * * * * + + +DEATH VALLEY IN '49 + +THE AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF A PIONEER + + + + +CHAPTER I. + + +St. Albans, Vermont is near the eastern shore of Lake Champlain, and +only a short distance south of "Five-and-forty north degrees" which +separates the United States from Canada, and some sixty or seventy miles +from the great St. Lawrence River and the city of Montreal. Near here it +was, on April 6th, 1820, I was born, so the record says, and from this +point with wondering eyes of childhood I looked across the waters of the +narrow lake to the slopes of the Adirondack mountains in New York, green +as the hills of my own Green Mountain State. + +The parents of my father were English people and lived near Hartford, +Connecticut, where he was born. While still a little boy he came with +his parents to Vermont. My mother's maiden name was Phœbe Calkins, born +near St. Albans of Welch parents, and, being left an orphan while yet in +very tender years, she was given away to be reared by people who +provided food and clothes, but permitted her to grow up to womanhood +without knowing how to read or write. After her marriage she learned to +do both, and acquired the rudiments of an education. + +Grandfather and his boys, four in all, fairly carved a farm out of the +big forest that covered the cold rocky hills. Giant work it was for them +in such heavy timber--pine, hemlock, maple, beech and birch--the +clearing of a single acre being a man's work for a year. The place where +the maples were thickest was reserved for a sugar grove, and from it was +made all of the sweet material they needed, and some besides. Economy of +the very strictest kind had to be used in every direction. Main strength +and muscle were the only things dispensed in plenty. The crops raised +consisted of a small flint corn, rye oats, potatoes and turnips. Three +cows, ten or twelve sheep, a few pigs and a yoke of strong oxen +comprised the live stock--horses, they had none for many years. A great +ox-cart was the only wheeled vehicle on the place, and this, in winter, +gave place to a heavy sled, the runners cut from a tree having a natural +crook and roughly, but strongly, made. + +In summer there were plenty of strawberries, raspberries, whortleberries +and blackberries growing wild, but all the cultivated fruit was apples. +As these ripened many were peeled by hand, cut in quarters, strung on +long strings of twine and dried before the kitchen fire for winter use. +They had a way of burying up some of the best keepers in the ground, and +opening the apple hole was quite an event of early spring. + +The children were taught to work as soon as large enough. I remember +they furnished me with a little wooden fork to spread the heavy swath of +grass my father cut with easy swings of the scythe, and when it was dry +and being loaded on the great ox-cart I followed closely with a rake +gathering every scattering spear. The barn was built so that every +animal was housed comfortably in winter, and the house was such as all +settlers built, not considered handsome, but capable of being made very +warm in winter and the great piles of hard wood in the yard enough to +last as fuel for a year, not only helped to clear the land, but kept us +comfortable. Mother and the girls washed, carded, spun, and wove the +wool from our own sheep into good strong cloth. Flax was also raised, +and I remember how they pulled it, rotted it by spreading on the green +meadow, then broke and dressed it, and then the women made linen cloth +of various degrees of fineness, quality, and beauty. Thus, by the labor +of both men and women, we were clothed. If an extra fine Sunday dress +was desired, part of the yarn was colored and from this they managed to +get up a very nice plaid goods for the purpose. + +In clearing the land the hemlock bark was peeled and traded off at the +tannery for leather, or used to pay for tanning and dressing the hide of +an ox or cow which they managed to fat and kill about every year. Stores +for the family were either made by a neighboring shoe-maker, or by a +traveling one who went from house to house, making up a supply for the +family--whipping the cat, they called it then. They paid him in +something or other produced upon the farm, and no money was asked or +expected. + +Wood was one thing plenty, and the fireplace was made large enough to +take in sticks four feet long or more, for the more they could burn the +better, to get it out of the way. In an outhouse, also provided with a +fireplace and chimney, they made shingles during the long winter +evenings, the shavings making plenty of fire and light by which to work. +The shingles sold for about a dollar a thousand. Just beside the +fireplace in the house was a large brick oven where mother baked great +loaves of bread, big pots of pork and beans, mince pies and loaf cake, a +big turkey or a young pig on grand occasions. Many of the dishes used +were of tin or pewter; the milk pans were of earthenware, but most +things about the house in the line of furniture were of domestic +manufacture. + +The store bills were very light. A little tea for father and mother, a +few spices and odd luxuries were about all, and they were paid for with +surplus eggs. My father and my uncle had a sawmill, and in winter they +hauled logs to it, and could sell timber for $8 per thousand feet. + +The school was taught in winter by a man named Bowen, who managed forty +scholars and considered sixteen dollars a month, boarding himself, was +pretty fair pay. In summer some smart girl would teach the small +scholars and board round among the families. + +When the proper time came the property holder would send off to the +collector an itemized list of all his property, and at another the taxes +fell due. A farmer who would value his property at two thousand or three +thousand dollars would find he had to pay about six or seven dollars. +All the money in use then seemed to be silver, and not very much of +that. The whole plan seemed to be to have every family and farm +self-supporting as far as possible. I have heard of a note being given +payable in a good cow to be delivered at a certain time, say October 1, +and on that day it would pass from house to house in payment of a debt, +and at night only the last man in the list would have a cow more than +his neighbor. Yet those were the days of real independence, after all. +Every man worked hard from early youth to a good old age. There were no +millionaires, no tramps, and the poorhouse had only a few inmates. + +I have very pleasant recollections of the neighborhood cider mill. There +were two rollers formed of logs carefully rounded and four or five feet +long, set closely together in an upright position in a rough frame, a +long crooked sweep coming from one of them to which a horse was hitched +and pulled it round and round, One roller had mortices in it, and +projecting wooden teeth on the other fitted into these, so that, as they +both slowly turned together, the apples were crushed, A huge box of +coarse slats, notched and locked together at the corners, held a vast +pile of the crushed apples while clean rye straw was added to strain the +flowing juice and keep the cheese from spreading too much; then the +ponderous screw and streams of delicious cider. Sucking cider through a +long rye straw inserted in the bung-hole of a barrel was just the best +of fun, and cider taken that way "awful" good while it was new and +sweet. + +The winter ashes, made from burning so much fuel and gathered from the +brush-heaps and log-heaps, were carefully saved and traded with the +potash men for potash or sold for a small price. Nearly every one went +barefoot in summer, and in winter wore heavy leather moccasins made by +the Canadian French who lived near by. + + + + +CHAPTER II. + + +About 1828 people began to talk about the far West. Ohio was the place +we heard most about, and the most we knew was, that it was a long way +off and no way to get there except over a long and tedious road, with +oxen or horses and a cart or wagon. More than one got the Western fever, +as they called it, my uncle James Webster and my father among the rest, +when they heard some traveler tell about the fine country he had seen; +so they sold their farms and decided to go to Ohio, Uncle James was to +go ahead, in the fall of 1829 and get a farm to rent, if he could, and +father and his family were to come on the next spring. + +Uncle fitted out with two good horses and a wagon; goods were packed in +a large box made to fit, and under the wagon seat was the commissary +chest for food and bedding for daily use, all snugly arranged. Father +had, shortly before, bought a fine Morgan mare and a light wagon which +served as a family carriage, having wooden axles and a seat arranged on +wooden springs, and they finally decided they would let me take the +horse and wagon and go on with uncle, and father and mother would come +by water, either by way of the St. Lawrence river and the lakes or by +way of the new canal recently built, which would take them as far as +Buffalo. + +So they loaded up the little wagon with some of the mentioned things and +articles in the house, among which I remember a fine brass kettle, +considered almost indispensable in housekeeping. There was a good lot of +bedding and blankets, and a quilt nicely folded was placed on the spring +seat as a cushion. + +As may be imagined I was the object of a great deal of attention about +this time, for a boy not yet ten years old just setting out into a +region almost unknown was a little unusual. When I was ready they all +gathered round to say good bye and my good mother seemed most concerned. +She said--"Now you must be a good boy till we come in the spring. Mind +uncle and aunt and take good care of the horse, and remember us. May God +protect you." She embraced me and kissed me and held me till she was +exhausted. Then they lifted me up into the spring seat, put the lines in +my hand and handed me my little whip with a leather strip for a lash. +Just at the last moment father handed me a purse containing about a +dollar, all in copper cents--pennies we called them then. Uncle had +started on they had kept me so long, but I started up and they all +followed me along the road for a mile or so before we finally separated +and they turned back. They waved hats and handkerchiefs till out of +sight as they returned, and I wondered if we should ever meet again. + +I was up with uncle very soon and we rolled down through St. Albans and +took our road southerly along in sight of Lake Champlain. Uncle and aunt +often looked back to talk to me, "See what a nice cornfield!" or, "What +nice apples on those trees," seeming to think they must do all they +could to cheer me up, that I might not think too much of the playmates +and home I was leaving behind. + +I had never driven very far before, but I found the horse knew more than +I did how to get around the big stones and stumps that were found in the +road, so that as long as I held the lines and the whip in hand I was an +excellent driver. + +We had made plans and preparations to board ourselves on the journey. We +always stopped at the farm houses over night, and they were so +hospitable that they gave us all we wanted free. Our supper was +generally of bread and milk, the latter always furnished gratuitously, +and I do not recollect that we were ever turned away from any house +where we asked shelter. There were no hotels, or taverns as they called +them, outside of the towns. + +In due time we reached Whitehall, at the head of Lake Champlain, and the +big box in Uncle's wagon proved so heavy over the muddy roads that he +put it in a canal boat to be sent on to Cleveland, and we found it much +easier after this for there were too many mud-holes, stumps and stones +and log bridges for so heavy a load as he had. Our road many times after +this led along near the canal, the Champlain or the Erie, and I had a +chance to see something of the canal boys' life. The boy who drove the +horses that drew the packet boat was a well dressed fellow and always +rode at a full trot or a gallop, but the freight driver was generally +ragged and barefoot, and walked when it was too cold to ride, threw +stones or clubs at his team, and cursed and abused the packet-boy who +passed as long as he was in hearing. Reared as I had been I thought it +was a pretty wicked part of the world we were coming to. + +We passed one village of low cheap houses near the canal. The men about +were very vulgar and talked rough and loud, nearly every one with a +pipe, and poorly dressed, loafing around the saloon, apparently the +worse for whisky. The children were barefoot, bare headed and scantly +dressed, and it seemed awfully dirty about the doors of the shanties. +Pigs, ducks and geese were at the very door, and the women I saw wore +dresses that did not come down very near the mud and big brogan shoes, +and their talk was saucy and different from what I had ever heard women +use before. They told me they were Irish people--the first I had ever +seen. It was along here somewhere that I lost my little whip and to get +another one made sad inroads into the little purse of pennies my father +gave me. We traveled slowly on day after day. There was no use to hurry +for we could not do it. The roads were muddy, the log ways very rough +and the only way was to take a moderate gait and keep it. We never +traveled on Sunday. One Saturday evening my uncle secured the privilege +of staying at a well-to do farmer's house until Monday. We had our own +food and bedding, but were glad to get some privileges in the kitchen, +and some fresh milk or vegetables. After all had taken supper that night +they all sat down and made themselves quiet with their books, and the +children were as still as mice till an early bed time when all retired. +When Sunday evening came the women got out their work--their sewing and +their knitting, and the children romped and played and made as much +noise as they could, seeming as anxious to break the Sabbath as they had +been to have a pious Saturday night. I had never seen that way before +and asked my uncle who said he guessed they were Seventh Day Baptists. + +After many days of travel which became to me quite monotonous we came to +Cleveland, on Lake Erie, and here my uncle found his box of goods, +loaded it into the wagon again, and traveled on through rain and mud, +making very slow headway, for two or three days after, when we stopped +at a four-corners in Medina county they told us we were only 21 miles +from Cleveland. Here was a small town consisting of a hotel, store, +church, schoolhouse and blacksmith shop, and as it was getting cold and +bad, uncle decided to go no farther now, and rented a room for himself +and aunt, and found a place for me to lodge with Daniel Stevens' boy +close by. We got good stables for our horses. + +I went to the district school here, and studied reading, spelling and +Colburn's mental arithmetic, which I mastered. It began very easy--"How +many thumbs on your right hand?" "How many on your left?" "How many +altogether?" but it grew harder further on. + +Uncle took employment at anything he could find to do. Chopping was his +principal occupation. When the snow began to go off he looked around for +a farm to rent for us and father to live on when he came, but he found +none such as he needed. He now got a letter from father telling him that +he had good news from a friend named Cornish who said that good land +nearly clear of timber could be bought of the Government in Michigan +Territory, some sixty or seventy miles beyond Detroit, and this being an +opportunity to get land they needed with their small capital, they would +start for that place as soon as the water-ways were thawed out, probably +in April. + +We then gave up the idea of staying here and prepared to go to Michigan +as soon as the frost was out of the ground. Starting, we reached Huron +River to find it swollen and out of its bank, giving us much trouble to +get across, the road along the bottom lands being partly covered with +logs and rails, but once across we were in the town and when we enquired +about the road around to Detroit, they said the country was all a swamp +and 30 miles wide and in Spring impassible. They called it the Maumee or +Black Swamp, We were advised to go by water, when a steamboat came up +the river bound for Detroit we put our wagons and horses on board, and +camped on the lower deck ourselves. We had our own food and were very +comfortable, and glad to have escaped the great mudhole. + + + + +CHAPTER III. + + +We arrived in Detroit safely, and a few minutes answered to land our +wagons and goods, when we rolled outward in a westerly direction. We +found a very muddy roads, stumps and log bridges plenty, making our rate +of travel very slow. When out upon our road about 30 miles, near +Ypsilanti, the thick forest we had been passing through grew thinner, +and the trees soon dwindled down into what they called oak openings, and +the road became more sandy. When we reached McCracken's Tavern we began +to enquire for Ebenezer Manley and family, and were soon directed to a +large house near by where he was stopping for a time. + +We drove up to the door and they all came out to see who the new comers +were. Mother saw me first and ran to the wagon and pulled me off and +hugged and kissed me over and over again, while the tears ran down her +cheeks, Then she would hold me off at arm's length, and look me in the +eye and say--"I am so glad to have you again"; and then she embraced me +again and again. "You are our little man," said she, "You have come over +this long road, and brought us our good horse and our little wagon." My +sister Polly two years older than I, stood patiently by, and when mother +turned to speak to uncle and aunt, she locked arms with me and took me +away with her. We had never been separated before in all our lives and +we had loved each other as good children should, who have been brought +up in good and moral principles. We loved each other and our home and +respected our good father and mother who had made it so happy for us. + +We all sat down by the side of the house and talked pretty fast telling +our experience on our long journey by land and water, and when the sun +went down we were called to supper, and went hand in hand to surround +the bountiful table as a family again. During the conversation at supper +father said to me--"Lewis, I have bought you a smooth bore rifle, +suitable for either ball or shot." This, I thought was good enough for +any one, and I thanked him heartily. We spent the greater part of the +night in talking over our adventures since we left Vermont, and sleep +was forgotten by young and old. + +Next morning father and uncle took the horse and little wagon and went +out in search of Government land. They found an old acquaintance in +Jackson county and Government land all around him, and, searching till +they found the section corner, they found the number of the lots they +wanted to locate on--200 acres in all. They then went to the Detroit +land office and secured the pieces they had chosen. + +Father now bought a yoke of oxen, a wagon and a cow, and as soon as we +could get loaded up our little emigrant train started west to our future +home, where we arrived safely in a few days and secured a house to live +in about a mile away from our land. We now worked with a will and built +two log houses and also hired 10 acres broken, which was done with three +or four yoke of oxen and a strong plow. The trees were scattered over +the ground and some small brush and old limbs, and logs which we cleared +away as we plowed. Our houses went up very fast--all rough oak logs, +with oak puncheons, or hewed planks for a floor, and oak shakes for a +roof, all of our own make. The shakes were held down upon the roof by +heavy poles, for we had no nails, the door of split stuff hung with +wooden hinges, and the fire place of stone laid up with the logs, and +from the loft floor upward the chimney was built of split stuff +plastered heavily with mud. We have a small four-paned window in the +house. We then built a log barn for our oxen, cow and horse and got +pigs, sheep and chickens as fast as a chance offered. + +As fast as possible we fenced in the cultivated land, father and uncle +splitting out the rails, while a younger brother and myself, by each +getting hold of an end of one of them managed to lay up a fence four +rails high, all we small men could do. Thus working on, we had a pretty +well cultivated farm in the course of two or three years, on which we +produced wheat, corn and potatoes, and had an excellent garden. We found +plenty of wild cranberries and whortleberries, which we dried for winter +use. The lakes were full of good fish, black bass and pickerel, and the +woods had deer, turkeys, pheasants, pigeons, and other things, and I +became quite an expert in the capture of small game for the table with +my new gun. Father and uncle would occasionally kill a deer, and the +Indians came along and sold venison at times. + +One fall after work was done and preparations were made for the winter, +father said to me:--"Now Lewis, I want you to hunt every day--come home +nights--but keep on till you kill a deer." So with his permission I +started with my gun on my shoulder, and with feelings of considerable +pride. Before night I started two deer in a brushy place, and they +leaped high over the oak bushes in the most affrighted way. I brought my +gun to my shoulder and fired at the bounding animal when in most plain +sight. Loading then quickly, I hurried up the trail as fast as I could +and soon came to my deer, dead, with a bullet hole in its head. I was +really surprised myself, for I had fired so hastily at the almost flying +animal that it was little more than a random shot. As the deer was not +very heavy I dressed it and packed it home myself, about as proud a boy +as the State of Michigan contained. I really began to think I was a +capital hunter, though I afterward knew it was a bit of good luck and +not a bit of skill about it. + +It was some time after this before I made another lucky shot. Father +would once in a while ask me:--"Well can't you kill us another deer?" I +told him that when I had crawled a long time toward a sleeping deer, +that I got so trembly that I could not hit an ox in short range. "O," +said he, "You get the buck fever--don't be so timid--they won't attack +you." But after awhile this fever wore off, and I got so steady that I +could hit anything I could get in reach of. + +We were now quite contented and happy. Father could plainly show us the +difference between this country and Vermont and the advantages we had +here. There the land was poor and stony and the winters terribly severe. +Here there were no stones to plow over, and the land was otherwise easy +to till. We could raise almost anything, and have nice wheat bread to +eat, far superior to the "Rye-and-Indian" we used to have. The nice +white bread was good enough to eat without butter, and in comparison +this country seemed a real paradise. + +The supply of clothing we brought with us had lasted until now--more +than two years--and we had sowed some flax and raised sheep so that we +began to get material of our own raising, from which to manufacture some +more. Mother and sister spun some nice yarn, both woolen and linen, and +father had a loom made on which mother wove it up into cloth, and we +were soon dressed up in bran new clothes again. Domestic economy of this +kind was as necessary here as it was in Vermont, and we knew well how to +practice it. About this time the emigrants began to come in very fast, +and every piece of Government land any where about was taken. So much +land was ploughed, and so much vegetable matter turned under and +decaying that there came a regular epidemic of fever and ague and +bilious fever, and a large majority of the people were sick. At our +house father was the first one attacked, and when the fever was at its +height he was quite out of his head and talked and acted like a crazy +man. We had never seen any one so sick before, and we thought he must +surely die, but when the doctor came he said:--"Don't be alarmed. It is +only 'fever 'n' agur,' and no one was ever known to die of that." Others +of us were sick too, and most of the neighbors, and it made us all feel +rather sorrowful. The doctor's medicines consisted of calomel, jalap and +quinine, all used pretty freely, by some with benefit, and by others to +no visible purpose, for they had to suffer until the cold weather came +and froze the disease out. At one time I was the only one that remained +well, and I had to nurse and cook, besides all the out-door work that +fell to me. My sister married a man near by with a good farm and moved +there with him, a mile or two away. When she went away I lost my real +bosom companion and felt very lonesome, but I went to see her once in a +while, and that was pretty often, I think. There was not much going on +as a general thing. Some little neighborhood society and news was about +all. There was, however, one incident which occurred in 1837, I never +shall forget, and which I will relate in the next chapter. + + + + +CHAPTER IV. + + +About two miles west father's farm in Jackson county Mich., lived Ami +Filley, who moved here from Connecticut and settled about two and a half +miles from the town of Jackson, then a small village with plenty of +stumps and mudholes in its streets. Many of the roads leading thereto +had been paved with tamarac poles, making what is now known as corduroy +roads. The country was still new and the farm houses far between. + +Mr. Filley secured Government land in the oak openings, and settled +there with his wife and two or three children, the oldest of which was a +boy named Willie. The children were getting old enough to go to school, +but there being none, Mr. Filley hired one of the neighbor's daughters +to come to his house and teach the children there, so they might be +prepared for usefulness in life or ready to proceed further with their +education--to college, perhaps in some future day. + +The young woman he engaged lived about a mile a half away--Miss Mary +Mount--and she came over and began her duties as private school ma'am, +not a very difficult task in those days. One day after she had been +teaching some time Miss Mount desired to go to her father's on a visit, +and as she would pass a huckleberry swamp on the way she took a small +pail to fill with berries as she went, and by consent of Willie's +mother, the little boy went with her for company. Reaching the berries +she began to pick, and the little boy found this dull business, got +tired and homesick and wanted to go home. They were about a mile from +Mr. Filley's and as there was a pretty good foot trail over which they +had come, the young woman took the boy to it, and turning him toward +home told him to follow it carefully and he would soon see his mother. +She then filled her pail with berries, went on to her own home, and +remained there till nearly sundown, when she set out to return to Mr. +Filley's, reaching there yet in the early twilight. Not seeing Willie, +she inquired for him and was told that he had not returned, and that +they supposed he was safe with her. She then hastily related how it +happened that he had started back toward home, and that she supposed he +had safely arrived. + +Mr. Filley then started back on the trail, keeping close watch on each +side of the way, for he expected he would soon come across Master Willie +fast asleep. He called his name every few rods, but got no answer nor +could he discover him, and so returned home again, still calling and +searching, but no boy was discovered. Then he built a large fire and put +lighted candles in all the windows, then took his lantern and wont out +in the woods calling and looking for the boy. Sometimes he thought he +heard him, but on going where the sound came from nothing could be +found. So he looked and called all night, along the trail and all about +the woods, with no success. Mr. Mount's home was situated not far from +the shore of Fitch's Lake, and the trail went along the margin, and in +some places the ground was quite a boggy marsh, and the trail had been +fixed up to make it passably good walking. + +Next day the neighbors were notified, and asked to assist, and although +they were in the midst of wheat harvest, a great many laid down the +cradle and rake and went out to help search. On the third day the whole +county became excited and quite an army of searchers turned out, coming +from the whole country miles around. + +Mr. Filley was much excited and quite worn out an beside himself with +fatigue and loss of sleep. He could not eat. Yielding to entreaty he +would sit at the table, and suddenly rise up, saying he heard Willie +calling, and go out to search for the supposed voice, but it was all +fruitless, and the whole people were sorry indeed for the poor father +and mother. + +The people then formed a plan for a thorough search. They were to form +in a line so near each other that they could touch hands and were to +march thus turning out for nothing except in passable lakes, and thus we +marched, fairly sweeping the county in search of a sign. I was with this +party and we marched south and kept close watch for a bit of clothing, a +foot print or even bones, or anything which would indicate that he had +been destroyed by some wild animal. Thus we marched all day with no +success, and the next went north in the same careful manner, but with no +better result. Most of the people now abandoned the search, but some of +the neighbors kept it up for a long time. + +Some expressed themselves quite strongly that Miss Mount knew where the +boy was, saying that she might have had some trouble with him and in +seeking to correct him had accidentally killed him and then hidden the +body away--perhaps in the deep mire of the swamp or in the muddy waters +on the margin of the lake. Search was made with this idea foremost, but +nothing was discovered. Rain now set in, and the grain, from neglect +grew in the head as it stood, and many a settler ate poor bread all +winter in consequence of his neighborly kindness in the midst of +harvest. The bread would not rise, and to make it into pancakes was the +best way it could be used. + +Still no tidings ever came of the lost boy. Many things were whispered, +about Mr. Mount's dishonesty of character and there were many suspicions +about him, but no real facts could be shown to account for the boy. The +neighbors said he never worked like the rest of them, and that his patch +of cultivated land was altogether too small to support his family, a +wife and two daughters, grown. He was a very smooth and affable talker, +and had lots of acquaintances. A few years afterwards Mr. Mount was +convicted of a crime which sent him to the Jackson State Prison, where +he died before his term expired. I visited the Filley family in 1870, +and from them heard the facts anew and that no trace of the lost boy had +ever been discovered. + + + + +CHAPTER V. + + +The second year of sickness and I was affected with the rest, though it +was not generally so bad as the first year. I suffered a great deal and +felt so miserable that I began to think I had rather live on the top of +the Rocky Mountains and catch chipmuncks for a living than to live here +and be sick, and I began to have very serious thoughts of trying some +other country. In the winter of 1839 and 1840 I went to a neighboring +school for three months, where I studied reading, writing and spelling, +getting as far as Rule of Three in Daboll's arithmetic. When school was +out I chopped and split rails for Wm. Hanna till I had paid my winter's +board. After this, myself and a young man named Orrin Henry, with whom I +had become acquainted, worked awhile scoring timber to be used in +building the Michigan Central Railroad which had just then begun to be +built. They laid down the ties first (sometimes a mudsill under them) +and then put down four by eight wooden rails with a strips of band iron +half an inch thick spiked on top. I scored the timber and Henry used the +broad axe after me. It was pretty hard work and the hours as long as we +could see, our wages being $13 per month, half cash. + +In thinking over our prospect it seemed more and more as if I had better +look out for my own fortune in some other place. The farm was pretty +small for all of us. There were three brothers younger than I, and only +200 acres in the whole, and as they were growing up to be men it seemed +as if it would be best for me, the oldest, to start out first and see +what could be done to make my own living. I talked to father and mother +about my plans, and they did not seriously object, but gave me some good +advice, which I remember to this day--"Weigh well every thing you do; +shun bad company; be honest and deal fair; be truthful and never fear +when you know you are right." But, said he, "Our little peach trees will +bear this year, and if you go away you must come back and help us eat +them; they will be the first we ever raised or ever saw." I could not +promise. + +Henry and I drew our pay for our work. I had five dollars in cash and +the rest in pay from the company's store. We purchased three nice +whitewood boards, eighteen inches wide, from which we made us a boat and +a good sized chest which we filled with provisions and some clothing and +quilts. This, with our guns and ammunition, composed the cargo of our +boat. When all was ready, we put the boat on a wagon and were to haul it +to the river some eight miles away for embarkation. After getting the +wagon loaded, father said to me;--"Now my son, you are starting out in +life alone, no one to watch or look after you. You will have to depend +upon yourself in all things. You have a wide, wide world to operate +in--you will meet all kinds of people and you must not expect to find +them all honest or true friends. You are limited in money, and all I can +do for you in that way is to let you have what ready money I have." He +handed me three dollars as he spoke, which added to my own gave me seven +dollars as my money capital with which to start out into the world among +perfect strangers, and no acquaintances in prospect on our Western +course. + +When ready to start, mother and sister Poll came out to see us off and +to give us their best wishes, hoping we would have good health, and find +pleasant paths to follow. Mother said to me:--"You must be a good boy, +honest and law-abiding. Remember our advice, and honor us for we have +striven to make you a good and honest man, and you must follow our +teachings, and your conscience will be clear. Do nothing to be ashamed +of; be industrious, and you have no fear of punishment." We were given a +great many "Good byes" and "God bless you's" as with hands, hats and +handkerchiefs they waved us off as far as we could see them. In the +course of an hour or so we were at the water's edge, and on a beautiful +morning in early spring of 1840 we found ourselves floating down the +Grand River below Jackson. + +The stream ran west, that we knew, and it was west we thought we wanted +to go, so all things suited us. The stream was small with tall timber on +both sides, and so many trees had fallen into the river that our +navigation was at times seriously obstructed. When night came we hauled +our boat on shore, turned it partly over, so as to shelter us, built a +fire in front, and made a bed on a loose board which we carried in the +bottom of the boat. We talked till pretty late and then lay down to +sleep, but for my part my eyes would not stay shut, and I lay till break +of day and the little birds began to sing faintly. + +I thought of many things that night which seemed so long. I had left a +good dear home, where I had good warm meals and a soft and comfortable +bed. Here I had reposed on a board with a very hard pillow and none too +many blankets, and I turned from side to side on my hard bed, to which I +had gone with all my clothes on. It seemed the beginning of another +chapter in my pioneer life and a rather tough experience. I arose, +kindled a big fire and sat looking at the glowing coals in still further +meditation. + +Neither of us felt very gleeful as we got our breakfast and made an +early start down the river again. Neither of us talked very much, and no +doubt my companion had similar thoughts to mine, and wondered what was +before us. But I think that as a pair we were at that moment pretty +lonesome. Henry had rested better than I but probably felt no less +keenly the separation from our homes and friends. We saw plenty of +squirrels and pigeons on the trees which overhung the river, and we shot +and picked up as many as we thought we could use for food. When we fired +our guns the echoes rolled up and down the river for miles making the +feeling of loneliness still more keen, as the sound died faintly away. +We floated along generally very quietly. We could see the fish dart +under our boat from their feeding places along the bank, and now and +then some tall crane would spread his broad wings to get out of our way. + +We saw no houses for several days, and seldom went on shore. The forest +was all hard wood, such as oak, ash, walnut, maple, elm and beech. +Farther down we occasionally passed the house of some pioneer hunter or +trapper, with a small patch cleared. At one of these a big green boy +came down to the bank to see who we were. We said "How d'you do," to +him, and, getting no response, Henry asked him how far is was to +Michigan, at which a look of supreme disgust came over his features as +he replied--"'Taint no far at all." + +The stream grew wider as we advanced along its downward course, for +smaller streams came pouring in to swell its tide. The banks were still +covered with heavy timber, and in some places with quite thick +undergrowth. One day we saw a black bear in the river washing himself, +but he went ashore before we were near enough to get a sure shot at him. +Many deer tracks were seen along the shore, but as we saw very few of +the animals themselves, they were probably night visitors. + +One day we overtook some canoes containing Indians, men, women and +children. They were poling their craft around in all directions spearing +fish. They caught many large mullet and then went on shore and made +camp, and the red ladies began scaling the fish. As soon as their lords +and masters had unloaded the canoes, a party started out with four of +the boats, two men in a boat, to try their luck again. They ranged all +abreast, and moved slowly down the stream in the still deep water, +continually beating the surface with their spear handles, till they came +to a place so shallow that they could see the bottom easily, when they +suddenly turned the canoes head up stream, and while one held the craft +steady by sticking his spear handle down on the bottom, the other stood +erect, with a foot on either gunwale so he could see whatever came down +on either side. Soon the big fish would try to pass, but Mr. Indian had +too sharp an eye to let him escape unobserved, and when he came within +his reach he would turn his spear and throw it like a dart, seldom +missing his aim. The poor fish would struggle desperately, but soon came +to the surface, when he would be drawn in and knocked in the head with a +tomahawk to quiet him, when the spear was cut out and the process +repeated. We watched them about an hour, and during that time some one +of the boats was continually hauling in a fish. They were sturgeon and +very large. This was the first time we had ever seen the Indian's way of +catching fish and it was a new way of getting grub for us. When the +canoes had full loads they paddled up toward their camp, and we drifted +on again. + +When we came to Grand Rapids we had to go on shore and tow our boat +carefully along over the many rocks to prevent accident. Here was a +small cheap looking town. On the west bank of the river a water wheel +was driving a drill boring for salt water, it seemed through solid rock. +Up to this time the current was slow, and its course through a dense +forest. We occasionally saw an Indian gliding around in his canoe, but +no houses or clearings. Occasionally we saw some pine logs which had +been floated down some of the streams of the north. One of these small +rivers they called the "Looking-glass," and seemed to be the largest of +them. + +Passing on we began to see some pine timber, and realized that we were +near the mouth of the river where it emptied into Lake Michigan. There +were some steam saw mills here, not then in operation, and some houses +for the mill hands to live in when they were at work. This prospective +city was called Grand Haven. There was one schooner in the river loaded +with lumber, ready to sail for the west side of the lake as soon as the +wind should change and become favorable, and we engaged passage for a +dollar and a half each. While waiting for the wind we visited the woods +in search of game, but found none. All the surface of the soil was clear +lake sand, and some quite large pine and hemlock trees were half buried +in it. We were not pleased with this place for it looked as if folks +must get their grub from somewhere else or live on fish. + +Next morning we were off early, as the wind had changed, but the lake +was very rough and a heavy choppy sea was running. Before we were half +way across the lake nearly all were sea-sick, passengers and sailors. +The poor fellow at the helm stuck to his post casting up his accounts at +the same time, putting on an air of terrible misery. + +This, I thought was pretty hard usage for a land-lubber like myself who +had never been on such rough water before. The effect of this +sea-sickness was to cure me of a slight fever and ague, and in fact the +cure was so thorough that I have never had it since. As we neared the +western shore a few houses could be seen, and the captain said it was +Southport. As there was no wharf our schooner put out into the lake +again for an hour or so and then ran back again, lying off and on in +this manner all night. In the morning it was quite calm and we went on +shore in the schooner's yawl, landing on a sandy beach. We left our +chest of clothes and other things in a warehouse and shouldered our +packs and guns for a march across what seemed an endless prairie +stretching to the west. We had spent all our lives thus far in a country +where all the clearing had to be made with an axe, and such a broad +field was to us an entirely new feature. We laid our course westward and +tramped on. The houses were very far apart, and we tried at every one of +them for a chance to work, but could get none, not even if we would work +for our board. The people all seemed to be new settlers, and very poor, +compelled to do their own work until a better day could be reached. The +coarse meals we got were very reasonable, generally only ten cents, but +sometimes a little more. + +As we travelled westward the prairies seemed smaller with now and then +some oak openings between. Some of the farms seemed to be three or four +years old, and what had been laid out as towns consisted of from three +to six houses, small and cheap, with plenty of vacant lots. The soil +looked rich, as though it might be very productive. We passed several +small lakes that had nice fish in them, and plenty of ducks on the +surface. + +Walking began to get pretty tiresome. Great blisters would come on our +feet, and, tender as they were, it was a great relief to take off our +boots and go barefoot for a while when the ground was favorable. We +crossed a wide prairie and came down to the Rock river where there were +a few houses on the east side but no signs of habitation on the west +bank. We crossed the river in a canoe and then walked seven miles before +we came to a house where we staid all night and inquired for work. None +was to be had and so we tramped on again. The next day we met a real +live Yankee with a one-horse wagon, peddling tin ware in regular Eastern +style, We inquired of him about the road and prospects, and he gave us +an encouraging idea--said all was good. He told us where to stop the +next night at a small town called Sugar Creek. It had but a few houses +and was being built up as a mining town, for some lead ore had been +found there. There were as many Irish as English miners here, a rough +class of people. We put up at the house where we had been directed, a +low log cabin, rough and dirty, kept by Bridget & Co. Supper was had +after dark and the light on the table was just the right one for the +place, a saucer of grease, with a rag in it lighted and burning at the +edge of the saucer. It at least served to made the darkness apparent and +to prevent the dirt being visible. We had potatoes, beans and tea, and +probably dirt too, if we could have seen it. When the meal was nearly +done Bridget brought in and deposited on each plate a good thick pancake +as a dessert. It smelled pretty good, but when I drew my knife across it +to cut it in two, all the center was uncooked batter, which ran out upon +my plate, and spoiled my supper. + +We went to bed and soon found it had other occupants beside ourselves, +which, if they were small were lively and spoiled our sleeping. We left +before breakfast, and a few miles out on the prairie we came to a house +occupied by a woman and one child, and we were told we could have +breakfast if we could wait to have it cooked. Everything looked cheap +but cheery, and after waiting a little while outside we were called in +to eat. The meal consisted of corn bread, bacon, potatoes and coffee. It +was well cooked and looked better than things did at Bridget's. I +enjoyed all but the coffee, which had a rich brown color, but when I +sipped it there was such a bitter taste I surely thought there must be +quinine in it, and it made me shiver. I tried two or three times to +drink but it was too much for me and I left it. We shouldered our loads +and went on again. I asked Henry what kind of a drink it was. "Coffee," +said he, but I had never seen any that tasted like that and never knew +my father to buy any such coffee as that. + +We labored along and in time came to another small place called +Hamilton's Diggings where some lead mines were being worked. We stopped +at a long, low log house with a porch the entire length, and called for +bread and milk, which was soon set before us. The lady was washing and +the man was playing with a child on the porch. The little thing was +trying to walk, the man would swear terribly at it--not in an angry way, +but in a sort of careless, blasphemous style that was terribly shocking. +I thought of the child being reared in the midst of such bad language +and reflected on the kind of people we were meeting in this far away +place. They seemed more wicked and profane the farther west we walked. I +had always lived in a more moral and temperate atmosphere, and I was +learning more of some things in the world than I had ever known before. +I had little to say and much to see and listen to and my early precepts +were not forgotten. No work was to be had here and we set out across the +prairie toward Mineral Point, twenty miles away. When within four miles +of that place we stopped at the house of Daniel Parkinson, a fine +looking two-story building, and after the meal was over Mr. Henry hired +out to him for $16 per month, and went to work that day. I heard of a +job of cutting cordwood six miles away and went after it, for our money +was getting very scarce, but when I reached the place I found a man had +been there half an hour before and secured the job. The proprietor, Mr. +Crow, gave me my dinner which I accepted with many thanks, for it saved +my coin to pay for the next meal. I now went to Mineral Point, and +searched the town over for work. My purse contained thirty-five cents +only and I slept in an unoccupied out house without supper. I bought +crackers and dried beef for ten cents in the morning and made my first +meal since the day before, felt pretty low-spirited. I then went to +Vivian's smelting furnace where they bought lead ore, smelted it, and +run it into pigs of about 70 pounds each. He said he had a job for me if +I could do it. The furnace was propelled by water and they had a small +buzz saw for cutting four-foot wood into blocks about a foot long. These +blocks they wanted split up in pieces about an inch square to mix in +with charcoal in smelting ore. He said he would board me with the other +men, and give me a dollar and a quarter a cord for splitting the wood. I +felt awfully poor, and a stranger, and this was a beginning for me at +any rate, so I went to work with a will and never lost a minute of +daylight till I had split up all the wood and filled his woodhouse +completely up. The board was very coarse--bacon, potatoes, and bread--a +man cook, and bread mixed up with salt and water. The old log house +where we lodged was well infested with troublesome insects which worked +nights at any rate, whether they rested days or not, and the beds had a +mild odor of pole cat. The house was long, low and without windows. In +one end was a fireplace, and there were two tiers of bunks on each side, +supplied with straw only. In the space between the bunks was a +stationary table, with stools for seats. I was the only American who +boarded there and I could not well become very familiar with the +boarders. + +The country was rolling, and there were many beautiful brooks and clear +springs of water, with fertile soil. The Cornish miners were in the +majority and governed the locality politically. My health was excellent, +and so long as I had my gun and ammunition I could kill game enough to +live on, for prairie chickens and deer could be easily killed, and meat +alone would sustain life, so I had no special fears of starvation. I was +now paid off, and went back to see my companion, Mr. Henry. I did not +hear of any more work, so I concluded I would start back toward my old +home in Michigan, and shouldered my bundle and gun, turning my face +eastward for a long tramp across the prairie. I knew I had a long tramp +before me, but I thought best to head that way, for my capital was only +ten dollars, and I might be compelled to walk the whole distance. I +walked till about noon and then sat down in the shade of a tree to rest +for this was June and pretty warm. I was now alone in a big territory, +thinly settled, and thought of my father's home, the well set table, all +happy and well fed at any rate, and here was my venture, a sort of +forlorn hope. Prospects were surely very gloomy for me here away out +west in Wisconsin Territory, without a relative, friend or acquaintance +to call upon, and very small means to travel two hundred and fifty miles +of lonely road--perhaps all the way on foot. There were no laborers +required, hardly any money in sight, and no chance for business. I knew +it would be a safe course to proceed toward home, for I had no fear of +starving, the weather was warm and I could easily walk home long before +winter should come again. Still the outlook was not very pleasing to one +in my circumstances. + +I chose a route which led me some distance north of the one we travelled +when we came west, but it was about the same. Every house was a new +settler, and hardly one who had yet produced anything to live upon. In +due time I came to the Rock River, and the only house in sight was upon +the east bank. I could see a boat over there and so I called for it, and +a young girl came over with a canoe for me. I took a paddle and helped +her hold the boat against the current, and we made the landing safely. I +paid her ten cents for ferriage and went on again. The country was now +level, with burr-oak openings. Near sundown I came to a small prairie of +about 500 acres surrounded by scattering burr-oak timber, with not a +hill in sight, and it seemed to me to be the most beautiful spot on +earth. This I found to belong to a man named Meachem, who had an octagon +concrete house built on one side of the opening. The house had a hollow +column in the center, and the roof was so constructed that all the rain +water went down this central column into a cistern below for house use. +The stairs wound around this central column, and the whole affair was +quite different from the most of settlers' houses. I staid here all +night, had supper and breakfast, and paid my bill of thirty-five cents. +He had no work for me so I went on again. I crossed Heart Prairie, +passed through a strip of woods, and out at Round Prairie. It was level +as a floor with a slight rise in one corner, and on it were five or six +settlers. Here fortune favored me, for here I found a man whom I knew, +who once lived in Michigan, and was one of our neighbors there for some +time. His name was Nelson Cornish. I rested here a few days, and made a +bargain to work for him two or three days every week for my board as +long as I wished to stay. As I got acquainted I found some work to do +and many of my leisure hours I spent in the woods with my gun, killing +some deer, some of the meat of which I sold. In haying and harvest I got +some work at fifty cents to one dollar per day, and as I had no clothes +to buy, I spent no money, saving up about fifty dollars by fall. I then +got a letter from Henry saying that I could get work with him for the +winter and I thought I would go back there again. + +Before thinking of going west again I had to go to Southport on the lake +and get our clothes we had left in our box when we passed in the spring. +So I started one morning at break of day, with a long cane in each hand +to help me along, for I had nothing to carry, not even wearing a coat. +This was a new road, thinly settled, and a few log houses building. I +got a bowl of bread and milk at noon and then hurried on again. The last +twenty miles was clear prairie, and houses were very far apart, but +little more thickly settled as I neared Lake Michigan. I arrived at the +town just after dark, and went to a tavern and inquired about the +things. I was told that the warehouse had been broken into and robbed, +and the proprietor had fled for parts unknown. This robbed me of all my +good clothes, and I could now go back as lightly loaded as when I came. +I found I had walked sixty miles in that one day, and also found myself +very stiff and sore so that I did not start back next day, and I took +three days for the return trip--a very unprofitable journey. + +I was now ready to go west, and coming across a pet deer which I had +tamed, I knew if I left it it would wander away with the first wild ones +that came along, and so I killed it and made my friends a present of +some venison. I chose still a new route this time, that I could see all +that was possible of this big territory when I could do it so easily. I +was always a great admirer of Nature and things which remained as they +were created, and to the extent of my observation, I thought this the +most beautiful and perfect country I had seen between Vermont and the +Mississippi River. The country was nearly level, the land rich, the +prairies small with oak openings surrounding them, very little marsh +land and streams of clear water. Rock River was the largest of these, +running south. Next west was Sugar River, then the Picatonica. Through +the mining region the country was rolling and abundantly watered with +babbling brooks and health-giving springs. + +In point of health it seemed to me to be far better than Michigan. In +Mr. Henry's letter to me he had said that he had taken a timber claim in +"Kentuck Grove," and had all the four-foot wood engaged to cut at +thirty-seven cents a cord. He said we could board ourselves and save a +little money and that in the spring he would go back to Michigan with +me. This had decided me to go back to Mineral Point. I stopped a week or +two with a man named Webb, hunting with him, and sold game enough to +bring me in some six or seven dollars, and then resumed my journey. + +On my way I found a log house ten miles from a neighbor just before I +got to the Picatonica River. It belonged to a Mr. Shook who, with his +wife and three children, lived on the edge of a small prairie, and had a +good crop of corn. He invited me to stay with him a few days, and as I +was tired I accepted his offer and we went out together and brought in a +deer. We had plenty of corn bread, venison and coffee, and lived well. +After a few days he wanted to kill a steer and he led it to a proper +place while I shot it in the head. We had no way to hang it up so he +rolled the intestines out, and I sat down with my side against the steer +and helped him to pull the tallow off. + +It was now getting nearly dark and while he was splitting the back bone +with an axe, it slipped in his greasy hands and glancing, cut a gash in +my leg six inches above the knee. I was now laid up for two or three +weeks, but was well cared for at his house. Before I could resume my +journey snow had fallen to the depth of about six inches, which made it +rather unpleasant walking, but in a few days I reached Mr. Henry's camp +in "Kentuck Grove," when after comparing notes, we both began swinging +our axes and piling up cordwood, cooking potatoes, bread, bacon, coffee +and flapjacks ourselves, which we enjoyed with a relish. + +I now went to work for Peter Parkinson, who paid me thirteen dollars per +month, and I remained with him till spring. While with him a very sad +affliction came to him in the loss of his wife. He was presented by her +with his first heir, and during her illness she was cared for by her +mother, Mrs. Cullany, who had come to live with them during the winter. +When the little babe was two or three weeks old the mother was feeling +in such good spirits that she was left alone a little while, as Mrs. +Cullany was attending to some duties which called her elsewhere. When +she returned she was surprised to see that both Mrs. Parkinson and the +babe were gone. Everyone turned out to search for her. I ran to the +smokehouse, the barn, the stable in quick order, and not finding her a +search was made for tracks, and we soon discovered that she had passed +over a few steps leading over a fence and down an incline toward the +spring house, and there fallen, face downward, on the floor of the house +which was covered only a few inches deep with water lay the unfortunate +woman and her child, both dead. This was doubly distressing to Mr. +Parkinson and saddened the whole community. Both were buried in one +grave, not far from the house, and a more impressive funeral I never +beheld. + +I now worked awhile again with Mr. Henry and we sold our wood to Bill +Park, a collier, who made and sold charcoal to the smelters of lead ore. +When the ice was gone in the streams, Henry and I shouldered our guns +and bundles, and made our way to Milwaukee, where we arrived in the +course of a few days. The town was small and cheaply built, and had no +wharf, so that when the steamboat came we had to go out to it in a small +boat. The stream which came in here was too shallow for the steamer to +enter. When near the lower end of the lake we stopped at an island to +take on food and several cords of white birch wood. The next stopping +place was at Michilamackanac, afterward called Mackinaw. Here was a +short wharf, and a little way back a hill, which seemed to me to be a +thousand feet high, on which a fort had been built. On the wharf was a +mixed lot of people--Americans, Canadians, Irish, Indians, squaws and +papooses. I saw there some of the most beautiful fish I had ever seen. +They would weigh twenty pounds or more, and had bright red and yellow +spots all over them. They called them trout, and they were beauties, +really. At the shore near by the Indians were loading a large white +birch bark canoe, putting their luggage along the middle lengthways, and +the papooses on top. One man took a stern seat to steer, and four or +five more had seats along the gunwale as paddlers and, as they moved +away, their strokes were as even and regular as the motions of an +engine, and their crafts danced as lightly on the water as an egg shell. +They were starting for the Michigan shore some eight or ten miles away. +This was the first birch bark canoe I had ever seen and was a great +curiosity in my eyes. + +We crossed Lake Huron during the night, and through its outlet, so +shallow that the wheels stirred up the mud from the bottom; then through +Lake St. Clair and landed safety at Detroit next day. Here we took the +cars on the Michigan Central Railroad, and on our way westward stopped +at the very place where we had worked, helping to build the road, a year +or more before. After getting off the train a walk of two and one half +miles brought me to my father's house, where I had a right royal +welcome, and the questions they asked me about the wild country I had +traveled over, how it looked, and how I got along--were numbered by the +thousand. + +I remained at home until fall, getting some work to do by which I saved +some money, but in August was attacked with bilious fever, which held me +down for several weeks, but nursed by a tender and loving mother with +untiring care, I recovered, quite slowly, but surely. I felt that I had +been close to death, and that this country was not to be compared to +Wisconsin with its clear and bubbling springs of health-giving water. +Feeling thus, I determined to go back there again. + + + + +CHAPTER VI. + + +With the idea of returning to Wisconsin I made plans for my movements. I +purchased a good outfit of steel traps of several kinds and sizes, +thirty or forty in all, made me a pine chest, with a false bottom to +separate the traps from my clothing when it was packed in traveling +order, the clothes at the top. My former experience had taught me not to +expect to get work there during winter, but I was pretty sure something +could be earned by trapping and hunting at this season, and in summer I +was pretty sure of something to do. I had about forty dollars to travel +on this time, and quite a stock of experience. The second parting from +home was not so hard as the first one. I went to Huron, took the steamer +to Chicago, then a small, cheaply built town, with rough sidewalks and +terribly muddy streets, and the people seemed pretty rough, for sailors +and lake captains were numerous, and knock downs quite frequent. The +country for a long way west of town seemed a low, wet marsh or prairie. + +Finding a man going west with a wagon and two horses without a load, I +hired him to take me and my baggage to my friend Nelson Cornish, at +Round Prairie. They were glad to see me, and as I had not yet got strong +from my fever, they persuaded me to stay a while with them and take some +medicine, for he was a sort of a doctor. I think he must have given me a +dose of calomel, for I had a terribly sore mouth and could not eat any +for two or three weeks. As soon as I was able to travel I had myself and +chest taken to the stage station on the line for the lake to Mineral +Point. I think this place was called Geneva. On the stage I got along +pretty fast, and part of the time on a new road. The first place of note +was Madison the capital of the territory, situated on a block of land +nearly surrounded by four lakes, all plainly seen from the big house. +Further on at the Blue Mounds I left the stage, putting my chest in the +landlord's keeping till I should come or send for it. + +I walked about ten miles to the house of a friend named A. Bennett, who +was a hunter and lived on the bank of the Picatonica River with his wife +and two children. I had to take many a rest on the way, for I was very +weak. + +Resting the first few days, Mrs. Bennett's father, Mr. J.P. Dilly, took +us out about six miles and left us to hunt and camp for a few days. We +were quite successful, and killed five nice, fat deer, which we dressed +and took to Mineral Point, selling them rapidly to the Cornish miners +for twenty-five cents a quarter for the meat. We followed this business +till about January first, when the game began to get poor, when we hung +up our guns for a while. I had a little money left yet. The only money +in circulation was American silver and British sovereigns. They would +not sell lead ore for paper money nor on credit. During the spring I +used my traps successfully, so that I saved something over board and +expenses. + +In summer I worked in the mines with Edwin Buck of Bucksport, Maine, but +only found lead ore enough to pay our expenses in getting it. Next +winter I chopped wood for thirty-five cents per cord and boarded myself. +This was poor business; poorer than hunting. In summer I found work at +various things, but in the fall Mr. Buck and myself concluded that as we +were both hunters and trappers, we would go northward toward Lake +Superior on a hunting expedition, and, perhaps remain all winter. We +replenished our outfit, and engaged Mr. Bennett to take us well up into +the north country. We crossed the Wisconsin River near Muscoda, went +then to Prairie du Chien, where we found a large stone fur trading +house, owned by Mr. Brisbois, a Frenchman, from whom we obtained some +information of the country further on. He assured us there was no danger +from the Indians if we let them alone and treated them fairly. + +We bought fifty pounds of flour for each of us, and then started up the +divide between the Wisconsin and Mississippi Rivers. On one side flowed +the Bad River, and on the other the Kickapoo. We traveled on this divide +about three days, when Mr. Bennett became afraid to go any further, as +he had to return alone and the Indians might capture him before he could +get back to the settlement. We camped early one night and went out +hunting to get some game for him. I killed a large, black bear and Mr. +Bennett took what he wanted of it, including the skin, and started back +next morning. + +We now cachéd our things in various places, scattering them well. Some +went in hollow logs, and some under heaps of brush or other places, +where the Indians could not find them. We then built a small cabin about +six by eight feet in size and four feet high, in shape like a A. We were +not thoroughly pleased with this location and started out to explore the +country to the north of us, for we had an idea that it would be better +hunting there. + +The first day we started north we killed a bear, and filled our stomachs +with the fat, sweet meat. The next night we killed another bear after a +little struggling. The dog made him climb a tree and we shot at him; he +would fall to the ground as if dead, but would be on his feet again in +an instant, when, after the dog had fastened to his ham, he would climb +the tree again. In the third trial he lay in the fork and had a good +chance to look square at his tormentor. I shot him in the head, and as +he lay perfectly still, Buck said:--"Now you have done it--we can't get +him." But in a moment he began to struggle, and soon came down, +lifeless. + +Here we camped on the edge of the pine forest, ate all the fat bear meat +we could, and in the morning took separate routes, agreeing to meet +again a mile or so farther up a small brook. I soon saw a small bear +walking on a log and shot him dead. His mate got away, but I set my dog +on him and he soon had to climb a tree. When I came up to where the dog +was barking I saw Mr. Bear and fired a ball in him that brought him +down. Just then I heard Mr. Buck shoot close by, and I went to him and +found he had killed another and larger bear. We stayed here another +night, dressed our game and sunk the meat in the brook and fastened it +down, thinking we might want to get some of it another time. + +We were so well pleased with this hunting ground that we took the bear +skins and went back to camp. When we got there our clothes were pretty +well saturated with bear's oil, and we jokingly said it must have soaked +through our bodies, we had eaten so much bear meat. I began to feel +quite sick, and had a bad headache. I felt as if something must be done, +but we had no medicine. Mr. Buck went down by the creek and dug some +roots he called Indian Physic, then steeped them until the infusion +seemed as black as molasses, and, when cool told me to take a swallow +every fifteen minutes for an hour, then half as much for another hour as +long as I could keep it down. I followed directions and vomited freely +and for a long time, but felt better afterward, and soon got well. It +reminded me some of the feelings I had when I was seasick on Lake +Michigan. + +It may be interesting to describe how we were dressed to enter on this +winter campaign. We wore moccasins of our own make. I had a buckskin +jumper, and leggins that came up to my hips. On my head a drab hat that +fitted close and had a rim about two inches wide. In fair weather I went +bare-headed, Indian fashion. I carried a tomahawk which I had made. The +blade was two inches wide and three inches long--the poll two inches +long and about as large round as a dime; handle eighteen or twenty +inches long with a knob on the end so it would not easily slip from the +hand. Oiled patches for our rifle balls on a string, a firing wire, a +charger to measure the powder, and a small piece of leather with four +nipples on it for caps--all on my breast, so that I could load very +rapidly. My bed was a comfort I made myself, a little larger than usual. +I lay down on one side of the bed and with my gun close to me, turned +the blanket over me. When out of camp I never left my gun out of my +reach. We had to be real Indians in custom and actions in order to be +considered their equals. We got our food in the same way they did, and +so they had nothing to ask us for. They considered themselves the real +kings of the forest. + +We now determined to move camp, which proved quite a job as we had to +pack everything on our backs; which we did for ten or fifteen miles to +the bank of a small stream where there were three pine trees, the only +ones to be found in many miles. We made us a canoe of one of them. While +we were making the canoe three Indians came along, and after they had +eaten some of our good venison, they left us. These were the first we +had seen, and we began to be more cautious and keep everything well hid +away from camp and make them think we were as poor as they were, so they +might not be tempted to molest us. + +We soon had the canoe done and loaded, and embarked on the brook down +stream. We found it rather difficult work, but the stream grew larger +and we got along very well. We came to one place where otter signs +seemed fresh, and stopped to set a trap for them. Our dog sat on the +bank and watched the operation, and when we started on we could not get +him to ride or follow. Soon we heard him cry and went back to find he +had the trap on his fore foot. To get it off we had to put a forked +stick over his neck and hold him down, he was so excited over his +mishap. When he was released he left at full speed and was never seen by +us after. + +When we got well into the pine woods we camped and cached our traps and +provisions on an island, and made our camp further down the stream and +some little distance from the shore. We soon found this was very near a +logging camp, and as no one had been living there for a year, we moved +camp down there and occupied one of the empty cabins. We began to set +dead-fall traps in long lines in many different directions, blazing the +trees so we could find them if the snow came on. West of this about ten +miles, where we had killed some deer earlier, we made a A-shaped cabin +and made dead falls many miles around to catch fishes, foxes, mink and +raccoons. We made weekly journeys to the places and generally staid +about two nights. + +One day when going over my trap lines I came to a trap which I had set +where I had killed a deer, and saw by the snow that an eagle had been +caught in the trap and had broken the chain and gone away. I followed on +the trail he made and soon found him. He tried to fly but the trap was +too heavy, and he could only go slowly and a little way. I fired and put +a ball in him and he fell and rolled under a large log on the hillside. +As I took the trap off I saw an Indian coming down the hill and brought +my gun to bear on him. He stopped suddenly and made signs not to shoot, +and I let him come up. He made signs that he wanted the feathers of the +bird which I told him to take, and then he wanted to know where we +slept. I pointed out the way and made him go ahead of me there, for I +did not want him behind me. At camp he made signs for something to eat, +but when I showed him meat he shook his head. However he took a leg of +deer and started on, I following at a good distance till satisfied that +he would not come back. + +We had not taken pains to keep track of the day of the week or month; +the rising and setting of the sun and the changes of the moon were all +the almanacs we had. Then snow came about a foot deep, and some days +were so cold we could not leave our camp fire at all. As no Indians +appeared we were quite successful and kept our bundle of furs in a +hollow standing tree some distance from camp, and when we went that way +we never stopped or left any sign that we had a deposit there. + +Some time after it was all frozen up solid, some men with two yoke of +oxen came up to cut and put logs in the river to raft down when the ice +went out. With them came a shingle weaver, with a pony and a small sled, +and some Indians also. We now had to take up all of our steel traps, and +rob all our dead-falls and quit business generally--even then they got +some of our traps before we could get them gathered in. We were now +comparatively idle. + +Until these loggers came we did not know exactly where we were situated, +but they told us we were on the Lemonai river, a branch of the +Wisconsin, and that we could get out by going west till we found the +Mississippi river and then home. We hired the shengle man with his pony +to take us to Black River, farther north which we reached in three days, +and found a saw mill there in charge of a keeper. Up the river farther +we found another mill looked after by Sam Ferguson. Both mills were +frozen up. The Indians had been here all winter. They come from Lake +Superior when the swamps froze up there, to hunt deer, till the weather +gets warm, then they returned to the Lake to fish. + +Of course the presence of the Indians made game scarce, but the mill men +told us if we would go up farther into the marten country they thought +we would do well. We therefore made us a hand sled, put some provisions +and traps on board, and started up the river on the ice. As we went the +snow grew deeper and we had to cut hemlock boughs for a bed on top of +the snow. It took about a half a cord of wood to last us all night, and +it was a trouble to cut holes in the ice to water, for it was more than +two feet thick. Our fire kindled on the snow, would be two or three feet +below on the ground, by morning. This country was heavily timbered with +cedar, or spruce and apparently very level. + +One day we saw two otters coming toward us on the ice. We shot one, but +as the other gun missed fire, the other one escaped, for I could not +overtake it in the woods. We kept on up the river till we began to hear +the Indians' guns, and then we camped and did not fire a gun for two +days, for we were afraid we might be discovered and robbed, and we knew +we could not stay long after our grub was gone. All the game we could +catch was the marten or sable, which the Indians called _Waubusash_. The +males were snuff color and the female much darker. Mink were scarce, and +the beaver, living in the river bank, could not be got at till the ice +went out in the spring. + +We now began to make marten traps or dead-falls, and set them for this +small game. There were many cedar and tamarack swamps, indeed that was +the principal feature, but there were some ridges a little higher where +some small pines and beech grew. Now our camp was one place where there +was no large timber caused by the stream being dammed by the beaver. +Here were some of the real Russian Balsam trees, the most beautiful in +shape I had ever seen. They were very dark green, the boughs very thick, +and the tree in shape like an inverted top. Our lines of trips led for +miles in every direction marked by blazed trees. We made a trap of two +poles, and chips which we split from the trees. These were set in the +snow and covered with brush, We sometimes found a porcupine in the top +of a pine tree. The only signs of his presence were the chips he made in +gnawing the bark for food. They never came down to the ground as we saw. +They were about all the game that was good to eat. I would kill one, +skin it and drag the carcass after me all day as I set traps, cutting +off bits for bait, and cooking the rest for ourselves to eat. We tried +to eat the marten but it was pretty musky and it was only by putting on +plenty of salt and pepper that we managed to eat them. We were really +forced to do it if we remained here. We secured a good many of these +little fellows which have about the the best fur that is found in +America. + +We were here about three weeks, and our provisions giving out and the +ice becoming tender in the swamp were two pretty strong reasons for our +getting out, so we shouldered our packs of fur and our guns and, getting +our course from a pocket-compass, we started out. As we pushed on we +came to some old windfalls that were troublesome to get through. The +dense timber seemed to be six feet deep, and we would sometimes climb +over and sometimes crawl under, the fallen trees were so thickly mixed +and tangled. + +Mr. Buck got so completely tired that he threw away his traps. We +reached our starting place at O'Neil's saw-mill after many days of the +hardest work, and nearly starved, for we had seen no game on our trip. +We found our traps and furs all safe here and as this stream was one of +the tributaries of the Mississippi, we decided to make us a boat and +float down toward that noted stream. We secured four good boards and +built the boat in which we started down the river setting traps and +moving at our leisure. We found plenty of fine ducks, two bee trees, and +caught some cat-fish with a hook and line we got at the mill. We also +caught some otter, and, on a little branch of the river killed two +bears, the skin of one of them weighing five pounds. We met a keel boat +being poled up the river, and with the last cent of money we possessed +bought a little flour of them. + +About the first of May we reached Prairie du Chien. Here we were met +with some surprise, for Mr. Brisbois said he had heard we were killed or +lost. He showed us through his warehouses and pointed out to us the many +bales of different kinds of furs he had on hand. He told us we were the +best fur handlers he had seen, and paid us two hundred dollars in +American gold for what we had. We then stored our traps in the garret of +one of his warehouses, which was of stone, two stories and an attic, as +we thought of making another trip to this country if all went well. + +We now entered our skiff again and went on down the great river till we +came to a place nearly opposite Mineral Point, when we gave our boat to +a poor settler, and with guns and bundles on our backs took a straight +shoot for home on foot. The second day about dark we came in the edge of +the town and were seen by a lot of boys who eyed us closely and with +much curiosity, for we were dressed in our trapping suits. They followed +us, and as we went along the crowd increased so that when we got to +Crum. Lloyd's tavern the door was full of boys' heads looking at us as +if we were a circus. Here we were heartily welcomed, and every body was +glad to see us, as they were about to start a company to go in search of +their reported murdered friends. It seems a missionary got lost on his +way to Prairie La Crosse and had come across our deserted cabin, and +when he came in he reported us as no doubt murdered. + +I invested all of my hundred dollars in buying eighty acres of good +Government land. This was the first $100 I ever had and I felt very +proud to be a land owner. I felt a little more like a man now than I had +ever felt before, for the money was hard earned and all mine. + + + + +CHAPTER VII. + + +Mr. Buck and myself concluded we would try our luck at lead mining for +the summer and purchased some mining tools for the purpose. We camped +out and dug holes around all summer, getting just about enough to pay +our expenses--not a very encouraging venture, for we had lived in a tent +and had picked and shoveled and blasted and twisted a windlass hard +enough to have earned a good bit of money. + +In the fall we concluded to try another trapping tour, and set out for +Prairie du Chien. We knew it was a poor place to spend money up in the +woods, and when we got our money it was all in a lump and seemed to +amount to something. Mr. Brisbois said that the prospects were very poor +indeed, for the price of fur was very low and no prospect of a better +market. So we left our traps still on storage at his place and went back +again. This was in 1847, and before Spring the war was being pushed in +Mexico. I tried to enlist for this service, but there were so many ahead +of me I could not get a chance. + +I still worked in the settlement and made a living, but had no chance to +improve my land. The next winter I lived with Mr A. Bennett, hunted deer +and sold them at Mineral Point, and in this way made and saved a few +dollars. + +There had been from time to time rumors of a better country to the west +of us and a sort of a pioneer, or western fever would break out among +the people occasionally. Thus in 1845 I had a slight touch of the +disease on account of the stories they told us about Oregon. It was +reported that the Government would give a man a good farm if he would go +and settle, and make some specified improvement. They said it was in a +territory of rich soil, with plenty of timber, fish and game and some +Indians, just to give a little spice of adventure to the whole thing. +The climate was very mild in winter, as they reported, and I concluded +it would suit me exactly. I began at once to think about an outfit and a +journey, and I found that it would take me at least two years to get +ready. A trip to California was not thought of in those days, for it did +not belong to the United States. + +In the winter of 1848-49 news began to come that there was gold in +California, but not generally believed till it came through a U.S. +officer, and then, as the people were used to mines and mining, a +regular gold fever spread as if by swift contagion. Mr. Bennett was +aroused and sold his farm, and I felt a change in my Oregon desires and +had dreams at might of digging up the yellow dust. Nothing would cure us +then but a trip, and that was quickly decided on. + +As it would be some weeks yet before grass would start, I concluded to +haul my canoe and a few traps over to a branch of the Wisconsin, and +make my way to Prairie du Chien, do a little trapping, get me an Indian +pony on which to ride to California. There were no ponies to be had at +Mineral Point. Getting a ride up the river on a passing steamboat I +reached Prairie La Crosse, where the only house was that of a Dutch +trader from whom I bought a Winnebago pony, which he had wintered on a +little brushy island, and I thought if he could winter on brush and +rushes he must be tough enough to take me across the plains. He cost me +$30, and I found him to be a poor, lazy little fellow. However, I +thought that when he got some good grass, and a little fat on his ribs +he might have more life, and so I hitched a rope to him and drove him +ahead down the river. When I came to the Bad Axe river I found it +swimming full, but had no trouble in crossing, as the pony was as good +as a dog in the water. + +Before leaving Bennett's I had my gun altered over to a pill lock and +secured ammunition to last for two years. I had tanned some nice +buckskin and had a good outfit of clothes made of it, or rather cut and +made it myself. Where I crossed the Bad Axe was a the battle ground +where Gen. Dodge fought the Winnebago Indians. At Prairie du Chien I +found a letter from Mr. Bennett, saying that the grass was so backward +he would not start up for two or three weeks, and I had better come back +and start with them; but as the letter bore no date I could only guess +at the exact time. I had intended to strike directly west from here to +Council Bluffs and meet them there, but now thought perhaps I had better +go back to Mineral Point and start out with them there, or follow on +rapidly after them if by any chance they had already started. + +On my way back I found the Kickapoo river too high to ford, so I pulled +some basswood bark and made a raft of a couple of logs, on which to +carry my gun and blanket; starting the pony across I followed after. He +swam across quickly, but did not seem to like it on the other side, so +before I got across, back he came again, not paying the least attention +to my scolding. I went back with the raft, which drifted a good way down +stream, and caught the rascal and started him over again, but when I got +half way across he jumped and played the same joke on me again. I began +to think of the old puzzle of the story of the man with the fox, the +goose and a peck of corn, but I solved it by making a basswood rope to +which I tied a stone and threw across, then sending the pony over with +the other end. He staid this time, and after three days of swimming +streams and pretty hard travel reached Mineral Point, to find Bennett +had been gone two weeks and had taken my outfit with him as we first +planned. + +I was a little troubled, but set out light loaded for Dubuque, crossed +the river there and then alone across Iowa, over wet and muddy roads, +till I fell in with some wagons west of the Desmoines River. They were +from Milwaukee, owned by a Mr. Blodgett, and I camped with them a few +nights, till we got to the Missouri River. + +I rushed ahead the last day or two and got there before them. There were +a few California wagons here, and some campers, so I put my pony out to +grass and looked around. I waded across the low bottom to a strip of dry +land next to the river, where there was a post office, store, and a few +cabins. I looked first for a letter, but there was none. Then I began to +look over the cards in the trading places and saloons, and read the +names written on the logs of the houses, and everywhere I thought there +might be a trace of the friends I sought. No one had seen or knew them. +After looking half a day I waded back again to the pony--pretty blue. I +thought first I would go back and wait another year, but there was a +small train near where I left the pony, and it was not considered very +safe to go beyond there except with a pretty good train. I sat down in +camp and turned the matter over in my mind, and talked with Chas. Dallas +of Lynn, Iowa, who owned the train. Bennett had my outfit and gun, while +I had his light gun, a small, light tent, a frying pan, a tin cup, one +woolen shirt and the clothes on my back. Having no money to get another +outfit, I about concluded to turn back when Dallas said that if I would +drive one of his teams through, he would board me, and I could turn my +pony in with his loose horses; I thought it over, and finally put my +things in the wagon and took the ox whip to go on. Dallas intended to +get provision here, but could not, so we went down to St. Jo, following +the river near the bluff. We camped near town and walked in, finding a +small train on the main emigrant road to the west. My team was one yoke +of oxen and one yoke of cows. I knew how to drive, but had a little +trouble with the strange animals till they found I was kind to them, and +then they were all right. + +This was in a slave state, and here I saw the first negro auction. One +side of the street had a platform such as we build for a political +speaker. The auctioneer mounted this with a black boy about 18 years +old, and after he had told all his good qualities and had the boy stand +up bold and straight, he called for bids, and they started him at $500. +He rattled away as if he were selling a steer, and when Mr. Rubideaux, +the founder of St. Jo bid $800, he went no higher and the boy was sold. +With my New England notions it made quite an impression on me. + +Here Dallas got his supplies, and when the flour and bacon was loaded up +the ferryman wanted $50 to take the train across. This Dallas thought +too high and went back up the river a day's drive, where he got across +for $30. From this crossing we went across the country without much of a +road till we struck the road from St. Jo, and were soon on the Platte +bottom. + +We found some fine strawberries at one of the camps across the country. +We found some hills, but now the country was all one vast prairie, not a +tree in sight till we reached the Platte, there some cottonwood and +willow. At the first camp on the Platte I rolled up in my blanket under +the wagon and thought more than I slept, but I was in for it and no +other way but to go on. I had heard that there were two forts, new Ft. +Kearny and Ft. Laramie, on the south side of the river, which we must +pass before we reached the South Pass of the Rocky Mountains, and beyond +there there would be no place to buy medicine or food. Our little train +of five wagons, ten men, one woman and three children would not be a +formidable force against the Indians if they were disposed to molest us, +and it looked to me very hazardous, and that a larger train would be +more safe, for Government troops were seldom molested on their marches. + +If I should not please Mr. Dallas and get turned off with only my gun +and pony I should be in a pretty bad shape, but I decided to keep right +on and take the chances on the savages, who would get only my hair and +my gun as my contribution to them if they should be hostile. I must +confess, however, that the trail ahead did not look either straight or +bright to me, but hoped it might be better than I thought. So I yoked my +oxen and cows to the wagon and drove on. All the other teams had two +drivers each, who took turns, and thus had every other day off for +hunting if they chose, but I had to carry the whip every day and leave +my gun in the wagon. + +When we crossed Salt Creek the banks were high and we had to tie a +strong rope to the wagons and with a few turns around a post, lower them +down easily, while we had to double the teams to get them up the other +side. + +Night came on before half the wagons were over, and though it did not +rain the water rose before morning so it was ten feet deep. We made a +boat of one of the wagon beds, and had a regular ferry, and when they +pulled the wagons over they sank below the surface but came out all +right. We came to Pawnee Village, on the Platte, a collection of mud +huts, oval in shape, and an entrance low down to crawl in at. A ground +owl and some prairie dogs were in one of them, and we suspected they +might be winter quarters for the Indians. + +Dallas and his family rode in the two-horse wagon. Dick Field was cook, +and the rest of us drove the oxen. We put out a small guard at night to +watch for Indians and keep the stock together so there might be no delay +in searching for them. When several miles from Ft. Kearney I think on +July 3rd, we camped near the river where there was a slough and much +cottonwood and willow. Just after sundown a horse came galloping from +the west and went in with our horses that were feeding a little farther +down. In the morning two soldiers came from the fort, inquiring after +the stray horse, but Dallas said he had seen none, and they did not hunt +around among the willows for the lost animal. Probably it would be the +easiest way to report back to the fort--"Indians got him." When we +hitched up in the morning he put the horse on the off side of his own, +and when near the fort, he went ahead on foot and entertained the +officers while the men drove by, and the horse was not discovered. I did +not like this much, for if we were discovered, we might be roughly +handled, and perhaps the property of the innocent even confiscated. +Really my New England ideas of honesty were somewhat shocked. + +Reaching the South Platte, it took us all day to ford the sandy stream, +as we had first to sound out a good crossing by wading through +ourselves, and when we started our teams across we dare not stop a +moment for fear the wagons would sink deep into the quicksands. We had +no mishaps in crossing, and when well camped on the other side a +solitary buffalo made his appearance about 200 yards away and all hands +started after him, some on foot. The horsemen soon got ahead of him, but +he did not seem inclined to get out of their way, so they opened fire on +him. He still kept his feet and they went nearer, Mr. Rogers, being on a +horse with a blind bridle, getting near enough to fire his Colt's +revolver at him, when he turned, and the horse, being unable to see the +animal quick enough to get out of the way, suffered the force of a +sudden attack of the old fellow's horns, and came out with a gash in his +thigh six inches long, while Rogers went on a flying expedition over the +horse's head, and did some lively scrambling when he reached the ground. +The rest of them worried him along for about half a mile, and finally, +after about forty shots he lay down but held his head up defiantly, +receiving shot after shot with an angry shake, till a side shot laid him +out. This game gave us plenty of meat, which though tough, was a +pleasant change from bacon. I took no part in this battle except as an +observer. On examination it was found that the balls had been many of +them stopped by the matted hair about the old fellow's head and none of +them had reached the skull. + +A few days after this we were stopped entirely by a herd of buffaloes +crossing our road. They came up from the river and were moving south. +The smaller animals seemed to be in the lead, and the rear was brought +up by the old cows and the shaggy, burly bulls. All were moving at a +smart trot, with tongues hanging out, and seemed to take no notice of +us, though we stood within a hundred yards of them. We had to stand by +our teams and stock to prevent a stampede, for they all seemed to have a +great wonder, and somewhat of fear at their relatives of the plains. +After this we often saw large droves of them in the distance. Sometimes +we could see what in the distance seemed a great patch of brush, but by +watching closely we could see it was a great drove of these animals. +Those who had leisure to go up to the bluffs often reported large droves +in sight. Antelopes were also seen, but these occupied the higher +ground, and it was very hard to get near enough to them to shoot +successfully. Still we managed to get a good deal of game which was very +acceptable as food. + +One prominent land mark along the route was what they called Court House +Rock, standing to the south from the trail and much resembled an immense +square building, standing high above surrounding country. The farther we +went on the more plentiful became the large game, and also wolves and +prairie dogs, the first of which seemed to follow the buffaloes closely. + +About this time we met a odd looking train going east, consisting of +five or six Mormons from Salt Lake, all mounted on small Spanish mules. +They were dressed in buckskin and moccasins, with long spurs jingling at +their heels, the rowels fully four inches long, and each one carried a +gun, a pistol and a big knife. They were rough looking fellows with +long, matted hair, long beards, old slouch hats and a generally back +woods get-up air in every way. They had an extra pack mule, but the +baggage and provisions were very light. I had heard much about the +Mormons, both at Nauvoo and Salt Lake, and some way or other I could not +separate the idea of horse thieves from this party, and I am sure I +would not like to meet them if I had a desirable mule that they wanted, +or any money, or a good looking wife. We talked with them half an hour +or so and then moved on. + +We occasionally passed by a grave along the road, and often a small head +board would state that the poor unfortunate had died of cholera. Many of +these had been torn open by wolves and the blanket encircling the corpse +partly pulled away. Our route led a few miles north of Chimney Rock, +standing on an elevated point like a tall column, so perfect and regular +on all sides, that from our point it looked as if it might be the work +of the stone cutters. Some of the party went to see it and reported +there was no way to ascend it, and that as far as a man could reach, the +rocks were inscribed with the names of visitors and travelers who passed +that way. + +At Scott's Bluffs, the bluffs came close to the river, so there was +considerable hill climbing to get along, the road in other places +finding ample room in the bottom. Here we found a large camp of the +Sioux Indians on the bank of a ravine, on both sides of which were some +large cottonwood trees. Away up in the large limbs platforms had been +made of poles, on which were laid the bodies of their dead, wrapped in +blankets and fastened down to the platform by a sort of a network of +smaller poles tightly lashed so that they could not be dragged away or +disturbed by wild animals. This seemed a strange sort of cemetery, but +when we saw the desecrated earth-made graves we felt that perhaps this +was the best way, even if it was a savage custom. + +These Indians were fair-sized men, and pretty good looking for red men. +Some of our men went over to their camp, and some of their youths came +down to ours, and when we started on they seemed quite proud that they +had learned a little of the English language, but the extent of their +knowledge seemed to be a little learned of the ox-drivers, for they +would swing their hands at the cattle and cry out "Whoa! haw, g--d +d--n." Whether they knew what was meant, I have my doubts. They seemed +pretty well provided for and begged very little, as they are apt to do +when they are hard pressed. + +We saw also some bands of Pawnee Indians on the move across the +prairies. They would hitch a long, light pole on each side of a pony, +with the ends dragging behind on the ground, and on a little platform at +the hind end the children sat and were dragged along. + +As we passed on beyond Scott's Bluff the game began to be perceptibly +scarcer, and what we did find was back from the traveled road, from +which it had apparently been driven by the passing hunters. + +In time we reached Ft. Laramie, a trading post, where there were some +Indian lodges, and we noticed that some of the occupants had lighter +complexions than any of the other Indians we had seen. They had cords of +dried buffalo meat, and we purchased some. It was very fat, but was so +perfectly cured that the clear tallow tasted as sweet as a nut. I +thought it was the best dried meat I had ever tasted, but perhaps a good +appetite had something to do with it. + +As we passed Ft. Laramie we fell in company with some U.S. soldiers who +were going to Ft. Hall and thence to Oregon. We considered them pretty +safe to travel with and kept with them for some time, though their rate +of travel was less than ours. Among them were some Mormons, employed as +teamsters, and in other ways, and they told us there were some +Missourians on the road who would never live to see California. There +had been some contests between the Missourians and the Mormons, and I +felt rather glad that none of us hailed from Pike county. + +We turned into what they called the Black Hills, leaving the Platte to +the north of us. The first night on this road we had the hardest rain I +ever experienced, and the only one of any account on our journey. Our +camp was on a level piece of ground on the bank of a dry creek, which +soon became a very wet creek indeed, for by morning it was one hundred +yards wide and absolutely impassible. It went down, however, as quickly +as it rose, and by ten o'clock it was so low that we easily crossed and +went on our way. We crossed one stream where there were great drifts or +piles of hail which had been brought down by a heavy storm from higher +up the hills. At one place we found some rounded boulders from six to +eight inches in diameter, which were partly hollow, and broken open were +found to contain most beautiful crystals of quartz, clear as purest ice. +The inside was certainly very pretty, and it was a mystery how it came +there. I have since learned that such stones are found at many points, +and that they are called geodes. + +We came out at the river again at the mouth of Deer Creek, and as there +was some pretty good coal there quite easy to get, we made camp one day +to try to tighten our wagon tires, John Rogers acting as blacksmith. +This was my first chance to reconnoiter, and so I took my gun and went +up the creek, a wide, treeless bottom. In the ravines on the south side +were beautiful groves of small fir trees and some thick brush, wild rose +bushes I think. I found here a good many heads and horns of elk, and I +could not decide whether they had been killed in winter during the deep +snow, or had starved to death. + +There was a ferry here to cross the river and go up along north side. +Mr. Dallas bought the whole outfit for a small sum and when we were +safely over he took with him such ropes as he wanted and tied the boat +to the bank The road on this side was very sandy and led over and among +some rolling hills. In talking with the men of the U.S. troops in whose +company we still were, I gathered much information concerning our road +further west. They said we were entirely too late to get through to +California, on account of crossing the Sierra Nevada mountains, which, +they said would be covered with snow by November, or even earlier, and +that we would be compelled to winter at Salt Lake. Some of the drivers +overheard Mr. Dallas telling his family the same thing, and that if he +should winter at Salt Lake, he would discharge his drivers as soon as he +arrived, as he could not afford to board them all winter. + +This was bad news for me, for I had known of the history of them at +Nauvoo and in Missouri, and the prospect of being thrown among them with +no money to buy bread was a very sorry prospect for me. From all I could +learn we could not get a chance to work, even for our board there, and +the other drivers shared my fears and disappointment. In this dilemma we +called a council, and invited the gentleman in to have an understanding. +He came and our spokesman stated the case to him, and our fears, and +asked him what he had to say to us about it. He flew quite angry at us, +and talked some and swore a great deal more, and the burden of his +speech was:--"This train belongs to me and I propose to do with it just +as I have a mind to, and I don't care a d--n what you fellows do or say. +I am not going to board you fellows all winter for nothing, and when we +get to Salt Lake you can go where you please, for I shall not want you +any longer." We talked a little to him and under the circumstances to +talk was about all we could do. He gave us no satisfaction and left us +apparently much offended that we had any care for ourselves. + +Then we had some talk among ourselves, at the time, and from day to day +as we moved along. We began to think that the only way to get along at +all in Salt Lake would be to turn Mormons, and none of us had any belief +or desire that way and could not make up our minds to stop our journey +and lose so much time, and if we were not very favored travelers our lot +might be cast among the sinners for all time. + +We were now on the Sweetwater River, and began to see the snow on the +Rocky Mountains ahead of us, another reminder that there was a winter +coming and only a little more than half our journey was done. We did not +feel very happy over it, and yet we had to laugh once in a while at some +of the funny things that would happen. + +The Government party we were with had among them a German mule driver +who had a deal of trouble with his team, but who had a very little +knowledge of the English language. When the officers tried to instruct +him a little he seemed to get out of patience and would say something +very like _Sacramento_. We did not know exactly what this meant. We had +heard there was a river of that name or something very near like that; +and then again some said that was the Dutch for swearing. If this latter +was the truth then he was a very profane mule driver when he got mad. + +The Captain of the company had a very nice looking lady with him, and +they carried a fine wall tent which they occupied when they went into +camp. The company cook served their meals to them in the privacy of +their tent, and they seemed to enjoy themselves very nicely. Everybody +thought the Captain was very lucky in having such an accomplished +companion, and journey along quietly to the gold fields at government +expense. + +There seemed to be just a little jealousy between the Captain and the +Lieutenant, and one day I saw them both standing in angry attitude +before the Captain's quarters, both mounted, with their carbines lying +across their saddles before them. They had some pretty sharp, hot words, +and it looked as if they both were pretty nearly warmed up to the +shooting point. Once the Lieutenant moved his right hand a little, and +the Captain was quick to see it, shouting;--"Let your gun alone or I +will make a hole through you," at the same time grasping his own and +pointing it straight at the other officer. During all this time the +Captain's lady stood in the tent door, and when she saw her favorite had +the drop on the Lieutenant she clapped her delicate, little hands in a +gleeful manner:--"Just look at the Captain! Ain't he spunky?" and then +she laughed long and loud to see her lord show so much military courage. +She seemed more pleased at the affair than any one else. I don't know +exactly what the others thought, but I never could believe that the lady +and the Captain were ever married. + +The Lieutenant was no coward, but probably thinking that prudence was +the better part of valor, refrained from handling his gun, and the two +soon rode away in opposite directions. + +We passed a lone rock standing in the river bottom on the Sweetwater, +which they named Independence Rock. It was covered with the names of +thousands of people who had gone by on that road. Some were pretty +neatly chiseled in, some very rudely scrawled, and some put on with +paint. I spent all the time I could hunting Mr. Bennett's name, but I +could not find it anywhere. To have found his name, and thus to know +that he had safely passed this point would have been a little +re-assuring in those rather doubtful days. Some had named the date of +their passing, and some of them were probably pretty near the gold +fields at this time. + +All along in this section we found alkali water near the road, some very +strong and dangerous for man or beast to use. We traveled on up the +Sweetwater for some time, and at last came to a place where the road +left the river, and we had a long, hard hill to pull up. When we reached +the top of this we were in the South Pass of the Rocky Mountains, the +backbone of the American continent. To the north of us were some very +high peaks white with snow, and to the south were some lower hills and +valleys. The summit of the mountains was not quite as imposing as I +expected, but it was the summit, and we were soon surely moving down the +western side, for at Pacific Springs the water ran to the westward, +toward the Pacific coast. The next day we came to the nearly dry bed of +the river--the Big Sandy. The country round about seemed volcanic, with +no timber, but plenty of sage brush, in which we were able to shoot an +occasional sage hen. The river bed itself was nothing but sand, and +where there was water enough to wet it, it was very miry and hard +traveling over it. There are two streams, the Big Sandy and Little +Sandy, both tributaries to Green River, which we soon reached and +crossed. + +It was a remarkable clear and rapid stream and was now low enough to +ford. One of the Government teams set out to make the crossing at a +point where it looked shallow enough, but before the lead mules reached +the opposite shore, they lost their footing and were forced to swim. Of +course the wagon stopped and the team swung round and tangled up in a +bad shape. They were unhitched and the wagon pulled back, the load was +somewhat dampened, for the water came into the wagon box about a foot. +We camped here and laid by one day, having thus quite a little chance to +look around. + +When we came to the first water that flowed toward the Pacific Coast at +Pacific Springs, we drivers had quite a little talk about a new scheme. +We put a great many "ifs" together and they amounted to about this:--If +this stream were large enough; if we had a boat; if we knew the way: if +there were no falls or bad places; if we had plenty of provisions; if we +were bold enough set out on such a trip, etc., we might come out at some +point or other on the Pacific Ocean. And now when we came to the first +of the "ifs," a stream large enough to float a small boat; we began to +think more strongly about the other "ifs". + +In the course of our rambles we actually did run across the second "if" +in the shape of a small ferry boat filled up with sand upon a bar, and +it did not take very long to dig it out and put it into shape to use, +for it was just large enough to hold one wagon at a time. Our military +escort intended to leave us at this point, as their route now bore off +to the north of ours. I had a long talk with the surgeon who seemed well +informed about the country, and asked him about the prospects. He did +not give the Mormons a very good name. He said to me:--"If you go to +Salt Lake City, do not let them know you are from Missouri, for I tell +you that many of those from that State will never see California. You +know they were driven from Missouri, and will get revenge if they can." +Both the surgeon and the captain said the stream came out on the Pacific +Coast and that we had no obstacles except cataracts, which they had +heard were pretty bad. I then went to Dallas and told him what we +proposed doing and to our surprise he did not offer any objections, and +offered me $60 for my pony. He said he would sell us some flour and +bacon for provisions also. + +We helped them in crossing the river, which was somewhat difficult, +being swift, with boulders in the bottom but we got all safely over and +then made the trade we had spoken of. Dallas paid me for my pony and we +took what flour and bacon he would let go. He gave us some ropes for +head and stern lines to our boat and a couple of axes, and we laid +these, and our provisions in a pile by the roadside. Six of us then gave +up our whips. Mr. S. McMahon, a driver, hesitated for some time, but +being pressed by Dallas for a decision, at last threw down his whip and +said:--"I will go with the boys." This left Dallas with only one driver, +but he took a whip himself, and with the aid of the children and his +wife who drove the two-horse wagon, they got along very well. I paid for +such provisions as we had taken, as the rest of the fellows had almost +no money. + +So we parted company, the little train slowly moving on its way +westward. Our military captain, the soldier boys, and the gay young lady +taking the route to Oregon, and we sitting on the bank of the river +whose waters flowed to the great Pacific. Each company wished the other +good luck, we took a few long breaths and then set to work in earnest to +carry out our plans. + + + + +CHAPTER VIII. + + +About the first thing we did was to organize and select a captain, and, +very much against my wishes, I was chosen to this important position. +Six of us had guns of some sort, Richard Field, Dallas's cook, was not +armed at all. We had one regular axe and a large camp hatchet, which was +about the same as an axe, and several very small hatchets owned by the +men. All our worldly goods were piled up on the bank, and we were alone. + +An examination of the old ferry boat showed it to be in pretty good +condition, the sand with which it had been filled keeping it very +perfectly. We found two oars in the sand under the boat, and looked up +some poles to assist us in navigation. Our cordage was rather scant but +the best we could get and all we could muster. The boat was about twelve +feet long and six or seven feet wide, not a very well proportioned +craft, but having the ability to carry a pretty good load. We swung it +up to the bank and loaded up our goods and then ourselves. It was not a +heavy load for the craft, and it looked as if we were taking the most +sensible way to get to the Pacific, and almost wondered that everybody +was so blind as not to see it as we did. + +This party was composed of W.L. Manley, M.S. McMahon, Charles and Joseph +Hazelrig, Richard Field, Alfred Walton and John Rogers. We untied the +ropes, gave the boat a push and commenced to move down the river with +ease and comfort, feeling much happier than we would had we been going +toward Salt Lake with the prospect of wintering there. + +At the mouth of Ham's Fork we passed a camp of Indians, but we kept +close to the opposite shore to avoid being boarded by them. They +beckoned very urgently for us to come ashore, but I acted as if I did +not understand them, and gave them the go-by. + +As we were floating down the rapid stream it became more and more a +rapid, roaring river, and the bed contained many dangerous rocks that +were difficult to shun. Each of us had a setting-pole, and we ranged +ourselves along the sides of the boat and tried to keep ourselves clear +from the rocks and dangers. The water was not very deep and made such a +dashing noise as the current rushed among the rocks that one had to talk +pretty loud to be heard. As we were gliding along quite swiftly, I set +my pole on the bottom and gave the boat a sudden push to avoid a +boulder, when the pole stuck in the crevice between two rocks, and +instead of losing the pole by the sudden jerk I gave, I was the one who +was very suddenly yanked from the boat by the spring of the pole, and +landed in the middle of the river. I struck pretty squarely on my back, +and so got thoroughly wet, but swam for shore amid the shouts of the +boys, who waved their hats and hurrahed for the captain when they saw he +was not hurt. I told them that was nothing as we were on our way to +California by water any way, and such things must be expected. + +The next day after this I went on shore and sighted a couple of +antelope, one of which I shot, which gave us good grub, and good +appetites we already had. As near as we could estimate we floated about +thirty miles a day, which beat the pace of tired oxen considerably. In +one place there was a fringe of thick willows along the bank, and a +little farther back a perpendicular bluff, while between the two was a +strip of fine green grass. As we were passing this we scared up a band +of elk in this grass meadow, and they all took a run down the river like +a band of horses. One of them turned up a small ravine with walls so +steep he could not get out, so we posted a guard at the entrance, and +three of us went up the cañon after him, and after the others had each +fired a shot, I fired the third and brought him down. This was about the +finest piece of Rocky Mountain beef that one could see. We took the +carcass on board and floated on again. + +Thus far we had a very pleasant time, each taking his turn in working +the boat while the others rested or slept. About the fifth day when we +were floating along in very gently running water, I had lay down to take +a rest and a little sleep. The mountains here on both sides of the river +were not very steep, but ran gradually for a mile or so. While I was +sleeping the boat came around a small angle in the stream, and all at +once there seemed to be a higher, steeper range of mountains right +across the valley. The boys thought the river was coming to a rather +sudden end and hastily awoke me, and for the life of me I could not say +they were not right, for there was no way in sight for it to go to. I +remembered while looking over a map the military men had I found a place +named Brown's Hole, and I told the boys I guessed we were elected to go +on foot to California after all, for I did not propose to follow the +river down any sort of a hole into any mountain. We were floating +directly toward a perpendicular cliff, and I could not see any hole any +where, nor any other place where it could go. Just as we were within a +stone's throw of the cliff, the river turned sharply to the right and +went behind a high point of the mountain that seemed to stand squarely +on edge. This was really an immense crack or crevice, certainly 2000 +feet deep and perhaps much more, and seemed much wider at the bottom +than it did at the top, 2000 feet or more above our heads. Each wall +seemed to lean in toward the water as it rose. + +We were now for some time between two rocky walls between which the +river ran very rapidly, and we often had to get out and work our boat +over the rocks, sometimes lifting it off when it caught. Fortunately we +had a good tow line, and one would take this and follow along the edge +when it was so he could walk. The mountains seemed to get higher and +higher on both sides as we advanced, and in places we could see quite a +number of trees overhanging the river, and away up on the rocks we could +see the wild mountain sheep looking down at us. They were so high that +they seemed a mile away, and consequently safe enough. This was their +home, and they seemed very independent, as if they dared us fellows to +come and see them. There was an old cottonwood tree on bank with marks +of an axe on it, but this was all the sign we saw that any one had ever +been here before us. We got no game while passing through this deep +cañon and began to feel the need of some fresh provisions very sorely. + +We passed many deep, dark cañons coming into the main stream, and at one +place, where the rock hung a little over the river and had a smooth +wall, I climbed up above the high water mark which we could clearly see, +and with a mixture of gunpowder and grease for paint, and a bit of cloth +tied to a stick for a brush, I painted in fair sized letters on the +rock, CAPT. W.L. MANLEY, U.S.A. We did not know whether we were within +the bounds of the United States or not, and we put on all the majesty we +could under the circumstances. I don't think the sun ever shone down to +the bottom of the cañon, for the sides were literally sky-high, for the +sky, and a very small portion of that was all we could see. + +Just before night we came to a place where some huge rocks as large as +cabins had fallen down from the mountain, completely filling up the +river bed, and making it completely impassible for our boat. We unloaded +it and while the boys held the stern line, I took off my clothes and +pushed the boat out into the torrent which ran around the rocks, letting +them pay the line out slowly till it was just right. Then I sang out +to--"Let go"--and away it dashed. I grasped the bow line, and at the +first chance jumped overboard and got to shore, when I held the boat and +brought it in below the obstructions. There was some deep water below +the rocks; and we went into camp. While some loaded the boat, others +with a hook and line caught some good fish, which resembled mackerel. + +While I was looking up toward the mountain top, and along down the rocky +wall, I saw a smooth place about fifty feet above where the great rocks +had broken out, and there, painted in large black letters, were the +words "ASHLEY, 1824." This was the first real evidence we had of the +presence of a white man in this wild place, and from this record it +seems that twenty-five years before some venturesome man had here +inscribed his name. I have since heard there were some persons in St. +Louis of this name, and of some circumstances which may link them with +this early traveler. + +When we came to look around we found that another big rock blocked the +channel 300 yards below, and the water rushed around it with a terrible +swirl. So we unloaded the boat again and made the attempt to get around +it as we did the other rocks. We tried to get across the river but +failed. We now, all but one, got on the great rock with our poles, and +the one man was to ease the boat down with the rope as far as he could, +then let go and we would stop it with our poles and push it out into the +stream and let it go over, but the current was so strong that when the +boat struck the rock we could not stop it, and the gunwale next to us +rose, and the other went down, so that in a second the boat stood +edgewise in the water and the bottom tight against the big rock, and the +strong current pinned it there so tight that we could no more move it +than we could move the rock itself. + +This seemed a very sudden ending to our voyage and there were some very +rapid thoughts as to whether we would not safer among the Mormons than +out in this wild country, afoot and alone. Our boat was surely lost +beyond hope, and something must be done. I saw two pine trees, about two +feet through, growing on a level place just below, and I said to them +that we must decide between going afoot and making some canoes out of +these pine trees. Canoes were decided on, and we never let the axes +rest, night or day till we had them completed. While my working shift +was off, I took an hour or two, for a little hunting, and on a low +divide partly grown over with small pines and juniper I found signs, old +and new, of many elk, and so concluded the country was well stocked with +noble game. The two canoes, when completed were about fifteen feet long +and two feet wide, and we lashed them together for greater security. +When we tried them we found they were too small to carry our load and +us, and we landed half a mile below, where there were two other pine +trees--white pine--about two feet through, and much taller than the ones +we had used. We set at work making a large canoe of these. I had to +direct the work for I was the only one who had ever done such work. We +worked night and day at these canoes, keeping a big fire at night and +changing off to keep the axes busy. This canoe we made twenty-five or +thirty feet long, and when completed they made me captain of it and into +it loaded the most valuable things, such as provisions, ammunition, and +cooking utensils. I had to take the lead for I was the only skillful +canoeist in the party. We agreed upon signals to give when danger was +seen, or game in sight, and leading off with my big canoe we set sail +again, and went flying down stream. + +This rapid rate soon brought us out of the high mountains and into a +narrow valley when the stream became more moderate in its speed and we +floated along easily enough. In a little while after we struck this +slack water, as we were rounding a point, I saw on a sand bar in the +river, five or six elk, standing and looking at us with much curiosity. +I signaled for those behind to go to shore, while I did the same, and +two or three of us took our guns and went carefully down along the bank, +the thick brush hiding us from them, till we were in fair range, then +selecting our game we fired on them. A fine doe fell on the opposite +bank, and a magnificent buck which Rogers and I selected, went below and +crossed the river on our side. We followed him down along the bank which +was here a flat meadow with thick bunches of willows, and soon came +pretty near to Mr. Elk who started off on a high and lofty trot. As he +passed an opening in the bushes I put a ball through his head and he +fell. He was a monster. Rogers, who was a butcher, said it would weigh +five hundred or six hundred pounds. The horns were fully six feet long, +and by placing the horns on the ground, point downwards, one could walk +under the skull between them. We packed the meat to our canoes, and +staid up all night cutting the meat in strips and drying it, to reduce +bulk and preserve it, and it made the finest kind of food, fit for an +epicure. + +Starting on again, the river lost more and more of of its rapidity as it +came out into a still wider valley, and became quite sluggish. We picked +red berries that grew on bushes that overhung the water. They were sour +and might have been high cranberries. One day I killed an otter, and +afterward hearing a wild goose on shore, I went for the game and killed +it on a small pond on which there were also some mallard duck. I killed +two of these. When I fired, the ones not killed did not fly away, but +rather swam toward me. I suppose they never before had seen a man or +heard the report of a gun. On the shore around the place I saw a small +bear track, but I did not have time to look for his bearship, and left, +with the game already killed, and passed on down through this beautiful +valley. + +We saw one place where a large band of horses had crossed, and as the +men with them must have had a raft, we were pretty sure that the men in +charge of them were white men. Another day we passed the mouth of a +swollen stream which came in from the west side. The water was thick +with mud, and the fish, about a foot long, came to the top, with their +noses out of water. We tried to catch some, but could not hold them. One +night we camped on an island, and I took my gun and went over toward the +west side where I killed a deer. The boys hearing me shoot, came out, +guns in hand, thinking I might need help, and I was very glad of their +assistance. To make our flour go as far as possible we ate very freely +of meat, and having excellent appetites it disappeared very fast. + +It took us two or three days to pass this beautiful valley, and then we +began to get into a rougher country again, the cañons deeper and the +water more tumultuous. McMahon and I had the lead always, in the big +canoe. The mountains seemed to change into bare rocks and get higher and +higher as we floated along. After the first day of this the river became +so full of boulders that many times the only way we could do was to +unload the canoes and haul them over, load up and go ahead, only to +repeat the same tactics in a very short time again. At one place where +the river was more than usually obstructed we found a deserted camp, a +skiff and some heavy cooking utensils, with a notice posted up on an +alder tree saying that they had found the river route impracticable, and +being satisfied that the river was so full of rocks and boulders that it +could not be safely navigated, they had abandoned the undertaking and +were about to start overland to make their way to Salt Lake. I took down +the names of the parties at the time in my diary, which has since been +burned, but have now forgotten them entirely. They were all strangers to +me. They had taken left such heavy articles as could not be carried on +foot. This notice rather disconcerted us, but we thought we had better +keep on and see for ourselves, so we did not follow them, but kept on +down the rocky river. We found generally more boulders than water, and +the down grade of the river bed was heavy. + +Some alders and willows grew upon the bank and up quite high on the +mountains we could see a little timber. Some days we did not go more +than four or five miles, and that was serious work, loading and +unloading our canoes, and packing them over the boulders, with only +small streams of water curling around between them. We went barefoot +most of the time, for we were more than half of the time in the water +which roared and dashed so loud that we could hardly heard each other +speak. We kept getting more and more venturesome and skillful, and +managed to run some very dangerous rapids in safety. + +On the high peaks above our heads we could see the Rocky Mountain sheep +looking defiantly at us from their mountain fastnesses, so far away they +looked no larger than jack rabbits. They were too far off to try to +shoot at, and we had no time to try to steal up any nearer for at the +rate we were making, food would be the one thing needful, for we were +consuming it very fast. Sometimes we could ride a little ways, and then +would come the rough-and-tumble with the rocks again. + +One afternoon we came to a sudden turn in the river, more than a right +angle, and, just below, a fall of two feet or more. This I ran in +safety, as did the rest who followed and we cheered at our pluck and +skill. Just after this the river swung back the other way at a right +angle or more, and I quickly saw there was danger below and signaled +them to go on shore at once, and lead the canoes over the dangerous +rapids. I ran my own canoe near shore and got by the rapid safely, +waiting for the others to come also. They did not obey my signals but +thought to run the rapid the same as I did. The channel here was +straight for 200 yards, without a boulder in it, but the stream was so +swift that it caused great, rolling waves in the center, of a kind I +have never seen anywhere else. The boys were not skillful enough to +navigate this stream, and the suction drew them to the center where the +great waves rolled them over and over, bottom side up and every way. The +occupants of our canoe let go and swam to shore. Fields had always been +afraid of water and had worn a life preserver every day since we left +the wagons. He threw up his hands and splashed and kicked at a terrible +rate, for he could not swim, and at last made solid ground. One of the +canoes came down into the eddy below, where it lodged close to the +shore, bottom up. Alfred Walton in the other canoe could not swim, but +held on to the gunwale with a death grip, and it went on down through +the rapids. Sometimes we could see the man and sometimes not, and he and +the canoe took turns in disappearing. Walton had very black hair, and as +he clung fast to his canoe his black head looked like a crow on the end +of a log. Sometimes he would be under so long that we thought he must be +lost, when up he would come again still clinging manfully. + +McMahon and I threw everything out of the big canoe and pushed out after +him. I told Mc. to kneel down so I could see over him to keep the craft +off the rocks, and by changing his paddle from side to side as ordered, +he enabled me to make quick moves and avoid being dashed to pieces. We +fairly flew, the boys said, but I stood up in the stern and kept it +clear of danger till we ran into a clear piece of river and overtook +Walton clinging to the overturned boat; McMahon seized the boat and I +paddled all to shore, but Walton was nearly dead and could hardly keep +his grasp on the canoe. We took him to a sandy place and worked over him +and warmed him in the sun till he came to life again, then built a fire +and laid him up near to it to get dry and warm. If the canoe had gone on +20 yards farther with him before we caught it, he would have gone into +another long rapid and been drowned. We left Walton by the fire and +crossing the river in the slack water, went up to where the other boys +were standing, wet and sorry-looking, say-that all was gone and lost. +Rogers put his hand in his pocket and pulled out three half dollars and +said sadly:--"Boys, this is all I am worth in the world." All the +clothes he had were a pair of overalls and a shirt. If he had been +possessed of a thousand in gold he would have been no richer, for there +was no one to buy from and nothing to buy. I said to them: "Boys, we +can't help what has happened, we'll do the best we can. Right your +canoe, get the water out, and we'll go down and see how Walton is." They +did as I told them, and lo and behold when the canoe rolled right side +up, there were their clothes and blankets safe and sound. These light +things had floated in the canoe and were safe. We now tried by joining +hands to reach out far enough to recover some of the guns, but by +feeling with their feet they found the bottom smooth as glass and the +property all swept on below, no one knew where. The current was so +powerful that no one could stand in it where it came up above his knees. +The eddy which enabled us to save the first canoe with the bedding and +clothes was caused by a great boulder as large as a house which had +fallen from above and partly blocked the stream. Everything that would +sink was lost. + +We all got into the two canoes and went down to Walton, where we camped +and staid all night for Walton's benefit. While we were waiting I took +my gun and tried to climb up high enough to see how much longer this +horrible cañon was going to last, but after many attempts, I could not +get high enough to see in any direction. The mountain was all bare rocks +in terraces, but it was impossible to climb from one to the other, and +the benches were all filled with broken rocks that had fallen from +above. + +By the time I got back to camp, Walton was dry and warm and could talk. +He said he felt better, and pretty good over his rescue. When he was +going under the water, it seemed sometimes as if he never would come to +the top again, but he held on and eventually came out all right. He +never knew how he got to shore, he was so nearly dead when rescued. + +The next morning Walton was so well we started on. We were now very +poorly armed. My rifle and McMahon's shotgun were all the arms we had +for seven of us, and we could make but a poor defence if attacked by man +or beast, to say nothing of providing ourselves with food. The mountains +on each side were very bare of timber, those on the east side +particularly so, and very high and barren. Toward night we were floating +along in a piece of slack water, the river below made a short turn +around a high and rocky point almost perpendicular from the water. There +was a terrace along the side of this point about fifty feet up, and the +bench grew narrower as it approached the river. As I was coming down +quite close under this bank I saw three mountain sheep on the bench +above, and, motioning to the boys, I ran on shore and, with my gun in +hand, crept down toward them, keeping a small pine tree between myself +and the sheep. There were some cedar bushes on the point, and the pines +grew about half way up the bank. I got in as good a range as possible +and fired at one of them which staggered around and fell down to the +bottom of the cliff. I loaded and took the next largest one which came +down the same way. The third one tried to escape by going down the bend +and then creeping up a crevice, but it could not get away and turned +back, cautiously, which gave me time to load again and put a ball +through it. I hit it a little too far back for instant death, but I +followed it up and found it down and helpless, and soon secured it. I +hauled this one down the mountain, and the other boys had the two others +secure by this time. McMahon was so elated at my success that he said: +"Manley, if I could shoot as you do I would never want any better +business." And the other fellows said they guessed we were having better +luck with one gun than with six, so we had a merry time after all. These +animals were of a bluish color, with hair much finer than deer, and +resembled a goat more than a sheep. These three were all females and +their horns were quite straight, not curved like the big males. We cut +the meat from the bones and broke them up, making a fine soup which +tasted pretty good. They were in pretty good order, and the meat like +very good mutton. + +We kept pushing on down the river. The rapids were still dangerous in +many places, but not so frequent nor so bad as the part we had gone +over, and we could see that the river gradually grew smoother as we +progressed. + +After a day or two we began to get out of the cañons, but the mountains +and hills on each side were barren and of a pale yellow caste, with no +chance for us to climb up and take a look to see if there were any +chances for us further along. We had now been obliged to follow the +cañon for many miles, for the only way to get out was to get out +endwise, climbing the banks being utterly out of the question. But these +mountains soon came to an end, and there was some cottonwood and willows +on the bank of the river, which was now so smooth we could ride along +without the continual loading and unloading we had been forced to +practice for so long. We had begun to get a little desperate at the lack +of game, but the new valley, which grew wider all the time, gave us hope +again, if it was quite barren everywhere except back of the willow +trees. + +We were floating along very silently one day, for none of us felt very +much in the mood for talking, when we heard a distant sound which we +thought was very much like the firing of a gun. We kept still, and in a +short time a similar sound was heard, plainer and evidently some ways +down the stream. Again and again we heard it, and decided that it must +be a gun shot, and yet we were puzzled to know how it could be. We were +pretty sure there were no white people ahead of us, and we did not +suppose the Indians in this far-off land had any firearms. It might be +barely possible that we were coming now to some wagon train taking a +southern course, for we had never heard that there were any settlements +in this direction and the barren country would preclude any such thing, +as we viewed it now. If it was a hostile band we could not do much with +a rifle and a shot gun toward defending ourselves or taking the +aggressive. Some of the boys spoke of our scalps ornamenting a spear +handle, and indulged in such like cheerful talk which comforted us +wonderfully. + +Finally we concluded we did not come out into that wild country to be +afraid of a few gunshots, and determined to put on a bold front, fight +if we had to, run away if we could not do any better, and take our +chances on getting scalped or roasted. Just then we came in sight of +three Indian lodges just a little back from the river, and now we knew +for certain who had the guns. McMahon and I were in the lead as usual, +and it was only a moment before one of the Indians appeared, gun in +hand, and made motions for us to come on shore. A cottonwood tree lay +nearly across the river, and I had gone so far that I had to go around +it and land below, but the other boys behind were afraid to do otherwise +than to land right there as the Indian kept his gun lying across his +arm. I ran our canoe below to a patch of willows, where we landed and +crawled through the brush till we came in sight of the other boys, where +we stood and waited a moment to see how they fared, and whether our red +men were friends or enemies. There were no suspicious movements on their +part, so we came out and walked right up to them. There was some little +talk, but I am sure we did not understand one another's language, and so +we made motions and they made motions, and we got along better. We went +with them down to the tepee, and there we heard the first word that was +at all like English and that was "Mormonee," with a sort of questioning +tone. Pretty soon one said "Buffalo," and then we concluded they were on +a big hunt of some sort. They took us into their lodges and showed us +blankets, knives, and guns, and then, with a suggestive motion, said all +was "Mormonee," by which we understood they had got them from the +Mormons. The Indian in the back part of the lodge looked very pleasant +and his countenance showed a good deal of intelligence for a man of the +mountains. I now told the boys that we were in a position where we were +dependent on some one, and that I had seen enough to convince me that +these Indians were perfectly friendly with the Mormons, and that for our +own benefit we had better pass ourselves off for Mormons, also. So we +put our right hand to our breast and said "Mormonee," with a cheerful +countenance, and that act conveyed to them the belief that we were +chosen disciples of the great and only Brigham and we became friends at +once, as all acknowledged. The fine-looking Indian who sat as king in +the lodge now, by motions and a word or two, made himself known as Chief +Walker, and when I knew this I took great pains to cultivate his +acquaintance. + +I was quite familiar with the sign language used by all the Indians, and +found I could get along pretty well in making him understand and knowing +what he said. I asked him first how many "sleeps" or days it was from +there to "Mormonee." In answer he put out his left hand and then put two +fingers of his right astride of it, making both go up and down with the +same motion of a man riding a horse. Then he shut his eyes and laid his +head on his hand three times, by which I understood that a man could +ride to the Mormon settlement in three sleeps or four days. He then +wanted to know where we were going, and I made signs that we were +wishing to go toward the setting sun and to the big water, and I said +"California." The country off to the west of us now seemed an open, +barren plain, which grew wider as it extended west. The mountains on the +north side seemed to get lower and smaller as they extended west, but on +the south or east side they were all high and rough. It seemed as if we +could see one hundred miles down the river, and up to the time we met +the Indians we thought we had got through all our troublesome navigation +and could now sail on, quietly and safely to the great Pacific Ocean and +land of gold. + +When I told Chief Walker this he seemed very much astonished, as if +wondering why we were going down the river when we wanted to get west +across the country. I asked him how many sleeps it was to the big water, +and he shook his head, pointed out across the country and then to the +river and shook his head again; by which I understood that water was +scarce, out the way he pointed. He then led me down to a smooth sand bar +on the river and then, with a crooked stick, began to make a map in the +sand. First he made a long crooked mark, ten feet long or so, and +pointing to the river to let me know that the mark in the sand was made +to represent it. He then made a straight mark across near the north end +of the stream, and showed the other streams which came into the Green +river which I saw at once was exactly correct. Then he laid some small +stones on each side of the cross mark, and making a small hoop of a +willow twig, he rolled it in the mark he had made across the river, then +flourished his stick as if he were driving oxen. Thus he represented the +emigrant road. He traced the branches off to the north where the +soldiers had gone, and the road to California, which the emigrants took, +all of which we could see was correct. Then he began to describe the +river down which we had come. A short distance below the road he put +some small stones on each side of the river to represent mountains. He +then put down his hands, one on each side of the crooked mark and then +raised them up again saying e-e-e-e-e-e as he raised them, to say that +the mountains there were very high. Then he traced down the stream to a +place below where we made our canoes; when he placed the stone back from +the river farther, to show that there was a valley there; then he drew +them in close again farther down, and piled them up again two or three +tiers high, then placing both fists on them he raised them higher than +the top of his head, saying e-e-e-e-e-e and looking still higher and +shaking his head as if to say:--"Awful bad cañon", and thus he went on +describing the river till we understood that we were near the place +where we now were, and then pointed to his tepee, showing that I +understood him all right. It was all correct, as I very well knew and +assured me that he knew all about the country. + +I became much interested in my new found friend, and had him continue +his map down the river. He showed two streams coming in on the east side +and then he began piling up stones on each side of the river and then +got longer ones and piled them higher and higher yet. Then he stood with +one foot on each side of his river and put his hands on the stones and +then raised them as high as he could, making a continued e-e-e-e-e-e as +long as his breath would last, pointed to the canoe and made signs with +his hands how it would roll and pitch in the rapids and finely capsize +and throw us all out. He then made signs of death to show us that it was +a fatal place. I understood perfectly plain from this that below the +valley where we now were was a terrible cañon, much higher than any we +had passed, and the rapids were not navigable with safety. Then Walker +shook his head more than once and looked very sober, and said "Indiano" +and reaching for his bow and arrows, he drew the bow back to its utmost +length and put the arrow close to my breast, showing how I would get +shot. Then he would draw his hand across his throat and shut his eyes as +if in death to make us understand that this was a hostile country before +us, as well as rough and dangerous. + +I now had a description of the country ahead and believed it to be +reliable. As soon as I could conveniently after this, I had a council +with the boys, who had looked on in silence while I was holding the +silent confab with the chief. I told them where we were and what chances +there were of getting to California by this route, and that for my part +I had as soon be killed by Mormans as by savage Indians, and that I +believed the best way for us to do was to make the best of our way to +Salt Lake. "Now" I said, "Those of you who agree with me can follow--and +I hope all will." + +McMahon said that we could not understand a word the old Indian said, +and as to following his trails, I don't believe a word of it, and it +don't seem right. + +He said he had a map of the country, and it looked just as safe to him +to go on down the river as to go wandering across a dry and desolate +country which we knew nothing of. I said to McMahon--"I know this sign +language pretty well. It is used by almost all the Indians and is just +as plain and certain to me as my talk is to you. Chief Walker and his +forefathers were borne here and know the country as well as you know +your father's farm, and for my part, I think I shall take one of his +trails and go to Salt Lake and take the chances that way. I have no +objections to you going some other way if you wish to and think it is +best". McMahon and Fields concluded they would not follow me any +farther. + +I then went to Chief Walker and had him point out the trail to +"Mormonie" as well as he could. He told me where to enter the mountains +leading north, and when we got part way he told me we would come to an +Indian camp, when I must follow some horse tracks newly made; he made me +know this by using his hands like horse's forefeet, and pointed the way. + +Some of the young men motioned for me to come out and shoot at a mark +with them, and as I saw it would please them I did so and took good care +to beat them every time too. Then they wanted to swap (narawaup) guns +with me which I declined doing. After this the Chief came to me and +wanted me to go and hunt buffalo with them. I told him I had no horse, +and then he went and had a nice gray one brought up and told me I could +ride him if I would go. He took his bow and arrow and showed me how he +could shoot an arrow straight through a buffalo just back of his short +ribs and that the arrow would go clear through and come out on the other +side without touching a bone. Those fellows were in fine spirit, on a +big hunt, and when Walker pointed out his route to me he swung his hand +around to Salt Lake. + +They all spoke the word buffalo quite plainly. I took his strong bow and +found I could hardly pull it half way out, but I have no doubt he could +do as he said he could. I hardly knew how to refuse going with him. I +asked him how long it would be before he would get around his long +circuit and get to Salt Lake, to which he replied by pulverizing some +leaves in his hands and scattering them in the air to represent snow, +which would fall by the time he got to "Mormonee". I shivered as he said +this and by his actions I saw that I understood him right. + +I told him I could not go with him for the other boys would depend on me +to get them something to eat, and I put my finger into my open mouth to +tell him this. I think if I had been alone I should have accepted his +offer and should have had a good time. I gave them to understand that we +would swap (narawaup) with them for some horses so he brought up a pair +of nice two year-old colts for us. I offered him some money for them, he +did not want that, but would take clothing of almost any kind. We let +them have some that we could get along without, and some one let Walker +have a coat. He put it on, and being more warmly dressed than ever +before, the sweat ran down his face in streams. We let them have some +needles and thread and some odd notions we had to spare. We saw that +Walker had some three or four head of cattle with him which he could +kill if they did not secure game at the time they expected. + +McMahon and Field still persisted they would not go with us and so we +divided our little stock of flour and dried meat with them as fairly as +possible and decided we would try the trail. When our plans were settled +we felt in pretty good spirits again, and one of the boys got up a sort +of corn-stalk fiddle which made a squeaking noise and in a little while +there was a sort of mixed American and Indian dance going on in which +the squaws joined in and we had a pretty jolly time till quite late at +night. We were well pleased that these wild folks had proved themselves +to be true friends to us. + +The morning we were to start I told the boys a dream I had in which I +had seen that the course we had decided on was the correct one, but +McMahon and Field thought we were foolish and said they had rather take +the chances of going with the Indians, or going on down the river. He +seemed to place great stress on the fact that he could not understand +the Indians. + +Said he:--"This Indian may be all right, and maybe he will lead us all +into a dreadful trap. They are treacherous and revengeful, and for some +merely fancied wrong done by us, or by some one else of whom we have no +control or knowledge, they may take our scalps, wipe us out of existence +and no one will ever know what became of us. Now this map of mine don't +show any bad places on this river, and I believe we can get down easily +enough, and get to California some time. Field and I cannot make up our +minds so easily as you fellows. I believe your chances are very poor." + +The boys now had our few things loaded on the two colts, for they had +fully decided to go with me, and I was not in the least put back by +McMahon's dire forebodings. We shook hands with quivering lips as we each +hoped the other would meet good luck, and find enough to eat and all +such sort of friendly talk, and then with my little party on the one +side and McMahon and Field, whom we were to leave behind, on the other, +we bowed to each other with bared heads, and then we started out of the +little young cottonwoods into the broad plain that seemed to get wider +and wider as we went west. + +The mountains on the northern side grew smaller and less steep as we +went west, and on the other hand reached down the river as far as we +could see. The plain itself was black and barren and for a hundred miles +at least ahead of us it seemed to have no end. Walker had explained to +us that we must follow some horse tracks and enter a cañon some miles to +the northwest. He had made his hands work like horses' feet, placing +then near the ground as if following a trail, We were not much more than +a mile away when on looking back, we saw Chief Walker coming towards us +on a horse at full speed; and motioning for us to stop. This we did, +though some of the boys said we would surely be marched back and +scalped. But it was not for that he came. He had been watching us and +saw that we had failed to notice the tracks of the horses he told us +about so he rode after us, and now took us off some little distance to +the right, got off his horse and showed us the faint horse tracks which +we were to follow and said "Mormonie". He pointed out to us the exact +cañon we were to enter when we reached the hills; and said after three +"sleeps" we would find an Indian camp on top of the mountain. He then +bade us good bye again and galloped back to his own camp. + +We now resumed our journey, keeping watch of the tracks more closely, +and as we came near the spurs of the mountain which projected out into +the barren valley we crossed several well marked trails running along +the foot hills, at right angles to our own. This we afterwards learned +was the regular trail from Santa Fé to Los Angeles. At some big rocks +further on we camped for the night, and found water in some pools or +holes in the flat rocks which held the rain. + +Reading people of to-day, who know so well the geography of the American +continent, may need to stop and think that in 1849 the whole region west +of the Missouri River was very little known, the only men venturesome +enough to dare to travel over it were hunters and trappers who, by a +wild life had been used to all the privations of such a journey, and +shrewd as the Indians themselves in the mysterious ways of the trail and +the chase. Even these fellows had only investigated certain portions +best suited to their purpose. + +The Indians here have the reputation of being blood thirsty savages who +took delight in murder and torture, but here, in the very midst of this +wild and desolate country we found a Chief and his tribe, Walker and his +followers who were as humane and kind to white people as could be +expected of any one. I have often wondered at the knowledge of this man +respecting the country, of which he was able to make us a good map in +the sand, point out to us the impassable cañon, locate the hostile +indians, and many points which were not accurately known by our own +explorers for many years afterward. He undoubtedly saved our little band +from a watery grave, for without his advice we had gone on and on, far +into the great Colorado cañon, from which escape would have been +impossible and securing food another impossibility, while destruction by +hostile indians was among the strong probabilities of the case. So in a +threefold way I have for these more than forty years credited the lives +of myself and comrades to the thoughtful interest and humane +consideration of old Chief Walker. + +In another pool or pond near the one where we were camped I shot a small +duck. Big sage was plenty here for fuel and we had duck for supper. Our +party consisted of five men and two small ponies only two years old, +with a stock of provisions very small including that the old chief had +given us. We started on in the morning, following our faint trail till +we came to the cañon we had in view, and up this we turned as we had +been directed, finding in the bottom a little running stream. Timber +began to appear as we ascended, and grass also. There were signs of deer +and grouse but we had no time to stop to hunt, for I had the only gun +and while I hunted the others must lie idly by. We reached the summit at +a low pass, and just above, on the north side of the higher mountains +were considerable banks of snow. Following the Chief's instructions we +left the trail and followed some horse tracks over rolling hills, high +on the mountain side. We found the Indian camp exactly as the Chief had +described, consisting of two or three lodges. The men were all absent +hunting, but the women were gathering and baking some sort of a root +which looked like a carrot. They made a pile of several bushels and +covered it with earth, then made a fire, treating the pile some as a +charcoal burner does his pit of coal. When sufficiently cooked they beat +them up and made the material into small cakes which were dried in the +sun. The dried cakes were as black as coal and intended for winter use. +These roots before roasting were unfit for food, as they contained a +sort of acrid juice that would make the tongue smart and very sore but +there was a very good rich taste when cooked. The woman pointed to our +horses and said "Walker", so we knew they were aware that we got them of +him, and might have taken us for horse thieves for aught I know. As it +was not yet night when we came to the camp, we passed on and camped on a +clear mountain brook where grew some pine trees. After a little some of +the Indians belonging to the camp we had passed came in, bringing some +venison, for which we traded by giving them some needles and a few other +trinkets. I beat these fellows shooting at a mark, and then they wanted +to trade guns, which I declined. This piece of meat helped us along +considerably with our provisions, for game was very scarce and only some +sage hens had come across our trail. One day I scared a hawk off the +ground, and we took the sage hen he had caught and was eating, and made +some soup of it. + +After being on this trail six or seven days we began to think of killing +one of our colts for food, for we had put ourselves on two meals a day +and the work was very hard; so that hunger was all the time increasing. +We thought this was a pretty long road for Walker to ride over in three +sleeps as he said he could, and we began also to think there might be +some mistake somewhere, although it had otherwise turned out just as he +said. On the eighth day our horse-tracks came out into a large trail +which was on a down grade leading in a northward direction. On the ninth +day we came into a large valley, and near night came in sight of a few +covered wagons, a part of a train that intended going on a little later +over the southern route to Los Angeles but were waiting for the weather +to get a little cooler, for a large part of the route was over almost +barren deserts. We were very glad to find these wagons, for they seemed +to have plenty of food and the bountiful supper they treated us to was +the very thing we needed. We camped here and told them of the hardships +we had passed through. They had hired a guide, each wagon paying him ten +dollars for his service. Our little party talked over the situation +among ourselves, and concluded that as we were good walkers we must +allow ourselves to be used in any way so that we had grub and concluded +as many of us as possible would try to get some service to do for our +board and walk along with the party. John Rogers had a dollar and a half +and I had thirty dollars, which was all the money we had in our camp. We +found out we were about 60 miles south of Salt Lake City. Some of the +boys next day arranged to work for their board, and the others would be +taken along if they would furnish themselves with flour and bacon. This +part of the proposition fell to me and two others, and so Hazelrig and I +took the two colts and started for the city, where they told us we could +get all we needed with our little purse of money. We reached Hobble +Creek before night, near Salt Lake where there was a Mormon fort, and +were also a number of wagons belonging to some prospecting train. There +seemed to be no men about and we were looking about among the wagons for +some one to inquire of, when a woman came to the front of the last wagon +and looked out at us, and to my surprise it was Mrs. Bennett, wife of +the man I had been trying to overtake ever since my start on this long +trip. Bennett had my entire outfit with him on this trip and was all the +time wondering whether I would ever catch up with them. We stayed till +the men came in with their cattle towards night, and Bennett was glad +enough to see me, I assure you. We had a good substantial supper and +then sat around the campfire nearly all night telling of our experience +since leaving Wisconsin. I had missed Bennett at the Missouri River. I +knew of no place where people crossed the river except Council Bluff, +here I had searched faithfully, finding no trace of him, but it seems +they had crossed farther up at a place called Kanesville, a Mormon +crossing, and followed up the Platte river on the north side. Their only +bad luck had been to lose a fine black horse, which was staked out, and +when a herd of buffaloes came along he broke his rope and followed after +them. He was looked for with other horses, but never found and doubtless +became a prize for some enterprising Mr. Lo. who was fortunate enough to +capture him. Hazelrig and I told of our experience on the south side of +the Platte; why we went down Green River; what a rough time we had; how +we were stopped by the Indians and how we had come across from the +river, arriving the day before and were now on our way to Salt Lake to +get some flour and bacon so we could go on with the train when it +started as they had offered to haul our grub for our service if we could +carry ourselves on foot. + +Mr. Bennett would not hear of my going on to Salt Lake City, for he said +there must be provisions enough in the party and in the morning we were +able to buy flour and bacon of John Philips of Mineral Point Wis. and of +Wm. Philips his brother. I think we got a hundred pounds of flour and a +quantity of bacon and some other things. I had some money which I had +received for my horse sold to Dallas, but as the others had none I paid +for it all, and told Hazelrig to take the ponies and go back to camp +with a share of the provisions and do the best he could. I had now my +own gun and ammunition, with some clothing and other items which I had +prepared in Wisconsin before I started after my Winnebago pony, and I +felt I ought to share the money I had with the other boys to help them +as best I could. I felt that I was pretty well fixed and had nothing to +fear. + +Mr. Bennett told me much of the trip on the north side of the Platte. He +said they had some cholera, of which a few people died, and related how +the outer if not the inner nature of the men changed as they left +civilization, law and the courts behind them. Some who had been raised +together, and lived together all their lives without discord or trouble, +who were considered model men at home and just the right people to be +connected with in such an expedition, seemed to change their character +entirely out on these wild wastes. When anything excited their +displeasure their blood boiled over, and only the interference of older +and wiser heads on many occasions prevented bloodshed. Some dissolved +the solemn contract they had made to travel together systematically and +in order and to stand, by, even unto death, and when they reached the +upper Platte, the journey only half over, talked of going back, or +splitting up the outfit and join others they had taken a fancy to. Some +who could not agree upon a just division of a joint outfit, thinking one +party was trying to cheat, would not yield but would cut their wagons in +two lengthwise just for spite so that no carts could be made and the +whole vehicle spoiled for both parties. The ugly disagreements were many +and the cloven foot was shown in many ways. Guns were often drawn and +pointed but some one would generally interfere and prevent bloodshed. +Others were honest and law abiding to the last degree beyond law and +churches, and would act as harmoniously as at home, obeying their chosen +captain in the smallest particular without any grumbling or dissension, +doing to every one as they would be done by. These were the pride of the +train. The trains were most of them organized, and all along the river +bottom one was hardly ever out of sight of some of the wagons, all going +west. Buffalo and antelope were plenty and in great droves, followed +always by wolves great and small, who were on the lookout for crippled +or dead animals with which to fill their hungry stomachs. Buffalo meat +was plenty and much enjoyed while passing this section of the road and +this opportunity of replenishing, enabled the stock to last them over +more desolate regions where game was scarce. + +After Bennett had told his stories, and I had related more of our own +close escapes I began to ask him why he went this way which seemed to be +very circuitous and much longer than the way they had first intended to +go. He said that it was too late in the season to go the straight-road +safely, for there was yet 700 miles of bad country to cross and do the +best they could it would be at the commencement of the rainy season +before the Sierra Nevada mountains could be reached and in those +mountains there was often a snow fall of 20 feet or more, and anyone +caught in it would surely perish. If they tried to winter at the base of +the mountains it was a long way to get provisions, and no assurance of +wild game, and this course was considered very hazardous for any one to +undertake. This they had learned after consulting mountaineers and +others who knew about the regions, and as there was nothing doing among +the Latter Day Saints to give employment to any one, it was decided best +to keep moving and go the southern route by way of Los Angeles. No +wagons were reported as ever getting through that way, but a trail had +been traveled through that barren desert country for perhaps a hundred +years, and the same could be easily broadened into a wagon road. + +After days of argument and camp-fire talks, this Southern route was +agreed upon, and Capt. Hunt was chosen as guide. Capt. Hunt was a +Mormon, and had more than one wife, but he had convinced them that he +knew something about the road. Each agreed to give him ten dollars to +pilot the train to San Bernardino where the Mormon Church had bought a +Spanish grant of land, and no doubt they thought a wagon road to that +place would benefit them greatly, and probably gave much encouragement +for the parties to travel this way. It was undoubtedly safer than the +northern mountain route at this season of the year. It seemed at least +to be a new venture for west-bound emigrant trains, at least as to +ultimate success, for we had no knowledge of any that had gone through +safely. + +Some western people remembered the history of the Mormons in Illinois +and Missouri, and their doings there, feared somewhat for their own +safety now that they were so completely under their power, for they knew +the Mormons to be revengeful and it was considered very unsafe for any +traveler to acknowledge he was from Missouri. Many a one who had been +born there, and lived there all his life, would promptly claim some +other state as his native place. I heard one Mormon say that there were +some Missourians on the plains that would never reach California. "They +used us bad," said he, and his face took on a really murderous look. + +These Mormons at Salt Lake were situated as if on an island in the sea, +and no enemy could reach any adjoining state or territory if Brigham +Young's band of destroying angels were only warned to look after them. + +At a late hour that night we lay down to sleep, and morning came clear +and bright. After breakfast Mr. Bennett said to me:--"Now Lewis I want +you to go with me; I have two wagons and two drivers and four yoke of +good oxen and plenty of provisions. I have your outfit yet, your gun and +ammunition and your two good hickory shirts which are just in time for +your present needs. You need not do any work. You just look around and +kill what game you can for us, and this will help as much as anything, +you can do." I was, of course glad to accept this offer, and thanks to +Mr. Bennett's kind care of my outfit, was better fixed then any of the +other boys. + +We inquired around among the other wagons as to their supply of flour +and bacon; and succeeded to getting flour from Mr. Philips and bacon +from some of the others, as much as we supposed the other boys would +need, which I paid for, and when this was loaded on the two colts +Hazelrig started back alone to the boys in camp. As I was so well +provided for I gave him all my money for they might need some, and I did +not. + +The wagons which composed the intended train were very much scattered +about, having moved out from Salt Lake at pleasure, and it was said to +be too early to make the start on the southern route, for the weather on +the hot, barren desert was said to grow cooler a little later in the +season, and it was only at this cool season that the south west part of +the desert could be crossed in safety. The scattering members of the +train began to congregate, and Capt. Hunt said it was necessary to have +some sort of system about the move, and that before they moved they must +organize and adopt rules and laws which must be obeyed. He said they +must move like an army, and that he was to be a dictator in all things +except that in case of necessity a majority of the train could rule +otherwise. It was thought best to get together and try a march out one +day, then go in camp and organize. + +This they did, and at the camp there was gathered one hundred and seven +wagons, a big drove of horses and cattle, perhaps five hundred in all. +The train was divided into seven divisions and each division was to +elect its own captain. Division No. 1 should lead the march the first +day, and their men should take charge of the stock and deliver them to +the wagons in the morning, and then No. 1 should take the rear, with No. +2 in the lead to break the road. The rear division would not turn a +wheel before 10 o'clock the next day, and it would be about that time at +night before they were in camp and unyoked. The numbers of animals +cleaned out the feed for a mile or two each side of the camp and a +general meeting was called for the organization of the whole. Mr. L. +Granger got up so he could look over the audience and proceeded to +explain the plan and to read a preamble and resolutions which had been +prepared as the basis for government. I remember that it begun +thus:--"This Organization shall be known and designated as the Sand +Walking Company, and shall consist of seven divisions etc," detailing +the manner of marching as we have recited. Capt J. Hunt was chosen +commander and guide, and his orders must be obeyed. All possible trouble +that we could imagine might come was provided against in our written +agreement, and all promised to live up to it. + + + + +CHAPTER IX. + + +We moved off in good style from this camp. After a day or two and before +we reached what is called Little Salt Lake, an attempt was made to make +a short cut, to save distance. The train only went on this cut off a day +or two when Capt. Hunt came back from the front and said they had better +turn back to the old trail again, which all did. This was a bad move, +the train much broken and not easy to get them into regular working +order again. We were now approaching what they called the Rim of the +Basin. Within the basin the water all ran to the north or toward Great +Salt Lake, but when we crossed the rim, all was toward the Colorado +River, through which it reached the Pacific Ocean. About this time we +were overtaken by another train commanded by Capt. Smith. They had a map +with them made by one Williams of Salt Lake a mountaineer who was +represented to know all the routes through all the mountains of Utah, +and this map showed a way to turn off from the southern route not far +from the divide which separated the waters of the basin from those which +flowed toward the Colorado, and pass over the mountains, coming out in +what they called Tulare valley, much nearer than by Los Angeles. + +This map was quite frequently exhibited and the matter freely discussed +in camp, indeed speeches were made in the interest of the cut-off route +which was to be so much shorter. A clergyman, the Rev. J.W. Brier, was +very enthusiastic about this matter and discoursed learnedly and +plausibly about it. The more the matter was talked about the more there +were who were converted to the belief that the short road would be the +best. The map showed every camp on the road and showed where there was +water and grass, and as to obstacles to the wagons it was thought they +could easily be overcome. A general meeting was called for better +consideration of the question. Capt. Hunt said: "You all know I was +hired to go by way of Los Angeles, but if you all wish to go and follow +Smith I will go also. But if even one wagon decides to go the original +route, I shall feel bound to go with that wagon." + +A great many were anxious to get the opinion of Capt. Hunt on the +feasibility of the new route for he was a mountain man and could +probably give us some good advice. He finally consented to talk of it, +and said he really knew no more then the others about this particular +route, but he very much doubted if a white man ever went over it, and +that he did not consider it at all safe for those who had wives and +children in their company to take the unknown road. Young men who had no +family could possibly get through, and save time even if the road was +not as good as Los Angeles road. But said he "If you decide to follow +Smith I will go will go with you, even if the road leads to Hell." + +On the route from near Salt Lake to this point we found the country to +grow more barren as we progressed. The grass was thinner, and sage brush +took the place of timber. Our road took us in sight of Sevier Lake, and +also, while going through the low hills, passed Little Salt Lake, which +was almost dry, with a beach around it almost as white as snow. It might +have had a little more the dignity of a lake in wet weather, but it was +a rather dry affair as we saw it. + +At one point on this route we came into a long narrow valley, well +covered with sage brush, and before we had gone very far we discovered +that this was a great place for long eared rabbits, we would call them +Jack Rabbits now. Every one who had a gun put it into service on this +occasion, and there was much popping and shooting on every side. Great +clouds of smoke rolled up as the hunters advanced and the rabbits ran in +every direction to get away. Many ran right among the horses, and under +the feet of the cattle and under the wagons, so that the teamsters even +killed some with a whip. At the end of the valley we went into camp, and +on counting up the game found we had over 500, or about one for every +person in camp. This gave us a feast of fresh meat not often found. + +It was on this trip that one of Mr. Bennett's ox drivers was taken with +a serious bowel difficulty, and for many days we thought he would die, +but he eventually recovered. His name was Silas Helmer. + +It was really a serious moment when the front of the train reached the +Smith trail. Team after team turned to the right while now and then one +would keep straight ahead as was at first intended. Capt. Hunt came over +to the larger party after the division was made, and wished them all a +hearty farewell and a pleasant happy journey. My friend Bennett whose +fortune I shared was among the seceders who followed the Smith party. +This point, when our paths diverged was very near the place afterward +made notorious as Mountain Meadows, where the famous massacre took place +under the direction of the Mormon generals. Our route from here up to +the mountain was a very pleasant one, steadily up grade, over rolling +hills, with wood, water and grass in plenty. We came at last to what +seemed the summit of a great mountain, about three days journey on the +new trail. Juniper trees grew about in bunches, and my experience with +this timber taught me that we were on elevated ground. + +Immediately in front of us was a cañon, impassible for wagons, and down +into this the trail descended. Men could go, horses and mules, perhaps, +but wagons could no longer follow that trail, and we proposed to camp +while explorers were sent out to search a pass across this steep and +rocky cañon. Wood and bunch grass were plenty, but water was a long way +down the trail and had to be packed up to the camp. Two days passed, and +the parties sent out began to come in, all reporting no way to go +farther with the wagons. Some said the trail on the west side of the +cañon could be ascended on foot by both men and mules, but that it would +take years to make it fit for wheels. + +The enthusiasm about the Smith cut-off had begun to die and now the talk +began of going back to follow Hunt. On the third morning a lone traveler +with a small wagon and one yoke of oxen, died. He seemed to be on this +journey to seek to regain his health. He was from Kentucky, but I have +forgotten his name. Some were very active about his wagon and, some +thought too much attention was paid to a stranger. He was decently +buried by the men of the company. + +This very morning a Mr. Rynierson called the attention of the crowd and +made some remarks upon the situation. He said: "My family is near and +dear to me. I can see by the growth of the timber that we are in a very +elevated place. This is now the seventh of November, it being the fourth +at the time of our turning off on this trail. We are evidently in a +country where snow is liable to fall at any time in the winter season, +and if we were to remain here and be caught in a severe storm we should +all probably perish. I, for one, feel in duty bound to seek a safer way +than this. I shall hitch up my oxen and return at once to the old trail. +Boys (to his teamsters) get the cattle and we'll return." This was +decisive, and Mr. Rynierson would tarry no longer. Many others now +proceeded to get ready and follow, and as Mr. Rynierson drove out of +camp quite a respectable train fell in behind him. As fast as the +hunters came in and reported no road available, they also yoked up their +oxen and rolled out. Some waited awhile for companions yet in the +fields, and all were about ready to move, when a party came in with news +that the pass was found and no trouble could be seen ahead. About +twenty-seven wagons remained when this news came, and as their +proprietors had brought good news they agreed to travel on westward and +not go back to the old trail. + +Mr. Bennett had gone only a short distance out when he had the +misfortune to break the axle of his wagon and he then went back to camp +and took an axle out of the dead man's wagon and by night had it fitted +into his own. He had to stay until morning, and there were still a few +others who were late in getting a start, who camped there also. Among +these were J.B. Arcane, wife and child; two Earhart brothers and sons +and some two or three other wagons. + +When all was ready we followed the others who had gone ahead. The route +led at first directly to the north and a pass was said to be in that +direction. Of the Green River party only Rodgers and myself remained +with this train. After the wagons straightened out nicely, a meeting was +called to organize, so as to travel systematically. A feeling was very +manifest that those without any families did not care to bind themselves +to stand by and assist those who had wives and children in their party +and there was considerable debate, which resulted in all the family +wagons being left out of the arrangements. + +A party who called themselves "The Jayhawkers" passed us, and we +followed along in the rear, over rolling hills covered with juniper +timber, and small grassy valleys between where there was plenty of water +and went well, for those before us had broken out the road so we could +roll along very pleasantly. + +At the organization Jim Martin was chosen captain. Those who were +rejected were Rev. J.W. Brier and, his family, J.B. Arcane and family, +and Mr. A. Bennett and family, Mr. Brier would not stay put out, but +forced himself in, and said he was going with the rest, and so he did. +But the other families remained behind. I attended the meeting and heard +what was said, but Mr. Bennett was my friend and had been faithful to me +and my property when he knew not where I was, and so I decided to stand +by him and his wife at all hazards. + +As I had no team to drive I took every opportunity to climb the +mountains along the route, reaching the highest elevations even if they +were several miles from the trail. I sometimes remained out all night. I +took Mr. Arcane's field glass with me and was thus able to see all there +was of the country. I soon became satisfied that going north was not +taking us in the direction we ought to go. I frequently told them so, +but they still persisted in following on. I went to the leaders and told +them we were going back toward Salt Lake again, not making any headway +toward California. They insisted they were following the directions of +Williams, the mountaineer; and they had not yet got as far north as he +indicated. I told them, and Mr. Bennett and others, that we must either +turn west, or retrace our steps and get back into the regular Los +Angeles road again. In the morning we held another consultation and +decided to turn west here, and leave the track we had been following. + +Off we turned at nearly right angles to our former course, to the west +now, over a piece of table land that gave us little trouble in breaking +our own road. When we camped, the oxen seemed very fond of a white weed +that was very plenty, and some borrowed a good deal of trouble thinking +that perhaps it might be poison. I learned afterwards that this plant +was the nutritious white sage, which cattle eat freely, with good +results. We now crossed a low range and a small creek running south, and +here were also some springs. Some corn had been grown here by the +Indians. Pillars of sand stone, fifteen feet high and very slim were +round about in several places and looked strange enough. The next piece +of table land sloped to the east, and among the sage grew also a bunch +grass a foot high, which had seeds like broom-corn seeds. The Indians +had gathered the grass and made it in piles of one hundred pounds or so, +and used it for food as I found by examining their camps. + +One day I climbed a high mountain where some pine grew, in order to get +a view of the country. As I neared its base I came to a flat rock, +perhaps fifty feet square. I heard some pounding noise as I came near, +but what ever it was, it ceased on my approach. There were many signs of +the rock being used as a camp, such as pine burrs, bones of various +kinds of animals, and other remains of food which lay every where about +and on the rock. Near the center was a small oblong stone fitted into a +hole. I took it out and found it covered a fine well of water about +three feet deep and was thus protected against any small animal being +drowned in it. I went on up the mountain and from the top I saw that the +land west of us looked more and more barren. + +The second night the brave Jayhawkers who had been so firm in going +north hove in sight in our rear. They had at last concluded to accept my +advice and had came over our road quite rapidly. We all camped together +that night, and next morning they took the lead again. After crossing a +small range they came to a basin which seemed to have no outlet, and was +very barren. Some of the boys in advance of the teams had passed over +this elevation and were going quite rapidly over the almost level plain +which sloped into the basin, when they saw among the bunches of sage +brush behind them a small party of Indians following their road, not +very far off, but still out of bow and arrow range. The boys were +suddenly able to take much longer steps than usual and a little more +rapidly too, and swinging round toward the teams as soon as possible, +for they already had some fears that an arrow might be sticking in their +backs in an unpleasantly short space of time, for the Indians were good +travelers. When they came in sight of the wagons, the Indians vanished +as quickly as if they had gone into a hole, with no sign remaining, +except a small dog which greatly resembled a prairie wolf, and kept a +safe distance away. No one could imagine where the fellows went so +suddenly. + +We drove to the west side of this basin and camped near the foot of a +low mountain. The cattle were driven down into the basin where there was +some grass, but at camp we had only the water in our kegs. + +Some of the boys climbed the mountain on the north but found no springs: +Coming down a cañon they found some rain water in a basin in the rocks +and all took a good drink. Lew West lay down and swallowed all he could +and then told the boys to kill him for he never would feel so good +again. They finished the pool, it was so small, before they left it. In +going on down the cañon they saw an Indian dodge behind some big rocks, +and searching, they found him in a cave as still as a dead man. They +pulled him out and made him go with them, and tried every way to find +out from him where they were and where Owen's Lake was, as they had been +told the lake was on their route. But he proved to be no wiser than a +man of mud, and they led him along to camp, put a red flannel shirt on +him to cover his nakedness, and made him sleep between two white men so +he could not get away easily. In the morning they were more successful, +and he showed us a small ravine four miles away which had water in it, +enough for our use, and we moved up and camped there, while the boys and +the Indian started over a barren, rocky mountain, and when over on the +western slope they were led to a water hole on a steep rocky cliff where +no one but an Indian would ever think of looking for water. They took +out their cups and had a good drink all around, then offered the Indian +some, but he disdained the civilized way, and laying down his bow and +arrows took a long drink directly out of the pool. He was so long in +getting a good supply that the boys almost forgot him as they were +gazing over the distant mountain and discussing prospects, till +attracted by a slight noise they looked and saw Mr. Indian going down +over the cliffs after the fashion of a mountain sheep, and in a few +bounds he was out of sight. They could not have killed him if they had +tried, the move so sudden and unlooked for. They had expected the fellow +to show them the way to Owen's lake, but now their guide was gone, and +left nothing to remember him by except his bow and arrows. So they +returned to their wagons not much wiser than before. + +All kinds of game was now very scarce, and so seldom seen that the men +got tired of carrying their guns, and grew fearless of enemies. A heavy +rifle was indeed burdensome over so long a road when there was no +frequent use for it. The party kept rolling along as fast as possible +but the mountains and valleys grew more barren and water more scarce all +the time. When found, the water would be in hole at the outlet of some +cañon, or in little pools which had filled up with rain that had fallen +on the higher ground. Not a drop of rain had fallen on us since we +started on this cut-off, and every night was clear and warm. The +elevated parts of the country seemed to be isolated buttes, with no +running streams between them but instead, dry lakes with a smooth clay +bed, very light in color and so hard that the track of an ox could not +be seen on its glittering surface. At a distance those clay beds looked +like water shining in the sun and were generally about three times as +far as any one would judge, the air was so clear. This mirage, or +resemblance to water was so perfect as often to deceive us, and almost +to our ruin on one or two occasions. + +I took Arcane's field glass and took pains to ascend all the high buttes +within a day's walk of the road, and this enabled me to get a good +survey of the country north and west. I would sometimes be gone two or +three days with no luggage but my canteen and gun. I was very cautious +in regard to Indians, and tried to keep on the safe side of surprises. I +would build a fire about dark and then travel on till I came to a small +washed place and lie down and stay till morning, so if Mr. Indian did +come to my fire he would not find any one to kill. One day I was going +up a wide ravine leading to the summit, and before I reached the highest +part I saw a smoke curl up before me. I took a side ravine and went +cautiously, bowed down pretty low so no one could see me, and when near +the top of the ridge and about one hundred yards of the fire I ventured +to raise slowly up and take a look to see how many there were in camp: I +could see but two and as I looked across the ravine an Indian woman +seemed looking at me also, but I was so low she could only see the top +of my head, and I sank down again out of sight. I crawled further up so +as to get a better view, and when I straightened up again she got a full +view of me. She instantly caught her infant off its little pallet made +of a small piece of thin wood covered with a rabbit skin, and putting +the baby under one arm, and giving a smart jerk to a small girl that was +crying to the top of her voice, she bounded off and fairly flew up the +gentle slope toward the summit, the girl following after very close. The +woman's long black hair stood out as she rushed along, looking over her +shoulder every instant as if she expected to be slain. The mother flying +with her children, untrammeled with any of the arts of fashion was the +best natural picture I ever looked upon, and wild in the extreme. No +living artist could do justice to the scene as the lady of the desert, +her little daughter and her babe, passed over the summit out of sight. I +followed, but when I reached the highest summit, no living person could +be seen. I looked the country over with my glass. The region to the +north was black rocky, and very mountainous. I looked some time and then +concluded I had better not go any further that way, for I might be +waylaid and filled with arrows at some unsuspected moment. We saw Indian +signs almost every day, but as none of them ever came to our camp it was +safe to say they were not friendly. I now turned back and examined the +Indian woman's camp. She had only fire enough to make a smoke. Her +conical shaped basket left behind, contained a few poor arrows and some +cactus leaves, from which the spines had been burned, and there lay the +little pallet where the baby was sleeping. It was a bare looking kitchen +for hungry folks. + +I now went to the top of a high butte and scanned the country very +carefully, especially to the west and north, and found it very barren. +There were no trees, no fertile valleys nor anything green. Away to the +west some mountains stood out clear and plain, their summits covered +white with snow. This I decided was our objective point: Very little +snow could be seen elsewhere, and between me and the snowy mountains lay +a low, black rocky range, and a wide level plain, that had no signs of +water, as I had learned them in our trip thus far across the country. +The black range seemed to run nearly north and south, and to the north +and northwest the country looked volcanic, black and desolate. + +As I looked and thought, I believed that we were much farther from a +fertile region then most of our party had any idea of. Such of them as +had read Fremont's travels, and most of them going to California had +fortified themselves before starting by reading Fremont; said that the +mountains were near California and were fertile from their very summits +down to the sea, but that to the east of the mountains it was a desert +region for hundred of miles. As I explained it to them, and so they soon +saw for themselves, they believed that the snowy range ahead of us was +the last range to cross before we entered the long-sought California, +and it seemed not far off, and prospect quite encouraging. + +Our road had been winding around among the buttes which looked like the +Indian baskets turned upside down on the great barren plain. What water +we found was in small pools in the wash-out places near the foothills at +the edge of the valley, probably running down the ravines after some +storm. There were dry lake beds scattered around over the plain, but it +did not seem as if there had ever been volume of water enough lately to +force itself out so far into the plain as these lakes were. All the +lakes appeared about the same, the bed white and glistening in the sun, +which made it very hard for the eyes, and so that a man in passing over +it made no visible track. It looked as if it one time might have been a +smooth bed of plastic mortar, and had hardened in the sun. It looked as +if there must have been water there sometime, but we had not seen a +drop, or a single cloud; every day was clear and sunny, and very warm, +and at night no stars forgot to shine. + +Our oxen began to look bad, for they had poor food. Grass had been very +scarce, and now when we unyoked them and turned them out they did not +care to look around much for something to eat. They moved slowly and +cropped disdainfully the dry scattering shrubs and bunches of grass from +six inches to a foot high. Spending many nights and days on such dry +food and without water they suffered fearfully, and though fat and sleek +when we started from Salt Lake, they now looked gaunt and poor, and +dragged themselves slowly along, poor faithful servants of mankind. No +one knew how long before we might have to kill some of them to get food +to save our own lives. + +We now traveled several days down the bed of a broad ravine, which led +to a southwest direction. There seemed to be a continuous range of +mountains on the south, but to the north was the level plain with +scattered buttes, and what we had all along called dry lakes, for up to +this time we had seen no water in any of them. I had carried my rifle +with me every day since we took this route, and though I was an +experienced hunter, a professional one if there be such a thing, I had +killed only one rabbit, and where no game lived I got as hungry as other +folks. + +Our line soon brought us in sight of a high butte which stood apparently +about 20 miles south of our route, and I determined to visit and climb +it to get a better view of things ahead. I walked steadily all day and +reached the summit about dusk. I wandered around among the big rocks, +and found a projecting cliff where I would be protected from enemies, +wind or storm, and here I made my camp. While the light lasted I +gathered a small stock of fuel, which consisted of a stunted growth of +sage and other small shrubs, dry but not dead, and with this I built a +little fire Indian fashion and sat down close to it. Here was a good +chance for undisturbed meditation and someway I could not get around +doing a little meditating as I added a new bit of fuel now and then to +the small fire burning at my side. I thought it looked dark and +troublesome before us. I took a stone for a pillow with my hat on it for +a cushion, and lying down close under the shelving rock I went to sleep, +for I was very tired, I woke soon from being cold, for the butte was +pretty high, and so I busied myself the remainder of the night in adding +little sticks to the fire, which gave me some warmth, and thus in +solitude I spent the night. I was glad enough to see the day break over +the eastern mountains, and light up the vast barren country I could see +on every hand around me. When the sun was fairly up I took a good survey +of the situation, and it seemed as if pretty near all creation was in +sight. North and west was a level plain, fully one hundred miles wide it +seemed, and from anything I could see it would not afford a traveler a +single drink in the whole distance or give a poor ox many mouthfuls of +grass. On the western edge it was bounded by a low, black and rocky +range extending nearly north and south for a long distance and no pass +though it which I could see, and beyond this range still another one +apparently parallel to it. In a due west course from me was the high +peak we had been looking at for a month, and lowest place was on the +north side, which we had named Martin's Pass and had been trying so long +to reach. This high peak, covered with snow, glistened to the morning +sun, and as the air was clear from clouds or fog, and no dust or haze to +obscure the view, it seemed very near. + +I had learned by experience that objects a day's walk distant seemed +close by in such a light, and that when clear lakes appeared only a +little distance in our front, we might search and search and never find +them. We had to learn how to look for water in this peculiar way. In my +Wisconsin travel I had learned that when I struck a ravine I must go +down to look for living water, but here we must invariably travel upward +for the water was only found in the high mountains. + +Prospects now seemed to me so hopeless, that I heartily wished I was not +in duty bound to stand by the women and small children who could never +reach a land of bread without assistance. If I was in the position that +some of them were who had only themselves to look after, I could pick up +my knapsack and gun and go off, feeling I had no dependent ones to leave +behind. But as it was I felt I should be morally guilty of murder if I +should forsake Mr. Bennett's wife and children, and the family of Mr. +Arcane with whom I had been thus far associated. It was a dark line of +thought but I always felt better when I got around to the determination, +as I always did, to stand by my friends, their wives and children let +come what might. + +I could see with my glass the train of wagons moving slowly over the +plain toward what looked to me like a large lake. I made a guess of the +point they would reach by night, and then took a straight course for it +all day long in steady travel. It was some time after dark, and I was +still a quarter of a mile from the camp fires, where in the bed of a +cañon I stepped into some mud, which was a sign of water. I poked around +in the dark for a while and soon found a little pool of it, and having +been without a drop of it for two days I lay down and took a hasty +drink. It did not seem to be very clear or clean, but it was certainly +wet, which was the main thing just then. The next morning I went to the +pond of water, and found the oxen had been watered there. They stirred +up the mud a good deal and had drank off about all the clean part, which +seemed to refresh them very much. I found the people in the camp on the +edge of the lake I had seen from the mountain, and fortunately it +contained about a quarter of an inch of water. They had dug some holes +here, which filled up, and they were using this water in the camp. + +The ambitious mountain-climbers of our party had by this, time, +abandoned that sort of work, and I was left alone to look about and try +to ascertain the character of the road they were to follow. It was a +great deal to do to look out for food for the oxen and for water for the +camp, and besides all this it was plain there were Indians about even if +we did not see them. There were many signs, and I had to be always on +the lookout to outgeneral them. When the people found I was in camp this +night they came around to our wagons to know what I had seen and found, +and what the prospects were ahead. Above all they wanted to know how far +it was, in my opinion to the end of our journey. I listened to all their +inquiries and told them plainly what I had seen, and what I thought of +the prospect. I did not like telling the whole truth about it for fear +it might dampen their spirits, but being pressed for an opinion I told +them in plain words that it would at least be another month before their +journey would be ended. They seemed to think I ought to be pretty good +authority, and if I was not mistaken, the oxen would get very poor and +provisions very scarce before we could pull through so long. I was up at +day break and found Mr. Bennett sitting by the fire. About the first +thing he said:--"Lewis, if you please I don't want you hereafter to +express your views so openly and emphatically as you did last night +about our prospects. Last night when I went to bed I found Sarah (his +wife) crying and when pressed for the cause, she said she had heard your +remarks on the situation, and that if Lewis said so it must be correct, +for he knows more about it than all of you. She felt that she and the +children must starve." + +In the morning Jayhawkers, and others of the train that were not +considered strictly of our own party, yoked up and started due west +across the level plain which I had predicted as having no water, and I +really thought they would never live to get across to the western +border. Mr. Culverwell and Mr. Fish stayed with us, making another wagon +in our train. We talked about the matter carefully, I did not think it +possible to get across that plain in less than four or six days, and I +did not believe there was a drop of water on the route. To the south of +us was a mountain that now had considerable snow upon its summit, and +some small pine trees also. Doubtless we could find plenty of water at +the base, but being due south, it was quite off our course. The +prospects for reaching water were so much better in that way that we +finally decided to go there rather than follow the Jayhawkers on their +desolate tramp over the dry plain. + +So we turned up a cañon leading toward the mountain and had a pretty +heavy up grade and a rough bed for a road. Part way up we came to a high +cliff and in its face were niches or cavities as large as a barrel or +larger, and in some of them we found balls of a glistening substance +looking something like pieces of varigated candy stuck together. The +balls were as large as small pumpkins. It was evidently food of some +sort, and we found it sweet but sickish, and those who were so hungry as +to break up one of the balls and divide it among the others, making a +good meal of it, were a little troubled with nausea afterwards. I +considered it bad policy to rob the Indians of any of their food, for +they must be pretty smart people to live in this desolate country and +find enough to keep them alive, and I was pretty sure we might count +them as hostiles as they never came near our camp. Like other Indians +they were probably revengeful, and might seek to have revenge on us for +the injury. We considered it prudent to keep careful watch for them, so +they might not surprise us with a volley of arrows. + +The second night we camped near the head of the cañon we had been +following, but thus far there had been no water, and only some stunted +sage brush for the oxen, which they did not like, and only ate it when +near the point of starvation. They stood around the camp looking as +sorry as oxen can. During the night a stray and crazy looking cloud +passed over us and left its moisture on the mountain to the shape of a +coat of snow several inches deep. When daylight came the oxen crowded +around the wagons, shivering with cold, and licking up the snow to +quench their thirst. We took pattern after them and melted snow to get +water for ourselves. + +By the looks of our cattle it did not seem as if they could pull much, +and light loads were advisable on this up grade. Mr. Bennett was a +carpenter and had brought along some good tools in his wagon. These he +reluctantly unloaded, and almost everything else except bedding and +provisions, and leaving them upon the ground, we rolled up the hills +slowly, with loads as light as possible. + +Rogers and I went ahead with our guns to look out the way and find a +good camping place. After a few miles we got out of the snow and out +upon an incline, and in the bright clear morning air the foot of the +snowy part of the mountain seemed near by and we were sure we could +reach it before night. From here no guide was needed and Rogers and I, +with our guns and canteens hurried on as fast as possible, when a camp +was found we were to raise a signal smoke to tell them where it was. We +were here, as before badly deceived as to the distance, and we marched +steadily and swiftly till nearly night before we reached the foot of the +mountain. + +Here was a flat place in a table land and on it a low brush hut, with a +small smoke near by, which we could plainly see as we were in the shade +of the mountain, and that place lighted up by the nearly setting sun. We +looked carefully and satisfied ourselves there was but one hut, and +consequently but few people could be expected. We approached carefully +and cautiously, making a circuit around so as to get between the hut and +the hill in case that the occupants should retreat in that direction. It +was a long time before we could see any entrance to this wickiup, but we +found it at last and approached directly in front, very cautiously +indeed: We could see no one, and thought perhaps they were in ambush for +us, but hardly probable, as we had kept closely out of sight. We +consulted a moment and concluded to make an advance and if possible +capture some one who could tell us about the country, as we felt we were +completely lost. When within thirty yards a man poked out his head out +of a doorway and drew it back again quick as a flash. We kept out our +guns at full cock and ready for use, and told Rogers to look out for +arrows, for they would come now if ever. But they did not pull a bow on +us, and the red-man, almost naked came out and beckoned for us to come +on which we did. + +We tried to talk with the fellow in the sign language but he could +understand about as much as an oyster. I made a little basin in the +ground and filled it with water from our canteens to represent a lake, +then pointed in an inquiring way west and north, made signs of ducks and +geese flying and squawking, but I did no seem to be able to get an idea +into his head of what we wanted. I got thoroughly provoked at him and +may have shown some signs of anger. During all this time a child or two +in the hut squalled terribly, fearing I suppose they would all be +murdered. We might have lost our scalps under some circumstances, but we +appeared to be fully the strangest party, and had no fear, for the +Indian had no weapon about him and we had both guns and knives. The poor +fellow was shivering with cold, and with signs of friendship we fired +off one of the guns which waked him up a little and he pointed to the +gun and said "Walker," probably meaning the same good Chief Walker who +had so fortunately stopped us in our journey down Green River. I +understood from the Indian that he was not friendly to Walker, but to +show that he was all right with us he went into the hut and brought out +a handful of corn for us to eat. By the aid of a warm spring near by +they had raised some corn here, and the dry stalks were standing around. + +As we were about to leave I told him we would come back, next day and +bring him some clothes if we could find any to spare, and then we +shouldered our guns and went back toward the wagons, looking over our +shoulders occasionally to see if we were followed. We walked fast down +the hill and reached the camp about dark to find it a most unhappy one +indeed. Mrs. Bennett and Mrs. Arcane were in heart-rending distress. The +four children were crying for water but there was not a drop to give +them, and none could be reached before some time next day. The mothers +were nearly crazy, for they expected the children would choke with +thirst and die in their arms, and would rather perish themselves than +suffer the agony of seeing their little ones gasp and slowly die. They +reproached themselves as being the cause of all this trouble. For the +love of gold they had left homes where hunger had never come, and often +in sleep dreamed of the bounteous tables of their old homes only to be +woefully disappointed in the morning. There was great gladness when John +Rogers and I appeared in the camp and gave the mothers full canteens of +water for themselves and little ones, and there was tears of joy and +thankfulness upon their cheeks as they blessed us over and over again. + +The oxen fared very hard. The ground was made up of broken stone, and +all that grew was a dry and stunted brush not more than six inches high, +of which the poor animals took an occasional dainty bite, and seemed +hardly able to drag along. + +It was only seven or eight miles to the warm spring and all felt better +to know for a certainty that we would soon be safe again. We started +early, even the women walked, so as to favor the poor oxen all we could. +When within two miles of the water some of the oxen lay down and refused +to rise again, so we had to leave them and a wagon, while the rest +pushed on and reached the spring soon after noon. We took water and went +back to the oxen left behind, and gave them some to drink. They were +somewhat rested and got up, and we tried to drive them in without the +wagons, but they were not inclined to travel without the yoke, so we put +it on them and hitched to the wagon again. The yoke and the wagon seemed +to brace them up a good deal, and they went along thus much better than +when alone and scattered about, with nothing to lean upon. + +The warm spring was quite large and ran a hundred yards or more before +the water sank down into the dry and thirsty desert. The dry cornstalks +of last years crop, some small willows, sagebrush, weeds and grass +suited our animals very well, and they ate better than for a long time, +and we thought it best to remain two or three days to give them a chance +to get rest. The Indian we left here the evening before had gone and +left nothing behind but a chunk of crystallized rock salt. He seemed to +be afraid of his friends. + +The range we had been traveling nearly parallel with seemed to come to +an end here where this snow peak stood, and immediately north and south +of this peak there seemed to be a lower pass. The continuous range north +was too low to hold snow. In the morning I concluded to go to the summit +of that pass and with my glass have an extensive view. Two other boys +started with me, and as we moved along the snow line we saw tracks of +our runaway Indian in the snow, passing over a low ridge. As we went on +up hill our boys began to fall behind, and long before night I could see +nothing of them. The ground was quite soft, and I saw many tracks of +Indians which put me on my guard. I reached the summit and as the shade +of its mountain began to make it a little dark, I built a fire of sage +brush, ate my grub, and when it was fairly dark, renewed the fire and +passed on a mile, where in a small ravine with banks two feet high I lay +down sheltered from the wind and slept till morning. I did this to beat +the Indian in his own cunning. + +Next morning I reached the summit about nine o'clock, and had the +grandest view I ever saw. I could see north and south almost forever. +The surrounding region seemed lower, but much of it black, mountainous +and barren. On the west the snow peak shut out the view in that +direction. To the south the mountains seemed to descend for more than +twenty miles, and near the base, perhaps ten miles away, were several +smokes, apparently from camp fires, and as I could see no animals or +camp wagons anywhere I presumed them to be Indians. A few miles to the +north and east of where I stood, and somewhat higher, was the roughest +piece of ground I ever saw. It stood in sharp peaks and was of many +colors, some of them so red that the mountain looked red hot, I imagined +it to be a true volcanic point, and had never been so near one before, +and the most wonderful picture of grand desolation one could ever see. + +Toward the north I could see the desert the Jayhawkers and their +comrades had under taken to cross, and if their journey was as +troublesome as ours and very much longer, they might by this time be all +dead of thirst. I remained on this summit an hour or so bringing my +glass to bear on all points within my view, and scanning closely for +everything that might help us or prove an obstacle to our progress. The +more I looked the more I satisfied myself that we were yet a long way +from California and the serious question of our ever living to get there +presented itself to me as I tramped along down the grade to camp. I put +down at least another month of heavy weary travel before we could hope +to make the land of gold, and our stock of strength and provisions were +both pretty small for so great a tax upon them. I thought so little +about anything else that the Indians might have captured me easily, for +I jogged along without a thought of them. I thought of the bounteous +stock of bread and beans upon my father's table, to say nothing about +all the other good things, and here was I, the oldest son, away out in +the center of the Great American Desert, with an empty stomach and a dry +and parched throat, and clothes fast wearing out with constant wear. And +perhaps I had not yet seen the worst of it. I might be forced to see +men, and the women and children of our party, choke and die, powerless +to help them. It was a darker, gloomier day than I had ever known could +be, and alone I wept aloud, for I believed I could see the future, and +the results were bitter to contemplate. I hope no reader of this history +may ever be placed in a position to be thus tried for I am not ashamed +to say that I have a weak point to show under such circumstances. It is +not in my power to tell how much I suffered in my lonely trips, lasting +sometimes days and nights that I might give the best advice to those of +my party. I believed that I could escape at any time myself, but all +must be brought through or perish, and with this all I knew I must not +discourage the others. I could tell them the truth, but I must keep my +worst apprehensions to myself lest they loose heart and hope and faith +needlessly. + +I reached the camp on the third day where I found the boys who went part +way with me and whom I had out-walked. I related to the whole camp what +I had seen, and when all was told it appeared that the route from the +mountains westerly was the only route that could be taken, they told me +of a discovery they had made of a pile of squashes probably raised upon +the place, and sufficient in number so that every person could have one. +I did not approve of this for we had no title to this produce, and might +be depriving the rightful owner of the means of life. I told them not +only was it wrong to rob them of their food, but they could easily +revenge themselves on us by shooting our cattle, or scalp us, by +gathering a company of their own people together. They had no experience +with red men and were slow to see the results I spoke of as possible. + +During my absence an ox had been killed, for some were nearly out of +provisions, and flesh was the only means to prevent starvation. The meat +was distributed amongst the entire camp, with the understanding that +when it became necessary to kill another it should be divided in the +same way. Some one of the wagons would have to be left for lack of +animals to draw it. Our animals were so poor that one would not last +long as food. No fat could be found on the entire carcass, and the +marrow of the great bones was a thick liquid, streaked with blood +resembling corruption. + +Our road led us around the base of the mountain; There were many large +rocks in our way, some as large as houses, but we wound around among +them in a very crooked way and managed to get along. The feet of the +oxen became so sore that we made moccasins for them from the hide of the +ox that was killed, and with this protection they got along very well. +Our trains now consisted of seven wagons. Bennett had two; Arcane two; +Earhart Bros. one. Culverwell, Fish and others one; and there was one +other, the owners of which I have forgotten. The second night we had a +fair camp with water and pretty fair grass and brush for the oxen. We +were not very far from the snow line and this had some effect on the +country. When Bennett retired that night he put on a camp kettle of the +fresh beef and so arranged the fire that it would cook slowly and be +done by daylight for breakfast. After an hour or so Mr. Bennett went out +to replenish the fire and see how the cooking was coming on, and when I +went to put more water in the kettle, he found that to his +disappointment, the most of the meat was gone. I was rolled up in my +blanket under his wagon and awoke when he came to the fire and saw him +stand and look around as if to fasten the crime on the right party if +possible, but soon he came to me, and in a whisper said: "Did you see +anyone around the fire after we went to bed?" I assured him I did not, +and then he told me some one had taken his meat. "Do you think," said he +"that any one is so near out of food as to be starving?" "I know the +meat is poor, and who ever took it must be nearly starving." After a +whispered conversation we went to bed, but we both rose at daylight and, +as we sat by the fire, kept watch of those who got up and came around. +We thought we knew the right man, but were not sure, and could not +imagine what might happen if stealing grub should begin and continue. It +is a sort of unwritten law that in parties such as ours, he who steals +provisions forfeits his life. We knew we must keep watch and if the +offense was repeated the guilty one might be compelled to suffer. +Bennett watched closely and for a few days I kept closely with the +wagons for fear there might be trouble. It was really the most critical +point in our experience. After three or four days all hope of detecting +the criminal had passed, and all danger was over out of any difficulty. + +One night we had a fair camp, as we were close to the base of the snow +butte, and found a hole of clear or what seemed to be living water. +There were a few minnows in it not much more than an inch long. This was +among a big pile of rocks, and around these the oxen found some grass. + +There now appeared to be a pass away to the south as a sort of outlet to +the great plain which lay to the north of us, but immediately west and +across the desert waste, extending to the foot of a low black range of +mountains, through which there seemed to be no pass, the distant snowy +peak lay still farther on, with Martin's pass over it still a long way +off though we had been steering toward it for a month. Now as we were +compelled to go west this impassable barrier was in our way and if no +pass could be found in it we would be compelled to go south and make no +progress in a westerly direction. + +Our trail was now descending to the bottom of what seemed to be the +narrowest part of the plain, the same one the Jayhawkers had started +across, further north, ten days before. When we reached the lowest part +of this valley we came to a running stream, and, as dead grass could be +seen in the bed where the water ran very slowly, I concluded it only had +water in it after hard rains in the mountains, perhaps a hundred miles, +to the north. This water was not pure; it had a bitter taste, and no +doubt in dry weather was a rank poison. Those who partook of it were +affected about as if they had taken a big dose of salts. + +A short distance above this we found the trail of the Jayhawkers going +west, and thus we knew they had got safely across the great plain and +then turned southward. I hurried along their trail for several miles and +looked the country over with field glass becoming fully satisfied we +should find no water till we reached the summit, of the next range, and +then fearing the party had not taken the precaution to bring along some +water I went back to them and found they had none. I told them they +would not see a drop for the next forty miles, and they unloaded the +lightest wagon and drove back with everything they had which would hold +water, to get a good supply. + +I turned back again on the Jayhawker's road, and followed it so rapidly +that well toward night I was pretty near the summit, where a pass +through this rocky range had been found and on this mountain not a tree +a shrub or spear of grass could be found--desolation beyond conception. +I carried my gun along every day, but for the want of a chance to kill +any game a single load would remain in my gun for a month. Very seldom a +rabbit could be seen, but not a bird of any kind, not even a hawk +buzzard or crow made their appearance here. + +When near the steep part of the mountain, I found a dead ox the +Jayhawkers had left, as no camp could be made here for lack of water and +grass, the meat could not be saved. I found the body of the animal badly +shrunken, but in condition, as far as putrefaction was concerned, as +perfect as when alive. A big gash had been cut in the ham clear to the +bone and the sun had dried the flesh in this. I was so awful hungry that +I took my sheath knife and cut a big steak which I devoured as I walked +along, without cooking or salt. Some may say they would starve before +eating such meat, but if they have ever experienced hunger till it +begins to draw down the life itself, they will find the impulse of self +preservation something not to be controlled by mere reason. It is an +instinct that takes possession of one in spite of himself. + +I went down a narrow, dark cañon high on both sides and perpendicular, +and quite so in many places. In one of the perpendicular portions it +seemed to be a varigated clay formation, and a little water seeped down +its face. Here the Indians had made a clay bowl and fastened it to the +wall so that it would collect and retain about a quart of water, and I +had a good drink of water, the first one since leaving the running +stream. Near here I staid all night, for fear of Indians who I firmly +believe would have taken my scalp had a good opportunity offered. I +slept without a fire, and my supply of meat just obtained drove hunger +away. + +In the morning I started down the cañon which descended rapidly and had +a bed of sharp, volcanic, broken rock. I could sometimes see an Indian +track, and kept a sharp lookout at every turn, for fear of revenge on +account of the store of squashes which had been taken. I felt I was in +constant danger, but could do nothing else but go on and keep eyes open +trusting to circumstances to get out of any sudden emergency that might +arise. + +As I recollect this was Christmas day and about dusk I came upon the +camp of one man with his wife and family, the Rev. J.W. Brier, Mrs. +Brier and two sons. I inquired for others of his party and he told me +they were somewhere ahead. When I arrived at his camp I found the +reverend gentleman very cooly delivering a lecture to his boys on +education. It seemed very strange to me to hear a solemn discourse on +the benefits of early education when, it seemed to me, starvation was +staring us all in the face, and the barren desolation all around gave +small promise of the need of any education higher than the natural +impulses of nature. None of us knew exactly where we were, nor when the +journey would be ended, nor when substantial relief would come. +Provisions were wasting away, and some had been reduced to the last +alternative of subsisting on the oxen alone. I slept by the fire that +night, without a blanket, as I had done on many nights before and after +they hitched up and drove on in the morning I searched the camp +carefully, finding some bacon rinds they had thrown away. As I chewed +these and could taste the rich grease they contained, I thought they +were the sweetest morsels I ever tasted. + +Here on the north side of the cañon were some rolling hills and some +small weak springs, the water of which when gathered together made a +small stream which ran a few yards down the cañon before it lost itself +in the rocks and sand. On the side there stood what seemed to be one +half of a butte, with the perpendicular face toward the cañon. Away on +the summit of the butte I saw an Indian, so far away he looked no taller +than my finger, and when he went out of sight I knew pretty well he was +the very fellow who grew the squashes. I thought it might be he, at any +rate. + +I now turned back to meet the teams and found them seven or eight miles +up the cañon, and although it was a down grade the oxen were barely able +to walk slowly with their loads which were light, as wagons were almost +empty except the women and children. When night came on it seemed to be +cloudy and we could hear the cries of the wild geese passing east. We +regarded this as a very good sign and no doubt Owen's Lake, which we +expected to pass on this route, was not very far off. Around in those +small hills and damp places was some coarse grass and other growths, but +those who had gone before devoured the best, so our oxen had a hard time +to get anything to eat. + +Next morning I shouldered my gun and followed down the cañon keeping the +wagon road, and when half a mile down, at the sink of the sickly stream, +I killed a wild goose. This had undoubtedly been attracted here the +night before by the light of our camp fire. When I got near the lower +end of the cañon, there was a cliff on the north or right hand side +which was perpendicular or perhaps a little overhanging, and at the base +a cave which had the appearance of being continuously occupied by +Indians. As I went on down I saw a very strange looking track upon the +ground. There were hand and foot prints as if a human being had crawled +upon all fours. As this track reached the valley where the sand had been +clean swept by the wind, the tracks became more plain, and the sand had +been blown into small hills not over three or four feet high. I followed +the track till it led to the top of one of these small hills where a +small well-like hole had been dug and in this excavation was a kind of +Indian mummy curled up like a dog. He was not dead for I could see him +move as he breathed, but his skin looked very much like the surface of a +well dried venison ham. I should think by his looks he must be 200 or +300 years old, indeed he might be Adam's brother and not look any older +than he did. He was evidently crippled. A climate which would preserve +for many days or weeks the carcass of an ox so that an eatable round +stake could be cut from it, might perhaps preserve a live man for a +longer period than would be believed. + +I took a good long look at the wild creature and during all the time he +never moved a muscle, though he must have known some one was in the well +looking down at him. He was probably practicing on one of the directions +for a successful political career looking wise and saying nothing. At +any rate he was not going to let his talk get him into any trouble. He +probably had a friend around somewhere who supplied his wants. I now +left him and went farther out into the lowest part of the valley. I +could look to the north for fifty miles and it seemed to rise gradually +in that direction. To the south the view was equally extended, and down +that way a lake could be seen. The valley was here quite narrow, and the +lofty snow-capped peak we had tried so hard to reach for the past two +months now stood before me. Its east side was almost perpendicular and +seemed to reach the sky, and the snow was drifting over it, while here +the day sun was shining uncomfortably hot. I believe this mountain was +really miles from its base to its summit, and that nothing could climb +it on the eastern side except a bird and the only bird I had seen for +two months was the goose I shot. I looked every day for some sort of +game but had not seen any. + +As I reached the lower part of the valley I walked over what seemed to +be boulders of various sizes, and as I stepped from one to another the +tops were covered with dirt and they grew larger as I went along. I +could see behind them and they looked clear like ice, but on closer +inspection proved to be immense blocks of rock salt while the water +which stood at their bases was the strongest brine. After this discovery +I took my way back to the road made by the Jayhawkers and found it quite +level, but sandy. Following this I came to a campfire soon after dark at +which E. Doty and mess were camped. As I was better acquainted I camped +with them. They said the water there was brackish and I soon found out +the same thing for myself. It was a poor camp; no grass, poor water and +scattering, bitter sage brush for food for the cattle. It would not do +to wait long here, and so they hurried on. + +I inquired of them about Martin's Pass, as they were now quite near it, +and they said it was no pass at all, only the mountain was a little +lower than the one holding the snow. No wagon could get over it, and the +party had made up their minds to go on foot, and were actually burning +their wagons as fuel with which to dry the meat of some of the oxen +which they had killed. They selected those which were weakest and least +likely to stand the journey, and by drying it the food was much +concentrated. They were to divide the provisions equally and it was +agreed thereafter every one must lookout for himself and not expect any +help from anyone. If he used up his own provisions, he had no right to +expect anyone else to divide with him. Rice, tea and coffee were +measured out by the spoonful and the small amount of flour and bacon +which remained was divided out as evenly as possible. Everything was to +be left behind but blankets and provisions for the men were too weak to +carry heavy packs and the oxen could not be relied on as beasts of +burden and it was thought best not to load them so as to needlessly +break them down. + +When these fellows started out they were full of spirit, and the frolic +and fun along the Platte river was something worth laughing at but now +they were very melancholy and talked in the lowest kind of low spirits. +One fellow said he knew this was the Creator's dumping place where he +had left the worthless dregs after making a world, and the devil had +scraped these together a little. Another said this must be the very +place where Lot's wife was turned into a pillar of salt, and the pillar +been broken up and spread around the country. He said if a man was to +die he would never decay on account of the salt. Thus the talk went on, +and it seemed as if there were not bad words enough in the language to +properly express their contempt and bad opinion of such a country as +this. They treated me to some of their meat, a little better than mine, +and before daylight in the morning I was headed back on the trail to +report the bad news I had learned of the Jayhawkers. + +About noon I met two of our camp companions with packs on their backs +following the wagon trail, and we stopped and had a short talk. They +were oldish men perhaps 50 years old, one a Mr. Fish of Indiana and +another named Gould. They said they could perhaps do as well on foot as +to follow the slow ox teams, but when I told them what those ahead of +them were doing, and how they must go, they did not seem to be entirely +satisfied, as what they had on their backs would need to be replenished, +and no such chance could be expected. They had an idea that the end of +the journey was not as far off as I predicted. Mr. Fish had a long +nicely made, whiplash wound around his waist, and when I asked him why +he carried such a useless thing, which he could not eat, he said perhaps +he could trade it off for something to eat. After we had set on a sand +hill and talked for awhile, we rose and shook each other by the hand, +and bade each other good bye with quivering lips. There was with me a +sort of expression I could not repel that I should never see the middle +aged men again. + +As my road was now out and away from the mountains, and level, I had no +fear of being surprised by enemies, so walked on with eyes downcast, +thinking over the situation, and wondering what would be the final +outcome. If I were alone, with no one to expect me to help them, I would +be out before any other man, but with women and children in the party, +to go and leave them would be to pile everlasting infamy on my head. The +thought almost made me crazy but I thought it would be better to stay +and die with them, bravely struggling to escape than to forsake them in +their weakness. + +It was almost night before I reached our camp, and sitting around our +little fire I told, in the most easy way I could the unfavorable news of +the party in advance. They seemed to look to me as a guide and adviser, +I presume because I took much pains to inform myself on every point and +my judgment was accepted with very little opposing opinion, they moved +as I thought best. During my absence from camp for the two days the +Indians had shot arrows into three of our oxen, and one still had an +arrow in his side forward of the hip which was a dangerous place. To be +sure and save him for ourselves we killed him. Some were a little afraid +to eat the meat thinking perhaps the arrow might be poisoned, but I +agreed that they wanted meat themselves and would not do that. I told +them if they got a shot themselves it would be very likely to be a +poisoned arrow and they must take the most instant measures to cut it +out before it went into the blood. So we ventured to dry the meat and +take it with us. + +Now I said to the whole camp "You can see how you have displeased the +red men, taking their little squashes, and when we get into a place that +suits them for that purpose, they may meet us with a superior force and +massacre us, not only for revenge but to get our oxen and clothing." I +told them we must ever be on guard against a surprise, as the chances +were greatly against us. + +We pulled the arrows out of the other oxen, and they seemed to sustain +no great injury from the wounds. This little faint stream where we +camped has since been named as Furnace Creek and is still known as such. +It was named in 1862 by some prospectors who built what was called an +air furnace on a small scale to reduce some ore found near by, which +they supposed to contain silver, but I believe it turned out to be lead +and too far from transportations to be available. + + + + +CHAPTER X. + + +Bennett and Arcane now concluded not to wait for me to go ahead and +explore out a way for them to follow, as I had done for a long time, but +to go ahead as it was evidently the best way to turn south and make our +own road, and find the water and passes all for ourselves. So they +hitched up and rolled down the cañon, and out into the valley and then +turned due south. We had not gone long on this course before we saw that +we must cross the valley and get over to the west side. To do this we +must cross through some water, and for fear the ground might be miry, I +went to a sand hill near by and got a mesquite stick about three feet +long with which to sound out our way. I rolled up my pants pulled off my +moccasins and waded in, having the teams stand still till I could find +out whether it was safe for them to follow or not by ascertaining the +depth of the water and the character of the bottom. + +The water was very clear and the bottom seemed uneven, there being some +deep holes. Striking my stick on the bottom it seemed solid as a rock, +and breaking off a small projecting point I found it to be solid rock +salt. As the teams rolled along they scarcely roiled the water. It +looked to me as if the whole valley which might be a hundred miles long +might have been a solid bed of rock salt. Before we reached this water +there were many solid blocks of salt lying around covered with a little +dirt on the top. + +The second night we found a good spring of fresh water coming out from +the bottom of the snow peak almost over our heads. The small flow from +it spread out over the sand and sank in a very short distance and there +was some quite good grass growing around. + +This was a temporary relief, but brought us face to face with stranger +difficulties and a more hopeless outlook. + +There was no possible way to cross this high steep range of mountains +anywhere to the north and the Jayhawkers had abandoned their wagons and +burned them, and we could no longer follow on the trail they made. It +seemed that there was no other alternative but for us to keep along the +edge of the mountain to the south and search for another pass. Some who +had read Fremont's travels said that the range immediately west of us +must be the one he described, on the west side of which was a beautiful +country, of rich soil and having plenty of cattle, and horses, and +containing some settlers, but on the east all was barren, dry, rocky, +sandy desert as far as could be seen. We knew this eastern side answered +well the description and believed that this was really the range +described, or at least it was close by. + +We had to look over the matter very carefully and consider all the +conditions and circumstances of the case. We could see the mountains +were lower to the south, but they held no snow and seemed only barren +rocks piled up in lofty peaks, and as we looked it seemed the most +God-forsaken country in the world. + +We had been in the region long enough to know the higher mountains +contained most water, and that the valleys had bad water or none at all, +so that while the lower altitudes to the south gave some promise of +easier crossing it gave us no promise of water or grass, without which +we must certainly perish. In a certain sense we were lost. The clear +night and days furnished us with the mean of telling the points of +compass as the sun rose and set, but not a sign of life in nature's wide +domain had been seen for a month or more. A vest pocketful of powder and +shot would last a good hunter till he starved to death for there was not +a living thing to shoot great or small. + +We talked over our present position pretty freely, and every one was +asked to speak his unbiased mind, for we knew not who might be right or +who might be wrong, and some one might make a suggestion of the utmost +value. We all felt pretty much downhearted. Our civilized provisions +were getting so scarce that all must be saved for the women and +children, and the men must get along some way on ox meat alone. It was +decided not a scrap of anything that would sustain life must go to +waste. The blood, hide and intestines were all prepared in some way for +food. This meeting lasted till late at night. If some of them had lost +their minds I should not have been surprised, for hunger swallows all +other feelings. A man in a starving condition is a savage. He may be as +blood-shed and selfish as a wild beast, as docile and gentle as a lamb, +or as wild and crazy as a terrified animal, devoid of affection, reason +or thought of justice. We were none of us as bad as this, and yet there +was a strange look in the eyes of some of us sometimes, as I saw by +looking round, and as others no doubt realized for I saw them making +mysterious glances even in my direction. + +Morning came and all were silent. The dim prospect of the future seemed +to check every tongue. When one left a water hole he went away as if in +doubt whether he would ever enjoy the pleasure of another drop. Every +camp was sad beyond description, and no one can guide the pen to make it +tell the tale as it seemed to us. When our morning meal of soup and meat +was finished, Bennett's two teams, and the two of Arcane's concluded +their chances of life were better if they could take some provisions and +strike out on foot, and so they were given what they could carry, and +they arranged their packs and bade us a sorrowful good bye hoping to +meet again on the Pacific Coast. There were genuine tears shed at the +parting and I believe neither party ever expected to see each other in +this life again. + +Bennett's two men were named Silas Helmer and S.S. or C.C. Abbott, but I +have forgotten the names of Arcane's men. Mr. Abbott was from New York, +a harness maker by trade, and he took his circular cutting knife with +him, saying it was light to carry and the weapon he should need. One of +them had a gun. They took the trail taken by the Jayhawkers. All the +provisions they could carry besides their blankets could not last them +to exceed 10 days, and I well knew they could hardly get off the desert +in that time. Mr. Abbott was a man I loved fondly. He was good company +in camp, and happy and sociable. He had shown no despondency at any time +until the night of the last meeting and the morning of the parting. His +chances seemed to me to be much poorer than my own, but I hardly think +he realized it. When in bed I could not keep my thoughts back from the +old home I had left, where good water and a bountiful spread were always +ready at the proper hour. I know I dreamed of taking a draft of cool, +sweet water from a full pitcher and then woke up with my mouth and +throat as dry as dust. The good home I left behind was a favorite theme +about the campfire, and many a one told of the dream pictures, natural +as life, that came to him of the happy Eastern home with comfort and +happiness surrounding it, even if wealth was lacking. The home of the +poorest man on earth was preferable to this place. Wealth was of no +value here. A hoard of twenty dollar gold pieces could now +stand before us the whole day long with no temptation to touch a single +coin, for its very weight would drag us nearer death. We could purchase +nothing with it and we would have cared no more for it as a thing of +value than we did the desert sands. We would have given much more for +some of the snow which we could see drifting over the peak of the great +snow mountains over our heads like a dusty cloud. + +Deeming it best to spare the strength as much as possible, I threw away +everything I could, retaining only my glass, some ammunition, sheath +knife and tin cup. No unnecessary burden could be put on any man or +beast, lest he lie down under it, never to rise again. Life and strength +were sought to be husbanded in every possible way. + +Leaving this camp where the water was appreciated we went over a road +for perhaps 8 miles and came to the mouth of a rocky cañon leading up +west to the summit of the range. This cañon was too rough for wagons to +pass over. Out in the valley near its mouth was a mound about four feet +high and in the top of this a little well that held about a pailful of +water that was quite strong of sulphur. When stirred it would look quite +black. About the mouth of the well was a wire grass that seemed to +prevent it caving in. It seems the drifting sand had slowly built this +little mound about the little well of water in a curious way. We spent +the night here and kept a man at the well all night to keep the water +dipped out as fast as it flowed, in order to get enough for ourselves +and cattle. The oxen drank this water better than they did the brackish +water of the former camp. + +The plain was thinly scattered with sage brush, and up near the base of +the mountain some greasewood grew in little bunches like currant bushes. + +The men with wagons decided they would take this cañon and follow it up +to try to get over the range, and not wait for me to go ahead and +explore, as they said it took too much time and the provisions, +consisting now of only ox meat were getting more precarious every day. +To help them all I could and if possible to be forewarned a little of +danger, I shouldered my gun and pushed on ahead as fast as I could. The +bottom was of sharp broken rock, which would be very hard for the feet +of the oxen, although we had rawhide moccasins for them for some time, +and this was the kind of foot-gear I wore myself. I walked on as rapidly +as I could, and after a time came to where the cañon spread out into a +kind of basin enclosed on all sides but the entrance, with a wall of +high, steep rock, possible to ascend on foot but which would apparently +bar the further progress of the wagons, and I turned back utterly +disappointed. I got on an elevation where I could look over the country +east and south, and it looked as if there was not a drop of water in its +whole extent, and there was no snow on the dark mountains that stretched +away to the southward and it seemed to me as if difficulties beset me on +every hand. I hurried back down the cañon, but it was nearly dark before +I met the wagons. By a mishap I fell and broke the stock of my gun, over +which I was very sorry, for it was an excellent one, the best I ever +owned. I carried it in two pieces to the camp and told them the way was +barred, at which they could hardly endure their disappointment. They +turned in the morning, as the cattle had nothing to eat here and no +water, and not much of any food since leaving the spring; they looked +terribly bad, and the rough road coming up had nearly finished them. +They were yoked up and the wagons turned about for the return. They went +better down hill, but it was not long before one of Bennett's oxen lay +down, and could not be persuaded to rise again. This was no place to +tarry in the hot sun, so the ox was killed and the carcass distributed +among the wagons. So little draft was required that the remaining oxen +took the wagon down. When within two or three miles of the water hole +one of Arcane's oxen also failed and lay down, so they turned him out +and when he had rested a little he came on again for a while, but soon +lay down again. + +Arcane took a bucket of water back from camp and after drinking it and +resting awhile the ox was driven down to the spring. + +This night we had another meeting to decide upon our course and +determine what to do. At this meeting no one was wiser than another, for +no one had explored the country and knew what to expect. The questions +that now arose were "How long can we endure this work in this situation? +How long will our oxen be able to endure the great hardship on the small +nourishment they receive? How long can we provide ourselves with food?" + +We had a few small pieces of dry bread. This was kept for the children +giving them a little now and then. Our only food was in the flesh of the +oxen, and when they failed to carry themselves along we must begin to +starve. It began to look as if the chances of leaving our bones to +bleach upon the desert were the most prominent ones. + +One thing was certain we must move somewhere at once. If we stay here we +can live as long as the oxen do, and no longer, and if we go on it is +uncertain where to go, to get a better place. We had guns and ammunition +to be sure, but of late we had seen no living creature in this desert +wild. Finally Mr. Bennett spoke and said:-- + +"Now I will make you a proposition. I propose that we select two of our +youngest, strongest men and ask them to take some food and go ahead on +foot to try to seek a settlement, and food, and we will go back to the +good spring we have just left and wait for their return. It will surely +not take them more than ten days for the trip, and when they get back we +shall know all about the road and its character and how long it will +take us to travel it. They can secure some other kind of food that will +make us feel better, and when the oxen have rested a little at the +spring we can get out with our wagons and animals and be safe. I think +this is the best and safest way." + +"Now what do you all say?" After a little discussion all seemed to agree +that this was the best, and now it remained to find the men to go. No +one offered to accept the position of advance messengers. Finally Mr. +Bennett said he knew one man well enough to know that he would come back +if he lived, and he was sure he would push his way through. "I will take +Lewis (myself) if he will consent to go." I consented, though I knew it +was a hazardous journey, exposed to all sorts of things, Indians, +climate and probable lack of water, but I thought I could do it and +would not refuse. John Rogers a large strong Tennessee, man was then +chosen as the other one and he consented also. + +Now preparations began, Mr. Arcane killed the ox which had so nearly +failed, and all the men went to drying and preparing meat. Others made +us some new mocassins out of rawhide, and the women made us each a +knapsack. + +Our meat was closely packed, and one can form an idea how poor our +cattle were from the fact that John and I actually packed seven-eighths +of all the flesh of an ox into our knapsacks and carried it away. They +put in a couple of spoonfuls of rice and about as much tea. This seemed +like robbery to the children, but the good women said that in case of +sickness even that little bit might save our lives. I wore no coat or +vest, but took half of a light blanket, while Rogers wore a thin summer +coat and took no blanket. We each had a small tin cup and a small camp +kettle holding a quart. Bennett had me take his seven-shooter rifle, and +Rogers had a good double barreled shot gun. We each had a sheath knife, +and our hats were small brimmed, drab affairs fitting close to the head +and not very conspicuous to an enemy as we might rise up from behind a +hill into possible views. We tried on our packs and fitted the straps a +little so they would carry easy. They collected all the money there was +in camp and gave it to us. Mr. Arcane had about $30 and others threw in +small amounts from forty cents upward. We received all sorts of advice. +Capt. Culverwell was an old sea faring man and was going to tell us how +to find our way back, but Mr. Bennett told the captain that he had known +Lewis as a hunter for many years, and that if he went over a place in +the daytime he could find his way back at night every time. Others +cautioned us about the Indians and told us how to manage. Others told us +not to get caught in deep snow which we might find on the mountains. + +This advice we received in all the kindness in which it was given, and +then we bade them all good bye. Some turned away, too much +affected to approach us and others, shook our hands with deep feeling, +grasping them firmly and heartily hoping we would be successful and be +able to pilot them out of this dreary place into a better land. Every +one felt that a little food to make a change from the poor dried meat +would be acceptable. Mr. and Mrs. Bennett and J.B. Arcane and wife were +the last to remain when the others had turned away. They had most faith +in the plan and felt deeply. Mrs. Bennett was the last, and she asked +God to bless us and bring some food to her starving children. + +We were so much affected that we could not speak and silently turned +away and took our course again up the canyon we had descended the night +before. + +After a while we looked back and when they saw us turn around, all the +hats and bonnets waved us a final parting. + +Those left in the camp were Asabel, Bennett and Sarah his wife, with +three children, George, Melissa, and Martha; J.B. Arcane and wife with +son Charles. The youngest children were not more than two years old. +There were also the two Earhart brothers, and a grown son, Capt. +Culverwell, and some others I cannot recall; eleven grown people in all, +besides a Mr. Wade, his wife and three children who did not mingle with +our party, but usually camped a little distance off, followed our trail, +but seemed to shun company. We soon passed round a bend of the cañon, +and then walked on in silence. + +We both of us meditated some over the homes of our fathers, but took new +courage in view of the importance of our mission and passed on as fast +as we could. + +By night we were far up the mountain, near the perpendicular rough peak, +and far above us on a slope we could see some bunches of grass and sage +brush. We went to this and found some small water holes. No water ran +from them they were so small. Here we staid all night. It did not seem +very far to the snowy peak to the north of us. Just where we were seemed +the lowest pass, for to the south were higher peaks and the rocks looked +as if they were too steep to be got over. + +Through this gap came a cold breeze, and we had to look round to get a +sheltered place in which to sleep. We lay down close together, spoon +fashion, and made the little blanket do as cover for the both of us. In +the morning we filled our canteens, which we had made by binding two +powder cans together with strips of cloth, and started for the summit +near by. From this was the grandest sight we ever beheld. Looking east +we could see the country we had been crawling over since November 4th. +"Just look at the cursed country we have come over!" said Rogers as he +pointed over it. To the north was the biggest mountain we ever saw, +peaks on peaks and towering far above our heads, and covered with snow +which was apparently everlasting. + +This mountain seemed to have very few trees on it, and in extent, as it +reached away to the north seemed interminable. South was a nearly level +plain, and to the west I thought I could dimly see a range of mountains +that held a little snow upon their summits, but on the main range to the +south there was none. It seemed to me the dim snowy mountains must be as +far as 200 miles away, but of course I could not judge accurately. After +looking at this grand, but worthless landscape long enough to take in +its principal features we asked each other what we supposed the people +we left behind would think to see mountains so far ahead. We knew that +they had an idea that the coast range was not very far ahead, but we saw +at once to go over all these mountains and return within the limits of +fifteen days which had been agreed upon between us, would probably be +impossible, but we must try as best we could, so down the rocky steep we +clambered and hurried on our way. In places the way was so steep that we +had to help each other down, and the hard work made us perspire freely +so that the water was a prime necessity. In one place near here, we +found a little water and filled our canteens, besides drinking a good +present supply. There were two low, black rocky ranges directly ahead of +us which we must cross. + +When part way down the mountain a valley or depression opened up in that +direction up which it seemed as if we could look a hundred miles. Near +by and a short distance north was a lake of water and when we reached +the valley we crossed a clear stream of water flowing slowly toward the +lake. + +Being in need of water, we rushed eagerly to it and prepared to take a +big drink, but the tempting fluid was as salt as brine and made our +thirst all the more intolerable. Nothing grew on the bank of this stream +and the bed was of hard clay, which glistened in the sun. + +We now began the ascent of the next ridge, keeping a westernly course, +and walked as fast as we could up the rough mountain side. We crossed +the head of a cañon near the summit about dark, and here we found a +trail, which from indications we knew to be that of the Jayhawkers, who +had evidently been forced to the southward of the course they intended +to take. They had camped here and had dug holes in the sand in search of +water, but had found none. + +We staid all night here and dug around in some other places in the +bottom of the cañon, in the hope to have better luck than they did, but +we got no water anywhere. + +We seemed almost perishing for want of water, the hard exercise made us +perspire so freely. In the morning we started on, and near the summit we +came to the dead body of Mr. Fish, laying in the hot sun, as there was +no material near here with which his friends could cover the remains. +This Mr. Fish was the man who left camp some two weeks before in company +with another and who carried the long whiplash wound about his body, in +hope he could somewhere be able to trade it for bread. No doubt in this +very place where he breathed his last, his bones still lie. + +As we came in sight of the next valley, we could see a lake of water +some distance south of our western course. + +We had followed the Jayhawkers trail thus far, but as we found no water +in small holes in the rocks as we were likely to do when we were the +first to pass, we decided to take a new route in the hope to find a +little water in this way, for we had no hope of finding it in any other. +This valley we now crossed seemed to come to an end about ten miles to +the north of us. To the south it widened out, enclosing the lake spoken +of. This valley was very sandy and hard to walk over. When about halfway +across we saw some ox tracks leading toward the lake, and in the hope we +might find the water drinkable we turned off at right angles to our +course and went that way also. Long before we reached the water of the +lake, the bottom became a thin, slimy mud which was very hard on our +mocassins. When we reached the water we found it to be of a wine color, +and so strongly alkaline as to feel slippery to the touch, and under our +feet. + +This side trip, had cost us much exertion and made us feel more thirsty +than ever. + +We turned now west again, making for a cañon, up which we passed in the +hope we should at some turn find a little basin of rain water in some +rock. We traveled in it miles and miles, and our mouths became so dry we +had to put a bullet or a small smooth stone in and chew it and turn it +around with the tongue to induce a flow of saliva. If we saw a spear of +green grass on the north side of a rock, it was quickly pulled and eaten +to obtain the little moisture it contained. + +Thus we traveled along for hours, never speaking, for we found it much +better for our thirst to keep our mouths closed as much as possible, and +prevent the evaporation. The dry air of that region took up water as a +sponge does. We passed the summit of this ridge without finding any +water, and on our way down the western side we came to a flat place +where there was an Indian hut made of small brush. We now thought there +surely must be some water near and we began a thorough search. The great +snow mountain did not seem far off, but to the south and southwest a +level or inclined plain extended for a long distance. Our thirst began +to be something terrible to endure, and in the warm weather and hard +walking we had secured only two drinks since leaving camp. + +We were so sure that there must be water near here that we laid our +knapsacks down by the little hut and looked around in every possible +place we could think of. Soon it got dark and then we made a little fire +as a guide and looked again. Soon the moon arose and helped us some, and +we shouted frequently to each other so as not to get lost. + +We were so nearly worn out that we tried to eat a little meat, but after +chewing a long time, the mouth would not moisten it enough so we could +swallow, and we had to reject it. It seemed as if we were going to die +with plenty of food in our hand, because we could not eat it. + +We tried to sleep but could not, but after a little rest we noticed a +bright star two hours above the horizon, and from the course of the moon +we saw the star must be pretty truly west of us. We talked a little, and +the burden of it was a fear that we could not endure the terrible thirst +a while longer. The thought of the women and children waiting for our +return made us feel more desperate than if we were the only ones +concerned. We thought we could fight to the death over a water hole if +we could only secure a little of the precious fluid. No one who has ever +felt the extreme of thirst can imagine the distress, the dispair, which +it brings. I can find no words, no way to express it so others can +understand. + +The moon gave us so much light that we decided we would start on our +course, and get as far as we could before the hot sun came out, and so +we went on slowly and carefully in the partial darkness, the only hope +left to us being that our strength would hold out till we could get to +the shining snow on the great mountain before us. We reached the foot of +the range we were descending about sunrise. There was here a wide wash +from the snow mountain, down which some water had sometime run after a +big storm, and had divided into little rivulets only reaching out a +little way before they had sunk into the sand. + +We had no idea we could now find any water till we at least got very +near the snow, and as the best way to reach it we turned up the wash +although the course was nearly to the north. The course was up a gentle +grade and seemed quite sandy and not easy to travel. It looked as if +there was an all day walk before us, and it was quite a question if we +could live long enough to make the distance. There were quite strong +indications that the water had run here not so very long ago, and we +could trace the course of the little streams round among little sandy +islands. A little stunted brush grew here but it was so brittle that the +stems would break as easy as an icicle. + +In order to not miss a possible bit of water we separated and agreed +upon a general course, and that if either one found water he should fire +his gun as a signal. After about a mile or so had been gone over I heard +Roger's gun and went in his direction. He had found a little ice that +had frozen under the clear sky. It was not thicker than window glass. +After putting a piece in our mouths we gathered all we could and put it +into the little quart camp kettle to melt. We gathered just a kettle +full, besides what we ate as we were gathering, and kindled a little +fire and melted it. + +I can but think how providential it was that we started in the night for +in an hour after the sun had risen that little sheet of ice would have +melted and the water sank into the sand. Having quenched our thirst we +could now eat, and found that we were nearly starved also. In making +this meal we used up all our little store of water, but we felt +refreshed and our lives renewed so that we had better courage to go on. + +We now took our course west again taking a bee line for a bluff that lay +a little to the south of the big snow mountain. On and on we walked till +the dark shadow of the great mountain in the setting sun was thrown +about us, and still we did not seem more than half way to the bluff +before us. + +All the way had been hill and very tiresome walking. There was +considerable small brush scattered about, here and there, over this +steeply inclined plain. + +We were still several miles from the base of this largest of the +mountains and we could now see that it extended west for many miles. The +buttes to the south were low, black and barren, and to the west as far +as we could see there were no mountains with any snow. As the sun got +further down we could see a small smoke curling up near the base of the +mountain, and we thought it must be some signal made by the Indians, as +we had often seen them signal in that way, but we stopped and talked the +matter over, and as we were yet a long way from the bluff which had been +our objective point, we concluded we would investigate the smoke signal +a little closer. So we set off toward it in the dusk and darkness and +when within about a mile we found we were in a tract that had been +somewhat beaten. Feeling with my fingers I was quite sure I could +distinguish ox tracks, and then was quite sure that we had overtaken the +Jayhawkers, or at least were on their trail. And then I thought perhaps +they had fallen among the Indians, who now might be feasting on their +oxen and it became necessary to use great caution in approaching the +little smoke. + +We took a circuitous route and soon saw that the persons were on a +little bench above us and we kept very cautious and quiet, listening for +any sounds that might tell us who they were. + +If they were Indians we should probably hear some of their dogs, but we +heard none, and kept creeping closer and closer, till we were within +fifty yards without hearing a sound to give us any idea of who they +were. + +We decided to get our guns at full cock and then hail the camp, feeling +that we had a little the advantage of position. We hailed and were +answered in English. "Don't Shoot" said we and they assured us they had +no idea of such a thing, and asked us to come in. We found here to our +surprise, Ed Doty, Tom Shannon, L.D. Stevens, and others whom I do not +recollect, the real Jayhawkers. They gave us some fresh meat for supper, +and near the camp were some water holes that answered well for camp +purposes. + +Here an ox had given out and they had stopped long enough to dry the +meat, while the others had gone on a day ahead. + +Coming around the mountain from the north was quite a well defined +trail, leading to the west and they said they were satisfied some one +lived at the end of it, and they were going to follow it if it lead to +Mexico or anywhere else. They said that Mr. Brier and his family were +still on behind, and alone. Every one must look out for himself here, +and we could not do much for another in any way. + +We inquired of them about the trail over which they had come, and where +they had found water, and we told them of our experience in this +respect. We then related how our train could not go over the mountains +with wagons, how they had returned to the best spring, and that we +started to go through to the settlements to obtain relief while they +waited for our return. We explained to them how they must perish without +assistance. If we failed to get through, they could probably live as +long as the oxen lasted and would then perish of starvation. We told +them how nearly we came to the point of perishing that very morning, of +thirst, and how we were saved by finding a little patch of ice in an +unexpected place, and were thus enabled to come on another days travel. + +These men were not as cheerful as they used to be and their situation +and prospects constantly occupied their minds. They said to us that if +the present trail bore away from the mountain and crossed the level +plain, that there were some of them who could not possibly get along +safely to the other side. Some were completely discouraged, and some +were completely out of provisions and dependent on those who had either +provisions or oxen yet on hand. An ox was frequently killed, they said, +and no part of it was wasted. At a camp where there was no water, for +stewing, a piece or hide would be prepared for eating by singeing off +the hair and then roasting in the fire. The small intestines were drawn +through the fingers to clean them, and these when roasted made very fair +food. + +They said they had been without water for four or five days at a time +and came near starving to death, for it was impossible to swallow food +when one became so thirsty. They described the pangs of hunger as +something terrible and not to be described. They were willing to give us +any information we desired and we anxiously received all we could, for +on our return we desired to take the best possible route, and we thus +had the experience of two parties instead of one. They told us about the +death of Mr. Fish and Mr. Isham, and where we would find their bodies if +we went over their trail. + +In the morning we shouldered our packs again and took the trail leading +to the west, and by night we had overtaken the advance party of the +Jayhawkers, camped in a cañon where there was a little water, barely +sufficient for their use. We inquired why they did not take the trail +leading more directly west at the forks, and they said they feared it +would lead them into deep snow which would be impassible. They said they +considered the trail they had taken as altogether the safest one. + +We met Bennett and Arcane's teamsters, and as we expected they were +already out of grub and no way to get anymore. When the party killed an +ox they had humbly begged for some of the poorest parts, and thus far +were alive. They came to us and very pitifully told us they were +entirely out, and although an ox had been killed that day they had not +been able to get a mouthful. We divided up our meat and gave them some +although we did not know how long it would be before we would ourselves +be in the same situation. + +Thus far we had not seen anything to shoot, big or little although we +kept a sharp lookout. + +The whole camp was silent, and all seemed to realize their situation. +Before them was a level plain which had the appearance of being so broad +as to take five or six days to cross. Judging by the look from the top +of the mountain as we came over, there was little to hope for in the way +of water. We thought it over very seriously. All the water we could +carry would be our canteens full, perhaps two drinks apiece and the poor +meat had so little nourishment that we were weak and unable to endure +what we once could. + +We were alone, Rogers and I, in interest at any rate, even if there were +other men about. For the time it really seemed as if there was very +little hope for us and I have often repeated the following lines as very +closely describing my own feelings at that time. + + + Oh hands, whose loving, gentle grasp I loosed. + When first this weary journey was begun. + If I could feel your touch as once I could. + How gladly would I wish my work undone. + + _Harriet Keynon_. + + +During the evening, I had a talk with Capt. Asa Haines, in which he said +he left a good home in Illinois, where he had everything he could wish +to eat, and every necessary comfort, and even some to spare, and now he +felt so nearly worn out that he had many doubts whether he could live to +reach the mountains, on the other side. He was so deeply impressed that +he made me promise to let his wife and family know how I found him and +how he died, for he felt sure he would never see the California mines. I +said I might not get through myself, but he thought we were so young and +strong that we would struggle through. He said if he could only be home +once more he would be content to stay. This was the general tenor of the +conversation. There was no mirth, no jokes, and every one seemed to feel +that he was very near the end of his life, and such a death as stood +before them, choking, starving in a desert was the most dreary outlook I +ever saw. + +This camp of trouble, of forlorn hope, on the edge of a desert +stretching out before us like a small sea, with no hope for relief +except at the end of a struggle which seemed almost hopeless, is more +than any pen can paint, or at all describe. The writer had tried it +often. Picture to yourself, dear reader the situation and let your own +imagination do the rest. It can never come up to the reality. + +In the morning, as Rogers and I were about to start, several of the +oldest men came to us with their addresses and wished us to forward them +to their families if we ever got within the reach of mails. These men +shed tears, and we did also as we parted. We turned silently away and +again took up our march. + +As we went down the cañon we came to one place where it was so narrow, +that a man or a poor ox could barely squeeze through between the rocks, +and in a few miles more reached the open level plain. When three or four +miles out on the trail and not far from the hills we came to a bunch of +quite tall willows. The center of the bunch had been cut out and the +branches woven in so as to make a sort of corral. In the center of this +was a spring of good water and some good grass growing around. This was +pretty good evidence that some one had been here before. We took a good +drink and filled our canteens anew, for we did not expect to get another +drink for two or three days at least. + +We took the trail again and hurried on as the good water made us feel +quite fresh. After a few miles we began to find the bones of animals, +some badly decayed and some well preserved. All the heads were those of +horses, and it puzzled us to know where they came from. As we passed +along we noticed the trail was on a slight up grade and somewhat +crooked. If we stepped off from it the foot sank in about two inches in +dirt finer than the finest flour. The bones were scattered all along, +sometimes the bones of several animals together. Was it the long drive, +poison water, or what? It was evident they had not been killed but had +dropped along the way. + +It was a dreary trail at best, and these evidences of death did not help +to brighten it in the least. We wondered often where it led to and what +new things would be our experience. After walking fast all day we came +to quite an elevation, where we could stand and look in all directions. +The low black range where we left the Jayhawkers was in sight, and this +spur of the great snowy mountains extended a long way to the south, and +seemed to get lower and lower, finally ending in low rocky buttes, a +hundred miles away. Some may think this distance very far to see, but +those who have ever seen the clear atmosphere of that region will bear +me out in these magnificent distances. Generally a mountain or other +object seen at a distance would be three or four times as far off as one +would judge at first sight, so deceptive are appearances there. The +broad south end of the great mountain which we first saw the next +morning after we left the wagons, was now plain in sight, and peak after +peak extending away to the north, all of them white with snow. Standing +thus out in the plain we could see the breadth of the mountain east and +west, and it seemed as though it must have been nearly a hundred miles. +The south end was very abrupt and sank as one into a great plain in +which we stood, twenty miles from the mountain's base. + +To the northwest we could see a clay lake, or at least that was what we +called it, and a line of low hills seemed to be an extension of the +mountain in a direction swinging around to the south to enclose this +thirsty, barren plain before us, which was bounded by mountains or hills +on these sides. To the south this range seemed to get higher, and we +could see some snow capped mountains to the south of our westerly +course. The low mountains as those seen in the northwest direction is +the same place now crossed by the Southern Pacific Railroad, and known +as the Tehachipi pass, the noted loop, in which the railroad crosses +itself, being on the west slope and Ft. Tejon being on the same range a +little further south where the Sierra Nevada mountains and the Coast +Range join. The first mountain bearing snow, south of our course was +probably what is known as Wilson's peak, and the high mountains still +farther south, the San Bernardino mountains. There were no names there +known to us nor did we know anything of the topography of the country +except that we supposed a range of mountains was all that separated us +from California. + +We were yet in the desert, and if we kept our due west course, we must +cross some of the snow before us which if steep gave us some doubts +whether we could get through or not. + +We did not know exactly what the people left behind would do if we were +gone longer than we intended, but if they started on it was quite plain +to us they would be lost, and as seven days had already passed we were +in serious trouble for fear we could not complete the trip in the time +allotted to us. We surveyed the plain and mountains to learn its +situation and then started, on following our trail. As we went on we +seemed to be coming to lower ground, and near our road stood a tree of a +kind we had not seen before. The trunk was about six or eight inches +through and six or eight feet high with arms at the top quite as large +as the body, and at the end of the arms a bunch of long, stiff bayonet +shaped leaves. + +It was a brave little tree to live in such a barren country. As we +walked on these trees were more plenty and some were much larger than +the first. As we came to the lowest part of the valley there seemed to +be little faint water ways running around little clouds of stunted +shrubs, but there was no signs that very much water ever run in them. We +thought that these were the outlet of the big sandy lake which might get +full of water and overflow through these channels after some great +storm. + +As this low ground was quite wide we lost our trail in crossing it, and +we separated as we went along, looking to find it again, till nearly +dark when we looked for a camping place. Fortunately we found a little +pond of rain water, and some of our strange trees that were dead gave us +good material for a fire, so that we were very comfortable indeed, +having both drink and fire. + +Starting on again our course was now ascending slightly, and we came +across more and more of the trees, and larger ones than at first. We saw +some that seemed to have broken down with their own weight. The bayonet +shaped leaves seemed to fall off when old and the stalk looked so much +like an old overgrown cabbage stump that we name them "Cabbage trees," +but afterward learned they were a species of Yucca. We were much worried +at loosing our trail and felt that it would be quite unsafe to try to +cross the mountain without finding it again, so we separated, Rogers +going northwest, and I southwest, agreeing to swing round so as to meet +again about noon, but when we met, neither of us had found a trail, and +we were still about 10 miles from the foothills. Rogers said he had +heard some of the people say that the trail leading from Salt Lake to +Los Angeles crossed such a mountain in a low pass, with very high +mountains on each side, and he supposed that the high mountain to the +south must be the one where the trail crossed, but as this would take us +fully fifty miles south of our course as we supposed it was we hesitated +about going there, and concluded we would try the lowest place in the +mountain first, and if we failed we could then go and try Roger's route, +more to the south. + +So we pushed on, still keeping a distance apart to look out for the +trail, and before night, in the rolling hills, we saw here and there +faint traces of it, which grew plainer as we went along, and about +sundown we reached some water holes and from some old skulls of oxen +lying around the ground showing that it had at some previous time been a +camping ground. We found some good large sage brush which made a pretty +good fire, and if we could have had a little fresh meat to roast we +thought we were in a good position for supper. But that poor meat was +pretty dry food. However it kept us alive, and we curled up together and +slept, for the night was cool, and we had to make the little blanket do +its best. We thought we ought to find a little game, but we had not seen +any to shoot since we started. + +In the morning the trail led us toward the snow, and as we went along, a +brave old crow surprised us by lighting on a bush near the trail, and we +surprised him by killing him with a charge of shot. "Here's your fresh +meat," said Rogers as he put it into his knapsack to cook for supper, +and marched on. As we approached the summit we could see, on the high +mountains south of us, some trees, and when we came near the highest +part of our road there were some juniper trees near it, which was very +encouraging. We crossed over several miles of hard snow, but it +moistened up our moccassins and made them soft and uncomfortable. After +we had turned down the western slope we killed a small hawk. "Here's +your meat" said I, as the poor thin fellow was stowed away for future +grub, to cook with the crow. + +When we got out of the snow we had lost the trail again but the hills on +the sides were covered with large brush, and on a higher part of the +mountain south, were some big trees, and we began to think the country +would change for the better pretty soon. We followed down the ravine for +many miles, and when this came out into a larger one, we were greatly +pleased at the prospect, for down the latter came a beautiful little +running brook of clear pure water, singing as it danced over the stones, +a happy song and telling us to drink and drink again, and you may be +sure we did drink, for it had been months and months since we had had +such water, pure, sweet, free from the terrible alkali and stagnant +taste that had been in almost every drop we had seen. Rogers leveled his +shot gun at some birds and killed a beautiful one with a top knot on his +head, and colors bright all down his neck. It was a California quail. We +said birds always lived where human beings did, and we had great hopes +born to us of a better land. I told John that if the folks were only +there now I could kill game enough for them. + +We dressed our three birds and got them boiling in the camp kettle, and +while they were cooking talked over the outlook which was so flattering +that our tongues got loose and we rattled away in strange contrast to +the ominous silence of a week ago. While eating our stew of crow and +hawk, we could see willows alders and big sage brush around and we had +noticed what seemed to be cottonwoods farther down the cañon, and green +trees on the slope of the mountain. We were sure we were on the edge of +the promised land and were quite light hearted, till we began to tell of +plans to get the good people out who were waiting for us beside the +little spring in the desert. We talked of going back at once, but our +meat was too near gone, and we must take them something to encourage +them a little and make them strong for the fearful trip. As to these +birds--the quail was as superb a morsel as ever a man did eat; the hawk +was pretty fair and quite good eating; but that abominable crow! His +flesh was about as black as his feathers and full of tough and bony +sinews. We concluded we did not want any more of that kind of bird, and +ever since that day, when I have heard people talk of "eating crow" as a +bitter pill, I think I know all about it from experience. + +There seemed to be no other way for us but to push on in the morning and +try to obtain some relief for the poor women and children and then get +back to them as fast as ever we could, so we shouldered our packs and +went on down the cañon as fast as we could. We came soon to evergreen +oaks and tall cottonwoods, and the creek bottom widened out to two +hundred yards. There were trees on the south side and the brush kept +getting larger and larger. There was a trail down this cañon, but as it +passed under fallen trees we knew it could not have been the same one we +had been following on the other side of the summit, and when we +discovered a bear track in a soft place we knew very well it was not a +trail intended for human beings, and we might be ordered out almost any +moment. + +On the high bold grassy point about four hundred yards we saw two horses +that held their heads aloft and gave a snort, then galloped away out of +sight. About 10 o'clock I felt a sudden pain in my left knee, keen and +sharp, and as we went along it kept growing worse. I had to stop often +to rest, and it was quite plain that if this increased or continued I +was sure enough disabled, and would be kept from helping those whom we +had left. Nerved with the idea we must get help to them, and that right +soon, I hobbled along as well as I could, but soon had to say to Rogers +that he had better go on ahead and get help and let me come on as best I +could, for every moment of delay was a danger of death to our party who +trusted us to get them help. Rogers refused to do this, he said he would +stay with me and see me out, and that he could not do much alone, and +had better wait till I got better. So we worked along through the +tangled brush, being many times compelled to wade the stream to get +along, and this made our moccasins soft and very uncomfortable to wear. +I endured the pain all day, and we must have advanced quite a little +distance in spite of my lameness, but I was glad when night came and we +camped in the dark brushy cañon, having a big fire which made me quite +comfortable all night, though it was quite cold, and we had to keep +close together so as to use the blanket. I felt a little better in the +morning and after eating some of our poor dried meat, which was about as +poor as crow, and I don't know but a little worse, we continued on our +way. + +The tangle got worse and worse as we descended, and at times we walked +in the bed of the stream in order to make more headway, but my lameness +increased and we had to go very slow indeed. About noon we came to what +looked like an excavation, a hole four feet square or more it looked to +be, and on the dirt thrown out some cottonwood trees had grown, and one +of the largest of these had been cut down sometime before. This was the +first sign of white men we had seen and it was evidently an attempt at +mining, no one knows how long ago. It encouraged us at any rate, and we +pushed on through brush and briers, tangles of wild rose bushes and +bushes of every sort, till all of a sudden we came out into an open +sandy valley, well covered with sage brush and perhaps a hundred yards +wide; probably more. + +The hills on the south side had on them some oak trees and grassy spots, +but the north side was thickly covered with brush. Our beautiful little +brook that had kept us company soon sank into the dry sand out of sight, +and we moved rather slowly along every little while we spoke of the +chances of wagons ever getting through the road we had come, and the +hope that my lameness might not continue to retard our progress in +getting back to the place of our starting, that the poor waiting people +might begin to get out of the terrible country they were in and enjoy as +we had done, the beautiful running stream of this side of the mountain. +If I did not get better the chances were that they would perish, for +they never could come through alone, as the distance had proved much +greater than we had anticipated, and long dry stretches of the desert +were more than they would be prepared for. As it was we feared greatly +that we had consumed so much time they would get impatient and start out +and be lost. + +I continued to hobble along down the barren valley as well as I could +and here and there some tracks of animals were discovered, but we could +not make out whether they were those of domestic cattle or elk. Soon, on +the side of a hill, rather high up a pack of prairie wolves were +snarling around the carcass of some dead animal, and this was regarded +as another sign that more and better meat could be found, for these +animals only live where some sort of game can be found, and they knew +better than we that it was not for their health to go into the barren +desert. + +Before us now was a spur from the hills that reached nearly across our +little valley and shut out further sight in that direction and when we +came to it we climbed up over it to shorten the distance. When the +summit was reached a most pleasing sight filled our sick hearts with a +most indescribable joy. I shall never have the ability to adequately +describe the beauty of the scene as it appeared to us, and so long as I +live that landscape will be impressed upon the canvas of my memory as +the most cheering in the world. There before us was a beautiful meadow +of a thousand acres, green as a thick carpet of grass could make it, and +shaded with oaks, wide branching and symmetrical, equal to those of an +old English park, while all over the low mountains that bordered it on +the south and over the broad acres of luxuriant grass was a herd of +cattle numbering many hundreds if not thousands. They were of all colors +shades and sizes. Some were calmly lying down in happy rumination, +others rapidly cropping the sweet grass, while the gay calves worked off +their superfluous life and spirit in vigorous exercise or drew rich +nourishment in the abundant mother's milk. All seemed happy and content, +and such a scene of abundance and rich plenty and comfort bursting thus +upon our eyes which for months had seen only the desolation and sadness +of the desert, was like getting a glimpse of Paradise, and tears of joy +ran down our faces. If ever a poor mortal escapes from this world where +so many trials come, and joys of a happy Heaven are opened up to him, +the change cannot be much more that this which was suddenly opened to us +on that bright day which was either one of the very last of December +1849 or the first of January 1850, I am inclined to think it was the +very day of the new year, but in our troubles, the accuracy of the +calendar was among the least of our troubles. If it was, as I believe +the beginning of the year, it was certainly a most auspicious one and +one of the most hopeful of my life. + +And _now if the others were only here_, was the burden of our thought, +and a serious awakening from the dream of beauty and rich plenty spread +out before us. This ring-streaked and speckled herd might be descended +directly from Jacob's famous herd, blessed of the Lord, and while we +could not keep our thoughts from some sad doubts as to the fate of those +whom we had left behind, we tried to be generally hopeful and courageous +and brightened up our steps to prepare for a relief and return to the +hot dry plain beyond the mountains where they were awaiting us, no doubt +with much tribulation. + +I now thought of myself and my failing knee and we sat down under the +shade of an oak to rest, and after a little, better feeling seemed to +come. Down by a deep gully cut by the rains a yearling steer was +feeding, and I took the rifle and crawled down near him and put first +one ball through him, and then another, before he fell dead on the other +side of the wash, when we sprang with all the agility of a deer. We +quickly got some good meat and had it roasted and eaten almost quicker +than can be told. We hardly realized how near starved we were till we +had plenty before us again. We ate till we were satisfied for once, and +for the first time in many long dreary weeks. We kindled a fire and +commenced drying the meat, one sleeping while the other kept the fire, +and changing off every few hours. What a rest that was! One who has +never been nearly worn out and starved, down nearly to the point of +death can never know what it is to rest in comfort. No one can tell. It +was like a dream, a sweet, restful dream where troubles would drown +themselves in sleep. How we felt the strength come back to us with that +food and the long draughts of pure clear water. + +The miserable dried meat in our knapsacks was put away and this splendid +jerked beef put in its place. The wolves came to our camp and howled in +dreadful disappointment at not getting a meal. Rogers wanted me to shoot +the miserable howlers, but I let them have their concert out, and +thought going without their breakfast must be punishment enough for +them. As our moccasins were worn out we carefully prepared some sinews +from the steer and made new foot gear from the green hide which placed +us in shape for two or three week's walking. + +The morning was clear and pleasant. We had our knapsacks filled with +good food we had prepared, and were enjoying the cool breeze which came +up the valley, when we heard faintly the bark of a dog, or at least we +thought we did. If this were true there must be some one living not very +far away and we felt better. I was still very lame and as we started +along the walking seemed to make it worse again, so that it was all I +could do to follow John on the trail down the valley. As we went along a +man and woman passed us some distance on the left, and they did not seem +to notice us, though we were in plain sight. They were curiously +dressed. The woman had no hoops nor shoes, and a shawl wound about her +neck and one end thrown over her head, was a substitute bonnet. The man +had sandals on his feet, with white cotton pants, a calico shirt, and a +wide rimmed, comical, snuff-colored hat. We at once put them down as +Spaniards, or then descendants of Mexico, and if what we had read about +them in books was true, we were in a set of land pirates, and blood +thirsty men whom we might have occasion to be aware of. We had never +heard a word of Spanish spoken, except perhaps a word or two upon the +plains which some fellow knew, and how we could make ourselves known and +explain who we were was a puzzle to us. + +Difficulties began to arise in our minds now we were in an apparent land +of plenty, but in spite of all we went along as fast as my lame knee +would permit me to do. A house on higher ground soon appeared in sight. +It was low, of one story with a flat roof, gray in color, and of a +different style of architecture from any we had ever seen before. There +was no fence around it, and no animals or wagons in sight, nor person to +be seen. As we walked up the hill toward it I told John our moccasins +made of green hide would betray us as having recently killed an animal, +and as these people might be the owners and detain us by having us +arrested for the crime, and this would be especially bad for us just +now. We determined to face the people, and let the fact of our close +necessities be a sufficient excuse for us, if we could make them +understand our circumstances. + +As we came near the house no person was seen, but a mule tied to a post +told us there was some one about, and a man soon made an appearance, +dressed about the same style as the one we had passed a short time +before. As we came near we saluted him, bidding him good morning, and he +in turn touched his hat politely, saying something in reply which we +were not able to understand. I showed him that I was lame, and taking +out some money pointed to the mule, but he only shook his head and said +something I could not comprehend. Rogers now began looking around the +house, which was built of sun-dried bricks about one by two feet in +size, and one end was used as a storehouse. As he looked in, a man came +to him and wanted a black, patent leather belt which Rogers wore, having +a watch-pocket attached to it. He offered a quart or more of coarse corn +meal, and Rogers made the trade. + +We tried to inquire where we were or where ought to go, but could get no +satisfactory answer from the man, although when we spoke San Francisco +he pointed to the north. This was not very satisfactory to us and we +seemed as badly lost as ever, and where or which way to go we did not +seem very successful in finding out. So we concluded to go on a little +way at least, and I hobbled off in the direction he pointed, which was +down the hill and past a small, poorly fenced field which was sometimes +cultivated, and across the stream which followed down the valley. +Passing on a mile or two we stopped on a big patch of sand to rest. + +I told Rogers I did not think this course would lead us to any place in +a month, and just now a delay was ruinous to us and to those who were +waiting for us, and it would not do for us to go off to the north to +find a settlement. While I was expressing my opinion on matters and +things, Rogers had wet up a part of his meal with water and put it to +bake on the cover of his camp kettle. There was a fair sized cake for +each of us, and it was the first bread of any kind we had eaten for +months, being a very acceptable change from an exclusively meat diet. +Looking up the valley we could see a cloud of dust, thick and high, and +soon several men on horseback who came at a rushing gallop. I told +Rogers they were after us, and believed them to be a murderous set who +might make trouble for us. I hastily buried our little store of money in +the sand, telling him that if they got us, they would not get our money. +Putting our guns across our laps in an easy position we had them cocked +and ready for business, and our knives where we could get them handy, +and awaited their arrival. + +They came on with a rush until within a short distance and halted for +consultation just across the creek, after which one of them advanced +toward us and as he came near us we could see he was a white man, who +wished us good evening in our own language. We answered him rather +cooly, still sitting in the sand and he no doubt saw that we were a +little suspicious of the crowd. He asked us where we were from, and we +told him our circumstances and condition and that we would like to +secure some means of relief for the people we had left in the desert, +but our means were very limited and we wanted to do the best we could. +He said we were about 500 miles from San Francisco, not far from 100 +miles from the coast and thirty miles from Los Angeles. We were much +afraid we would not be able to get anything here, but he told us to go +across the valley to a large live oak tree which he pointed out, and +said we would find an American there, and we should wait there till +morning. He said he would go back and stay at the house we had passed, +and would do what he could to assist us to go to Los Angeles where we +could get some supplies. Then he rode away, and as we talked it over we +saw no way but to follow the directions of our newfound friend. + +It seemed now that my lameness had indeed been a blessing. If I had been +able to walk we would now have been well on toward the seashore, where +we could have found no such friend as this who had appeared to us. The +way seemed clearer to us, but the time for our return was almost up and +there was no way of getting back in fifteen days as we had agreed upon, +so there was great danger to our people yet. It seemed very likely to +take us twenty four or thirty days at best, and while they probably had +oxen enough to provide them food for so long a time they might take a +notion to move on, which would be fatal. + +At the big live oak tree we found an American camper, who was on his way +to the gold mines. He was going a new route and said the mines could be +reached much quicker than by going up the coast by way of San Francisco. +A new company with wagons was soon to start out to break the road, and +when they crossed the east end of the valley he would follow them. I +think this man's name was Springer. He had come by way of the Santa Fe +route, and the people of Los Angeles had told him this route was an easy +one being often traveled by saddle horses, and if the company could make +it possible for wagons they could have all the cattle they wanted to +kill along the road as their pay for doing the work. Our new friend lay +down early, and as he saw we were scant in blankets he brought some to +us for our use, which were most thankfully received. + +As soon as we were alone Rogers mixed up some more of the meal which we +baked in our friend's frying pan, and we baked and ate and baked and ate +again, for our appetites were ravenous, and the demand of our stomachs +got the better of the judgment of our brains. + +It was hard to find time to sleep, we were so full of the plans about +the way, which we must manage to get relief for the people. We had many +doubts if animals could ever come over the route we had come over, from +deliberation we decided that by selecting a route with that idea in our +minds, we could get mules and perhaps horses over the country. We +perhaps could go more to the north and take the Jayhawkers trail, but +this would take us fully a hundred miles farther and four or five days +longer, at the best, and every moment of delay was to be carefully +avoided as a moment of danger to our friends. + +Thus again, our sleep was troubled from another cause. Being so long +unaccustomed to vegetable food, and helped on, no doubt, by our poor +judgment in gauging the quantity of our food, we were attacked by severe +pains in the stomach and bowels, from which we suffered intensely. We +arose very early and with a very light breakfast, for the sickness +admonished us, we started back for the house we had first passed, at +which our friend on horseback, said he would spend the night and where +we were to meet him this morning. He said he could talk Spanish all +right and would do all he could to help us. + +Our suffering and trouble caused us to move very slowly, so that it was +nine or ten o'clock before we reached the house, and we found they had +two horses all ready for us to go to Los Angeles. There were no saddles +for us, but we thought this would be a good way to cure my lameness. The +people seemed to be friends to us in every way. We mounted, having our +packs on our backs, and our guns before us, and with a friendly parting +to the people who did not go, all four of us started on a trip of thirty +miles to the town of Los Angeles. + +When we reached the foot of the mountain which was very steep but not +rocky, John and I dismounted and led our animals to the top, where we +could see a long way west, and south, and it looked supremely beautiful. +We could not help comparing it to the long wide, desert we had crossed, +and John and myself said many times how we wished the folks were here to +enjoy the pleasant sight, the beautiful fertile picture. + +There appeared to be one quite large house in sight, and not far off, +which the man told us was the Mission of San Fernando, a Roman Catholic +Church and residence for priests and followers. The downward slope of +the mountain was as steep as the other side and larger, and John and I +did not attempt to mount till we were well down on the level ground +again, but the other two men rode up and down without any trouble. We +would let our leaders get half a mile or so ahead of us and then mount +and put our horses to a gallop till we overtook them again. We had +walked so long that riding was very tiresome to us, and for comfort +alone we would have preferred the way on foot, but we could get along a +little faster, and the frequent dismounting kept us from becoming too +lame from riding. + +We passed the Mission about noon or a little after, and a few miles +beyond met a man on horseback who lived up to the north about a hundred +miles. His name was French and he had a cattle range at a place called +Tejon (Tahone). Our friends told him who we were, and what assistance we +needed. Mr. French said he was well acquainted in Los Angeles and had +been there some time, and that all the travelers who would take the +Coast route had gone, those who had come by way of Salt Lake had got in +from two to four weeks before, and a small train which had come the +Santa Fe Route was still upon the road. He said Los Angeles was so clear +of emigrants that he did not think we could get any help there at the +present time. + +"Now," said Mr. French--"You boys can't talk Spanish and it is not very +likely you will be able to get any help. Now I say, you boys turn back +and go with me and I will give you the best I have, I will let you have +a yoke of gentle oxen, or more if you need them, and plenty of beans, +which are good food for I live on them; besides this I can give an +Indian guide to help you back. Will that do?" After a moment we said we +doubted if oxen could be got over the road, and if they were fat now +they would soon get poor, and perhaps not stand it as well as the oxen +which had became used to that kind of life, and of those they had in +camp all they needed. We wanted to get something for the women and +children to ride, for we knew they must abandon the wagons, and could +not walk so far over that dry, rough country. "Well," said Mr. +French:--"I will stop at the place you were this morning--I know them +well--and they are good folks, and I am sure when I tell them what you +want they will help you if they possibly can. This looks to me to be the +most sensible course." After talking an hour our two companions advised +us that the proposition of Mr. French seemed the most reasonable one +that appeared. But for us to go clear back to his range would take up so +much valuable time that we were almost afraid of the delay which might +mean the destruction of our friends. French said he had a pack saddle, +with him taking it home, and we could put it on one of our horses, and +when we came back to Los Angeles could leave it at a certain saloon or +place he named and tell them it belonged to him and to keep it for him. +I have forgotten the name of the man who kept the saloon. We agreed to +this, and bidding our two companions farewell, we turned back again with +Mr. French. + +When night came we were again at the Mission we had passed on the way +down. We were kindly treated here, for I believe Mr. French told them +about us. They sent an Indian to take our horses, and we sat down beside +the great house. There were many smaller houses, and quite a large piece +of ground fenced in by an adobe wall. The roof of the buildings was like +that of our own buildings in having eaves on both, sides, but the +covering was of semi circular tiles made and burned like brick. Rows of +these were placed close together, the hollow sides up, and then another +course over the joints, placed with the round side up, which made a roof +that was perfectly waterproof, but must have been very heavy. These +tiles were about two feet long. All the surroundings, and general make +up of the place were new to us and very wonderful. They gave us good +dried meat to eat and let us sleep in the big house on the floor, which +was as hard as granite, and we turned over a great many times before +daylight, and were glad when morning came. We offered to pay them, but +they would take nothing from us, and we left leading our horses over the +steep mountain, and reaching the house again late in the day. They +turned our horses loose and seemed disposed to be very friendly and +disposed to do for us what they could. + +We were very tired and sat down by the side of the house and rested, +wondering how we would come out with our preparations. They were talking +together, but we could not understand a word. A dark woman came out and +gave each of us a piece of cooked squash. It seemed to have been roasted +in the ashes and was very sweet and good. These were all signs of +friendship and we were glad of the good feeling. We were given a place +to sleep in the house, in a store room on a floor which was not soft. +This was the second house we had slept in since leaving Wisconsin, and +it seemed rather pent-up to us. + +In the morning we were shown a kind of mill like a coffee mill, and by +putting in a handful of wheat from a pile and giving the mill a few +turns we were given to understand we should grind some flour for +ourselves. We went to work with a will, but found it, hard, slow work. + +After a little, our dark woman came and gave us each a pancake and a +piece of meat, also another piece of roasted squash, for our breakfast, +and this, we thought, was the best meal we had ever eaten. The lady +tried to talk to us but we could not understand the words, and I could +convey ideas to her better by the sign language than any other way. She +pointed out the way from which we came and wanted to know how many day's +travel it might be away, and I answered by putting my hand to my head +and closing my eyes, which was repeated as many times as there had been +nights on our journey, at which she was much surprised that the folks +were so far away. She then place her hand upon her breast and then held +it up, to ask how many women there were, and I answered her by holding +up three fingers, at which she shrugged her shoulders and shook her +head. Then pointing to a child by her side, four or five years old, and +in the same way asked how many children, I answered by holding up four +fingers, and she almost cried, opening her mouth in great surprise, and +turned away. + +I said to Rogers that she was a kind, well meaning woman, and that Mr. +French had no doubt told her something of our story. Aside from her dark +complexion her features reminded me of my mother, and at first sight of +her I thought of the best woman on earth my own far off mother, who +little knew the hardships we had endured. We went to work again at the +mill and after a while the woman came again and tried to talk and to +teach us some words of her own language. She place her finger on me and +said _ombre_ and I took out my little book and wrote down _ombre_ as +meaning man, and in the same way she taught me that _mujer_, was woman; +_trigo_, wheat; _frijoles_, beans; _carne_, meat; _calazasa_, pumpkin; +_caballo_, horse; _vaca_, cow; _muchacho_, boy, and several other words +in this way. + +I got hold of many words thus to study, so that if I ever came back I +could talk a little and make myself understood as to some of the common +objects and things of necessary use. Such friendly, human acts shown to +us strangers, were evidences of the kindest disposition. I shall never +forget the kindness of those original Californians. When in Walker's +camp and finding he was friendly to Mormonism we could claim that we +were also Mormons, but the good people though well known Catholics, did +not so much as mention the fact nor inquire whether we favored that sect +or not. We were human beings in distress and we represented others who +were worse even than we, and those kind acts and great good will, were +given freely because we were fellow human beings. + +The provisions we prepared were, a sack of small yellow beans; a small +sack of wheat, a quantity of good dried meat, and some of the coarse, +unbolted flour we had made at the mills. They showed us how to properly +pack the horse, which was a kind of work we had not been use to, and we +were soon ready for a start. I took what money we had and put it on a +block, making signs for them to take what the things were worth. They +took $30, and we were quite surprised to get two horses, provisions, +pack-saddles and ropes, some of the latter made of rawhide and some of +hair, so cheaply, but we afterward learned that the mares furnished were +not considered of much value, and we had really paid a good fair price +for everything. To make it easy for us they had also fixed our knapsacks +on the horses. + +The good lady with the child, came out with four oranges and pointed to +her own child and then to the East, put them in the pack meaning we +should carry them to the children. With a hearty good bye from them, and +a polite lifting of our hats to them we started on our return, down +toward the gentle decline of the creek bottom, and then up the valley, +the way we came. Toward night we came to a wagon road crossing the +valley, and as we well knew we could not go up the tangled creek bed +with horses we took this road to the north, which took a dry ravine for +its direction, and in which there was a pack trail, and this the wagons +were following. We kept on the trail for a few miles, and overtook them +in their camp, and camped with them over night. We told them we +considered our outfit entirely too small for the purpose intended, which +was to bring two women and four children out of the desert, but that +being the best we could get, we were taking this help to them and hoped +to save their lives. Our mission became well known and one man offered +to sell us a poor little one-eyed mule, its back all bare of covering +from the effect of a great saddle sore that had very recently healed. He +had picked it up somewhere in Arizona where it had been turned out to +die, but it seemed the beast had enough of the good Santa Ana stock in +it to bring it through and it had no notion of dying at the present +time, though it was scarcely more than a good fair skeleton, even then. +The beast became mine at the price of $15, and the people expressed +great sympathy with us and the dear friends we were going to try to +save. + +Another man offered a little snow-white mare, as fat as butter, for $15, +which I paid, though it took the last cent of money I had. This little +beauty of a beast was broken to lead at halter, but had not been broken +in any other way. Rogers said he would ride her where he could, and +before she got to the wagons she would be as gentle as a lamb. He got a +bridle and tried her at once, and then there was a scene of rearing, +jumping and kicking that would have made a good Buffalo Bill circus in +these days. No use, the man could not be thrown off, and the crowd +cheered and shouted to Rogers to--"Hold her level." + +After some bucking and backing on the part of the mare and a good deal +of whipping and kicking on the part of the man, and a good many furious +clashes in lively, but very awkward ways, the little beast yielded the +point, and carried her load without further trouble. + +The people gave us a good supper and breakfast, and one man came and +presented us with 25 pounds of unbolted wheat flour. They were of great +assistance to us in showing us how to pack and sack our load, which was +not heavy and could be easily carried by our two animals which we had at +first. However we arranged a pack on the mule and this gave me a horse +to ride and a mule to lead, while Rogers rode his milk-white steed and +led the other horse. Thus we went along and following the trail soon +reached the summit from which we could see off to the East a wonderful +distance, probably 200 miles, of the dry and barren desert of hill and +desolate valley over which we had come. + +The trail bearing still to the north from this point, we left and turned +due east across the country, and soon came to a beautiful lake of sweet +fresh water situated well up toward the top of the mountain. This lake +is now called Elizabeth Lake. Here we watered our animals and filled our +canteens, then steered a little south of east among the Cabbage trees, +aiming to strike the rain water hole where we had camped as we came +over. We reached the water hole about noon and here found the Jayhawkers +trail, which we took. They had evidently followed us and passed down the +same brushy cañon while we having taken a circuitous route to the north, +had gone around there. Getting water here for ourselves and horses, we +went back to the trail and pushed on as fast as the animals could walk, +and as we now knew where we could get water, we kept on till after dark, +one of us walking to keep the trail, and some time in the night reached +the Willow corral I have spoken of before. There was good water here, +but the Jayhawker's oxen had eaten all the grass that grew in the little +moist place around, and our animals were short of feed. One of us agreed +to stand guard the fore part of the night and the other later, so that +we might not be surprised by Indians and lose our animals. I took the +first watch and let the blaze of the fire go out so as not to attract +attention and as I sat by the dull coals and hot ashes I fell asleep. +Rogers happened to wake and see the situation, and arose and waked me +again saying that we must be more careful or the Indians would get our +horses. You may be sure I kept awake the rest of my watch. + +Next day we passed the water holes at the place where we had so +stealthily crawled up to Doty's camp when coming out. These holes held +about two pails of water each, but no stream run away from them. Our +horses seemed to want water badly for when they drank they put their +head in up to their eyes and drank ravenously. + +Thirty miles from here to the next water, Doty had told us, and night +overtook us before we could reach it, so a dry camp was made. Our horses +began now to walk with drooping heads and slow, tired steps, so we +divided the load among them all and walked ourselves. The water, when +reached proved so salt the horses would not drink it, and as Doty had +told us the most water was over the mountain ahead of us, we still +followed their trail which went up a very rocky cañon in which it was +hard work for the horses to travel. The horses were all very gentle now +and needed some urging to make them go. Roger's fat horse no longer +tried to unseat its rider or its pack, but seemed to be the most +downhearted of the train. The little mule was the liveliest, sharpest +witted animal of the whole. She had probably traveled on the desert +before and knew better how to get along. She had learned to crop every +spear of grass she came to, and every bit of sage brush that offered a +green leaf was given a nip. She would sometimes leave the trail and go +out to one side to get a little bunch of dry grass, and come back and +take her place again as if she knew her duty. The other animals never +tried to do this. The mule was evidently better versed in the art of +getting a living than the horses. + +Above the rough bed of the cañon the bottom was gravelly and narrow, and +the walls on each side nearly perpendicular. Our horses now poked slowly +along and as we passed the steep wall of the cañon the white animal left +the trail and walked with full force, head first, against the solid +rock. She seemed to be blind, and though we went quickly to her and took +off the load she carried, she had stopped breathing by the time we had +it done. Not knowing how far it was to water, nor how soon some of our +other horses might fall, we did not tarry, but pushed on as well as we +could, finding no water. We reached the summit and turned down a ravine, +following the trail, and about dark came to the water they had told us +about, a faint running stream which came out of a rocky ravine and sank +almost immediately in the dry sand. There was water enough for us, but +no grass. It seemed as if the horses were not strong enough to carry a +load, and as we wanted to get them through if possible, we concluded to +bury the wheat and get it on our return. We dug a hole and lined it +with fine sticks, then put in the little bag and covered it with dry +brush, and sand making the surface as smooth as if it had never been +touched, then made our bed on it. The whole work was done after dark so +the deposit could not be seen by the red men and we thought we had done +it pretty carefully. + +Next morning the little mule carried all the remaining load, the horses +bearing only their saddles, and seemed hardly strong enough for that. +There was now seven or eight miles of clean loose sand to go over, +across a little valley which came to an end about ten miles north of us, +and extended south to the lake where we went for water on our outward +journey and found it red alkali. Near the Eastern edge of the valley we +turned aside to visit the grave of Mr. Isham, which they had told us of. +They had covered his remains with their hands as best they could, piling +up a little mound of sand over it. Our next camp was to be on the summit +of the range just before us, and we passed the dead body of Mr. Fish, we +had seen before, and go on a little to a level sandy spot in the ravine +just large enough to sleep on. This whole range is a black mass rocky +piece of earth, so barren that not a spear of grass can grow, and not a +drop of water in any place. We tied our horses to rocks and there they +staid all night, for if turned loose there was not a mouthful of food +for them to get. + +In the morning an important question was to be decided, and that was +whether we should continue to follow the Jayhawker's trail which led far +to the north to cross the mountain, which stood before us, a mass of +piled-up rocks so steep that it seemed as if a dog could hardly climb +it. Our wagons were nearly due east from this point over the range, and +not more than fifty miles away, while to go around to the north was +fully a hundred miles, and would take us four or five days to make. As +we had already gone so long we expected to meet them any day trying to +get out, and if we went around we might miss them. They might have all +been killed by Indians or they might have already gone. We had great +fears on their account. If they had gone north they might have perished +in the snow. + +The range was before us, and we must get to the other side in some way. +We could see the range for a hundred miles to the north and along the +base some lakes of water that must be salt. To the south it got some +lower, but very barren and ending in black, dry buttes. The horses must +have food and water by night or we must leave them to die, and all +things considered it seemed to be the quickest way to camp to try and +get up a rough looking cañon which was nearly opposite us on the other +side. So we loaded the mule and made our way down the rocky road to the +ridge, and then left the Jayhawker's trail, taking our course more south +so as to get around a salt lake which lay directly before us. On our way +we had to go close to a steep bluff, and cross a piece of ground that +looked like a well dried mortar bed, hard and smooth as ice, and thus +got around the head of a small stream of clear water, salt as brine. We +now went directly to the mouth of the cañon we had decided to take, and +traveled up its gravelly bed. The horses now had to be urged along +constantly to keep them moving and they held their heads low down as +they crept along seemingly so discouraged that they would much rather +lie down and rest forever than take another step. We knew they would do +this soon in spite of all our urging, if we could not get water for +them. The cañon was rough enough where we entered it, and a heavy up +grade too, and this grew more and more difficult as we advanced, and the +rough yellowish, rocky walls closed in nearer and nearer together as we +ascended. + +A perpendicular wall, or rather rise, in the rocks was approached, and +there was a great difficulty to persuade the horses to take exertion to +get up and over the small obstruction, but the little mule skipped over +as nimbly as a well-fed goat, and rather seemed to enjoy a little +variety in the proceedings. After some coaxing and urging the horses +took courage to try the extra step and succeeded all right, when we all +moved on again, over a path that grew more and more narrow, more and +more rocky under foot at every moment. We wound around among and between +the great rocks, and had not advanced very far before another +obstruction, that would have been a fall of about three feet had water +been flowing in the cañon, opposed our way. A small pile of lone rocks +enabled the mule to go over all right, and she went on looking for every +spear of grass, and smelling eagerly for water, but all our efforts were +not enough to get the horses along another foot. It was getting nearly +night and every minute without water seemed an age. We had to leave the +horses and go on. We had deemed them indispensable to us, or rather to +the extrication of the women and children, and yet the hope came to us +that the oxen might help some of them out as a last resort. We were sure +the wagons must be abandoned, and such a thing as women riding on the +backs of oxen we had never seen, still it occurred to us as not +impossible and although leaving the horses here was like deciding to +abandon all for the feeble ones, we saw we must do it, and the new hope +arose to sustain us for farther effort. We removed the saddles and +placed them on a rock, and after a few moments hesitation, moments in +which were crowded torrents of wild ideas, and desperate thoughts, that +were enough to drive reason from its throne, we left the poor animals to +their fate and moved along. Just as we were passing out of sight the +poor creatures neighed pitifully after us, and one who has never heard +the last despairing, pleading neigh of a horse left to die can form no +idea of its almost human appeal. We both burst into tears, but it was no +use, to try to save them we must run the danger of sacrificing +ourselves, and the little party we were trying so hard to save. + +We found the little mule stopped by a still higher precipice or +perpendicular rise of fully ten feet. Our hearts sank within us and we +said that we should return to our friends as we went away, with our +knapsacks on our backs, and the hope grew very small. The little mule +was nipping some stray blades of grass and as we came in sight she +looked around to us and then up the steep rocks before her with such a +knowing, intelligent look of confidence, that it gave us new courage. It +was a strange wild place. The north wall of the cañon leaned far over +the channel, overhanging considerably, while the south wall sloped back +about the same, making the wall nearly parallel, and like a huge crevice +descending into the mountain from above in a sloping direction. + +We decided to try to get the confident little mule over this +obstruction, Gathering all the loose rocks we could we piled them up +against the south wall, beginning some distance below, putting up all +those in the bed of the stream and throwing down others from narrow +shelves above we built a sort of inclined plane along the walls +gradually rising till we were nearly as high as the crest of the fall. +Here was a narrow shelf scarcely four inches wide and a space of from +twelve to fifteen feet to cross to reach the level of the crest. It was +all I could do to cross this space, and there was no foundation to +enable us to widen it so as to make a path for an animal. It was forlorn +hope but we made the most of it. We unpacked the mule and getting all +our ropes together, made a leading line of it. Then we loosened and +threw down all the projecting points of rocks we could above the narrow +shelf, and every piece that was likely to come loose in the shelf +itself. We fastened the leading line to her and with one above and one +below we thought we could help her to keep her balance, and if she did +not make a misstep on that narrow way she might get over safely. Without +a moments hesitation the brave animal tried the pass. Carefully and +steadily she went along, selecting a place before putting down a foot, +and when she came to the narrow ledge leaned gently on the rope, never +making a sudden start or jump, but cautiously as a cat moved slowly +along. There was now no turning back for her. She must cross this narrow +place over which I had to creep on hands and knees, or be dashed down +fifty feet to a certain death. When the worst place was reached she +stopped and hesitated, looking back as well as she could. I was ahead +with the rope, and I called encouragingly to her and talked to her a +little. Rogers wanted to get all ready and he said, "holler" at her as +loud as he could and frighten her across, but I thought the best way to +talk to her gently and let her move steadily. + +I tell you, friends, it was a trying moment. It seemed to be weighed +down with all the trails and hardships of many months. It seemed to be +the time when helpless women and innocent children hung on the trembling +balance between life and death. Our own lives we could save by going +back, and sometimes it seemed as if we would perhaps save ourselves the +additional sorrow of finding them all dead to do so at once. I was so +nearly in despair that I could not help bursting in tears, and I was not +ashamed of the weakness. Finally Rogers said, "Come Lewis" and I gently +pulled the rope, calling the little animal, to make a trial. She smelled +all around and looked over every inch of the strong ledge, then took one +careful step after another over the dangerous place. Looking back I saw +Rogers with a very large stone in his hand, ready to "holler" and +perhaps kill the poor beast if she stopped. But she crept along trusting +to the rope to balance, till she was half way across, then another step +or two, when calculating the distance closely she made a spring and +landed on a smooth bit of sloping rock below, that led up to the highest +crest of the precipice, and safely climbed to the top, safe and sound +above the falls. The mule had no shoes and it was wonderful how her +little hoofs clung to the smooth rock. We felt relieved. We would push +on and carry food to the people; we would get them through some way; +there could be no more hopeless moment than the one just past, and we +would save them all. + +It was the work of a little while to transfer the load up the precipice, +and pack the mule again, when we proceeded. Around behind some rocks +only a little distance beyond this place we found a small willow bush +and enough good water for a camp. This was a strange cañon. The sun +never shown down to the bottom in the fearful place where the little +mule climbed up, and the rocks had a peculiar yellow color. In getting +our provisions up the precipice, Rogers went below and fastened the rope +while I pulled them up. Rogers wished many times we had the horses up +safely where the mule was, but a dog could hardly cross the narrow path +and there was no hope. Poor brutes, they had been faithful servants, and +we felt sorrowful enough at their terrible fate. + +We had walked two days without water, and we were wonderfully refreshed +as we found it here. The way up this cañon was very rough and the bed +full of sharp broken rocks in loose pieces which cut through the bottoms +of our moccasins and left us with bare feet upon the acute points and +edges. I took off one of my buckskin leggins, and gave it to Rogers, and +with the other one for myself we fixed the moccasins with them as well +as we could, which enabled us to go ahead, but I think if our feet had +been shod with steel those sharp rocks would have cut through. + +Starting early we made the summit about noon, and from here we could see +the place where we found a water hole and camped the first night after +we left the wagons. Down the steep cañon we turned, the same one in +which we had turned back with the wagons, and over the sharp broken +pieces of volcanic rock that formed our only footing we hobbled along +with sore and tender feet. We had to watch for the smoothest place for +every step, and then moved only with the greatest difficulty. The +Indians could have caught us easily if they had been around for we must +keep our eyes on the ground constantly and stop if we looked up and +around. But we at last got down and camped on some spot where we had set +out twenty-five days before to seek the settlements. Here was the same +little water hole in the sand plain, and the same strong sulphur water +which we had to drink the day we left. The mule was turned loose +dragging the same piece of rawhide she had attached to her when we +purchased her, and she ranged and searched faithfully for food finding +little except the very scattering bunches of sage brush. She was +industrious and walked around rapidly picking here and there, but at +dark came into camp and lay down close to us to sleep. + +There was no sign that any one had been here during our absence, and if +the people had gone to hunt a way out, they must either have followed +the Jayhawker's trail or some other one. We were much afraid that they +might have fallen victims to the Indians. Remaining in camp so long it +was quite likely they had been discovered by them and it was quite +likely they had been murdered for the sake of the oxen and camp +equipage. It might be that we should find the hostiles waiting for us +when we reached the appointed camping place, and it was small show for +two against a party. Our mule and her load would be a great capture for +them. We talked a great deal and said a great many things at that camp +fire for we knew we were in great danger, and we had many doubts about +the safety of our people, that would soon be decided, and whether for +joy or sorrow we could not tell. + +From this place, as we walked along, we had a wagon road to follow, in +soft sand, but not a sign of a human footstep could we see, as we +marched toward this, the camp of the last hope. We had the greatest +fears the people had given up our return and started out for themselves +and that we should follow on, only to find them dead or dying. My pen +fails me as I try to tell the feelings and thoughts of this trying hour. +I can never hope to do so, but if the reader can place himself in my +place, his imagination cannot form a picture that shall go beyond +reality. + +We were some seven or eight miles along the road when I stopped to fix +my moccasin while Rogers went slowly along. The little mule went on +ahead of both of us, searching all around for little bunches of dry +grass, but always came back to the trail again and gave us no trouble. +When I had started up again I saw Rogers ahead leaning on his gun and +waiting for me, apparently looking at something on the ground. As I came +near enough to speak I asked what he had found and he said--"Here is +Capt. Culverwell, dead." He did not look much like a dead man. He lay +upon his back with arms extended wide, and his little canteen, made of +two powder flasks, lying by his side. This looked indeed as if some of +our saddest forebodings were coming true. How many more bodies should we +find? Or should we find the camp deserted, and never find a trace of the +former occupants. + +We marched toward camp like two Indians, silent and alert, looking out +for dead bodies and live Indians, for really we more expected to find +the camp devastated by those rascals than to find that it still +contained our friends. To the east we could plainly see what seemed to +be a large salt lake with a bed that looked as if of the finest, whitest +sand, but really a wonder of salt crystal. We put the dreary steps +steadily one forward of another, the little mule the only unconcerned +one of the party, ever looking for an odd blade of grass, dried in the +hot dry wind, but yet retaining nourishment, which she preferred. + +About noon we came in sight of the wagons, still a long way off, but in +the clear air we could make them out, and tell what they were, without +being able to see anything more. Half a mile was the distance between us +and the camp before we could see very plainly, as they were in a little +depression. We could see the covers had been taken off, and this was an +ominous sort of circumstance to us, for we feared the depredations of +the Indians in retaliation for the capture of their squashes. They had +shot our oxen before we left and they have slain them this time and the +people too. + +We surely left seven wagons. Now we could see only four and nowhere the +sign of an ox. They must have gone ahead with a small train, and left +these four standing, after dismantling them. + +No signs of life were anywhere about, and the thought of our hard +struggles between life and death to go out and return, with the +fruitless results that now seemed apparent was almost more than human +heart could bear. When should we know their fate? When should we find +their remains, and how learn of their sad history if we ourselves should +live to get back again to settlements and life? If ever two men were +troubled, Rogers and I surely passed through the furnace. + +We kept as low and as much out of sight as possible, trusting very much +to the little mule that was ahead, for we felt sure she would detect +danger in the air sooner than we, and we watched her closely to see how +she acted. She slowly walked along looking out for food, and we followed +a little way behind, but still no decisive sign to settle the awful +suspense in which we lived and suffered. We became more and more +convinced that they had taken the trail of the Jayhawkers, and we had +missed them on the road, or they had perished before reaching the place +where we turned from their trail. + +One hundred yards now to the wagons and still no sign of life, no +positive sign of death, though we looked carefully for both. We fear +that perhaps there are Indians in ambush, and with nervous irregular +breathing we counsel what to do. Finally Rogers suggested that he had +two charges in his shot gun and I seven in the Coll's rifle, and that I +fire one of mine and await results before we ventured any nearer, and if +there are any of the red devils there we can kill some of them before +they get to us. And now both closely watching the wagons I fired the +shot. Still as death and not a move for a moment, and then as if by +magic a man came out from under a wagon and stood up looking all around, +for he did not see us. Then he threw up his arms high over his head and +shouted--"The boys have come. The boys have come!" Then other bare heads +appeared, and Mr. Bennett and wife and Mr. Arcane came toward us as fast +as ever they could. The great suspense was over and our hearts were +first in our mouths, and then the blood all went away and left us almost +fainting as we stood and tried to step. Some were safe perhaps all of +those nearest us, and the dark shadow of death that had hovered over us, +and cast what seemed a pall upon every thought and action, was lifted +and fell away a heavy oppression gone. Bennett and Arcane caught us in +their arms and embraced us with all their strength, and Mrs. Bennett +when she came fell down on her knees and clung to me like a maniac in +the great emotion that came to her, and not a word was spoken. If they +had been strong enough they would have carried us to camp upon their +shoulders. As it was they stopped two or three times, and turned as if +to speak, but there was too much feeling for words, convulsive weeping +would choke the voice. + +All were a little calmer soon, and Bennett soon found voice to say:--"I +know you have found some place, for you have a mule," and Mrs. Bennett +through her tears, looked staringly at us as she could hardly believe +our coming back was a reality, and then exclaimed:--"Good boys! O, you +have saved us all! God bless you forever! Such boys should never die!" +It was some time before they could talk without weeping. Hope almost +died within them, and now when the first bright ray came it almost +turned reason from its throne. A brighter happier look came to them than +we had seen, and then they plied us with questions the first of which +was:--"Where were you?" + +We told them it must be 250 miles yet to any part of California where we +could live. Then came the question;--"Can we take our wagons?" "You will +have to walk," was our answer, for no wagons could go over that unbroken +road that we had traveled. As rapidly and carefully as we could we told +them of our journey, and the long distance between the water holes; that +we had lost no time and yet had been twenty six days on the road; that +for a long distance the country was about as dry and desolate as the +region we had crossed east of this camp. We told them of the scarcity of +grass, and all the reasons that had kept us so long away from them. + +We inquired after the others whom we had left in camp when we went away, +and we were told all they knew about them. Hardly were we gone before +they began to talk about the state of affairs which existed. They said +that as they had nothing to live on but their oxen it would be certain +death to wait here and eat them up, and that it would be much better to +move on a little every day and get nearer and nearer the goal before the +food failed. Bennett told them they would know surely about the way when +the boys returned, and knowing the road would know how to manage and +what to expect and work for, and could get out successfully. But the +general opinion of all but Mr. Bennett and Mr. Arcane and their families +was, as expressed by one of them:--"If those boys ever get out of this +cussed hole, they are d----d fools if they ever come back to help +anybody." + +Some did not stay more than a week after we were gone, but took their +oxen and blankets and started on. They could not be content to stay idly +in camp with nothing to occupy their minds or bodies. They could see +that an ox when killed would feed them only a few days, and that they +could not live long on them, and it stood them in hand to get nearer the +western shore as the less distance the more hope while the meat lasted. +Bennett implored them to stay as he was sure we would come back, and if +the most of them deserted him he would be exposed to the danger of the +Indians, with no hope of a successful resistance against them. + +But the most seemed to think that to stay was to die, and it would be +better to die trying to escape than to set idly down to perish. These +men seemed to think their first duty was to save themselves, and if +fortunate, help others afterward, so they packed their oxen and left in +separate parties, the last some two weeks before. They said that Capt. +Culverwell went with the last party. I afterward learned that he could +not keep up with them and turned to go back to the wagons again, and +perished, stretched out upon the sand as we saw him, dying all alone, +with no one to transmit his last words to family or friends. Not a +morsel to eat, and the little canteen by his side empty. A sad and +lonely death indeed! + +There was no end to the questions about the road we had to answer, for +this was uppermost on their minds, and we tried to tell them and show +them how we must get along on our return. We told them of the great snow +mountains we had seen all to the north of our road, and how deep the +snow appeared to be, and how far west it extended. We told them of the +black and desolate ranges and buttes to the south, and of the great dry +plains in the same direction. We told them of the Jayhawkers trail; of +Fish's dead body; of the salt lake and slippery alkali water to which we +walked, only to turn away in disappointment; of the little sheets of ice +which saved our lives; of Doty's camp and what we knew of those gone +before; of the discouraged ones who gave us their names to send back to +friends; of the hawk and crow diet; of my lameness; of the final coming +out into a beautiful valley, in the midst of fat cattle and green +meadows, and the trouble to get the help arranged on account of not +knowing the language to tell the people what we needed. They were deeply +impressed that my lameness had been a blessing in disguise, or we would +have gone on to the coast and consumed more time than we did in walking +slowly to favor the cripple knee. Our sad adventures and loss of the +horses in returning was sorrowfully told and we spoke of the provisions +we had been able to bring on the little mule which had clambered over +the rocks like a cat; that we had a little flour and beans, and some +good dried meat with fat on it which we hoped would help to eke out the +poorer fare and get them through at last. They were so full of +compliments that we really began to think we had been brought into the +world on purpose to assist some one, and the one who could forecast all +things had directed us, and all our ways, so that we should save those +people and bring them to a better part of God's footstool, where plenty +might be enjoyed, and the sorrows of the desert forgotten. It was +midnight before we could get them all satisfied with their knowledge of +our experience. + +[Illustation: Leaving Death Valley.--The Manly Party on Foot After +Leaving Their Wagons.] + +It was quite a treat to us to sleep again between good blankets, +arranged by a woman's hand, and it was much better resting than the +curled up, cramped position we had slept in while away, with only the +poor protection of the half blanket for both of us, in nights that were +pretty chilly. + +We had plenty of water here, and there being no fear of the mule going +astray we turned her loose. As the party had seen no Indians during our +absence we did not concern ourselves much about them. At breakfast we +cautioned them about eating too much bread, remembering, our own +experience in that way. + +They said they had about given up our coming back a week before, and had +set about getting ready to try to move on themselves. Bennett said he +was satisfied that they never could have got through alone after what we +had told them of the route and its dangers. He said he knew it now that +not one of them would have lived if they had undertaken the journey +alone without knowledge of the way. + +They had taken off the covers of the wagons to make them into houses for +the oxen, so they could be used as pack animals. The strong cloth had +been cut into narrow strips and well made into breast straps and +breeching, for the cattle were so poor and their hide so loose it was +almost impossible to keep anything on their backs. They had emptied the +feathers out of the beds to get the cloth to use, and had tried to do +everything that seemed best to do to get along without wagons. The oxen +came up for water, and the mule with them. They looked better than when +we left, but were still poor. They had rested for some time and might +feel able to go along willingly for a few days at least. I was handy +with the needle, and helped them to complete the harness for the oxen, +while Bennett and John went to the lake to get a supply of salt to take +along, a most necessary article with our fresh meat. I looked around a +little at our surroundings, and could see the snow still drifting over +the peak of the snowy mountain as we had seen it farther east, where we +were ourselves under the burning sun. This was now pretty near February +first, or midwinter. The eastern side of this great mountain was too +steep to be ascended, and no sign of a tree could be seen on the whole +eastern slope. The range of mountains on the east side of this narrow +valley were nearly all the volcanic, barren in the extreme, and the +roughest of all the mountains we had ever seen. I had now looked pretty +thoroughly, and found it to be pretty nearly a hundred miles long, and +this was the only camp I had seen where water could be had. + +When Mrs. Bennet was ready to show me what to do on the cloth harness, +we took a seat under the wagon, the only shady place and began work. The +great mountain, I have spoken of as the snow mountain has since been +known as Telescope Peak, reported to be 11,000 feet high. It is in the +range running north and south and has no other peak so high. Mrs. +Bennett questioned me closely about the trip, and particularly if I had +left anything out which I did not want her to know. She said she saw her +chance to ride was very slim, and she spoke particularly of the +children, and that it was impossible for them to walk. She said little +Martha had been very sick since we had been gone, and that for many days +they had expected her to die. They had no medicine to relieve her and +the best they could do was to select the best of the ox meat, and make a +little soup of it and feed her, they had watched her carefully for many +days and nights, expecting they would have to part with her any time and +bury her little body in the sands. Sometimes it seemed as if her breath +would stop, but they had never failed in their attentions, and were at +last rewarded by seeing her improve slowly, and even to relish a little +food, so that if no relapse set in they had hopes to bring her through. +They brought the little one and showed her to me, and she seemed so +different from what she was when we went away. Then she could run about +camp climb out and in the wagons, and move about so spry that she +reminded one of a quail. Now she was strangely misshapen. Her limbs had +lost all the flesh and seemed nothing but skin and bones, while her body +had grown corpulent and distended, and her face had a starved pinched +and suffering look, with no healthy color in it. + +She told me of their sufferings while we were gone, and said she often +dreamed she saw us suffering fearfully for water, and lack of food and +could only picture to herself as their own fate, that they must leave +the children by the trail side, dead, and one by one drop out themselves +in the same way. She said she dreamed often of her old home where bread +was plenty, and then to awake to find her husband and children starving +was a severe trial indeed, and the contrast terrible. She was anxious to +get me to express an opinion as to whether I thought we could get the +oxen down the falls where we had so much trouble. + +I talked to her as encouragingly as I could, but she did not cheer up +much and sobbed and wept over her work most all the time. It was not +possible to encourage her much, the outlook seemed so dark. Mrs. Arcane +sat under another wagon and said nothing, but she probably heard all we +had to say, and did not look as if her hopes were any brighter. Bennett +and Rogers soon returned with a supply of salt and said the whole shore +of the lake was a winrow of it, that could be shoveled up in enormous +quantities. + +We now in a counsel of the whole, talked over the matter, and the way +which seemed most promising. If we went by the Jayhawkers trail, there +was a week of solid travel to get over the range and back south again as +far as a point directly opposite our camp, and this had taken us only +three days to come over as we had come. The only obstacle in the way was +the falls, and when we explained that there was some sand at the bottom +of them, Bennett said he thought we could get them over without killing +them, and that, as we knew exactly where the water was, this was the +best trail to take. Arcane was quite of the same opinion, the saving of +a week of hard and tiresome travel being in each case the deciding +reason. They then explained to me what they had decided on doing if we +had not come back. They had selected two oxen for the women to ride one +to carry water and one to carry the four children. There were no saddles +but blankets enough to make a soft seat, and they proposed to put a band +or belt around the animals for them to hold on by, and the blankets +would be retained in place by breast and breeching straps which we had +made. They had found out that it was very difficult to keep a load of +any kind upon an ox, and had devised all this harness to meet the +trouble. + +Bennett had one old bridle ox called Old Crump, which had been selected +to carry the children, because he was slow and steady. How in the world +do you expect it to keep the children on?--said I. "Well"--said Bennett, +with a sort of comical air, about the first relief from the sad line of +thought that had possessed us all--"We have taken two strong hickory +shirts, turned the sleeves inside, sewed up the necks, then sewed the +two shirts together by the tail, and when these are placed on the ox +they will make two pockets for the youngest children, and we think the +two others will be able to cling to his back with the help of a band +around the body of the ox to which they can cling to, with their hands." +Now if Old Crump went steady and did not kick up and scatter things, he +thought this plan would operate first rate. Now as to the mule they +proposed as we knew how to pack the animal, that we should use her to +pack our provisions so they would go safe. + +From a piece of hide yet remaining John and I made ourselves some new +moccasins, and were all ready to try the trip over our old trail for now +the third time, and the last, we hoped. + +Mrs. Bennett and Mrs. Arcane had taken our advice, and in cooking had +not put too much of the flour or beans into the soup for the children +and they had gotten along nicely, and even began to smile a little with +satisfaction after a full meal. They got along better than John and I +did when we got hold of the first nutritions after our arrival on the +other side. + +We must leave everything here we can get along without. No clothing +except that on our backs. Only a camp kettle in which to make soup, a +tin cup for each one, and some knives and spoons which each happen to +have. Each one had some sort of a canteen for water, which we must fill +up at every opportunity, and we decided to carry a shovel along, so we +might bury the body of Capt. Culverwell, and shovel up a pile of sand at +the falls to enable us to get the oxen over. Every ox had a cloth halter +on his head, so he might be led, or tied up at night when we had a dry +camp, and they would most assuredly wander off if not secured. Old Crump +was chosen to lead the train, and Rogers was to lead him. We had made an +extra halter for this old fellow, and quite a long strip of bed ticking +sewed into a strap to lead him by. + +This packing business was a new idea, and a hard matter to get anything +firmly fixed on their backs. + +We had made shoulder straps, hip straps, breast straps and breeching as +the correct idea for a harness. The only way we could fasten the band +around the animals was for one to get on each side and pull it as tight +as possible then tie a knot, as we had no buckles or ring in our +harness. + +The loads of the oxen consisted of blankets and bedding and a small, +light tent of their sheeting about four by six feet in size. We rose +early and worked hard till about the middle of the forenoon getting all +things ready. They had been in a state of masterly inactivity so long in +this one camp that they were anxious to leave it now forever. Only in +progress was there hope, and this was our last and only chance. We must +succeed or perish. We loaded the animals from the wagons, and some of +the oxen seemed quite afraid at this new way of carrying loads. Old +Crump was pretty steady, and so was the one with the two water kegs one +on each side but the other oxen did not seem to think they needed any +blankets on these warm days. + +Mrs. Arcane was from a city, and had fondly conveyed thus far some +articles of finery, of considerable value and much prized. She could not +be persuaded to leave them here to deck the red man's wife, and have her +go flirting over the mountains with, and as they had little weight she +concluded she would wear them and this perhaps would preserve them. So +she got out her best hat and trimmed it up with extra ribbon leaving +some with quite long ends to stream out behind. Arcane brought up his ox +Old Brigham, for he had been purchased at Salt Lake and named in honor +of the great Mormon Saint. + +Mrs. Arcane also dressed her little boy Charlie up In his best suit of +clothes, for she thought they might as well wear them out as to throw +them away. She made one think of a fairy in gay and flying apparel. In +the same way all selected their best and most serviceable garments, for +it was not considered prudent to carry any load, and poor clothes were +good enough to leave for Indians. We set it down as a principle that we +must save ourselves all we could, for it would be a close contested +struggle with us and death, at the very best, and we wanted to get all +the advantage for ourselves we could. As we were making the preparations +the women grew more hopeful, as it seemed as if something was really +going to be accomplished. + +Bennett and Arcane were emphatic in their belief and expressions that we +would succeed, "I know it--Don't you Sally?" said Bennett very +cheerfully, but after all Mrs. Bennett could not answer quite as +positively, but said "I hope so."--Mrs. Bennett's maiden name was Sarah +Dilley, which I mention here as I may otherwise forget it afterward. She +realized that hers was no easy place to ride, that they would have hard +fare at best, and that it must be nearly or quite a month before they +could reach a fertile spot on which to place her feet. One could easily +see that the future looked quite a little dark to her, on account of her +children, as a mother naturally would. + +High overhead was the sun, and very warm indeed on that day in the fore +part of February 1850, when the two children were put on Old Crump to +see if he would let them ride. The two small children were placed in the +pockets on each side, face outward, and they could stand or sit as they +should choose. George and Melissa were placed on top and given hold of +the strap that was to steady them in their place. I now led up Mrs. +Bennett's ox and Mr. Bennett helped his wife to mount the animal, on +whose back as soft a seat as possible had been constructed. Mrs. Arcane +in her ribbons was now helped to her seat on the back of Old Brigham and +she carefully adjusted herself to position, and arranged her dress and +ornaments to suit, then took hold of the strap that served to hold on by +as there were no bridles on these two. + +Rogers led the march with his ox; Bennett and I started the others +along, and Arcane followed with Old Crump and the children. Bennett and +Arcane took off their hats and bade the old camp good bye. The whole +procession moved, and we were once more going toward our journey's end +we hoped. The road was sandy and soft, the grade practically level, and +everything went well for about four miles, when the pack on one of the +oxen near the lead got loose and and turned over to one side, which he +no sooner saw thus out of position, then he tried to get away from it by +moving sidewise. Not getting clear of the objectionable load in this way +he tried to kick it off, and thus really got his foot in it, making +matters worse instead of better. Then he began a regular waltz and +bawled at the top of his voice in terror. Rogers tried to catch him but +his own animal was so frisky that he could not hold him and do much +else, and the spirit of fear soon began to be communicated to the others +and soon the whole train seemed to be taken crazy. + +They would jump up high and then come down, sticking their fore feet as +far as possible into the sand after which, with elevated tails, and +terrible plunges would kick and thrash and run till the packs came off, +when they stopped apparently quite satisfied. Mrs. Bennett slipped off +her ox as quick as she could, grabbed her baby from the pocket on Old +Crump, and shouting to Melissa and George to jump, got her family into +safe position in pretty short order. Arcane took his Charley from the +other pocket and laid him on the ground, while he devoted his own +attention to the animals. Mrs. Arcane's ox followed suit, and waltzed +around in the sand, bawled at every turn, fully as bad as any of the +others, but Mrs. Arcane proved to be a good rider, and hard to unseat, +clinging desperately to her strap as she was tossed up and down, and +whirled about at a rate enough to to make any one dizzy. Her many fine +ribbons flew out behind like the streamers from a mast-head, and the +many fancy fixin's she had donned fluttered in the air in gayest +mockery. Eventually she was thrown however, but without the least injury +to herself, but somewhat disordered in raiment. When I saw Bennett he +was standing half bent over laughing in almost hysterical convulsion at +the entirely impromptu circus which had so suddenly performed an act not +on the program. Arcane was much pleased and laughed heartily when he saw +no one was hurt. We did not think the cattle had so much life and so +little sense as to waste their energies so uselessly. The little mule +stepped out one side and looked on in amazement, with out disarranging +any article of her load. + +Mrs. Bennett, carrying her baby and walking around to keep out of the +way, got very much exhausted, and sat down on the sand, her face as red +as if the blood were about to burst through the skin, and perspiring +freely. We carried a blanket and spread down for her while we gathered +in the scattered baggage. Then the oxen were got together again, and +submitted to being loaded up again as quietly as if nothing had +happened. Myself and the women had to mend the harness considerably, and +Arcane and his ox went back for some water, while Rogers and Bennett +took the shovel and went ahead about a mile to cover up the body of +Capt. Culverwell, for some of the party feared the cattle might be +terrified at seeing it. All this took so much time that we had to make a +camp of it right here. + +We put the camp kettle on two stones, built a fire, put in some beans +and dried meat cut very fine, which cooked till Arcane came with more +water, which was added, and thickened with a little of the unbolted +flour, making a pretty good and nutritious soup which we all enjoyed. We +had to secure the animals, for there was neither grass nor water for +them, and we thought they might not be in so good spirits another day. + +We had little trouble in packing up again in the morning, and concluded +to take a nearer route to the summit, so as to more quickly reach the +water holes where Rogers and I camped on our first trip over the +country. This would be a hard rocky road on its course leading up a +small rocky cañon, hard on the feet of the oxen, so they had to be +constantly urged on, as they seemed very tender footed. They showed no +disposition to go on a spree again and so far as keeping the loads on, +behaved very well indeed. The women did not attempt to ride but followed +on, close after Old Crump and the children who required almost constant +attention, for in their cramped position they made many cries and +complaints. To think of it, two children cramped up in narrow pockets, +in which they could not turn around, jolted and pitched around over the +rough road, made them objects of great suffering to themselves and +anxiety and labor on the part of the mothers. + +Mrs. Bennett said she would carry her baby if she could, but her own +body was so heavy for her strength that she could not do it. Bennett, +Rogers and myself hurried the oxen all we could, so that we could reach +the water, and let Bennett go back with some to meet the rest and +refresh them for the end of the day's march, and he could take poor +little Martha from the pocket and carry her in his arms, which would be +a great relief to her. Arcane also took his child when he met them, +throwing away his double barrel gun, saying:--"I have no use for you." + +When the women reached camp we had blankets already spread down for +them, on which they cast themselves, so tired as to be nearly dead. They +were so tired and discouraged they were ready to die, for they felt they +could not endure many days like this. + +We told them this was the first day and they were not used to exercise +therefore more easily tired than after they became a little used to it. +We told them not to be discouraged, for we knew every water hole, and +all the road over which we would pilot them safely. They would not +consent to try riding again, after their circus experience, and Mrs. +Arcane said her limbs ached so much she did not think she could even go +on the next day. They had climbed over the rocks all day, and were lame +and sore, and truly thought they could not endure such another day. The +trail had been more like stairs than a road in its steep ascent, and our +camp was at a narrow pass in the range. The sky was clear and cloudless, +as it had been for so long for thus far upon this route no rain had +fallen, and only once a little snow, that came to us like manna in the +desert. For many days we had been obliged to go without water both we +and our cattle, and over the route we had come we had not seen any signs +of a white man's presence older than our own. I have no doubt we were +the first to cross the valley in this location, a visible sink hole in +the desert. + +The women did not recover sufficient energy to remove their clothing, +but slept as they were, and sat up and looked around with uncombed hair +in the morning, perfect pictures of dejection. We let them rest as long +as we could, for their swollen eyes and stiffened joints told how sadly +unprepared they were to go forward at once. The sun came out early and +made it comfortable, while a cool and tonic breeze, came down from the +great snow mountain the very thing to brace them up after a thorough +rest. + +The slope to the east was soon met by a high ridge and between this and +the main mountain was a gentle slope scattered over with sage brush, and +a few little stools of bunch grass here and there between. This gave our +oxen a little food and by dipping out the water from the holes and +letting them fill up again we managed to get water for camp use and to +give the animals nearly all they wanted. + +While waiting for the women Bennett and Arcane wanted to go out and get +a good view of the great snowy mountain I had told them so much about. +The best point of view was near our camp, perhaps three or four hundred +yards away, and I went with them. This place where we now stood was +lower than the mountains either north or south, but were difficult to +climb, and gave a good view in almost every direction, and there, on the +back bone of the ridge we had a grand outlook, but some parts of it +brought back doleful recollections. They said they had traveled in sight +of that mountain for months and seen many strange formations, but never +one like this, as developed from this point. It looked to be +seventy-five miles to its base, and to the north and west there was a +succession of snowy peaks that seemed to have no end. Bennett and Arcane +said they never before supposed America contained mountains so grand +with peaks that so nearly seemed to pierce the sky. Nothing except a +bird could ever cross such steep ranges as that one. + +West and south it seemed level, and low, dark and barren buttes rose +from the plain, but never high enough to carry snow, even at this season +of the year. I pointed out to them the route we were to follow, noting +the prominent points, and it could be traced for fully one hundred and +twenty-five miles from the point on which we stood. This plain, with its +barren ranges and buttes is now known as the Mojave Desert. This part of +the view they seemed to study over, as if to fix every point and water +hole upon their memory. We turned to go to camp, but no one looked back +on the country we had come over since we first made out the distant snow +peak, now so near us, on November 4th 1849. The only butte in this +direction that carried snow was the one where we captured the Indian and +where the squashes were found. + +The range next east of us across the low valley was barren to look upon +as a naked, single rock. There were peaks of various heights and colors, +yellow, blue firery red and nearly black. It looked as if it might +sometime have been the center of a mammoth furnace. I believe this range +is known as the Coffin's Mountains. It would be difficult to find earth +enough in the whole of it to cover a coffin. + +Just as we were ready to leave and return to camp we took off our hats, +and then overlooking the scene of so much trial, suffering and death +spoke the thought uppermost saying:--"_Good bye Death Valley!"_ then +faced away and made our steps toward camp. Even after this in speaking +of this long and narrow valley over which we had crossed into its nearly +central part, and on the edge of which the lone camp was made, for so +many days, it was called Death Valley. + +Many accounts have been given to the world as to the origin of the name +and by whom it was thus designated but ours were the first visible +footsteps, and we the party which named it the saddest and most dreadful +name that came to us first from its memories. + + + + +CHAPTER XI. + + +Out of Death Valley we surely were. To Rogers and I, the case seemed +hopeful, for we had confidence in the road and believed all would have +power to weather difficulties, but the poor women--it is hard to say +what complaints and sorrows were not theirs. They seemed to think they +stood at death's door, and would about as soon enter, as to take up a +farther march over the black, desolate mountains and dry plains before +them, which they considered only a dreary vestibule to the dark door +after all. They even had an idea that the road was longer than we told +them, and they never could live to march so far over the sandy, rocky +roads. The first day nearly satisfied them that it was no use to try, +Rogers and I counted up the camps we ought to reach each day and in this +way could pretty near convince them of time that would be consumed in +the trip. We encouraged them in every way we could; told them we had +better get along a little every day and make ourselves a little nearer +the promised land, and the very exercise would soon make them stronger +and able to make a full day's march. + +John and I told them we felt in much better spirits now than we did when +we set out alone, and now that nothing but the arrows of an Indian could +stop us. We said to them. "We are not going to leave you two ladies out +here to die for there is not a sign of a grave to put you in,--" and it +was a pretty tough place to think of making one. We told them of the +beautiful flowery hillsides over the other side and begged them to go +over there to die, as it would be so much better and easier to perform +the last sad rites there instead of here on the top of the dismal +mountain. It seemed quite like a grim joke, but it produced a reaction +that turned the tide of thoughts and brought more courage. We only laid +out the march for this day as far as the falls and after a little +prepared to move. The cattle seemed to have quit their foolishness, and +they were loaded without trouble. The children fitted into the pockets +better than usual, and the mothers with full canteens strapped across +their shoulders picked out soft places on which to place their poor +blistered feet at every step. They walked as if they were troubled with +corns on every toe and on their heels into the bargain, and each foot +was so badly affected, that they did not know on which one to limp. But +still they moved, and we were once more on our way westward. They often +stopped to rest, and Arcane waited for them with Old Crump, while they +breathed and complained awhile and then passed on again. + +[Illustration: The Oxen Get Frisky.] + +The route was first along the foot of the high peak, over bare rocks and +we soon turned south somewhat so as to enter the cañon leading down to +the falls. The bottom of this was thick with broken rock, and the oxen +limped and picked out soft places about as bad as the women did. A pair +of moccasins would not last long in such rocks and we hoped to get out +of them very soon. Rogers and I hurried along, assisting Arcane and his +party as much as we could, while Bennett staid behind and assisted the +women as much as possible, taking their arms, and by this means they +also reached camp an hour behind the rest. + +A kettle of hot steaming soup, and blankets all spread out on which to +rest, was the work Rogers and I had done to prepare for them, and they +sank down on the beds completely exhausted. The children cried some but +were soon pacified and were contented to lie still. A good supper of hot +soup made them feel much better all around. + +The first thing Bennett and Arcane did was to look round and see the +situation at the falls, and see if the obstacle was enough to stop our +progress, or if we must turn back and look for a better way. They were +in some doubt about it, but concluded to try and get the animals over +rather than to take the time to seek another pass, which might take a +week of time. We men all went down to the foot of the fall, and threw +out all the large rocks, then piled up all the sand we could scrape +together with the shovel, till we had quite a pile of material that +would tend to break a fall. We arranged everything possible for a forced +passage in the morning, and the animals found a few willows to browse +and a few bunches of grass here and there, which gave them a little +food, while the spring supplied them with enough water to keep them from +suffering with thirst. + +Early in the morning we took our soup hastily and with ropes lowered our +luggage over the small precipice, then the children, and finally all the +ropes were combined to make a single strong one about thirty feet long. +They urged one of the oxen up to the edge of the falls, put the rope +around his horns, and threw down the end to me, whom they had stationed +below. I was told to pull hard when he started so that he might not +light on his head and break his neck. We felt this was a desperate +undertaking, and we fully expected to lose some of our animals, but our +case was critical and we must take some chances. Bennett stood on one +side of the ox, and Arcane on the other, while big Rogers was placed in +the rear to give a regular Tennessee boost when the word was given. "Now +for it," said Bennett, and as I braced out on the rope those above gave +a push and the ox came over, sprawling, but landed safely, cut only a +little by some angular stones in the sand pile. "Good enough," said some +one and I threw the rope back for another ox. "We'll get 'em all over +safely" said Arcane, "if Lewis down there, will keep them from getting +their necks broken." Lewis pulled hard every time, and not a neck was +broken. The sand pile was renewed every time and made as high and soft +as possible, and very soon all our animals were below the falls. The +little mule gave a jump when they pushed her and lighted squarely on her +feet all right. With the exception of one or two slight cuts, which bled +some, the oxen were all right and we began loading them at once. + +Bennett and Arcane assisted their wives down along the little narrow +ledge which we used in getting up, keeping their faces toward the rocky +wall, and feeling carefully for every footstep. Thus they worked along +and landed safely by the time we had the animals ready for a march. We +had passed without disaster, the obstacle we most feared, and started +down the rough cañon, hope revived, and we felt we should get through. +After winding around among the great boulders for a little while we came +to the two horses we had left behind, both dead and near together. We +pointed to the carcasses, and told them those were the horses we brought +for the women to ride, and that is the way they were cheated out of +their passage. The bodies of the animals had not been touched by bird or +beast. The cañon was too deep and dark for either wolves or buzzards to +enter, and nothing alive had been seen by us in the shape of wild game +of any sort. Firearms were useless here except for defence against +Indians, and we expected no real trouble from them. + +From what we could see, it was my opinion that no general rain ever fell +in that region. There was some evidence that water had at times flowed +down them freely after cloud bursts, or some sudden tempest, but the +gravel was so little worn that it gave no evidence of much of a stream. + +We hurried on as rapidly as possible so as to get into the Jayhawker's +beaten trail which would be a little easier to follow. When we reached +the lowest part of the valley we had to turn south to get around a +little, slow running stream of salt water, that moved north and emptied +into a Salt Lake. No source of the stream could be seen from this point, +but when we reached a point where we could cross, we had a smooth, hard +clay bed to march over. It seemed to have been, some day, a bed of +mortar, but now baked hard, and the hoofs of the oxen dented into it no +more than half an inch. On our left hand was a perpendicular cliff, +along which we traveled for quite a little way. The range of mountains +now before us to cross was black, nothing but rocks, and extremely +barren, having no water in it that we knew of, so when we reached the +summit we camped, tied all our animals to rocks, where they lay down and +did not rise till morning. The women were so tired they were over two +hours late, and we had the fire built, the soup cooked and the beds +made. As we did not stop at noon all were very hungry, and ate with a +relish. The poor animals had to go without either grass or water. When +Old Crump and the party came in the men were carrying the babies, and +their wives were clinging to their arms, scarcely able to stand. When +they reached the beds they fell at full length on them, saying their +feet and limbs ached like the tooth ache. It seemed to be best for them +to rest a little before eating. Mrs. Bennett said that the only +consolation was that the road was getting shorter every day, but were it +not for the children she would sooner die than follow the trail any +farther. Their soup was carried to them in the bed, and they were +covered up as they lay, and slept till morning. This day's walk was the +hardest one yet, and probably the longest one of the whole journey, but +there was no other place where we could find a place large enough to +make a camp and free enough of rocks so that a bed could be made. + +Rogers and I had the kettle boiling early, and put in the last of the +meat, and nearly all that was left of the flour. At the next camp an ox +must be killed. Just as it was fairly light I went about 200 yards south +where the dead body of Mr. Fish lay, just as he died more than a month +before. The body had not been disturbed and looked quite natural. He was +from Oscaloosa, Iowa. + +The folks arose very reluctantly this morning, and appeared with swollen +eyes and uncombed hair, for there was no means of making a toilet, +without a drop of water, except what we had used in getting breakfast. +We set the soup kettle near the foot of the bed so the women could feed +the children and themselves. Now as we loaded the oxen, it was agreed +that Rogers and I should go ahead with all but Old Crump, and get in +camp as soon as possible, and they were to follow on as best they could. +There was a little water left in the canteens of Bennett and Arcane, to +be given only to the children, who would cry when thirsty, the very +thing to make them feel the worst. + +We were to kill an ox when we reached camp, and as each of the men had +an equal number on the start each was to furnish one alternately and no +disputing about whose were better or stronger, in any emergency. + +Our road now led down the western slope of the mountain, and loose, +hard, broken rocks were harder on the feet of our animals than coming +up, and our own moccasins were wearing through. The cattle needed shoes +as well as we. Any one who has never tried it can imagine how hard it is +to walk with tender feet over broken rock. It was very slow getting +along at the best, and the oxen stumbled dreadfully in trying to protect +their sore feet. At the foot of the mountain we had several miles of +soft and sandy road. The sun shone very hot, and with no water we +suffered fearfully. A short way out in the sandy valley we pass again +the grave of Mr. Isham, where he had been buried by his friends. He was +from Rochester, N.Y. He was a cheerful, pleasant man, and during the +forepart of the journey used his fiddle at the evening camps to increase +the merriment of his jolly companions. In those days we got no rain, see +no living animals of any kind except those of our train, see not a bird +nor insect, see nothing green except a very stunted sage, and some dwarf +bushes. We now know that the winter of 1849-50 was one of the wettest +ever seen in California, but for some reason or other none of the wet +clouds ever came to this portion of the State to deposit the most +scattering drops of moisture. + +Quite a long way from the expected camp the oxen snuffed the moisture, +and began to hurry towards it with increased speed. A little while +before it did not seem as if they had ambition enough left to make a +quick move, but as we approached the water those which had no packs +fairly trotted in their haste to get a drink. This stream was a very +small one, seeping out from a great pile of rocks, and maintaining +itself till it reached the sands, where it disappeared completely. A few +tufts of grass grew along the banks, otherwise everything surrounding +was desolate in the extreme. + +As soon as we could get the harness off the oxen, we went to look for +our little buried sack of wheat, which we were compelled to leave and +hide on our way out. We had hidden it so completely, that it took us +quite a little while to strike its bed but after scratching with our +hands awhile, we hit the spot, and found it untouched. Although the sand +in which it was buried seemed quite dry, yet the grain had absorbed so +much moisture from it, that the sack was nearly bursting. It was emptied +on a blanket, and proved to be still sound and sweet. + +Our first work now was to kill an ox and get some meat to cook for those +who were coming later. We got the kettle over boiling with some of the +wheat in it, for the beans were all gone. We killed the ox saving the +blood to cook. Cutting the meat all off the bones, we had it drying over +a fire as soon as possible, except what we needed for this meal and the +next. Then we made a smooth place in the soft sand on which to spread +the blankets, the first good place we had found to sleep since leaving +Death Valley. + +The next job was to make moccassins for ourselves and for the oxen, for +it was plain they could not go on another day barefooted. We kept busy +indeed, attending the fires under the meat and under the kettle, besides +our shoemaking, and were getting along nicely about sundown, when Old +Christian Crump appeared in sight followed by the women and the rest of +the party. The women were just as tired as ever and dropped down on the +blankets the first thing. "How many such days as this can we +endure?"--they said. We had them count the days gone by, and look around +to see the roughest part of the road was now behind them. They said that +only five days had passed, and that two thirds of the distance still +remained untraveled, and they knew they could never endure even another +five day's work like the last. We told them to be brave, and be +encouraged, for we had been over the road and knew what it was, and that +we felt sure of being able to do it nicely. They were fed in bed as +usual, and there they lay till morning. We men went to making moccasins +from the green hide, and when we had cut out those for the men and women +the balance of the hide was used in preparing some also for the oxen, +particularly the worst ones, for if I remember correctly there was not +enough to go round. + +The morning came, bright and pleasant, as all of them were, and just +warm enough for comfort in the part of the day. The women were as usual, +and their appearance would remind one quite strongly of half-drowned +hens which had not been long out of trouble. Hair snarled, eyes red, +nose swollen, and out of fix generally. They did not sleep well so much +fatigued, for they said they lived over their hard days in dreams at +night, and when they would close their eyes and try to go to sleep, the +visions would seem to come to them half waking and they could not rest. + +There was now before us a particularly bad stretch of the country as it +would probably take us four or five days to get over it, and there was +only one water hole in the entire distance. This one was quite salt, so +much so that on our return trip the horses refused to drink it, and the +little white one died next day. Only water for one day's camp could be +carried with us, and that was for ourselves alone and not for the +animals. + +When the moccasins were finished in the morning we began to get our +cattle together when it was discovered that Old Brigham was gone, and +the general belief was that the Indians had made a quiet raid on us and +got away with the old fellow. We circled around till we found his track +and then Arcane followed it while we made ready the others. Arcane came +in with the stray namesake of the polygamous saint about this time +shouting:--"I've got him--No Indians." The ox had got into the wash +ravine below camp and passed out of sight behind, in a short time. He +had been as easily tracked as if he walked in snow. There was larger +sage brush in the wash than elsewhere, and no doubt Brigham had thought +this a good place to seek for some extra blades of grass. + +Immediately south of this camp now known as Providence Springs, is the +salt lake to which Rogers and I went on the first trip and were so sadly +disappointed in finding the water unfit to use. + +As soon as ready we started up the cañon, following the trail made by +the Jayhawkers who had proceeded us, and by night had reached the +summit, but passed beyond, a short distance down the western slope, +where we camped in a valley that gave us good large sage brush for our +fires, and quite a range for the oxen without their getting out of +sight. This being at quite a high elevation we could see the foot as +well as the top, of the great snow mountain, and had a general good view +of the country. + +This proved to be the easiest day's march we had experienced, and the +women complained less than on any other night since our departure. Their +path had been comparatively smooth, and with the new moccasins their +feet had been well protected, they had come through pretty nicely. We +told them they looked better, and if they would only keep up good +courage they would succeed and come out all right to the land where +there was plenty of bread and water, and when safely out, they might +make good resolutions never to get in such a trap again. Mrs. Bennett +said such a trip could never be done over again, and but for the fact +that Rogers and I had been over the road, and that she believed all we +had said about it; she never would have had the courage to come thus +far. Now, for the children's sake, she wished to live, and would put +forth any effort to come through all right. + +The next day we had a long cañon to go down, and in it passed the dead +body of the beautiful white mare Rogers had taken such a fancy to. The +body had not decomposed, nor had it been disturbed by any bird or beast. +Below this point the bed of the cañon was filled with great boulders, +over which it was very difficult to get the oxen along. Some of them had +lost their moccasins and had to suffer terribly over the rocks. + +Camp was made at the salt water hole, and our wheat and meat boiled in +it did not soften and get tender as it did in fresh water. There was +plenty of salt grass above; but the oxen did not eat it any more than +the horses did, and wandered around cropping a bite of the bitter brush +once in awhile, and looking very sorry. This was near the place where +Rogers and I found the piece of ice which saved our lives. The women did +not seriously complain when we reached this camp, but little Charley +Arcane broke out with a bad looking rash all over his body and as he +cried most of the time it no doubt smarted and pained him like a mild +burn. Neither his mother nor any one else could do anything for him to +give him any relief. We had no medicines, and if he or any one should +die, all we could do would be to roll the body in a blanket and cover it +with a light covering of sand. + +From this camp to the next water holes at the base of the great snow +mountain, it was at least 30 miles, level as to surface, and with a +light ascending grade. The Jayhawkers had made a well marked trail, and +it it was quite good walking. The next camp was a dry one, both for +ourselves and the oxen, nothing but dry brush for them, and a little +dried meat for ourselves, but for all this the women did not complain so +very much. They were getting use to the work and grew stronger with the +exercise. They had followed Old Crump and the children every day with +the canteens of water and a little dried meat to give them if they cried +too much with hunger, and Arcane had led his ox day after day with a +patience that was remarkable, and there was no bad temper shown by any +one. This was the way to do, for if there were any differences, there +was no tribunal to settle them by. + +In all this desert travel I did not hear any discontent and serious +complaint, except in one case, and that was at the Jayhawker's camp, +where they burned their wagons at the end of the wagon road, in Death +Valley. Some could not say words bad enough to express their contempt, +and laid all the trouble of salt water to Lot's wife. Perhaps she was in +a better position to stand the cursing than any of the party present. + +The next day we reached the water holes at the place where Rogers and I +stole up to camp fire in the evening, supposing it to be Indians, but +finding there Capt. Doty and his mess, a part of the Jayhawker's band. +By dipping carefully from these holes they filled again, and thus, +although there was no flow from them we gradually secured what water we +needed for the camp, which was a small amount after so long a time +without. There was some low brush here called greasewood, which grew +about as high as currant bushes, and some distance up the mountain the +oxen could find some scattery bunch grass, which, on the whole, made +this camp a pretty good one. The women, however, were pretty nearly +exhausted, and little Charley Arcane cried bitterly all day and almost +all night. All began to talk more and feel more hopeful of getting +through. The women began to say that every step brought them so much +nearer to the house we had told them about on the other side and often +said the work was not so very hard after all. Really it was not so bad +travelling as we had at first. We were now nine days from the wagons. +"Are we half way?" was the question they began to ask. We had to answer +them that more than one half the hard days were over, if one half the +distance had not been traveled, and with the better walking and getting +hardened to the work, they would get over the last half better than the +first. One thing was a little hard. All of our beans and flour had been +used up, and now the wheat was about gone also. We had cooked it, and it +seemed best, trying to build up our strength, where it was most needed +for the greatest trials, and now we thought they would be able to get +along on the meat. We had reached the base of the great snow mountain. +It seems strange with the mass of snow resting above, and which must be +continually thawing more or less, no ravines or large streams of water +were produced flowing down this side. It seemed dry all around its base, +which is is very singular, with the snow so near. + +We had now our barren cañon to go down, and right here was the big trail +coming down from the north, which we took and followed. We said all +these good things about the road, and encouraged the people all we could +to keep in good spirits and keep moving. We told them we thought we knew +how to manage to get them safe over the road if they only fully +endeavored to do it. We were all quite young, and not in the decline of +life as were most of them who had perished by the way. No reader can +fully realize how much we had to say and do to keep up courage, and it +is to this more than anything else that we did which kept up the lagging +energies and inspired the best exertion. I don't know but we painted +some things a little brighter than they were, and tried to hide some of +the most disheartening points of the prospects ahead, for we found the +mind had most to do with it after all. We have no doubt that if we had +not done all we could to keep up good courage, the women would have +pined away and died before reaching this far. Whenever we stopped +talking encouragingly, they seemed to get melancholy and blue. + +There was some pretty good management to be exercised still. The oxen +were gradually growing weaker, and we had to kill the weakest one every +time, for if the transportation of our food failed, we should yet be +open to the danger of starvation. As it was, the meat on their frames +was very scarce, and we had to use the greatest economy to make it last +and waste nothing. We should now have to kill one of our oxen every few +days, as our other means of subsistence had been so completely used up. +The women contracted a strange dislike to this region and said they +never wanted to see any part of it again. + +As the sun showed its face over the great sea of mountains away to the +east of Death Valley, and it seemed to rise very early for winter season +we packed up and started west on the big trail. Rogers and I took the +oxen and mule and went on, leaving the others to accompany Old Crump and +his little charges. Arcane had found it best to carry Charley on his +back, as it relieved the burning sensation, caused by the eruption on +his skin, which was aggravated by the close quarters of the pockets. +Thus leaving the pockets unbalanced, Bennett had to carry his baby also. +This made it harder for them, but every one tried to be just as +accommodating as they could and each one would put himself to trouble to +accommodate or relieve others. + +Rogers and I made camp when we reached the proper place which was some +distance from the mountain, on a perfectly level plain where there was +no water, no grass, nothing but sage brush would grow on the dry and +worthless soil. We let the oxen go and eat as much of this as they +chose, which was very little and only enough to keep them from absolute +starvation. The great trail had a branch near here that turned north, +and went up a ravine that would seem to reach the snow in a little +while. This was believed to be impassable at this time of year. This +route is known as Walker's Pass, leading over a comparatively low ridge, +and coming out the south fork of the Kern River. + +We made our camp here because it was as long a march as the women could +make, and, for a dry one, was as good a location as we could find. The +cool breeze came down from the snow to the north of us, not so very many +miles away, and after a little it became uncomfortably cold. We gathered +greasewood bushes and piled them up to make a wind-break for our heads. +The oxen, even, would come and stand around the fire, seeming greatly to +enjoy the warm smoke, which came from burning the greasewood brush, +which by the way, burns about the best of any green wood. When we were +ready to lie down we tied the animals to bunches of brush, and they lay +contentedly till morning. + +To the north of us, a few miles away we could see some standing, columns +of rock, much reminding one of the great stone chimney of the boiler +house at Stanford Jr., University; not quite so trim and regular in +exterior appearance, but something in that order. We reckon the only +students in the vicinity would be lizards. + +When the women arrived in camp they were very tired, but encouraged +themselves that they were much nearer the promised land than they were +in the morning. Mrs. Bennett said she was very careful never to take a +step backward, and to make every forward one count as much as possible. +"That's a good resolution, Sally," said Mr Bennett. "Stick to it and we +will come out by and bye." + +From near this camp we have a low range of mountains to cross, a sort of +spur or offshoot of the great snow mountain that reaches out twenty +miles or more to the southeast, and its extremity divides away into what +seems from our point of view a level plain. We had attained quite an +elevation without realizing it, so gradual had been the ascent, and our +course was now down a steep hillside and into a deep cañon. In its very +bottom we found a small stream of water only a few yards long, and then +it sank into the sands. Not a spear of grass grew there, and if any had +grown it had been eaten by the cattle which had gone before. This was +the same place, where Rogers and I had overtaken the advance portion of +the Jayhawkers when we were on our outward trip in search of relief, and +where some of the older men were so discouraged that they gave us their +home addresses in Illinois so that we could notify their friends of +their precarious situation, and if they were never otherwise heard from +they could be pretty sure they had perished from thirst and starvation +when almost at their journey's end. + +The scenes of this camp on that occasion made so strong an impression on +my memory that I can never forget it. There were poor dependent fellows +without a morsel to eat except such bits of poor meat as they could beg +from those who were fortunate enough to own oxen. Their tearful +pleadings would soften a heart of stone. We shared with some of them +even when we did not know the little store upon our backs would last us +through. Our oxen here had water to drink, but nothing more. It might be +a little more comfortable to drink and starve, than both choke and +starve, but these are no very pleasant prospects in either one. + +Both ourselves and the oxen were getting barefoot and our feet very +tender. The hill we had just come down was very rough and rocky and our +progress very slow, every step made in a selected spot. We could not +stop here to kill an ox and let the remainder of them starve, but must +push on to where the living ones could get a little food. We fastened +the oxen and the mule to keep them from wandering, and slept as best we +could. The women and children looked worse than for some time, and could +not help complaining. One of the women held up her foot and the sole was +bare and blistered. She said they ached like toothache. The women had +left their combs in the wagons, and their hair was getting seriously +tangled. Their dresses were getting worn off pretty nearly to their +knees, and showed the contact with the ground that sometimes could not +be avoided. They were in a sad condition so far as toilet and raiment +were concerned. Life was in the balance, however, and instead of talking +over sad things, we talked of the time when we would reach the little +babbling brook where Rogers and I took such long draughts of clear, +sweet water and the waiter at our dinner gave us the choice of _Crow_, +_Hawk_ or _Quail_, and where we took a little of all three. + +[Illustation: Pulling the Oxen Down the Precipice.] + +In the morning we were off again down the cañon, limping some as we trod +its coarse gravelly bed with our tender feet and stiffened joints, but +getting limbered up a little after a bit, and enduring it pretty well. +We set out to try to reach the bunch of willows out on the level plain, +where the cattle could get some water and grass, but night overtook us +at the mouth of the cañon, and we were forced to go into camp. This +cañon is now called Red Cañon. This was on an elevated plain, with a +lake near by, but as we had been so often deceived by going to the lake +for water, and finding them salt in every instance, or poison on account +of strong alkali, we did not take the trouble to go and try this one. + +Near us was some coarse grass and wet ground where we found water enough +for our moderate use, and the oxen, by perseverance, could get something +to eat and drink. After supper we were out of meat and we would have to +kill an ox to get some food for breakfast. In the night a storm came on, +much to our surprise, for we had seen none since the night on the +mountain east of Death Valley more than two months before. We tried to +fix up a shelter to protect the children and ourselves, but were not +very successful. We tried to use our guns for tent poles, but could not +keep them in place. We laid down as close as pigs in cold weather, and +covered up as best we could, but did not keep dry, and morning found us +wet to the skin, cold and shivering. We gathered big sage brush for a +fire in the morning, and the tracks of our nearly bare feet could be +plainly seen in the snow which lay like a blanket awhile over the +ground, about two inches deep. Some lay in bed and we warmed blankets +before the fire and put over them to keep them comfortable till the sun +should rise and warm the air. We selected an ox and brought him up +before the fire where I shot him, and soon there was meat roasting over +the fire and blood cooking in the camp kettle. We had nothing to season +the blood pudding with but salt, and it was not very good, but answered +to sustain life. We ate a hasty meal, then packed our animals and +started for the willow patch about four miles away. The snow was about +gone. + +I staid in camp to keep it till they could get through to the willows +and some one to come back with the mule to carry forward the portion of +meat that could not be taken at first. We intended to dry it at the +willows, and then we could carry it along as daily food over the wide +plain we had yet to cross. Having carried the meat forward, we made a +rack of willows and dried it over the fire, making up a lot of moccasins +for the barefooted ones while we waited. We were over most of the rocky +road, we calculated that our shoemaking would last us through. This was +a very pleasant camp. The tired ones were taking a rest. No one needed +it more than our women and children, who were tired nearly out. They +were in much better condition to endure their daily hardships than when +they started out, and a little rest would make them feel quite fresh +again. They understood that this was almost on the western edge of this +desert country and this gave them good hope and courage. + +This wonderful spot in the level plain, with a spring of pure water +making an oasis of green willows and grass has been previously spoken of +as:--"A spring of good water, and a little willow patch in a level +desert away from any hill." In all our wanderings we had never seen the +like before. No mountaineer would ever think of looking here for water, +much less ever dream of finding a lone spring away out in the desert, +several miles from the mountain's base. Where the range we just came +through leaves the mother mountain stands a peak, seemingly alone, and +built up of many colored rocks, in belts, and the whole looks as if +tipped with steel. + +Arcane's boy Charley still suffered from his bogus measles or whatever +else his disorder might be, and Bennett's little Martha grew more quiet +and improved considerably in health, though still unable to walk, and +still abdominally corpulent. The other two children George and Melissa +seemed to bear up well and loved to get off and walk in places where the +trail was smooth and level. Bennett, Arcane and Old Crump usually +traveled with the same party as the women, and as each of them had a +small canteen to carry water, they could attend to the wants of the +children and keep them from worrying and getting sick from fretfulness. +They often carried the two younger ones on their backs to relieve and +rest them from their cramped position on the ox. + +Arcane used to say he expected the boys--meaning Rogers and I--would try +to surprise the party by letting them get very near the house before +they knew how near they were. "Be patient Mr. Arcane," said we, "we can +tell you just how many camps there must be before we reach it, and we +won't fool you or surprise you in any way." "Well," said he. "I was +almost in hopes you would, for I like to be disappointed in that way." +"What do you think the folks will say when we tell them that our little +mule packed most of the meat of an ox four miles from one camp to +another?" "What will they say when we tell them that the oxen were so +poor that there was no marrow in the great thigh bones?" Instead of +marrow there was a thick dark liquid something like molasses in +consistency, but streaked with different colors which made it look very +unwholesome. Arcane said the whole story was so incredible, that he +never should fight anyone, even if he should tell him he lied when he +related the strange sad truth. He said he had no doubt many a one would +doubt their story, it was so much beyond what people had ever seen or +heard of before, and they might be accused of very strong romancing in +the matter. + +They all felt more like talking; for we were thus far safe and sound, +and though there was a desperate struggle of seventy-five miles or more, +from this place to the next water in the foot-hills. Possibly the snow +storms had left a little in some of the pools, but we made no +calculations on any. The promised land we had so steadily been +approaching, and now comparatively so near, gave us great hope, which +was better than food and drink to give us strength. + +There were surely two camps between this and the little pond John and I +found, among the Cabbage trees, and not more than six by ten feet +square. As we worked away at our foot-wear we talked more in an hour +than we had in a whole day before. We were slowly leaving Death Valley +behind us with its sad memories and sufferings. We were leaving behind +the dead bodies of several who had traveled with us and been just as +strong and hopeful as we. We had left behind us all in our possession in +that terrible spot, and simply with our lives we hoped to escape, and +trust to Providence and humanity on the other side. Arcane now admitted +that they could not have got along half as well, if we had not gone +ahead and looked out the land. It was such a gain to know exactly where +the next water hole was, so it could be steered for and struggled +toward. He even went so far as to say they would have no chance alone, +and that as he now saw the road, he was sure they have would all +perished even before reaching as far as this. We had strong hopes of the +morrow, when we would be all rested, all were shod, and would make every +footstep count in our western progress. + +It seems quite a strange occurrence that the only two storms we had had +since we turned westward on this route, Nov. 4th, were snow storms, and +that both had come while we were asleep, so that all our days were +cloudless. Sometimes the sun was uncomfortably warm even in the heart of +the winter. One would have naturally expected that the great rainfall +all over the California coast in the winter of 1849-50, and the deep +snows that came in the Sierra Nevada mountains the same winter, would +have extended southerly the few hundred miles that separated the two +places. Modern science has shown the tracks of the storms and partially +explains the reasons for this dry and barren nature of this region. When +rains do come they are so out of the regular order, that they are called +cloud-bursts or waterspouts, and the washes in the cañons and their +mouths show how great has been the volume of water that sometimes rushed +down the slope. If clouds at a warm or moderate temperature float +against these snow peaks all the water they contain is suddenly +precipitated. The country is an arid one and unless wealth should appear +in the shape of mines, the country can never be inhabited. We considered +ourselves very fortunate in finding the little pools and holes of water +which kept us alive. It was not very good drinking water, but to us +thirsty folks it was a blessing and we never passed it by on account of +any little stagnant bitter taste. Salt water we could not drink of +course, though we sometimes used it to cook with. + +We were as well prepared next morning as possible for a move, and the +long walk before us, the last one between us and the fertile land. They +all talked of how delighted they would be to see once more a running +brook, green grass and trees, and such signs of life as they had seen +and been used to in the good land they had left behind. The women said +they could endure the march of four or five days, if when all over, they +could sleep off the terrible fatigue and for once drink all the pure +sweet water they could desire. No more forced marches. No more grey +road, stretching out its dusty miles as far as the eye could reach. The +ladies thought the oxen would be as happy as themselves, and the little +mule, the most patient one of the whole train deserved a life of ease +for her valuable services. This little black, one-eyed lady wandered +here and there at will seeking for grass, but never going astray or +getting far enough from the track to alarm us in the least. She seldom +drank much water, was always ready, never got foot-sore, and seemed made +expressly for such a life and for such a desert. + +A good kettleful of soup for breakfast, dried meat fixed in packages, +kegs and canteens filled with water, and we were ready for an advance. + +There is one less ox to lead, and very little load for those we have, +still the load is all such poor weak fellows ought to bear. Old Crump +was not thus favored by a gradually lightened load. He bore the same +four children every day, faithfully, carefully, with never a stumble nor +fall, as though fully aware of the precious nature of his burden. + +In this new march John and I took the oxen and pushed on as usual, +leaving the families to follow on, at a slower pace, the trail we made. +The trail was slightly inclined. The bushes stunted at the best, getting +smaller as we proceeded, and the horse bones, new and ancient are now +thickly scattered along the way. The soil is different from that we have +had. We can see the trail, winding gently here and there, swept clean by +the wind, and the surface is hard and good; but when the mule gets the +least bit off of it she sinks six inches deep into the soft sand, and +the labor of walking is immense. I stepped out to examine the peculiar +soil, and found it finer than superfine flour. It was evident that a +strong wind would lift it in vast clouds which might even darken the +sky, but we were fortunate in this respect, for during all the time we +were on this peculiar soil, there was no wind at all, and we escaped a +sand-storm, a sort of storm as peculiar to this region as are blizzards +to some of the states of the great west. + +Our first night's camp was out on the barren waterless plain, now known +as the Mojave Desert. There were no shrubs large enough to make a fire +of, and nothing to tie our cattle to, so we fastened all our animals +together to keep them from scattering and getting lost. We ate a little +dry meat and drank sparingly of the water, for our scanty stock was to +last us another day, when we might reach prospective water holes. +Starting early, John and I took all but Old Crump and the other +travelers, and hurried on to try and find the water holes as early as +possible. We, as well as the oxen were very dry, for we left all the +water we had with the party, for the children, for they cannot endure +the thirst as the older people can. We reached the camping place before +night. Quite a time before we reached it, the cattle seemed to scent the +water and quickened their pace, so we were confident it had not dried +up. We got ahead of the oxen and kept there until we reached the little +pond and then guarded it to keep them from wading into it, in their +eagerness to reach some drink. They all satisfied their thirst, and then +we removed the harness, built a fire of the dead cabbage trees which we +found round about, laid down the beds and arranged them neatly, and had +all nicely done before the rear guard came up, in charge of Captain +Crump. The party was eager for water and all secured it. It was rain +water and no doubt did not quench thirst as readily as water from some +living spring or brook. There was evidence that there had been a recent +shower or snow to fill this depression up for our benefit. The +Jayhawkers had passed not more than a half mile north of this spot, but +no sign appeared that they had found it, and it was left to sustain the +lives of the women and children. + +It often occurs to me that many may read incredulously when I speak of +our party eating the entire flesh of an ox in four or five days. To such +I will say that one cannot form an idea how poor an ox will get when +nearly starved so long. Months had passed since they had eaten a +stomachful of good nutritious food. The animals walked slowly with heads +down nearly tripping themselves up with their long, swinging legs. The +skin loosely covered the bones, but all the flesh and muscles had shrunk +down to the smallest space. The meat was tough and stringy as basswood +bark, and tasted strongly of bitter sage brush the cattle had eaten at +almost every camp. At a dry camp the oxen would lie down and grate their +teeth, but they had no cud to chew. It looked almost merciless to shoot +one down for food, but there was no alternative. We killed our poor +brute servants to save ourselves. Our cattle found a few bunches out +among the trees at this camp and looked some better in the morning. They +had secured plenty of water and some grass. + +Young Charlie Arcane seemed to grow worse rather than better. His whole +body was red as fire, and he screamed with the pain and torment of the +severe itching. Nothing could be done to relieve him, and if his +strength lasted till we could get better air, water and food he might +recover, but his chances were very poor. + +Not much rest at this camp for in the morning we aimed to start early +and reach the water in the foothills. We thought we could do it if we +started early, walked rapidly and took no resting spell at noon. Such a +poor soil as this we were anxious to get away from, and walk once more +on a soil that would grow something besides stunted sage brush. From all +appearances the Jayhawkers were here in about the same predicament +Rogers and I were when we lost the trail. By their tracks we could see +they had scattered wide and there was no road left for us to follow, and +they had evidently tried to follow our former tracks. Having no trail to +follow we passed on as best we could and came to a wide piece of land on +which were growing a great many cabbage trees. The soil was of the +finest dust with no grit in it, and not long before a light shower had +fallen, making it very soft and hard to get along in with the moccasins. +The women had to stop to rest frequently, so our progress was very slow. +Rogers and I had feet about as hard as those of the oxen, so we removed +our moccasins and went barefoot, finding we could get along much easier +in that way, but the others had such tender feet they could not endure +the rough contact with the brush and mud. Only a few miles had been made +before the women were so completely tired out that we had to stop and +eat our little bit of dried meat and wait till morning. The little mule +now carried all our stock of food, and the precious burden lightened +every day. This delay was not expected, but we had to endure it and bear +it patiently, for there was a limit to strength of the feeble ones of +our party. We had therefore to make another barren camp. Relief seemed +so near at hand we kept good courage and talked freely of the happy +ending which would soon come. If we had any way to set a good table we +would feast and be merry like the prodigal son, but at any rate we shall +be safe if we can reach the fertile shore. + +When the sun went down we tied the mule and oxen to cabbage trees, and +shortly after dusk lay down ourselves, for we had enjoyed a good fire +made of the trunks of cabbage trees, the first really comfortable one in +a long time. The air was cooler here, for we were on higher ground, and +there was some snow on the range of mountains before us, which sent +these cool breezes down to us, a change of climate quite pleasing. + +For breakfast in the morning we had only dried meat roasted before the +fire, without water, and when we started each one put a piece in his or +her pocket to chew on during the day as we walked along. As we went +ahead the ground grew dryer and the walking much improved. The morning +overhead was perfectly lovely, as away east, across the desert the sun +early showed his face to us. Not a cloud anywhere, not even over the +tops of the high peaks where great white masses sometimes cluster but +dissolve as soon as they float away, and there was not wind enough to be +perceptible. We remarked the same lack of animal life which we had +noticed on our first passage over this section, seeing not a rabbit, +bird, or living thing we could use for food. Bennett had the same load +in his gun he put there when we left the wagons, and all the powder I +had burned was that used in killing the oxen we had slain whenever it +became necessary to provide for our barren kitchen. + +As we approached the low foot-hills the trail became better travelled +and better to walk in, for the Jayhawkers who had scattered, every one +for himself apparently, in crossing the plain, seemed here to have drawn +together and their path was quite a beaten one. We saw from this that +they followed the tracks made by Rogers and myself as we made our first +trip westward in search of bread. Quite a little before the sun went out +of sight in the west we reached our camping place in the lower hills at +the eastern slope of a range we must soon cross. Here was some standing +water in several large holes, that proved enough for our oxen, and they +found some large sage brush and small bushes round about, on which they +browsed and among which they found a few bunches of grass. Lying about +were some old skulls of cattle which had sometime been killed, or died. +These were the first signs of the sort we had seen along this route. +They might have been killed by Indians who doubtless used this trail. + +The next day in crossing the range before us, we reached the edge of the +snow, which the sun had softened, and we dare not attempt to cross. +Early in the morning, when it was frozen hard the cattle could travel it +very well. The snow belt was five or six miles wide, and the snow two or +three feet deep. This was a very good camping place except that we had +to melt snow for all our water, but this being coarse and icy it was not +a great job as we found enough dry juniper trees and twigs to make a +very good fire. Here we also had to kill another ox. This one in its +turn was Arcane's, and left him only two, and Bennett three, but we +think that if we have no accident we shall get them along with us till +we can get other food, as they have very light loads to pack. When the +ox is killed and the meat prepared the mule has, for a time, a larger +load than all the oxen have, but seems content and nips a bite of food +whenever it can see a chance anywhere along the road, giving us no more +trouble than a dog. And by the way, I think I have not mentioned our +faithful camp dog, a worthy member of our party who stood watch always +and gave us a sure alarm if anything unusual happened anywhere about. He +was perhaps only one of a hundred that tried to cross the plains and had +to be abandoned when they reached the upper Platte, where the alkali +dust made their feet so sore they could not travel, and as they could +not be hauled on wagons they were left behind. But this dog Cuff did not +propose to be left behind to starve, and crippled along after us, we +doing all we could for him, and proved as tough as the best of us. +Bennett and I had trained him as a hunting dog in the East, and he was +very knowing and handy in every particular. + +We were out of this camp at daylight. Very little rest for some of us, +but we must make the best of the cool morning while the snow is hard, +and so move on as soon as we can see the way. As it gets lighter and the +sun comes up red and hot out of the desert we have a grand view of the +great spread of the country to south and of the great snow mountain to +the north and east, the peak standing over the place where we left our +wagons nineteen days before, on the edge of Death Valley. The glare of +the snow on the sun makes us nearly blind, but we hurry on to try to +cross it before it becomes so soft as to slump under our feet. It is two +or three feet in the deepest places, and probably has been three times +as deep when freshly fallen, but it is now solid and icy. Our rawhide +moccasins protect our feet from cold, and both we and the animals got +along fairly well, the oxen breaking through occasionally as the snow +softened up, but generally walking on the top as we did ourselves. The +snow field reached much farther down the western slope than we had +hoped, much farther than on the eastern side. Before we got out of it, +we saw the track of some animal which had crossed our route, but as it +had been made some days before and now could be seen only as some holes +in the surface, we could not determine what sort of an animal it was. + +A mile or two down the hill we were at last out of the snow, and a +little farther on we came to the little babbling brook Rogers and I had +so long painted in the most refreshing colors to the tired women, with +water, wood and grass on every hand, the three greatest blessings of a +camper's life. Here was where Rogers and I had cooked and eaten our meat +of crow, quail and hawk, pretty hard food, but then, the blessed water! + +There it danced and jumped over the rocks singing the merriest song one +ever heard, as it said--Drink, drink ye thirsty ones your fill--the +happiest sweetest music to the poor starved, thirsty souls, wasted down +almost to haggard skeletons. O! if some poet of wildest imagination +could only place himself in the position of those poor tired travelers +to whom water in thick muddy pools had been a blessing, who had eagerly +drank the fluid even when so salt and bitter us to be repulsive, and now +to see the clear, pure liquid, distilled from the crystal snow, +abundant, free, filled with life and health--and write it in words--the +song of that joyous brook and set it to the music that it made as it +echoed in gentle waves from the rocks and lofty walls, and with the +gentle accompaniment of rustling trees--a soft singing hush, telling of +rest, and peace, and happiness. + +New life seemed to come to the dear women. "O! What a beautiful stream!" +say they, and they dip in a tin cup and drink, then watch in dreaming +admiration the water as it goes hurrying down; then dip and drink again, +and again watch the jolly rollicking brook as if it were the most +entertaining thing in the whole wide earth. "Why can't such a stream as +that run out of the great Snow Mountain in the dry Death Valley?" say +they--"so we could get water on the way." + +The men have felt as glad as any of them, but have gathered wood and +made a fire, and now a camp kettle of cut up meat is boiling for our +supper. It was not yet night, but we must camp in so beautiful a place +as this, and though the food was poor, we were better off than we had +been before. + +Bennett proposed that I take the mule and go back to where we saw the +track of the animal in the snow and follow it in hope that we might get +some game for we had an idea it might be an elk or bear or some large +game, good to kill and give us better meat: So I saddled the mule and +took the trail back till I came to the track, then followed it as best I +could, for it was very dull and gave me no idea what it was. I traced +out of the snow and then in a blind way through bushes as high as the +mule's back--Chaparral we called it now--among which I made my way with +difficulty. I could now see that the track was made by an ox or +cow--perhaps an elk--I could not tell for sure it was so faint. This +chaparral covered a large piece of table land, and I made my way through +it, following the track for a mile or two, till I came to the +top of a steep hill sloping down into a deep cañon and a creek, on the +bank of which grew sycamore and alder trees, with large willows. I +stopped here some minutes to see if I could see or hear the movement of +of anything. Across the creek I could see a small piece of perhaps half +an acre of natural meadow, and in it some small bunches of sycamore +trees. After a little I discovered some sort of a horned animal there, +and I reckoned this was good enough game for me to try and capture, so +led the mule out to one side and down the hill near the creek, then tied +her, and crept along the bank, about four feet high, toward the little +meadow. When about right, as I thought, I climbed up behind a bunch of +sycamores, and when I slowly and cautiously raised up I was within fifty +yards of a cow or steer of some sort which I could dimly see. I put a +ball square in its forehead and it fell without a struggle. I loaded +again quick as possible, and there saw two other smaller cattle stepping +very high as though terrified, but not aware of the nature or location +of the danger. I gave a low whistle and one of them looked toward me +long enough for me to put a ball in it. The third one was now behind a +clump of sycamores, and I soon saw its face through a little opening not +more than three inches wide. I made a shot, and wounded it, and then +rushed up and gave it a fatal one. + +I examined my game and found the first one was a poor old cow, but the +others were yearlings, one of them very fat and nice, and I soon had the +hind quarters skinned out, and all the fat I could find, which made a +big load for the mule. It was now almost dark, and the next problem was +to get back to camp again. The brushy hills would be terrible to cross +with a load of meat, and by the way the ground lay I concluded our camp +was on this same creek farther down. + +The only way that seemed at all feasible was to follow the course of the +stream if possible, rather than return the course over which I had come. +There were so many bushes and trees along the bank that I had to take to +the bed and follow in the water, and as it was rocky and rough, and so +dark I could not see well how to step, I stumbled into holes and pools +up to my waist, wet as a rat. Coming to a small open place I decided I +had better camp for the night and not attempt further progress in the +darkness, and the decision was hastened by dark clouds, which began to +gather and a few sprinkles of rain began to come. There was a good patch +of grass for the mule, but all was uncomfortable for me, with the +prospect for a rainy night, but as wood was plenty I decided to make a +fire and take the chances. I looked for matches and scratched one. No +go--they were damp, and scratch as careful and quickly as I could, there +was no answering spark or flame, and darkness reigned supreme. A camp +without a fire in this wet place was not to be thought of, so I +concluded I might as well be slowly working my way down along the +stream, through thick brush and cold water, as to sit here in the cold +and wait. + +So the little mule and I started on, wading the creek in thick darkness, +getting only the most dim reflected light from the sky through now and +then an opening in the trees. I did not know then how easy it was for a +grizzly to capture myself, the mule and meat and have quite a variety +for supper. But the grizzly stayed at home and we followed on through +brambles and hard brush, through which it was almost impossible to force +one's way. As it turned out, I was not in the track of the storm and did +not suffer much from it. Soon the cañon grew wider, and I could make out +on the right hand a piece of table land covered with brush that seemed +easier to get through than the creek bed. + +The hill up to the table land was very steep, but not more than fifty +yards high, and when the mule tried to get up she got along very well +till near the top, when she slipped in the wet earth and never stopped +till she reached the bottom and lay down. She was helped up to her feet +again and we tried it in another place, I holding her from slipping when +she stopped to rest, and at last we reached the top. The mule started +on, seeming to follow a trail, but I could not see whether there was a +trail or not, so thick was the darkness, but there was evidently +something of the kind, for the brush was two or three feet high and very +thick. + +After proceeding some distance the mule stopped and did not seem to wish +to go any farther. I was pretty sure there was something in front of her +that blocked the way, and so worked my way through the brush and +carefully past her. I could partly see and partly hear something just +ahead, and in a moment found it was our good faithful Cuff, and no +frightful spook at all. The good fellow had discovered our approach and +came out to meet us, and I am sure the mule was as glad as I was to see +him. He crawled through the brush and smelled at the mule's load and +then went forward in the trail, which we followed. It was a long time +after midnight when we reached camp. There was a good fire burning, but +all were asleep till I led the mule up to the fire and called out--"Wake +Up," when they were most of them on their feet in a minute without +stopping to dress, for all had slept a long time without taking off +their clothes. + +John took charge of the mule and unloaded it, telling me to get into his +warm bed. I took off my wet clothes and told him to dry them, and then +got between the dry, warm blankets in greatest comfort. Daylight came +very quickly, it seemed to me, and before I finally rose, the sun had +been up some hours before me. Before I fell asleep I could hear the +women say, as they cut off the pieces of meat to roast--"See the fat! +Only see how nice it is!" Quickly roasted on the coals they ate the +delicate morsels with a relish and, most of all, praised the sweet fat. +"We like to have it all fat," said they, showing how their system craved +the nourishment the poor starved beef could not give. No one went to bed +after I came, but all sat and roasted meat and ate till they were +satisfied. + +This sporting trip was quite different from deer hunting in Wisconsin, +and nothing like looking for game in Death Valley where nothing lived. +It was the hardest night's work that ever came to me in many a day, and +not the wild sport I generally looked for when on the chase. I felt +pretty well when I got up, and a chunk of my last night's prize which +had been toasted for me was eaten with a relish, for it was the best of +meat and I, of course, had a first class appetite. I had to tell them my +last hunting story, and was much praised as a lucky boy. + +We would not be compelled to kill any more of our poor oxen in order to +live. So far we had killed six of them, and there were five left. Our +present situation was much appreciated, compared with that of a few days +ago when we were crawling slowly over the desert, hungry, sore-footed +and dry, when to lie was far easier than to take steps forward. We felt +like rejoicing at our deliverance and there was no mourning now for us. +The surrounding hills and higher mountains seemed more beautiful to us. +They were covered with green trees and brush, not a desert place in +sight. The clear little singing brook ran merrily on its way, the +happiest, brightest stream in all my memory. Wild birds came near us +without fear, and seemed very friendly. All was calm, and the bright +sunshine exactly warm enough so that no one could complain of heat or +cold. + +When ready to move it was announced that I had lost my saddle blanket in +my adventure, so they substituted another one and I took the back track +to the place where the mule slipped down the bank, and there I found it. +I soon overtook them again just as they were going to camp on Mrs. +Bennett's account, as she had been suddenly taken sick with severe pain +and vomiting, something as Rogers and I had been after eating our first +California corn meal. The rich, fat meat was too strong for her weak +stomach. + +Arcane all along had an idea that Rogers and I meant to surprise them by +leading them to believe the house we had visited was quite a distance +off, and then to so manage it that it should appear upon their sight +suddenly. We assured them it would take two or more camps before we +could get there, and if Mrs. Bennett did not soon recover, even more +than that. Our camp here was under a great live oak, the ground deep +covered with dry leaves, and near by a beautiful meadow where our cattle +and mule ate, drank and rested, the oxen chewing their cud with such an +air of comfort as had not come to them since leaving their far-off +eastern pastures. They seemed as much pleased as any one. They would lie +down and rest and eat at the same time in perfectly enjoyable laziness. + +Here we all rested and washed such clothes as we could do without long +enough to dry, and washed our faces and hands over and over again to +remove the dirt which had been burned and sweated in so completely as +not to come off readily. We sat on the bank of the brook with our feet +dangling in the water, a most refreshing bath, and they too began to +look clean again. We often saw tracks of the grizzly bear about, but in +our ignorance had no fear of them, for we did not know they were a +dangerous animal. An owl came and hooted in the night, but that was the +only challenge any wild beast or bird gave to our peaceful and restful +camp. We were out of the dreadful sands and shadows of Death Valley, its +exhausting phantoms, its salty columns, bitter lakes and wild, dreary +sunken desolation. If the waves of the sea could flow in and cover its +barren nakedness, as we now know they might if a few sandy barriers were +swept away, it would be indeed, a blessing, for in it there is naught of +good, comfort or satisfaction, but ever in the minds of those who braved +its heat and sands, a thought of a horrid Charnel house, a corner of the +earth so dreary that it requires an exercise of strongest faith to +believe that the great Creator ever smiled upon it as a portion of his +work and pronounced it "Very good." We had crossed the great North +American Continent, from a land of plenty, over great barren hills and +plains, to another mild and beautiful region, where, though still in +winter months, we were basking in the warmth and luxuriance of early +summer. We thought not of the gold we had come to win. We were dead +almost, and now we lived. We were parched with thirst, and now the +brightest of crystal streams invited us to stoop and drink. We were +starved so that we had looked at each other with maniac thoughts, and +now we placed in our mouth the very fat of the land. We had seen our +cattle almost perishing; seen them grow gaunt and tottering; seen them +slowly plod along with hanging heads and only the supremacy of human +will over animal instinct had kept them from lying down never to rise +again. Now they were in pastures of sweet grass, chewing the cud of +content and satisfaction. Life which had been a burden grew sweet to us, +and though it may be that our words of praise to Him, whose will was to +deliver us out of the jaws of death, were not set nor formal, yet His +all-seeing eye saw the truth in our hearts, and saw there the fullest +expression of our gratitude and thankfulness. Who shall say the thanks +that arose were less acceptable, because not given on bended knees +before gilded altars? + +Though across the desert and evidently in the long promised land our +troubles and trials were not through by any means, but evidently we were +out of danger. Our lives seemed to be secure, and we were soon to meet +with settlers who would no doubt extend to us the hand of human +sympathy. Many long miles yet remained between us and the rivers in +whose sands were hidden the tiny grains of gold we came to seek. + +The rest in the lovely camp had answered to cause Mrs. Bennett to feel +quite well again by the next morning, and we made ready to proceed. We +had the trail of the Jayhawkers to follow, so the vines, brambles and +tangles which had perplexed Rogers and myself in our first passage were +now somewhat broken down, and we could get along very well without +further clearing of the road until the hills came down so close on both +sides that there was no room except in the very bed of the stream. There +was no other way, so we waded among after the oxen as best we could. +Sometimes the women fell down, for a rawhide moccasin soaked soft in +water was not a very comfortable or convenient shoe, however it might be +adapted to hot, dry sands. The creek was shaded and the water quite +cool. The trail, such as it was, crossed the creek often and generally +was nothing else than the stream itself. The constant wading, and wet, +cold clothing caused the women to give out soon and we selected the +first dry suitable place which offered food for the oxen, as a place to +camp. + +Wood was plenty and dry, so a good fire was soon burning, and the poor +women, wet to the waist and even higher, were standing before it, +turning round and round to get warm and dry. Someone remarked that they +resembled geese hanging before the fire to roast, as they slowly +revolved, and it was all owing to their fatigue that the suggester did +not receive merited punishment then and there at their hands. As they +got a little dry and comfortable they remarked that even an excess of +water like this was better than the desert where there was none at all, +and as to their looks, there were no society people about to point their +fingers at them, and when they reached a settled country they hoped to +have a chance to change their clothes, and get two dresses apiece, and +that these would be long enough to hide their knees which these poor +tatters quite failed to do. One remarked that she was sure she had been +down in the brook a dozen times and that she did not consider cold water +baths so frequently repeated were good for the health. + +Young Charley Arcane had been getting better for some days. No medicine +had been given him, and it was no doubt the change of air and water that +had begun to effect a cure. Arcane had a hard time of it to keep the +brush from pulling George and Melissa off of Old Crump into the water. +It was indeed one of the hardest day's work of the whole journey, but no +one was low spirited, and all felt very well. The camping place was in a +deep cañon, surrounded by thick brush, so that no wind came in to chill +us. Everybody was cook and nobody was boss. Not a cent of money among +us, nor any chance to use any if we had possessed it. We had nice, +sweet, fat meat, cooked rare or well done as each one preferred, and no +complaints about the waiters. The conditions were so favorable, compared +with the terrible Death Valley and its surroundings that every one +remarked about it, and no one felt in the least like finding fault with +the little inconveniences we were forced to put up with. It might cure +an inveterate fault-finder to take a course of training in the desert. + +The next day we did not wade half as much, and after a few hours of +travel we suddenly emerged from the brush into a creek bottom which was +much wider, with not a tree to obstruct our way. The soil was sandy and +covered more or less with sage brush, and the stream which had been +strong and deep enough to make us very wet now sank entirely out of +sight in the sandy bottom. The hills were thinly timbered on the left +side but quite brushy on the right, and we could see the track of cattle +in the sand. No signs of other animals, but some small birds came near, +and meadow larks whistled their tune, quite familiar to us, but still +sounding slightly different from the song of the same bird in the East. +High in the air could be seen a large sailing hawk or buzzard. + +We stopped to rest at noon and noticed that the water ran a little in +the creek bed; but, by the time we were ready to start we found none +with which to fill our canteens. No doubt this water was poured into the +cañon somewhere near the place where we killed the three cattle, and we +had got out of it before the flood came down. It was astonishing to see +how the thirsty sand drank up the quite abundant flow. + +The next day we came down to the point of hill that nearly crossed the +valley, and we crossed the low ridge rather than make a longer trip to +get around by way of the valley. As we reached the summit there appeared +before us as beautiful a rural picture as one ever looked upon. A large +green meadow, of a thousand acres, more or less; its southwest side +bounded by low mountains, at the base of which oak trees were plenty, +but no brush or undergrowth. It was like a grand old park, such as we +read of in English tales. All over the meadow cattle of all sorts and +sizes grazed, the "Ring-streaked and speckled" of old Jacob's breed +being very prominent. Some lazily cropped the grass; some still more +lazily reclined and chewed their cud; while frisky calves exercised +their muscles in swift races and then secured their dinner from anxious +mothers. We camped at once and took the loads from all the animals that +they might feed in comfort on the sweet grass that lay before them. + +We tarried here perhaps two hours, till the cattle stopped eating, and +amply enjoyed the scene. Never again would any one of the party go back +over that dreary desert, they said, and everyone wondered why all places +could not be as green and beautiful as this one. I cannot half tell how +we felt and acted, nor what we said in our delight over this picture of +plenty. The strong contrasts created strong impressions, and the tongues +so long silent in our dry and dreary trouble were loosened to say +everything the heart inspired. Think as much as you can; you cannot +think it all. + +We felt much better after our rest, and the oxen seemed stronger and +better able, as well as more willing to carry their loads, so we soon +prepared to move on down the valley, toward the house we had spoken of +as the goal we were to reach. It was now the 7th day of March 1850, and +this date, as well as the 4th day of November 1849 will always remain an +important one in memory. On the last named day we left the trail to take +the unfortunate cut-off, and for four long months we had wandered and +struggled in terrible hardship. Every point of that terrible journey is +indelibly fixed upon my memory and though seventy-three years of age on +April 6th 1893 I can locate every camp, and if strong enough could +follow that weary trail from Death Valley to Los Angeles with unerring +accuracy. The brushy cañon we have just described is now occupied by the +Southern Pacific Railroad, and the steep and narrow ridge pierced by a +tunnel, through which the trains pass. The beautiful meadow we so much +admired has now upon its border a railroad station, Newhall, and at the +proper season some portion of it is covered with thousands of trays of +golden apricots, grown in the luxuriant orchards just beyond the hills +toward the coast, and here drying in the bright summer sun. The cattle +in the parti-colored coats are gone, but one who knows the ground can +see our picture. + +Loaded up again we start down the beautiful grassy valley, the women +each with a staff in hand, and everything is new and strange to us. +Rogers and I know that we will soon meet people who are strangers to us; +who speak a strange language of which we know nothing, and how we, +without a dollar, are to proceed to get our food and things we need, are +questions we cannot answer nor devise any easy way to overcome. The +mines are yet five hundred miles away, and we know not of any work for +us to do nearer. Our lives have been given back to us, and now comes the +problem of how to sustain them manfully and independently as soon as +possible. If worse comes to worst we can walk to San Francisco, probably +kill enough game on the way and possibly reach the gold mines at last, +but the way was not clear. We must trust much to luck and fortune and +the ever faithful Providence which rarely fails those who truly try to +help themselves. + +We began to think some very independent thoughts. We had a mule to carry +our camp kettle and meat. Our cattle were now beginning to improve and +would soon get fat; these could carry our blankets and odd loads, while +Old Crump the christian could still carry the children; Bennett and I +knew how to hunt, and had good rifles; so we could still proceed, and we +determined that, come what may, _we will be victorious_. + +These were some of the plans we talked over at our camps and resting +places, and as we walked along. If we could get the two families fixed +in some way so they could do without Rogers and I, we could strike for +the mines quite rapidly and no doubt soon get ourselves on good footing. +We were younger than the rest and could endure more hardship. We decide +to remain together till we get to Los Angeles, and then see what is +best. + +We reached our camping place at the foot of the hill, about a hundred +yards from the house we have so long striven to reach. Here we unloaded +in the shade of a large willow tree, and scarcely had we removed the +harness from the oxen when the good lady of the house and her little +child came down to see us. She stood for a moment and looked around her +and at the two small children on the blankets, and we could hear her +murmur _mucha pobre_ (very poor.) She could see our ragged clothes and +dirty faces and everything told her of our extreme destitution. After +seeing our oxen and mule which were so poor she said to herself "_flaco, +flaco_" (so thin.) She then turned to us, Rogers and I, whom she had +seen before, and as her lively little youngster clung to her dress, as +if in fear of such queer looking people as we were, she took an orange +from her pocket and pointing to the children of our party, wanted to +know if we had given them the four oranges she sent to them by us. We +made signs that we had done as she requested, when she smiled and said +"_Buenos Muchachos_" (good boys.) In all this talk neither could say a +word the other could understand, and the conversation was carried on by +signs. + +Arcane said to her--"Me Catholic" which she seemed partly to comprehend +and seemed more friendly. About this time two men rode up and took a +look at us. Arcane, who was a mason, gave the masonic sign, as he told +me afterward, but neither of them recognized it. We used such words of +Spanish as I had taken down in my pass book and committed to memory and +by motions in addition to these made them understand something of the +state of affairs and that Mr. French who had assisted us before had told +us we could get some meat (_carne_) from them. These men were finely +mounted, wore long leggins made of hide, dressed with the hair on, which +reached to their hips, stiff hats with a broad rim, and great spurs at +their heels. Each had a coil of braided rawhide rope on the pommel of +the saddle, and all these arrangements together made a very dashing +outfit. + +They seemed to understand what we had said to them, for they rode off +with a rush and came back in a short time, leading a fine, fat +two-year-old heifer. When near our camp the rider who was behind threw +his _riata_ and caught both hind feet of the animal when by a sudden +movement of the horses the heifer was thrown. One of them dismounted, +and at the command the horse backed up and kept the rope tight while the +man went up to the prostrate beast and cut its throat. As soon as it had +ceased struggling, they loosened their ropes and coiled them up: they +came to us and pointed to the dead heifer in a way which said--"Help +yourselves." + +We were much gratified at the generosity of the people, and at once +dressed the animal as it lay, cutting off some good fat pieces which we +roasted over the fire and ate with a relish. It seemed as if meat never +tasted so good as that did sweet, fragrant, and juicy. If some French +cook could only cook a steak that would smell and taste to his customers +as that meal tasted to us, his art would be perfect. We separated a hind +quarter and hung it to a tree, and when the lady came back we told her +that the piece we had selected was enough for our present use, so she +caused the remainder with the hide to be taken to the house. Toward +night they drove up a lot of cows and calves and other cattle into their +cattle yard or corral, as it is called all over California, a stockade +of strong oak posts set deep in the ground and close together, enclosing +a space of about half an acre. The horsemen now rode in and began to +catch the calves with their ropes. It seemed as if they were able to +throw a rope over a calf's head or around either leg they desired, with +better aim, and at as great a distance as one could shoot a Colt's +revolver, and we saw at once that a good raw-hide rope, in the hands of +an experienced man and well-trained horse, was a weapon in many respects +superior to firearms of any kind. A man near the gate loosened the ropes +and pushed the calves into a separate corral till they had as many as +they desired. + +Rogers watched the circus till it was over and then returned to camp, +meeting on the way Bennett and Arcane, with their wives and children, +carrying some blankets, for the good lady had invited them to come up to +the house and sleep. They said we could go down and keep camp if old dog +Cuff was willing, for they had left him guarding the property. He was +pleased enough to have us come and keep him company, and we slept +nicely, disturbed only a little by the barking of the house dogs and the +hooting of an owl that came to visit our tree. + +The people came back to camp in the morning and had their experience to +relate. Their hosts first baked some kind of flapjacks and divided them +among their guests; then gave them beans seasoned hot with pepper: also +great pieces of squash cooked before the fire, which they said was +delicious and sweet--more than good. Then came a dish of dried meat +pounded fine, mixed with green peppers and well fried in beef tallow. +This seemed to be the favorite dish of the proprietors, but was a little +too hot for our people. They called it _chili cum carne_--meat with +pepper--and we soon found this to be one of the best dishes cooked by +the Californians. The children were carefully waited on and given +special attention to by these good people, and it was nearly ten o'clock +before the feast was over: then the household had evening worship by +meeting in silence, except a few set words repeated by some in turn, the +ceremony lasting half an hour or more. Then they came and wished them +_buenos noches_ in the most polite manner and left them to arrange their +blankets on the floor and go to sleep. + +The unaccustomed shelter of a roof and the restless worrying of the +children, who required much attention, for the change of diet had about +the same effect on them as on Rogers and myself when we first partook of +the California food, gave them little sleep, but still they rested and +were truly grateful for the most perfect hospitality of these kind +hearted people. + +In the morning the two horsemen and two Indians went to the corral, when +the riders would catch a cow with their ropes and draw her head up to a +post, binding it fast, while an Indian took a short piece of rope and +closely tied the hind legs together above the gambrel joint, making the +tail fast also. They had a large bucket and several gourds. The Indians +then milked the cows they had made fast, getting from a pint to two +quarts from each one, milking into a gourd and pouring into the bucket +till they had all they desired. The calves were separated the night +before so they could secure some milk. Cows were not trained to stand +and be milked as they were at home. Setting down the bucket of milk +before us, with some small gourds for dippers, we were invited to drink +all we wished. This was a regular banquet to us, for our famished +condition and good appetites made food relish wonderfully. + +When we made a sign of wishing to pay them for their great kindness they +shook their heads and utterly refused. It was genuine sympathy and +hospitality on their part, and none of us ever forgot it; the sight of a +native Californian has always brought out thoughts of these good people, +and respect and thankfulness to the race. This rancho, at which we were +so kindly entertained was called San Francisquito, or Little San +Francisco Rancho. + +This morning Mr. Arcane, with our assistance, made an arrangement with +these people to give them his two oxen; and they were to take him and +his wife and child, to the sea-shore, at a place called San Pedro, from +which place he hoped, in some way, to get passage to San Francisco in a +sailing vessel. He had no money, and no property to sell, except perhaps +his spy-glass, worth about ten dollars. With this poor prospect before +him he started for the sea. He bade Bennett's folks good-bye, then came +to me and put a light gold ring on my finger, saying that it and his +interest in the little mule were mine. Then he gave his silver watch to +Rogers and said it was all he had to give him, but if he had a million +dollars, he would divide, and still think it a small compensation for +the faithful services we had rendered him. "I can never repay you," said +he, "for I owe you a debt that is beyond compensation. You have saved +our lives, and have done it when you knew you could get nothing for it. +I hope we will meet again, and when we do you will be welcome. If you +hear of me anywhere, come and see me, for I want to tell my friends who +Manly and Rogers are, and how you helped us. Good Bye!" There were tears +in his eyes, voice full of emotion, and the firm clasp of his hand told +how earnest he was, and that he felt more than he could speak. + +He helped Mrs. Arcane on her horse, then gave Charlie to her, and, amid +waving hands and many _adios_ from our new-found friends, with repeated +"good byes" from the old ones, they rode away. Mrs. Arcane could hardly +speak when she bade us farewell, she was so much affected. They had +about sixty miles to ride to reach the sea, and as she rode on a man's +saddle, and was unused to riding, I knew she would be sadly wearied +before she reached the coast. + +Our little train now seemed much smaller. Three oxen and a mule were all +our animals, and the adults must still walk, as they had done on our +desert route. But we were comparatively happy, for we had plenty of good +meat to eat, plenty of sweet water to drink, and our animals were +contented and improving every day; grass and water seemed plenty +everywhere. We put our luggage on the oxen and the mule, loaded the +children on Old Crump as we had done before, and were ready to move +again. Our good friends stood around and smiled good-naturedly at our +queer arrangements, and we, not knowing how to say what our hearts would +prompt us to, shook their hands and said good bye in answer to their +"_adios amigos_" as we moved away, waving hands to each other. + +The men then detained me a little while to ask me more about the road we +had come over, how far it was, and how bad the Indians were, and other +particulars. I told him by signs that we had been twenty-two days on the +road, and that the _Indianos_, as they called them, had not troubled us, +but that there was very little grass or water in all that land. He made +a sort of map on the ground and made me understand he would like to go +back and try to bring out the wagons we had left behind, and he wanted +me to go back with him and help him. I explained to him by the map he +had made, and one which I made myself, that I considered it impossible +to bring them over. He seemed much disappointed, and with a shrug of his +shoulders said "_mucho malo_" (very bad) and seemed to abandon the idea +of getting a Yankee wagon. They very much admired an American wagon, for +their own vehicles were rude affairs, as I shall bye-and-bye describe. +We bade each other many _adios_, and I went on my way, soon catching up +with the little party. We had been informed that it was ten leagues, or +thirty miles to Los Angeles, whither we were now headed. + +We had now been a whole year on the road between Wisconsin and +California, much of the time with the ground for a bed, and though our +meals had been sometimes scanty and long between, very few of us had +missed one on account of sickness. Some, less strong than we, had lain +down to perish, and had been left behind, without coffin or grave; but +we were here, and so far had found food to nourish us in some degree +with prospects now of game in the future if nothing better offered. We +still talked of going to the gold mines on foot, for with good food and +rest our courage had returned, and we wanted to succeed. + +Our camp this night was in a nice watering place, where dry oak wood was +plenty and grass abundant. It was at the foot of the San Fernando +Mountain, not rocky, as we had found our road some time before, but +smooth and covered with grass. It was rather steep to climb, but an +infant compared with the great mountains so rough and barren, we had +climbed on our way from Death Valley. Our present condition and state of +mind was an anomalous one. We were happy, encouraged, grateful and quite +contented in the plenty which surrounded us, and still there was a sort +of puzzling uncertainty as to our future, the way to which seemed very +obscure. In the past we had pushed on our very best and a kind +Providence had kept us. This we did now, but still revolved the best +plans and the most fortunate possibilities in our minds. We talked of +the time when we should be able to show hospitality to our friends, and +to strangers who might need our open hand as we had needed the favors +which strangers had shown us in the last few days. + +We ate our supper of good meat, with a dessert of good beans our kind +friends had given us, and enjoyed it greatly. As we sat in silence a +flock of the prettiest, most graceful birds came marching along, and +halted as if to get a better view of our party. We admired them so much +that we made not a move, but waited, and they fearlessly walked on +again. We could see that there were two which were larger than the rest, +and from twelve to twenty smaller ones. The little top-knot on the head +and their symmetrical forms made them specially attractive, and Mrs. +Bennett and the children were much pleased. The beauty of the California +quail is especially striking to one who sees them for the first time. + +In the morning we began to climb the hill, getting along very well +indeed, for our raw-hide moccasins were now dry and hard and fitted the +foot perfectly. We did not try to make great speed, but kept steadily +on, and as we were used to climbing, we reached the summit easily. From +this elevation we could get a fine view of the big grassy plain that +seemed to extend as far as the eye could reach and, not far from us, the +buildings and gardens of the San Fernando Mission. If we could shut out +the mountains the landscape would remind us of a great Western prairie. +We never could get over comparing this country with the desolate Death +Valley, for it seemed as if such strange and striking opposites could +hardly exist. + +We rested here a little while and then wound our way down the hill to +the level land. A few miles brought us to the mission houses and the +church of San Fernando. There was not much life about them, in fact they +seemed comparatively deserted, for we saw only one man and a few +Indians. The man brought some oranges and gave the children one each. +After a little rest we moved on over our road which was now quite smooth +and gently descending. Night overtook us in a place where there was no +water, but we camped and suffered no inconvenience. A stream was passed +next day, and a house near by unoccupied. The road now began to enter +gently rolling hills covered with big grass and clover, which indicated +rich soil, and we never get tired of talking about it. + +At the top of these hills we had another beautiful view as far south and +west as the eye could reach. Small objects, probably horses and cattle, +were scattered about the plain, grazing in the midst of plenty. Our own +animals were given frequent opportunities to eat, and again and again we +rejoiced over the beauty. Of course it was not such a surprise and +wonder as it was when such a view first burst upon our sight, but it +pleased and delighted us ever. On the east was a snow-capped peak, and +here we were in the midst of green fields of grass and wild flowers, in +the softest climate of an early spring. These strong contrasts beat +anything we had ever seen. Perhaps the contrast between the great snow +mountain and the hot Death Valley was greater in point of temperature, +but there the heat brought only barrenness, and of the two the snow +seemed the more cheerful. Here the vegetation of all sorts was in full +balance with the balmy air, and in comparison the snow seemed a strange +neighbor. It was quite a contrast to our cold, windy March in Wisconsin, +and we wonder if it is always summer here. We were satisfied that even +if we could get no further we could live in such a land as this. The +broad prairie doubtless belonged to the United States, and we could have +our share and own a little piece of it on very easy terms, and raise our +own cattle and corn. If the people were all as kind as those we had met +we were sure at least of neighborly treatment. I have endeavored to +write this just as it seemed to us then and not clothe the impressions +with the cover of later experience. The impressions we then daily +received and the sights we saw were stranger than the wildest fiction, +and if it so strikes you, my friendly reader, do not wonder. + +As we came over the hills we could see a village near the southern base +and it seemed quite near us. It was a new and strange sight to us as we +approached. The houses were only one story high and seemed built of mud +of a gray color, the roofs flat, and the streets almost deserted. +Occasionally a man could be seen, sometimes a dog, and now and then an +Indian, sitting with his back to the house. The whole view indicated a +thinly populated place, and the entire absence of wagons or animals was +a rather strange circumstance to us. It occurred to us at first that if +all the emigrants were gone our reception might be a cool one in this +city of mud. One thing was in its favor and that was its buildings were +about fire proof for they had earthen floors and flat roofs. + +We rested half an hour or so just outside, and then ventured down the +hill into the street. We met an American almost the first man, and when +we asked about a suitable camping place, he pointed out the way and we +marched on. Our strange appearance attracted the attention of the +children and they kept coming out of the houses to see the curious +little train with Old Crump carrying the children and our poor selves +following along, dirty and ragged. Mrs. Bennett's dress hardly reached +below her knees, and although her skirts were fringed about the bottom +it was of a kind that had not been adopted as yet in general circle of +either Spanish-American or good United States society. The shortness of +the dress made the curious raw-hide moccasins only the more prominent, +and the whole make-up of the party was a curious sight. + +We went down the hill a little further to the lower bottom to camp, +while the barefooted, bareheaded urchins followed after to get a further +look at the strangers. Before we selected a suitable place, we saw two +tents and some wagons which looked like those of overland travelers, and +we went toward them. When within fifty yards two men suddenly came to +their feet and looked at our little party approaching as if in wonder, +but at twenty steps they recognized Bennett and came rushing forward. +"My God! It's Bennett" said they, and they clasped hands in silence +while one greeted Mrs. Bennett warmly. The meeting was so unexpected +they shed tears and quietly led the way back to camp. This was the camp +of R.G. Moody and H.C. Skinner, with their families. They had traveled +together on the Platte and became well acquainted, the warmest of +friends, and knowing that Bennett had taken the cut off, they more than +suspected he and his party had been lost, as no sight of them had come +to their eyes. They had been waiting here six weeks in order to get some +reliable news, and now Mr. Bennet answered for himself. Rogers and I, +belonging to another party, were of course strangers. + +Leaving them to compare notes, Rogers and I took charge of Old Crump, +the oxen, and the mule, unpacked them, and arranged camp under a +monstrous willow tree. Bennett and his wife were taken into Mr. Moody's +tent, and an hour or so later when Mrs. Bennett appeared again, she had +her face washed clean, her hair combed, and a new clean dress. It was +the first time we had found soap, and the improvement in her looks and +feelings was surprising. Bennett looked considerably cleaned up too, and +appeared bright and fresh. The children had also been taken in hand and +appeared in new clothes selected from the wardrobe of the other +children, and the old dirty clothes were put in process of washing as +soon as possible. + +Supper came, and it was so inviting. There was real bread and it looked +so nice we smiled when it was offered to us. Mrs. Bennett broke pieces +for the children and cautioned them not to eat too much. It did seem so +good to be among friends we could talk with and be understood. After +supper was over and the things cleared away we all sat down in a circle +and Bennett told the story of where he had been these many days on the +cut off that was to shorten the trail. Mr. Moody said he had about given +the party up and intended to start up the coast to-morrow. The story was +so long that they talked till they were sleepy and then began again +after breakfast, keeping it up till they had a good outline of all our +travels and tribulations. This Mr. R.G. Moody, his wife and daughter, +Mrs. Quinby, and son Charles, all lived in San Jose and are now dead. +H.C. Skinner was a brother-in-law of Moody and also lived a long time in +San Jose, but himself, son and one daughter, are now dead. + +Rogers and I now took the pack-saddle we had borrowed of Mr. French to +use on our trip to Death Valley and return, and carried it to the saloon +on the east side of the plaza, where we were to place it if we got back +safely, and delivered it to the man in charge, with many thanks to Mr. +French for his favors to us, and sent him word that we would always +remember him and be ready to do him a similar or equal favor if ever we +were able. We considered him a good benevolent man, and such he proved +to be when he offered us fat oxen, good beans, and any other thing we +needed. He told the people in the house who we were, which no doubt +influenced them kindly in our favor when we arrived. + +At the saloon there was a large room with tables in it and gambling +going on actively. Money changed hands very rapidly, drinks at the bar +were frequent, and the whole affair moved forward with the same +regularity as any mercantile business. The door stood wide open and any +one could come and go at his pleasure. Quite a number of black-eyed, +fair looking women circulated among the crowd, and this, to us, seemed +quite out of place, for we had never seen women in saloons before. We +watched the game awhile to see some losing and some gaining, the result +being quite exciting; but as neither of us had any money, we could not +have joined in the game had we been so disposed; so we looked on awhile +and then took a seat on the ground outside of the house. + +Here we talked over our chances of getting to the mines. All the clothes +we had were on our backs and feet and those were the poorest of the +poor. We had no money. I had the little black-eyed mule, and Rogers had +the watch Arcane had given him. Mr. Moody had said it was 500 miles to +San Francisco, and 150 miles further to the mines, so that after the +hard travel of a year we were still a long way off from the place we +started for. + +We could not see any way to make a living here. There was no land +cultivated, not a fence, nothing to require labor of any kind. The +valley was rich enough and produced great crops of grass, and the cattle +and horses we had seen grazing seemed to be about all the use they put +it to. It looked as if the people must live principally on meat. I +thought if we could manage to get a little provision together, such as +flour and beans, that I could pack there on the mule, and I was pretty +sure I could find game that would be better meat than we had lived on +during the last two months on the desert. + +We looked around to see if we could find something to do to earn a +little for a start, but were not successful. In our walk about this city +of mud we saw many things that seemed strange to us. There were more +women than men, and more children than grown-up people, while the dogs +were plenty. At the edge of the town, near the river were some grape +vines fenced in with living willows, interlaced in some places with dry +vines. The Indians moved very moderately around and no doubt had plenty +of beef to eat, with very few wants to provide for. We noticed some few +people paying for small things at the stores with small money. The women +all dressed much alike. The dress was of some cheap material, sandals on +feet, and a kind of long shawl worn over the head and thrown over the +shoulder. There seemed to be neither hoops nor corsets in their +fashions. The men wore trousers of white cotton or linen, with a calico +shirt, sandals, and a broad rimmed snuff colored hat. The Indians and +their wives went bareheaded. + +Near the end of the street we came to a boarding house and went in and +sat down in the empty room. Soon a man came in, better dressed than +ourselves, and much to our surprise it was one of the old Death Valley +travelers, the Rev. J.W. Brier whom I last saw in his lone camp in the +desert, discoursing to his young sons on the benefits of an early +education. I know the situation struck me very strangely, with death +staring them in the face and he preaching! + +We had a long talk about the hard journey we had each experienced. As +his party had not waited they had come through ahead of us. He said +himself and Mr. Granger had started a boarding house when they arrived, +and had been doing a good business. He said that as long as the +emigrants continued to come he could get along very well. We asked him +if there was any chance for us to work and get money to get some +provisions to help us on the way to the mines. He said he could give +work to one of us hauling water for the house with oxen and cart, and +the one who could manage oxen was the man. I was an ox driver and so +told him I would take his team and cart and set out with the work. He +said he could pay fifty dollars a month, and I accepted the offer +quickly as I saw it was a good chance to build up my exhausted strength +and flesh. + +I turned the little mule out in the hills near by, and began my work. It +was not hard, for the boarders were thinning out. The natives did not +patronize this hotel very much, but grub disappeared pretty fast at my +corner of the table, for my appetite began to be ravenous. There was not +much variety to the food and very few luxuries or delicacies, which were +hard to obtain on such a bare market, but all seemed satisfied with the +food, and to me it tasted extra good. + +Rogers went back to the old camp and helped them there, and I often went +over after dark, when my work was done. Moody and Skinner had been +active in trying to get Mr. Bennett ready to go up the coast with them. +Bennett had sold his repeating rifle and with the proceeds and the help +of his friends had got another ox, making two yoke for him. They fixed +up a wagon for him, and yokes enough could be found where people had +traded off their oxen for horses. Provisions enough had been gathered by +Moody and Skinner for them all, and Rogers would go along with the party +to help them with the teams. + +I was left alone after they started, and it was my idea to quit when I +had worked a month, and if my mule staid with me, to start for the mines +even if I went alone. The majority of the male inhabitants of this town +had gone to the mines, and this accounted for the unusual proportion of +women. We learned that they would return in November, and then the +gambling houses would start up in full blast, for these native +Californians seemed to have a great natural desire to indulge in games +of chance, and while playing their favorite game of monte would lay down +their last reale (12-1/2 cents) in the hope of winning the money in +sight before them on the table. + +As the boarding house business got dull I was taken over to a vineyard +and set to work, in place of hauling water. The entire patch was as +green as a meadow with weeds, and I was expected to clean them out. I +inquired of Brier how he came to get hold of this nice property, and he +said that during the war the soldiers had taken possession of this piece +of ground, and had their camp here, so he considered it was government +land, and therefore had squatted on it and was going to hold it, and pay +for it as regular government land, and that he already considered it his +own, for said he, "I am an American, and this is a part of the public +domain." "All right," said I, "I will kill weeds for you, if you wish, +when I have time to spare, and you don't want the oxen worked at any +other work ". + +I could see every day that I was improving in health and weight and +would soon become myself again, able to take the road to the mines. When +about two weeks of my time had expired two oldish men came to the house +to stop for a few days and reported themselves as from Sacramento, +buying up some horses for that market. Thus far they had purchased only +six or eight, as they had found the price too high to buy and then drive +so far to a market to sell again. They had about decided to go back with +what they had and undertake some other kind of business. I thought this +would be a pretty good chance for me to go, as I would have company, and +so went to Brier and Granger and told them what I would like to do, and +that with their permission I would quit and go on with them. They +readily consented, for their money was coming in rather slow, and they +paid me twenty five dollars for half a month's work. This made me feel +pretty rich and I thought this would give me food enough to reach the +mines. + +Having two or three days to get ready in, I began doing the best I +could. I found an old saddle tree which had been thrown away, and +managed to fix it up so I could use it. I also found an old gun some +traveler had left, and with a little work I fitted the breech of that to +my own gun which was broken, and had been roughly tied together with +strips of raw-hide. I now had a good sound gun if it was not very +handsome. I bought a Spanish blanket, not so wide as ours, but coarse +and strong, and having a hole in the center through which to put the +head and wear it as a garment in case of storm, or at night. I went to a +native store and bought a supply of carné seca (dried beef) and some +crackers, put some salt in my pocket and was now provisioned for another +trip. I found my mule in the hills back of town, not far from where I +left her, and the rest and good feed had made her look better and feel +better, as well as myself. + +The drovers had found two other men who wanted to go with them and help +drive the horses for their board. I put my blanket on under the saddle, +packed my little sack of meat and crackers on behind, and when I was in +the saddle with my gun before me I considered I was pretty well fixed +and able to make my way against almost anything. I said to myself that +the only way now to keep me from getting to the gold mines was to kill +me. I felt that there was not a mountain so high I could not climb, and +no desert so wide and dry that I could not cross it. I had walked and +starved and choked and lived through it, and now I felt so strong and +brave I could do it again--any way to reach the gold mines and get some +of the "dust." + +I had not much idea how the gold from the mines looked. Everybody called +it gold dust, and that conveyed an idea to me that it was fine as flour, +but how to catch it I did not know. I knew other people found a way to +get it, and I knew I could learn if any body could. It was a great +longing that came to me to see some of the yellow dust in its native +state, before it had been through the mint. + +At the last meal I took at the house there were only a few at the table. +Among them was a well dressed Californian who evidently did not greatly +fancy American cooking, but got along very well till Mrs. Brier brought +around the dessert, a sort of duff. This the Californian tasted a few +times and then laid down his spoon saying it was no bueno, and some +other words I did not then understand, but afterward learned that they +meant "too much grease." The fellow left the table not well pleased with +what we generally consider the best end of a Yankee dinner, the last +plate. + +While here I had slept in a small store room, where I made my pallet out +of old rags and blankets. While I was looking round for material to make +my bed I came across a bag partly full of sugar, brought from Chili. It +was in very coarse crystals, some as large as corn. There were some +other treasures end luxuries there that perhaps I was expected guard. I +however had a sweet tooth and a handful or so of the sweet crystals +found their way into my pocket. + +I bade Mr. Brier and the rest good bye and rode away to join my company. + + + + +CHAPTER XII. + + +Leaving the little party whose wanderings we have followed so closely, +safely arrived in Los Angeles, their further history in California will +be taken up later on, and this narrative will go back to points when the +original party was broken up and trace the little bands in their varied +experience. It will be remembered that the author and his friends, after +a perilous voyage down Green River, halted at the camp of the Indian +chief, Walker, and there separated, the Author and four companions +striking for Salt Lake, while McMahon and Field remained behind, fully +determined to go on down the river. + +The story of these two men is told by McMahon in the following +interesting letter. + + * * * * * + +Dear Manley:-- + +Yours requesting me to give you a synopsis of the history of incidents, +experience, and observations of our mutual friend, Richard Field and +myself, from the time you, John Rogers, Alfred Walton, and the Hazelrig +brothers left us at the camp of the generous old chief Walker on the +west bank of the river near the mouth of the "great seven days cañon" is +at hand. + +You no doubt distinctly, and with pleasure, remember that unbroken +friendship which existed among us up to the time of our separation and +that we parted warm and tried friends. + +Well, after you and your companions had left us we set to work to +prepare the canvas for the continuation of the voyage down the river. We +drilled holes through the sides of the "Pilot"--you, I have no doubt +remember which that was, yours and mine, in which we took so many +fearful risks, and "No. 2," so that we might in case of necessity lash +the two together. After a day or two Field lost courage and finally +determined to go no further down the river. Walker in the meantime had +repeated his friendly warnings appertaining to the great danger in going +further down the river. You will remember what he had told us about it +before you left us. + +You know that I was the biggest coward of the whole seven; but I assumed +courage and told Field that I would go down the river alone; and, for a +time, I thought I would do so; but after some reflection I concluded +that, perhaps, discretion was the better part of valor, and reluctantly +gave it up. We now decided to follow you, or to take some other unknown +route and try to make our escape out of this most perilous condition. + +We then set about, as you had done, to trade with Walker for a pony or +two, and after much dickering Field succeeded in getting the, afterwards +famous, big, old, sore-backed mule. You may not remember him, but I do; +and, notwithstanding his sore back, he made pretty good beef. I, with +pins, needles, thread, a pocket-knife, a handkerchief, etc., succeeded +in getting a very nice, round, three-year-old, iron-gray pony. + +After making pack-saddles, and getting almost ready to start, we were, +through Walker's kindness and persuasiveness, overcome, and consented to +go with him, feeling confident that we would not starve to death while +with him. We did not now have Manley with his long experience, and his +old rusty, but always trusty, rifle as a sure defence against possible +hunger and starvation. + +The old chief, and, in fact, the whole tribe, seemed pleased when we +consented to go with them. Preparations were now made, and all except +the horses and four head of cattle, was conveyed across the river in the +two canoes which were lashed together, while the horses and cattle were +forced to swim to the other side where we camped for the night. Next +morning the clever old chief had two good horses fitted up in good style +for Field and I, which we rode all of the nine days that we remained +with the band, while our own run with the herd. Our baggage was carried +on some of the chief's pack-horses. We were, in fact, his honored +guests, as will hereafter appear. + +All were soon mounted and off to the buffalo fields, Walker having +informed us that he intended going up into the buffalo country on the +head-waters of Grand River where he would remain until snow fell, when +he would go to Salt Lake City, or vicinity. + +Leaving the river, we set out across a not entirely barren plain, for +there was much sage-brush, and several varieties of cactus. Towards +evening we came close up to the foot of a range of rugged, rocky +mountains, where we found water and camped for the night. Field and I +usually pitched our little muslin tent somewhere near our friends where +we could sleep without fear of man or beast, for I think some one of the +reds was always on guard. + +All went well for four or five days, when we all got entirely out of +food except a few ounces of flour which we had hidden away for a +possible emergency. During the following two days and nights all were +entirely without food except the two little children, whom you no doubt +remember. We gave their mother a little flour now and then which she +mixed with a little milk which one of the cows afforded, for the little +ones. These Indians did not seem to suffer for want of food; even when +we were starving, they appeared happy and contented; and one young +fellow would sing all day long while we were starving. Daring the second +day of starvation and hard traveling over hot and barren deserts, the +Indians killed a wild-cat and two small rabbits. We got nothing. You +will remember that all the arms of the seven men were lost in the river +when the canoes were sunk, except your rifle and my double barreled +shot-gun and revolver, so that Field and I had only the one gun, and +neither of us knew anything about hunting. When we camped, one of the +boys brought over to our tent a quarter of the cat, which was more than +a fair share of the whole supply, as twenty-two of them had only the two +little rabbits and three quarters of the unfortunate cat. We boiled and +boiled and boiled that cat's hind leg, but never got it done. We waited +as long as we possibly could, gave up in despair and put a little flour +into the broth to thicken it, and drank it. It was not good, but much +better the meat of the cat. That cat and the rabbits were all the +twenty-four of us had to eat, after fasting two days, until late in the +evening of the next day. + +My people were religious, and when I was young the family was wont to +observe fast days, but never did we have any such long fasts as these +were. In the afternoon of the next day the old chief left the caravan +and went on ahead of the train toward a chain of mountains, first giving +some directions to the band, and taking one son with him. When we +arrived in a small cañon in the edge of the mountains we found them with +a fine mountain sheep which they had killed and brought down to the dim, +little-used trail where we camped; and after we had set up our little +tent as usual, a short distance away from our friends, one of the young +men brought to us about one fourth of the sheep, while the twenty-two +Indians had the rest. + +You know that a good-sized mountain sheep would make a fair supper for +twenty-four people, even though they had been starving three or four +days; but this was a small one, and I think Field and I ate about half +of the quarter. The twenty-two Indians soon devoured the three-fourths +and all of the soft viscera, including the stomach and intestines, after +which some of the boys came to our tent while we were stuffing our, what +had been for several days empty, stomachs. We offered them part of our +bounteous supply of mutton, having much more than we could eat; but no, +they would not touch it until we were filled full, when they accepted +what was left, and soon stowed it away. All were now pretty well filled +up once more. + +The next day was spent without food, traveling over rough mountains. +Within a pass, late in the afternoon, we crossed the fresh trail of some +other band of roving red-skins, and Walker suspected who they were, and +went into camp early. The Indians had killed nothing that day, but I had +killed a small rabbit which, unfortunately for it, came in my way during +the day. This we offered to the women for themselves and the little +children; but they positively refused to accept it, insisting that they +did not want it or need it, and that the small supply of milk from the +cow was quite sufficient for the little ones, and the others spurned the +offer to divide so little a thing, so we had it all to ourselves. + +It appeared that these people were accustomed to go for long periods +without food, and with little apparent inconvenience; but Field and I +began to feel as I suppose Dr. Tanner felt after a few days' fasting, +and began to wish that the old chief would get hungry and kill one of +his large, fat steers, but he still held them in reserve. + +Early the next morning, now nine days from the time we had left the +river, the old chief took two of the young men and left camp, as we +afterwards learned, to go in search of the Indians whose trail we had +crossed the evening before. Some time in the early part of the night, +one of the young men returned and informed us that they had found the +wandering tribe, and that we were to go back to their trail and follow +it to their camp up in a Southeast direction, Walker and one of the +young men having remained with their new-found friends. + +Field and I both felt greatly disappointed in not being able to proceed +north; and in the meantime we had become very tired of the society of +these people, notwithstanding the fact that they were exceedingly +clever; but we were almost starved to death, and had about come to the +conclusion that we would be obliged to make some change. We were still +on the east side of, and considerable distance from the river, and +probably not more than one hundred, or one hundred and twenty miles from +the place where we parted from you. + +The chief had sent particular instructions for us to go with the tribe; +but, after canvassing the whole situation, we decided to part company +with our good friends, proceed northward, and try to reach Fort Bridger +or some other settlement in the northwest, and so informed them, and +requested the boys to bring in our mule and horse, which they did after +failing to induce us to go with them. + +Bright and early the next morning, they all, even the polygamous wives +and little children, in apparent sorrow, bade us good-bye, and were off, +leaving us alone with our two poor, lonely, four-footed companions, who +were very anxious to follow the band of horses. After the rather +melancholy parting we arranged our packs, and about ten o'clock started +out on what then seemed, and afterwards proved, to be a perilous voyage +through deserts, and over rough mountains. To avoid a high range of +mountains, our course was for a time northeast but, after passing that +range we bore to the northwest. + +The days were quite warm, but the nights were cold. During the first day +we killed and ate one small rabbit, and this, with a few seed buds +gathered from wild rose bushes, constituted two days' rations. On the +third we did not have even the rabbit or rose seed buds, but late in the +afternoon we found some small red berries, similar in appearance to what +I, in my childhood, knew and relished as Solomon's seal berries. I being +a natural coward, and fearing that they might poison me, did not eat any +of them, but generously allowed my good friend to eat them all. + +We had now been almost entirely without water for two days and nights. +When night came on we picketed our animals in a grass plot and lay down +near them to see that they did not get tangled in the ropes and hurt, or +that some red skin, not having the fear of the Lord in his heart, did +not come and take them away. About ten o'clock my companion began to +complain of pain in his stomach and bowels, and was soon vomiting at a +fearful rate; so violently, indeed, that I was apprehensive that he +might die. If I had had an emetic I would have given it to him to have +assisted nature in pumping those devilish little red berries out of him, +for I felt quite sure that they were the cause of his illness. Perhaps +it was fortunate that there was no medecine at hand, for if there had +been I might have killed him with it. + +He suffered most intensely, and soon became very thirsty, and, there +being no water within many miles of us, he appealed to me to bleed one +of the animals and let him drink the blood; I refused: he insisted; I +again refused: he commanded; I still refused. He swore, and called me +almost everything except a good Christian; he even expressed the wish +that I, his friend, might be sent to a certain place where the heat is +most intense, and the fire is never quenched. + +At about eleven o'clock, when his pains were most severe, a dark cloud, +the first we had seen for months, came over us, and a little rain began +to fall, when I at once opened our little camp kettle and turned the lid +upside down, and into both kettle and lid there fell perhaps two or +three teaspoonfuls of pure water, every drop of which I gave to the +sufferer, whereupon he expressed thanks for another God-send, and at +once apologized for bestowing unmerited abuse on me. He afterwards often +asserted that he believed that the little rain-cloud was sent by God for +his special benefit, and that the water caught from that cloud was the +sweetest and best that he had ever tasted. I did not doubt the latter +half of the above statement, but I did have some doubt about the truth +of the former half when I called to mind the scene which followed my +refusal to bleed the horse. Whether the small quantity of water gave him +much relief, or not, I do not know, but I do know that he soon became +better and slept some while I watched. He was quite feeble next morning +when I put him on the old sore-backed mule, where he rode most of the +time for the next four days, while the little horse carried our baggage, +and I led the way as usual, on foot. + +For four days from the time Field ate the little red berries we did not +have a drop of water except the two or three teaspoonfuls which the +stingy cloud left to save the life of the "berry-eater." We were still +on the desert, or in the mountains east of the river, traveling hard +during the day, and burning up with fever in the night. There was plenty +of drying grass in places, but our poor animals could not eat it any +longer, for they, too, were burning up for want of water. Oh, how much I +did wish that we had some camels from Arabia, which could have gone so +much longer without water, and traveled so much faster. + +On the morning of the third day of starvation, we determined to change +our course, and, if possible, reach the river once more. Bearing to the +left over a high, barren range of rocky mountains, and down into a plain +of sand, sage brush, and cactus. During the afternoon I shot a small +rabbit, not much larger than a rat, which we carried until night, then +broiled and tried to eat it, not because our appetites craved it, but +hoping that it might strengthen and sustain us, at least a little while +longer. We were, however, so nearly burned up that there was not a +sufficient flow of saliva to moisten the little bits of broiled meat in +the mouth. Late that afternoon we fancied that our fast failing brute +companions scented water, or that they instinctively knew that it was +not far away. They would raise their heads, and extend their noses as if +smelling, while their physical force and energy seemed renewed, and they +certainly traveled faster. + +That night we ate the little, as before stated, more as a duty than as a +pleasure. There was some green grass round about where we camped, or, +more properly speaking, where we lay, for we did not erect our little +tent,--but the poor starving animals did not eat a bite of it, but stood +over us as if in sympathy with us in our deplorable condition. We rose +before the sun, being somewhat rested and refreshed, for the night had +been cool, and took up our line of march, I, as usual, in the lead, then +came the old mule guided by its precious owner, and lastly, the faithful +little horse with the pack on his still quite round back;--on over the +still dry and barren plain we went, without a Moses, cloud, or pillar of +fire to lead us. + +About ten o'clock, through the hot glimmer of the down-pouring rays of +the sun, we saw what appeared, and afterwards proved, to be a clump of +cottonwood trees. Our hopes and courage were renewed, for we well knew +the cottonwood usually grows near flowing water. There was no beaten +pathway, no signs of animal life, no quails, no manna in that desert; +but on we went, almost without a halt, and at one o'clock reached the +cottonwood grove, immediately on the bank of the great river down which +we had floated in our canoes more than a month before. On reaching the +bank of the river we recognized objects which we had seen while on our +way down. + +We remembered that both men and horses might be water-foundered, and +that self-preservation is said to be the first law of nature; but it was +difficult to prevent the famishing brutes from plunging into the river. +We allowed them to take only a small quantity at first, and each of us +took only a small cupful; then after a little time all took more, and +the thirst was soon quenched. We were surprised to find how little water +it took to satisfy the raging thirst of four days of continued fasting. +The animals, after taking comparatively small quantities, seemed +satisfied, and went off in search of grass. + +We now had an abundance of water, but we well knew that water alone +would not sustain life very long: therefore our next, and most serious +business was to determine how to prolong our lives. According to our +map, our recollections of different objects, and present appearances we +were now a little above the mouth of the Uinta river which comes in from +the northwest, all of which proved true. Our little map pictured Fort +Uinta on the Uinta river about one hundred miles from where we were; but +whether or not there were any human beings there, we did not know, and +in order to determine we must cross this great river and travel a +hundred miles, and this seemed a perilous undertaking for us in our +present starving condition; but after being refreshed by plenty of good +water we determined to undertake it, hoping that good fortune might +attend us. + +After a little rest, the animals with grass, we packed up, and after +Field had put on his, once serviceable, life preserver he mounted the +old mule behind the small pack and started to swim across the river. He +took the lead in this instance for three reasons: first, we thought that +the mule, being much older than the horse, had probably had more +experience and therefore might be a much better swimmer; then Field had +the advantage in having the life preserver; but the last, and most +potent, reason was my fear of getting drowned. It was understood that I +was to remain on shore and be ready to assist him if necessary, or until +he had safely landed on the other side. + +In he went, and the trusty old mule was swimming faithfully, and had +reached the middle of the river, when Field, as he afterwards told me, +to hurry the mule, gave a gentle jerk on the bridle, when, to his utter +astonishment, the mule made a complete somerset backwards plunging +Field, the pack, and himself entirely under the water, except his heels +which appeared above the water as his head went under. In a moment Field +popped up and, after shaking his head as a swimmer will do after taking +a plunge, cast about to take his bearings, or to determine just where he +was, and began to paddle with his hands, much as he did when the canoes +were upset on the river, or somewhat after the style of a swimming dog. +On coming to the surface, the mule cast a glance at the still living, +but unloaded portion of his cargo, then made a bee line for the shore +which he had so recently left. While Field continued to paddle and float +down the river, I dismounted and followed along the bank, trying to +encourage him to renewed efforts to float ashore. Finally he passed +behind a clump of willows out of sight; but soon I heard him call for +help and on going a little further down, found him stuck fast in the +mud. I waded waist deep into that mud, and literally dragged him out, +almost a mile below his starting point. + +As we were struggling in this muddy swamp, Field said he wondered why +some of this superfluous water was not distributed over those dry +deserts from which we had so recently come. I told him, politely, that I +thought that a man of his age, ability, opportunities, and nationality, +(you know he was quite proud of being an Englishman) ought to know why +the moisture was not so distributed, and that I was too illiterate to +enlighten him on that point, but that, when opportunity offered, he +might consult some one who knew more of natural science than I did. I +informed him that I had an idea that if any considerable portion of the +water of that river had been distributed over that desert that we would +not have had the experience of the last fifteen days, whereupon he very +plainly intimated that I did not have much sense, or, in other words, he +called me a d--d fool. + +After reaching solid ground and resting for a little while, we returned +to the place from which he had started out on his perilous voyage, and +where I had hastily left my horse. We found the horse and mule quietly +grazing with their packs on their backs. The faithful old mule had the +appearance of having been wet, but was now almost dry, yet not so dry, +internally, as he had been several days before. + +What shall we do now? We are perhaps two hundred or more miles from any +white settlement. We do not know that Fort Uinta is occupied. Shall we +make another attempt to cross the river? I asked my brave friend if he +was willing to again mount the mule and make another attempt, when he +again exclaimed, "You must be a d--d fool!" I then, pretending to have a +little courage, asked him if he would follow provided I would lead, +whereupon he declared most emphatically that under no conditions would +he again attempt to swim across that river. I had not had his +experience, but fear of being drowned was quite sufficient to prevent me +from undertaking the perilous task, more especially after witnessing his +failure. + +Well, what next? We could not depend upon fishing and hunting, for we +had no fish-hooks, nor means of catching fish, and not more than a dozen +loads of shot, and a little powder; so the matter of slaying one of our +animal friends was now seriously debated, and, after thoroughly +canvassing the whole situation, it was most reluctantly determined that, +however hard, this must be done. No doubt our starving condition at that +particular time had some weight in making this decision. + +Then the question was, which of the animals shall be sacrificed? The +mule was quite thin, and probably tough, while the little horse was +young, and, notwithstanding the many days it had, with all of us, +starved and traveled without water, was still quite plump and round, and +probably tender, or, at the worst, not so tough as the poor old docile +mule; so, at length we decided to kill the innocent little creature, +jerk his flesh, pack it on the mule, and thereby try to save our own +lives, for a time at least, and endeavor to reach some place of safety. + +The matter of slaying the horse was determined by casting lots, neither +being willing to perform that melancholy, but now absolutely necessary, +act. It fell to my lot, and that was one of, if not the most revolting +act in my whole life's experience, for I had, probably, become as +strongly attached to that little horse as man ever becomes attached to +animal. I most reluctantly took the bridle in my left hand, my revolver +in my right, stood directly in front of the poor, unsuspecting, innocent +creature with the murderous pistol close to, and a little above a line +extending from eye to eye, and fired. When the smoke of the powder had +cleared off a little, I saw at my feet the quivering, dying body. I +staggered off a few steps and sat down, sick at heart. + +Field walked several steps away, and turned his back upon the scene +until after the fatal shot had been fired; then, after some little time, +he entered upon his share of the enforced duty, and, after having +removed a portion of the skin, cut off some slices of flesh and brought +them to a fire I had started. We broiled and ate a little of it, not +through desire or relish for it, but from a sense of duty, knowing that +our lives depended upon it. + +It is said that for many years Dr. Franklin refrained from eating flesh, +having an idea that it was wrong to slay and eat the flesh of other +creatures; but that he changed his mind, and his diet, too, after having +seen large fish devour small ones. I strongly suspect that if the doctor +had been with us, or in a like condition, even before his conversion, he +would, more than likely have taken a little flesh, even though it had +been a piece of his own favorite horse. + +I said we only ate a little at first: I only ate a little for two +reason; first, I did not relish the food; second, I had heard of persons +being killed by eating too much after fasting for a long time, and I had +no desire to commit suicide just then. Field ate too much. Night came +on, work was suspended, and we retired. The poor old lone, and, no +doubt, now lonely, mule, having filled himself with grass, came up near +the now terribly-mutilated remains of his late companion, and looked on +as Field continued his bloody work. Field, with an expression of sorrow, +said, "If that mule could reason and look forward to the time when his +body might be in a like condition as that of this horse, he would, no +doubt, take to his heels, bid us a final farewell, and seek other +society." But, fortunately for us, he did not know that he was to be +held in reserve for our future security. He was securely tied up every +night from that time until the day he was slain for our salvation. + +Early in the night following that eventful day, my companion began to +complain much as he had done on the night after he had eaten the little +red berries; but there was no lack of water now, no need of a special +rain-cloud. I got up, heated water in our little camp kettle, applied +hot cloths to his aching belly, and did everything else that either of +us could think of for his relief. The pain was intense, and we feared +that he would surely die, and earnestly prayed all the rest of the night +that he might be relieved, and get well. Towards morning most violent +vomiting came on, which continued for thirty hours, or more. He was not +able to walk for three days, and during that time I nursed him, finished +jerking the meat, and built a raft of some partly rotten logs, which I +found in the vicinity, on which we floated across the river, on the +fourth day after our arrival here. I also looked to the welfare of the +mule, and prepared some bags in which to carry our jerk. Manley, I am +sure that you know the meaning of the term "jerk" so that a definition +of the word is not at all necessary. + +The old logs of which the raft was made were remnants of log cabins, a +number of which had been built and occupied more than half a century +before, but by whom I do not know. Field remarked that the finding of +these old rotting logs there was another "God send," as we then had +neither ax, hammer, nor any tool of iron with which to cut down a tree. +I bound these logs together with long strips cut from the hide of the +dead horse. Paddles and poles were also provided. The mule was with +difficulty driven across the river. + +When the raft was landed on the west bank, the mule packed, and all +about ready to start, I took the long strip of raw-hide from the raft +and tied one end of it around the mule's neck, mounted Field on the mule +behind the large pack, which made the whole outfit look quite comical +indeed. Before leaving the other side of the river I had discovered that +the saddle girth was not very strong, so I cut a wide belt from the hide +of the lately slaughtered horse and fitted it to the saddle as a girth, +knowing that the pack, now containing all of our goods and a supply of +more than a bushel of jerk, would be quite bulky, if not heavy, and more +difficult to keep on the back of a mule than it is for the camel to +maintain his hump on his back. This girth afterwards made us two or +three pretty substantial meals, as did also the long strip of green, wet +hide, one end of which I had tied round the mule's neck, allowing it to +drag for a long distance through the hot dry sand. + +All being ready, I, as usual, took the lead with my shot gun, which I +always carried, but with which I seldom killed anything, on my shoulder. +The old mule followed with his high, towering pack, and Field almost +hidden behind. It was noon, but we did not stop for dinner, but simply +reached into one of the great bulging sacks, took out a piece of jerk +and ate it as we went marching on; no more trouble now about cooking. +Late in the afternoon we reached Uinta river, and, as my two-legged +companion had grown very tired of the back of the four-legged one, we +went into camp early. Our objective point was Fort Uinta, where we hoped +to find military. We could not risk turning the mule loose at night, and +the long strip of raw-hide was designed and used to secure him, and yet +to afford him liberty to graze while we slept. As you will see a little +further on, both girth and lariat were used for a purpose not +anticipated. + +The second, third, fourth, and fifth days came and went, and we were +trudging on, up the Uinta, through a mostly very barren country, with +some little rich and fertile land. We saw signs of Indians often, but no +Indians. There was much cottonwood, but little other timber. We saw some +fish in the river which we coveted, but could not get. The main course +of this river is from north-west to south-east. We traveled most of the +way to the fort on Indian trails, some of which were much worn, but +mostly at some much earlier period. Of course we had plenty of good +water, and food, such as it was. Field did not walk two miles during +those five days, but seemed to be fattening fast. I sometimes thought he +might be just a little lazy, but I never told him so, for I realized +that he had recently had a severe tussle with death. + +Early in the morning of the sixth day we arrived at the abandoned old +fort. There were only three log buildings, and they were in the shape of +three sides of a hollow square, with port-holes on the outer faces of +the buildings, and doors entering each of them from the hollow square or +court. Facing the vacant side of the court, the port-hole from which I +shot the wolf on the night after we had killed the mule, would be on +right hand side. We were unable to determine whether this fort had been +constructed and occupied by Americans or Mexicans, but, from its +apparent age, we were inclined to the opinion that it was Mexicans. It +had not been occupied for, probably, three or four years. Some little +farming had been done immediately around the fort. Surrounding the fort +is a large body of fine, fertile land which I have no doubt has long +since been occupied by mormons, or other enterprising people. + +Having no means of subsistence here we soon decided to push on towards +Fort Bridger, and, after resting a few hours set out following the +larger fork of the river which comes almost directly from the north. We +now believed that we were almost, if not exactly, due south of Fort +Bridger. The river is small, and very crooked; we crossed it many times +within three days, and, at the end of that time, found ourselves in the +mouth of a rocky cañon, and after struggling for one whole day, we came +to where the steep, high, stone walls closed the little river in on both +sides, rendering it impossible for us to proceed any further. + +We were now nearly out of food; the jerk was almost gone. A council was +held, and it was decided that we should return to the fort and take +chances of being rescued, or scalped by some roving band of reds, or +starving to death. We at once set out on our return, full of +disappointment and melancholy forebodings. + +The next day found us without food: and now came into use the long, +narrow strip of raw-hide which first bound together the old, rotting +logs of which the raft was made, then to secure the mule of nights. It +was now almost as hard as bone, and nearly round, having been dragged +through the hot sand while it was yet green and wet, closed up like a +hollow tube with sand inside. Two or three yards of it at a time, was +cut into pieces about five inches long, the hair singed off, the sand +scratched out, and these pieces were dropped into our camp kettle and +cooked until the whole formed one mass of jelly or gluten which was, to +us, quite palatable. When the lasso had all been thus prepared and +eaten, the broad girth which had served so well in holding the +pack-saddle on the mule's back, was cleaned, cooked, and eaten. These +substitutes for jerk sustained us very well till we again arrived at the +fort. + +Another consultation was now held, and the question was--what shall we +do now? We were again, apparently, at the starting point of another +long, enforced fast. Our path seemed hedged in. The prospect was, +indeed, very gloomy. Our only reasonable hope for even the temporary +prolongation of our lives was centered in our ever faithful, and always +reliable old mule. We revolted at the idea of killing and eating him, +but the last bit of the girth was gone. After canvassing the whole +situation over and over, again and again, we finally, but most +reluctantly decided to kill the mule, and preserve all the soft parts, +even the skin with all of its old scars, and then gather in whatever +else we could find, and stay here until spring, or until good fortune +might afford us some means escape; till some Moses might come and lead +us out of this wilderness, notwithstanding the fact that we had not +borrowed any jewelry which we had failed to return. + +There were signs of wolves in that vicinity, and it was decided that the +mule be slain about ten paces distant and directly in front of one of +the port-holes of the fort, with the idea that wolves might smell the +blood and come there and subject themselves to being shot, and thereby +afford us a chance to increase our stock of winter supplies in the form +of wolf steak, or jerk. Accordingly the victim was lead to the spot +indicated, and there slain in the same manner, and with quite as much +reluctance on the part of the slayer, as on the occasion of the +sacrifice of the little horse, more than three weeks before. The body +was skinned, cut up, and all taken within the building, nothing being +left except the blood which had been spilled on the ground, and which +was intended to attract wolves or, possibly, bears or other animals. + +My now only living associate ridiculed the idea of killing wolves, and +insisted that the flesh could not be eaten, stating the fact that even +hogs would not eat the dead body of a dog, and insisted that a dog was +only a tamed wolf. I reminded him of a cat which had been eaten. He +finally agreed that, if I killed a wolf, he would get up and dress it, +but said most emphatically that he would not sit up and watch for it; so +he went to bed, that is, rolled himself up in a blanket on the ground in +front of a good fire inside of the fort, and went to sleep, while I sat +with my rather untrustworthy double barreled shot-gun protruding through +the port-hole in full view of the spot before indicated. The night was +clear, and the moon was shining in full splendor. It was probably eleven +o'clock; Field had been snoring for a long time, when I heard something +in the tall, dry grass, and soon a large, brownish-gray wolf came into +full view, with head up, apparently sniffing, or smelling, and +cautiously approaching the fatal spot. When he reached it, and began to +lick up the blood which was still on the surface of the ground, standing +with his left side toward the fort, and in full view, I took deliberate +aim, and fired, and he fell upon the ground without making any +considerable noise. + +The tired, sleeping man was aroused by the report of the gun, and rushed +into the room where I was in great excitement, thinking, perhaps, that +some enemy had appeared, and had just then commenced to bombard the +fort; but when I explained to him that I had simply killed a wolf, he +ran out towards it, and, arriving close to it, the wounded creature rose +up on its hind feet and growled quite vigorously, which seemed to +frighten Field as much as did the noise of the gun. He dashed back to +the fort, and, after having time to recover from his speechless +condition, abused me most fearfully for having told him that I had +killed a wolf. I then went out and put a load of shot into the wolf's +head, and found that my first charge had passed through and broke both +of its fore legs near the body. Field was so thoroughly frightened that +I could not induce him to approach the dead animal for some time, and I +do believe that that wolf haunted him as long as I knew him, for he +seemed never to forget it. After dressing it by the light of the moon +assisted by a torch, we retired. On viewing the plump body next morning +Field exclaimed, "That's another God-send!" and notwithstanding his +opinion that wolf could not be eaten, he found that wolf to be the best +food we had eaten since we had assisted Walker and his tribe in eating +the mountain sheep. + +The French may eat their horses, but I do not want more horse flesh. The +old mule made fair but quite coarse beef. While out on this little +pleasure excursion we ate horse, mule, wolf, wild-cat, mountain +sheep, rose seed buds, raw-hide, a squirrel, fatty matter from the +sockets of the mule's eyes and the marrow from his bones; but that ham +of wild-cat was certainly the most detestable thing that I ever +undertook to eat. The marrow from the mule's bones was a real luxury. + +We now had a pretty good stock of food, such as it was, but not enough +to carry us through the winter on full rations; therefore we determined +to try to add to it by hunting. One was to go out and hunt while the +other would remain at home: we now had undisputed possession of the fort +and it was our home. Field took the first day's outing while I occupied +my time in drying and smoking meat. Late in the evening he returned, +tired and worn out, having seen nothing worth shooting. + +Next day came my turn to hunt. I took a lunch, as he had done, +consisting of jerked mule. I did not tell him so, but I had determined +to make an excursion up the river to a point where we had seen some +fresh trails and deer tracks some days before. When I was putting up my +lunch my friend intimated that I was taking a very large amount for one +lunch, but I told him that I might stay out late and that I did not +intend to starve. I went, stayed all day, all night, and part of the +next day, and returned as he had done, tired and discouraged, not having +seen anything worth bringing in. In the evening of the first day out I +found a trail which appeared to have been used daily by deer going to +and from the river. + +It occurred to me that they might go out early in the morning, so I +secreted myself within gun shot of the trail behind an old, moss-covered +log where I slept comfortably; and when it was light enough in the +morning to see a deer, I leveled my gun across the log in a position +commanding the trail and waited and watched until nine o'clock, but +nothing came upon that pathway that morning. After getting tired of +watching and waiting I went down to the trail where, to my astonishment, +I found the fresh tracks of a large bear which must have passed by that +way while I was sleeping. As a rule I do not like to be treated +discourteously, but in this instance I felt glad that this stranger had +passed me by. + +On arriving at the fort late in the evening I found my friend in a +terrible state of mental excitement. He said that he had not slept a +minute during the whole of the night before. He had filled the door of +his room with rails, and sharpened one end of a long stick, which he +intended to use if necessary as a weapon of defence. When I arrived he +was again filling the door with rails. I had the gun, pistol and big +knife with me so this was his only means of defence. He said he would +not stay alone another night for all the gold in California. + +I was much discouraged by our failures in hunting, and after a lengthy +discussion we decided to make another attempt to cross the mountains and +escape from what then seemed to us certain starvation. This was Thursday +night and we set Monday as the time for starting. By Saturday night +everything was in readiness for the start and Sunday we devoted to Bible +reading, for we each still had a pocket Bible. As much of the flesh of +the wolf and the lamented mule as we thought we could carry had been +thoroughly jerked, and finding that we would not be overburdened by it, +we economized by roasting and eating little scraps of flesh, the marrow +from the bones, and even the head of the mule was roasted, the fragments +of flesh scraped off and eaten, and Field found a rich fatty substance +in behind the eyes, which he ate. + +We had a canteen in which our powder was carried, but the powder was +nearly all gone so we emptied it and used the canteen to carry water in. +Early Monday morning we loaded ourselves, mostly with jerked mule and +wolf, leaving many useful things behind, bid adieu to Fort Uinta and +took up our line of march rather reluctantly. + +My companion was not strong and we soon found it expedient for me to +take on part of his burden. We rested often and yet long before night he +became so tired that we had to go into camp. Most of the day we had +traveled on an old deserted trail. The nights being cold we were under +the necessity of keeping up a fire as we had left our blankets at the +fort. The next morning we made an early start and rested often. At about +noon we found good shade and water, and the sun being quite hot we +stopped and rested in the shade for more than three hours, then trudged +on till nearly night when we found water, and plenty of old dry timber +for fuel and camped. Field expressed a wish that he had his old mule +again, and I reminded him that he had a portion of it left in his +knapsack, and that turn about was fair play: as the mule had carried him +for a long time when he was unable to walk he should not object to +carrying a portion of the mule now; whereupon he again plainly intimated +that he thought I was a d--- d fool. I kept up the fire and he slept +until morning. + +Another day was passed without any unusual occurrence; we traveled and +ate at the same time as usual. Another day of pretty hard travel over +sandy plains and rocky hills brought us to the foot of the mountain +where we had plenty of good water and an abundance of fuel. A little +sprinkle of rain early in the evening was the first we had seen since +the memorable night after Field had eaten the little red berries. + +Early Saturday morning we filled our canteen with water and started up +the mountain. I had been carrying most of the jerk, but the stock was +running down quite rapidly. My companions bag now being almost empty, +and as he had little else to carry while I had the gun and some other +things, including his heavy overcoat, I divided the jerk, putting about +half of it into his sack. All day long we were climbing the mountain. +Late in the afternoon I was several rods ahead of Field when he called +to me to stop: I did so and when he came up he appeared to be a little +cross and insisted that we were not traveling in the direction formerly +agreed upon. I requested him to let me see the little compass which he +had in his pocket, and on examining it he found that he was mistaken; +whereupon he muttered something which I thought was "swear words," and +then we went marching on. In a little while we were within the old snow +limits where we found large bodies of old icy looking snow in places +shaded by trees and rocks, and a little before dark went into camp. We +gathered some old dry timber and made a large fire, then some green fir +limbs for a bed. When I began to prepare our bed on one side of the +flaming logs, to my surprise Field began to prepare one on the other +side of the fire. Neither had spoken since the occurrence of the little +unpleasantness in the afternoon about the course of travel. Mutely each +took his side of the fire. + +We had always slept together except when he was sick and the night I had +left him alone at the fort. Some time in the night I became thirsty and +got up and procured some snow, put it in our only tin cup and set it on +some live coals to melt and went to sleep. The snow melted, the water +evaporated, the solder melted and left the tin. While I slept, my dumb +friend woke up thirsty, took the tin cup, filled it with snow and put it +on coals. The snow melted and the water run out on the coals; his tongue +let loose and he then denounced me as a knave, an ass, a fool, an +unregenerate heathen, and what else I don't want to remember. I woke up +alarmed and did not at first fully understand what had created the +storm, but after having the bottomless cup dashed at my head I realized +the situation, and began to try to apologize and explain the unavoidable +and unfortunate circumstance; but no explanation would satisfy his now +thoroughly "Johnny Bull" temper. After this little nocturnal disturbance +had subsided, I, on my bed of fir branches with my feet towards the +fire, soon fell into a sound sleep and knew nothing more of the world +until the sun was shining. Whether or not my friend had cooled off I did +not inquire; but I do know that there was an unusual coldness between +us, for neither spoke to the other until about twelve o'clock and then, +as will appear, our conversation was very short. + +As we did not rise until late no delay was made, but when each had his +bag on his back and a nugget of jerk in his hand we started up the side +of the mountain as quiet as two deaf mutes. There was no water to be +had; our camp kettle had been left at the fort, and through my stupidity +the cup had become useless, therefore we were obliged to eat the icy +snow or endure the thirst. No new snow had yet fallen in this high +altitude although it was now nearing the end of October. These mountains +were then heavily covered with pine and fir but the timber was not +large. In some places where the snow had melted away, short green grass +was found quite close to great banks of snow. + +At about twelve o'clock we reached the summit of the great Uinta range, +and I, being a little in advance of my still mute companion, halted to +take a survey of the field before me. The top of the range here is bare +of timber and there was no snow. When Field came up I broke the silence +which had lasted since the little unpleasantness of the night before, by +suggesting that we attempt to cross the snow-covered range of mountains +which now appeared north of us and probably fifty miles away, through +what appeared to be a gap or low place in the great range of mountains. +He replied, "You may go that way if you want to, but I am going this +way," pointing in another direction and quickly started off at an angle +of about 45 degrees to the right, or directly north-east. I also started +immediately, and when we were a few rods apart I said, "Good-by; we may +not meet again very soon." He replied "Good-by," and within a few +minutes we were out of sight, and in a very short time beyond hailing +distance. + +This was the last I saw or heard of him until after each of us had +undergone many more hardships, so I will now drop my friend but will +hereafter devote a chapter to him, and give you an account of his +experience as he afterwards gave it to me, detailing an account of many +most interesting incidents. Fortunately we had divided the jerk, for +nothing was said at this sudden and unexpected parting about anything +which either had in his possession. I had an idea when I bade him +good-by that he would soon turn about and follow me. + +After the unceremonious parting I immediately began to descend the north +side of the mountain which was very rough, rocky and steep; but down, +down, down I went into a deep, dark cañon where I slept on the leaves +under a fir tree, after having taken some landmarks. When it was light +enough to see the objects I had noted to guide me, I set out and spent +the day in crossing over hills and through deep cañons. In the evening I +arrived at the foot of the range of mountains which I had seen from the +point of our parting. The sun disappeared, dark clouds began to float +over the mountains and it was evident that a storm was approaching. + +While it was yet light enough I took some landmarks or guiding points; +and it was well I did so, for on the following morning when I woke I +found it snowing quietly but heavily, and before it was light enough for +me to see my guiding objects there must have been six or more inches of +new snow on the ground beyond my snug retreat under a sheltering pine. +When it was light enough I rose from my comfortable bed, took my +bearings as best I could without a compass and started up the mountain +through the rapidly accumulating bed of snow. The snow continued to fall +nearly all day, and before night it was more than a foot deep. + +All day long I struggled through a dense forest. Some time in the +forenoon I crossed the fresh trail of a large herd of elk which forcibly +reminded me that my sack was almost empty, and I vainly wished that one +of these wild creatures might come in my way, but I did not dare to +follow the herd with the uncertainty of killing one, and the certainty +of losing my way this dark, snowy day. In order to maintain my course +during such dark days I was under the necessity of looking ahead and +observing trees or other objects in my line of travel. + +That night I, as usual, slept under a pine tree where there was no snow. +I saw no sign of fire in either of these ranges of mountains, nor did I +see any signs of Indians on my trip over these two ranges. The next day +as I approached the top of the mountain I found the timber much smaller, +and mostly pine. There is much fertile land in some of the valleys +between the two great ranges of mountains. + +Early on the following morning I arrived at the bald, snow-covered +summit. On my right and on my left were high, untimbered, snow-covered +peaks. From this point I could overlook a vast territory extending over +many hills, valleys, and smaller mountains where there was no snow; in +fact, the snow only extended a few miles down the steep sides of the +great range. As a rule there is more timber on the north than on the +south side of mountains west of the Rockies; but it was the reverse +here, for there was little timber on the north side of this range. + +One more day's tramping brought me down into a large barren plain where +I gathered some dry weeds for a bed, and slept, without food or water; +the last bit of the mule or wolf, I know not which, I had eaten during +the afternoon. I had had very little jerk for the last two or three +days, and began to wish that I had another horse, mule, or even a wolf. +For many days I had seen no living thing except when I looked into a +small glass which I carried in my pocket, and then only saw a familiar +shadow. + +I spent another day without food, but had plenty of water; another night +on a bed of green brush beside a good fire. The next day was bright and +sunny, quite a contrast to the gloomy days I had spent in the mountains. +For want of food I was becoming quite weak and was not able to travel as +fast as usual. During the early part of the day I saw some tracks of an +unshod horse, which renewed my courage and hope of redemption; and at +about two o'clock in the afternoon I saw some dark spots on the plain a +long distance away, but almost in the direction I was going. Hoping that +these objects might be living creatures, I hurried on for a time, then +sat down and after having watched them for a time I found that they +changed positions and that satisfied me to a moral certainty that they +were living creatures, but what I could not tell. They might be horses, +cattle, elk, deer, antelope or buffalo; but no matter what, I must hurry +on and try to reach them before night. + +Late in the evening I determined that they were horses but could not yet +tell whether they belonged to whites or Indians, or were wild. As I +approached them they stopped grazing and started toward me, but soon +disappeared in a deep gulch between us which I had not noticed before. +On arriving at the edge of the gulch or narrow valley I saw the horses +in the vicinity of about fifteen or twenty wigwams which were all in a +row on the bank of a little creek that ran through the gulch. Many +Indians were sitting outside of their lodges, the weather being warm. + +On first sight of the village, being not more than 200 yards away, my +heart fluttered just a little, not knowing whether the savages would +scalp me or not; but, notwithstanding my natural cowardice, I at once +determined to "beard the lion in his den," and walked as boldly as I +could up to the lower end of the row of wigwams. Within a few feet of +the nearest one three young bucks met me and seemed to be anxious to +know whence I came and whither I was going; whether right down from +Heaven, and if so what was my mission. They seemed as much surprised at +my sudden appearance as I was on coming so suddenly upon them. My first +and most important business was to determine whether they would give me +something to eat, or eat me. + +As the men, women, and children began to gather around me I heard some +one half way up the line of lodges call out saying something which I did +not understand, but on looking that way saw a man beckoning to me, as I +thought, when the young men motioned for me to move on up the line. On +arriving at the place indicated I found myself in the presence of one +whom I then suspected, and afterwards found to be the chief, who +extended to his royal right hand and greeted me in a most courteous and +polite manner, and then with a graceful wave of his hand and a slight +bow indicated that I should precede him at the low open door into his +Royal Palace where he very politely introduced me to his wife who proved +to be a sensible, clever, courteous woman. She soon prepared some thing +for me to eat, and after I had finished my supper an Indian brought in +two pistols and wanted me to take the cap tube from one and put it into +the other, which I soon accomplished. He was much pleased, went out, and +soon returned with ten or more pounds of elk meat which he tendered to +me as compensation for my work, but the chief objected, and insisted, as +I understood him, that he had plenty and that I was his guest, but +finally consented for me to accept part of the meat. I gave him to +understand that I wanted to go to Fort Bridger. + +A case of nice new blankets was opened, as it appeared to me, for my +especial benefit. The chief, his lady, two sons almost grown, two or +three wolfish looking dogs which forcibly reminded me of Field's +terrible scare, and myself made up the number of lodgers in that mansion +that night. Late that night some warriors who had been out on a campaign +came home, and learning that there was a stranger within the gates came +to the king's palace to see him, and also to report that they had +discovered some white barbarians in the vicinity who had dared to enter +his domain without a special permit, and that they had sent a message to +his highness informing him that they had a good assortment of blankets, +cutlery, pins, needles, beads, etc., which his people might need or +desire, and also a limited amount of "fire-water," and that they would +be pleased to receive his order for anything he might desire. + +The fact of the presence of these pale-faces in the vicinity was at once +communicated to me, and early on the following morning I was informed +that if it was my desire to cut short my stay at the palace, the king +would take great pleasure in furnishing me means of conveyance, a proper +escort, and a reliable guide who would safely conduct me to the camp of +the accommodating merchants or Indian traders, (but, in fact, Indian +robbers.) Notwithstanding my reluctance in leaving the society of the +noble ruler and his people I most readily accepted his generous offer, +and after breakfast, which consisted of elk meat and tobacco root in a +combination stew which was very palatable, a fine steed with a good +Mexican saddle and bridle was at the door. My escort, consisting of four +mounted warriors, was ready, and after bidding my good friends farewell, +I with some assistance mounted my charger and we were all off on a full +run, up and down hill and across valley, at what seemed to me a fearful +rate. + +In less than two hours we entered the camp of the traders at full speed, +dismounted, and found one man, a long Jake from Illinois, who could +speak English. He had two wives, (squaws,) and several children which he +claimed, but some of them were quite dark. His name was John Smith; not +a very uncommon one. He was a very clever man, about 35 years old, was +not a Mormon, but had taken the women in order to become popular with +the Indians and to improve his opportunities for trade. + +After getting something to eat, and learning something, through Smith, +of my adventures, my escort made ready to return to their camp. Their +trip, as Smith told me, was made solely for my accommodation and now I +had nothing with which to compensate them; but as they were about to +leave I took a large "bandanna," the only one I had left, and tied it +around the neck of the chief's son, he being one of the clever escorts. +He at first refused to accept it, but when Smith told him that I desired +him to take it as a token of regard, he accepted it with an expression +of thanks, and after I had bidden them all good-bye, they rode away as +rapidly as we had come. I will always hold that chief and his people in +kindly remembrance. + +All of the other white men with Smith were French, and all had plenty of +wives (squaws) and numerous slaves. The wives were not slaves, but they +had slaves all around them. The whole tribe traveled about and lived +much as other tribes did, only much better, for they lived by trading +while the others lived by hunting and fishing. In this camp I ate bread +for the first time in many weeks. At the end of three days after my +arrival here a caravan was ready to start for Fort Bridger for winter +supplies for the traders. I was furnished with a good horse and saddle, +and Smith, one of the Frenchmen, five slaves, 20 horses, and myself made +up the caravan, and on the evening of the third day we reached the fort +where I was very kindly received. + +Smith was a large man, had a good head, and some cultivation and +apparent refinement, and treated his women and children well. He said he +had been to his old home in Illinois since he had entered upon this kind +of life, but was not contented there and soon returned to his Indian +friends. He and those Frenchmen were as generous and hospitable as old +Southern planters, and their kindness to me will not be forgotten while +my memory lasts. + +I was well treated at the fort which is 116 miles from the point where +the seven dug up the little flat-boat from its sandy bed on the fifth +day of August, just three mouths before, since which I had undergone +many hardships, took many fearful risks, and traveled more than a +thousand miles, far enough to have taken me from Green River to San +Francisco. + +On the morning of the seventh day of November I started with a +Government train for Salt Lake City where I arrived on the fifteenth. I +soon found a home with a prominent Mormon, a Scotchman named Archie +Gardner, living in the fifth ward, on Mill Creek, one of the many small +streams coming down from the mountains east of the city. Mr. Gardner was +a clever gentleman about 45 years old, had a saw-mill up in, the +mountains, and was then building a flour mill only a few rods from his +dwelling. I assisted him in completing the little flour mill and in +attending it during the winter. Mr. Gardner had three wives, all living +in one house, but occupying separate rooms at night. I usually attended +the little mill until midnight, and Gardner made it part of my duty to +go to his house and call him. He usually told me where I could find him, +but not always, so at times I was under the necessity of rapping at more +than one door before I found him. + +He had the largest house in the ward, and the religious services were +held there by Bishop Johnson who also acted as Justice of the Peace in +that ward. Gardner's family all ate at the same table over which the +first wife presided. She was, indeed, mistress of the house, the other +wives treating her with great respect, and all were, to all outward +appearance, quite friendly. Gardner bestowed much attention on his first +wife, though I always suspected that he was just a little more fond of +the youngest one, and I did not blame him much for she manifested strong +affection for him even in the presence of the others, and yet there was +no outward manifestation of jealousy. + +The second, or the one I will call the second because she was in age +between the others, and was the mother of the third or youngest, a +widowed mother and her daughter having been sealed to Gardner at the +same time, the first wife having given her consent and standing with +them at the triple matrimonial altar, and then and there joining in the +sacred ceremony. As I was about to say, the second wife seemed to be +pleased at the manifestation of affection for the common husband by the +youngest wife, and No. 1 would in a good-humored way say:--"My, Annie, +don't be so demonstrative in the presence of other people," when the +husband would laugh and go and kiss No. 1. + +Gardner spent most of his leisure time, particularly during the day and +evening, in his first wife's apartments with her and her children. He +was a very religious man, and always had family prayers before retiring +at night, and all persons about the house were expected to join, at +least formally, in this service. The use of profane language was not +allowed in or about the house. + +Many of the higher church officers were entertained at Gardner's house +and table, among whom were Brigham Young, George A. Smith, Heber C. +Kimble, George Taylor, and Parley P. Pratt, with all of whom I formed +some acquaintance. Brigham was a dignified, clever gentleman, not +austere but kind and affable. Kimble was also a nice, genteel, genial, +redheaded gentleman. Smith was a heavy man with a very large abdomen, +dark hair full beard, exceedingly jovial and apparently always happy. +Pratt was a small, rather slim, quick and athletic man, rather austere, +refined, active and energetic. Taylor was a large man, highly +intellectual, and rather unsocial. Kimble was my favorite +notwithstanding the fact that he had fifteen wives, mostly young and +handsome, all in one house, and my impression is that none of them had +any children. I think it was conceded that his was the finest harem in +Utah. He called me his young Gentile, was very kind and affable, but he +never invited me to inspect his harem. + +About the first of December, 1849, Field arrived in Salt Lake City, and +I will allude to a little matter in which he was concerned, after which +I will give you a short account of his trip from the time we parted +company until he arrived in Salt Lake as he afterwards gave it to me. +Soon after he arrived in the City of the Saints he heard of another who +had recently arrived from the south and that he was located in the fifth +ward on Mill creek at the house of one Gardner, and at which house he +soon arrived. + +After staying with me for two or three days he found employment in the +family of the Apostle John Taylor. The family consisted of seven wives +living in seven different houses. How many children there were I never +knew, but there was one wife who did not have any. She was a fine +specimen of English beauty. Taylor's women were nearly all English. It +was the business of my friend to cut wood, and do chores generally for +the Taylor family living in seven different places at the same time. +Taylor was in Europe that winter looking after the interest of the +church, and possibly after a few more wives, and consequently could not, +in person, attend to all of the necessities of the seven branches of his +family. In his daily rounds looking after the seven wood-piles and other +little matters appertaining to the comfort of the family in so many +places Field happened to come in contact with the English beauty, and +the result was, mutual love at first sight, notwithstanding the fact +that this woman had passed, and taken all of the solemn vows of the Lym +house with the Apostle and his six other wives. + +I do not think that my English friend had lost one iota of the fond +recollection of his long since dead English wife, the picture of whom he +still carried near his heart; but, nevertheless, he and this seventh +wife of the noted Apostle fell heels over head in love. Field, as you +know, was a well developed, good-looking, intelligent man of forty. The +woman was well developed, good-looking, and as smart as a steel-trap, +and both being English I was not at all surprised at their mutual +admiration and infatuation, nor did I blame them much. I was entrusted +with many closely-sealed envelopes which I carried from one to the +other. With my feeble assistance they tried to devise some method by +which they might escape from the city before the Apostle should return +home; but the Danites were always on the alert, and they well knew that +detection by the Danites of an attempt to get away together would lead +to certain death to him, and if not to her she would certainly have been +returned to her polygamous state of bondage. Spring came with little +hope of escape, and they reluctantly parted with the mutual +understanding that, if possible, she would make her escape and go to +Sacramento where he promised to keep his address. Ten months after the +parting they had not met yet, and if they ever did it was after I had +lost all further knowledge of him. + +Mormon morals, exclusive of polygamy, are very good. I never saw a +drunken man in Salt Lake City, and heard very little profane language +there. The people were industrious and seemed happy. Their hospitality +rivaled that of the old Southern planters, and their charity was equal +to that of other Christians. + +I will now go back to the place where Field and I separated on the +mountain top and give you a short statement as he gave it to me, and +while some things may border on the miraculous, and seem somewhat +incredible, I do not question the truth of his statements. When we +parted so unexpectedly he had about half of the jerked wolf and mule +combined. I went north while he bore off in a northeasterly direction, +and after traveling for three days came to the river at a point above +where we lost our flat-boat. He struggled on up the river without road +or trail, and nothing to guide him except the little compass which he +still carried in his pocket. + +Two days more and his last bit of jerk was gone, starvation began to +stare him in the face once more. He saw signs of Indians having crossed +his pathless course which gave him renewed courage. Soon after starting +out next morning he was delighted to see a pony in the distance grazing, +and on coming up to it found one of its front legs broken. This, he said +was another God-send. The poor pony seemed to fear him. It was probably +an Indian pony, had its leg broken and was left to die. He followed it +for some time and finally got close to it and fired his revolver at its +chest and wounded it, but it then left him with the blood flowing from +its wound. After resting for a time he followed on and soon found it +lying down, but not dead. He told me how innocent and helpless it +appeared, and looked at him as if pleading with him not to inflict any +more pain; but he felt that his life was in a balance with its, and +after a little meditation he put the revolver to its forehead and ended +its life and suffering. Then came the usual process of skinning, cutting +up and jerking which took the balance of that day and part of the next. + +Eight days more and he was again starving. On the ninth he arrived at +the spot where we had dug up the little ferry-boat which carried the +seven adventurers far down the river more than three very long dreary +months before. Snow now covered the entire country, and all emigrants +had long since gone by. His strength was failing fast but it would not +do to linger there, so he arose and was about to start when he saw a +poor old ox slowly coming towards him, and when it had come up near to +him he discovered a wolf not far behind which seemed to be following the +ox, but it soon turned and went away. Night was coming on and he was +very hungry. Something must be done. The last cartridge had been +exploded in killing the poor, broken legged Indian pony, and the +revolver was no longer of use. The ox, though feeble, was probably yet +stronger than the starving man. + +Field feared that he was not able to catch the ox by the horns and hold +it until he could cut its throat, so the next plan was to get hold of +the animal's tail with one hand, and with the big knife in the other cut +his hamstrings so as to disable him, and then cut his throat. The ox +seemed fond of being rubbed and petted, so after a little time a firm +hold on the tail was secured, and the big knife vigorously applied, but +it was so very dull that he could not sever the tough old tendons. After +sawing with the dull knife and being literally dragged for some +distance, he became so much exhausted that he was obliged to relinquish +his hold and see the excited old ox disappear. + +In almost complete despair Field spent the night beside a fire under one +of those large cottonwoods which I have no doubt you will remember even +though it is now more than forty years since you saw them. He rose early +next morning and started out on the well beaten road towards the Golden +West, but had only gone a few hundred yards when he was agreeably +surprised to again behold the old ox approaching him, but so much +exhausted that it could scarcely walk. The same, or some other, wolf was +near by, and had probably followed the poor old ox all night. When the +ox came close to Field the wolf growled and again turned away as on the +evening before. After the wolf had left the ox seemed to be relieved. + +It then occurred to the starving emigrant that he had a sharp razor in +his "kitt" with which he knew he could cut those tough tendons, provided +he could get another hold on that tail. Field, as you probably remember, +always kept his face cleanly shaved. Even while we were starving he +would shave almost every day. The ox was tired and worn out and so was +Field; but he got the razor ready and soon had hold of that tail again. +Off went the ox, the keen razor was applied, soon the tendons parted and +down went the ox. But only half the victory was won, for the ox would +raise up on his front feet and show fight; but after resting awhile the +would-be victor rushed up, caught the poor beast by the horns, pushed +him over on his side, held him down and cut his throat. + +After a long, much needed rest he cut out a piece of the poor beef, +broiled and ate it, and then spent the remainder of the day in hunting +out the small, lean muscles that still remained between the skin and +bones of the poor old ox. The poor beef was jerked and put into the sack +which on the following morning was thrown upon the back of its owner, +and from which he fed for the next six days, at the end of which he +arrived at Fort Bridger. From there he soon obtained a passage for Salt +Lake City, arriving there on the second day of December, seventeen days +after I had reached there, and finding me as before stated. + +Some time in the winter we formed an acquaintance of a gentleman named +Jesse Morgan, a Gentile, who had left Illinois in the spring of 1849 for +California, but for some cause had been delayed and obliged to winter in +the city of the Latter Day Saints. Morgan had a wife, a little child, a +wagon and two yoke of oxen, but no food nor money. Field and I arranged +to furnish food for all for the trip from there to Sacramento, and +assist in camp duties, drive the team, &c. We made the trip together and +arrived in Sacramento in good condition on the fourth day of July, 1850, +and pitched our tent under a large oak tree where the State Capitol now +stands. + +I spent five months with a wholesale grocery and miners supply firm, +Elder and Smith, Fourth and J streets, Sacramento, and three months in +the mines as a drummer, or solicitor and collector for the same firm. I +returned to Sacramento and was almost ready to start home when the Scots +River excitement broke out. I then went to the mines on Trinity River +and associated myself in mining with Hiram Gould, a young Presbyterian +clergyman who had laid aside the "cloth" for the time and engaged in +mining. I remained in the mines until July fourth, 1851, exactly one +year from the time I entered Sacramento, when I started home by way of +Nicaragua. In due time, after an interesting trip, I arrived home and +again entered upon the study of my chosen profession, graduated from an +honorable college, and am now, as you know, practicing my profession on +the sea shore. + +M.S. MCMAHON. + + + + +CHAPTER XIII. + +STORY OF THE JAYHAWKERS. + + +In the foregoing chapters describing the trip across the deserts and +mountains, the author has had occasion many times to refer to the +"Jayhawkers." Their history is in many respects no less remarkable and +intensely interesting than that of his own party. The author has +therefore collected many notes and interviews with prominent members and +presents herewith the only written history of their travels. + +The little train afterward known by this name was made up in the state +of Illinois in 1849, of industrious, enterprising young men who were +eager to see and explore the new country then promising gold to those +who sought. The young men were from Knoxville, Galesburg and other +towns. Not all were influenced by the desire for gold. It was said that +California had a milder climate and that pleasant homes could there be +made, and the long, cold winter avoided. + +They placed some of the best men in position to manage for the whole. +The outfit was placed on a steam-boat and transported to Kanesville, on +the Missouri River above Council Bluffs. Some of the company went with +the goods while others bought teams and wagons in Western Missouri and +drove to the appointed place. Kanesville was a small Mormon camp, while +Council Bluffs was a trading post of a few log cabins on the river bank, +inhabited mostly by Indians. There was no regular ferry at either place, +and our party secured a log raft which they used to get their wagons and +provisions across, making the oxen swim. + +They asked all the questions they could think of from everyone who +pretended to know anything about the great country to the west of them, +for it seemed a great undertaking to set out into the land they could +see stretching out before them across the river. Other parties bound the +same way, also arrived and joined them. They chose a guide who claimed +to have been over the road before. When all were gathered together the +guide told them that they were about to enter an Indian country, and +that the dusky residents did not always fancy the idea of strangers +richer than themselves passing through, and sometimes showed out some of +the bad traits the Indians had been said to possess. It would therefore +be better to organize and travel systematically. He would divide the +company into divisions and have each division choose a captain, and the +whole company unite in adopting some rules and laws which they would all +agree to observe. This arrangement was satisfactorily accomplished, and +they moved out in a sort of military style. And then they launched out +on the almost endless western prairie, said then to be a thousand miles +wide, containing few trees, and generally unknown. + +These Illinois boys were young and full of mirth and fun which was +continually overflowing. They seemed to think they were to be on a sort +of every day picnic and bound to make life as merry and happy as it +could be. One of the boys was Ed Doty who was a sort of model traveler +in this line. A camp life suited him; he could drive an ox team, cook a +meal of victuals, turn a pan of flap-jacks with a flop, and possessed +many other frontier accomplishments. One day when Doty was engaged in +the duty of cooking flap-jacks another frolicsome fellow came up and +took off the cook's hat and commenced going through the motions of a +barber giving his customer a vigorous shampoo, saying:--"_I am going to +make a Jayhawker out of you, old boy_." Now it happened at the election +for captain in this division that Ed Doty was chosen captain, and no +sooner was the choice declared than the boys took the newly elected +captain on their shoulders and carried him around the camp introducing +him as the _King Bird of the Jayhawkers_. So their division was +afterwards known as The Jayhawkers, but whether the word originated with +them, and John Brown forgot to give them credit, or whether it was some +old frontier word used in sport on the occasion is more than I will +undertake to say; however the boys felt proud of their title and the +organization has been kept up to this day by the survivors, as will be +related further on. + +The first few days they got along finely and began to lose all feeling +of danger and to become rather careless in their guard duty. When the +cattle had eaten enough and lain down, the guards would sometimes come +into camp and go to sleep, always finding the stock all right in the +morning and no enemy or suspicious persons in sight. But one bright +morning no cattle were in sight, which was rather strange as the country +was all prairie. They went out to look, making a big circuit and found +no traces till they came to the river, when they found tracks upon the +bank and saw some camps across the river, a mile or so away. Doty had a +small spy glass and by rigging up a tripod of small sticks to hold it +steady they scanned the camps pretty closely and decided that there were +too many oxen for the wagons in sight. + +Some of the smartest of them stripped off their clothes and started to +swim the stream, but landed on the same side they started from. Captain +Doty studied the matter a little and then set out himself, being a good +swimmer, and by a little shrewd management and swimming up stream when +the current was strongest, soon got across to where he could touch +bottom and shouted to the others to do the same. Soon all the swimmers +were across. + +They could now see that there were two trains on that side and that the +farther one had already begun to move and was about a mile in advance of +the nearest one, Doty said something must be done, and although they +only were clothed in undershirts they approached the nearest camp and +were handed some overalls for temporary use. The men in this camp on +hearing about the missing oxen said the fellows in the forward train +went over and got them, for, as they said there were no wagons in sight +and they must be strays. He said the forward train was from Tennessee, +and that they had some occasion to doubt their honesty and had refused +to travel with them any further. They said they were all old +Missourians, and did not want other people's property and if the boys +found their cattle with the Tenneseans, and wanted any help to get them +back again to call on them, and putting in some good strong swear words +for emphasis. + +The boys, barefooted and with only overalls and shirts, started after +the moving train which they called to a halt when overtaken. The coarse +grass was pretty hard to hurry through, clothed as they were. The train +men were pretty gruff and wanted to know what was wanted. Capt. Doty +very emphatically told them he could see some of his oxen in their +train, and others in the herd, and he proposed to have them all back +again. The Jayhawker boys were unarmed but were in a fighting mood and +determined to have the stock at all hazards, and if not peaceably, war +might commence. The boys saw that the two trains were of about equal +strength, and if worse came to worst they could go back and get their +guns and men and come over in full force after their property, and they +were assured the Missourians would help them and a combination of forces +would give them a majority and they could not be beaten by the Tennessee +crowd. There was a good deal of talk, but finally when Doty demanded +that their cattle be unyoked and the others separated from the herd, +they yielded and gave them all their stock, some seventy head. + +The Missourians had come up and heard the talk, and some of them went +back and helped drive the cattle to the river, and deal out some double +shotted thunder against the biggest scamps they had come across. It was +quite a job to get the cattle across the river. They would go in a +little way and then circle round and round like a circus, making no +progress. They finally put a rope on one of them and a man led him as +far as he could, which was more than half way, and although they landed +a good ways down stream, they got them all across safely, left their +borrowed overalls in the hands of their friends, with a thousand thanks +for valuable assistance, and plunged into the swift running Platte, and +swam back again to the northern side. They drove the straggling oxen +back to camp with a sense of great satisfaction, and in turn received +the praise of their friends who said that Ed Doty was the best Jayhawker +of the border. + +This was the first unpleasantness and they were afterwards more cautious +and stood guard all night, watching closely all the time, both night and +day, for for any signs of danger. Thus in time they reached Salt Lake, +rather late in the season, but safe and sound, having escaped cholera or +other disease, and in good spirits to surmount any further difficulties +which might be met. + +When the Jayhawkers reached Salt Lake it was found that it was not safe +to try to go the regular northern route to California, as they were +advised by those who seemed to know, as they might be snowed in on the +Sierra Nevada Mountains and perish. The Mormons told them that the snow +often fell there twenty feet deep, and some other stories likely to +deter them from making the attempt. They also told them of a route +farther south by which they could come into California at Los Angeles, +or they could remain in Salt Lake until May when it would be safe to try +the mountain route again. After listening to the talk of the +mountaineers who claimed to have been over the route and to know all +about it, and camping some time to rest and learn all they could, they +finally decided on taking the southern route. One Mormon told them of a +place where they could make a cut-off and save five hundred miles, and, +if they would follow his instructions, they would find the route fully +as good as the one usually traveled which was not much better than a +trail. The cut-off was so instilled into their minds that they had great +confidence in the report and talked very favorably of taking it. + +The man Williams made for them a map of the proposed route and explained +it to them and others who had gathered at Salt Lake, and from the map +they could see how much was to be gained in time and distance by taking +that route. A month or two of travel was indeed something to gain, and +as the roads seemed similar in quality the reasoning was very plausible +The map explained all the watering places and favorable things but said +nothing about a desert, and as there was no one to tell them any +unfavorable side to this plan there were many who quite concluded to go +this way, and among those who did so were the Jayhawkers, and the +"Williams Short Route" was freely talked about as a settled thing by +them. + +They now set about preparing to move. They sold, traded, and bought oxen +till they had the best and fattest teams in Salt Lake Valley; selected +good provisions, and plenty of them so as to be safe in case of delay, +and contended that nothing could stop them in a country where but little +snow could be, and water was as plentiful as shown on the map. They +wanted to reach the gold mines and this was the shortest route and even +if it was still considerably longer than the northern way they said they +would rather be moving along and thus gain time than to so long in camp +with nothing to do by which they could earn a cent. There were here in +Salt Lake ten times as many men as could find employment, and Brigham's +saints would be pretty sure to get all of the odd jobs to the exclusion +of the heretics. + +To bring the matter to a determination a paper was drawn up for those to +sign who wanted to go the southern route and it was pretty generally +signed. The Mormon elder, John Hunt, was consulted, and as he seemed to +know the general southern route better than any one else, he was +prevailed upon to guide the train through on the old Spanish Trail. This +had never been used as a wagon road, but he thought it could be without +much difficulty, and he said if they could secure him a fair sized train +he would go and conduct them through for ten dollars a wagon. This +proposition was accepted after some consideration, and all who wished to +do so were given permission to join the train. In a few days there were +one hundred and seven wagons enlisted for this route, including seven +Mormons bound for San Bernardino. + +Preparations for the trip now began in good earnest, and the Saints were +liberally patronized in purchase of flour and meat which were the +principal things they had to sell. As their several wagons were loaded +they moved out in small lots to the south to keep in good fresh feed for +their animals, and to move on slowly till all were ready, when they +would join in one large body and proceed. The guide was in no special +haste as he said he wanted to wait a little later so the weather in the +south would be cooler than they would be likely to find it if they +pressed on at once. He said that in summer it was so hot that no white +man could endure the heat. He said they could work slowly along the +trail, and when the right time came he would move out himself, and that +they might be assured that it would then be the coolest and best time in +which to travel down there. So the company dallied along, and it was +October before the whole train was made up at a point about a hundred +miles south of Salt Lake. + +The complete organization was divided into seven divisions, each with +its captain, and division No. 1 was to lead the march the first day and +then fall to the rear while No. 2 took the advance, and so continued +till all had taken their turn. The leading party was to guard and care +for the cattle and deliver them in the morning. The regulations were +read aloud to the captains, and this rather large army of men, women and +children, with about five hundred head of stock, moved out very +systematically. It would sometimes be fully ten o'clock before the rear +division could make a start, and correspondingly late before they could +get up with the main camp at night. They got along very well, but +cleaned the country of grass for some distance each side of the trail, +as they swept along. + +About the first of November Capt. Smith overtook us with the pack train, +and camped with us at night. He formed many acquaintances and told them +he was going to take a shorter route and save five hundred miles, rather +than take the long route by way of Los Angeles. He had a map of his +proposed route, and it was very much like the one we had. He also stated +that it could probably be as easily traveled as the one by way of Los +Angeles, and as a consequence of his talk, cut-off fever began to rage +in camp again. Some got very enthusiastic in the matter and spoke +publicly in favor of following Capt. Smith when he should come to the +place when his short route turned away from the other trail. His plan +grew so much in favor that when the place was reached a hundred wagons +turned out into the Smith trail, leaving Capt. Hunt only the seven +Mormon wagon bound for San Bernardino, Hunt stood at the forks of the +road as the wagons went by and said to them;--"Good-bye, friends. I +cannot, according to my agreement go with you, for I was hired for this +road, and no other was mentioned. I am in duty bound to go even if only +one wagon decides to go." When the last wagon had passed him he still +stood talking with several who had chosen the new way and told them they +were taking a big risk, for they did not know very much about the route, +and he had been thinking that they might find it pretty rough and hard +to get over the first time. He said that if all decided to go that way +he would go and help them, even if they went to h-ll, but as it was he +could not. He wished them luck and the two trains parted company. + +At the end of three days of travel on the Smith trail they came to the +top of a long steep hill. The trail went down and down, and they see no +way of crossing the terribly deep cañon that was before them. So they +went into camp and sent explorers out to investigate and find a crossing +if possible. + +On the second day the explorers began to return with very unfavorable +reports, and many who found their progress thus blocked turned about and +started to follow Hunt. Most of the wagons which remained had each one +or more of their men out exploring and could not turn back until their +return. Several of the Jayhawkers having once started on this route were +very anxious to get through on it if a way could be found for them to do +it, and therefore searched farther and with greater determination than +the others. When they returned they reported they had found a way around +the head of the cañon and they believed it to be the right way. The map +Williams had given them did not show this cañon and they believed it to +be correct, and that the real road led around at the place which they +had found, and no further trouble would be met. + +Acting on this report about twenty wagons, including the Jayhawkers, +concluded to go ahead. "We can beat the other fellows a month," said +they, and so they hitched up and pulled out in a northerly direction, +feeling in good spirits and hopeful of success. + +They named this place Mt. Misery. While camped here a lone and seemingly +friendless man died and was buried. None seem now to remember his name, +but think he was from Kentucky. He was low with consumption and not +strong enough to endure the hardships of the journey. + +About the third night the Jayhawkers were overtaken by seven more wagons +owned by A. Bennett and friends, J.B. Arcane and family, two men named +Earhart and a son of one of them, and one or two other wagons. + +The Jayhawker's train was made up of men from many states, but seemed +well united and was as complete as when they first started. The Author +was with the party that came up in the rear, which had started later but +traveled faster on account of having a road broken for them. He visited +the leaders in camp when they were discussing the necessity of forming a +new travelling compact to help and protect each other on the road. Those +who had no families were objecting to being bound to those who had women +and children with them. They argued that the road would be hard and +difficult and those wagons with women and children would require more +assistance than they would be able to render in return. They said they +could go back and follow Hunt who was on a better road and they could +proceed with more safely. + +Among those with this train was Rev. J.W. Brier, his wife and three +children. He objected to being turned back and said he did not want to +be assisted, but would go with them and do his part and take care of +himself. The Author listened to the various speeches without speaking +and became satisfied that it would end in every one looking out for +himself in case of hard times. He went over to their camp again the next +night and wished to ask them why they were steering so nearly due north. +He said to them that they were going toward Salt Lake rather than +California, and that the Bennet party did not feel inclined to follow +them any farther in that direction. They replied that their map told +them to go north a day or more and then they would find the route as +represented. They would then turn west and reach Owen's Lake and from +there there would be no more trouble. The Jayhawker crowd seemed to +think they could go anywhere and no difficulty could happen which they +couldn't overcome. Bennett's little train turned west from this point +and the Jayhawkers went on north, but before night they changed their +minds and came following on after Bennett whom they overtook and passed, +again taking the lead. + +Thus far the country had been well watered and furnished plenty of +grass, and most of them talked and believed that this kind of rolling +country would last all the way through. The men at leisure scattered +around over the hills on each side of the route taken by the train, and +in advance of it, hunting camping places and making a regular picnic of +it. There were no hardships, and one man had a fiddle which he tuned up +evenings and gave plenty of fine music. Joy and happiness seemed the +rule, and all of the train were certainly having a good time of it. + +But gradually there came a change as the wagon wheels rolled westward. +The valleys seemed to have no streams in them, and the mountain ranges +grew more and more broken, and in the lower ground a dry lake could be +found, and water and grass grew scarce--so much so that both men and +oxen suffered. These dry lake beds deceived them many times. They seemed +as if containing plenty of water, and off the men would go to explore. +They usually found the distance to them about three times as far as they +at first supposed, and when at last they reached them they found no +water, but a dry, shining bed, smooth as glass, but just clay, hard as a +rock. Most of these dry lakes showed no outlet, nor any inlet for that +matter, though at some period in the past they must have been full of +water. Nothing grew in the shape of vegetables or plants except a small, +stunted, bitter brush. + +Away to the west and north there was much broken country, the mountain +ranges higher and rougher and more barren, and from almost every sightly +elevation there appeared one or more of these dry lake beds. One night +after about three days of travel the whole of the train of twenty seven +wagons was camped along the bank of one of these lakes, this one with a +very little water in it not more than one fourth or one half an inch in +depth, and yet spread out to the width of a mile or more. It was truly +providential, for by digging holes along the border the water would run +into them and prove abundant for all, both oxen and men. If it had +proved dry, as so many before had proved, or if we had been a few days +earlier or later we might not have found a drop. This proved to be the +last time the whole twenty seven wagons were gathered in one camp +together. + +The Author came into camp about nine o'clock in the evening after +climbing many peaks and taking a survey of the surrounding country with +a field glass. Men from nearly every mess came to him to inquire what he +had seen. They asked all sorts of questions and wanted an opinion as to +the advisability of trailing across the prairie directly west, which +then seemed easy. They were told that from what could be seen from the +summit of buttes both north and south of the camp, ranging a hundred or +so miles in almost every direction, it was believed no water could be +found, between the present camp and a range of mountains which could be +seen crossing the route far to the west. "Well," said Capt. Doty of the +Jayhawkers, "I don't like to hear such discouraging talk from Manley, +but I think we will have to steer straight ahead. The prospect for water +seems to be about the same, west or south, and I cannot see that we +would better ourselves, by going north." When morning came Capt. Doty +and his party yoked up and set out straight across the desert, leaving +seven wagons of the Bennett party still in camp. + +For some time all of us had seen in the range ahead an appearance of a +pass, or lower place in the mountain, and we had got to calling it +Martin's Pass, naming it after Jim Martin. There was a snow-capped peak +just to the south of it and the pass, now apparently exactly west of the +lake camp, seemed to the Jayhawkers easy to reach. Their wills were +strong enough and they were running over with determination and energy +enough to carry them over any plain, no matter how dry or barren, or +over any mountain no matter how rugged and steep. + +Five days they traveled, without finding water, and small supply they +took along had been consumed. For lack of water they could not eat or +sleep. The oxen gathered round the little fire and seemed to beg for +water, they had no cud to chew unless it was the cud of disappointment. +The range of mountains they had been aiming for still seemed far away +and the possible show for reaching it seemed very poor indeed, and the +prospect of any water hole between them and the mountains poorer yet. +Hope was pretty near gone. Martins mess unyoked their oxen from the +wagons, put some small packs on their own backs, and loaded some upon +the backs of the oxen, and turned south toward the nearest snowy +mountain they could see, the same one towards which the Bennett party +steered from the lake camp. + +The Doty party kept their courage longer and kept on straight ahead for +another day, and then camped, almost without hope. No rest came to them, +nor sleep. Towards morning as they stood around the fire a stray cloud +appeared and hid the stars, and shortly after began to unload a cargo of +snow it carried. They spread out every blanket, and brushed up every bit +they could from the smooth places, kindled a little fire of brush under +the camp kettles and melted all the snow all of them could gather, +besides filling their mouths as fast as ever they could, hoping that it +would full in sufficient quantities to satisfy themselves and the oxen, +and quench their dreadful thirst. Slowly the cloud moved scattering the +snowflakes till they felt relieved. The last time the Author conversed +with a member of this party was in 1892, and it was conceded that this +storm saved the lives of both man and beast in that little band of +Jayhawkers. It was like manna falling from Heaven, and as surely saved +their lives as did the manna of the Bible save the lives of the tribes +of Israel. They had no reason to expect a storm of rain or snow, but +came to them just as they were perishing. A little further on they came +to a small stream of water, and as the bed showed only a recent flow it +must also have come from the little local storm further up the mountain. +They used this water freely, even though it was not very good, and it +acted on them very much like a solution of Glanber Salts. + +They decided at first that they had better follow the stream southward, +but after a little time, feeling the sickness caused by the water, they +saw it was no advantage and turned west again, bearing to the north +toward a sort of pass they could now see in the mountains in that +direction. This stream is now known as the Amargosa, or bitter, river. + +The new direction in which they marched gave them an up-hill route for +thirty or forty miles, rough and barren, with no water or grass. There +was no road or trail to follow, the oxen were as weak as their owners +from drinking the bitter water, and the road needed some clearing and +breaking in places before the wagons could pass. They moved quite slowly +and reached the summit on the second night with the loss of a single ox. +The Author would say here that this was the last ox which was allowed to +die without using the flesh for food, and it was from this same one he +cut a steak to eat on Christmas eve, 1849. + +From the summit they took a way down a dark, deep cañon having a steep +slope, and very rocky and bad, but down which the oxen drew their loads +much easier than when they came up, reaching water on the third day, +where there were many springs, and a sort of coarse grass for the oxen. +The place is now known as Furnace Creek. The Jayhawkers passed on, and +here at these very springs was where the Author overtook the Rev. J.W. +Brier delivering a lecture to his children on the benefits of an early +education, as referred to in his narrative. + +As the Jayhawkers drove out of this Furnace Creek Cañon the valley into +which they came was very narrow, the high, snow-capped mountain before +them seemed steeper and rougher than ever, so steep in fact that it +could not be ascended by a man on foot. A short distance below could be +seen a lake containing water, and the pass toward which they had been +directing their course seemed to the north of them. They therefore +turned their course in that direction. The road was sandy, and the brush +that grew on it was only a few inches high. On their way they came to an +abandoned Indian camp occupied by one poor old blind red man. He would +hold his mouth open like a young bird begging for something to eat. One +man dropped kernels of parched corn into his mouth, but instead of +eating them he quickly spit them out; it seemed that he had been left to +die and could not or would not. His hair was white as snow. His skin +looked about the color of a smoked ham, and so crippled was he that he +crawled about like a beast, on all fours. It was barely possible that he +had been left to watch, and that his great infirmities were only +pretended, but they seemed genuine enough, and were doubtless true. They +left him in peaceable possession of the spot and traveled on. + +They approached the base of the mountain in front of what they had all +along supposed to be a pass, and found, as they had lately begun to +suspect, that there was no pass that their wagons could be taken +through, and they must be abandoned. The camp was poor. What little +water there was had a salty taste, and they could only find here and +there a bunch of the poorest grass. The oxen stood around as if utterly +dispirited, and would sometimes make a faint effort to pick up and eat +some of the dry brush that grew around the desolate camp. This camp is +now known to be in the northern part of Death Valley, but then they knew +no names for anything, but if dreariness and absence of life, and +threatened danger all around were any indication, they might well have +named it Death Valley as was afterwards done by the party with whom the +Author traveled. + +The party had been brave till now, but when they realized that they must +make pack animals of themselves, and trudge on, they knew not where, +perhaps to only a lingering death, the keen edge of disappointment cut +close, and they realized how desolate they were. They felt much inclined +to attribute all their troubles to the advice of the Mormons. Some said +that the plan was thus to wipe so many more hated Gentiles out of the +way, and wishes were deep and loud that the Mormons might all be buried +out of sight in the Great Salt Lake. They thought Lot's wife must have +been turned to salt in the neighborhood, everything was so impregnated +with saline substances, and the same result might come to them. But the +inherent manhood of the little band came to their relief and they +determined not to die without a struggle for escape and life. + +They killed some of their oxen, and took the wood of their wagons and +kindled fires to dry and smoke the flesh so it would be light and easy +to carry with them. They scattered all surplus baggage around the +ground, carefully storing and saving the bit of bread that yet remained +and dividing it equally among the party. They also divided the tea, +coffee, rice and some such things, and each one agreed that he could not +ask aught of his neighbor more. Knapsacks were improvised from parts of +the wagon canvas, and long strips of canvas were made into a sort of +pack harness for the oxen. It was a sad sight to see the strong and +vigorous young men of a few days ago reduced to such straits; almost +skeletons now, with no hope of nourishment to invigorate them. They made +canteens by sewing a couple of small powder cans in cloth, with a band +to go over the shoulders. + +The Jayhawkers were still making their preparations when the Martin +party and Rev. J.W. Brier and family came up to their camp, having taken +a circuit around farther to the south. The Martin party was already in +marching order and this camp was so poor that they did not wait, but +gave all their oxen they had left to Mr. Brier and said they could get +on faster without them. They took a straight course over the hills and +up the mountain, saying they believed they had provisions enough upon +their backs to last them through, and that nothing should check their +progress till they reached the other side, where they said were fertile +valleys and plenty of chance to live. + +The Doty party, or Jayhawkers, when they were ready started first a +northerly course to find a more favorable place to cross the range and +drove their oxen with them, each with a small pack. They soon came to +some good water, and after refreshing themselves turned westward to +cross the great mountain before them. Both men and oxen were shod with +moccasins made of raw-hide to protect the feet against sharp rocks. They +could see no trail but merely picked out the best way to go. While +climbing the steep mountain side they came across a dead ox left by some +party that had gone before them. They cut out the tongue and some of the +best meat and ate it to eke out their own small stock, and carried some +pieces with them, but soon threw it all away but enough for a roast for +supper. + +When it was getting dark they were almost at the summit, but there was +no good camping place, and they saw a small fire light at a little +distance and went to it, finding a poor lone camper taking care of +himself. They camped here also. It seemed as if there were many men from +the various parties scattered all around the country, each one seeking +out the path which seemed to suit best his tender feet or present fancy, +steering west as well as mountains and cañon would permit, some farther +north, some farther south and generally demoralized, each thinking that +as a last resort he would be able to save his own life. It seemed to be +a question of will and endurance, strong hearts and keeping the body in +motion. The weak and faint must fail, and the strong said to the +weak;--"Stand up; be a man; don't fall down;" and so the strong spurred +on the weak and kept them up as best they could. + +Down the mountain they went, on the west side and instead of Los +Angeles, which some of them expected to see, they saw only a salt lake +in the midst of a barren desert valley and their route lay directly +across it. They traveled in several directions as they went across. One +went across the valley on a strip of dried mud between two small lakes. +Others followed down along the east side of the lake near the foot of +the mountain, where they found some good water and an old Indian camp. +They found some mosquite beans, which they did not know were of much +use, but really, if they had known how to fix them up a little they +would have been good food. + +Capt. Doty's mess crossed between the lakes on the strip of dry mud +while others went on where it was still soft and left marks of their +foot-steps. Both parties turned up a small cañon on the west side and +began the ascent of a black and barren range, containing no water, but +in the bed of the ravine near the summit they found some damp sand and +tried to dig with their hands to find some of the precious fluid. But no +water came, and in the morning one of their number Mr. Fish died and was +left unburied on the barren rocks. No doubt his bones could be found +there to-day. + +Turning west again, they had a down grade over a most barren and rocky +road for many miles. The prospect from this point was any thing but +cheering. To the left a large lake could be seen, and from their +previous experience they concluded it to be salt, and the valley they +were coming to was very sandy, and the hardest sort of footing for men +and animals as weak as those of the party were. It must be crossed +before there was any possibility of water, and when across it was quite +uncertain whether they could obtain any. One of their number had already +died of thirst and fatigue and all were suffering terribly. + +The valley seemed about eight miles across, and before they were half +way over Mr. Ischam, one of their party sat down, perfectly exhausted, +and said he could not take another step. No one was able to assist him +or give him a drink of water, and they could not tarry to see if rest +would refresh him. They could only look sadly at him and pass on in +silence, for he seemed fast wasting away. The thought came to everyone +that perhaps it would be his turn next to sit down and see the others +pass on. In fact the probability of any more of them living another day +was very poor, for they all grew weaker and weaker with every hour, and +no one knew how many hours must pass before they could hope for water. +There was not moisture enough in their poor bodies to make tears, and no +one dare open his mouth, lest all the moisture suddenly evaporate and +respiration cease. + +Those who had no cattle took different courses to reach the hills and +mountains on the west side of this valley, hoping there to find water +and signal to the others if they were successful. All except the two men +managed to get across, and finding no water the packs were taken from +the oxen and they were driven to the lake which appeared on the left. +Reaching the lake they found the water red in color and so strong of +alkali that no man or beast could take a single swallow. They drove the +cattle back again with sad hearts, and almost despondent, for in the +rough, dry rocks of the mountains there seemed no signs of water. But +they were saved again. Those who bore farthest to the right in their +course to the mountains, steering toward a pile of tremendous rocks, +found a little stream of good water which flowed only a short distance +and then sank into the sand. This good news spread rapidly, and all soon +gathered at the little streamlet. It was slow work getting water for +them all, but by being patient they were all filled up. Some took two +canteens of water and hurried back to Mr. Ischam, whom they found still +alive but his mouth and throat so dry and parched, and his strength so +small that he was unable to swallow a single drop, and while they waited +he breathed his last. With their hands and feet they dug away the sand +for a shallow grave, placed the body in it, covered it with his +blankets, and then scraped the sand back over again to make a little +mound over their dead comrade. Perhaps if he could have walked a mile +farther he might have lived, and but for the little trickling stream of +water from the rocks they might all be dead, so slight were the +circumstances that turned the scale to balance toward life or death. + +There was so little feed for oxen that they could gain no strength, but +were much refreshed by the water and could still travel. One was killed +here, and the meat, poor as it was, gave the men new strength. They all +guessed it to be at least fifty miles to the base of the great snow +mountain before them, and what there was between no one could tell, for +there were hills and valleys between. Leaving the little spring their +course led first up a small cañon, and when they reached the summit of +the ridge a small valley covered with sage brush was before them, the +most fertile spot they had seen for a long time. The descent to this +valley was through another cañon which was filled with large boulders +for much of the way, and over these it seemed almost impossible to get +the cattle. They had seen no water since leaving the little stream, and +the plain they were now approaching seemed thirty miles wide, with no +signs of streams or springs. However just at the foot of the cañon they +found a small water hole, but the water was so salt that even the oxen +refused to drink it. + +They decided to make a push across the plain and endeavor to reach the +other side in two days, and they knew there could be no water on its +even expanse. The plain seemed quite an up grade from where they were to +the base of the mountain. + +On the second day they all reached the point they were aiming for except +Rev. J.W. Brier and family, and they came in one day behind. Every one +looked out for himself and had no time nor strength to spare to help +others. Here on a small bench overlooking the country to the south and +east but still a long distance from the snow, they found some holes of +water, and some bunch grass a little farther up the hill. Here was a +large trail coming from the north and leading from this point westward. +There were no signs of recent use, but there were many indications that +it was quite ancient and had been considerably traveled in time past. +This was quite encouraging to many of them and they declared they would +follow this trail which would surely lead to some place well known, in a +better country. They cared not whether it led to California, Mexico, or +Texas, only that they might get out of this country which seemed +accursed. Any place where they could get something to eat and drink +would be better than this. + +Mr. and Mrs. Brier had some pretty hard struggles to get along, and +everyone of this party has ever been loud in praise of the energy and +determination of the brave little woman of the Brier mess. All agreed +that she was by far the best man of the party. She was the one who put +the packs on the oxen in the morning. She it was who took them off at +night, built the fires, cooked the food, helped the children, and did +all sorts of work when the father of the family was too tired, which was +almost all of the time. They all said that he, like other ministers, had +fallen out with any work but that of the tongue, and seemed perfectly +willing for some one else to do the work. Mrs. Brier had the sympathy of +everyone, and many would have helped her if they could. She waited on +her big husband with untiring zeal, and still had time to care for the +children with all of a mother's love. It seemed almost impossible that +one little woman could do so much. It was entirely to her untiring +devotion that her husband and children lived. Mr. Brier had but little +sympathy or help from any one but her. Some were quite sarcastic in +their remarks about the invalid preacher who never earned his bread by +the sweat of his brow, and by their actions showed that they did not +care very much whether he ever got through or not. They thought he ought +to have asserted his manliness and taken the burden on himself, and not +lean upon his delicate and trusting wife as he seemed to do. All are +sure that it is to his faithful wife the Rev. J.W. Brier owed his succor +from the sands of that desert. + +Looking back on the scenes of that day, the way the selfish dispositions +of people were made manifest is almost incredible. Every one seemed to +think only of saving his own life, and every spark of human sympathy and +kindness seemed extinguished. A man would drink the last cup of water +even if his neighbor choked. + +This camp was the same one which the Author mentions in his narrative, +to which Rogers and himself crept so silently and carefully at night to +ascertain whether the occupants were friends or foes. They were much +pleased to find it was Capt. Doty of the Jayhawkers and his mess who had +remained behind to dry the flesh of an ox they had killed when it could +travel no longer. The others had gone on ahead, following the trail, +leaving these to follow. They staid here two days, and it was while +waiting here that the Rev. J.W. Brier came up as before related, and +they all went on together when they moved. + +Nearly every man had carried a gun in the early days of the expedition, +hoping to kill game, and to be well armed in case of attack by Indians +or enemies, but they began to find that they were useless encumbrances, +and first one and then another would throw away his fire-arms as a +burden too great for a weary man to bear. There was no game, and the +poor weak men hardly deemed their own lives worth defending against an +enemy when a day or two of lack of water would end the matter of life at +any rate. + +As they slept they dreamed the most tantalizing dreams of clear, +rippling brooks of water; of wading knee deep in the most beautiful of +ponds; of hoisting the old moss-covered bucket from some deep old well; +of breaking and eating great white loaves of bread; of surrounding the +home table with its load of steaming beans and bacon, fragrant coffee +and delicious fried cakes. With such dreams of comfort, they awoke to +realize more fully the terrors of their dry and swollen throats, the +discomfort of empty stomachs. Water and food were the great riches of +life to them then. Had piles of twenty-dollars pieces been on the one +hand and a bucket of cold water on the other there is no doubt of the +choice that would have been made. + +Seven or eight miles from this place were two branches to the trail. One +led into the mountains toward the snow, and the other still bore +southerly. They could see that some other party who had no oxen to drive +had taken the more northerly route, which seemed to lead more directly +in the direction of the mines of California. Those who came later, with +animals thought it would be folly to try to cross the deep snow they +could see on the mountains before them and concluded that it would be +safer to the south of the snow line, braving the danger of scarcity of +water, rather than to perish in the snow. Capt. Doty was willing to +attempt the northern branch of the trail if the others so decided, but +the general feeling was in favor of the more plain and open trail which +led away from the snows. It is known that this Northern branch led over +what is known as Walker's Pass, coming out at the Kern River. + +Taking then the southern branch, the party passed through a range of low +mountains, and then the country before them seemed quite level for a +hundred miles. + +They expected they would find much difficulty on account of water, as +their experience had taught them that it was very scarce in such +locations, but this trail when they came to follow it led them for eight +or ten miles over a level piece of high land that looked as if it might +have slid down from the high mountain at some day long past, and this +easily traveled road brought them at last to the top of a steep hill, +down which they went and found near the bottom, a small weak stream of +water, but no grass, and but little fuel of any kind. (This was the same +camp at which Rogers and the Author overtook the advance party.) Here +they killed an ox, which made a good meal for all, and not much remained +over, for many had no oxen and were getting out of all sorts of +provisions. They depended much on the generosity of their fellow +travelers. Many of them stood back, and waited till those who owned the +food were satisfied, and were very grateful when they were invited to +take even the poorest morsels. + +They could count the oxen and make a pretty close guess of how many days +they could live in this way, even with the best probable fortune +favoring them, and to the best of them there was but little hope, and to +those who were dependent it seemed as if the fate of Fish and Ischam +might be theirs almost any day. When the Author conversed with them at +this camp he found them the first really heart-broken men he had ever +seen. Some were men of middle age who had left good farms that gave them +every need, and these they had left to seek a yellow phantom, and now +there were yellow phantoms of a different sort rearing their dreadful +forms all about them. They called themselves foolish gold hunters to +forsake a land of plenty for a chance to leave their bones in a hot +desert. More eyes than one filled with tears, and hopes in more than one +breast vanished to almost nothing. More than one would gladly have +placed himself back where he could have been assured of the poorest fare +he ever saw upon his farm, for bread and water would have been an +assurance of life, of which there seemed to be really but little +expectation here. + +When they left this camp in the cañon the trail was between two high +rocks, rising like walls on each side. In one place they were so near +together that an ox could hardly squeeze through. In a very short time +they came to a bunch of willows growing out in the open ground. The +little bunch or grove was forty or fifty feet in diameter, and in the +center was a spring of water. The center of the clump had been cleared +out, making a sort of corral of bushes, enclosing the spring. On the +outside there was quite a little growth of grass, which was a fortunate +thing for their poor beasts. + +Away in the distance, rising up a little against the western sky they +could see mountains with snow on them, and it seemed as if it were a +journey of five or six days to reach them, but the good water and the +grass bolstered up their spirits wonderfully for there was present +relief and rather better prospects ahead. They were pretty sure that the +wide plain held no water. Everything that would hold the precious drink +was filled, and the best preparations made for what they believed was to +be the final struggle for life. They rested one day and prepared for the +very worst that might before them. Early in the morning when they could +see plainest, they looked across the expanse before them and really it +did not seem quite so barren, hot and desolate as the region they had +passed, and they talked and hoped that this would be the last desert +they must cross and that Los Angeles lay just beyond the sunny ridge +they could dimly see ahead. There were some tears that more than one +would not live to answer roll call on the other side, but it was the +last hope, and worth an earnest, active trial. + +Early in the morning, much refreshed, they started on again with rather +sober faces. That night one man insisted on sleeping with his clothes +and boots all on, for he said if he died he wanted to die in full dress. +Another day and some thought they could see trees on the mountains ahead +of them, and this renewed their courage greatly. In the middle of the +day they suffered greatly with the heat and the dry air seemed to drink +up every bit of moisture from everybody. When they killed an ox they +saved the blood and ate it. The intestines, cleaned with the fingers, +made food when roasted on the fire, and pieces of hide, singed and +roasted, helped to sustain life. The water was nearly all gone. Only +power of will and strength of body had kept any. Capt. Asa Haines sat +down one day and said he could go no farther, but his comrade, L.D. +Stephens, who had kept a little rice, a little tea, and a dry crust of +bread for time of need, took a little water in a cup and made some soup +which he forced his friend to eat and soon he revived and was able to +move on again. That was true friendship. + +The next night Stevens himself awoke and seemed perishing with thirst. +He crawled over to Doty's bed and begged for just one sup of water, Doty +in the goodness of his heart, took his canteen from under his head +divided the last few drops with him and the death which threatened him +was held off. Capt. Doty found it necessary to talk very seriously to +those who mourned and talked of failing. He never gave up in the least. +He encouraged all to make every step they could and know no such word as +fail. When they said that death would be easier than life, he told them +so, but that life was possible if they only willed it, and a better life +than had been theirs. And so he kept them encouraged and kept them +putting one foot before the other, pointing out the ever lessening +distance to the mountain before them. He appealed to their manhood. "Be +men," said he, "Be brave and courageous, and you have more strength than +you believe." Thus by example and words he proved to be a true captain +to his little band. + +Their water was all gone, every drop, and still the foot-hills seemed +far away. The supply of meat ran out. Tom Shannon killed an ox, and when +those who had cattle had taken some, the others who had none were told +to divide the rest. There was no water to dress or cook it, but it +helped to sustain life. Entrails, bones, sinews, bits of hide and +everything was used. One man was seen with an ox horn, burning the end +in the fire and gnawing away at the softened portion. It was something +terrible to see human beings eating what the dogs would cast aside. One +man saw some moist looking earth on the shady side of a bunch of brush +and he dug down and got a handful of it, from which he tried to suck the +moisture. He failed, and the bad taste of the earth made him suffer more +than before. Many bones of horses and cattle now appeared along the +trail. They seemed to have been there a long time, and some were partly +decayed. On this waterless stretch one of their number, a Frenchman, +wandered off, searching for water in little hollows or puddles, and +never came back to camp. He was supposed to be dead, but ten years +afterward some surveyors found him in a Digger Indian camp. + +An idea how selfish men will get under such circumstances may be gained +by relating that on one occasion when an ox was killed the liver was +carried to the brave little Mrs. Brier for herself and children, and she +laid it aside for a few moments till she could attend to some other +duties before cooking it. Darkness coming on meanwhile, some +unprincipled, ungallant thief stole it, and only bits of offal and +almost uneatable pieces were left to sustain their lives. That any one +could steal the last morsel from a woman and her children surpasses +belief, but yet it was plain that there was at least one man in the +party who could do it. No one can fully understand or describe such +scenes as this unless he has looked into just such hungry looking, +haggard eyes and faces, a mixture of determination and despair, the +human expression almost vanishing, and the face of a starving wolf or +jackal taking its place, There are no words to paint such a state of +things to him who has never seen and known. + +But there were true men, true, charitable hearts in that little band. +Though death stared them in the face they never forgot their fellow men. +As they slowly crawled along many would wander here and there beside the +trail and fall behind, especially the weaker ones, and many were the +predictions that such and such a one would never come up again, or reach +the camp. Then it was that these noble souls, tired almost beyond +recovery themselves, would take water and go back to seek the wandering +ones and give them drink and help them on. More than one would thus have +perished in the sands but for the little canteen of water carried back +by some friend. Only a swallow or two would often revive their failing +strength and courage, and with slow step they would move on again. How +much good a crust of bread would have done such a poor creature. Bread +there was none--nothing but the flesh of their poor oxen, wasted and +consumed by days of travel and lack of food till it had no goodness in +it. Even the poor oxen, every night seemed to be the end of their +walking; every morning it was feared that that would be the last time +they would be able to rise upon their feet. + +Already five or six days had passed since they left the camp at the +willows where they had their last supply of water, and still they were +on the desert. The journey was longer than they had expected, partly +owing to the slow progress they had made for there were frequent stops +to rest or they could not move at all. The mountains seemed nearer every +day, and the trees were outlined more plainly each morning as they +started out. Capt. Doty used every circumstance to encourage them. He +would remark upon the favorable signs of water in the hills before them, +and the hope that there might be some game to provide better meat than +that of starving oxen. Thus he renewed their hope and kept alive their +courage. He must have had a great deal of fortitude to hide his own sad +feelings, for they must as surely have come to him as to any one, and to +keep up always an air of hope, courage, and determination to succeed. If +he had been a man of less spirit and good judgment it is very probable +that many more would have been left by the wayside to die. + +About this point the trail which had been growing fainter and fainter, +seemed to vanish entirely. One could move in almost any direction to +right or left as he chose, and because of this, previous travel had +doubtless scattered and thus left no trail. It was thought best that +this company should spread out and approach the mountains in as broad a +front as possible so as to multiply the chances of finding water, and so +they started out in pairs, some to the right and some to the left, each +selecting the point where water seemed most probable. + +Tom Shannon and a companion were one of these pairs. Tom was one of the +few who still stuck to his gun, for he felt that it might save his life +sometime. He and his companion separated about a mile, each looking at +all points that showed the least sign of water. Suddenly a jack rabbit +started from a bush, the first game Shannon had seen for more than a +month. He pulled the rifle on him as he was making some big bound and +had the good luck to nearly split his head open. Rushing up to his game +he put his mouth to the wound and sucked the warm blood as it flowed, +for it was the first liquid he had seen; but instead of allaying his +fearful thirst it seemed to make it worse and he seemed delirious. A +little way up the gulch he saw a rock and a green bush and steered for +it, but found no water. He sat down with his back to the rock, his rifle +leaning up near by, pulled his old worn hat over his eyes, and suffered +an agony of sickness. He realized that life was leaving his body, and +there he sat with no power to move and no desire to make an effort. It +seemed as if he could see plain before him all the trail from where he +sat, back over all the deserts, mountains and rivers to the old place in +Illinois. He entirely forgot the present, and seemed unconscious of +everything but the pictures of the past. The mind seemed growing freer +from its attachment to the body and at liberty to take in his whole past +life, and bright scenes that had gone before. How long he sat thus he +knows not. His companion was fortunate in finding water, and when he had +refreshed himself he set out to find poor Tom of whom he could see +nothing. Going toward where he heard the shot he followed on till he saw +him at the rock, almost doubled up, with his face concealed by his hat. +"O! Tom!" said he, but there came no answering motion, and going nearer +he called again and still no answer and no sign. Poor Tom had surely +passed on to the better land, thought he, and salvation was so near. He +approached and lifted the hat rim. There was a movement of the eyes, a +quivering of the muscles of the face, and a sort of semi-unconscious +stare such as precedes approaching dissolution. + +Quickly holding back his head he poured water between his lips from his +canteen and it was swallowed. Then a little more, and then some more, +and life seemed coming back again into a troublesome world, bringing +pain with it, and the consciousness of a suffering body. After a time he +felt better and was helped to his feet, and together they went to the +water hole where they made a fire and cooked the rabbit which was the +first savory meat they had tasted for a long time. Tom felt better and +told his companion how he felt after tasting the warm rabbit's blood, +and how he had nearly gone off into the sleep of death. + +"If you had been a little longer finding me," said Tom, "I should soon +have been out of this sad world." They fired a signal gun, looked down +at the bones of the rabbit, drank more water, and gradually felt new +life coming to them. The mountains seemed more fertile, and there was +brush and grass near by, timber farther up, and still higher a cap of +snow extending far along the range, both north and south. Towards night +on this eventful day the scattered travelers began to come slowly into +camp attracted by the guns and the smoke of the fire made by those who +first found the water. Some were nearly as far gone as Tom Shannon was, +and great caution had to used in giving them water on their empty +stomach. One man named Robinson became so weak before he got near camp +that his companions placed him on the back of one of the animals and a +man walked on either side to catch him if he fell off. When they got +within a mile of the water he insisted that he was strong enough to take +care of himself and not be watched every minute, and they relaxed their +vigilance. He soon fell off, and when they went to him he refused to be +put back on the animal again or to walk any farther. "Just spread my +blankets down," said he, "and I will lie down and rest a little and +after a while I will come along into camp." So they left him and pushed +on to water, and when they were a little refreshed went back to him with +water, and to help him to come in, but when they came to him they found +him dead. He did not seem to have moved after he had lain down. He did +not seem so bad off as Shannon was when he lay down, and probably a few +swallows of water at that time would have saved his life. It seemed sad +indeed, after so much suffering and striving to get along, that he +should die within a mile of water that would have saved his life. If he +had possessed a little more strength so that the spark of life could +have remained a little longer, the cooling moisture from the canteen +would have revived it, and a little rest would have placed him on his +feet again. They had no tools to dig a grave, not even a knife for they +had left every weight in camp, so they covered him closely in his +blankets and sadly returned to their friends. They had all along hoped +that the Frenchman who had wandered away would come in, but he never +came. There were several water holes scattered around at this point +which seemed to be a sort of sunken place in the hills, and quite large +brush could be obtained for fire, and grass for the oxen. Those who had +been good hunters and had thrown away their rifles as useless burdens, +now began to look at hills before them and think that game might be +found in them, as well as water. There were only one or two guns in the +whole party, They thought that this must surely be the edge of the great +desert they had crossed, and only the snow range before them could be +the obstacle that separated them from Los Angeles. + +One day from here would bring them to the edge of the snow, and they +debated as to the best course to pursue. Some of them were fearful they +could not cross the snow with the oxen, for it seemed to be quite deep. +The best place to cross seemed directly west of them. South was a higher +peak, and to the north it was surely impassible. There seemed to be a +faint sign of a trail from this point towards the lowest point in the +snow mountains. There were some bones of cattle around the springs which +they thought was an indication that in years gone by there had been some +traveling on this trail. There surely would be water in the snow which +could be got by melting it, and on the whole it seemed best to make the +attempt to cross at the lowest place. There were no signs of travel +except the trail which had not been used in years, not signs of +civilization except the bones. + +Starting from the water holes which showed no signs of having been used +for several years, their next camp was, as they had calculated, on the +edge of the snow where they found plenty of dry juniper trees for fire. +and of course plenty of water. Here they killed an ox and fed the hungry +so that they were pretty well refreshed. This was an elevated place and +they could look back over the trail across the desert for, what seemed +to them, a hundred miles, and the great dangers of their journey were +discussed. Said one of them to Tom Shannon:--"Tom, you killed the first +game we have come across in two months. Even the buzzards and coyotes +knew better than to go out in into the country where the cursed Mormon +saint sent us numbskulls." Another said that while they had been seeking +a heaven on earth they had passed through purgatory, or perhaps a worse +place still nearer the one from which sulphurous fumes arise, and now +they hoped that there might be a somewhat more heavenly place beyond the +snow. One who had been silent seemed awakened by inspiration and spoke +in impromptu lines somewhat as follows, as he pointed out to the dim +distance:-- + + + "Yonder in mountains' gray beauty, + Wealth and fame decay. + Yonder, the sands of the desert, + Yonder, the salt of the sea, + Yonder, a fiery furnace, + Yonder, the bones of our friends, + Yonder the old and the young + Lie scattered along the way." + + +Some even confessed the desperate thoughts that had come to their minds +when they were choking and starving. We have mentioned four of the train +who had perished beside the trail and it will be remembered that one +party of eleven started out on foot before the wagons were abandoned by +the rest of the party. Nothing was heard of these for seven years, but +long afterward nine skeletons were found at the remains of a camp, and +the other two were afterward seen in the gold fields. When spoken to +about this party, they burst into tears and could not talk of it. So it +is known that at least thirteen men perished in the country which has +well been named Death Valley. + +People who have always been well fed, and have never suffered from +thirst till every drop of moisture seemed gone from the body, so they +dare not open their mouth lest they dry up and cease to breathe, can +never understand, nor is there language to convey the horrors of such a +situation. The story of these parties may seem like fairy fables, but to +those who experienced it all, the strongest statements come far short of +the reality. No one could believe how some men, when they are starving +take on the wild aspect of savage beasts, and that one could never feel +safe in their presence. Some proved true and kind and charitable even +with death staring them in the face, and never forgot their fellow men. +Some that seemed weakest proved strongest in the final struggle for +existence. + +Early next morning before the sun rose they started to cross the snow, +leaving their comrade Robinson behind, rolled up in his blankets, taking +his everlasting sleep so far as the troubles of this world are +concerned. What the day would bring forth very few could have any idea. +Go on they must, and this direction seemed most promising. If the snow +should prove hard enough to hold up the oxen they could probably cross +before night, but if compelled to camp in the snow it was a doubtful +case for them. + +The snow held them as they advanced on it, but grew a little softer as +the sun got higher. The tracks of both men and animals were stained with +blood from their worn-out feet. When they turned the summit they found +more timber and the ravine they followed was so shaded that the force of +the sun was broken, and they really did not suffer very much from +slumping through the snow, and so got safely over. Not far below the +snow they found a running brook of clear, sweet water, with willows +along the banks and trees on the hills, the first really good water for +a month or two. This is the same camp where Rogers and his companion ate +their meal of quail, hawk and crow a few days before, and these +travelers knew by the remains of the little camp fire that they were +following on the trail of the two men who had gone before. + +This place was so great an improvement on the camps of the past that all +hands began to talk and act more rational as hope dawned more brightly +on them. Those who had guns branched off to search for game, but found +they were too weak for that kind of work, and had to sit down very often +to rest. When they tried to run they stumbled down and made very poor +progress. + +Capt. Doty, Tom Shannon and Bill Rude sat down to rest on a bold point +above the creek. While there three wild horses came along within easy +range, and thinking they would form better meat than the oxen each man +picked his animal and all fired simultaneously, bringing them all to the +ground. This seemed a piece of glorious luck, and all rushed in like +wolves lifter a wounded animal. It was not very long before each had a +chunk of meat in his hand, and many a one did not stop from eating +because it was not cooked. Such declared they never ate anything so +delicious in all their lives before, and wondered why horses were not +used as food instead of hogs and cattle. As they satisfied their +ravenous appetites they ate more like beasts than like men, so nearly +were they starved, and so nearly had their starving condition made them +fall from their lofty estate. + +As they passed on down this cañon they found it very brushy and on the +dry leaves under the wide-spreading trees they saw signs of bear and +perhaps other animals. There were some swampy places where it was +grassy, and into these the cattle rushed with great eagerness for the +food they had so long suffered for. Some of Mr. Brier's cattle went in, +and in tramping around for food sank deep into the mud and could not be +coaxed out again. Mrs. Brier threw clubs at them but they did not seem +inclined to pay much attention to her attacks so she was forced to go in +after them herself, and in so doing also sank into the mud and could not +get out without assistance. All this time her reverend husband sat +outside on the hard ground at a safe distance, but did not offer any +help. Probably if an extended and learned lecture on the effects of +gravitation would have done any good he would have been ready with +prompt and extended service to one whom he had promised to love and +cherish. + +About this time L.D. Stevens came along and seeing the condition of the +unfortunate woman, at once went to her assistance and helped her to dry +land. Brier himself never made a move nor said a word. Stevens looked +terribly cross at him and remarked to his companions that if the +preacher himself had been the one stuck in the mud he would have been +quite inclined to leave him there for all of helping him. + +The cañon grew narrow as they descended, and the brush thicker, so that +to follow the bed of the stream was the only way to get along. The +cattle seemed to scent a bear and stampeded in terror through the brush +in various directions, all except one which was being led by a rope. +They tried to follow the animals in a desperate effort to recover them +and a few blankets they had upon their backs, but could only make slow +progress. Tom Shannon and two others found a fresh bear track and +determined to follow it awhile in the hope of having revenge on the +cause of their mishap with the oxen. They took their blankets and kept +the trail till night when they camped, but were at so great an elevation +that a snowstorm came with six inches of snow so they could no longer +follow the track. + +They were very hungry and on the way back came across some wild cherries +which had dried perfectly dry as they hung on the bushes. These they +picked and ate, cracking the seeds with their teeth, and declaring them +to be the best of fruit. Good appetites made almost anything taste good +then. They got back to the creek next day pretty nearly starved, and +with neither a bear nor runaway oxen to reward them for their two days' +hard work. + +Wood and water were plenty, but grass was scarce and their ox had to +live on brush and leaves, but this was infinitely better than the +stunted and bitter shrubs of the desert. They came out of the brush at +last into the open bottom land where the brook sank out of sight in the +sand, and sage brush appeared all about. From this on, over the elevated +point which projected out nearly across the valley, their experience and +emotions in coming in sight of vast herds of cattle feeding on rolling +grassy hills, or reclining under great oak trees scattered over the more +level lands, were much the same as came to the Author and his party when +the same scene was suddenly opened to them. Signs of civilization and of +plenty so suddenly appearing after so many weeks of suffering and +desolation was almost enough to turn their heads, and more than one of +the stout-hearted pioneers shed tears of joy. Only a few days before and +they could scarcely have believed it possible to find a spot so lovely. + +But to hungry, more than half starved men, points of artistic beauty and +sober reflections over the terrors of the past found little place, and +their first thought was to satisfy the cravings of hunger which were +assuredly none the less when they beheld the numerous fat cattle all +around them. There was no one to ask or to buy from and to kill and eat +without permission might be wrong and might get them into difficulty, +but one might as well ask a starving wolf to get permission to slay and +eat when a fat lamb came across his path as to expect these men to take +very much time to hunt up owners. When life or death are the questions +that present themselves men are not so apt to discuss the right or wrong +of any matter. + +Tom Shannon and a couple of others did not wait long at any rate, but +crawled down the creek bed till they were opposite a few fine animals +and then crept up the bank very near to them. Two or three shots rang +out and as many fine cattle were brought down. The live cattle ran away +and the hungry men soon had the field to themselves. Much quicker than +can be told the men had fat pieces of meat in their hands which they +devoured without cooking. The men acted like crazy creatures at a +barbacue--each one cut for himself with very little respect for anyone. +The boldest got in first and the more retiring came in later, but all +had enough and gradually resumed more human actions and appearance. + +They had hardly finished their bloody feast when they saw a small squad +of men on horseback advancing toward them, and as they came near it was +quite plain that they were all armed in some way. All had lassoes at +their saddles, some had old-fashioned blunderbusses, and nearly every +one had a _macheta_ or long bladed Spanish knife. As the horsemen drew +near they formed into something like military order and advanced slowly +and carefully. It was pretty evident they thought they were about to +encounter a band of thieving Indians, but as they came closer they +recognized the strangers as Americans and passed the compliments with +them in a rather friendly manner. + +Some of the Jayhawkers had been in the Mexican War and understood a few +words of Spanish, and by a liberal use of signs were able to communicate +with the armed party and tell them who they were, where they were going, +and the unfortunate condition in which they found themselves. The men +did not seem angry at losing so few of their cattle, and doubtless +considered themselves fortunate in not suffering to the extent of some +hundreds as they did sometimes by Indian raids, and invited the whole +party down to the ranch house of the San Francisquito Rancho of which +this was a part. Arrived at the house the ranch men brought in a good +fat steer which they killed and told the poor Americans to help +themselves and be welcome. This was on the fourth day of February, 1850. + +The whole party remained here to rest themselves and their oxen for +several days, and were royally entertained by the people at the ranch. +They talked over the plans for the future, and considered the best +course to pursue. They thought it would be wise to keep their oxen for +these would now improve in flesh, and as they had no money with which to +buy food they might still rely on them in further travels. The best oxen +had survived, for the failing ones were selected to be killed when they +were forced to have food. The weaker of their comrades had perished in +the desert, and the remainder of the train consisted of the strongest +men and the strongest oxen, and there seemed to be no question but that +they could all live in this country where grass and water were both +abundant, and every sign of more or less wild game. + +Those of the company who had no cattle made their way directly to Los +Angeles, and from thence to the coast from which most of them reached +San Francisco by sailing vessel. Those who had no money were given a +passage on credit, and it is believed that all such debts were +afterwards honestly paid. + +Capt. Doty made a proposition to buy out the oxen of some who had only +one or two, giving his note for them payable in San Francisco or +anywhere up north they might chance to meet, and many of them accepted +and went to the coast. In this way Doty secured oxen enough to supply +one for each of those who decided to go with him. They decided to use +them for pack animals to carry their blankets, and to proceed slowly +toward the mines, killing game, if possible, and permitting their +animals to graze and improve in condition as they moved. + +There must have been from twenty-five to forty people gathered at the +ranch. Among them was the Rev. J.W. Brier who seemed to want to impress +it on the new California friends that he was the man of all others to be +honored. The ranchman was a good Catholic, and Brier tried to make him +understand that he, also, was very devout. He said, and repeated to him +very often--"Me preacher," but he did not succeed very well in +impressing the good Californian with the dignity of his profession, for +he could talk no Spanish and was not highly gifted in sign language. + +When they went away they had no way to reward their good friends who had +been friends indeed to them. They could only look their thanks and +express themselves in a very few words of Spanish. "_Adios Amigos_," +said they to the scantily clothed travelers as they set out on their way +to the mines. + +They followed down the course of the river that flowed through the +valley, the Santa Clara River, and knew that it would take them to the +sea at last. Before they reached the mission of San Buena Ventura, near +the sea, they ran out of meat again, for they had failed to find game as +they had expected, and Capt. Asa Haynes took the chances of killing a +Spanish cow that looked nice and fat. They camped around the carcass and +ate, and smoked the meat that was left. While thus engaged two horsemen +approached, and after taking a good look at the proceedings, galloped +off again. When the party arrived at the Mission they were arrested and +taken before the alcalde to give an account of their misdeeds. They +realized that they were now in a bad fix, and either horn of the dilemma +was bad enough. They could not talk Spanish; they had no money; they had +killed somebody's cow; they were very hungry; they might be willing to +pay, but had no way of doing it; they did not want to languish in jail, +and how to get out of it they could not understand. Luck came to them, +however, in the shape of a man who could speak both English and Spanish, +to whom they told their story and who repeated it to the alcalde, +telling him of their misfortunes and unfortunate condition, and when +that officer found out all the circumstances he promptly released them +as he did not consider them as criminals. The cow was probably worth no +more than ten dollars. + +At Santa Barbara they found a chance to trade off some of their oxen for +mares, which were not considered worth much, and managed the barter so +well that they came out with a horse apiece and a few dollars besides, +with which to buy grub along the road. They depended mostly on their +guns for supplying them with food. They supposed they were about three +hundred miles from San Francisco, and expected to meet with but few +people except at the Missions, of which they had learned there were a +few along the road. At these there was not much to be had except dried +beef. However, they managed to use the guns with fair success, and at +last arrived safely at Stockton where they sold some of their horses for +more than double what they cost, and with a small number of horses they +packed on to the gold mines. + +Those of the party who went to Los Angeles managed in one way or another +to get through on schooners, and many of them, after a year or two of +hard work, made some money and returned to their homes in Illinois. It +is hardly necessary to add that they did not return via Death Valley. + +Some years afterward the members of this party who had returned to their +Eastern homes formed themselves into an organization which they called +the Jayhawkers' Union, appointed a chairman and secretary, and each year +every one whose name and residence could be obtained was notified to be +present at some designated place on the fourth day of February which was +the date on which they considered they passed from impending death into +a richly promising life. They always had as good a dinner as Illinois +could produce, cooked by the wives and daughters of the pioneers, and +the old tales were told over again. + +One part of the program was the calling of the roll, and such reports +and letters as had come to hand. The following is a list of the members +of the party so far as can be ascertained, as gathered from +recollections and from the reports of the meetings of the reunions. + +LIST OF JAYHAWKERS. + +The following named were living, so far as known, in 1893:--John B. +Colton and Alonzo C. Clay, of Galesburg, Ill., Luther A. Richards, of +Woodhull, Ill., Chas. B. Mecum, of Ripley, Iowa, John W. Plummer, of +Tulon, Ill., Edward Bartholomew, Urban P. Davidson, John Crosscup and L. +Dow Stephens, of San Jose, California, Harrison Frans and Thomas +Shannon, of Los Gatos, Cal., J.W. Brier and wife, Lodi, Cal., three +children of Mr. Brier. + +The following are supposed to be dead:--Ann Haines, Knoxville, Ill., +Sidney P. Edgerton, formerly of Blair, Nebraska, Thomas McGrew, John +Cole, Wm. B. Rude, Wm. Robinson and Alex. Palmer, of Knoxville, Ill., +Marshall B. Edgerton, late of Galesburg, Ill. Wm. Ischam, of Rochester, +N.Y., Mr. ---- Fish, of Oskaloosa, Iowa, John L. West, Aaron Larkin, +Capt. Edwin Doty and Brien Byram, of Knoxville, Ill., Mr. ---- Carter, +of Wisconsin, Geo. Allen, Leander Woolsey and Chas. Clark, of Henderson, +Ill., Mr. ---- Gretzinger, of Oskaloosa, Iowa, and a Frenchman whose +name is unknown. + +There were some others connected more or less with the party at some +part of the trip, but not coming in with the Jayhawker organization. So +far as learned, their names are as follows:--John Galler, Jim Woods and +Jim Martin of Miss., Ed Croker of N.Y., David Funk, Mr. Town, Henry +Wade, wife and three children, Nat Ward, John D. Martin, of Texas, Old +Francis, a Frenchman, Fred Carr and Negro "Joe," from Miss. + +There were a great many reports about finding rich mines about this +time, and these stories have been magnified and told in all sorts of +ways since then, and parties have returned to try to find the great +riches. + +Among the Jayhawkers were two Germans who could speak but little English +and probably for this reason, kept apart from the remainder of the +party. + +One day, after the wagons were abandoned these German fellows were +marching along alone with their packs on their backs in the warm sun, +suffering very much for want of water and food, when one of them sat +down on a hill-side in pretty nearly absolute despair, while the other +man went down into a ravine hoping to find a puddle of water in the +rocky bottom somewhere, though it was almost a forlorn hope. All at once +he called out to his partner on the hill--"John, come down here and get +some of this gold. There is a lot of it." To this poor John Galler only +replied:--"No, I won't come. I don't want any gold, but I would like +very much to have some water and some bread." And so they left the +valuable find and slowly walked on, pulling through at last with the +rest of them, and reaching Los Angeles. + +The man who found the gold went to the Mission of San Luis Rey and +started a small clothing store, and some time afterward was killed. John +Galler settled in Los Angeles and established a wagon shop in which he +did a successful business. He was an honest, industrious man and the +people had great confidence in him. He often told them about what his +partner had said about finding the gold in the desert, and the people +gave him an outfit on two or three occasions to go back and re-locate +the find, but he did not seem to have much idea of location, and when he +got back into the desert again things looked so different to him that he +was not able to identify the place, or to be really certain they were on +the same trail where his companion found the gold. + +The Author saw him in 1862 and heard what he had to say about it, and is +convinced that it was not gold at all which they saw. I told him that I +more than suspected that what he saw was mica instead of gold and that +both he and his partner had been deceived, for more than one man not +used to gold had been deceived before now. "No sir!" said he, "I saw +lots of gold in Germany, and when I saw that I knew what it was." The +Author went back over that trail in 1862 and sought out the German on +purpose to get information about the gold. He could not give the name of +a single man who was in the party at that time, but insisted that it was +gold he saw and that he knew the trail. + +The Author was able to identify with reasonable certainty the trails +followed by the different parties, but found no signs of gold formation +except some barren quartz, and this after an experience of several years +in both placer and quartz mines. So honest John Galler's famous placer +mine still remains in the great list of lost mines, like the Gunsight +Lead and other noted mines for which men have since prospected in vain. + + + + +CHAPTER XIV. + + +Alexander Combs Erkson was one of the pioneers of 1849, having left the +state of Iowa in the month of May, when he assisted in organizing a +company known as the "Badger Company" at Kanesville, the object being +mutual assistance and protection. This company joined the Bennett party +mentioned so prominently in this history, at the Missouri, and traveled +with them or near them to the rendezvous near Salt Lake where the new +company was organized for the southern trip taken by the Death Valley +party, the Jayhawkers and others. As the experience of Mr. Erkson was in +some respects different to that of the parties mentioned, he having +taken a different route for a part of the way, it was thought best to +embody it in this history. The following was dictated to the editor of +this book, and as Mr. Erkson died before the written account could be +revised by him, it is the best that can possibly be obtained. + + * * * * * + +MR. ERKSON'S STATEMENT. + +"We arrived at the Mormon camp near Salt Lake, Salt Lake City, in the +month of August. Several of us went to work getting out lumber for +Brigham Young while we were waiting and resting. The mormons all advised +us not to undertake to go on by the northern route, and as the travelers +gathered at this point they canvassed the situation. We used our teams +when we were at work for Brigham and assisted in building a dam across a +cañon where he intended to build a woolen mill. I earned about a hundred +dollars by my work, which was paid to me in ten-dollar pieces of a gold +coin made by the Mormons. They were not like the U.S. coins. I remember +one side had an eye and the words--'Holiness to the Lord.' + +We entered into an agreement with Capt. Hunt, a Mormon, to pilot us +through, and turned all our gold into that company, thus bringing none +of the Mormon gold with us. We went on with the company as has been +related in the foregoing pages, till we arrived at Mt. Misery, so named +by us, when we took the back track, while Mr. Manley and the others went +on as they have related. We had meetings by the light of a greenwood +fire, and the matter was talked up in little knots of people, and then +some one would get up and speak. One J.W. Brier, a preacher, was the +principal blower. 'You are going wrong!' said he, We should go west, and +in six weeks we will be loaded with gold!' + +Hunt got a little confused at a place called Beaver Meadows, or Mountain +Meadows, and thought perhaps he could find a new road. Several men were +sent out to look, and some of us in camp played ball for amusement while +we were waiting. Hunt's men came back and said there were no prospects +of a new road, and he said he knew the southern route and believed it +would be safe to go that way. + +He told us that we must decide the next day. When we came to the road +where we were to separate he filed off on his road and the others filed +off on their road and then came back with their whips in their hands. I +had filed in after Hunt, and they tried to convince me that I was very +wrong. A Mr. Norton of Adrian, Mich., promised Mrs. Erkson a horse to +ride if she would go, and so I left Hunt and turned in on the other +road, the hindmost wagon. This is going back a little with the history +and bringing it up to Mt. Misery. On my way back from Mt. Misery I +climbed up on a big rock and inscribed the date--Nov. 10, 1849. + +In our journey we came to what is called 'The rim of the Basin,' and +traveled along on that a distance till we came to the Santa Clara River +and saw where the Indians had raised corn and melons. We followed on +down that stream and found our teams gradually failing. Noting this we +decided to overhaul our loads and reject a lot of things not strictly +necessary to preserve life. I know I threw out a good many valuable and +pretty things by the roadside. I remember six volumes of Rollin's +Ancient History, nicely bound, with my name on the back, that were piled +up and left. We followed along near the Santa Clara River till it +emptied into the Virgin River. It was somewhere along here that we first +saw some Yucca trees. The boys often set fire to them to see them burn. + +The Virgin River was a small stream running on about the course we +wanted to travel, and we followed this course for thirty or forty miles. +We found plenty of wood and water and mesquite. After awhile the river +turned off to the left, while we wanted to keep to the right, so we +parted company there. We heard of a river beyond which they called the +'Big Muddy' and we went up a little arroyo, then over a divide to some +table land that led us down to the Big Muddy. We made our wagons as +light as possible, taking off all the boards and stakes we could +possibly get along without. Wm. Philipps and others were placed on short +allowance. They had an idea that I had more provisions in my wagon than +I ought to have, but I told them that it was clothing that we used to +sleep on. I divided among them once or twice. When we reached the Muddy +we stopped two or three days for there was plenty of feed. It was a +narrow stream that seemed as if it must come from springs. It was narrow +between banks, but ran pretty deep, and a streak of fog marked its +course in the morning. We understood it was not very far from where we +left the Virgin River to the Colorado, some said not more than fourteen +miles and that the Colorado turned sharply to the south at that point. +Mr. Rhynierson and wife had a child born to them on the Virgin River, +and it was named Virginia. + +It was a gloomy trip the whole time on the Muddy. I lost three or four +head of cattle, all within a day and a night. Mrs. Erkson walked to +lighten the load, and would pick all the bunches of grass she saw and +put them on the wagon to feed the oxen when we stopped. I let them pass +me and stopped and fed the cattle, and slept ourselves. It was said that +we ran great risks from Indians, but we did not see any. I had at this +time only two yoke of oxen left. + +We overtook the party next morning at nine o'clock, having met some of +them who were coming back after us. All were rejoiced that we had come +on safely. Here I met Elisha Bennett and told him my story. He said he +could sell me a yoke of oxen. He had a yoke in J.A. Philipps' team and +was going to take them out. He said nothing in particular as to price. I +said that I wanted to see Mr. Philipps and talk with him about the +matter, for he had said Bennett should not have the cattle. I went over +to see him and spoke to him about Bennett's cattle and he told me they +had quarreled and I could have them, and so we made a bargain. I gave +twenty dollars for the cattle, the last money I had, and as much +provisions as he could carry on his back. They were making up a party to +reach the settlements at the Williams ranch, and I made arrangements for +them to send back provisions for us. About thirty started that +way--young men and men with no families with them. + +I got along very well with my new team after that. It was about forty +miles from water to water, and I think we camped three times. At one +place we found that provisions had been left, with a notice that the +material was for us, but the red-skins got the provisions. We struck a +spring called-----, a small spring of water, and a child of some of the +party died there and was buried. + +We then went more nearly south to find the Mojave River, for we hoped to +find water there. It was very scarce with us then, We had one pretty +cold day, but generally fine weather, and to get along we traveled at +night and a party struck the Mojave. Here there was some grass, and the +mustard was beginning to start up and some elder bushes to put forth +leaves. I picked some of the mustard and chewed it to try to get back my +natural taste. Here the party divided, a part going to the left to San +Bernardino and the remainder to the right to Cucamunga. I was with the +latter party and we got there before night. + +Rhynierson said to one of the party--'Charlie, you had better hurry on +ahead and try to get some meat before the crowd comes up.' Charlie went +on ahead and we drove along at the regular gait which was not very fast +about these times. We saw nothing of Charlie and so I went to the house +to look for him and found him dead drunk on wine. He had not said a word +to them about provisions. That wine wrecked us all. All had a little +touch of scurvy, and it seemed to be just what we craved. I bought a big +tumbler of it for two bits and carried it to my wife. She lasted it at +first rather gingerly, then took a little larger sup of it, and then put +it to her lips and never slopped drinking till the last drop was gone. I +looked a little bit surprised and she looked at me and innocently +asked--'Why! Haven't you had any?' I was afraid she would be the next +one to be dead drunk, but it never affected her in that way at all. We +bought a cow here to kill, and used the meat either fresh or dried, and +then went on to the Williams, or Chino ranch. Col. Williams was glad to +see us, and said we could have everything we wanted. We wanted to get +wheat, for we had lived so long on meat that we craved such food. He +told us about the journey before us and where we would find places to +camp. Here we found one of the Gruwells. We camped here a week, meeting +many emigrants who came by way of Santa Fe. + +We went on from here to San Gabriel where we staid six weeks to rest and +recuperate the cattle. In the good grass we found here they all became +about as fat as ever in a little while. Here the party all broke up and +no sort of an organization was kept up beyond here. Some went to Los +Angeles, some went on north, trading off their cattle for horses, and +some went directly to the coast. We went to the Mission of San Fernando +where we got some oranges which were very good for us. There is a long, +tedious hill there to get over. We made up ten wagons. By the time we +reached the San Francisquito Ranch I had lost my cattle. I went down to +this ranch and there met Mr. and Mrs. Arcane getting ready to go to San +Pedro. We came north by way of Tejon pass and the Kern River, not far +from quite a large lake, and reached the mines at last. I remember we +killed a very fat bear and tried out the grease, and with this grease +and some flour and dried apples Mrs. Erkson made some pretty good pies +which the miners were glad to get at a dollar and even two dollars +apiece." + +Mr. Erkson followed mining for about a year and then went into other +business until he came to Santa Clara Valley and began farming near +Alviso. He has been a highly respected citizen and progressive man, He +died in San Jose in the spring of 1893. + + * * * * * + +THE EXPERIENCE OF EDWARD COKER. + +Edward Coker was one of a party of twenty-one men who left their wagons, +being impatient of the slow progress made by the ox train, and organized +a pack train in which they were themselves the burden carriers. They +discarded everything not absolutely necessary to sustain life, packed +all their provisions into knapsacks, bravely shouldered them and started +off on foot from the desert to reach California by the shortest way. + +Among those whom Mr. Coker can recollect are Capt. Nat. Ward, Jim Woods, +Jim Martin of Missouri, John D. Martin of Texas, "Old Francis," a French +Canadian, Fred Carr, Negro "Joe" and some others from Coffeeville, +Miss., with others from other states. + +Mr. Coker related his experience to the Author somewhat as follows:-- + +"One other of the party was a colored man who joined us at the camp when +we left the families, he being the only remaining member of a small +party who had followed our wagon tracks after we had tried to proceed +south. This party was made up of a Mr. Culverwell who had formerly been +a writer in a Government office at Washington, D.C., a man named Fish +claiming to be a relative of Hamilton Fish of New York, and another man +whose name I never knew. He, poor fellow, arrived at our camp in a +starving condition and died before our departure. The other two +unfortunates ones died on the desert, and the colored man reported that +he simply covered their remains with their blankets. + +I well remember that last night in camp before we started with our +knapsacks and left the families, for it was plain the women and children +must go very slow, and we felt we could go over rougher and shorter +roads on foot and get through sooner by going straight across the Sierra +Nevada Mountains. Our condition was certainly appalling. We were without +water, all on the verge of starvation, and the three poor cattle which +yet remained alive were objects of pity. It seemed almost a crime to +kill the poor beasts, so little real food was there left on their +skeleton frames. They had been so faithful and had plodded along when +there seemed no hope for them. They might still serve to keep the party +from starvation. + +It was at this camp that Mr. Ischam died. The night before our departure +he came wandering into camp and presented such an awful appearance, +simply a living skeleton of a once grand and powerful man. He must have +suffered untold agony as he struggled on to overtake the party, starving +and alone, with the knowledge that two of his companions had perished +miserably of starvation in that unknown wilderness of rocks and alkali. + +Our journey on foot through the mountains was full of adventure and +suffering. On our arrival at the shores of Owen's Lake not a man of the +party had a mouthful of food left in his pack, and to add to our +difficulties we had several encounters with the hostile Indians. There +was a fearful snow storm falling at Owen's Lake on the evening that we +arrived there, and we could make no fire. The Indians gathered around us +and we did not know exactly what to make of them, nor could we determine +whether their intentions were good or bad. We examined the lake and +determined to try to ford it, and thus set out by the light of the moon +that occasionally peeped out from behind the clouds, while the red +devils stood howling on the shore. + +The following morning we found what was then known as the Fremont Trail, +and by the advice of some friendly Indians who came into our camp, we +kept the "big trail" for three days and came to Walker's Pass. While on +this trail we were followed at night by a number of wild Indians, but we +prudently avoided any collisions with them and kept moving on. Going on +through the pass we followed the right hand branch of the trail, the +left hand branch leading more to the south and across a wide plain. We +soon came to a fair-sized stream, now known to be the south fork of the +Kern River, which we followed until we came to its junction with a +larger river, the two making the Kern River. Here we were taken across +by some friendly Indians who left the Missions farther west during the +Mexican war and took to their own village located at the foot of the +Sierra Nevada Mountains. At this village we were on exhibition for +several hours with an audience of five hundred people or more, of the +red men, and on the following morning we commenced the ascent of the +mountains again, the Indians furnishing us with a guide in the person of +an old Pi-Ute. He brought us over the range, through the snow and over +the bleak ridges, in the month of December, 1849, and we made our first +camp at an Indian village in Tulare Valley, a few miles south of where +Porterville now stands. + +From this Indian village we walked on until we arrived at the present +site of Millerton on the south bank of the San Joaquin River. Our +sufferings were terrible from hunger, cold, and wet, for the rains were +almost continual at this elevation, and we had been forced several times +to swim. The sudden change from the dried-up desert to a rainy region +was pretty severe on us. On our arrival at the San Joaquin River we +found a camp of wealthy Mexicans who gave us a small amount of food, and +seemed to want us to pass on that they might be rid of us. I can well +believe that a company of twenty-one starving men was the cause of some +disquietude to them. They gave us some hides taken from some of the +cattle they had recently slain, and from these we constructed a boat and +ferry rope in which we crossed the river, and then continued our journey +to the mining camp on Aqua Frio, in Mariposa county. + +It is very strange to think that since that time I have never met a +single man of that party of twenty-one. I had kept quite full notes of +the whole trip from the state of New York to the mines, and including my +early mining experience up to the year 1851. Unfortunately this +manuscript was burned at the Russ House fire in Fresno, where I also +lost many personal effects." + +In the year 1892 Mr. Coker was living in Fresno, or near that city, in +fairly comfortable health, and it is to be hoped that the evening of his +days, to which all the old pioneers are rapidly approaching, may be to +him all that his brightest hopes pictured. + + + + +CHAPTER XV. + + +Having followed the various little parties into which the great train +had resolved itself when it began to feel the pressure of suffering and +trouble which came with contact with the desert, followed them in their +various ways till they came through to the Pacific Slope, the travels +and experiences of the Author are again resumed. + +It will be remembered that he had rested at Los Angeles, working for Mr. +Brier who had temporarily turned boarding house keeper, and finally made +arrangements with some drovers to assist in taking a small stock of +horses north to the mines. His story is thus continued:-- + +We followed the wagon road which the companies that had gone on before +had made, and got along very well. At night I acted +independently--staked out my mule and ate my meal of dried meat and +crackers--then joined the others around a large fire, and all seemed to +enjoy the company. After a few days the two men who owned the horses +proposed to me to let my mule carry the provisions, and they wanted me +to ride one of their horses that was not carrying a pack, as they said +it would keep it more gentle to ride it. + +To please the old gentleman from Sacramento I agreed to the proposition, +for I thought perhaps by being accommodating I could get along more +pleasantly. + +Thus we traveled on, over rolling hills covered with grass and wild +flowers, and I was much pleased with all that I could see. For the first +two days we did not pass a house, which shows how thinly settled the +country was. Cattle were often seen, and sometimes horses, but people +were very scarce. In time we went down a long, steep hill, then across a +wide valley that supported a rank growth of vegetation, and came to a +Mission called San Buena Ventura (good luck.) Here the men seemed +scarce, but Indians and dogs plenty. The houses were of the same sort as +at Los Angeles, except the church, all made of dried mud, and never more +than one story high. + +As we journeyed along we came to the sea shore, the grandest sight in +the world to me, for I had never before seen the ocean. What a wide +piece of water it was! Far out I could see small waves coming toward the +shore, and the nearer they came the faster they seemed to rush and at +last turned into great rollers and breakers which dashed upon the rocks +or washed far up the sandy shore with a force that made the ground +tremble. There was no wind and I could not see what it could be that so +strangely agitated the water. Here the waves kept coming, one after +another, with as much regularity as the slow strokes of a clock. This +was the first puzzle the great sea propounded to me, and there under the +clear blue sky and soft air I studied over the ceaseless, restless +motion and the great power that was always beating on the shore. I +tasted the water and found it exceedingly salt, and I did not see how +anything could live in it and not become in the condition of pickled +pork or fish. Where was the salt to make this mighty brine pond, and why +did it keep so when the great rivers kept pouring in their torrents of +fresh waters? I did not understand, and these are some of the thoughts +that came to the boy who had been raised upon the prairie, and to whom +the great ocean was indeed an unknown sea. + +We followed along the road and in time came to another village and +Mission called Santa Barbara. The village was near the shore, and the +church farther back upon an elevated piece of ground near the foot of +the mountain, overlooking the town and sea and much of the country to +the south, west and east. The mountain was high and rough, and a point +ran out into the sea making a sort of harbor. This town was built much +as the others had been except perhaps the Mission which seemed better. +The roofs were as flat as the floors and were covered with a sort of tar +which made them water-proof. The material of the houses was sun-dried +bricks, two feet long by one foot wide and four to six inches thick. +There was no lime in the mortar of this mason work, and the openings in +the walls had iron bars across them instead of sash and glass. Dried +hides were spread upon the floors, and there was a large earthen jar for +water, but not a table, bedstead or chair could be seen in the rooms we +saw. A man came along, rode right in at the door, turned around and rode +out again. The floor was so hard that the horse's feet made no +impression on it. Very few men, quite a number of Indians, more women, +and a still larger quantity of dogs made up the inhabitants. + +Leaving here the road led back from the sea shore and over quite a level +table land, covered with a big growth of grass and some timber, and then +down to the sandy shore again where the mountain comes so close that we +were crowded down to the very water's edge. Here the never-tiring waves +were still following each other to the shore and dashing themselves to +pieces with such a noise that I felt awed to silence. What a strange +difference in two parts of the earth so little distance from each other! +Here was a waste of waters, there was a waste of sands that may some +time have been the bottom of just such a dashing, rolling sea as this. +And here, between the two, was a fertile region covered with trees, +grass and flowers, and watered with brooks of fresh, sweet water. +Paradise and Desolation! They surely were not far apart. Here I saw some +of the queer things that wash on shore, for we camped close to the +beach. + +It was a circumstance of great interest to me to see the sun slowly go +down into the great ocean. Slowly and steadily it went, getting redder +and redder as it went down, then it just touched the distant water and +the waves dashed over more and more of its face till all was covered. +Were it not for the strong, bright rays that still shot up across the +sky one might think it was drowned forever, but in the morning it came +up over the mountain top, having apparently made half the circuit of the +globe. + +Soon after this the road left the shore and turned into the mountains. +Another Mission was on this road, Santa Ynez, situated in a beautiful +place but apparently in decay, for the men had gone to the mines, +leaving the Indians, women, and dogs as in other places. San Luis Obispo +was another Mission similarly inhabited, but the surroundings did not +seem so pleasant as those we had seen before, although it bore signs +that considerable had been done. From here our road bore still more +north and we had a long mountain to work over, very rocky, and in some +places barren. + +San Miguel was a Mission situated on the bank of a dry stream that +evidently had seen plenty of water earlier in the season. The +surrounding country was covered with scattering timber. Soledad was +another place where there were some improvements, located on a small +river, but nearly deserted like the other places. Prospects at the gold +mines were so favorable that every man felt an irresistible desire to +enrich himself, and so they left their families at the Missions and in +the towns and rushed off to the mines. Nearly all of them expected to +return by winter. + +I think I must stop right here and tell about the California carriages +of which I had seen several at Los Angeles and at the Missions along our +road. The first time I saw one it was a great curiosity, I assure you. +The wheels were cut off the end of a sycamore log a little over two feet +in diameter and each section about a foot long. The axle was a piece of +wood eight inches square with a tongue fastened to it long enough to be +used with a yoke of oxen, and the ends of the axle were roughly rounded, +leaving something of a shoulder. The wheels were retained in place by a +big lynch-pin. On the axle and tongue was a strong frame of square hewed +timbers answering for bed pieces, and the bottom was of raw-hide tightly +stretched, which covered the whole frame. Tall stakes at each corner of +the frame held up an awning in hot weather. The yoke was fastened to the +horns of the oxen by strong, narrow strips of raw-hide, and the tongue +was fastened to the yoke in the same way. The driver was generally an +Indian, armed with a small pole six or eight feet long, who marched on +before, the oxen following after. I saw many a wagon like this, the +platform well filled up with women and children, and a pack of dogs +following along behind, slowly rolling over the country, and this is the +way they traveled when they went visiting friends who lived a few miles +in the country. Sometimes the wheels gave perfectly agonizing shrieks as +they revolved, and when they made so much noise that their strong +Spanish nerves could stand it no longer, if there was any green grass to +be found the drivers would crowd in a quantity around the axle, and +there was generally room for a good lot of it, to answer for a +lubricator. + +We passed on from Soledad and shortly rose into the table land we had +seen for some time before us. From here we could look north for a long +way with no hill or mountain in sight; but our road led along on the +east side of this treeless plain, so thickly covered with grass that we +recalled some of the old tales of the grassy plains. We passed a +landholder's house on the road, then crossed a range of low mountains +and came to the Mission of San Juan (St. John) situated near the +foot-hills, overlooking a level, rich appearing extent of valley land +with a big vegetable growth all over it; in some places wild mustard +which stood thickly and was from four to ten feet high. I thought what a +splendid place it would be for the Yankees who are fond of greens. + +This was the first place since we left Los Angeles where we could buy +any kind of breadstuff, and we were here enabled to get a change of +diet, including greens. This seemed to be one end or side of another +valley, and as we went along it seemed to widen away to the east; but +our course was to the north, and we followed the road. The architecture +of all the buildings except the churches was all the same, being built +of the sun dried adobes or bricks made by mixing up a clay mud with +tough grass and letting it get dry and hard. We saw the same kind of +roof material as before, a sort of mineral tar which I supposed they +must find somewhere about. + +I could imagine why the houses were built in this way, for when the +Jesuit missionaries first came in they found the country occupied by +Indians who used their arrows to good effect, as they were jealous of +all outside occupation. The early settlers evidently made the walls of +their dwellings thick and strong enough to resist all kinds of weapons +used by Indians. They could not set fire to them for they were fire +proof and arrow proof, and the hostile Indian could dance on the roof +without being able to get in or do any injury. Thus the poor Indian was +fairly beat and eventually became a better Indian. + +The Indians of what is now Nevada and Arizona used to come over into +these rich valleys and clandestinely capture a band of a hundred or more +head of cattle or horses and make their escape. They were often followed +by the herders, but if they did not overtake the thieves before they got +into the deep cañons of the mountains, they would usually turn back and +let them go rather than be led into ambush in some strange narrow place +where escape would be impossible and they might be filled with arrows. +No doubt the trail we had followed across the plains, where there were +so many horses' bones, was one of these trails along which the thieving +Indians took their booty which died upon the trip. + +Our road from here was near the foot-hills on the west side of a level, +grassy, thinly timbered valley, and as we advanced we noticed that the +timber grew more plentiful and the trees larger, without much +underbrush. We also noticed that the vegetation was ranker and no doubt +the soil was very rich. We then came to a point where the mountain +reaches out almost across the valley to meet the mountain on the east +side. Here we found a gravelly creek with but little water, but as soon +as we passed this point we saw the valley suddenly widening out, and +beautiful groves of live oak trees scattered all around. The vegetation +here was very rank, the mustard ten feet high in places, making it +difficult to see out of the road. This was perhaps the strongest +contrast to the arid desert that we had seen. + +As we went on down the valley the hills seemed to stand farther and +farther back as if to make more room for those who would soon settle in +this fertile place, and we soon came in sight of the village or pueblo +of San Jose (St. Joseph) where we camped. Here we learned that the two +owners of the horses intended to go to San Francisco instead of +Sacramento, and as we considered the former place a very poor one for a +penniless person to go we concluded to break up the company camp and +each do the best he could for himself, for our objective point was the +gold mines, and the sooner we reached them the better. + +The drovers who had been anxious to have us go with them and help them +now began to talk about a settlement with us, as if they had done us +great favors, and called on the other fellows to help pay for their +board upon the way. When they came to me they said my share would be an +ounce. This struck me hard, but they said I had ridden their horse all +the way and the charge was very low. I told them I had furnished the +most of the provisions I had eaten, and my mule had packed a good load +all the way, which I considered worth as much as the use of the horse. +But they refused to allow me anything for the use of the mule and became +very urgent in their demand for money. + +These men were evidently of the tribe of Skinflint, who had no souls, or +they would not have attempted to rob an almost penniless emigrant in +this way of the last few dollars he had, and all the hope he had of +reaching the mines. I did not desire to give up to such narrow +principles as this and hesitated, but they were bound to have the money +or make a quarrel, and talked pretty loud of the way they collected +debts in Sacramento, so that to avoid trouble and get out of the +clutches of such mean scoundrels as these I counted out sixteen dollars, +almost every cent I had, and reluctantly gave them to my enemy. I +immediately mounted my mule, and without stopping to say goodbye rode +off. I may have quoted a part of the speech Capt Hunt made when the +party wanted to leave the trail and take the cut-off, especially that +part where he alluded to their going to h--l. I very much fear the +little piety my mother taught me was badly strained on that occasion, +and I thought of a good many swear words if I did not say them, which I +suppose is about as bad. I could see how cunningly they had managed to +get me to ride their horse that it might serve as the foundation for a +claim on me for about all the money I had in the world. + +I hitched my mule in the edge of the town and went in to look at the +place. The houses were situated very much as in other places we had come +through--scattered around over much ground and built low, but had a +different style of roof, a peaked or sloping one, and covered with half +round tile two feet or more long and an inch thick. One course of these +would be laid with the hollow side up, and then a course with the hollow +side down, covering the joints of the lower course. This allowed the air +to circulate freely and was proof against rain. I saw no flat roofs such +as I had seen down along the coast. I saw one gambling house and about +all the men in town were gathered there, and some women, too. This was +the busiest place in town and situated near the plaza. This was the +largest town I had yet been in. There seemed to be plenty of women and +lots of dogs, but the men were as scarce as they had been in any of the +towns--gone to the gold mines to make a stake. I took in the sights +pretty well, and there were a great many new things for me to see, and +when pretty well satisfied concluded I would go back to my mule and camp +in some place just out of town for the night. + +Before I reached my animal whom should I meet but my old traveling +companion John Rogers whom I thought to be a hundred miles away by this +time. We shook hands heartily and he told me that Bennett, Moody and +Skinner were camped not far off, and he was still with them. He wore a +pair of blue overalls, a blue woolen shirt and the same little narrow +rimmed hat he had worn so long. I observed, too, that he was barefoot, +and told him I had a dollar or two which he could take and get some +shoes. He said it was no use for there was not a pair of shoes in the +town to buy, and he had not found any material of which he could make +himself a pair of moccasins. I told him how I had been swindled coming +up, and he was about as angry as I had been. I think if I had known that +my friend John Rogers had been so near I should have bidden the rascals +an unceremonious good-bye and we would have been able to hold our own on +a claim for the services of myself and mule. + +We went up to the place where our people were camped, perhaps a mile +above town on the bank of a river, nearly dry, but where plenty of wood, +water and grass were at hand; such a place as we had looked for in vain +for many a weary day upon the desert. This was as far above Death Valley +as a king above a pauper, and we hoped never to see such a country +again. + +In camp we talked about moving on to the mines. Rogers said he was going +to start next day, and in answer to exclamations of surprise that he +should start off alone, he said that some fellows camped a little way +down the river were going to start and he had made arrangements to go +with them, as the Bennett party would not go yet for a week. In the +morning he shook hands and bade us good-bye and good luck, and started +off down the river bank, lost to us, as it proved, for many years. + +The next day as we were all sitting on the ground I felt a sort of +moving of the earth under me and heard a rumbling sound that seemed very +queer. It seemed there was a motion also to the trees around us. We all +started and looked a little frightened, and Skinner said he believed it +was an earthquake, for he said he could see the motion in a sort of +wave. It was gone in half a minute. Moody said:--"How do you like +California now?" I said I thought this part of it was a pretty good +place for there was plenty of wood, water and grass, and that was better +than we had seen in some places. + +He then went on to say that he had heard Mr. Bennett's story of their +sufferings and narrow escape from death, and it was the most wonderful +story he had ever heard. He said the idea of Mrs. Bennett walking over +such a country for twenty-two days was almost beyond belief, for he +would not have thought her able to walk one-third the distance. He never +knew before how much women could do when they were called to do it, and +they proved in emergencies to be as tough as any body. He said if he +ever got back home he should move to give them all the rights and +privileges of men for sure. + +One day I mounted my mule for a ride to the eastern foothills, and sat +down on a little incline and overlooked the valley, a beautiful +landscape, while my mule cropped the rich grasses in a circle described +by the rope which confined him. I was always a great admirer of nature, +and as I sat there alone I could see miles on miles of mammoth mustard +waving in the strong breeze which came down over the San Francisco Bay +just visible to the northward, and on the mountain summits to the west +could see tall timber reaching up into the deep blue of the sky. It was +a real contented comfort to be thus in the midst of luxuriance and +beauty, and I enjoyed it, coming as it did at the end of the long and +dreary road I had been traveling for the past twelve months. Up the +Platte; across the Rockies; down the Green River cañons in my canoe; +across the mountains to Salt Lake; out over the "Rim of the Basin," and +across the desert, guided only by the fact that we knew the Pacific +Ocean was to the west of us, and choosing our road as best we could in +view of the lofty, snow-clad, impassible mountains; seeing thirteen of +our comrades lie down never to rise again, and, when hope and strength +were almost gone, to suddenly come out into a fertile region on the +seventh of March, 1850. How I wished the fellows who slept in Death +Valley could have seen this view. The change from all that barrenness +and desolation to this beautiful, fertile country, covered with wild +flowers and luxuriant live oaks, was as strong a contrast as one could +imagine a sudden coming from purgatory to paradise in the space of a +single hour. + +I waked up from my dreamy thoughts, mounted my mule and rode to camp. As +I rode along the nimble ground squirrel, with his keen black eye, would +climb to the top of the high mustard stalks to get a better view and, +suspicious of an enemy within his almost undisputed territory, disappear +in a wink to his safe underground fortress. Fat cattle and horses would +appear before me a moment, and then, with a wild look and high heads, +dash through the tall mustard out of sight. + +Next day my trip was toward the western hills, and before I came to them +was confronted with an extensive stretch of chaparral brush, absolutely +impenetrable, which I must go around or stop my progress in this +direction. These thickets were a regular paradise for grizzly bears, for +within the protection of this matted and thorny growth he is as safe as +is the soldier in the rocky fort of Gibraltar. I soon found a way around +the brush and rose high enough so that a backward look over the valley +was charming, quite as much so as the eastern side. I wandered over the +grassy hills covered with great scattering oaks, and came to a grove of +mammoth trees, six feet or more in diameter, with tops reaching two +hundred or three hundred feet toward the blue sky. They seemed to me to +be a kind of cedar, and were far larger and taller than any trees I had +ever seen in the forests of Vermont, Michigan or Wisconsin, and in my +long journey from the East the route had been principally through a +country devoid of good timber. A stranger in a strange land, everything +was new and wonderful. After satisfying my inquiring mind I returned to +camp again, and soon learned that my newly discovered trees were the +famous redwoods, so greatly prized for their valuable qualities. + +Taking the most direct course to camp I came, when within two or three +miles of San Jose, to a large extent of willows so thick, and so thickly +woven together with wild blackberry vines, wild roses and other thorny +plants, that it appeared at first as if I never could get through. But I +found a winding trail made by the cattle through the bushes and mustard, +and this I followed, being nearly scared occasionally by some wild +steers as they rushed off through the thickets. I got through safely, +though it would have been difficult to escape a wild, enraged steer, or +a grizzly had I met him face to face even with a rifle in hand. I could +see nowhere but by looking straight up, for the willows were in places +fifty feet high and a foot in diameter. The willows where I came from +were mere bushes, and these astonished me. This bit of brush is still +locally known as "The Willows," but the trees are all gone, and the +ground thickly covered with orchards and fine residences, the land +selling at from one thousand to two thousand dollars per acre. + +The sun rose without a cloud, and a little later the sea breeze from the +bay blew gently over the valley, making the climate perfectly delightful +in its temperate coolness, a true paradise on earth it seemed to me, if +I was able to judge or set a value upon so beautiful a spot; and surely +I had seen all sorts, good and poor, desert and valley, mountain and +plain. + +But I was poor in purse, and resolved I would seek first the gold mines +and secure gold enough to buy a piece of this valley afterward. + +When I had seen what was to be seen about San Jose I had a talk with my +friends and found that Mr. Bennett favored going on to the mines at once +and that Moody and Skinner thought they would remain a little while at +least. + +I went along in company with Bennett, and when we got a little way from +San Jose, on the road to the Mission, the road seemed walled in on both +sides with growing mustard ten or twelve feet high and all in blossom. +How so much mustard could grow, and grow so large, I could not +understand. I had seen a few plants in the gardens or fields which +people used for greens, and here seemed to be enough to feed the nation, +if they liked mustard greens. + +The second day out we passed the big church at Mission San Jose and soon +left the valley and turned into the mountains and when part way over we +came to a stream which we followed up and came out into Livermore +valley, where we found a road to follow. Houses were scarce, and we +camped a mile or so before we got to the Livermore ranch buildings. +There was very little sign of life about the place, and we soon went out +of the valley and into the mountains again. + +The first sign of settlement we saw when part way through the mountains +was a stone corral, but no house or other improvements. The next place +was a small house made of willow poles set in the ground and plastered +over with mud. This rejoiced in the name of "Mountain House." This +wayside inn looked like a horse thief's glory; only one or two men, a +quarter of an elk hanging on a pole, and no accommodations for man or +beast. There was very little water, nothing to sell as well as nothing +wanted. On the summits of the mountains as we passed through we saw, +standing like guards, many large buck elks. + +It was now fifteen miles to the San Joaquin river, and a level plain lay +before us. When our road turned into the river bottom we found the water +too deep to get through safely, so we concluded to go on and try to find +some place where we could cross. On our way droves of antelopes could be +seen frolicking over the broad plains, while in the distance were herds +of elk winding their way from the mountains towards the river for water. +When far away their horns were the first things visible, and they much +resembled the dry tops of dead pine trees, but a nearer view showed them +to us as the proud monarchs of the plain. + +When we came up opposite the mouth of the Merced river we concluded to +try again to cross. The river here, as below, was out of its banks, and +the overflowed part was quite wide which we had to pass through before +we could reach the river proper. + +I waded in ahead of the team and sounded the depth of the river so as +not to get in too deep water, and avoid if possible such accidents as +might otherwise occur. Sometimes the water was up to the wagon bed and +it looked a little doubtful of our getting through in safety, but we +made it at last. + +We found a narrow strip of dry land along the river bank. A town was on +the east side of the San Joaquin. river, just below where the Merced +river came in. I think this place was called Merced City. This so-called +city contained but one residence, a tent occupied by the ferryman. We +crossed the sluggish stream and for the privilege paid the ferryman, ten +dollars for toll. The road was not much used and the ferry business +seemed lonesome. + +Here we camped for the night. The mosquitoes soon found us, and they +were all very hungry and had good teeth. They annoyed me so that I moved +my lodgings to the ferryboat, but here they quickly found me and +troubled me all night. These insects were the first I had seen since I +left the lower Platte river, and I thought them as bad as on the +Mississippi. + +From here the road led up the Merced river near the bottom, and as we +came near groves of willows, big, stately elk would start out and trot +off proudly into the open plains to avoid danger. These proud, +big-horned monarchs of the plains could be seen in bunches scattered +over the broad meadows, as well as an equal amount of antelope. They all +seemed to fear us, which was wise on their part, and kept out of rifle +shot. As were not starving as we were once, I did not follow them out on +the open plain, for I thought I could get meat when we were more in +need. + +We followed up the river bottom and saw not a single house until we +reached the road leading from Stockton to the Mariposa mines, where we +found a ferry and a small store. Here we learned that some men were +mining a few miles up the river, so we drove on until we found a little +work being done in a dry gulch near the river bank. We made our camp at +this spot and had plenty of wood, water and grass. We found there was +something to be learned in the art of gold mining. We had no tools nor +money, and had never seen a speck of native gold and did not know how to +separate it from the dirt nor where to search for it. We were poor, +ignorant emigrants. There were two or three men camped here. One of them +was more social than the rest and we soon got acquainted. His name was +Williams, from Missouri. He came down to the river with a pan of dirt, +and seeing me in my ignorance trying to wash some as well, he took the +pan from me and very kindly showed me how to work so as to let the dirt +go and save the gold. When he had the pan finished a few small, bright +scales remained. These to me were curious little follows and I examined +them closely and concluded there was a vast difference between gold and +lead mining. Williams became more friendly and we told him something +about our journey across the plains, and he seemed to think that we +deserved a good claim. He went to a dry gulch where a Spaniard was +working and told him that all of California, now that the war was over, +belonged to Americans and he must leave. Williams had his gun in his +hand and war might follow, so Mr. Spaniard left and his claim was +presented to Bennett and myself. + +Williams had been twice to Santa Fe from Missouri and had learned the +Spanish language and could swear at them by note if necessary. We now +began work almost without tools, but our ground we had to work was quite +shallow and Williams helped us out by loaning us some of his tools at +times. We soon succeeded in scratching together some of the yellow stuff +and I went down to the store and bought a pan for five dollars, a shovel +for ten dollars, and a poor pick cost me ten dollars more. This took +about two ounces of my money. + +We now worked harder than ever for about three weeks, but we could not +save much and pay such high prices as were charged. Our gulch claim was +soon worked out, and as the river had fallen some we tried the bar, but +we could only make four or five dollars a day, and the gold was very +fine and hard to save. We bought a hind quarter of an elk and hung it up +in a tree and it kept fresh till all of it was eaten. + +Some others came and took up claims on the bar, and as the prospects +were not as good as was wished, three of us concluded to go and try to +find a better place. The next day was Sunday and all lay in bed late. +Before I rose I felt something crawling on my breast, and when I looked +I found it to be an insect, slow in motion, resembling a louse, but +larger. He was a new emigrant to me and I wondered what he was. I now +took off my pants and found many of his kind in the seams. I murdered +all I could find, and when I got up I told Williams what I had found. He +said they hurt nobody and were called _piojos_, more commonly known as +body lice. + +We started on our prospecting tour and went northeast to a place now +called Big Oak Flat. This was at the head of a small stream and there +were several small gulches that emptied into it that paid well. This +flat was all taken up and a ditch was cut through to drain it. A ship +load of gold was expected to be found when it was worked. A small town +of tents had been pitched on both sides of the flat. One side was +occupied by gamblers, and many games were constantly carried on and were +well patronized. On the opposite side of the flat were many small tents, +and around on the hillside some mules and jacks were feeding. One of the +little long-eared donkeys came down among the tents and went in one and +commenced eating flour from the sack. The owner of the flour ran to the +tent, took his shot gun and fired a load of buck-shot into the donkey's +hams. The animal reeled and seemed shot fatally. I now looked for a +battle to commence, but the parties were more reasonable. The price of +the animal was fully paid, and no blood shed as I expected there surely +would be. + +We now prospected further east, but nothing good enough was found. The +place we looked over was where the town of Garota now stands. We +concluded to go back, have a council, and go somewhere else. On our way +back we stopped to get dinner. While I was around the fire, barefooted, +I felt something crawl up my instep, and it proved to be another of +those _piojos_ of Williams'. I now thought these torments must be all +over this country. + +Gold dust was used to transact all business; all the coin was in the +hands of the gentlemen gamblers. Most miners found it necessary to have +a small pair of scales in the breast pocket to weigh the dust so as not +to have to trust some one who carried lead weights and often got more +than his just dues. Gold dust was valued at sixteen dollars an ounce. + +We now thought it would be best for two of us to take our mules and go +down in the small hills and try to get some elk meat to take with us, as +our route would be mostly through the unsettled part of the country, and +no provisions could likely be procured, so Mr. Bradford of New Orleans +and myself took our mules and went down where the hills were low and the +game plenty. We camped in a low ravine, staked out our mules and staid +all night without a fire, believing that when we woke in the early +morning some of the many herd of elk then in sight would be near us at +daylight, and we could easily kill all we wanted without leaving camp; +but we were disappointed. Hundreds of the big-horned fellows were in +sight, but none in rifle shot, and there was no chance for us to get any +nearer to them. We got near a couple of antelope and Mr. Bradford, who +was a brag shot and had the best gun, proposed to kill them as we stood. +The larger of the two was on his side and much nearer than the smaller +one, but we fired together just as we stood. Bradford's antelope ran off +unhurt: mine fell dead in its tracks. Bradford bragged no more about his +fine gun and superior marksmanship. + +We went back to camp with the little we had killed and soon got ready to +start north. Bennett was to go with his team to Sacramento and wait +there until he heard from us. + +Four of us, mounted on mules, now started on our journey along the +foothills without a road. We struck the Tuolumne river at a ferry. The +stream was high and rapid and could not be forded, so we had to +patronize the ferryman, and give him half an ounce apiece. We thought +such charges on poor and almost penniless emigrants were unjust. + +The point we were seeking to reach was a new discovery called Gold Lake +on Feather River, where many rich gulches that emptied into it had been +worked, and the lake was believed to have at least a ship load of gold +in it. It was located high in the mountains and could be easily drained +and a fortune soon obtained if we got there in time and said nothing to +anyone we might meet on the road. We might succeed in getting a claim +before they were all taken up. We followed along the foothills without a +road, and when we came to the Stanislaus River we had to patronize a +ferry and pay half an ounce each again. We thought their scale weights +were rather heavy and their ferrymen well paid. + +We continued along the foothills without any trail until we struck the +road from Sacramento to Hangtown. This sounded like a bad name for a +good village, but we found it was fittingly named after some ugly devils +who were hanged there. The first house that we came to on this road was +the Mormon Tavern. Here were some men playing cards for money, and two +boys, twelve or fourteen years old, playing poker for the same and +trying in every way to ape the older gamblers and bet their money as +freely and swear as loud as the old sports. All I saw was new and +strange to me and became indelibly fixed on my mind. I had never before +seen such wicked boys, and the men paid no attention to these fast +American boys. I began to wonder if all the people in California were +like these, bad and wicked. + +Here we learned that Gold Lake was not as rich as reported, so we +concluded to take the road and go to Coloma, the place where gold was +first found on the American River. + +We camped at Coloma all night. Mr. Bradford got his mule shod and paid +sixteen dollars, or in the mining phrase, an ounce of gold dust. I +visited the small town and found that the only lively business place in +it was a large gambling house, and I saw money (gold dust) liberally +used--sometimes hundreds of dollars bet on a single card. When a few +hundred or thousand were lost more would be brought on. The purse would +be set in the center of the table and the owners would take perhaps +twenty silver dollars or checks, and when they were lost the deposited +purse would be handed to the barkeeper, the amount weighed out and the +purse returned. When the purse was empty a friend of the better would +bring another, and so the game went on almost in silence. The game +called Monte seemed to be the favorite. How long these sacks of gold +lasted or who eventually got the whole I never knew. This was a new +country with new people, and many seemed to be engaged in a business +that was new, strange and hazardous. The final result of all this was +what puzzled me. + +We now followed the road up the mountain to Georgetown. Here was a small +village on the summit of the ridge and it seemed to be in a prosperous +mining section. After some inquiry about a good place to work we +concluded to go down a couple of miles northeast of town on Cañon creek +and go to work if vacant ground could be found. There was a piece of +creek bottom here that had not been much worked. Georgia Flat above had +been worked and paid well, and the Illinois and Oregon cañons that +emptied into the bottom here were rich, so we concluded to locate in the +bottom. Claims here in the flat were only fifteen feet square. I located +one and my notice told others that I would go to work on it as soon my +partner came from Sacramento. I sent my partner, Mr. Bennett a note +telling him to come up. + +While waiting for Mr. Bennett I took my pan and butcher knife and went +into a dry gulch out of sight of the other campers and began work. As +the ground was mostly bare bed rock by scratching around I succeeded in +getting three or four pans of dirt a day. The few days I had to wait for +Bennett I made eight dollars a day until my claim was worked out. + +I then went to Georgetown to meet Bennett and family, and soon after my +arrival they came well and safe. All of them, even to the faithful camp +dog, Cuff, were glad to see me. Old Cuff followed me all around town, +but when we got ready to start for camp the dog was gone and could not +be found. Some one had hidden him away knowing he could not be gotten +any other way, for six ounces would not have bought him. We had raised +him in Wisconsin, made him a good deer dog, and with us he had crossed +the dry and sandy deserts. He had been a great protection to Bennett's +children on the plains, and company for us all. + +We now located claims on the creek bottom. The channel of the creek was +claimed by Holman of Alabama and the Helms brothers of Missouri. They +had turned the stream into a ditch in order to work the bed of the +stream, believing that their claims had all the gold in them. Our claims +joined theirs. + +Mr. W.M. Stockton, who left his family in Los Angeles, came with Mr. +Bennett and went to work with us. As everything here was very high we +concluded to let Mr. Stockton take the team and go to Sacramento for +provisions for our own use. Flour and meat were each fifty cents a +pound, potatoes twenty-five cents a pound and onions one dollar and +twenty-five cents each. Onions and potatoes eaten raw were considered +very necessary to prevent and cure scurvy, which was quite a common +complaint. Whiskey, if not watered, cost one dollar a drink. + +Our claims were about ten feet deep. The bottom was wet and a pump +needed, so we went to a whip saw-mill and got four narrow strips one by +three and one by five and twelve feet long, paying for them by weight, +the price being twelve cents a pound. Out of these strips we made a good +pump by fixing a valve at the end and nailing a piece of green rawhide +on a pole, which answered for a plunger, and with the pump set at +forty-five degrees it worked easily and well. One man could easily keep +the water out and we made fair wages. + +In the creek bottom Mr. Bush of Missouri had a saloon. The building was +made mainly of brush, with a split piece for a counter, and another one +for a shelf for his whiskey keg, a box of cigars, a few decks of cards +and half a dozen glasses, which made up the entire stock of trade for +the shop. In front was a table made of two puncheons with a blanket +thrown over all, and a few rough seats around. There was no roof except +the brush, and through the dry season none was needed except for shade. + +There was also at this place five brothers by the name of Helms, also +from Missouri. Their names were Jim, Davenport, Wade, Chet and Daunt. +These men, with Mr. Holman, owned the bed of the stream, and their +ground proved to be quite wet and disagreeable to work. Mr. Holman could +not well stand to work in the cold water, so he asked the privilege of +putting in a hired man in his place, which was agreed to. He then took +up a claim for himself outside of the other claims, and this proved to +be on higher bed rock and dry, and paid even better than the low claims +where the Helms brothers were at work. This was not what the Helms boys +considered exactly fair, as Holman seemed to be getting rich the +fastest, and as there was no law to govern them they held a free country +court of their own, and decided the case to suit themselves; so they +ordered Holman to come back and do his own work. No fault was found with +the hired man but what he did his work well enough, but they were +jealous and would not be bound by their agreement. + +But this decision did not satisfy all parties, and it was agreed to +submit the case to three men, and I was chosen one of them. We held +Court on the ground and heard both sides of the story, after which we +retired to the shade of a bunch of willows to hold council over the +matter with the result that we soon came to a decision in favor of Mr. +Holman. About this time one of the Helms boys began to quarrel with +Holman and grew terribly mad, swearing all kinds of vengeance, and +making the cañon ring with the loudest kind of Missouri oaths. Finally +he picked up a rock to kill Holman, but the latter was quick with his +pistol, a single shot duelling piece, and as they were not more than ten +feet apart Helms would have had a hole in him large enough for daylight +to shine through if the pistol had not missed fire. We stopped the +quarrel and made known our decision, whereupon Helms went off muttering +vengeance. + +We now went back to our work again at our claims, mine being between +Helms' cabin and the saloon. Holman stopped to talk a little while on my +claim, while I was down below at work, and soon Helms came back again in +a terrible rage, stopping on the opposite side of the hole from Holman, +swearing long and loud, and flourishing a big pistol with which he +threatened to blow Holman into purgatory. He was so much enraged that he +fairly frothed at the mouth like a rabid dog. The men were about twenty +feet apart, and I at the bottom of the hole ten feet below, but exactly +between them. It seemed to me that I was in some little danger for Helms +had his big pistol at full cock, and as it pointed at me quite as often +as it did at anybody, I expect I dodged around a little to keep out of +range. Helms was terribly nervous, and trembled as he cursed, but Holman +was cool and drew his weapon deliberately, daring Helms to raise his +hand or he would kill him on the instant. Helms now began to back off, +but carefully kept his eye on Holman and continued his abuse as he went +on to the saloon to get something to replenish his courage. Holman, +during the whole affair, talked very calmly and put considerable +emphasis into his words when he dared Helms to make a hostile motion. He +was a true Alabamian and could be neither scared nor driven. He soon +sold out, however, and went to a more congenial camp for he said these +people were cowardly enough to waylay and kill him unawares. + +Soon after this unpleasantness a man and wife who lived in Georgetown +came into notice, and while the man made some money mining his wife did +a good stroke of business washing for the boys who paid her a dollar a +shirt as laundry fees. As she began to make considerable money the +bigger, if not better, half of this couple began to feel quite rich and +went off on a drunk, and when his own money was spent he went to his +wife for more, but she refused him, and he, in his drunken rage, picked +up a gun near by and shot her dead. + +All of a sudden the Helms boys and others gathered at the saloon, took +drinks all around, and did a good deal of swearing, which was the +biggest portion of the proceedings of the meeting; and then they all +started off toward town, swearing and yelling as they struggled up the +steep mountain side--a pack of reckless, back-woods Missourians who +seemed to smell something bloody. + +It was near night when they all came back and gathered around the saloon +again. They were all in unusual good humor as they related the +adventures of the afternoon, and bragged of their bravery and skill in +performing the little job they had just completed, which consisted in +taking the murderer out to the first convenient oak tree, and with the +assistance of some sailors in handling the ropes, hoisting the fellow +from the ground with a noose around his neck, and to the "Heave, yo +heave" of the sailor boys, pulling the rope that had been passed over an +elevated limb. They watched the suspended body till the last spark of +life went out, and then went back to town leaving the corpse hanging for +somebody else to cut down and bury. They whooped and yelled at the top +of their voices as they came down along the mountain trail, and at the +saloon they related to the crowd that had gathered there how they had +helped to hang the ---- who had killed his wife. They said justice must +be done if there was no law, and that no man could kill a woman and live +in California. They imagined they were very important individuals, and +veritable lords of Creation. + +These miners, many of them, were inveterate gamblers and played every +night till near day-light, with no roof over them, and their only +clothes a woolen shirt and overalls which must have been a little scanty +in the cool nights which settled down over the mountain camp; but they +bore it all in their great desire for card playing. + +Near by there were three men who worked and slept together, every night +dividing the dust which each put into a purse at the head of his bed. +One day the news came to the saloon that one of the purses had been +stolen. The Helms boys talked it over and concluded that as one of the +men had gone to town, he might know something about the lost dust; so +they went to town and there, after a little search, found their man in a +gambling house. After a little while they invited him to return to camp +with them, and all started together down the mountain; but when about +half way down they halted suddenly under an oak tree and accused their +man of knowing where his partner's money was. This he strongly denied, +and was very positive in his denial till he felt the surprise of a rope +around his neck, with the end over a limb, and beginning to haul pretty +taut in a direction that would soon elevate his body from the ground, +when he weakened at their earnestness and asked them to hold on a +minute. As the rope slackened he owned up he had the dust and would give +it up if they would not send the news to his folks in Missouri. This was +agreed to and the thief was advised to leave at once for some distant +camp, or they might yet expose him. He was not seen afterward. + +The boys bragged a good deal of their detective ability after this, and +said that a little hanging would make a ---- thief tell the truth even +if it did not make an honest man of him, and that a thief would be lucky +if he got through with them and saved his life. Their law was "Hanging +for stealing." + +The Helms brothers were said to be from western Missouri, and in early +days were somewhat of the border ruffian order, and of course preferred +to live on the frontier rather than in any well regulated society. As +the country became settled and improved around them they moved on. A +school house was an indication that the country was getting too far +advanced for them. + +They crossed the plains in 1849 and began mining operations near +Georgetown in Placer county. It was well known that they were foremost +in all gambling, and in taking a hand in any excitement that came up, +and as a better class of miners came in they moved on, keeping ahead +with the prospectors, and just out of reach of law and order. If anyone +else committed a crime they were always quite eager to be on the +vigilance committee, and were remarkably happy when punishing a +wrong-doer. When any of their number was suspected it was generally the +case that they moved quickly on and so escaped. It was reported, +however, that one of their number was in the hands of the vigilance +committee and hanged in Montana. + +After a time, it is said, they went down to southern California and +settled on the border of the Colorado desert, about seventy-five miles +east of San Diego, in a mountainous and desert region. Here they found a +small tribe of Indians, and by each marrying a squaw they secured rights +equal to any of them in the occupation of the land. This was considered +pretty sharp practice, but it suited them and they became big chiefs and +midecine men, and numerous dusky descendants grew up around them. + +It is said that their property consists of extensive pasture lands on +which they raise cattle, and that they always go well armed with pistol, +rifle and riata. It is said that some of the Indians undertook to claim +that the Helms brothers were intruders, but that in some mysterious way +accidents happened to most of them and they were left without any +serious opposition. + +They are very hospitable and entertaining to people who visit them, +provided they do not know too much about the men or their former deeds +or history. In this case ignorance is bliss and it is folly, if not +dangerous, to be too wise. They have made no improvements, but live in +about the same style as the Indians and about on a level with them +morally and intellectually. + +There may be those who know them well, but the writer only knows them by +hearsay and introduces them as a certain type of character found in the +early days. + +As I was now about barefoot I went to town to look for boots or shoes. +There were no shoes, and a pair of the cheapest boots I found hanging at +the door were priced to me at two ounces. This seemed a wonderful sum +for a pair of coarse cow-hide boots that would sell in the state for two +dollars and fifty cents; but I had to buy them at the price or go +barefoot. + +While rambling around town I went into a round tent used as a gambling +saloon. The occupants were mostly men, and one or two nice appearing +ladies, but perhaps of doubtful reputation. The men were of all +classes--lawyer, doctors, preachers and such others as wanted to make +money without work. The miners, especially sailors, were eager to try to +beat the games. While I was here the table was only occupied by a sailor +lying upon it and covered with a green blanket. All at once the fellow +noticed a large _piojo_ walking slowly across the table, and drawing his +sheath knife made a desperate stab at him, saying "You kind of a deck +hand can't play at this game." + +Our claims, by this time were nearly worked out, and I thought that I +had upward of two thousand dollars in gold, and the pile looked pretty +big to me. It seemed to me that these mines were very shallow and would +soon be worked out, at least in a year or two. I could not see that the +land would be good for much for farming when no irrigation could be +easily got, and the Spanish people seemed to own all the best land as +well as the water; so that a poor fellow like myself would never get +rich at farming here. + +Seeing the matter in this light I thought it would be best to take my +money and go back to Wisconsin where government land was good and +plenty, and with even my little pile I could soon be master of a good +farm in a healthy country, and I would there be rich enough. Thus +reasoning I decided to return to Wisconsin, for I could not see how a +man could ever be a successful farmer in a country where there were only +two seasons, one wet and the other long and dry. + +I went out and hunted up my mule which I had turned out to pasture for +herself, and found her entirely alone. After a little coaxing I caught +her and brought her with me to camp, where I offered her for sale. She +was sleek and fat and looked so well that Helms said that if I could +beat him shooting he would buy both mule and gun; so three or four of us +tried our skill. My opponents boasted a good deal of their superior +marksmanship, but on the trial, which began at short range, I beat them +all pretty badly. Helms was as good as his word and offered me twelve +ounces for my gun and mule, which I took. I thought a great deal of my +fat little one-eyed mule, and I thought then, as I think now, how well +she did her part on the fearful road to and from Death Valley. + +Helms was now going to the valley to have a winter's hunt, for here the +snow would fall four feet deep and no mining work could be done till +spring, when he would return and work his claim again. + +I now had all in my pocket, and when I got ready to go Mrs. Bennett was +much affected at knowing that I would now leave them, perhaps never to +return to them again. She clasped me in her arms, embraced me as she +would her own son, and said "Good luck to you--God bless you, for I know +that you saved all our lives. I don't suppose you will ever come back, +but we may come back to Wisconsin sometime and we will try to find a +better road than the one we came over. Give my best regards to all who +inquire after us." She shook my hand again and again with earnest +pressure, and cried and sobbed bitterly. As I climbed the mountain she +stood and watched me so long as I was in sight, and with her +handkerchief waved a final adieu. I was myself much affected at this +parting, for with Mr. and Mrs. Bennett had been really a home to me; she +had been to me as a mother, and it was like leaving a home fireside to +go away from them. I was now starting out among strangers, and those I +should meet might be the same good friends as those whom I had left +behind. Mr. Bennett and I had for many years been hunting companions; I +had lived at his house in the East, and we never disagreed but had +always been good friends. I had now a traveling companion whose home was +in Iowa Co., Wis., where I had lived for several years, and we went +along together by way of Greenwood where there was a small mining town +built of tents, many of which were used as gambling places. These places +were occupied by gentlemen, some of whom wore white shirts to +distinguish them, I presume, from the common herd of miners from whom +they won their dust. + +We crossed the American River at Salmon Falls, and walked thence on to +Sacramento City, which was the largest town we had seen on the coast. +The houses were all small wooden ones, but business seemed to be brisk, +and whiskey shops and gambling houses plenty. One game played with three +cards, called three card Monte, was played openly on the streets, with +goods boxes for tables. Every one who came along was urged to bet by the +dealer who would lay out his cards face up so all could see them, then +turn them over and shuffle them and say "I'll bet six ounces that no one +can put his finger on the queen." I watched this a while and saw that +the dealer won much oftener than he lost, and it seemed to be a simple +and easy way to make a living when money was plenty. + +We strolled around town looking at the sights, and the different +business places, the most lively of which had plenty of music inside, +lots of tables with plenty of money on them, and many questionable lady +occupants. These business places were liberally patronized and every +department flourishing, especially the bar. Oaths and vulgar language +were the favorite style of speech, and very many of the people had all +the whiskey down them that they could conveniently carry. + +We got through the town safely and at the river we found a steamboat +bound for San Francisco and the fare was two ounces. The runners were +calling loudly for passengers, and we were told we could never make the +trip any cheaper for they had received a telegram from below saying that +no boat would come up again for two days. I said to him "I can't see +your telegram. Where is it?" At this he turned and left us. He had +thought, no doubt, that miners were green enough to believe anything. In +the course of an hour the smoke of a steamer was seen down the river, +and this beat out the runners who now offered passage for half an ounce. + +At this time there was no telegraph and the delay was a lucky one for +us. We took passage and went to San Francisco that night, where we put +up at a cheap tavern near where the Custom House now stands. + +Here we learned that we would have to wait two days before a ship would +sail for Panama, and during this time we surveyed the town from the +hill-tops and walked all over the principal streets. It was really a +small, poorly built, dirty looking place, with few wharves, poor, cheap +hotels, and very rough inhabitants. There were lots of gambling houses +full of tables holding money, and the rooms filled with pretty rough +looking people, except the card dealers, most of whom wore white shirts, +and a few sported plug hats. There was also a "right smart sprinkling" +of ladies present who were well dressed and adorned with rich jewelry, +and their position seemed to be that of paying teller at the gambling +tables. + +The buildings seemed to be rather cheap, although material was very +expensive, as well as labor, mechanics of all sorts getting as much as +ten or twelve dollars per day for work. Coin seemed to be scarce, and a +great deal of the money needed on the gambling tables was represented by +iron washers, each of which represented an ounce of gold. + +I noticed some places in the streets where it was muddy and a narrow +walk had been made out of boxes of tobacco, and sometimes even bacon was +used for the same purpose. Transportation from the city to the mines was +very slow and made by schooner. Ship loads of merchandise had arrived +and been unloaded, and the sailors having run away to the mines, +everything except whiskey and cards was neglected. Whiskey sold at this +place for fifty cents a drink. + +A man at the tavern where we stopped tried hard to sell me a fifty-vara +lot there in the edge of the mud (near where the Custom House now +stands) for six hundred dollars. I thought this a pretty high price and +besides such a lot was no use to me, for I had never lived in town and +could not so easily see the uses to which such property could be put. It +seemed very doubtful to me that this place would ever be much larger or +amount to much, for it evidently depended on the mines for a support, +and these were so shallow that it looked as if they would be worked out +in a short time and the country and town both be deserted. And I was not +alone in thinking that the country would soon be deserted, for +accustomed as we all had been to a showery summer, these dry seasons +would seem entirely to prevent extensive farming. Some cursed the +country and said they were on their way to "good old Missouri, God's own +country." Hearing so much I concluded it would be wise not to invest, +but to get me back to Wisconsin again. + +The steamer we took passage in was the Northerner, advertised to sail on +the twenty-ninth day of November, 1850. The cabin room was all engaged, +and they charged us nine ounces for steerage passage; but I did not care +as much about their good rooms and clean sheets as I would have done at +one time, for I had been a long time without either and did not care to +pay the difference. When we were at the ship's office we had to take our +turns to get tickets. One man weighed out the dust, and another filled +out certificates. When the callers began to get a little scarce I looked +under the counter where I saw a whole panful of dust to which they added +mine to make the pile a little higher. They gave out no berths with +these tickets, but such little things as that did not trouble us in the +least. It was far better fare than we used to have in and about Death +Valley, and we thought we could live through anything that promised +better than the desert. + +The passenger list footed up four hundred and forty, and when all got on +board, at about ten o'clock in the morning, there was hardly room for +all to stand up comfortably. It seemed to me to be a very much +over-crowded boat in which to put to sea, but we floated out into the +current, with all the faces toward the shore, and hats and handkerchiefs +waving goodbye to those who had come down to see the home-goers safely +off. + +As we passed out through the wonderful Golden Gate and the out going +current met the solid sea, each seemed wrestling for the mastery, and +the waves beat and dashed themselves into foam all around us, while the +spray came over the bows quite lively, frightening some who did not +expect such treatment. When we had passed this scene of watery commotion +and got out into the deeper water, the sea smoothed down a great deal; +but sea-sickness began to claim its victims, at first a few, then more +and more, till the greater part were quite badly affected. I had a touch +of it myself, but managed to keep my feet by bracing out pretty wide, +and hugging everything I could get hold of that seemed to offer a steady +support, and I did not lie down until after I had thrown my breakfast +overboard. + +By the time dark came nearly every one was on his back, mostly on deck, +and no one asleep. All were retching and moaning bitterly. Some who had +a few hours before cursed California now cursed the sea, and declared +that if they could induce the Captain to turn about and put them back on +shore again, they would rather creep on their hands and knees clear back +to old Missouri over rocks and sand, than to ride any further on such a +miserable old boat as this one was. + +Next morning the decks looked pretty filthy, and about all the food the +passengers had eaten was now spread about the decks in a half digested +condition. Most of the passengers were very sick. With the early +daylight the sailors coupled the hose to the big steam pump, and began +the work of washing and scrubbing off the decks, and though many begged +hard to be left alone as they were, with all the filth, a good flood of +salt water was the only answer they received to their pleading, and they +were compelled to move, for the sailors said they could not change their +orders without the Captain, and he would not be out of bed till ten +o'clock or later. So the cursing and swearing went for naught, and the +decks were clean again. There were no deaths to report, but there were +very few to do duty at the tables in eating the food prepared for them. +After a few days the tables filled up again, and now it took them so +long to eat that there had to be an order for only two meals a day or +there would not have been a chance for all to get something. They were +terribly hungry now, and every one seemed to try his best to take in +provisions enough to last him for at least twelve hours. + +As the fellows began to get their sea legs on, they began to talk as if +they were still in California, and could easily manage any little boat +like this, and could run things as they did when they crossed the +plains, where no sheriff, court or judge had anything to say about +matters, and all law was left behind. They began to act as if they were +lords over all they could see, and as many of them were from the +Southern states, they seemed to take an especial pride in boasting of +how they did as they pleased, about like the Helms brothers. They talked +as if they could run the world, or the universe even, themselves without +assistance. + +One morning at breakfast, when the table was full and the waiters +scarce, some of these fellows swore and talked pretty rough, and as a +waiter was passing a blue-blood from New Orleans rose in his seat and +called for sugar, holding the empty bowl in his hand, but the waiter +passed on and paid no attention, and when a mulatto waiter came along +behind him the angry man damned him the worst he could, ordering him to +bring a bowl of sugar, quick. This waiter did not stop and the Louisiana +man threw the bowl at the waiter's head, but missed it, and the bowl +went crashing against the side of the ship. I expected surely the +Captain and his men would come and put the unruly fellow in irons, and +there might be a fight or a riot, so I cut my meal short and went on +deck about as soon as I could do so, thinking that would be a safer +place. But the Captain seemed to know about how to manage such fellows, +and never left his stateroom, which I think was a wise move. The darky +did not make his appearance at table afterwards, and the man who threw +the bowl said that colored folks had to mind a gentleman when he spoke +to them, or fare worse. + +The Captain now got out his passenger list, and we all had to pass +through a narrow space near the wheel-house and every one answer to his +name and show his ticket. This made work for about one day. Some +stowaways were found and put down into the hole to heave coal. One day +the Captain and mate were out taking an observation on the sun when a +young Missourian stepped up to see what was being done, and said to the +Captain:--"Captain, don't you think I could learn how to do that kind of +business?" The Captain took the young man's hand and looked at his nails +which were very rough and dirty and said:--"No my lad; boys with such +finger nails can't learn navigation." This made a big laugh at the brave +lubber's expense. + +Many of the sea-sick ones did not get up so soon, and some died of that, +or something else, and their bodies were sewed up in blankets with a +bushel of coal at their feet to sink them, and thrown overboard. The +bodies were laid out on a plank at the ship's side, the Captain would +read a very brief service, and the sailors would, at the appropriate +time, raise the end of the plank so that the body slid off and went down +out of sight in a moment. + +In due time we went into the harbor of Acapulco for water and coal. Here +nearly every one went on shore, and as there was no wharf for the vessel +to lie to, the native canoes had many passengers at a dollar apiece for +passage money. Out back of town there was a small stream of clear water +which was warm and nice to bathe in, and some places three or four feet +deep, so that a great many stripped off for a good wash which was said +to be very healthful in this climate. Many native women were on hand +with soap and towels ready to give any one a good scrubbing for _dos +reales_, (twenty-five cents) and those who employed them said they did a +good, satisfactory job. + +As I returned to town the streets seemed to be deserted, and I saw one +man come out on an adjoining street, and after running a few steps, fall +down on his face. Hearing the report of a gun at the same time, I +hurried on to get out of danger, but I afterward learned that the man +was a travelling gambler who had come across the country from Mexico, +and that he was killed as he fell. No one seemed to care for him. + +Near the beach were some large trees, and under them dancing was going +on to the music of the guitar. There were plenty of pretty Spanish girls +for partners, and these and our boys made up an interesting party. The +girls did not seem at all bashful or afraid of the boys, and though they +could not talk together very much they got along with the sign language, +and the ladies seemed very fond of the _Americanos_. + +There was a fort here, a regular moss-backed old concern, and the +soldiers were bare footed and did not need much clothing. + +The cattle that were taken on board here were made to swim out to the +ship, and then, with a rope around their horns, hoisted on deck, a +distance of perhaps forty feet above the water. The maddened brutes were +put into a secure stall ready for the ship's butcher. The small boys +came around the ship in canoes, and begged the passengers to throw them +out a dime, and when the coin struck the water they would dive for it, +never losing a single one. One man dropped a bright bullet and the boy +who dove for it was so enraged that he called him a d----d Gringo +(Englishman.) None of these boys wore any clothes. + +This town, like all Spanish towns, was composed of one-story houses, +with dry mud, fire-proof walls. The country around looked very +mountainous and barren, and comfortably warm. + +After two days we were called on board, and soon set sail for sea again; +and now, as we approached the equator, it became uncomfortably warm and +an awning was put over the upper deck. All heavy clothing was laid +aside, and anyone who had any amount of money on his person was unable +to conceal it; but no one seemed to have any fear of theft, for a thief +could not conceal anything he should steal, and no one reported anything +lost. There was occasionally a dead body to be consigned to a watery +grave. + +A few days out from here and we were again mustered as before to show +our tickets, which were carefully examined. + +It seemed strange to me that the water was the poorest fare we had. It +was sickish tasting stuff, and so warm it would do very well for +dish-water. + +There were many interesting things to see. Sometimes it would be +spouting whales; sometimes great black masses rolling on the water, +looking like a ship bottom upward, which some said were black-fish. Some +fish seemed to be at play, and would jump ten feet or more out of the +water. The flying fish would skim over the waves as the ship's wheels +seemed to frighten them; and we went through a hundred acres of +porpoises, all going the same way. The ship plowed right through them, +but none seemed to get hurt by the wheels. Perhaps they were emigrants +like ourselves in search of a better place. + +It now became terribly hot, and the sun was nearly overhead at noon. +Sometimes a shark could be seen along-side, and though he seemed to make +no effort, easily kept up with the moving ship. Occasionally we saw a +sea snake navigating the ocean all by himself. I did not understand how +these fellows went to sea and lived so far from land. The flying fish +seemed to be more plentiful as we went along, and would leave the water +and scud along before us. + +We had evening concerts on the forecastle, managed by the sailors. Their +songs were not sacred songs by any means, and many of them hardly fit to +be heard by delicate ears. We again had to run the gauntlet of the +narrow passage and have our tickets looked over, and this time a new +stowaway was found, and he straightway made application for a job. "Go +below, sir" was all the Captain said. Several died and had their sea +burial, and some who had been so sick all the way as not to get out of +bed, proved tough enough to stand the climate pretty well. + +As we were nearing Panama the doctor posted a notice to the mast +cautioning us against eating much fruit while on shore, as it was very +dangerous when eaten to excess. We anchored some little distance from +the shore and had to land in small boats managed by the natives. I went +in one, and when the boat grounded at the beach the boatman took me on +his back and set me on shore, demanding two dollars for the job, which I +paid, and he served the whole crowd in the same way. The water here was +blood warm, and they told me the tide ran very high. + +This was a strange old town to me, walled in on all sides, a small plaza +in the center with a Catholic church on one side, and the other houses +were mostly two story. On the side next to the beach was a high, thick +wall which contained cells that were used for a jail, and on top were +some dismounted cannon, long and old fashioned. + +The soldiers were poor, lazy fellows, barefooted, and had very poor +looking guns. Going out and in all had to pass through a large gateway, +but they asked no questions. The streets were very narrow and dirty and +the sleeping rooms in the second story of the houses seemed to be +inhabited by cats. For bed clothes was needed only a single sheet. On +the roofs all around sat turkey buzzards, and anything that fell in the +streets that was possible for them to eat, was gobbled up very quickly. +They were as tame as chickens, and walked around as fearless and lordly +as tame turkeys. In consideration of their cleaning up the streets +without pay, they were protected by law. One of the passengers could not +resist the temptation to shoot one, and a small squad of soldiers were +soon after him, and came into a room where there were fifty of us, but +could not find their man. He would have been sent to jail if he had been +caught. We had to pay one dollar a night for beds in these rooms, and +they counted money at the rate of eight dimes to the dollar. + +The old town of Panama lies a little south in the edge of the sea, and +was destroyed by an earthquake long ago I was told. To me, raised in the +north, everything was very new and strange in way of living, style of +building and kind of produce. There were donkeys, parrots and all kinds +of monkeys in plenty. Most of the women were of very dark complexion, +and not dressed very stylishly, while the younger population did not +have even a fig leaf, or anything to take its place. The adults dressed +very economically, for the days are summer days all the year round, and +the clothing is scanty and cheap for either sex. + +The cattle were small, pale red creatures, and not inclined to be very +fat, and the birds mostly of the parrot kind. The market plaza is +outside the walls, and a small stream runs through it, with the banks +pretty thickly occupied by washerwomen. All the washing was done without +the aid of a fire. + +On the plaza there were plenty of donkeys loaded with truck of all +sorts, from wood, green grass, cocoa-nuts and sugar-cane to parrots, +monkeys and all kinds of tropical fruits. Outside the walls the houses +were made of stakes interwoven with palm leaves, and everything was +green as well as the grass and trees. Very little of the ground seemed +to be cultivated, and the people were lazy and idle, for they could live +so easily on the wild products of the country. A white man here would +soon sweat out all his ambition and enterprise, and would be almost +certain to catch the Panama yellow fever. The common class of the people +here, I should say, were Spanish and negro mixed, and they seem to get +along pretty well; but the country is not suitable for white people. It +seems to have been made on purpose for donkeys, parrots and long-heeled +negroes. + +The cabin passengers engaged all the horses and mules the country +afforded on which to ride across the Chagres River, so it fell to the +lot of myself and companion to transfer ourselves on foot, which was +pretty hard work in the hot and sultry weather. My gold dust began to +grow pretty heavy as I went along, and though I had only about two +thousand dollars, weighing about ten pounds, it seemed to me that it +weighed fifty pounds by the way that it bore down upon my shoulders and +wore sore places on them. It really was burdensome. I had worn it on my +person night and day ever since leaving the mines, and I had some little +fear of being robbed when off the ship. + +Our road had been some day paved with cobble stones. At the outskirts of +the town we met a native coming in with a big green lizard, about two +feet long, which he was hauling and driving along with a string around +its neck. I wondered if this was not a Panama butcher bringing in a +fresh supply of meat. + +When we reached the hills on our way from Panama, the paved road ended +and we had only a mule trail to follow. The whole country was so densely +timbered that no man could go very far without a cleared road. In some +places we passed over hills of solid rock, but it was of a soft nature +so that the trail was worn down very deep, and we had to take the same +regular steps that the mules did, for their tracks were worn down a foot +or more. On the road we would occasionally meet a native with a heavy +pack on his back, a long staff in each hand, and a solid half-length +sword by his side. He, like the burro, grunted every step he took. They +seemed to carry unreasonably heavy loads on their backs, such as boxes +and trunks, but there was no other way of getting either freight or +baggage across the isthmus at that time. + +It looked to me as if this trail might be just such a one as one would +expect robbers to frequent, for it would of course be expected that +Californians would carry considerable money with them, and we might +reasonably look out for this sort of gentry at any turn of the trail. We +were generally without weapons, and we should have to deliver on demand, +and if any one was killed the body could easily be concealed in the +thick brush on either side of the trail, and no special search for +anyone missing would occur. + +About noon one day we came to a native hut, and saw growing on a tree +near by something that looked like oranges, and we made very straight +tracks with the idea of picking some and having a feast, but some of the +people in the shanty called out to us and made motions for us not to +pick them for they were no good; so we missed our treat of oranges and +contented ourselves with a big drink of water and walked on. + +After a little more travel we came to another shanty made of poles and +palm leaves, occupied by an American. He was a tall, raw-boned, +cadaverous looking way-side renegade who looked as if the blood had all +been pumped out of his veins, and he claimed to be sick. He said he was +one of the Texas royal sons. We applied for some dinner and he lazily +told us there were flour, tea and bacon and that we could help +ourselves. I wet up some flour and baked some cakes, made some poor tea, +and fried some bacon. We all got a sort of dinner out of his pantry +stuff, and left him a dollar apiece for the accommodation. As we walked +on my companion gave out and could carry his bundle no longer, so I took +it, along with my own, and we got on as fast as we could, but darkness +came on us before we reached the Chagres River and we had to stay all +night at a native hut. We had some supper consisting of some very poor +coffee, crackers, and a couple of eggs apiece, and had to sleep out +under a tree where we knew we might find lizards, snakes, and other +poisonous reptiles, and perhaps a thieving monkey might pick our pockets +while we slept. + +Before it was entirely dark many who rode horses came along, many of +them ladies, and following the custom of the country, they all rode +astride. Among this crowd was one middle-aged and somewhat corpulent old +fellow, by profession a sea-captain, who put on many airs. The old +fellow put on his cool white coat--in fact, a white suit throughout--and +in this tropical climate he looked very comfortable, indeed, thus +attired. He filled his breast pocket with fine cigars, and put in the +other pocket a flask with some medicine in it which was good for snake +bites, and also tending to produce courage in case the man, not used to +horse-back riding, should find his natural spirits failing. The rest of +his luggage was placed on pack animals, and in fact the only way luggage +was carried in those days was either on the backs of donkeys or men. + +All was ready for a start, and the captain in his snow-white suit was +mounted on a mule so small that his feet nearly touched the ground. The +little animal had a mind of his own, and at first did not seem inclined +to start out readily, but after a bit concluded to follow his fellow +animals, and all went well. + +The rider was much amused at what he saw; sometimes a very lively +monkey, sometimes a flock: of paroquets or a high-colored lizard--and so +he rode along with a very happy air, holding his head up, and smoking a +fragrant Havana with much grace. The road was rough and rocky, with a +mud-hole now and then of rather uncertain depth. At every one of these +mud-holes the Captain's mule would stop, put down his head, blow his +nose and look wise, and then carefully sound the miniature sea with his +fore-feet, being altogether too cautious to suit his rider who had never +been accustomed to a craft that was afraid of water. + +At one of these performances the mule evidently concluded the sea before +him was not safe, for when the captain tried to persuade him to cross +his persuasions had no effect. Then he coaxed him with voice gentle, +soft and low, with the result that the little animal took a few very +short steps and then came to anchor again. Then the captain began to get +slightly roiled in temper, and the voice was not so gentle, sweet and +low, but it had no greater effect upon his craft. He began to get +anxious, for the others had gone on, and he thought perhaps he might be +left. + +Now, this sea-faring man had armed his heels with the large Spanish +spurs so common in the country, and bringing them in contact with the +force due to considerable impatience, Mr. Mule was quite suddenly and +painfully aware of the result. This was harsher treatment than he could +peaceably submit to, and at the second application of the spurs a pair +of small hoofs were very high in the air and the captain very low on his +back in the mud and water, having been blown from the hurricane deck of +his craft in a very sudden and lively style. The philosophical mule +stood very still and looked on while the white coat and pantaloons were +changing to a dirty brown, and watched the captain as he waded out, to +the accompaniment of some very vigorous swear words. + +Both the man and beast looked very doubtful of each other's future +actions, but the man shook the water off and bestowed some lively kicks +on his muleship which made him bounce into and through the mud-hole, and +the captain, still holding the bridle, followed after. Once across the +pool the captain set his marine eye on the only craft that had been too +much for his navigation and said "Vengeance should be mine," and in this +doubtful state of mind he cautiously mounted his beast again and fully +resolved to stick to the deck, hereafter, at all hazards, he hurried on +and soon overtook the train again, looking quite like a half drowned +rooster. The others laughed at him and told him they could find better +water a little way ahead, at the river, and they would see him safely +in. The captain was over his pet, and made as much fun as any of them, +declaring that he could not navigate such a bloody craft as that in such +limited sea room, for it was dangerous even when there was no gale to +speak of. + +The ladies did not blush at the new and convenient costumes which they +saw in this country, and laughed a good deal over the way of traveling +they had to adopt. Any who were sick were carried in a kind of chair +strapped to the back of a native. Passengers were strung along the road +for miles, going and coming. We would occasionally sit down awhile and +let the sweat run off while a party of them passed us. Some were mounted +on horses, some on mules, and some on donkeys, and they had to pay +twelve dollars for the use of an animal for the trip. + +Our night at this wayside deadfall was not much better than some of the +nights about Death Valley, but as I was used to low fare, I did not +complain as some did. This seemed a wonderful country to a northern +raised boy. The trail was lined on both sides with all kinds of palms +and various other kinds of trees and shrubs, and they were woven +together in a compact mass with trailing and running vines. The trees +were not tall, and the bark was as smooth as a young hickory. The roots +would start out of the tree three feet above the ground and stand out at +an angle, and looked like big planks placed edgewise. + +It seemed as if there were too many plants for the ground to support, +and so they grew on the big limbs of the trees all around, the same as +the mistletoe on the oak, only there were ever so many different kinds. + +The weather was very clear, and the sun so hot that many of the +travelers began to wilt and sit down by the roadside to rest. Many +walked along very slowly and wore long faces. The road from Panama to +Crucez, on the Chagres River, was eighteen miles long, and all were glad +when they were on the last end of it. The climate here seems to take all +the starch and energy out of a man's body, and in this condition he must +be very cautious or some disease will overtake him and he will be left +to die without burial for his body if he has no personal friends with +him. + +We started on the next morning, and on our way stepped over a large ship +anchor that lay across the trail. I suppose the natives had undertaken +to pack it across the isthmus and found it too heavy for them. Perhaps +it was for Capt. Kidd, the great pirate, for it is said that he often +visited Panama in the course of his cruising about in search of +treasures. + +Passing along a sandy place in the trail, a snake crossed and left his +track, big as a stovepipe it seemed to be, and after this we kept a +sharp watch for big snakes that might be in waiting to waylay us for +game. + +There were plenty of monkeys and parrots climbing and chattering around +in the trees. The forest is here so dense that the wind never blows, and +consequently it never gets cool. The sun, ever since we got down near +the equator, was nearly overhead, and the moon seemed to be even north +of us. + +When we reached the Chagres River we hired a boat of an Irishman for the +trip down. I wondered if there was a place on earth so desolate that the +"Paddy" would not find it. The boat for the journey cost two hundred +dollars, and would hold passengers enough so that it would cost us ten +dollars each, at any rate, and perhaps a little more. Two natives had +charge of the boat and did the navigating. There were two ladies among +the passengers, and when the two natives, who I suppose were the captain +and mate of the craft, came on board, clad very coolly in Panama hats, +the ladies looked at them a little out of the corners of their eyes and +made the best of it. Our two navigators took the oars and pulled slowly +down the stream. + +Nothing but water and evergreen trees could we see, for the shore on +either hand was completely hidden by the dense growth that hung over and +touched the water. On a mud bar that we passed a huge alligator lay, +taking a sun bath, and though many shots were fired at him he moved away +very leisurely. No one could get on shore without first clearing a road +through the thick brushes and vines along the bank. On the way one of +our boatmen lost his hat, his only garment, into the river, and +overboard he went, like a dog, and soon had it and climbed on board +again. I wondered why some of the big alligators did not make a snap at +him. + +The water in the run looked very roily and dirty, and no doubt had fever +in it. The only animals we saw were monkeys and alligators, and there +were parrots in the trees. The farther we went down the stream the wider +it became, and the current slacker so that we moved more slowly with the +same amount of rowing. At a place called Dos Hermanos (two brothers) we +could see a little cleared spot near the bank, which seemed to be three +or four feet above the water. There were no mountains nor hills in +sight, and the whole country seemed to be an extensive swamp. It was +near night that we came to a small native village of palm huts, and here +our boatmen landed and hid themselves, and not being able to find them +we were compelled to stay all night, for we dare not go on alone. The +place looked like a regular robbers' roost, and being forced to sleep +outside the huts, we considered it safest to sleep with one eye open. We +would have gone on with the boat only that we were afraid the river +might have more than one outlet, and if we should take the wrong one we +might be too late for the steamer, which even now we were afraid would +not wait for us, and getting left would be a very serious matter in this +country. + +We had very little to eat, and all we could buy was sugar cane, bananas, +monkeys and parrots. We kept a sharp eye out for robbers, keeping +together as much as we could, for we knew that all returning +Californians would be suspected of having money. Most all of them were +ready for war except myself who had no weapon of any kind. All of these +people had a bad name, and every one of them carried a long bladed knife +called a Macheta, with which they could kill a man at a single blow. But +with all our fears we got through the night safely, and in the morning +found our boatmen who had hidden away. We waited not for breakfast, but +sailed away as soon as we could, and reached Chagres, near the mouth of +the river, before night. + +The river banks here are not more than three feet high, and farther back +the land fell off again into a wet swamp of timber and dense vegetable +growth. The town was small and poorly built, on the immediate bank, and +the houses were little brush and palm affairs except the boarding house +which was "T" shaped, the front two stories high, with a long dining +room running back, having holes for windows, but no glass in them. + +Before the bell rung for meals a long string of hungry men would form in +line, and at the first tap would make a rush for the table like a flock +of sheep. After all were seated a waiter came around and collected a +dollar from each one, and we thought this paid pretty well for the very +poor grub they served afterwards. + +No ship had as yet been in sight to take us away from this lowest, +dirtiest, most unhealthful place on earth, and the prospect of remaining +here had nothing very charming about it. The river was full of +alligators, so the bathing was dangerous, and the whole country was +about fit for its inhabitants, which were snakes, alligators, monkeys, +parrots and lazy negroes. It could not have been more filthy if the +dregs of the whole earth had been dumped here, and cholera and yellow +fever were easy for a decent man to catch. + +My companion and I went out on the beach a mile or two to get the salt +water breeze, and leave the stinking malaria for those who chose to stay +in the hot, suffocating village, and here we would stay until nearly +night. Across a small neck of water was what was called a fort. It could +hardly be seen it was so covered with moss and vines, but near the top +could be seen something that looked like old walls. There was no sign of +life about it, and I should judge it was built at some very early day. +Surely there was nothing here to protect, for the whole country did not +seem able to support even a few barefooted soldiers. + +Some men who wandered along up the river bank, following a path, said +they had seen some dead human bodies thrown into the swamp and left, +probably because it was easier than putting them under ground. + +For a bedroom I hired a little platform which a store keeper had placed +before his store, where I slept, and paid a dollar for the privilege. +Some one walked around near me all night, and I dared not close more +than one eye at a time for fear of losing a little bag of gold dust. +This little bag of gold was getting to be a great burden to me in this +sickly climate, and the vigilant guard I had to keep over so small a +treasure was very tiresome. + +The second night no steamer came, but on the third morning the steamer +was riding at anchor three or four miles out, and soon after a ship came +in from the Atlantic end of the Nicaragua route with one thousand +passengers, there being no steamer there for them to take a passage home +on, and so they had to come here for a start. This filled the little +town to overflowing, but as the ship that had arrived was the Georga, +one of the largest afloat, all could go if they only could endure the +fare. + +We now had to go in small boats from the shore to the ship, and the trip +cost two dollars and a half. I waited till I had seen some of the boats +make a trip or two, and then choosing one that had a sober skipper, I +made the venture. It was said that one drunken boatman allowed his boat +to drift into some breakers and all were lost. + +I tell you I was over anxious to get out of this country, for I well +knew that if I stayed very long I should stay forever, for one like +myself raised in a healthful climate, could not remain long without +taking some of the fatal diseases the country was full of. + +We made the trip to the vessel safely, and as our boat lay under the +ship's quarter, the men holding the ropes, I looked up, and when I saw +the swinging rope ladder on which I was expected to climb up to the +ship's deck, it seemed a pretty dangerous job; but I mustered up courage +and made the attempt. The sea was pretty rough out here for the small +boats, and the ship rolled some, so that when persons tried to get hold +of the ladder they were thrown down and sometimes hurt a little. A man +held on to the lower end of the ladder so that the one who was climbing +might not get banged against the side of the ship and have his breath +knocked out of him, I mounted the ladder safely and climbed away like a +monkey, reaching the deck all right. Ladies and weak people were hauled +up in a sort of chair with a block and rope. + +It took the most of two days to get the people on board, and when they +were counted up there were one thousand four hundred and forty, all +told. This steamer had a very long upper deck and a comparatively short +keel, and rolled very badly; and as for me, I had swallowed so much of +the deadly malaria of the isthmus that I soon got very seasick, and the +first day or two were very unpleasant. I went to the bar and paid two +bits for a glass of wine to help my appetite, but it staid with me no +longer than time enough to reach the ship's side. When night came the +decks were covered with sleepy men, and if the weather had been rough +and all sick, as was the case when we left San Francisco, we should have +had more filthy decks than we had even on that occasion. + +Approaching the harbor at Havana, Cuba, we seemed to be going head +foremost against a wall of solid rock, but when within speaking distance +an officer came in sight on the fort right before us, and shouted +through his speaking trumpet, saying:--"Why don't you salute us?" Our +officer said, "You know us well enough without." Our ship had a small +cannon on the forecastle, but did not choose to use it, and I suppose +the Cuban officer felt slighted. We now turned short to the right and +entered the beautiful harbor, which is perfectly landlocked and as still +as a pond. The city is all on the right side of the bay and our coal +yard was on the left at a short wharf at which we landed. + +A lot of armed soldiers were placed a short distance back on the high +ground and no one was allowed to go beyond them. We now had a port +officer on board who had entire charge of the ship, and if anyone wanted +to go to the city, across the bay two or three miles, he had to pay a +dollar for a pass. This pass business made the blue bloods terribly +angry, and they swore long and loud, and the longer they talked the +madder they got, and more bitter in their feelings, so that they were +ready to fight (not with sugar-bowls this time.) + +The weather here was very warm and the heat powerful, and as these +fellows saw there was only one course to be pursued if they wanted to +get on shore, they slowly took passes good for all day and paid their +dollar for them, and also another dollar each to the canoe men to take +them to the city. Myself and companion also took passes and went over. + +Arriving at the city we walked a short distance and came to the plaza, +which is not a very large one. Here was a single grave nicely fenced in, +and across the plaza were some large two-story houses in front of which +was stationed a squad of cavalry standing as motionless as if every man +of them was a marble statue. We kept on the opposite side of the street, +and chancing to meet a man whom we rightly supposed to be an Englishman, +we inquired about the grave on the plaza and were informed that it was +that of Christopher Columbus, the discoverer of America. + +Just then we noticed the cavalry moving up the street at a slow gallop, +and so formed that a close carriage was in the center of the squad. As +they rushed by and we gazed at them with purely American curiousity, our +new English friend raised our hats for us and held them till the +cavalcade had passed, merely remarking that the Governor General was +within the carriage. We spoke perhaps a bit unpleasantly when we asked +him why he was so ungentlemanly in his treatment of us as to remove our +hats, but he said:--"My friends, if I had not taken off your hats for +you as a friend, some of those other fellows would have knocked them +off, so I did for you an act of greatest kindness, for every one removes +his hat when the Governor General passes." He also informed us that the +special occasion for this rather pompous parade was the execution of +some criminals at a park or prison not far away, and that this was done +by beheading them. + +Our friend proposed that we also walk out in that direction, and we went +with him to the edge of the city, but when he turned into a by path that +did not seem much frequented, we declined to follow farther, and turned +back along the open road. The path looked to us a sort of robber's +route, and not exactly safe for unarmed men like us in a strange +country. + +The man followed us back and took us into a large, airy saloon, in the +center of which a big fountain was playing, and the great basin in which +the water fell was filled with beautiful fish. Our friend called for an +iced drink for each of us, and as we sat at the table we tasted it and +found it rather intoxicating. For this they charged us one dollar each, +but we noticed that our friend paid nothing, and we set him down as a +sort of capper, after the style we had seen at the gold mines. We sat a +few minutes and then so coolly bade our friend good-bye that he had not +the face to follow us further, and continued our walk about the streets +which seemed to us very narrow, and the houses generally two stories +high. + +A chaise passed us, containing two young ladies with complexions white +and fair, and eyes and hair black, in striking contrast. The carriage +was drawn by two horses tandem, the horse in the shafts being mounted by +a big negro of very dignified appearance, dressed in livery and having +top boots that came to his knees. This was the only vehicle of the kind +we saw on the streets. + +We did not dare to go very far alone, for with our ignorance of the +Spanish language we might go astray and not get back to the ship within +the lifetime of our passes, and not knowing how much trouble that might +cause us, we were naturally a little timid; so we took a boat back to +the ship, and when on board again we felt safe. We had only about four +dollars cash left. + +A big gang of darkies were coaling the ship. Each one carried a large +tub full of coal upon his head and poured it down into the ship's hold. +All the clothes these fellows wore was a strip of cloth about their +middle. When they were let off for dinner they skimmed off all they +could get from the ship's slop barrel which stood on the wharf +alongside, to help out their very scanty food. The overseer stood by +them all the time with a big whip and made them hurry up as fast as +possible, talking Spanish pretty vigorously, and though we could not +understand, we made up our minds that a good part of it was swearing. + +The next morning the steamship Prometheus came in and tied up near us, +and soon word was brought that she would take the New Orleans passengers +on board and sail immediately for that port. It now occurred to me that +I could get nearer home by going up the Mississippi River than by way of +New York, so I went on board the Prometheus, and we soon sailed out of +the harbor, passing under the gate of the fortress called, I think, San +Juan de Ulloa. + +Nothing special occurred during our passage till we were near the mouth +of the Mississippi River, when, in the absence of a pilot boat or tug, +our Captain thought he would try to get in alone, and as a consequence +we were soon fast in the mud. The Captain now made all the passengers go +aft, and worked the engine hard but could not move her at all. The tide +was now low, and there was a prospect that we should have to wait full +six hours to get away. We worked on, however, and after a few hours a +tug came to our assistance and pulled us out of the mud and towed us +into the right channel, up which we steamed on our way to New Orleans, +one-hundred-twenty miles away. + +The country on both sides of us was an immense marsh--no hills in sight, +no timber, nothing but the same level marsh or prairie. When we were +nearer the Crescent City some houses came in sight; then we passed +General Jackson's battle-field, and in due time reached the city. + +On board this ship I became acquainted with Dick Evans who lived in the +same county that I used to in Wisconsin, near Mineral Point, so the +three of us now concluded to travel together. + +New Orleans seemed to be a very large city. Near the levee a large +government building was in course of construction for a Custom House. It +was all of stone, and the walls were up about two stories. We put up at +a private boarding house, and the first business was to try and sell our +gold dust. So we went to the mint and were told we would have to wait +ten days to run it through the mill, and we did not like to wait so +long. We were shown all through the mint and saw all the wonders of coin +making. Every thing seemed perfect here. Beautiful machinery was in +operation making all sizes of gold coins, from a twenty dollar piece +down. Strips of gold bands about six feet long and of the proper +thickness for twenty dollar pieces are run through a machine which cuts +out the pieces, and when these are cut they can stamp out the pieces as +fast as one can count. + +This was the most ingenious work I ever saw, and very wonderful and +astonishing to a backwoodsman like myself, for I supposed that money was +run in moulds like bullets. + +As we could not wait we went to a bank and sold our dust, getting only +sixteen dollars per ounce, the same price they paid in California. We +now took the cars and rode out to Lake Ponchartrain--most of the way +over a trestle work. We found a wharf and warehouse at the lake, and a +steamer lay there all ready to go across to the other side. The country +all about looked low, with no hills in sight. + +When we returned to the city we looked all about, and in the course of +our travels came to a slave market. Here there were all sorts of black +folks for sale; big and little, old and young and all sorts. They all +seemed good-natured, and were clean, and seemed to think they were worth +a good deal of money. Looking at them a few minutes sent my mind back to +St. Joseph, Missouri, where I saw a black sold at auction. From my +standpoint of education I did not approve of this way of trading in +colored people. + +We continued our stroll about the city, coming to a cemetery, where I +looked into a newly dug grave to find it half full of water. On one side +were many brick vaults above ground. The ground here is very low and +wet, and seemed to be all swamp. The drainage was in surface gutters, +and in them the water stood nearly still. It seemed to me such water +must have yellow fever in it. + +For a long way along the levee the steamboats lay thick and close +together, unloading cotton, hemp, sugar, hoop poles, bacon and other +products, mostly the product of negro labor. + +Here our friend Evans was taken sick, and as he got no better after a +day or two, we called a doctor to examine him. He pronounced it a mild +case of yellow fever. His skin was yellow in places, and he looked very +badly. The doctor advised us to go on up the river, saying it was very +dangerous staying here with him. Evans gave me most of his money and all +of his gold specimens to take to his wife, and when he got well he would +follow us. We bade him good-bye, and with many wishes for his speedy +recovery, we took passage on a steamer for St. Louis. This steamer, the +Atlantic, proved to be a real floating palace in all respects. The table +was supplied with everything the country afforded, and polite and +well-dressed darkies were numerous as table waiters. This was the most +pleasant trip I had ever taken, and I could not help comparing the +luxuriance of my coming home to the hardships of the outward journey +across the plains, and our starvation fare. + +Our boat was rather large for the stage of water this time of year, and +we proceeded rather slowly, but I cared little for speed as bed and +board were extra good, and a first cabin passage in the company of +friends, many of whom were going to the same part of Wisconsin as +myself, was not a tedious affair by any means. + +At night gambling was carried on very extensively, and money changed +hands freely as the result of sundry games of poker, which was the +popular game. + +We reached St. Louis in time, and here was the end of our boat's run. +The river had some ice floating on its surface, and this plainly told us +that we were likely to meet more ice and colder weather as we went +north. We concluded to take the Illinois River boat from here to Peoria, +and paid our passage and stepped on board. We were no more than half way +through this trip when the ice began to form on the surface of the +water, and soon became so thick and strong that the boat finally came to +a perfect standstill, frozen in solid. + +We now engaged a farm wagon to take us to Peoria, from which place we +took regular stages for Galena. Our driver was inclined to be very +merciful to his horses, so we were two days in reaching that town, but +perhaps it was best, for the roads were icy and slippery, and the +weather of the real winter sort. From here we hired a team to take four +of us to Plattville, and then an eighteen-mile walk brought me to +Mineral Point, the place from which I started with my Winnebago pony in +1849. I had now finished my circle and brought both ends of the long +belt together. + +I now went to a drug store and weighed Mr. Evans' specimens, wrapping +each in a separate piece of paper, with the value marked on each, and +took them to his wife, to whom I told the news about her husband. In two +week's time he came home sound and well. + +I was quite disappointed in regard to the looks and business appearance +of the country. It looked thinly settled, people scarce, and business +dull. I could not get a day's work to do, and I could not go much +farther on foot, for the snow was eight or ten inches deep, and I was +still several hundred miles from my parents in Michigan. So my journey +farther east was delayed until spring. The hunting season was over, and +when I came into Mineral Point without a gun, and wore good clothes, +making a better appearance than I used to, they seemed to think I must +be rich and showed me marked attention, and made many inquiries about +their neighbors who started for California about the same time I did. +The young ladies smiled pleasantly when near me, and put on their best +white aprons, looking very tidy and bright, far superior to any of the +ladies I had seen in my crooked route from San Francisco through +Acapulco, Panama, the West Indies and along the Mississippi. + +After a few days in town I went out into the neighborhood where I used +to live and stopped with Mr. E.A. Hall, who used to be a neighbor of Mr. +Bennett, as he had invited me to stay with himself and wife, who were +the only occupants of a good house, and all was pleasant. But +notwithstanding all the comfort in which I was placed, I grew lonesome, +for the enforced idleness, on account of the stormy weather, was a new +feature in my life, and grew terribly monotonous. + +After some delay I concluded to write to my parents in Michigan and give +them a long letter with something of a history of my travels, and to +refresh my memory I got out my memorandum I had kept through all my +journey. + +As my letter was liable to be quite lengthy I bought a quantity of +foolscap paper and begun. I took my diary as my guide, and filled out +the ideas suggested in it so they would understand them. I soon ran +through with my paper and bought more, and kept on writing. The weather +was cold and stormy, and I found it the best occupation I could have to +prevent my being lonesome; so I worked away, day after day, for about a +month, and I was really quite tired of this sort of work before I had +all the facts recorded which I found noted down in my diary. My notes +began in March, 1849, in Wisconsin, and ended in February, 1852, on my +return to Mineral Point. I found, as the result of my elaboration, over +three hundred pages of closely written foolscap paper, and I felt very +much relieved when it was done. By the aid of my notes I could very +easily remember everything that had taken place during my absence, and +it was recorded in regular form, with day and date, not an incident of +any importance left out, and every word as true as gospel. I had neither +exaggerated nor detracted from any event so far as I could recollect. + +I now loaned Mr. Hall, with whom I lived, six hundred dollars to enable +him to cross the plains to California and try to make his fortune. To +secure this I took a mortgage on his eighty-acre farm, and he set out to +make the journey. I had another eighty acres of land near here which I +bought at government price before going to California, but I could not +now sell it for what it cost me. When I went away I had left my chest +and contents with my friend Samuel Zollinger, and he had kept it safely, +so I now made him my lawful agent. I placed my narrative and some other +papers in the chest and gave the key into his charge, while I went +north, across the Wisconsin River, to visit my old hunting and trapping +friend, Robert McCloud. Here I made a very pleasant visit of perhaps a +week, and the common prospects of the country were freely talked over. +It seemed to us as if the good times were still far off; every day was +like Sunday so far as anything going on; no money in circulation, many +places abandoned, and, like myself, many had gone to California to seek +gold instead of lead. (The mines at Mineral Point are mostly of lead, +with some copper.) + +Looking at matters in this light it did not need a great deal of +McCloud's persuasion to induce me to go back with him to California, all +the more so as my little pile seemed to look smaller every day, while +three or four years ago it would have seemed quite large. Deciding to +go, I wrote to Mr. Zollinger to send the account I had written to my +parents in Michigan, reading it first himself, and admonishing him not +to lend it. I also wrote to my parents telling them what they might look +for in the mails, and cautioning them never to have it printed, for the +writing was so ungrammatical and the spelling so incorrect that it would +be no credit to me. + +I afterward learned that in time they received the bundle of paper and +read it through and through, and circulated it around the neighborhood +till it was badly worn, and laid it away for future perusal when their +minds should incline that way. But the farm house soon after took fire +and burned, my labor going up in smoke. + +When the news of this reached me I resolved to try to forget all the +trials, troubles and hardships I had gone through, and which I had +almost lived over again as I wrote them down, and I said to myself that +I would not talk about them more than I could help, the sooner to have +them vanish, and never write them down again, but a few years ago an +accident befell me so that I could not work, and I back-slid from my +determination when I was persuaded so earnestly by many friends to write +the account which appeared a few years ago in the Santa Clara Valley now +the Pacific Tree and Vine, edited by H.A. Brainard, at San Jose, +California. The diary was lost, and from memory alone the facts have +been rehearsed, and it is but fair to tell the reader that the hardest +and worst of it has never been told nor will it ever be. + + + + +CHAPTER XVI. + + +McCloud and I now took his skiff, and for two days floated down the +Wisconsin River till we reached the Mississippi, boarded the first +steamboat we could hail, and let our own little craft adrift. In due +time we reached St. Louis and boarded another steamer for New Orleans. + +At a wood-yard, about dark, a lot of negroes, little and big, came on +board to sell brooms. The boat's clerk seemed to know negro character +pretty well, so he got out his violin and played for them. For a while +the young colored gentry listened in silence, but pretty soon he struck +a tune that suited them, and they began to dance in their own wild +style. + +In seven days from St. Louis we landed in New Orleans, and found the +government steamer, Falcon, advertised to sail in two days. We went +together to one of the slave warehouses. Outside and in all was neat end +clean, and any day you could see men, women and children standing under +the shed as a sign of what they had within, and the painted signs "For +Sale" displayed conspicuously. We were very civilly treated, and invited +to examine the goods offered for sale. There were those of all ages and +all colors, for some were nearly white and some intensely black, with +all the shades between. All were to be sold, separately, or in families, +or in groups as buyers might desire. All were made to keep themselves +clean and neatly dressed, and to behave well, with a smile to all the +visitors whether they felt like smiling or not. Some seemed really +anxious to get a good master, and when a kind, pleasant looking man came +along they would do their utmost to be agreeable to him and inquire if +he did not want to buy them. We talked it over some between ourselves, +and when we thought of the market and the human chattels for sale there, +McCloud spoke up and said:--"I am almost persuaded to be an +abolitionist." + +I now went on board the steamer Falcon, in command of a government +officer, to try to learn something about the family of Capt. Culverwell +who perished alone in Death Valley. He told me he had once belonged to +the Navy and had his life insured, and as I was an important witness for +his family I wanted to learn where they lived. The Captain looked over a +list of officers, but Culverwell's name was not there. I then wrote a +letter to Washington stating the facts of his death, and my own address +in Sacramento, California. I also stated that I would assist the widow +if I could, but I never received an answer. + +We soon started down the river, having on board about one hundred +passengers, men going to work on the Panama Railroad. At Chagres we +found a small stern wheeled river steamer and took passage on it for +Gorgona, as far as the steamer could well go up the river. While going +up we met a similar boat coming down, and being near a short bend they +crashed together, breaking down our guards severely, but fortunately +with no damage to our wheel. A few miles above this a dark passing cloud +gave us rain in streams, and we had to drift in near shore to wait for +the storm to pass. I never before saw water fall so fast, and yet in +half an hour the sun was out and burning hot. + +Before we reached Gorgona we got acquainted with a man named John Briggs +from Wisconsin, and Lyman Ross from Rhode Island, and concluded to +travel in company. Our fare thus far was ten dollars, and two horses to +Panama for which we paid twelve dollars each. We now rode and walked +turn about, and when we inquired about the road we were told that being +once in it we could not possibly get out except at the other end, and +would need no guide, and at the end of a very disagreeable day's work we +reached the big gate at Panama and entered the ancient city. + +We waited but little here before taking the steamer Southerner, bound +for San Francisco. Three days after we sailed away one of our passengers +went overboard, a corpse, and three or four more died and were buried +alongside before we reached Acapulco. + +Here we took on water and coal and were soon at sea again. McCloud soon +had to take his place in the sick ward, and I attended him most of the +time, but was not allowed to give him anything without a permit from the +doctor, and the long delays between the administrations of medicine made +the sickness hard to endure. The sick could see the dead sewed up in +blankets with a bucket of coal for a weight; then resting on a plank +with sailors on each side, the mate would read the brief services +appropriate to a burial at sea, the plank was tilted, and the lifeless +body slid down into the depths. Such scenes were no benefit to the +suffering, for each might think his turn was next, when a bright hope +and prospect would be better for his recovery. + +One forenoon the fire gong rang out sharply, and all was in confusion, +supposing the ship to be on fire, but nothing could be seen but a dense +fog, except as a gentle wind lifted it a little and there, dead ahead, +was a rocky island, against which it seemed we must dash to destruction, +for there was no beach and very little chance for any one to be saved. +Ten minutes more in this direction and we were lost, but the officers +quickly changed the course, and we passed the pile of rocks scarcely a +rifle shot away. Whose fault it was, this danger so miraculously +avoided, we did not know, the captain's or the imperfect chart, and +opinions were freely given both ways. + +About those days the air felt cooler the fog less dense, and the foggy +rain-bows we had seen so much when the sun tried to shine, were scarce, +while a more northern wind created a coolness that made sick folks feel +refreshed and hopeful. It gave me a chance to cheer up my sick friend +who was still in bed, and tell him it would continue to be cooler as we +went. + +On the Fourth of July the officers produced the ship's full supply of +flags, and the sailors climbed high and low, fastening them to every +rope till we had a very gay Independence day appearance. In this gay +dress we steamed into San Diego harbor to leave the mail for a few +soldiers stationed there, and get their letters in return. + +I could see no town in San Diego, but a beautiful harbor, and some poor +looking mustard wigwams some way off seemed to contain the good people +of that place. + +A boat with a small crew pulled out and came alongside to get the mail +and deliver theirs, and then we turned to sea again. The country all +around this beautiful little harbor looked mountainous and extremely +barren, and no one wanted to go on shore. + +About dark we had made sufficient offing and turned northward, plowing +through large fields of kelp. The next morning the forward watch +announced land ahead, which could dimly be seen as the fog rose. The +officers rushed on deck and could see not far ahead a sandy beach, and a +moment more showed that we were headed directly for it, and that it was +not more than a quarter of a mile away. Quickly the helmsman was given +orders to steer almost west instead of the north course he had been +following. He was asked why he kept on his north course when he saw +danger ahead, and answered:--"It is my business to steer according to +orders, even if the ship goes ashore, and I can not change course unless +ordered to." The Captain now examined his chart and decided he was in +San Pedro harbor, off Los Angeles. + +The sun came out bright and clear a little later, and I got McCloud out +of his bed and gave him a seat at the ship's side where he could see the +green grassy hills near the beach, and larger hills and mountains +farther back. We could see cattle feeding in the nearest pastures, and +the whole scene was a pleasant one; and as we sat on the eastern side of +the ship and snuffed the cool breeze which came from the north, we +thought we were comparatively happy people, and hoped that, if no +accident befell, we would soon be at the end of our voyage. + +On the seventh day of July, 1851, we entered the Golden Gate, this being +my second arrival in California. On our trip from Panama seven or more +had died and been buried at sea, but the remainder of us were quite safe +and sound. We found the heart of the city still smoking, for a fire had +broken out on July fourth and burned extensively, and these broad, +blackened ruins were the result. Some said the work had been done by the +Sidney "ducks" and their numerous helpers, who were really the rulers of +the city. The place now looked much worse than it did when I left in +November before. These Sidney "ducks" were English convicts from +Australia, and other thieves and robbers joined them as agreeable +companion, making a large class that seemed to glory in destruction and +a chance for booty. + +I walked around over the hills where I could see the burned district and +the destruction of so much valuable property, and when I thought the +civil law was not strong enough to govern, it seemed to me it would be a +good place for such men as the Helms brothers of Georgetown to come down +and do a little hanging business, for they could here find plenty to do, +and they could carry out their plan of letting no guilty man escape. + +About four o'clock one afternoon we went aboard the Sacramento steamer, +Antelope, paying our passage with half an ounce apiece, and were soon on +our way past the islands and up the bay. When we were beyond Benicia, +where the river banks were close, McCloud sat watching the shore, and +remarked that the boat ran like a greyhound, and it seemed to him, beat +the old ocean steamer pretty bad. + +He seemed to be nearly well again, and complimented me as the best +doctor he ever saw. Since he had been sick I had paid him all the +attention I could, and he gave me all the praise I deserved, now that he +was getting to feel himself again. + +At Sacramento we changed to another boat bound for Marysville, which +place we reached without special incident. Here we invested in a +four-ounce donkey, that is, we paid four ounces of gold for him, just an +ounce apiece for four of us--W.L. Manley, Robert McCloud, Lyman Ross and +John Briggs. We piled our blankets in a pack upon the gentle, four-ounce +donkey, and added a little tea and coffee, dried beef and bread, then +started for the Yuba River, ourselves on foot. We crossed the river at +Park's Bar, then went up the ridge by way of Nigger Tent, came down to +the river again at Goodyear Bar, then up the stream to Downieville. This +town was named after John Downie, a worthless drunkard. I remember that +he once reformed, but again back-slid and died a drunkard's death. + +We found this a lively mining town about sixty miles above Marysville, +on the north fork of the Yuba River, and only reached by a pack trail, +but everything was flush here, even four aces. The location was a +veritable Hole-in-the-Ground, for the mountains around were very high, +and some of them wore their caps of snow all summer, particularly those +on the east. The gold dust we found here was coarser than it was where I +worked before, down south on the Merced River. Before I came to +California I always supposed that gold dust was really dust, and about +as fine as flour. + +We went up the North Fork about a mile or two above town and camped on +Wisconsin Flat to begin our mining operations. Our luck was poor at +first, and all except myself were out of money, and more or less in debt +to me. We made expenses, however, and a little more, and as soon as Mr. +Ross got his small debt paid he said he was discouraged mining, and with +blankets on his shoulders started up the trail towards Galloway's ranch, +on the summit south of town. Mr. Ross said the work was too hard for +him, for he was not strong enough to handle pick and shovel, and he +believed he could go down to Sacramento and make more by his wits than +he could here. I went with him to town and saw him start off with a fair +load on his back, and watched him as he toiled up the steep mountain +trail for about two miles, when he went out of sight. + +The rest of us kept on mining. Our luck was not very good, but we +persevered, for there was nothing to be gained by fainting by the way. I +went into an old abandoned shaft about ten feet deep and found the +bottom filled with a big quartz boulder, and as I had been a lead miner +in Wisconsin, I began drifting, and soon found bed rock, when I picked +up a piece of pure gold that weighed four ounces. This was what I called +a pretty big find, and not exactly what I called gold dust. It was quite +a surprise to me, for the gravel on the bed rock was only about three or +four inches thick. + +We kept on drifting for some time, sometimes making good wages, and on +the whole so satisfactory that we concluded to stay. We now located some +claims back in the flat where the ground would be thirty feet deep, and +would have to be drifted. These we managed to hold until winter, and in +the meantime we worked along the river and could make something all the +time. + +We put in a flume between two falls on the Middle Fork, but made only +wages, and I got my arm nearly broken, and had to work with one hand for +nearly a month. + +One afternoon I went crevicing up the river, and found a crevice at the +water's edge about half an inch wide, and the next day we worked it out +getting forty ounces, and many of the pieces were about an inch long and +as large around as a pipe-stem. + +Winter was now near by, and we set to work to build a cabin and lay in a +stock of grub, which cost quite a good deal, for the self-raising flour +which we bought was worth twenty cents a pound, and all kinds of hog +meat fifty cents, with other supplies in proportion. Our new claims now +paid very well. Snow came down to the depth of about four feet around +our cabin, but as our work was under ground, we had a comfortable place +all winter. + +In the spring McCloud and I went to Sacramento and sold our chunks of +gold (it was all very coarse) to Page, Bacon & Co. who were themselves +surprised at the coarseness of the whole lot. When our savings were +weighed up we found we had made half an ounce a day, clear of all +expenses, for the entire year. + +We now took a little run down to San Francisco, also to Santa Clara +where we staid a night or two with Mr. McCloud's friend, Mr. Otterson, +and then went back to our claims again. In taking care of our money we +had to be our own bankers, and the usual way was to put the slugs we +received for pay into a gallon pickle jar, and bury this in some place +known only to our particular selves, and these vaults we considered +perfectly safe. The slugs were fifty dollar pieces, coined for +convenience, and were eight-sided, heavy pieces. In the western counties +the people called them "Adobies," but among the miners they were +universally known as "Slugs." + +The winter proved a little lonesome, the miners mostly staid at home and +worked. During the year we had been here I had not seen a respectable +woman in this mining country. There were few females here, and they were +said to be of very doubtful character. As a general thing people were +very patient with their wickedness, but not always. + +Twice only in the history of California were women made the victims of +mob violence, once at Los Angeles and once at Downieville. The affair at +the last-named place occurred in 1851, and the victim was a pretty +little Spanish woman named Juanita. She and her husband, like many +another couple at that time, kept a monte game for the delectation of +the miners who had more money than sense, but beyond this fact +absolutely nothing was said against her character. + +There was an English miner named Cannon living in town, who was very +popular among a large number of gamblers and others. He got drunk one +night and about midnight went to the house occupied by the Spanish woman +and her husband and kicked the door down. Early the following morning he +told his comrades that he was going to apologize to the woman for what +he had done. He went alone to the house, and, while talking with the +husband and wife, the woman suddenly drew a knife and stabbed Cannon to +the heart. What had been said that provoked the deed was never known, +further than that Juanita claimed she had been grossly insulted. + +She was given a mock trial, but the facts of the case were not brought +out, as the men who were with Cannon were too drunk to remember what had +happened the previous night. It was a foregone conclusion that the poor +woman was to be hanged, and the leaders of the mob would brook no +interference. A physician examined Juanita and announced to the mob that +she was in a condition that demanded the highest sympathy of every man, +but he was forced to flee from town to save his life. A prominent +citizen made an appeal for mercy, but he was driven down the main street +and across the river by a mob with drawn revolvers, and with threats of +instant death. The well-known John B. Weller was in town at the time, +and was asked to reason with the mob, but refused to do so. + +The execution was promptly carried out. A plank was put across the +supports of the bridge over the Yuba, and a rope fastened to a beam +overhead. Juanita went calmly to her death. She wore a Panama hat, and +after mounting the platform she removed it, tossed it to a friend in the +crowd, whose nickname was "Oregon," with the remark, "Adios amigo." Then +she adjusted the noose to her own neck, raising her long, loose tresses +carefully in order to fix the rope firmly in its place, and then, with a +smile and wave of her hand to the bloodthirsty crowd present, she +stepped calmly from the plank into eternity. Singular enough, her body +rests side by side, in the cemetery on the hill, with that of the man +whose life she had taken. + +On Sundays Downieville was full of men, none very old, and none very +young, but almost every one of middle age. Nearly every man was coarsely +dressed, with beard unshaved and many with long hair, but on any +occasion of excitement it was not at all strange to see the coarsest, +roughest looking one of all the party mount a stump and deliver as +eloquent an address as one could wish to hear. On Sunday it was not at +all unusual for some preacher to address the moving crowd, while a few +feet behind him would be a saloon in full blast, and drinking, gambling, +swearing and vulgar language could be plainly seen and heard at the same +time, and this class of people seemed to respect the Sunday preacher +very little. The big saloon was owned by John Craycroft, formerly a mate +on a Mississippi River steamboat, who gained most of his money by +marrying a Spanish woman and making her a silent partner. + +One enterprising man who was anxious to make money easily, took a notion +to try his luck in trade, so, as rats and mice were troublesome in shops +and stores, he went down to the valley and brought up a cargo of cats +which he disposed of at prices varying from fifty to one hundred dollars +each, according to the buyer's fancy. + +During the summer Kelley the fiddler came up in the mines to make a +raise, and Craycroft made him a pulpit about ten feet above the floor in +his saloon, having him to play nights and Sundays at twenty dollars per +day. He was a big uneducated Irishman, who could neither read nor write, +but he played and sang and talked the rich Irish brogue, all of which +brought many customers to the bar. In the saloon could be seen all sorts +of people dealing different games, and some were said to be preachers. +Kelley staid here as long as he could live on his salary, and left town +much in debt, for whiskey and cards got all his money. + +One of the grocers kept out a sign, "CHEAP JOHN, THE PACKER," and kept a +mule to deliver goods, which no other merchant did, and in this way +gained many friends, and many now may praise the enterprise of Cheap +John, the Packer. Prices were pretty high in those days. Sharpening +picks cost fifty cents, a drink of whiskey one dollar, and all kinds of +pork, fifty cents per pound. You could get meals at the McNutty house +for one dollar. The faro and monte banks absorbed so much of the small +change that on one occasion I had to pay five dollars for a two dollar +pair of pants in order to get a fifty dollar slug changed. + +No white shirts were worn by honest men, and if any man appeared in such +a garment he was at once set down as a gambler, and with very little +chance of a mistake. One Langdon had the only express office, and +brought letters and packages from Sacramento. I paid one dollar simply +to get my name on his letter list, and when a letter came I had to pay +one dollar for bringing it up, as there was no Post Office at +Downieville. + +Newspapers were eagerly sought for, such was the hunger for reading. The +Western folks bought the St. Louis papers, while Eastern people found +the New York Tribune a favorite. One dollar each for such papers was the +regular price. It may seem strange, but aside from the news we got from +an occasional newspaper, I did not hear a word from the East during the +two years I remained on Yuba river. Our evenings were spent in playing +cards for amusement, for no reading could be got. The snow between +Marysville and Downieville was deep and impassable in winter, but we +could work our drifting claims very comfortably, having laid in a stock +of provisions early in the season, before snowfall. The nights seemed +tediously long and lonesome, for when the snow was deep no one came to +visit us, and we could go nowhere, being completely hemmed in. All the +miners who did not have claims they could work underground, went down +below the winter snow-line to find work, and when the snow went off came +back again and took possession of the old claims they had left. + +After the snow went off three German sailors came up and took a river +claim a short distance above us on a north fork of the north fork of the +stream, where one side of the cañon was perpendicular and the other +sloped back only slightly. Here they put logs across the river, laid +stringers on these, and covered the bottom with fir boughs. Then they +put stakes at the sides and rigged a canvas flume over their bridge +through which they turned the whole current of the river, leaving a +nearly dry bed beneath. This we called pretty good engineering and +management on the part of the sailor boys, for no lumber was to be had, +and they had made themselves masters of the situation with the material +on hand. + +They went to work under their log aqueduct, and found the claim very +rich in coarse gold. They went to town every Saturday night with good +big bags of dust, and as they were open-hearted fellows, believing that +a sailor always has the best of luck, they played cards freely, always +betting on the Jack and Queen, and spent their money more easily than +they earned it. They were quite partial to the ladies, and patronizing +the bar and card tables as liberally as they did, usually returned to +camp on Monday or Tuesday with a mule load of grub and whiskey as all +the visible proceeds of a week's successful mining; but when Saturday +night came around again we were pretty sure to see the jolly sailors +going past with heavy bags of gold. They left one nearly pure piece of +gold at Langdon's Express office that weighed five pounds, and another +as large as a man's hand, of the shape of a prickly pear leaf. + +They worked their claim with good success until the snow water came down +and forced them out. I went one day to see them, and they took a pan of +dirt from behind a big rock and washed it out, getting as much as two +teacupfuls of nuggets, worth perhaps a thousand dollars. When they went +away they said they would go to Germany to see their poor relatives and +friends, and one of them really went home, but the other two had spent +all their money before they were ready to leave San Francisco. These men +were, without doubt, the inventors of the canvas flume which was +afterward used so successfully in various places. + +While I was still here the now famous Downieville Butte quartz mine was +discovered, but there was no way then of working quartz successfully, +and just at that time very little was done with it, but afterward, when +it was learned how to work it, and the proper machinery introduced, it +yielded large sums of bullion. + +The miners had a queer way of calling every man by some nickname or +other instead of his true name, and no one seemed offended at it, but +answered to his new name as readily as to any. + +It was nearly fall when we found we had worked our claims out, and there +were no new ones we could locate here, so we concluded to go prospecting +for a new locality. I bought a donkey in town of a Mr. Hawley, a +merchant, for which I paid sixty dollars, and gave the little fellow his +old master's name. We now had two animals, and we packed on them our +worldly goods, and started south up the mountain trail by way of the +city of six, where some half dozen men had located claims, but the +ground was dry and deep, so we went on. + +We still went south, down toward the middle Yuba River and when about +half way down the mountain side came to a sort of level bench where some +miners were at work, but hardly any water could be had. They called this +Minnesota. We stayed here a day or two, but as there seemed to be no +possible further development of water, concluded to go on further. +Across the river we could see a little flat, very similar to the one we +were on, and a little prospecting seemed to have been done on the side +of the mountain. We had a terribly steep cañon to cross, and a river +also, with no trail to follow, but our donkeys were as good climbers as +any of us, so we started down the mountain in the morning, and arrived +at the river about noon. Here we rested an hour or two and then began +climbing the brushy mountain side. The hill was very steep, and the sun +beat down on us with all his heat, so that with our hard labor and the +absence of any wind we found it a pretty hot place. + +It was pretty risky traveling in some places, and we had to help the +donkeys to keep them from rolling down the hill, pack and all. It took +us four hours to make a mile and a half or two miles in that dense +brush, and we were nearly choked when we reached the little flat. Here +we found some water, but no one lived here. From here we could see a +large flat across a deep cañon to the west, and made up our minds to try +to go to it. We went around the head of the cañon, and worked through +the brush and fallen timber, reaching our objective point just as night +was coming on. This flat, like the one we had left, was quite level, and +contained, perhaps, nearly one hundred acres. Here we found two men at +work with a "long tom"--a Mr. Fernay and a Mr. Bloat. They had brought +the water of a small spring to their claim and were making five or six +dollars per day. We now prospected around the edge of this flat, and +getting pretty fair prospects concluded we would locate here if we could +get water. + +We then began our search for water and found a spring about three +quarters of a mile away, to which we laid claim, and with a triangle +level began to survey out a route for our ditch. The survey was +satisfactory, and we found we could bring the water out high on the +flat, so we set to work digging at it, and turned the water in. The +ground was so very dry that all the water soaked up within two hundred +yards of the spring. + +By this time we were out of grub, and some one must go for a new supply, +and as we knew the trail to Downieville was terribly rough, I was chosen +as the one to try to find Nevada City, which we thought would be nearer +and more easily reached. So I started south with the donkeys, up the +mountain toward the ridge which lies between the middle and south Yuba +Rivers, and when I got well on the ridge I found a trail used some by +wagons, which I followed till I came to a place where the ridge was only +wide enough for a wagon, and at the west end a faint trail turned off +south into the rolling hills. I thought this went about the course I +wanted to go, so I followed it, and after two or three miles came to the +south Yuba river. This seemed to be an Indian trail, no other signs on +it. I climbed the mountain here, and when I reached the top I found a +large tent made of blue drilling, and here I found I was four or five +miles from Nevada City with a good trail to follow. The rolling hills I +then passed through are now called North Bloomfield, and at one time +were known as "Humbug." + +I started along the trail and soon reached the city where I drove my +donkeys up to a store which had out the sign "Davis & Co.." I entered +and inquiring the prices of various sorts of provisions such as flour, +bacon, beans, butter, etc., soon had selected enough for two donkey +loads. They assisted me in putting them in pack, and when it was ready I +asked the amount of my bill, which was one hundred and fifty dollars. +This I paid at once, and they gave me some crackers and dried beef for +lunch on the way. Davis said--"That is the quickest sale I ever made, +and here the man is ready to go. I defy any one to beat it." Before sun +down I was two or three miles on my way back where I found some grass +and camped for the night, picketed the animals, ate some of Mr. Davis' +grub for supper, and arranged a bed of saddle blankets. I arrived at +camp the next day about sun down. + +Next day I went on up the divide and found a house on the trail leading +farther east, where two men lived, but they seemed to be doing nothing. +There were no mines and miners near there, and there seemed to be very +little travel on the trail. The fellows looked rough, and I suspected +they might be bad characters. The stream they lived near was afterward +called Bloody Run, and there were stories current that blood had been +shed there. + +Here was a section of comparatively level land, for the mountain divide, +and a fine spring of good cold water, all surrounded by several hundred +acres of the most magnificent sugar pines California ever raised, very +large, straight as a candle, and one hundred feet or more to the lowest +limbs. This place was afterward called Snow Tent, and S.W. Churchill +built a sawmill at the spring, and had all this fine timber at the mercy +of his ax and saw, without anyone to dispute his right. He furnished +lumber to the miners at fifty dollars or more per thousand feet. Bloody +Run no doubt well deserves its name, for there was much talk of killing +done there. + +I, however, went up and talked to the men and told them I wished to hire +a cross cut saw for a few days to get out stuff for a cabin, and agreed +to pay two dollars a day for the use of it till it came back. + +We cut down a large sugar pine, cut off four six feet cuts, one twelve +feet, and one sixteen feet cut, and from these we split out a lot of +boards which we used to make a V-shaped flume which we placed in our +ditch, and thus got the water through. We split the longer cuts into two +inch plank for sluice boxes, and made a small reservoir, so that we +succeeded in working the ground. We paid wages to the two men who +worked, and two other men who were with us went and built a cabin. + +I now went and got another load of provisions, and as the snow could be +seen on the high mountains to the east, I thought the deer must be +crowded down to our country, so I went out hunting and killed a big fat +buck, and the next day three more, so fresh meat was plenty. + +About this time a man came down the mountain with his oxen and wagon, +wife and three or four children, the eldest a young lady of fifteen +years. The man's name was H. M. Moore. We had posted notices, according +to custom, to make mining laws, and had quite a discussion about a name +for the place. Some of the fellows wanted to name it after the young +lady, "Minda's Flat," but we finally chose "Moore's Flat" instead, which +I believe is the name it still goes by. Our laws were soon completed, +and a recorder chosen to record claims. We gave Mr. Moore the honor of +having a prospecting town named after him because he was the first man +to be on hand with a wife. + +I became satisfied after a little that this place would be a very snowy +place, and that from all appearances it would fall from two to four feet +deep, and not a very pleasant place to winter in. An honest acquaintance +of mine came along, Samuel Tyler and to him I let my claim to work on +shares and made McCloud my agent, verbally, while I took my blankets and +started for the valley. + +The first town I passed through was a newly discovered mining town +called French Corral. Here I found an old Wisconsin friend Wm. Sublet, +the foster father of the accomplishen wife of Mayor S.W. Boring of San +Jose. From here I went to Marysville. The storm had been raging high in +the mountains for some days, and the Yuba river rising fast, overflowing +its banks as I walked into town, and the next day the merchants were +very busy piling their goods above high water mark. I went to a hotel +and called for a bed. "Yes," says the landlord "Is your name John or +Peter?" I told him William, which he set down in his book and we went up +stairs to the best room which was fitted up with berths three tiers high +on each side, and only one or two empty ones. He looked around for +covers, but none could be found unoccupied, but one fellow who was sound +asleep and snoring awfully, so he took the blanket off from him saying: +"He wont know a thing about it till morning, be jabers, so don't say a +word." + +Next morning the river was booming, its surface covered with all sorts +of mining outfit such as flume timber, rockers, various qualities of +lumber, pieces of trees as well as whole ones, water wheels and other +traps. The river between Downieville and here must have been swept clean +of all material that would float, including "long Toms." The water +continued to rise till it covered the Plaza, and in two days a steamer +came up and sailed across the public square. This looked like a wet +season to me, and when the boat was ready to go down the river I went on +board, bound for Sacramento. Here it was also getting terrible wet and +muddy, and the rain kept pouring down. In the morning I worked my way up +J street and saw a six-mule team wading up the streets the driver on +foot, tramping through the sloppy mud, occasionally stepping in a hole +and falling his whole length in the mud. On the street where so much +trouble was met by the teamsters, a lot of idlers stood on the sidewalk, +and when a driver would fall and go nearly out of sight, they would, +like a set of loafers, laugh at him and blackguard him with much noise, +and as they were numerous they feared nothing. + +Suddenly a miner, who had lately arrived from the mountains, raised his +room window in the second story of a house, put out one leg and then his +body, as far as he could, and having nothing on but his night clothes, +shouted to the noisy crowd below:--"Say can't you d----d farmers plow +now?" At this he dodged back quickly into his window as if he expected +something might be thrown at him. The rain continued, and the water rose +gradually till it began to run slowly through the streets, and all the +business stopped except gambling and drinking whisky, which were freely +carried on in the saloons day and night. + +While here in Sacramento I was sufficiently prompted by curiosity to go +around to the place on J street where the Legislature was in session. I +stood sometime outside the enclosure listening to the members who were +in earnest debate over a question concerning the size of mining claims. +They wanted them uniform in size all over the state, but there was some +opposition, and the debate on this occasion was between the members from +the mining counties on one side and the "cow" counties on the other. The +miners took the ground that the claims were of different richness in the +different mining localities and that the miners themselves were the best +judges of the proper size of claims, and were abundantly able to make +their own laws as they had done under the present mining customs, and +their laws had always been respected, making any further legislative +action unnecessary. + +While this wrangle was going on. Capt. Hunt, of San Bernardino (our +guide from Salt Lake in 1849), came along and stopped where I stood, +shaking me heartily by the hand, inquiring where I was from, and when I +told him I was from the mines he said he thought the cow county fellows +were trying to make the miners some trouble. I told him the present +mining regulations suited us very well, and after he had talked with me +a little he went inside and whispered to some of the silent members that +the miners wanted no change, for he had just consulted a miner to that +effect. When occasion offered he called for a vote which resulted in the +defeat of the cow counties and a postponement of the measure +indefinitely. + +My next move was to try to find a dryer place so I took a boat for +Benicia, then for Stockton, where I found a sea of mud, so that a man +needed stilts or a boat to cross the street. + +Here in a livery stable I found my old Platte River boss, Chas. Dallas, +for whom I drove in 1849, but he did not seem to know me and took no +notice of me, but talked "horse" and horse-racing to the bystanders very +loudly. I suppose that Dallas had made money and did not care for a poor +ox driver, and on my part I did not care very much for his friendship, +so I walked away and left him without a word. + +Every way I looked was a sea of black, sticky mud; dogs mired in the +streets and died, and teams and animals had forsaken the usual route of +travel. The gambling houses and saloons were crowded, gum boots in +demand, and the only way to get out of town was by water. I took this +way out, and on the same boat by which I came, going to San Francisco. +This was high and dry enough to be above the highest floods of Yuba, +Sacramento or San Joaquin, but all business except the saloons was dull. +Fronting on Portsmouth Square was the Hall of Corruption. Inside was a +magnificently furnished bar, more than one keeper and various gambling +tables, most of them with soiled doves in attendance. The room was +thronged with players and spectators, and coin and dust were plenty. The +dealers drew off their cards carefully, and seemed to have the largest +pile of coin on their side. + +I climbed Russian Hill and to take a look over the city. It seemed +poorly built, but the portion that had been burned in July 1852, had +been built up again. The business part was near the beach and north of +Market street. + +I had never lived in a town and did not know its ways, so I strolled +around alone, for without acquaintance I did not know where to go nor +what to look for. I therefore thought I would see some other part of the +country. I found that a schooner was about to sail for San Pedro, near +Los Angeles. I took hold of a rope to help myself on board, when it gave +way and I found myself floundering in the water. They helped me out and +the Captain gave me a dry suit to put on, I was profoundly grateful for +the favor, and found him a generous man. + +We sailed away and stopped at Monterey for 24 hours which gave me a good +chance for a good look at the old Capitol houses, which were of adobe, +and to find that this city was also liberally supplied with gambling, +card and billiard tables. The majority of the people were Spanish and +fond of gaming, and the general appearance of the place was old and +without good improvements, though there were more two-story houses than +in most places in California. + +Some houses were of stone, but more of adobe, and there seemed to be no +fertile country round, and the hills about had small pines on them. + +Some of the sailors went out and gathered a large bag of mussels and +clams, from which they made a liberal allowance of chowder for the +table. After seven or eight days we arrived in San Pedro, and found the +town to consist of one long adobe house. The beach was low and sandy, +and we were wet somewhat in wading through a light surf to get on shore. +We had on board a Mr. Baylis, who we afterward learned came down with +Capt. Lackey on a big speculation which was to capture all the wild +goats they could on Catalina Island, and take them to San Francisco for +slaughtering. + +The goats were easily captured and taken on board the schooner, and +thence to shore but many were drowned in the transit, and when driven to +San Francisco the dead were scattered all along the route. Although wild +they seemed to lack the vitality that tame goats possess. The +speculation proved a disappointment to the projectors. + +At the adobe house, kept by a Spaniard we had breakfast, then shouldered +our packs for the march of ten leagues to Los Angeles for there was no +chance to ride. It was night before we reached the City of Angels, and +here I staid a day to take a look at the first city I saw in California +in March 1850. + +I inquired for my mining companion, W.M. Stockton who worked with +Bennett and myself near Georgetown in 1850, and found he lived near the +old mission of San Gabriel nine miles away, whither I walked and found +him and family well and glad to see me. He had jumped an old pear +orchard which was not claimed by the Mission Fathers, although it was +only three-fourths of a mile away. The trees were all seedlings and very +large, probably 50 or more years old. Some of the Mission buildings were +falling down since they had been abandoned, and the Americans would go +to these houses and remove the tile flooring from the porches and from +the pillars that supported them. These tiles were of hard burned clay, +in pieces about a foot square, and were very convenient to make fire +places and pavements before the doors of their new houses. Out-side the +enclosed orange and fig orchard at this place were some large olive and +fig trees, apparently as old as the mission, being a foot or more in +diameter and about 50 feet high. I had never seen olives, and when I saw +these trees covered with plenty of fruit about the size of damson plums +I took the liberty of tasting it and found it very disagreeable, and +wondered of what use such fruit could be. + +Mr. Stockton fenced his orchard by setting posts and tying sycamore +poles to them to keep the stock away, built an adobe house on the claim +and called the property his. I went to work for him at once, pruning the +trees, which improved their appearance, and then turned on a little +stream of water which ran through the place, and on down to the mission. +With this treatment the trees did well without cultivation. + +I bought one half the stock consisting of some Spanish cows, one yoke of +oxen and some horses, worked enough to pay my board, watched the stock +and still had plenty of time to ride around over the adjoining country. + +When the pears were ripe the Spanish men, women and children eagerly +bought them at 25 cents per dozen and some Sundays the receipts for +fruit sold would be as high as $100. That taken to town would bring from +$5. to $8. per box, the boxes being a little larger than those in +present use. An Indian woman, widow of a Mr. Reed, claimed a vineyard +near the orchard, and laid claim to the whole property, so Stockton gave +her $1000 for a quit claim deed. + +Near by was a small artificial lake made by a dam of cobble stones, laid +in cement across a ravine, which was built perhaps 50 years before, and +yet the tracks of a child who had walked across before the cement was +dry, were plainly seen. + +Stockton and I visited Mr. Roland, an old settler who lived south of San +Gabriel river, and staid all night with him, finding him very sociable +and hospitable. All his work was done by Indians who lived near by, and +had been there as long as he. He had a small vineyard, and raised corn, +squashes, melons and all that are necessary for his table, having also a +small mill near by for grinding corn and wheat without bolting. The +Indians made his wine by tramping the grapes with their feet in a +rawhide vat hung between four poles set in the ground. The workmen were +paid off every Saturday night, and during Sunday he would generally sell +them wine enough to get about all the money back again. This had been +his practice for many years, and no doubt suited Mr. Roland as well as +the red men. + +Roland was an old Rocky Mountain trapper who came to California long +before gold was discovered, and during the evening the talk naturally +ran to the subject of early days. + +Mr. Roland related that while his party were in camp in the upper +Colorado they were visited by a small band of Indians who professed +friendship and seated themselves around the fire. Suddenly they made an +attack and each trapper had an Indian to contend with, except Mr. Roland +who was left to be dispatched afterwards. But as he ran, a squaw among +them followed him, and after a while overtook him and showed friendship. +He had neither gun or knife and so concluded to put faith in the woman +who safely guided him in a long tramp across the desert where they both +came near starving, but finally reached Los Angeles Valley, when the +brave squaw mingled with her own people and he lost sight of her +forever. + +No white man could alone have traversed that desert waste and found food +enough to last him half the journey. + +He gradually learned to speak Spanish, and was granted the piece of land +he applied for, and where he then lived; married a Spanish girl, with +whom he had a happy home and raised a large family, and grew rich, for +they were both industrious and economical. The first wife died, and he +was persuaded to marry a Texas widow, and now had to buy the first +carriage he ever owned, and furnish a fine turn-out and driver for the +lady, who wore much jewelry and fine clothes, and spent money freely. +Roland was not a society man, his thoughts and habits were different +from his wife, and he staid at home, better contented there. + +There were many other pioneers in the neighborhood, Dan Sexton, Col. +Williams, of Chino ranch, Workman, B.D. Wilson, Abel Stearns, Temple, +Wolfskill and many others, Scott and Granger were lawyers. Granger was +the same man who read the preamble and resolutions that were to govern +our big train as we were about to start from Utah Lake. + +Scott was quite a noted member of the bar, and when Gen. Winfield Scott +ran for President, some wide awake politicians caused the uneducated +Spaniards to vote for their favorite lawyer instead of the redoubtable +general, and they did this with a good will for they thought the famous +avocado was the best man, and thus the manipulators lost many votes to +the real candidate. Scott was afterward retained by many of the +Spaniards to present their claims for their land to the U.S. Government +and was considered a very able man. + +Mr. Stockton related that when he left his family here to go to the +mines he rented one half a house of Michael Blanco who had a Spanish +wife and children, and these and his own were of course constant +playmates. When he returned in the fall he found his children had +learned to speak Spanish and nearly forgotten English, so that he had to +coax them a great deal to get them to talk to him at all, and he could +not understand a word they said. + +I now tried to learn the language myself. I had money to loan, and the +borrowers were Spanish who gave good security and paid from 5 to 25 per +cent interest per month, on short time. Mrs. Stockton assisted me very +much as an interpreter. + +I bought young steers for $8. each and gradually added to my herd. I got +along well until next spring when the beef eating population began to +steal my fat cattle, and seemed determined I should get no richer. The +country was over-stocked with desperate and lawless renegades in Los +Angeles and from one to four dead men was about the number picked up in +the streets each morning. They were of low class, and there was no +investigation, simply a burial at public expense. + +The permanent Spanish population seemed honest and benevolent, but there +were many bad ones from Chili, Sonora, Mexico, Texas, Utah and Europe, +who seemed always on an errand of mischief a murder, thieving or +robbery. + +Three or four suspicious looking men came on horseback and made their +camp near the Mission under an oak tree, where they staid sometime. They +always left someone in camp while the others went away every day on +their horses, and acted so strangely that the report soon became current +that they were stealing horses and running them off to some safe place +in the mountains till a quantity could be accumulated to take to the +mines to sell. On this information the Vigilance Committee arrested the +man in camp and brought him to a private room, where he was tried by +twelve men, who found him guilty of horse stealing, and sentenced to be +hung at once, for horse stealing was a capital offence in those days. + +To carry out the sentence they procured a cart, put a box on it for a +seat, and with a rope around his neck and seated on the box, the +condemned man was dragged off by hand to an oak tree not far away, +whither he was followed by all the men, women and children of the place, +who where nearly all natives. While preparations were being made under +the tree some one called out that men were riding rapidly from the +direction of Los Angeles, and from the dust they raised seemed to be +more than usually in haste. So it was proposed to wait till they came +up. It was soon known that an Indian had been sent to Los Angeles to +give news to the man's friends there, and they had come with all the +speed of their horses to try to save his life. They talked and inquired +around a little and then proposed the question whether to hang him or to +turn him over to the lawful authorities for regular trial. This was put +to a vote and it was decided to spare him now. So the rope was taken off +his neck, and he was turned over to Mr. Mallard the Mission Justice of +the Peace, much to the relief of the fellow who saw death staring him in +the face. + +The Santa Anita ranch, now owned by E.J. Baldwin, was owned by Henry +Dalton, an Englishman, who came with a stock of goods worth $75,000, +years before, but now had only the ranch left. The Azuza, a short +distance south was occupied by his brother. + +I became well acquainted with many of these old California natives, and +found them honest in their dealings, good to the needy and in all my +travels never found more willing hands to bestow upon relatives, friends +or strangers ready relief than I saw among these simple natives. Their +kindness to our party when we came starving on the desert in 1850, can +never be praised enough, and as long as I shall live my best wishes +shall go with them. + +I was one day riding with Vincent Duarte down toward Anaheim when he +suddenly dismounted to kill a large tarantula by pelting him with +stones. It was the first one I had seen, and seemed an over-grown +spider. I asked him if the thing was harmful, and he replied with +considerable warmth, "Mucho malo por Christianos" and I wondered if the +insect knew saints from sinners. + +This spring we concluded to go to the Mormon settlement at San +Bernardino and secure some American bulls to improve our stock, and +starting late one day I rode as far as the Azuza Rancho where I staid +all night with Mr. Dalton, reaching the holy city, a branch of Brigham +Young's harem next day. Here I found a town of log houses in a circle, +enclosing a plaza. There was a passage between the houses. I stopped at +the principal hotel kept by a vigorous and enthusiastic Mormon woman, +who delighted to preach the doctrine. + +Walking around on the outside of the fortifications I came across Capt. +Hunt, the man who was hired in the fall of 1849 to bring the big train +from Salt Lake to San Bernardino. + +I told him who I was, and what I wanted, and he seemed to know me, +inviting me in the most friendly and social manner to take supper with +him, which I did. He sat at the head of the table and introduced me to +his three wives. The furnishing of the house was cheap and common, but +the table was fairly provided for. He said he would help me to find the +animals I wanted, and in the morning showed me two which he had, that +were young and suitable, and a larger one which he said I could have if +I could drive him. + +I soon found out that I had better move or sell my cattle, for with all +my watching I could do they gradually disappeared, and hungry thieves +who could live on beef alone, visited my little band of cattle too often +and took what they wanted, and I could not detect them. I soon sold to +four buyers from the north, L.D. Stevens, David Grant, Sam Craig and Mr. +Wilson, and hired out with my two horses to help them drive the band +north, at a salary of $100 per month. + +Disposing most of my money with Palmer, Cook & Co., I went to see my +mine at Moore's Flat. There were two boats leaving at about the same +time, one for Stockton, and one for Sacramento, the latter of which I +took, and Rogers the other. Both landed at Benecia, and when we swung +away from that wharf Rogers and I saluted each other with raised and +swinging hats, shouted a good bye, and I have never seen him since. + +At Moore's Flat I found my mine well and profitably worked by Mr. Tyler +and as his lease was not out I returned to San Jose, as I had learned +from Rogers that Mr. A. Bennett was at Watsonville, and Mr. Arcane at +Santa Cruz, and I desired to visit them. I rode back across the country +and found Mr. Bennett and family at the point where the Salinas river +enters Monterey Bay. They were all well, and were glad to see me for +they did not know I was in California. Mrs. Bennett was greatly affected +at our meeting and shed tears of joy as she shook hands. + +Bennett had a nice Whitehall boat and we had a genuine happy time +hunting, fishing and gathering clams, and also in social visits among +the neighbors and old acquaintances, among them one Jacob Rhodehouse of +Wisconsin. + +While here I rode my horse around to Monterey and to Carmel Mission, +where I staid two or three days, with Mr. Gourley, a brother of Mrs. +William M. Stockton, who was here engaged in raising potatoes. I walked +along the beach near some rocky islands near the shore, and on these +rocks were more sea lions and seals than I supposed the whole ocean +contained--the most wonderful show of sea life on the California coast. +Returning I staid all night at the crossing of the Salinas with a +colored family who gave me good accommodations for self and horse. I +heard afterward that this family was attacked by robbers and all but one +murdered. + +Mrs. Bennett's father D.J. Dilley lived near here also, and I had not +seen him since the time in Wisconsin, when he hauled my canoe over to +the river in 1849. One day while fishing on the beach we found the body +of a man, which we carried above the tide and buried in the sand. + +I gave one of my horses to Geo. Bennett, and went over to Santa Cruz, +where I found Mr. and Mrs. J.B. Arcane and son Charles in a comfortable +home, well situated, and overjoyed to see me. + +He knew everyone in town, and as we went about he never missed to +introduce me to every one we met, as the man who helped himself and +family out of Death Valley, and saved their lives. Arcane was a very +polite Frenchman and knew how to manage such things very gracefully, but +with all his grace and heartiness it made me feel quite a little +embarrassed to be made so much of publicly and among strangers. He took +me in his buggy and we drove along the beach, and to the lime-kiln of +Cowel & Jordan, also to the court house when court was in session. + +Upon the hill I met Judge Watson, the father of Watsonville, and a Mr. +Graham, an old settler and land owner, and on this occasion he pulled a +sheet of ancient, smoky looking paper from beneath his arm, pointed to a +dozen or so of written lines in Spanish and then with a flourish of the +precious document in Watson's face dared him to beat that, or get him +off his land. I must say that never in my life was I better entertained +than here. + +From Santa Cruz I crossed the mountain on a lonely and romantic trail to +San Jose again, finding very few houses on the road. Here I went to work +for R. G. Moody building a gristmill on the banks of the Coyote Creek, +to be run by water from artesian wells. When the mill was done I went +for my horse, and on my return I ran very unexpectedly upon Davenport +Helms, to whom I had sold my little black mule in 1850. Our talk was +short but he told me he had killed a man in Georgetown, and the sheriff +was looking for him. He was now venturing to town for tobacco, and would +hurry back to the hills again where he was herding cattle. + +He said he kept them off at one time by getting in a piece of chaparral +and presenting his gun to them when they came near, they dare not +advance on him. Then he laughed and said--"And all the time my gun was +empty, for I did not have a d----d thing to put into it." "I tell you +they don't catch old Davenport. Now don't you tell on me. Good-bye." I +saw him no more after that. + +The town of San Jose was now more of a town than it was a few years +before. The "Forty Thieves," and others, commenced building a city hall +of brick on the top of old adobe walls, and this was the principal +improvement, except the Moody mill near the Sutter house, one street +north of Julian. + +After finishing work on the mill I drew my money from the bank in San +Francisco and started for the mines on horseback. Near French Camp, on +the east side of the San Joaquin Valley, many cattle were feeding on the +plains, and among them, much to my surprise I found "Old Crump," the ox +that brought Bennett's and Arcane's children safe through from Death +Valley in February, 1850. He was now fat and sleek and as kind and +gentle as when so poor upon the terrible journey. I got off my horse and +went up to him, and patted my old friend. I was glad to find him so +contented and happy, and I doubt not that he too was glad. I met a man +near by and asked him about the ox, and he said that the owner would not +sell him nor allow him to be worked, for he knew of the faithful part he +performed in the world, and respected him for it. + +At Sacramento I deposited my money with Page, Bacon & Co., a branch of +the St. Louis firm of the same name, considered the safest bank in the +United States. Their bills were taken in payment of Government land. +Some rascals had some counterfeit bills on their bank, and traded them +off for gold with the Missourians who were going home, and the poor +fellows found themselves poor on arrival. + +Going to my mine, where I left only a cabin or two, I found quite a +village with two hotels and a post office. + +News soon came that the banks had closed their door, and Page and Bacon +also, so I concluded that I was broke. The "Pikers" said Page and Bacon +could not, nor would not fail, but news was against them. The boys now +tried to persuade me to go to Sacramento, and try to get my money and if +I succeeded, to bring up a good stock of goods and they would buy of me +in preference to any one else. On this showing I went down, and finding +my old friend Lyman Ross (well known in San Jose) who was keeping a +fruit store. I told him my business and he took me to L.A. Booth, Carrol +& Co., and I stated to him the facts about my money in the bank and the +doors closed. I told him if he would assist me I would buy $2000 worth +of his goods, and send them to Moore's Flat. I endorsed the certificate +over to him, and in half an hour he came back with the coin. How he got +it I never knew, but he did me a great favor, and we have been good +friends ever since. I was no merchant, nor had I any mercantile +education, so I took lessons from Mr. Booth, and allowed him to make out +for me a bill of goods such as he well knew I needed. With these we +loaded up two 6 mule teams, and started for the mountain. + +I had about $700 left besides paying for the goods, but I felt a very +little troubled as to my prospect for success, for it was a new business +to me. Mr. Booth in a business way was a true father to me, and the much +needed points in trade which he gave me were stored away for the use I +knew I would make of them. Of all those whom I bear in grateful +remembrance none stand higher than this worthy man. + +I went first direct to Nevada City to take out a license that I might +best protect myself against oppositions and from there I had a walk of +18 miles over a rough mountain trail to my selected place of business. +Climbing the great hill of the S. Yuba river I often tired and sat down +to rest, and I used this time to study my bill of goods, and add the +freight and profit to the cost, so as to be well posted, and able to +answer all questions readily when I unloaded the stock. The new trade +seemed quite a task to learn, but I felt that I was compelled to +succeed, and I worked manfully at it. + +When I reached Moore's Flat I found that the boys had rented a store for +me, and their welcome was very hearty when they found how lucky I had +been in securing my money and starting out as their "grub supplier." + +Four of us now located some mining claims, and began a tunnel both to +drain the ground, and to work through the bed-rock. This we named The +Paradise, and we expected that three or four months would elapse before +we made it pay, but there was in truth two years of solid rock-work +before we got under the ground, but it paid well in the end. + +The largest nugget of gold ever found before this time was a quartz +boulder from the Buckeye sluice, about 8 by 10 inches in size, and when +cleaned up at the San Francisco mint the value was about $10,000. + +Two of my partners in the work, L.J. Hanchett, and Jas. Clark ran out of +funds at the end of the first year, and I took as much of the expense as +I could upon my own shoulders. + +About this time learning by a letter from her father that Mrs. Bennett +was lying at the point of death at Mr. L.C. Bostic's in San Jose, I left +H. Hanchett in charge of my business, and in four days I stood beside +the bedside of my friend, endeared through the trials when death by +thirst, starvation and the desert sands, stared us in the face with all +its ghastliness. + +She reached out her arms and drew me down to her, and embraced me and +said in a faint whisper--"God bless you:--you saved us all till now, and +I hope you will always be happy and live long." She would have said +more, but her voice was so weak she could not be heard. She was very low +with consumption, and easily exhausted. I sat with her much of the time +at her request and though for her sake I would have kept back the tears +I could not always do it. Two doctors came, one of them Dr. Spencer, and +as I sat with my face partly turned away I over heard Dr. S. say to his +assistant--"He is a manly man." + +This presence and the circumstances brought back the trying Death Valley +struggles, when this woman and her companions, and the poor children, so +nearly starved they could not stand alone, were only prevented from +sitting down to die in sheer despair by the encouraging words of Rogers +and myself who had passed over the road, and used every way to sustain +their courage. + +She died the following day; with Mr. Bennett, I followed her remains to +Oak Hill cemetery, where she was buried near the foot of the hill, and a +board marked in large letters, "S.B." (Sarah Bennett) placed to mark the +mound. The grave cannot now be found, and no records being then kept it +is probably lost. + +I went home with Mr. Bennett to his home near Watsonville, and spent +several days, meeting several of our old Death Valley party, and Mr. +D.J. Dilley, Mrs. Bennett's father. Mrs. Bennett left surviving her a +young babe. + +I returned to Moore's Flat, and soon sold out my store, taking up the +business of purchasing gold dust direct from the miners, which I +followed for about two years, and in the fall of 1859 sold out the +business to Marks & Powers. I looked about through Napa and Sonoma +Counties, and finally came to San Jose, where I purchased the farm I now +own, near Hillsdale, of Bodley & McCabe, for which I paid $4,000. + +In the fall of the same year my old friend W.M. Stockton of Los Angeles +Co. persuaded me to come down and pay him a visit. His wife had died and +he felt very lonely. I had been there but a few days when my old friend +A. Bennett and his children also came to Stockton's. The children had +grown so much I hardly knew them, but I was glad indeed to meet them. + +I found Mr. Bennett to be a poor man. He had been persuaded to go to +Utah, being told that a fortune awaited his coming there, or could be +accumulated in a short time. He gave away the little babe left by his +wife to Mrs. Scott, of Scott's Valley, in Santa Cruz Co. and sold his +farm near the mouth of the Salinas River. With what money he had +accumulated he loaded two 4 mule teams with dry goods, put his four +children into his wagon, and went to Cedar City, Utah. + +He gave a thrilling account of passing through Mountain Meadows, where +he saw, here and there little groups of skeletons of the unhappy victims +of the great massacre at that place of men, women and children, by J.D. +Lee, and his Mormon followers and told me the terrible story, which I +here omit. + +Smarting under the terrible taxation of one tenth of everything, Bennett +grew poorer and poorer and at last resolved that he must go away, but +his wife could not leave her own people, and so he set off with his +children, somewhat afraid he might be shot down, but he reached Los +Angeles Co. in safety. One daughter married a lawyer in San Bernardino, +and died a few years afterwards. The other married a Capt. Johnson of +Wilmington, and Bennett and two sons went to Idaho. + +A few years ago in passing from San Jose to the Coast, my wife and I +spent Sunday at Scott's Valley. Mrs. Scott invited us to visit them in +the evening at the house when all would be at home. Mrs. Scott was the +lady to whom Bennett gave his girl baby when he started away for Utah, +and I felt very anxious to see her now she was grown up. Mrs. Scott +introduced us, and I sat and looked at the little woman quite a long +time, but could not see that she resembled either father or mother. My +mind ran back over the terrible road we came and I pictured to myself +the woman as she then appeared. + +I studied over our early trials, crossing the plains over the deserts +and our trying scenes out of Death Valley and turned all over in my mind +for some time and finally all came to me like a flash and I could +clearly see that the little lady was a true picture of her mother; I now +began to ask questions about her folks, she said her father lived near +Belmont, Nevada, and her grand-father died at the Monte, Los Angeles +county Cal.. Our visit now became very interesting and we kept a late +hour. + + + + +CHAPTER XVII. + + +Since writing the connected story which has thus far appeared, I turn +back to give some incidents of life in the mines, and some description +of those pioneer gold days. + +I have spoken of Moore's Flat, Orleans Flat and Woolsey's Flat, all +similarly situated on different points of the mountain, on the north +side of the ridge between the South and Middle Yuba River, and all at +about the same altitude. A very deep cañon lies between each of them, +but a good mountain road was built around the head of each cañon, +connecting the towns. When the snow got to be three or four feet deep +the roads must be broken out and communication opened, and the boys used +to turn out _en masse_ and each one would take his turn in leading the +army of road breakers. When the leader got tired out some one would take +his place, for it was terrible hard work to wade through snow up to +one's hips, and the progress very slow. But the boys went at it as if +they were going to a picnic, and a sort of picnic it was when they +reached the next town, for whisky was free and grub plenty to such a +party, and jollity and fun the uppermost thoughts. On one such occasion +when the crowd came through Orleans Flat to Moore's Flat, Sid Hunt, the +butcher, was in the lead as they came in sight of the latter place, and +both he and his followers talked pretty loud and rough to the Moore's +Flat fellows calling them "lazy pups" for not getting their road clear. +Hunt's helper was a big stout, loud talking young man named Williams, +and he shouted to the leader--"Sid Hunt, toot your horn if you don't +sell a clam." This seemed to put both sides in good humor, and the +Orleans fellows joined in a plenty to eat and drink, rested and went +home. Next day, both camps joined forces and broke the road over to +Woolsey's Flat, and the third day crowded on toward Nevada City, and +when out and across Bloody Run, a stream called thus because some dead +men had been found at the head of the stream by the early settlers, and +it was suspected the guilty murderers lived not far off, they turned +down into Humbug, a town now called Bloomfield, and as they went down +the snow was not so deep. They soon met Sam Henry, the express man, +working through with letters and papers, and all turned home again. + +A young doctor came to Moore's Flat and soon became quite popular, and +after a little while purchased a small drug store at Orleans Flat. In +this town there lived a man and his family and among them a little curly +headed girl perhaps one or two years old. She was sick and died and +buried while the ground was covered thick with snow. A little time +after, it was discovered that the grave had been disturbed, and on +examination no body was found in the grave. + +Then it was a searching party was organized, and threats of vengeance +made against the grave robber if he should be caught. No tracks were +found leading out of town so they began to look about inside, and there +began to be some talk about this Dr. Kittridge as the culprit. He was +the very man, and he went to his drug store and told his clerk to get a +saddle horse and take the dead child's body in a sack to his cabin at +Moore's Flat, and conceal it in a back room. The clerk obeyed, and with +the little corpse before him on the horse started from the back door and +rode furiously to Moore's Flat, and concealed the body as he had been +directed. + +Some noticed that he had ridden unusually fast, and having a suspicion +that all was not right, told their belief to the Orleans Flat people, +who visited the Doctor at his store and accused him of the crime, and +talked about hanging him on the spot without a trial. At this the Doctor +began to be greatly frightened and begged piteously for them to spare +his life, confessing to the deed, but pleading in extenuation that it +was for the purpose of confirming a question in his profession, and +wholly in the interest of science that he did it, and really to spare +the feelings of the parents that he did it secretly. He argued that no +real harm had been done, and some of his friends sided with him in this +view. But the controversy grew warmer, and the house filled up with +people. Some were bloodthirsty and needed no urging to proceed to buy a +rope and use it. Others argued, and finally the Doctor said that the +body had not been dissected, and if they would allow him, and appoint a +committee to go with him, he would produce the body, and they could +decently bury it again and there it might remain forever. This he +promised to do, and all agreed to it, and he kept his word, thus ending +the matter satisfactorily and the Doctor was released. But the feeling +never died out. The Doctor's friends deserted him, and no one seemed to +like to converse with him. At the saloon he would sit like a perfect +stranger, no one noticing him, and he soon left for new fields. + +The first tunnel run at Moore's Flat was called the Paradise, and had to +be started low on the side of the mountain in order to drain the ground, +and had to be blasted through the bed rock for about 200 feet. + +Four of us secured ground enough by purchase so we could afford to +undertake this expensive job and we worked on it day and night. Jerry +Clark and Len Redfield worked the day shifts, and Sam King and Wm. Quirk +the night shift. When the tunnel was completed about 100 feet, the night +shift had driven forward the top of the tunnel as a heading, leaving the +bottom, which was about a foot thick, or more, to be taken out by the +day shift. They drilled a hole about two feet horizontally to blast out +this bench. King would sit and hold the drill between his feet, while +Quirk would strike with a heavy sledge. When the hole was loaded they +tramped down the charge very hard so as to be sure it would not blow +out, but lift the whole bench. One day when they were loading a hole, +King told Quirk to come down pretty heavy on the tamping, so as to make +all sure, and after a few blows given as directed, there was an +explosion, and Quirk was forced some distance out of the tunnel, his +eyes nearly put out with dirt blown into them, and his face and body cut +with flying pieces of rock. He was at first completely stunned, but +after awhile recovered so as to crawl out, and was slowly making his way +up the hill on hands and knees when he was discovered and helped to his +cabin where his wounds were washed and dressed. + +Then a party with lighted candles entered the tunnel to learn the fate +of King, and they found him lying on the mass of rock the blast had +lifted, dead. On a piece of board they bore the body to his cabin. There +was hardly a whole bone remaining. A cut diagonally across his face, +made by a sharp stone, had nearly cut his head in two. He had been +thrown so violently against the roof of the tunnel, about 6 feet high, +that he was completely mashed. + +He had a wife in Mass. and as I had often heard him talk of her, and of +sending her money, I bought a $100 check and sent it in the same letter +which bore the melancholy news. King had a claim at Chip's Flat which he +believed would be very rich in time, so I kept his interest up in it +till it amounted to $500 and then abandoned the claim and pocketed the +loss. + +We made a pine box, and putting his body in it, laid it away with +respect. I had often heard him say that if he suffered an accident, he +wished to be killed outright and not be left a cripple, and his wish +came true. + +After this accident the blacksmith working for the Paradise Co., was +making some repairs about the surface of the air shaft, and among his +tools was a bar of steel an inch square, and 8 or 10 feet long, which +was thrown across the shaft, and while working at the whim wheel he +slipped and struck this bar which fell to the bottom of the shaft, 100 +feet deep and the blacksmith followed. When the other workmen went down +to his assistance they found that the bar of steel had stuck upright in +the bottom of the shaft, and when the man came down it pierced his body +from hip to neck, killing him instantly. He was a young man, and I have +forgotten his name. + +Those who came to California these later years will not many of them see +the old apparatus and appliances which were used in saving the gold in +those primitive days. Among them was the old "Rocker." This had a bottom +about 5 feet long and 16 inches wide, with the sides about 8 inches high +for half the length, and then sloped off to two inches at the end. There +was a bar about an inch high across the end to serve as a riffle, and on +the higher end of this box is a stationary box 14 inches square, with +sides 4 inches high and having a sheet iron bottom perforated with half +inch holes. On the bottom of the box are fastened two rockers like those +on the baby cradle, and the whole had a piece of board or other solid +foundation to stand on, the whole being set at an angle to allow the +gravel to work off at the lower end with the water. A cleat was fastened +across the bottom to catch the gold, and this was frequently examined to +see how the work was paying, and taking out such coarse pieces as could +be readily seen. To work the rocker a pan of dirt would be placed in the +square screen box, and then with one hand the miner would rock the +cradle while he poured water with the other from a dipper to wash the +earth. After he had poured on enough water and shaken the box +sufficiently to pass all the small stuff through he would stir over what +remained in the screen box, examining carefully for a nugget too large +to pass through the half inch holes. If the miner found that the dirt +did not pay he took his rocker on his back and went on in search of a +better claim. + +Another way to work the dirt was to get a small head of water running in +a ditch, and then run the water and gravel through a series of boxes a +foot square and twelve feet long, using from one to ten boxes as +circumstances seemed to indicate. At the lower end of these boxes was +placed the "Long Tom" which was about two feet wide at the lower end, +and having sides six inches high at the same point. The side pieces +extend out about 3 feet longer than the wooden bottom, and are turned up +to a point, some like a sled runner, and this turned up part has a +bottom of sheet iron punched full of holes, the size of the sheet iron +being about 3 feet by 16 inches. + +The miners shovel dirt into the upper end of the boxes slowly, and +regulate the water so that it dissolves the lumps and chunks very +thoroughly before it reaches the long tom where a man stands and stirs +the gravel over, and if nothing yellow is seen throws the washed gravel +away, and lets the rest go through the screen. Immediately below this +screen was placed what was called a "riffle box," 2 by 4 feet in size +with bars 4 inches high across the bottom and sides, and this box is set +at the proper angle. Now when the water comes through the screen it +falls perpendicularly in this box with force enough to keep the contents +continually in motion, and as the gold is much heavier than any other +mineral likely to be found in the dirt, it settles to the bottom, and +all the lighter stuff is carried away by the water. The gold would be +found behind the bars in the riffle box. + +These methods of working were very crude, and we gradually became aware +that the finest dust was not saved, and many improvements were brought +into use. In my own mine the tailings that we let go down the mountain +side would lodge in large piles in different places, and after lying a +year, more gold could be washed out of it than was first obtained, and +some of it coarser, so that it was plainly seen that a better way of +working would be more profitable. There was plenty of ground called poor +ground that had much gold in it but could not be profitably worked with +the rocker and long tom. The bed rock was nearly level and as the land +had a gradual rise, the banks kept getting higher and higher as they dug +farther in. Now it was really good ground only down close to the bed +rock, but all the dirt had some gold in it, and if a way could be +invented to work it fast enough, such ground would pay. So the plan of +hydraulic mining was experimented upon. + +The water was brought in a ditch or flume to the top of a high bank, and +then terminated in a tight box. To this box was attached a large hose +made by hand out of canvas, and a pipe and nozzle attached to the lower +end of the hose. Now as the bank was often 100 feet or more high the +water at this head, when directed through the nozzle against the bank, +fairly melted it away into liquid mud. Imagine us located a mile above +the river on the side of a mountain. We dug at first sluices in the rock +to carry off the mud and water, and after it had flowed in these a +little way a sluice box was put in to pass it through. These were made +on a slope of one in twelve, and the bottom paved with blocks, 3 inches +thick, so laid as to make a cavity or pocket at the corner of the +blocks. After passing the first sluice box the water and gravel would be +run in a bed rock sluice again, and then into another sluice box and so +on for a mile, passing through several sluice boxes on the way. +Quicksilver was placed in the upper sluice boxes, and when the particles +of gold were polished up by tumbling about in the gravel, they combined +with the quicksilver making an amalgam. + +The most gold would be left in the first sluice boxes but some would go +on down to the very last, where the water and dirt was run off into the +river. They cleaned up the first sluices every week, a little farther +down every month, while the lower ones would only be cleaned up at the +end of the season. + +In cleaning up, the blocks would be taken out of the boxes, and every +little crevice or pocket in the whole length of the sluice cleaned out, +from the bottom to the top, using little hooks and iron spoons made for +the purpose. + +The amalgam thus collected was heated in a retort which expelled the +quicksilver in vapor, which was condensed and used again. + +When they first tried hydraulic work a tinsmith made a nozzle out of +sheet iron, but when put in practice, instead of throwing a solid +stream, it scattered like an shotgun, and up at Moore's Flat they called +the claims where they used it the "shotgun" claims. + +From that time great improvements were made in hydraulic apparatus until +the work done by them was really wonderful. + +In 1850 there lived at Orleans Flat and Moore's Flat, in Nevada County a +few young, energetic and very stirring pioneers in the persons of lads +from 10 to 15 years of age, always on the search for a few dimes to +spend, or add to an already hoarded store, and the mountain air, with +the wild surroundings, seemed to inspire them always with lively vigor, +and especially when there was a prospect of a two-bit piece not far +ahead. + +In winter when the deep snow cut off all communication with the valley, +our busy tinner ran short of solder, and seeing a limited supply in the +tin cans that lay thick about, he engaged the boys to gather in a supply +and showed them how they could be melted down to secure the solder with +which they had been fastened, and thus provide for his immediate wants. +So the boys ransacked every spot where they had been thrown, under the +saloon and houses, and in old dump holes everywhere, till they had +gathered a pretty large pile which they fired as he had told them, and +then panned out the ashes to secure the drops of metal which had melted +down and cooled in small drops and bits below. This was re-melted and +cast into a mould made in a pine block, and the solder made into regular +form. About one-third was made up thus in good and honest shape. + +But the boys soon developed a shrewdness that if more fully expanded +might make them millionaires, but in the present small way they hoped to +put to account in getting a few extra dimes. They put a big chunk of +iron in the mould and poured in the melted solder which enclosed it +completely, so that when they presented the bright silvery bar to the +old tinker he paid the price agreed upon and they divided the money +between them, and then, in a secure place, they laughed till their sides +ached at the good joke on the tinman. + +In due time the man found out the iron core in his bar of solder, and +thought the joke such a good one that he told of it in the saloon, and +had to spend at least $5 in drinks to ease off the laugh they had on him +as the victim of the young California pioneers. And these young +fellows--some have paddled their own canoe successfully into quiet +waters and are now in the fullness of life, happy in their possessions, +while some have been swamped on the great rushing stream of business, +and dwell in memory on the happy times gone by. + +The older pioneers in these mining towns were, in many respects a +peculiar class of men. Most of them were sober and industrious, fearless +and venturesome, jolly and happy when good luck came to them, and in +misfortune stood up with brave, strong, manly hearts, without a tear or +murmur. They let the world roll merrily by, were ever ready with joke, +mirth and fun to make their surroundings cheerful. + +Fortunes came and went; they made money easily, and spent it just as +freely, and in their generosity and kindly charity the old +expression--"He has a heart like an ox" fitted well the character of +most of them. + +When luck turned against them they worked the harder, for the next turn +might fill their big pockets with a fortune, and then the dream of +capturing a wife and building up a home could be realized, and they +would move out into the world on a wave of happiness and plenty. This +kind of talk was freely carried on around the camp fire in the long +evenings, and who knows how many of these royal good fellows realized +those bright hopes and glorious anticipations? Who knows? + +The names come back in memory of some of them, and others have been +forgotten. I recall Washington Work, H. J. Kingman, A. J. Henderson, L. +J. Hanchett, Jack Hays, Seth Bishop, Burr Blakeslee, Jim Tyler, who was +the loudest laugher in the town, and as he lived at the Clifton House he +was called "The Clifton House Calf." These and many others might be +mentioned as typical good fellows of the mining days. The biggest kind +of practical joke would be settled amicably at the saloon after the +usual style. + +One day Jack Hays bought a pair of new boots, set them down in the store +and went to turn off the miners supply of water. When he returned he +found his boots well filled with refuse crackers and water. This he +discovered when he took them up to go to dinner, and as he poured out +the contents at the door, a half dozen boys across the street raised a +big laugh at him, and hooted at his discomfiture. Jack scowled an awful +scowl, and if he called them "pukes" with a few swear words added, it +was a mild way of pouring out his anger. But after dinner the boys +surrounded him and fairly laughed him into a good humor, so that he set +up drinks for the crowd. + +Foot races were a great Sunday sport, and dog fights were not uncommon. +One dog in our camp was champion of the ridge, and though other camps +brought in their pet canines to eat him up, he was always the top dog at +the end of the scrimmage, and he had a winning grip on the fore foot of +his antagonist. + +A big "husky" who answered to the name of Cherokee Bob came our way and +stopped awhile. He announced himself a foot racer, and a contest was +soon arranged with Soda Bill of Nevada City, and each went into a course +of training at his own camp. Bob found some way to get the best time +that Bill could make, and comparing it with his own, said he could beat +in that race. So when it came off our boys gathered up their money, and +loaded down the stage, inside and out, departing with swinging hats and +flying colors, and screaming in wild delight at the sure prospect of +doubling their dust. In a few days they all came back after the style of +half drowned roosters. + +Bob had 'thrown' the race and skipped with his money before they could +catch him. Had he been found he would have been urgently hoisted to the +first projecting limb, but he was never seen again. The boys were sad +and silent for a day or two, but a look of cheerful resignation soon +came upon their faces as they handled pick and shovel, and the world +rolled on as before. + +One fall we had a county election, and among the candidates for office +was our townsman, H.M. Moore, from whom Moore's Flat secured its name. +He was the Democratic nominee for County Judge, and on the other side +was David Belden, he whom Santa Clara County felt proud to honor as its +Superior Judge, and when death claimed him, never was man more sincerely +mourned by every citizen. + +The votes were counted, and Belden was one ahead. Moore claimed another +count, and this time a mistake was discovered in the former count, but +unfortunately it gave Belden a larger majority than before, and his +adversary was forced to abandon the political fight. + +In the fifties I traveled from the North Yuba River to San Bernardino on +different roads, and made many acquaintances and friends. I can truly +say that I found many of these early comers who were the most noble men +and women of the earth. They were brave else they had never taken the +journey through unknown deserts, and through lands where wild Indians +had their homes. They were just and true to friends, and to real +enemies, terribly bitter and uncompromising. Money was borrowed and +loaned without a note or written obligation, and there was no mention +made of statute laws as a rule of action. When a real murderer or +horsethief was caught no lawyers were needed nor employed, but if the +community was satisfied as to the guilt and identity of the prisoner, +the punishment was speedily meted out, and the nearest tree was soon +ornamented with his swinging carcass. + +Many of these worthy men broke the trail on the rough way that led to +the Pacific Coast, drove away all dangers, and made it safer for those +who dared not at first risk life and fortune in the journey, but, +encouraged by the success of the earliest pioneers, ventured later on +the eventful trip to the new gold fields. I cannot praise these noble +men too much; they deserve all I can say, and much more, too; and if a +word I can say shall teach our new citizens to regard with reverent +respect the early pioneers who laid the foundations of the glory, +prosperity and beauty of the California of to-day, I shall have done all +I hope to, and the historian of another half century may do them +justice, and give to them their full need of praise. + +As long as I have lived in California I have never carried a weapon of +defense, and never could see much danger. I tried to follow the right +trail so as to shun bad men, and never found much difficulty in doing +so. We hear much of the Vigilance Committee of early days. It was an +actual necessity of former times. The gold fields not only attracted the +good and brave, but also the worst and most lawless desperadoes of the +world at large. England's banished convicts came here from the penal +colonies of Australia and Van Diemen's Land. They had wonderful ideas of +freedom. In their own land the stern laws and numerous constabulary had +not been able to keep them from crime. A colony of criminals did not +improve in moral tone, and when the most reckless and daring of all +these were turned loose in a country like California, where the +machinery of laws and officers to execute them was not yet in order, +these lawless "Sidney Ducks," as they were called, felt free to rob and +murder, and human life or blood was not allowed to stand between them +and their desires. Others of the same general stripe came from Mexico +and Chili, and Texas and Western Missouri furnished another class almost +as bad. + +The Vigilance Committee of San Francisco was composed of the best men in +the world. They endured all that was heaped upon them by these lawless +men, and the law of self protection forced them to organize for the +swift apprehension and punishment of crime, and the preservation of +their property and lives. No one was punished unjustly, but there was no +delay, and the evil-doer met his fate swiftly and surely. Justice was +strict, and the circumstances were generally unfavorable to thoughts of +mercy. I was in San Francisco the day after Casey and Cory were hung by +the Vigilance Committee. Things looked quite military. Fort Gunny-bags +seemed well protected, and no innocent man in any danger. I was then a +customer of G.W. Badger and Lindenberger, clothiers, and was present one +day in their store when some of the clerks came in from general duty, +and their comrades shouldered the same guns and took their places on +guard. The Committee was so truly vigilant that these fire-bugs, robbers +and cut-throats had to hide for safety. + +Those who came early to this coast were, mostly, brave, venturesome, +enduring fellows, who felt they could outlive any hardship and overcome +all difficulties; they were of no ordinary type of character or habits. +They thought they saw success before them, and were determined to win it +at almost any cost. They had pictured in their minds the size of the +"pile" that would satisfy them, and brought their buckskin bags with +them, in various sizes, to hold the snug sum they hoped to win in the +wonderful gold fields of the then unknown California. + +These California pioneers were restless fellows, but those who came by +the overland trail were not without education and refinement; they were, +indeed, many of them, the very cream of Americans. The new scenes and +associations, the escape from the influence of home and friends, of wife +and children, led some off the dim track, and their restlessness could +not well be put down. Reasonable men could not expect all persons under +these circumstances to be models of virtue. Then the Missouri River +seemed to be the western boundary of all civilization, and as these gold +hunters launched out on the almost trackless prairies that lay westward +of that mighty stream, many considered themselves as entering a country +of peculiar freedom, and it was often said that "Law and morality never +crossed the Missouri River." Passing this great stream was like the +crossing of the Rubicon in earlier history, a step that could not be +retraced, a launching to victory or death. Under this state of feeling +many showed the cloven foot, and tried to make trouble, but in any +emergency good and honest men seemed always in the majority, and those +who had thoughts or desires of evil were compelled to submit to +honorable and just conclusions. + +There were some strange developments of character among these travelers. +Some who had in long attendance at school and church, listened all their +lives to teachings of morality and justice, and at home seemed to be +fairly wedded to ideas of even rights between man and man, seemed to +experience a change of character as they neared the Pacific Coast. +Amiable dispositions became soured, moral ideas sadly blunted, and their +whole make-up seemed changed, while others who at home seemed to be of +rougher mould, developed principles of justice and humanity, affection +almost unbounded, and were true men in every trial and in all places. A +majority of all were thus fair-minded and true. + +Men from every state from New Hampshire to Texas gathered on the banks +of the Missouri to set out together across the plains. These men reared +in different climates, amid different ways and customs, taught by +different teachers in schools of religion and politics, made up a +strange mass when thus thrown together; but the good and true came to +the surface, and the turbulent and bad were always in a hopeless +minority. Laws seemed to grow out of the very circumstances, and though +not in print, flagrant violations would be surely punished. + +Some left civilization with all the luxuries money could buy--fine, +well-equipped trains of their own, and riding a fat and prancing steed, +which they guided with gloved hands, and seemed to think that water and +grass and pleasant camping places would always be found wherever they +wished to stop for rest, and that the great El Dorado would be a grand +pleasure excursion, ending in a pile of gold large enough to fill their +big leather purse. But the sleek, fat horse grew poor; the gloves with +embroidered gauntlet wrists were cast aside; the trains grew small, and +the luxuries vanished, and perhaps the plucky owner made the last few +hundred miles on foot, with blistered soles and scanty pack, almost +alone. Many of these gay trains never reached California, and many a +pioneer who started with high hopes died upon the way, some rudely +buried, some left where they fell upon the sands or rocks. + +Those who got through found a splendid climate and promising prospects +before them of filling empty stomachs and empty pockets, and were soon +searching eagerly for yellow treasure. When fortunate they recovered +rapidly their exhausted bodies to health and strength, and gained new +energy as they saw prosperity. + +Prospectors wandered through the mountains in search of new and suitable +gold diggings, and when they came to a miner's cabin the door was always +open, and whether the owner was present or absent they could go in, and +if hungry, help themselves to anything they found in shape of food, and +go away again without fear of offense, for under such circumstances the +unwritten law said that grub was free. + +By the same unwritten law, stealing and robbery, as well as murder, were +capital offences, and lawless characters were put down. Favors were +freely granted, and written obligations were never asked or given, and +business was governed by the rules of strictest honor. The great +majority of these pioneers were the bone and sinew of the nation, and +possessed a fair share of the brains. In a personal experience with them +extending from early days to the present time I have found them always +just and honorable, and I regret that it is not within my ability to +give the praise they deserve. When a stranger and hungry I was never +turned away without food, and my entertainment was free, and given +without thought of compensation or reward. + +In the chambers of my mind are stored up the most pleasant recollections +of these noble men whose good deeds in days gone by have earned for them +the right to a crown of glory of greatest splendor. + +These noble souls who came here 40 years ago are fast passing away +across the Mystic River, and those who trod on foot the hot and dusty +trail are giving way to those who come in swiftly rolling palace cars, +and who hardly seem to give a thought to the difference between then and +now. Those who came early cleared the way and started the great stream +of gold that has made America one of the richest nations of the world. + +I have a suggestion to make to the descendants of these noble pioneers, +that to perpetuate the memory of their fathers, and do reverence to +their good and noble deeds in the early history of this grand State, +there should be erected upon the highest mountain top a memorial +building wherein may be inscribed the names and histories of the brave +pioneers, so they may never be blotted out. + +THE JAYHAWKERS. + +The most perfect organization of the pioneers who participated more or +less in the scenes depicted in this volume, is that of the Jayhawkers, +and, strange to say, this organization is in the East, and has its +annual meetings there, although the living members are about equally +divided between the East and the Pacific Coast. As related elsewhere, +February 4th is the day of the annual meeting, for on that day they +reached the Santa Clara Valley. + +It is greatly regretted that a more direct and complete account of the +Death Valley experience of the Jayhawkers could not have been obtained +for this work. To be sure it was from the lips of a living witness told +in many conversations, but no doubt many striking incidents were left +out. It is, however, a settled thing that these, and other individuals +with whom he was immediately connected, were more intimately connected +with the horrors of the sunken valley which was given its name by them, +than were any other persons who ever crossed that desert region. + +It will be considered that this was the most favorable time of year +possible, and that during the spring or summer not one would have lived +to tell the tale. + +The Author, to his best, has done his duty to all, and concludes with +the hope that this mite may authenticate one of the saddest chapters in +the history of the Golden State. + +CONCLUSION. + +This story is not meant to be sensational, but a plain, unvarnished tale +of truth--some parts hard and very sad. It is a narrative of my personal +experience, and being in no sense a literary man or making any pretense +as a writer, I hope the errors may be overlooked, for it has been to me +a difficult story to tell, arousing as it did sad recollections of the +past. I have told it in the plainest, briefest way, with nothing +exaggerated or overdone. Those who traveled over the same or similar +routes are capable of passing a just opinion of the story. + +Looking back over more than 40 years, I was then a great lover of +liberty, as well as health and happiness, and I possessed a great desire +to see a new country never yet trod by civilized man, so that I easily +caught the gold fever of 1849, and naught but a trip to that land of +fabled wealth could cure me. + +Geography has wonderfully changed since then. Where Omaha now stands +there was not a house in 1849. Six hundred miles of treeless prairie +without a house brought us to the adobe dwellings at Fort Laramie, and +400, more or less, were the long miles to Mormondom, still more than 700 +miles from the Pacific Coast. Passing over this wilderness was like +going to sea without a compass. + +Hence it will be seen that when we crossed a stream that was said to +flow to the Pacific Ocean, myself and comrades were ready to adopt +floating down its current as an easier road than the heated trail, and +for three weeks, over rocks and rapids, we floated and tumbled down the +deep cañon of Green River till we emerged into an open plain and were +compelled to come on shore by the Indians there encamped. We had +believed the Indians to be a war-like and cruel people, but when we made +them understand where we wanted to go, they warned us of the great +impassable Colorado Cañon only two days ahead of us, and pointed out the +road to "Mormonie" with their advice to take it. This was Chief Walker, +a good, well meaning red man, and to him we owed our lives. + +Out of this trouble we were once again on the safe road from Salt Lake +to Los Angeles, and again made error in taking a cutoff route, and +striking across a trackless country because it seemed to promise a +shorter distance, and where thirteen of our party lie unburied on the +sands of the terribly dry valley. Those who lived were saved by the +little puddles of rain water that had fallen from the small rain clouds +that had been forced over the great Sierra Nevada Mountains in one of +the wettest winters ever known. In an ordinary year we should have all +died of thirst, so that we were lucky in our misfortune. + +When we came out to the fertile coast near Los Angeles, we found good +friends in the native Californians who, like good Samaritans, gave us +food and took us in, poor, nearly starved creatures that we were, +without money or property from which they could expect to be rewarded. +Their deeds stand out whiter in our memories than all the rest, +notwithstanding their skins were dark. It seems to me such people do not +live in this age of the world which we are pleased to call advanced. I +was much with these old Californians, and found them honest and +truthful, willing to divide the last bit of food with a needy stranger +or a friend. Their good deeds have never been praised enough, and I feel +it in my heart to do them ample justice while I live. + +The work that was laid out for me to do, to tell when and where I went, +is done. Perhaps in days to come it may be of even more interest than +now, and I shall be glad I have turned over the scenes in my memory and +recorded them, and on some rolling stone you may inscribe the name of +WILLIAM LEWIS MANLEY, born near St. Albans, Vermont, April 20th, 1820, +who went to Michigan while yet it was a territory, as an early pioneer; +then onward to Wisconsin before it became a state, and for twelve long, +weary months traveled across the wild western prairies, the lofty +mountains and sunken deserts of Death Valley, to this land which is now +so pleasant and so fair, wherein, after over 40 years of earnest toil, I +rest in the midst of family and friends, and can truly say I am content. + +THE END. + + + + +[Transcriber's Note: Several variant spellings of, for example, +"medecine" and "Mormon", have been retained from the original.] + + + + + +End of Project Gutenberg's Death Valley in '49, by William Lewis Manly + +*** END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK 12236 *** |