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diff --git a/.gitattributes b/.gitattributes new file mode 100644 index 0000000..6833f05 --- /dev/null +++ b/.gitattributes @@ -0,0 +1,3 @@ +* text=auto +*.txt text +*.md text diff --git a/31384-8.txt b/31384-8.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..3ac85e6 --- /dev/null +++ b/31384-8.txt @@ -0,0 +1,2818 @@ +The Project Gutenberg EBook of In the Early Days along the Overland Trail +in Nebraska Territory, in 1852, by Gilbert L. Cole + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + +Title: In the Early Days along the Overland Trail in Nebraska Territory, in 1852 + +Author: Gilbert L. Cole + +Release Date: February 25, 2010 [EBook #31384] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ISO-8859-1 + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK OVERLAND TRAIL *** + + + + +Produced by Martin Pettit and the Online Distributed +Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net (This file was +produced from images generously made available by The +Internet Archive/American Libraries.) + + + + + + +In the Early Days Along the Overland Trail in +Nebraska Territory, in 1852. + +BY + +GILBERT L. COLE, + +1905. + +COMPILED BY MRS. A. HARDY. + +Press of +FRANKLIN HUDSON PUBLISHING COMPANY, +KANSAS CITY, MO. + + +[Illustration: GILBERT L. COLE.] + + +COPYRIGHT, 1905, +BY GILBERT L. COLE, +BEATRICE, NEB. + + + + +TESTIMONIALS. + + +A true story plainly told, of immense historical value and fascinating +interest from beginning to end. + +DR. GEO. W. CROFTS, +Beatrice, Nebraska. + + +I have read every word of "In the Early Days," written by Mr. Gilbert L. +Cole, with great interest and profit. The language is well chosen, the +word-pictures are vivid, and the subject-matter is of historic value. +The story is fascinating in the extreme, and I only wished it were +longer. The story should be printed and distributed for the people in +general to read. + +July 27, 1905. +C. A. FULMER, +_Superintendent of Public Schools_, +Beatrice, Neb. + + +At a single sitting, with intense interest, I have read the manuscript +of "In the Early Days." It is a very entertaining narrative of +adventure, a vivid portrayal of conditions and an instructive history of +events as they came into the personal experience and under the +observation of the writer fifty-three years ago. An exceedingly valuable +contribution to the too meager literature of a time so near in years, +but so distant in conditions as to make the truth about it seem +stranger than fiction. + +REV. N. A. MARTIN, +_Pastor, Centenary M. E. Church_, +Beatrice, Neb. + + +NEBRASKA STATE HISTORICAL SOCIETY. +LINCOLN, Nebraska, July 28, 1905. + +_To whom it may concern_: The manuscript account of the overland trip by +Mr. Gilbert L. Cole of Beatrice, Nebraska, in my opinion is a very +carefully written story of great interest to the whole public, and +particularly to Nebraskans. It reads like a novel, and the succession of +adventures holds the interest of the reader to the end. The records of +trips across the Nebraska Territory as early as this one are very +incomplete, and Mr. Cole has done a real public service in putting into +print so complete a record of these experiences. I predict that it will +find a wide circulation among lovers of travel and of Nebraska history. + +Very sincerely, + +JAY AMOS BARRETT, +_Curator and Librarian Nebraska +State Historical Society_, + +Author of "Nebraska and the Nation"; +"Civil Government of Nebraska." + + +EXECUTIVE CHAMBER, +LINCOLN, Nebraska, July 28, 1905. + +_To whom it may concern_: It gives me great pleasure to say that the +publication, "In the Early Days," written by Mr. Gilbert L. Cole, of +Beatrice, Nebraska, is a very interesting and profitable work to read. +It bears upon many subjects of great historical value and no doubt will +prove a very interesting book to all who read it and I take pleasure in +recommending the same. + +Very respectfully, +JOHN H. MICKEY, +_Governor_. + + +_To whom it may concern_: It is with pleasure I write a few words of +commendation for the book written by Mr. Gilbert L. Cole, of Beatrice, +Nebraska, entitled "In the Early Days." It is well prepared and full of +interest from beginning to the end. It is of great value to every +Nebraskan. + +_July 28, 1905._ +D. L. THOMAS, +_Pastor Grace M. E. Church_, +Lincoln, Neb. + + +An interesting, thrilling and delightful bit of prairie history hitherto +unwritten and unsung, which most opportunely and completely supplies a +missing link in the stories of the great Westland. + +MRS. A. HARDY, +_President Beatrice Woman's Club_, +Beatrice, Neb. + + +BEATRICE, NEB., July 30, 1905. + +I have just read "In the Early Days," by Col. G. L. Cole, and I find it +an interesting and instructive narrative, clothed in good diction and +pleasing style. Few of the Argonauts took time or trouble to make note +of the events of their journey and our California gold episode is +remarkably barren of literature, a fact which makes Col. Cole's book +doubly interesting and valuable. + +M. T. CUMMINGS + + + + +CONTENTS. + +CHAPTER I.--Setting up Altars of Remembrance, 13 + +CHAPTER II.--"God Could Not Be Everywhere, +and so He Made Mothers," 23 + +CHAPTER III.--"But Somewhere the Master +Has a Counterpart of Each," 32 + +CHAPTER IV.--Our Prairies are a Book +Whose Pages Hold Many Stories, 41 + +CHAPTER V.--A Worthy Object Reached For +and Missed is a First Step Toward Success, 51 + +CHAPTER VI.--"'Tis Only a Snowbank's Tears, I Ween," 58 + +CHAPTER VII.--We Stepped Over the Ridge +and Courted the Favor of New and Untried Waters, 67 + +CHAPTER VIII.--We Had No Flag to Unfurl, +but Its Sentiment Was Within Us, 77 + +CHAPTER IX.--We Listened to Each Other's +Rehearsals, and Became Mutual Sympathizers +and Encouragers, 87 + +CHAPTER X.--Boots and Saddles Call, 98 + +CHAPTER XI.--"But All Comes Right in the End," 108 + +CHAPTER XII.--Each Day Makes Its Own +Paragraphs and Punctuation Marks, 123 + + + + +INTRODUCTORY. + + +If one is necessary, the only apology I can offer for presenting this +little volume to the public is that it may serve to record for time to +come some of the adventures of that long and wearisome journey, together +with my impressions of the beautiful plains, mountains and rivers of the +great and then comparatively unknown Territory of Nebraska. They were +presented to me fresh from the hand of Nature, in all their beauty and +glory. And by reference to the daily journal I kept along the trail, the +impressions made upon my mind have remained through these long years, +bright and clear. + +THE AUTHOR. + + + + +IN THE EARLY DAYS ALONG THE OVERLAND TRAIL IN NEBRASKA TERRITORY, +IN 1852. + + + + +CHAPTER I. + +SETTING UP ALTARS OF REMEMBRANCE. + + +It has been said that once upon a time Heaven placed a kiss upon the +lips of Earth and therefrom sprang the fair State of Nebraska. + +It was while the prairies were still dimpling under this first kiss that +the events related in this little volume became part and parcel of my +life and experience, as gathered from a trip made across the continent +in the morning glow of a territory now occupying high and honorable +position in the calendar of States and nations. + +On the 16th day of March, 1852, a caravan consisting of twenty-four men, +one woman (our captain, W. W. Wadsworth being accompanied by his wife), +forty-four head of horses and mules and eight wagons, gathered itself +together from the little city of Monroe, Michigan, and adjacent country, +and, setting its face toward the western horizon, started for the newly +found gold fields of California, where it expected to unloose from the +storage quarters of Nature sufficient of shining wealth to insure peace +and plenty to twenty-five life-times and their dependencies. As is usual +upon such occasions, this March morning departure from home and friends +was a strange commingling of sadness and gladness, of hope and fear, for +in those days whoever went into the regions beyond the Missouri River +were considered as already lost to the world. It was going into the dark +unknown and untried places of earth whose farewells always surrounded +those who remained at home with an atmosphere of foreboding. + +Nothing of importance occurred during our travel through the States, +except the general bad roads, which caused us to make slow progress. +Crossing the Mississippi River at Warsaw, Illinois, we kept along the +northern tier of counties in Missouri, which were heavily timbered and +sparsely settled. Bearing south-west, we arrived at St. Joseph, +Missouri, on the first day of May. + +The town was a collection of one-story, cheap, wooden buildings, located +along the river and Black Snake Hollow. + +The inhabitants appeared to be chiefly French and half-breed Indians. +The principal business was selling outfits to immigrants and trading +horses, mules and cattle. There was one steam ferry-boat, which had +several days crossing registered ahead. + +The level land below the town was the camping-place of our colony. After +two or three days at this point, we drove up to the town of Savannah, +where we laid in new supplies and passed on to the Missouri River, where +we crossed by hand-ferry at Savannah Landing, now called Amazonia. Here +we pressed for the first time the soil of the then unsettled plains of +the great West. Working our way through the heavily timbered bottom, we +camped under the bluffs, wet and weary. + +We remained here over Sunday, it having been decided to observe the +Sabbath days as a time of rest. We usually rested Wednesday afternoons +also. + +Just after crossing the river, we had a number of set-backs; beginning +with the crippling of a wheel while passing through a growth of timber. +As we examined the broken spokes, we realized that they would soon have +to be replaced by new ones, and that the wise thing to do was to provide +for them while in the region of timber; so we stopped, cut jack-oak, +made it into lengths and stored them in the wagon until time and place +were more opportune for wheel-wrighting. This broken wheel proved to be +a hoodoo, as will appear at intervals during the story of the next few +weeks. + +In attempting to cross the slough which lies near to and parallel with +the river for a long distance, my team and wagon, leading the others, no +sooner got fairly on to the slough, which was crusted over, than the +wagon sank in clear to its bed, and the horses sank until they were +resting on their bellies as completely as though they were entirely +without legs. + +And there we were, the longed-for bluffs just before us, and yet as +unapproachable as if they were located in Ireland. A party of campers, +numbering some fifty or seventy-five, who were resting near by, came to +our relief. The horses were extricated, and, after we had carried the +contents of the wagon to the bluff shore, they drew the wagon out with +cow-teams, whose flat, broad hoofs kept them from sinking. Cow-teams +were used quite extensively in those days, being very docile and also +swift walkers. + +Here under the bluffs over-hanging the Missouri, we completed our +organization, for it was not only necessary that every man go armed, but +also each man knew his special duty and place. W. W. Wadsworth, a brave +and noble man, was by common consent made captain. Four men were +detailed each night to stand guard, two till 1 o'clock, when they were +relieved by two others, who served till daylight. + +Monday morning came, and at sunrise we started on the trail that led up +the hollow and on to the great plains of Kansas and Nebraska. The day +was warm and bright and clear. The sight before us was the most +beautiful I had ever seen. Not a tree nor an obstacle was in sight; only +the great rolling sea of brightest green beneath us and the vivid blue +above. I think it must have been just such a scene as this that inspired +a modern writer to pen those expressive and much admired lines: + + + "I'm glad the sky is painted blue + And the grass is painted green, + And a lot of nice fresh air + All sandwiched in between." + + +Sky, air, grass; what an abundance of them! in all the pristine splendor +of fifty-three years ago, was ours upon that spring morning. This, then, +was the land which in later years was called the "Great American +Desert." I have now lived in Nebraska for a quarter of a century and +know whereof I speak when I say that in those days the grass was as +green and luxuriant as it is today; the rivers were fringed with willow +green as they are today; the prairie roses, like pink stars, dotted the +trail sides through which we passed; and, later on, clumps of golden-rod +smiled upon us with their sun-hued faces; the rains fell as they have +been falling all these years, and several kinds of birds sang their +praises of it all. This was "the barren, sandy desert," as I saw it more +than half a hundred years ago. + +Perhaps right here it will be well to ask the reader to bear in mind the +fact that the boundary lines of Nebraska in 1852, were different from +the boundary lines of today. They extended many miles farther south, and +so many miles farther west, that we stepped out of Nebraska on to the +summit of the Sierra Nevada Mountains into California. + +It was at this stage of our journey, that, in going out, very early in +the morning to catch my horse, I noticed ahead of me something sticking +up above the grass. Stepping aside to see what it might be, I found a +new-made grave; just a tiny grave; at its head was the object I had +seen--a bit of board bearing the inscription, + + + "Our only child, + Little Mary." + + +How my heart saddened as I looked upon it! The tiny mound seemed bulging +with buried hopes and happiness as the first rays of a new sun fell +across it, for well I knew that somewhere on the trail ahead of us there +were empty arms, aching hearts, and bitter longings for the baby who was +sleeping so quietly upon the bosom of the prairie. + +The first Indians we saw were at Wolf Creek, where they had made a +bridge of logs and brush, and charged us fifty cents per wagon to pass +over it. We paid it and drove on, coming northwest to the vicinity of +the Big Blue River, at a point near where Barneston, Gage County, is now +located. + +As a couple of horsemen, a comrade and myself, riding in advance, came +suddenly to the Big Blue, where, on the opposite bank stood a party of +thirty or forty Indians. We fell back, and when the train came up a +detail was made of eight men to drive the teams and the other sixteen +were to wade the river, rifles in hand. + +In making preparations to ford the river, Captain Wadsworth, as a +precaution of safety, placed his wife in the bottom of their wagon-bed, +and piled sacks of flour around her as a protection in case of a fight. + +Being one of the skirmish line, I remember how cold and blue the water +was, and that it was so deep as to come into our vest pockets. We walked +up to the Indians and said "How," and gave some presents of copper cents +and tobacco. We soon saw that they were merely looking on to see us ford +the stream. They were Pawnees, and were gaily dressed and armed with +bows and arrows. We passed several pipes among them, and, seeing that +they were quiet, the train was signalled, and all came through the ford +without any mishap, excepting, that the water came up from four to six +inches in the wagon-bed, making the ride extremely hazardous and +uncomfortable for Mrs. Wadsworth, who was necessarily drawn through the +water in an alarming and nerve-trying manner. But she was one of the +bravest of women, and in this instance, as in many others of danger and +fatigue before we reached our journey's end, she displayed such courage +and good temper, as to win the admiration of all the company. The sacks +of flour and other contents of the wagons were pretty badly wet, and, +after we were again on the open prairie, we bade the Indians good-bye, +and all hands proceeded to dismount the wagons, and spread their +contents on the grass to dry. + +An "Altar of remembrance," is sure to be established at each of these +halting places along life's trail. A company of kin-folk and +neighbor-folk hitting the trail simultaneously, having a common goal and +actuated by common interests, are drawn wonderfully close together by +the varied incidents and conditions of the march, and, at the spots +thus made sacred, memory never fails to halt, as in later life it makes +its rounds up and down the years. Not fewer in number than the stars, +which hang above them at night, are the altars of remembrance, which +will forever mark the line of immigration and civilization from east to +west across our prairie country. + + + + +CHAPTER II. + +"GOD COULD NOT BE EVERYWHERE AND SO HE MADE MOTHERS." + + +We now moved on in the direction of Diller and Endicott, where we joined +the main line of immigration coming through from St. Joe, and, crossing +the Big Blue where Marysville, Kansas, is located, we were soon coming +up the Little Blue, passing up on the east side, and about one-half mile +this side of Fairbury. + +Our trail now lay along the uplands through the day, where we could see +the long line of covered wagons, sometimes two or three abreast, drawing +itself in its windings like a huge white snake across this great sea of +rolling green. This line could be seen many miles to the front and rear +so far that the major portion of it seemed to the observer to be +motionless. + +This immense concourse of travellers was self-divided into trail +families or travelling neighborhoods, as it were; and while each party +was bound together by local ties of friendship and affection, there +still ran through the entire procession a chord of common interest and +sympathy, a something which, in a sense, made the whole line kin. This +fact was most touchingly exemplified one day in the region of the Blue. + +I was driving across a bad slough, close behind a man who belonged to +another party, from where I did not know. Himself, wife and little +daughter lived in the covered wagon he was driving. The piece of ground +was an unusually bad one, and both his wagon and mine being heavily +loaded, we stopped as soon as we had pulled through, in order that the +horses might rest; our wagons standing abreast and about ten or twelve +feet apart. In the side of his wagon cover next to me was a flap-door, +which, the day being fine, was fastened open. As we sat our loads and +exchanged remarks, his little girl, a beautiful child, apparently three +or four years old, came from the recesses of the wagon-home, and +standing in the opening of the door, looked coyly and smilingly out at +her father and myself. She made a beautiful picture, with her curls and +dimples, and, as I didn't know any baby talk at that time, I playfully +snapped my fingers at her. The thought of moving on evidently came to +the father very suddenly, for, without any preliminary symptoms and not +realizing that the little one was standing so nearly out of the door, he +swung his long whip, and, as it cracked over the horses' backs, they +gave a sudden lurch, throwing the little girl out of the door and +directly in front of the hind wheel of the heavily laden wagon, which, +in an instant had passed over the child's body at the waist line, the +pretty head and hands reaching up on one side of the wheel, and the feet +on the other, as the middle was pressed down into the still boggy soil. +The little life was snuffed out in the twinkling of an eye. The mother, +seeing her darling fall, jumped from the door, and such excruciating +sobs of agony I hope never to hear again. But why say it in that way +when I can hear them still, even as I write? It seemed but a moment of +time till men and women were gathered about the wagon, helping to gather +the crushed form from the prairie, and giving assistance and sympathy in +such measure and earnestness as verified the truth of the words, "A +touch of sorrow makes the whole world kin." + +When started again, the trail soon led to a stream, called the Big +Sandy; I believe it is in the northwest part of Fillmore County, where, +about nine o'clock, A. M., we were suddenly alarmed by the unearthly +whoops and yells of one hundred or more Indians (Pawnees), all mounted +and riding up and down across the trail on the open upland opposite us, +about a good rifle shot distant. + +Our company was the only people there. A courier was immediately sent +back for reinforcements. We hastily put our camp in position of defense +(as we had been drilled) by placing our wagons in a circle with our +stock and ourselves inside. The Indians constantly kept up their noise, +and rode up and down, brandishing their arms at us, and every minute we +thought they would make a break for us. + +We soon had recruits mounted and well armed coming up, when our Captain +assumed command, and all were assigned to their positions. This was kept +up until about four P. M., when we decided that our numbers would +warrant us in making a forward movement. + +As a preliminary, skirmishers were ordered forward toward the creek, +through some timber and underbrush, I being one of them. My pardner and +I, coming to the creek first, discovered an empty whiskey barrel, and +going a little farther into the brush, discovered two tents. Creeping +carefully up to them, we heard groans as of some one in great pain. +Peeping through a hole in the tent we saw two white men, who, on +entering the tent, we learned were badly wounded by knife and bullet. +From them we learned the following facts, which caused all our fear and +trouble of the morning: The two white men were post-keepers at that +point, and, of course, had whiskey to sell. Two large trains had camped +there the night before; the campers got on a drunk, quarreled, and had a +general fight, during which the post-keepers were wounded. On the trail +over where the Indians were, some immigrants were camped, and a guard +had been placed at the roadside. One of the Indians, hearing the noise +down at the post, started out to see what was going on. Coming along the +trail, the guard called to him to halt, but as he did not do so the +guard fired, killing him on the spot. The campers immediately hitched up +and moved on. Later the dead Indian was found by the other Indians lying +in the road. It was this that aroused their anger and kept us on the +ragged edge for several hours. + +The Indians all rode off as we approached them, and as the trail was now +clear our train moved ahead, travelling all night and keeping out all +the mounted ones as front and rear guards. + +We now come to the "last leaving of the Little Blue," and pass on to the +upland without wood or water, thirty-three miles east of Ft. Kearney, +leading to the great Platte Valley. + +Meanwhile my broken wheel had completely collapsed. Having a kit of +tools with me, I set about shaping spokes out of the oak wood gathered +several days before. While I was doing this others of the men rode a +number of miles in search of fuel with which to make a fire to set the +tire. It was nearly night and in a drizzling rain when we came to the +line of the reservation. A trooper, sitting on his horse, informed us +that we would have to keep off of the reservation or else go clear +through if once we started. This meant three or four miles' further ride +through the darkness and rain, and so we camped right there, without +supper or even fire to make some coffee. We hitched up in the morning +and drove into the Fort, where we were very kindly treated by the +commanding officer, whose name, I think, was McArthur. He tendered us a +large room with tables, pen and ink, paper and "envelope paper," where +we wrote the first letters home from Nebraska, which, I believe, were +all received with much joy. The greater part of the troops were absent +from the Fort on a scout. + +After buying a few things we had forgotten to bring with us and getting +rested, we moved on our journey again, going up on the south side of the +Platte River. + +Before leaving this region I want to speak of the marvelous beauty of +the Platte River islands, a magnificent view of which could be had from +the bluffs. Looking out upon the long stretch of river either way were +islands and islands of every size whatever, from three feet in diameter +to those which contained miles of area, resting here and there in the +most artistic disregard of position and relation to each other, the +small and the great alike wearing its own mantle of sheerest +willow-green. There are comparatively few of these island beauty spots +in the whole wide world. When the Maker of the universe gathered up his +emeralds and then dropped them with careless hand upon a few of earth's +waters. He wrought nowhere a more beautiful effect than in the Platte +islands of Nebraska. It was well that at this point we had an extra +amount of kindness tendered us and so much unusual beauty to look upon, +for a great sorrow was about to come upon us. + +Just as we were leaving the Little Blue, thirty-three miles back, one of +our party, Robert Nelson, became ill, and in spite of the best nursing +and treatment that the company could give he rapidly grew worse, and it +soon became evident that his disease was cholera, which was already +quite prevalent thereabout. Mrs. Wadsworth, that most excellent woman, +gave to him her special care, taking him into the tent occupied by +herself and husband, which, in fact, was the only tent in the outfit. It +was Lew Wallace who once said that "God couldn't be everywhere, and so +He made mothers." Our captain's wife was a true mother to the sick boy, +but she couldn't save him. At 3 o'clock Sunday afternoon, May 27th, +about sixty miles beyond Kearney, his soul passed on, and we were bowed +under our first bereavement. We dug his grave in the sand a little way +off the trail. We wrapped his blanket about him and sewed it, and at +sunrise Monday morning laid him to rest. The end-gate from my wagon had +been shaped into a grave-board and, with his name cut upon it, was +planted to mark his resting-place. It was a sorrowful little company +that performed these last services for one who was beloved by all. + +Just before dying, Robert had requested that his grave might be covered +with willow branches, and so a comrade and myself rode our horses out to +one of the islands and brought in big bunches of willows and tucked them +about him, as he had desired. + +Truly our prairies have been a stage upon which much more of tragedy +than of comedy has been enacted. + + + + +CHAPTER III. + +"BUT SOMEWHERE THE MASTER HAS A COUNTERPART OF EACH." + + +"O Lord Almighty, aid Thou me to see my way more clear. I find it hard +to tell right from wrong, and I find myself beset with tangled wires. O +God, I feel that I am ignorant, and fall into many devices. These are +strange paths wherein Thou hast set my feet, but I feel that through Thy +help and through great anguish, I am learning." + +This modern prayer, as prayed by the hero of a modern tale, would have +fitted most completely into the spirit and conditions prevailing in our +camp on a certain morning in early June, 1852, as we were completing +arrangements preparatory to the extremely dangerous crossing of the +Platte River, owing to its treacherous quicksand bottom. + +Despite the old proverb, "Never cross a bridge till you get to it," we +had, because of the very absence of a bridge, been running ahead of +ourselves during the entire trip, to make the dreaded crossing over +this deceptive and gormandizing stream. We had now caught up with our +imaginings and found them to be realities. There was not much joshing +among the boys that morning as we made the rounds of the horses and +wagons and saw that every buckle and strap and gear was in the best +possible condition, for to halt in the stream to adjust a mishap would +mean death. "Once started, never stop," was the ominous admonition of +the hour. + +About 9 o'clock, all things being in readiness, two of us were sent out +to wade across the river and mark the route by sticking in the sand long +willow branches, with which we were laden for that purpose. The route +staked, we returned and the train lined up. It need not require any +great feat of imagination on the part of the reader to hear how +dirge-like the first hoofs and wheels sounded as they parted the waters +and led the way. Every man except the drivers waded alongside the horses +to render assistance if it should be required. Mrs. Wadsworth was +remarkably brave, sitting her wagon with white, but calm face. Scarcely +a word was spoken during the entire crossing, which occupied about +twenty-five minutes. We passed on the way the remains of two or three +wagons standing on end and nearly buried in the sand. They were grewsome +reminders of what had been, as well as of what might be. But without a +halt or break, we drove clear through and on to dry land. To say that we +all felt happy at seeing the crossing behind us does not half express +our feelings. The nervous strain had been terrible, and at no time in +our journey had we been so nearly taxed to the utmost. One man dug out a +demijohn of brandy from his traps and treated all hands, remarking, +"That the success of that undertaking merits something extraordinary." + +The crossing was made at the South Fork of the Platte, immediately where +it flows into the main river. What is now known as North Platte and +South Platte was then known as North Fork and South Fork of Platte +River. + +It was at the South Fork and just before we crossed that I shot and +killed my first buffalo. It was also very early in the morning, and +while I was still on guard duty. A bunch of five of them came down to +the river to drink, buffalo being as plentiful in that region, and time, +as domestic cattle are here today. My first shot only wounded the +creature, who led me quite a lively chase before I succeeded in killing +him. We soon had his hide off, and an abundance of luscious, juicy steak +for breakfast. I remember that we sent some to another company that was +camping not far distant. This was our first and last fresh meat for many +a day. + +A few days after this an incident occurred in camp that bordered on the +tragic, but finally ended in good feeling. My guard mate, named Charley +Stewart, and myself were the two youngest in the company, and, being +guards together, were great friends. He was a native of Cincinnati, well +educated, and had a fund of stories and recitations that he used to get +off when we were on guard together. This night we were camped on the +side of some little hills near some ravines. The moon was shining, but +there were dark clouds occasionally passing, so that at times it was +quite dark. It was near midnight and we would be relieved in an hour. We +had been the "grand rounds" out among the stock, and came to the nearest +wagon which was facing the animals that were picketed out on the slope. +Stewart was armed with a "Colt's Army," while I had a double-barreled +shot-gun, loaded with buckshot. I was sitting on the double-tree, on the +right side of the tongue, which was propped up with the neck-yoke. +Stewart sat on the tongue, about an arm's length ahead of me, I holding +my gun between my knees, with the butt on the ground. Stewart was +getting off one of his stories, and, had about reached the climax, when +I saw something running low to the ground, in among the stock. Thinking +it was an Indian, on all fours, to stampede the animals, I instantly +leveled my gun, and, as I was following it to an opening in the herd, my +gun came in contact with Stewart's face at the moment of discharge, +Stewart falling backward, hanging to the wagon-tongue by his legs and +feet. My first thought was that I had killed him. He recovered in a +moment, and began cursing and calling me vile names; accusing me of +attempting to murder him, etc. During these moments, in his frenzy, he +was trying to get his revolver out from under him, swearing he would +kill me. Taking in the situation, I dropped my gun, jumped over the +wagon tongue, as he was getting on to his feet, and engaged in what +proved to be a desperate fight for the revolver. We were both sometimes +struggling on the ground, then again on our knees, he repeatedly +striking me in the face and elsewhere, still accusing me of trying to +murder him. As I had no chance to explain things, the struggle went on. +Finally I threw him, and held him down until he was too much exhausted +to continue the fight any longer, and, having wrested the revolver from +him, I helped him to his feet. In trying to pacify him, I led him out to +where the object ran that I had fired at, and there lay the dead body of +a large gray wolf, with several buckshot holes in his side. + +Stewart was speechless. Looking at the wolf, and then at me, he suddenly +realized his mistake, and repeatedly begged my pardon. We agreed never +to mention the affair to any one in the company. Taking the wolf by the +ears, we dragged him back to the wagon, where I picked up my gun, and +gave Stewart his revolver. I have often thought what would have been the +consequence of that shot, had I not killed the wolf. + +Along in this vicinity, the bluff comes down to the river, and, +consequently, we had to take to the hills, which were mostly deep sand, +making heavy hauling. This trail brought us into Ash Hollow, a few miles +from its mouth. Coming down to where it opened out on the Platte, about +noon, we turned out for lunch. Here was a party of Sioux Indians, camped +in tents made of buffalo skins. They were friendly, as all of that tribe +were that summer. This is the place where General Kearney, several years +later, had a terrific battle with the same tribe, which was then on the +war-path along this valley. + +My hoodoo wheel had recently been giving me trouble. The spokes that I +made of green oak, having become dry and wobbly, I had been on the +outlook for a cast-off wheel, that I might appropriate the spokes. Hence +it was, that, after luncheon I took my rifle, and started out across the +bottom, where, within a few rods of the river, and about a half a mile +off the road which turned close along the bluff, I came upon an old +broken-down wagon, almost hidden in the grass. Taking the measure of the +spokes, I found to my great joy, that they were just the right size and +length. Looking around, I saw the train moving on, at a good pace, +almost three-quarters of a mile away. I was delayed some time in getting +the wheel off the axle-tree. Succeeding at last, I fired my rifle +toward the train, but no one looked around, all evidently supposing that +I was on ahead. + +It was an awful hot afternoon, and I was getting warmed up myself. I +reloaded my rifle, looked at the receding train, and made up my mind to +have that wheel if it took the balance of the day to get it into camp. I +started by rolling it by hand, then by dragging it behind me, then I ran +my rifle through the hub and got it up on my shoulder, when I moved off +at a good pace. The sun shining hot, soon began to melt the tar in the +hub, which began running down my back, both on the inside and outside of +my clothes, as well as down along my rifle. I finally got back to the +road, very tired, stopping to rest, hoping a wagon would come along to +help me out, but not one came in sight that afternoon. In short, I +rolled, dragged and carried that wheel; my neck, shoulders and back +daubed over with tar, until the train turned out to camp, when, I being +missed, was discovered away back in the road with my wheel. When relief +came to me, I was nearly tired out with my exertions, and want of water +to drink. + +Some of the men set to work taking the wheel apart and fitting the +spokes and getting the wheel ready to set the tire. Others had collected +a couple of gunny-sacks full of the only fuel of the Platte Valley, +viz., "buffalo-chips," and they soon had the job completed. The boys +nearly wore themselves out, laughing and jeering at me, saying they were +sorry they had no feathers to go with the tar, and calling me a variety +of choice pet names. + +The wheel, when finished and adjusted, proved to be the best part of the +wagon, and, better than all else, had provided a season of mirth to the +whole company, which, considering the all too serious environments of +our march, was really a much needed tonic and diversion. + +We learned so many wonderful lessons in those days, lessons that have +never been made into books. We learned from nature; we learned from +animal nature; we learned from human nature; and where are they who +studied from the same page as did I? So often and so completely have the +slides been changed, that among all the faces now shown by life's +stereopticon, mine alone remains of the original twenty-five, of the +trail of '52. But somewhere the Master has a counterpart of each. + + + + +CHAPTER IV. + +OUR PRAIRIES ARE A BOOK, WHOSE PAGES HOLD MANY STORIES. + + +We have just been passing through an extremely interesting portion of +Nebraska, a portion which today is known as Western Nebraska, where +those wonderful formations, Scott's Bluff, Courthouse Rock and Chimney +Rock, are standing now, even as they did in the early '50's. Courthouse +Rock a little way off really looked a credit to its name. It was a huge +affair, and, in its ragged, irregular outline, seemed to impart to the +traveller a sense of protection and fair dealing. + +Scott's Bluff was an immense formation, and sometime during its history +nature's forces had cleft it in two parts, making an avenue through its +center at least one hundred feet wide, through which we all passed, as +the trail led through instead of around the bluff. + +Chimney Rock in outline resembled an immense funnel. The whole thing was +at least two hundred feet in height, the chimney part, starting about +midway, was about fifty feet square; its top sloped off like the roof +of a shanty. Beginning at the top, the chimney was split down about one +quarter of its length. On the perpendicular part of this rock a good +many names had been cut by men who had scaled the base, and, reaching as +far on to the chimney as they could, cut their names into its surface. +So clear was the atmosphere that when several miles distant we could see +the rock and men who looked like ants as they crept and crawled up its +sides. + +As one stops to decipher the inscriptions upon this boulder the sense of +distance is entirely lost, and the traveller finds himself trying to +compare it with that other obelisk in Central Park, New York. As he +thinks about them, the truth comes gradually to him that there can be no +comparison, since the one is a masterpiece from the hand of Nature and +the other is but a work of art. + +These formations are not really rock, but of a hard marle substance, and +while each is far remote from the others, the same colored strata is +seen in all of them, showing conclusively that once upon a time the +surface of the ground in that region was many feet higher than it was +in 1852 or than it is today, and that by erosion or upheaval large +portions of the soil were displaced and carried away, these three chunks +remaining intact and as specimens of conditions existing many centuries +ago. + +I have been through the art galleries of our own country and through +many of those in Europe; I have seen much of the natural scenery in the +Old World as well as in the New; but not once have I seen anything which +surpassed in loveliness and grandeur the pictures which may be seen +throughout Nature's gallery in Nebraska and through which the trail of +'52 led us. Landscapes, waterscapes, rocks, and skies and atmosphere +were here found in the perfection of light, shadow, perspective, color, +and effect. Added to these fixed features were those of life and +animation, contributed by herds of buffalo grazing on the plains, here +and there a bunch of antelope galloping about, and everywhere wolf, +coyote, and prairie dog, while a quaint and picturesque charm came from +the far-reaching line of covered wagons and the many groups of campers, +each with its own curl of ascending smoke, which, to the immigrant, +always indicated that upon that particular patch of ground, for that +particular time, a home had been established. + +In this connection I find myself thinking about the various modes of +travel resorted to in those primitive days, when roads and bridges as we +have them today were still far in the future. The wagons were generally +drawn by cattle teams, from two to five yokes to the wagon. The number +of wagons would be all the way from one to one hundred. The larger +trains were difficult to pass, as they took up the road for so long a +distance that sometimes we would move on in the night in order to get +past them. Among the smaller teams we would frequently notice that one +yoke would be of cows, some of them giving milk right along. The cattle +teams as a rule started out earlier in the morning and drove later at +night than did the horse and mule teams; hence, we would sometimes see a +certain train for two or three days before we would have an opportunity +to get ahead of them. This was the cause of frequent quarrels among +drivers of both cattle and horse teams; the former being largely in the +majority and having the road, many of them seemed to take delight in +keeping the horse teams out of the road and crowding them into narrow +places. These little pleasantries were indulged in generally by people +from Missouri, as many of them seemed to think their State covered the +entire distance to California. + +As to classes and conditions constituting the immigration, they might be +divided up somewhat as follows: There were the proprietors or partners, +owners of the teams and outfits; then there were men going along with +them who had bargained with the owners before leaving home, some for a +certain amount paid down, some to work for a certain time or to pay a +certain amount at the journey's end. This was to pay for their grub and +use of tents and wagons. These men were also to help drive and care for +the stock, doing their share of camp and guard duty. There were others +travelling with a single pack animal, loaded with their outfits and +provisions. These men always travelled on foot. Then there were some +with hand-carts, others with wheelbarrows, trudging along and making +good time. Occasionally we would see a man with a pack like a knapsack +on his back and a canteen strapped on to him and a long cane in either +hand. These men would just walk away from everybody. A couple of +incidents along here will serve to show how these conditions sometimes +worked. + +We were turned into camp one evening, and as we were getting supper +there came along a man pushing a light handcart, loaded with traps and +provisions, and asked permission to camp with us, which was readily +granted. He was a stout, hearty, good-natured fellow, possessed of a +rich Irish accent, and in the best of humor commenced to prepare his +supper. Just about this time there came into camp another lone man, +leading a diminutive donkey, not much larger than a good-sized sheep. +The donkey, on halting, gave us a salute that simply silenced the +ordinary mule. The two men got acquainted immediately, and by the time +their supper was over they had struck a bargain to put their effects +together by way of hitching the donkey to the cart, and so move on +together. They made a collar for the donkey out of gunny-sack, and we +gave them some rope for traces. Then, taking off the hand-bar of the +cart, they put the donkey into the shafts and tried things on by leading +it around through the camp till it was time to turn in. + +Everything went first-rate, and they were so happy over their +transportation prospects that they scarcely slept during the whole +night. In the morning they were up bright and early, one making the +coffee and the other oiling the iron axle-trees and packing the cart. +Starting out quite early, they bade us goodby with hearty cheer, saying +they would let the folks in California know that we were coming, etc. +About 10 o'clock we came to a little narrow creek, the bottom being miry +and several feet below the surface of the ground. There upon the bank +stood the two friends who had so joyously bidden us goodby only a few +hours before. The cart was a wreck, with one shaft and one spindle +broken. It appeared that the donkey had got mired in crossing the creek +and in floundering about had twisted off the shaft and broken one of the +wheels. We left them there bewailing their misfortune and blaming each +other for the carelessness which worked the mishap. We never saw them +again. + +This incident is an illustration of those cases where a man obtained his +passage by contributing something to the outfit and working his way +through. There were quite a number of this class, they having no +property rights in the train. + +At the usual time we turned in for dinner near by a camp of two or three +wagons. On the side of one wagon was a doctor's sign, who, we afterwards +learned, was the proprietor of the train. As we were quietly eating and +resting we suddenly heard some one cursing and yelling in the other +camp, and saw two men, one the hired man and the other the doctor, the +latter being armed with a neck-yoke and chasing the hired man around the +wagon, and both running as fast as they could. They had made several +circuits, the doctor striking at the man with all his might at each +turn, when some of us went over to try to stop the fight. Just at this +point, the hired man, as he turned the rear of the wagon, whipped out an +Allen revolver and turning shot the doctor in the mouth, the charge +coming out nearly under the ear. The doctor and the neckyoke struck the +ground about the same time. His eyes were blinded by powder and he had +the appearance of being dangerously if not fatally wounded. Everybody +was more or less excited except the hired man. From expressions all +around in both trains, the hired man seemed to have the most friends. +There were many instances of this kind, though none quite so tragic, the +quarrels usually arising from the owner of the wagons constantly +brow-beating and finding fault with the hired man. + +Again I saw an instance where two men were equal partners all around, in +four horses, harness and wagon. They seemed to have quarreled so much +that they agreed to divide up and quit travelling together. They divided +up their horses and provisions, and then measured off the wagon-bed and +sawed it in two parts, also the reach, and then flipped a copper cent to +see which should have the front part of the wagon. After the division +they each went to work and fixed up his part of the wagon as best he +could, and drove on alone. + +The entire trip from Monroe, Michigan, our starting-point, to Hangtown, +the point of landing in California, covered 2,542 miles, and we were +five months, lacking six days, in making it. Today the same trip can be +made in a half week, with every comfort and luxury which money and +invention can provide. There is probably nothing that marks the progress +of civilization more distinctly than do the perfected modes and +conveniences of travel. It is strange, but true, however, that so long +as our prairies shall stretch themselves from river to ocean the imprint +of the overland trail can never be obliterated. Today, after a lapse of +over fifty years, whoever passes within seeing distance of the old trail +can, upon the crest of grain and grass, note its serpentine windings, as +marked by a light and sickly color of green. I myself have followed it +from a car-window as traced in yellow green upon an immense field of +growing corn. No amount of cultivation can ever restore to that +long-trodden path its pristine vigor and productiveness. + + + Our prairies are a book, + Whose pages hold many stories + Writ by many people. + Tragedy, comedy, pathos, + Love and valor, duly + Punctuated by life's + Rests and stops, + Whose interest shall appeal + To human hearts as long as + Their green cover enfolds them. + + + + +CHAPTER V. + +A WORTHY OBJECT REACHED FOR AND MISSED IS A FIRST STEP TOWARD SUCCESS. + + +Who, among the many persons contributing for a wage, to the convenience +of everyday life in these latter times, is more waited and watched for, +and brings more of joy, and more of sorrow when he comes, than the +postman. + +In the days of trailing, our post accommodations were extremely few and +very far between. There were no mailing points, except at the government +forts, Fort Kearney and Laramie being the only two on the entire trip, +soldiers carrying the mail to and from the forts either way. After +leaving Fort Kearney, the next mailing point east, was Fort Laramie. + +Before leaving home, I had been entrusted with a package of letters by +Hon. Isaac P. Christiancy, from his wife, to her brother, James +McClosky, who had been on the plains some fourteen years, and who was +supposed to be living near Fort Laramie. When within a couple of days' +drive of the fort we came to a building which proved to be a store, and +which was surrounded by several wigwams. Upon halting and going into the +store, we found ourselves face to face with the man we were wanting to +meet, Mr. McClosky. He was glad to see us, and overjoyed to receive the +package of letters. He stepped out of doors and gave a whoop or two, and +immediately Indians began to come in from all directions. He ordered +them to take our stock out on the ranch, feed and guard it, and bring it +in in the morning. He treated us generously to supper and breakfast, +including many delicacies to which we had long been strangers. In +consideration of my bringing the letters to him, he invited me to sleep +in his store, and, in the morning, introduced me to his Indian wife and +two sons, also, to several other women who were engaged in an adjoining +room, in cutting and making buckskin coats, pants and moccasins, +presenting me with an elegant pair of the latter. His wife was a bright +and interesting woman, to whom he was deeply attached. His two boys were +bright, manly fellows, the oldest of whom, about ten years old, was soon +to be taken to St. Joe or Council Bluffs and placed in school. + +At an early hour in the morning, the Indians brought in the stock, in +fine condition, and we hitched up and bade our host goodbye. He sent +word to his sister at home, and seemed much affected at our parting. +This was the first morning when, in starting out, we knew anything about +what was ahead of us; what we would meet, or what the roads and +crossings would be. In fact, every one we saw, were going the same as +ourselves, consequently, all were quite ignorant of what the day might +bring forth. On this morning, we knew the conditions of the roads for +several days ahead, and, that Fort Laramie was thirty-six miles before +us. + +Shortly after going into camp toward sunset, a party of horsemen was +seen galloping toward us, who, on nearer approach, proved to be a band +of ten or twelve Indians. When within about one hundred yards, they +halted and dismounted, each holding his horse. The chief rode up to us, +saluted and dismounted. He was a sharp-eyed young fellow, showing +beneath his blanket the dress-coat of a private soldier and +non-commissioned officer's sword. He gave us to understand that they +were Sioux, and had been on the warpath for some Pawnees, also that they +were hungry and would like to have us give them something to eat. After +assuring him that we would do so, he ordered his men to advance, which +they did after picketing their ponies, coming up and setting themselves +on the grass in a semi-circle. + +We soon noticed that they carried spears made of a straight sword-blade +thrust into the end of a staff. On two or three of the spears were +dangling one or more fresh scalps, on which the blood was yet scarcely +dry. On pointing to them, one of the Indians drew his knife, and taking +a weed by the top, quickly cut it off, saying as he did so, "Pawnees." +His illustration of how the thing was done was entirely satisfactory. + +We gave the grub to the chief, who in turn, handed it out to the men as +they sat on the ground. When through eating, they mounted their ponies, +waved us a salute and were off. + +The balance of the day was spent in writing home letters, which we +expected to deliver on the morrow at the post. + +About 9 o'clock the next morning, we came to Laramie River, near where +it empties into the North Platte, which we crossed on a bridge, the +first one we had seen on the whole route. At this point a road turns +off, leading up to the fort, about one mile distant. Being selected to +deliver the mail, I rode out to the fort, which was made up of a +parade-ground protected by earth-works, with the usual stores, quarters, +barracks, etc., the sutler and post-office being combined. On entering +the sutler's, about the first person I saw was the young leader of the +Indians, who had lunched at our camp the afternoon before. He was now +dressed in the uniform of a soldier, recognizing me as soon as we met +with a grunt and a "How." + +Delivering the mail, I rode out in another direction to intercept the +train. When about one-half mile from the fort I came to a sentinel, +pacing his beat all alone. He was just as neat and clean as though doing +duty at the general's headquarters, with his spotless white gloves, +polished gun, and accoutrements. In a commanding tone of voice, he +ordered me to halt. Asking permission to pass, which was readily +granted, I rode on a couple of miles, when I met some Indians with their +families, who were on the march with ponies, dogs, women, and papooses. + +Long spruce poles were lashed each side of the ponies' necks, the other +ends trailing on the ground. The poles, being slatted across, were made +to hold their plunder or very old people and sometimes the women and +children. The dogs, like the ponies, were all packed with a pole or two +fastened to their necks; the whole making an interesting picture. + +Overtaking the train about noon, we camped at Bitter Cottonwood Creek, +the location being beautifully described by the author of the novel, +"Prairie Flower." + +Our standard rations during these days consisted of hardtack, bacon, and +coffee; of course, varying it as we could whenever we came to a +Government fort. I recall how, on a certain Sunday afternoon, we men +decided to make some doughnuts, as we had saved some fat drippings from +the bacon. Not one of us had any idea as to the necessary ingredients or +the manner of compounding them, but we remembered how doughnuts used to +look and taste at home. So we all took a hand at them, trying to imitate +the pattern as well as our ignorance and poor judgment would suggest. +Well, they looked a trifle peculiar, but we thoroughly enjoyed them, for +they were the first we had since leaving home, and proved to be the +last until we were boarding in California. + +One thing was sure; our outdoor mode of living gave us fine appetites +and a keen relish for almost anything. And then again, persons can +endure almost any sort of privation as long as they can see a gold mine +ahead of them, from which they are sure to fill their pockets with +nuggets of the pure stuff. What a happy arrangement it is on the part of +Providence that not too much knowledge of the future comes to us at any +one time! Just enough to keep us pushing forward and toward the ideal we +have set for ourselves, which, even though we miss it, adds strength to +purpose as well as to muscle. A worthy object reached for and missed is +a first step towards success. + + + + +CHAPTER VI. + +"'TIS ONLY A SNOWBANK'S TEARS, I WEEN." + + +We are now approaching the foot-hills of the Rocky Mountains. The +fertile plains through which we have been passing are being merged into +rocky hills, the level parts being mostly gravelly barrens. The roads +are hard and flinty, like pounded glass, which were making some of the +cattle-teams and droves very lame and foot-sore. When one got so it +could not walk, it was killed and skinned. Other lame ones were lashed +to the side of a heavy wagon, partially sunk in the ground, their lame +foot fastened on the hub of a wheel, when a piece of the raw hide was +brought over the hoof and fastened about the fet-lock, protecting the +hoof until it had time to heal. This mode of veterinary treatment, +although crude, lessened the suffering among the cattle very materially. + +The streams along here, the La Barge, La Bonte, and Deer Creek, were all +shallow with rocky bottoms and excellent water. Here we frequently took +the stock upon the hills at night, where the bunch-grass grows among the +sage brush. This grass, as its name indicates, grows in bunches about a +foot high and about the same in diameter, bearing a profusion of yellow +seeds about the size of a kernel of wheat. This makes excellent feed, +and the stock is very fond of it. + +At this point Mother Nature is gradually changing the old scenes for new +ones. The big brawny mountains with their little ones clustered at their +feet are just before us; while the Platte River, which for many miles +has been our constant companion, will soon be a thing of the past, as we +are close to the crossing, and once over we shall see the river no more. +This river which stretches itself in graceful curves across an entire +State, is one of peculiar construction and characteristics. At a certain +point it is terrifying, even to its best friends. In curve, color, +contour, and graceful foliage, it is a magnificent stretch of beauty; +while as a stream of utility its presence has ever been a benediction to +the country through which it passes. As a tribute to its general +excellence, I place here the beautiful lines (name of author unknown to +me), entitled: + + + IN THE CRADLE OF THE PLATTE. + + A little stream in the cañon ran, + In the cañon deep and long, + When a stout old oak at its side began + To sing to it this song, + + "Oh, why do you laugh and weep and sing, + And why do you hurry by, + For you're only a noisy little thing, + While a great strong oak am I; + A hundred years I shall stand alone, + And the world will look at me; + While you will bubble and babble on + And die at last in the sea." + + "So proud and lofty," the stream replied, + "You're a king of the forest true; + But your roots were dead and your leaves all dried + Had I not watered you." + + The oak tree rustled its leaves of green + To the little stream below; + "'Tis only a snowbank's tears, I ween, + Could talk to a monarch so. + But where are you going so fast, so fast, + And what do you think to do? + Is there anything in the world at last + For a babbling brook like you?" + + "So fast, so fast,--why should I wait," + The hurrying water said, + "When yonder by the cañon gate + The farmer waits for bread?" + + Out on the rainless desert land + My hurrying footsteps go; + I kiss the earth, I kiss the sand, + I make the harvest grow. + + "And many a farmer, when the sky + Has turned to heated brass, + And all the plain is hot and dry, + Gives thanks to see me pass. + By many a sluice and ditch and lane + They lead me left and right, + For it is I who turns the plain + To gardens of delight." + + Then hurrying on, the dashing stream + Into a river grew, + And rock and mountain made a seam + To let its torrent through; + And where the burning desert lay, + A happy river ran; + A thousand miles it coursed its way, + And blessed the homes of man. + + Vain was the oak tree's proud conceit, + Dethroned the monarch lay; + The brook that babbled at its feet + Had washed its roots away. + Still in the cañon's heart there springs + The desert's diadem, + And shepherds bless the day that brings + The snow-bank's tears to them. + + +We crossed the river on a ferry-boat that was large enough to hold four +wagons and some saddle-horses. The boat was run by a cable stretched +taut up stream fifteen or twenty feet from the boat. A line from the +bow and stern of the boat connected it with a single block which ran on +the cable. When ready to start, the bow-line was hauled taut, the stern +line slacked off to the proper angle, when, the current passing against +the side of the boat, it was propelled across very rapidly. The river +here was rapid, the water cold and deep, with a strong undercurrent. + +We had to wait nearly a whole day before it came our turn to take our +wagons over. In the meantime we were detailed as follows: Ten men were +selected to get the wagons aboard the boat, cross over with them and +guard them until all were carried over; three or four men were sent +across and up the river to catch and care for the stock as it came out +of the river near a clump of cottonwoods. One of the company, named Owen +Powers, a strong, courageous young man and a good swimmer, volunteered +to ride the lead horse in and across to induce the other animals to +follow, the balance of the company herding them, as they were all loose +near the edge of the river. When everything was ready, Powers stripped +off, and mounting the horse he had selected, rode out into the stream. +The other animals, forty-seven of them followed, and when a few feet +from the shore had to swim. Everything was going all right until Powers +reached the middle of the river, when an undercurrent struck his horse, +laying him over partly on his side. Powers leaned forward to encourage +his horse, when the animal suddenly threw up his head, striking him a +terrible blow squarely in the face. He was stunned and fell off +alongside the horse. It now seemed as though both he and his horse would +be drowned, as all the other stock began to press close up to them. He +soon recovered, however, and as he partially pulled himself on to his +horse, we could plainly see that his face and breast were covered with +blood. We shouted at him words of encouragement, cheering him from both +sides of the river. While his struggling form was hanging to the horse's +mane, the other animals all floundered about him, pulling for the shore +for dear life. The men on the other side were ready to catch him as he +landed, nearly exhausted by his struggles and the blow he had received. +They carried him up the bank and leaned him against a tree, one man +taking care of him while the others caught the animals, or rather +corralled them, until the rest of us got across and went to their +assistance. We brought the young man's clothes with us and fixed him up, +washing him and stanching his bleeding nose and mouth. He had an awful +looking face; his eyes were blackened, nose flattened and mouth cut. +However, he soon revived and was helped by a couple of the men down to +the wagons. We then gathered the stock, went down to the train, hitched +up, and drove into camp. + +We now soon came to the Sweetwater River. The country here is more hilly +and rocky, and the valleys narrower and more barren. The main range of +Wind River Mountains could be plainly seen in the distance, while close +upon our left were the Sweetwater Mountains. The difference in scenery +after leaving the river and plains was such as to awaken new emotions +and fire one with a new kind of admiration. The immensity and fixedness +of the mountains awakened a keener sense of stability, of firmness of +purpose, and a sort of _expect great things and do great things spirit_; +while the sense of beauty appreciation was in no wise narrowed as it +followed the lights and shades of jut and crevice, and the rosy, +scintillating bits of sun as a new day dropped them with leisure hand +upon summit and sides, or later the tender glow of crimson and blue and +gold, as the gathered sun-bits trailed themselves behind the mountains +for the night. + +When making up our outfit back in the States, by oversight or want of +knowledge of what we would need, we had neglected to lay in a supply of +horse-nails, which we now began to be sorely in need of, as the horses' +shoes were fast wearing out and becoming loose. It was just here that we +came one day to a man sitting by the roadside with a half-bushel measure +full of horse nails to sell at the modest price of a "bit" or twelve and +one-half cents apiece. No amount of remonstrance or argument about +taking advantage of one's necessity could bring down the price; so I +paid him ten dollars in gold for eighty nails. I really wanted to be +alone with that man for awhile, I loved him so. He, like some others who +had crossed the plains before, knew of the opportunity to sell such +things as the trailers might be short of at any price they might see fit +to ask. + +It was here, too, that we came upon the great Independence Rock, an +immense boulder, lying isolated on the bank of the Sweetwater River. It +was oblong, with an oval-shaped top, as large as a block of buildings. +It was of such form that parties could walk up and over it lengthwise, +thereby getting a fine view of the surrounding country. + +About a mile beyond was the Devil's Gate, a crack or rent in the +mountain, which was probably about fifty feet wide, the surface of the +walls showing that by some sort of force they had been separated, +projections on one side finding corresponding indentations on the other. +The river in its original course had run around the range, but now it +ran leaping and roaring through the Gate. + +There was considerable alkali in this section. We had already lost two +horses from drinking it, and several others barely recovered from the +effects. + + + + +CHAPTER VII. + +WE STEPPED OVER THE RIDGE AND COURTED THE FAVOR OF NEW AND UNTRIED +WATERS. + + +Between Independence Rock and Devil's Gate we cross the river, which is +about four feet deep and thirty or forty feet wide. There was a man +lying down in the shade of his tent, who had logs enough fastened +together to hold one wagon, which he kindly loaned the use of for fifty +cents for each wagon, we to do the work of ferrying. Rather than to wet +our traps, we paid the price. The stock was driven through the ford. + +We camped at the base of some rocky cliffs, and while we were getting +our supper an Indian was noticed peering from behind some rocks, taking +a view of the camp. One of the boys got his rifle from the wagon and +fired at him. He drew in his head and we saw no more of him, but kept a +strong guard out all night. + +The trail that followed up the Sweetwater was generally a very good +road, with good camping-place's and fair grass for stock; while grass +and sage brush for fuel and excellent water made the trip of about +ninety miles very pleasant, as compared with some of the former route. + +We now came to the last-leaving of the Sweetwater, which is within ten +miles of the highest elevation of the South Pass. The springs and the +little stream on which we were camped, across which one could have +stepped, was the last water we saw that flowed into the Atlantic. We +were upon the summit or dividing line of the continent. With our faces +to the southward, the stream at our left flowed east and into the +Atlantic, while that upon our right flowed west into the Pacific. + +There was something not altogether pleasant in considering the +conditions. Following and crossing and studying the streams as we had so +long been doing, it was not without a tinge of regret and broken +fellowship that we stepped over the ridge and courted the favor of new +and untried waters. + +The abrupt ending of the great Wind River Mountain range was at our +right. These mountains are always more or less capped with snow. To the +south, perhaps one hundred miles, could be seen the main ridge of the +Rocky Mountains looming up faintly against the sky. The landscape, +looking at it from the camp, was certainly pleasing, if not beautiful. +During the day there could be seen bunches of deer, antelope, and elk +grazing and running about on the ridges, the whole making a picture +never to be forgotten. The sky was clear, the air pure and invigorating, +the sun shone warm by day and the stars bright at night. + +The spot proved to be a "parting of the ways" in more than one sense, +for it was here, before the breaking of camp, that the company decided +to separate, not as to interests, but as to modes of travel. + +Some of our wagons were pretty nearly worn out, and, as we had but +little in them, there were sixteen men who that night decided to give up +their five wagons and resort to "packing." Consequently the remaining +three wagons, including Captain and Mrs. Wadsworth, bade us goodby and +pulled out in the morning. This parting of the trail, as had been the +case in the parting of the waters, was not without its smack of regret. +For four months we had travelled as one family, each having at heart the +interest and comfort of the others. There had been days of sickness and +an hour of death; there was a grave at the roadside; there had had been +times of danger and disheartenment; all of which marshalled themselves +to memory's foreground as the question of division was talked _pro_ and +_con_ by the entire family while camped at the base of the snow-capped +mountains on that midsummer night. + +After the departure of the three wagons we who remained resolutely set +ourselves to work to prepare, as best we could, ourselves and our +belongings for the packing mode of travel. For three days and nights we +remained there busily engaged. We took our wagons to pieces, cutting out +such pieces as were necessary to make our pack saddles. One bunch of men +worked at the saddles, another bunch separated the harnesses and put +them in shape for the saddles, while others made big pouches or +saddle-bags out of the wagon covers, in which to carry provisions and +cooking utensils. + +The spot upon which our camp was located was in the vicinity of what is +now known as Smith's Pass, Wyoming. During one of our afternoons here +Nature treated us to one of the grandest spectacles ever witnessed by +mortal eyes. We first noticed a small cloud gathering about the top of +the mountain, which presently commenced circling around the peak, +occasionally reaching over far enough to drop down upon us a few +sprinkles of water, although the sun was shining brightly where we were. +As the cloud continued to circle, it increased in size, momentum, and +density of color, spreading out like a huge umbrella. Soon thunder could +be heard, growing louder and more frequent until it became one +continuous roar, fairly shaking the earth. Long, vivid flashes of +lightning chased each other in rapid succession over the crags and lost +themselves in crevice and ravine. All work was forgotten. In fact, one +would as soon think of making saddles in the immediate presence of the +Almighty as in the presence of that terrific, but sublime spectacle upon +the mountain heights. Every man stood in reverential attitude and gazed +in speechless wonder and admiration. David and Moses and the Christ had +much to do with mountains in their day; and, as we watched the power of +the elements that afternoon, we realized as never before how David could +hear the floods clap their hands and see expressions of joy or anger +upon the faces of the mountains; and how Mount Sinai might have looked +as it became the meeting-place of the Lord and Moses and the tables of +stone. The storm lasted about an hour, and when at last Nature seemed to +have exhausted herself the great mountain-top stood out again in the +clear sunlight, wearing a new mantle of the whitest snow. + +During our three-days' camp we had a number of callers from other +trains, also six or eight Indians, among whom we divided such things as +we could not take with us. + +In the evening of the last day, we made a rousing camp-fire out of our +wagon wheels, which we piled on top of each other, kindling a fire under +them, around which we became reminiscent and grew rested for an early +start on the morrow. + +All things finally ready, we brought up the animals in the morning to +fit their saddles and packs to them. One very quiet animal was packed +with some camp-kettles, coffee-pots, and other cooking traps. As soon as +he was let loose and heard the tinware rattle he broke and ran, bringing +up in a quagmire up to his sides. The saddle had turned, and his hind +feet stepping into the pack well nigh ruined all our cooking utensils. + +We managed to pull him out of the mire and quieted him down, but we +could never again put anything on him that rattled. We took our guns and +provisions and only such clothing as we had on, leaving all else behind. +I remember putting on a pair of new boots that I had brought from home, +which I did not take off until I had been some time in California, nor +any other of my clothes, lying down in my blanket on the ground, like +the rest of the animals. + +As we turned out for noon, we saw off toward the mountain a drove of +eleven elk. I took my rifle and creeping behind rocks and through +ravines, tried to get in range of them, but with all my caution, they +kept just beyond my reach. But I had a little luck toward night just as +we were turning into camp. Out by a bunch of sagebrush sat the largest +jack rabbit I ever saw. I raised my rifle and hit him squarely in the +neck, killing him. I took him by the hind feet and slung him over my +shoulder, and as I hung hold of his feet in front, his wounded neck came +down to my heels behind. His ears were as long as a mule's ears. We +dressed it and made it into rabbit stew by putting into the kettle +first a layer of bacon and then one of rabbit, and then a layer of +dumpling, which we made from flour and water, putting in layer after +layer of this sort until our four camp-kettles were filled. We had a +late supper that night. It was between 9 and 10 o'clock before our stews +were done to a turn, but what a luscious feast was ours when they were +finally ready. I can think of no supper in my whole life that I have +enjoyed so much as I did that one. We had plenty left over for our +sixteen breakfasts the next morning, and some of the boys packed the +remainder as a relish for the noon meal. + +Soon after our start in the morning, we came to the Big Sandy, a stream +tributary to Green River. The land here had more of the appearance of a +desert than any we had yet seen. Out on the plain the trail forked, the +left hand leading via Fort Bridges and Salt Lake City, while the right +hand led over what is known as Sublett's Cut-off. Being undecided as to +which fork to follow, we finally submitted it to vote, which proved to +be a large majority in favor of the Cut-off, it having been reported +that the Mormons were inciting the Indians to attack immigrants. + +The road here was hard and flinty, and, for more than a mile passed down +a steep hill, at the bottom of which we noticed that wagon tires were +worn half through owing to the wheels being locked for such a long +distance. + +This was Green River valley, and, where we made our crossing, the water +being deep and cold, with a swift current. There was a good ferry boat, +on which, after nearly a day's waiting, we ferried over our pack animals +at one dollar per head; the balance of the stock we swam across. A short +way on we had to ford a fork of the same river, and were then in an +extremely mountainous country, up one side and down the other, until we +reached Bear River valley. + +We came down off the uplands into the valley and beside the river to +camp, where we had an experience as exasperating as it was unexpected. +Seeing some fine looking grass, half knee high, we started for it, when +all at once clouds of the most persistent and venomous mosquitos filled +the air, covering the animals, which began stamping and running about, +some of them lying down and rolling in great torment. We hurried the +packs and saddles off them and sent a guard of men back to the hills +with them. The rest of us wrapped ourselves head and ears and laid down +in the grass without supper or water for man or beast. About 3 o'clock +in the morning, the mosquitos having cooled down to some extent, the +guard brought in the pack animals, which we loaded, and, like the Arab, +"silently stole away." Returning to the road and getting the balance of +the stock, we moved along the base of the hills, and about sunrise came +to a beautiful spring branch, which crossed the trail, refreshing us +with its cool, sparkling water. Here we went up into the hills and into +camp for a day and a night, to rest and recuperate from our terrible +experience of the night before. + +It was now the first of July. By keeping close to the base of the hills +we found good travelling and an abundance of clear spring-water. At +nights we camped high up in the hills, where the mosquito was not. + + + + +CHAPTER VIII. + +WE HAD NO FLAG TO UNFURL, BUT ITS SENTIMENT WAS WITHIN US. + + +"It ought to be commemorated as the day of deliverance by solemn acts of +devotion to God Almighty. It ought to be solemnized with pomp and +parade, with shows, games, sports, bells, bonfires and illuminations, +from one end of this continent to the other, from this time forward for +evermore." + +These words, written by John Adams to his wife the day following the +Declaration of Independence, and regarding that act and day, were +evidently the sounding of the key-note of American patriotism. + +It has long been one of Uncle Sam's legends that "he who starts across +the continent is most sure to leave his religion on the east side of the +Missouri river." Conditions in Nebraska to-day refute the truth of this +statement, however. Whatever may be the rule or exception concerning an +American traveller's religion, the genuineness of his patriotism and his +fidelity to it are rarely questioned. Hence it was that during the +early July days the varied events of the past few months betook +themselves to the recesses of our natures, and patriotism asserted its +right of pre-emption. + +The day of July 3d was somewhat eventful and perhaps somewhat +preparatory to the 4th, in that I did a bit of horse-trading, as my +riding-horse, through a hole in his shoe, had got a gravel into his +foot, which made him so lame that I had been walking and leading him for +the last ten days. We had just come to Soda Springs, where there was a +village of Shoshone Indians, numbering about one thousand, among whom +was an Indian trader named McClelland, who was buying or trading for +broken-down stock. I soon struck him for a trade. He finally offered me, +even up, a small native mule for my lame horse, and we soon traded. I +then bought an Indian saddle for two dollars, and, mounting, rode back +to camp with great joy to myself and amusement of the balance of the +company. I had walked for the last two hundred miles, keeping up with +the rest of them, and consequently was nearly broken down; and now that +I had what proved to be the toughest and easiest riding animal in the +bunch, I was to be congratulated. I afterwards saw the horse I had +traded for the mule in Sacramento, hitched to a dray. His owner valued +him at four hundred dollars. + +We had gone into camp close to the Indians, right among their wigwams, +in fact, and, though it was Independence eve, the weather was cool and +chilling, which, together with the jabbering and grunting of the Indians +and their papooses, made sleeping almost impossible. + +We had not been in camp more than an hour when three or four packers +rode up on their way to the "States." They were the first persons +travelling eastward that we had met since leaving the Missouri River. +One of the men had been wounded with a charge of buckshot a few hours +before, and there being no surgeon present, some of us held him while +others picked out the shot and dressed his wounds. + +Soda Springs was in the extreme eastern part of what is now the State of +Idaho, at which point there is a town bearing the same name, Soda +Springs. Indeed, the 4th of July found us in a settlement of springs, +Beer Spring and Steamboat Spring being in close proximity to Soda +Springs. Beer Spring is barrel-shaped, its surface about level with the +ground surface. It was always full to the top, and we could look down +into the water at least twenty feet and see large bubbles that were +constantly rising, a few feet apart, one chasing another to the surface, +where they immediately collapsed. The peculiarity of the water was that +one could sip down a gallon at a time without any inconvenience. The +celebrated Steamboat Spring came out of a hole in a level rock. The +water was quite hot, and the steam, puffing out at regular intervals, +presented an interesting sight. + +We remained in camp during the forenoon and celebrated the 4th of July +as best we could. I am quite positive that we could not have repeated in +concert the memorable words which open this chapter, but, while the +letter of the injunction was absent, the spirit was with us and we +carried it out in considerable detail, the Indians joining with us. We +shot at a mark, we ran horse-races with the Indians and also foot-races. +We had no bells to ring, but we had plenty of noise and games and +sports. We had no flag to unfurl, but its sentiment was within us; and +when we had finished we were prouder than ever to be Americans. + +After dinner we packed up and started out again, our trail leading us up +in the top of the mountains, where, after going into camp for the night, +it began to snow, so I had to quit writing in my diary. We spent a very +uncomfortable night, and got out of the place early, going down into a +warmer atmosphere and to a level stretch of deep sand covered with a +thick growth of sagebrush. Having neglected to fill our canteens while +on the mountain, we had to travel all day in the sand, under a scorching +sun, without a drop of water. This was our first severe experience in +water-hunger, and we thought of the deserts yet to be crossed. + +At night we were delighted with coming to a stream, by the side of which +we made camp, ourselves and our animals quite exhausted with the day's +experiences. The country along here was very rough and mountainous, +making travelling very difficult, so much so that two or more men +dropped out to rest up. + +We were soon in the region of the "City of Rocks," which was not a great +distance south of Fort Hall, in Oregon. This place, to all appearance, +was surrounded by a range of high hills, circular in form and perhaps a +quarter mile in diameter. A small stream of mountain water ran through +it, near which we made our noon meal. + +From about the center of this circle arose two grand, colossal steeples +of solid rock, rising from two hundred to three hundred feet high; in +outline they resembled church steeples. From the base of these great +turrets, allowing the eyes to follow the circular mountains, could be +seen a striking resemblance to a great city in ruins. Tall columns rose +with broad facades and colossal archings over the broad entrances, which +seemed to lead into those great temples of nature. Many of the +formations strongly resembled huge lions crouched and guarding the +passageways. Altogether the spot was one of intense interest and stood +as strong evidence that + + + "The manuscript of God remains + Writ large in waves and woods and rocks." + + +In crossing the valley of Raft River, which is tributary to the Snake +River, and finally empties into the Columbia, we came to a deep, +ditch-like crack in the earth, partly filled with water and soft mud. +It was about a rod in width, but so long that we could not see its end +either up or down the valley as far as the eye could reach, so there was +no possible show to head it or go around it. Scattered along its length +we could see a dozen or more wagons standing on their heads, as it were, +in this almost bottomless ditch of mud and water, each waiting for the +bank to be dug out in front of it, when a long cattle-team would haul it +out. After looking the situation over, we put our wits to work for some +means of crossing, and finally hit upon what proved to be a feasible +plan. A part of the men stripped off, plunged in and made their way +through to the opposite bank. We then led the animals up, one at a time, +secured a good strong lariat around its neck, and threw the end of it +across to the men on the other side. Then we just pushed the brute into +the ditch and the men ahold of the lariat pulled him through. We then +did up our traps in light bundles and threw them across. After +everything else was over, we took turns in being pulled through at the +end of the lariat. This was a successful way of getting over, but, O my! +we were the dirtiest lot of men and animals one ever saw. We were +little more than one-quarter mile from Raft River, and we lost no time +in getting there and wading out in the clear, running water, about two +feet deep, with rocky bottom, where we and the animals were washed sleek +and clean. + +Leaving the river we entered a narrow defile in the mountain, where +horses and men were crowded close together. One of the men having a +rifle with the hammer underneath the barrel attempted to mount his horse +without stopping and accidentally discharged his gun, the shot shot +taking effect in the horse's side. As I happened to be walking on the +other side of the wounded horse I was fortunate in not getting some part +of the discharge. We pulled the pack off the horse and led him a few +steps off the road, where he soon fell dead. + +We camped for the night farther up this ravine. It was the same place +where, a few years afterward, some immigrants were massacred, when a +part of the Wright family was killed and others badly wounded. Years +afterward I became well acquainted with the survivors. Their description +of the place and its surroundings left no doubt in my mind that our +ravine camping-spot was identical with that of their massacre. + +Our passage up Goose Creek Valley was extremely slow and difficult, the +valley in places being no wider than the road, while in other places +rocks and streams were so thick and close together that the way was +almost impassible. We camped in this valley at nightfall, and, as there +was no feed in sight for the animals, several of us took them up on the +mountain side and gave them a feed of bunch grass, one man and myself +remaining to guard them. + +Very soon a storm came up, dark clouds, deep thunder, sharp lightning, +and a perfect deluge of rain were sweeping through the mountains. We +brought the animals as close together as we could, tied them to the +sagebrush, and kept going among them, talking to them and quieting them +as best we could, for they were whinnying and trembling with fear. It +was an awful night. Over and above the roaring storm could be heard the +howling of wolves, which added much terror to the situation. On being +relieved at daylight and going down to camp, the men were trying to find +themselves and a lot of traps that were missing. It seemed that the men +had lain down in a bunch on a narrow bit of ground close to the creek, +and when the rain began to fall they drew a canvas wagon cover over them +for protection, when, without any sound or warning that could be heard +above the storm, a tide of water came down upon them which fairly washed +them off the earth. They got tangled up in the wagon cover and were +being washed down the creek, not knowing in the darkness when or where +they were going to land. They kept together by all keeping hold of the +wagon cover, but for which some or all of them might have lost their +lives. They were finally washed up against a rocky projection and pulled +themselves ashore. We were a sorry-looking lot--wet, cold, dilapidated, +and suffering from the terror and fright of the night. + +After breakfast we went out to hunt for our missing goods, some of which +we found caught in the brush; some was washed beyond finding. + +This was Sunday morning and the weather had cleared up bright. All +Nature seemed anxious to make amends for her outrageous conduct of the +night before. We concluded to stop here until Monday morning, and spread +our traps out to dry, and cook some rice, and rest and replenish in a +general sense. + + + + +CHAPTER IX. + +WE LISTENED TO EACH OTHER'S REHEARSALS AND BECAME MUTUAL SYMPATHIZERS +AND ENCOURAGERS. + + +We travelled up Goose Creek for several days till we got to its head, on +the great divide that separates the Snake River from the Humboldt. The +second or third day up the creek we had a genuine surprise that put us +all in the best of humor again. It was no less than the overtaking of +the three wagons that left us in the South Pass, where we commenced +packing. Captain Wadsworth's wagon was mired down and part of the team. +We all turned in and soon had him out. We were all glad to meet again, +and all our men were delighted to meet and shake hands with Mrs. +Wadsworth, who was equally as joyful as ourselves. We camped together +that night and had a good visit. It was a genuine family reunion. How +thoroughly we listened to each other's rehearsals and became mutual +sympathizers and encouragers! This was the last time the original +company ever met together. + +Some of our boys, whose stock was nearly worn out, concluded that they +would join the three wagons and take more time to get through. This move +reduced our little company of packers to six men and ten animals. In the +morning we bade them all goodby (some of them for the last time), swung +into our saddles, and moved on. + +After crossing the divide we entered Pleasant Valley, which, with its +level floor, abundant grass, and willow-fringed stream of cool water, +was very appropriately named. As our provisions were now getting short, +I was on the lookout for game of any sort that would furnish food. After +dinner, taking my rifle, I went along down the stream as it led off the +road, when a pair of ducks flew up and alighted a short distance below. +These were the first ducks I had seen since leaving the Platte, and, +being out for something to eat, I was particularly glad to see them. I +watched them settle, and then creeping up through tall wild rice I got a +shot and killed one of them. I quickly reloaded. As I was out there +alone I was necessarily on my guard. The duck was about twenty-five +feet from the bank, and as the water was deep and cold and no one with +me I concluded not to go in after it. So I took out the ramrod, screwed +the wormer to it, lengthened it out with willow cuttings fastened one to +another, and then shoved it out on the water until the wormer touched +the duck, which I managed to twist into the game and draw it ashore. We +had an elegant supper that night. + +The next day or two I came to a pond where were sitting five snipe. I +killed the whole bunch, and they helped to make another square meal. We +were now near the border of the Great Desert proper, where, out of the +midst of a level plain, stood a lone mountain known as the "Old Crater," +which, together with its surroundings, had all the appearance of an +extinct volcano. The plain round about this mountain had been rent in +narrow cracks or crevices leading in various directions from the +mountain off on to the plain, some of them crossing the trail, where we +had to push and jump the stock across them. In dropping a rock into them +there seemed to be no bottom. All about them the ground was covered with +pieces of broken lava, largely composed of gravel stones that had been +welded together by intense heat. A half mile or so from the mountain +stood a block of the same material, which was nearly square in shape and +larger than a thirty-by-forty-foot barn. + +We made good time here after coming off the mountain, although we +suffered intensely for want of water, the sun being very hot. However, +we soon found ourselves in the "Thousand Spring Valley," and, being +influenced by its name, expected to have, for that day at least, all the +water we could drink. But, as is sometimes the case, there was + + + "Water, water everywhere, + But not a drop to drink." + + +Near the entrance of the valley, which is about thirty miles long, is +the Great Rock Spring, deriving its name, I presume, from its flowing +out from under an immense rock, forming a pool or basin of the brightest +and clearest of water, but so warm that neither man nor beast could +drink it. We all waded around through the basin, the water being about +two feet deep. After a few more miles, we could see ahead of us clouds +of steam vapor rising from the earth in various places. We came to the +first group of boiling springs at noon, nearly famished for water that +one could drink. We turned out for a resting-while. Some went to look +for cool water, and found none, while others made some coffee with +boiling water from a spring, of which there were hundreds on a very few +acres of ground. Some of the springs were six to ten feet across and +three or four inches deep. We set our coffee-pots right in a spring and +made coffee in a very short time. The hot sun pouring down on us, and +boiling springs all about us, and no cold water to drink, made the place +desirable for only one thing--to get away from. + +Toward night we turned off into the hills and looked for water, where, +tramping over the rocks and brush, supperless, until nearly midnight, we +found a most delicious spring. We all drank together, men and animals, +and together laid down and slept. + +A little farther along, one day at noon, while we were drinking our +coffee, two wild geese flew over and down the river. Watching them sail +along as if to light at a certain point, I took my rifle and followed. +The trail led to the right and over a range of hills, coming into the +valley again several miles ahead, and the direction in which I was +pursuing the geese being a tangent, I soon lost sight of the company. I +went hurriedly on down the river bottom, much of which was covered with +wild rice, very thick and almost as high as my head. The course and +windings of the river here were, as elsewhere, marked by the willows +along the banks. I was now a mile or so from the trail, and coming quite +near where I expected to find the game. Passing cautiously by a clump of +willows I noticed something white on the dead grass, which, upon +investigation, proved to be a human skeleton in a perfect state of +preservation. I picked up the skull, looked it over, and picked off the +under jaw which was filled with beautiful teeth. Putting these in my +pocket and replacing the skull, I moved carefully forward, expecting to +soon see the geese. Picking my way through the stiff mud, I saw several +moccasin tracks. I was just on the point of turning back when I saw the +head of an Indian to my left, within easy range of my rifle. Looking +hurriedly about me, I saw another at my right and quite a distance to +the rear. In a moment they drew their heads down into the grass. I +immediately realized the danger of retreating back into open ground, so +I plunged forward into the wild rice, gripping my rifle with one hand +and making a path through the rice with the other. I ran along in this +way until my strength was nearly gone and the hand I worked the rice +with was lacerated and bleeding. I faced about, dropped to my knees, +and, with rifle cocked, awaited developments. After resting a few +minutes and getting over my scare I started in the direction of the +trail, hoping to get out of the rice and the willows into the open. +Again I had to rest. My hands and arms were now both so lame and sore I +could scarcely use them. When I finally got out of the rice, I +straightened up and ran like a deer, expecting at every jump I made to +be pursued and shot. I made straight for a bend in the slough which was +partly filled with water. The opposite bank being lined with willows, +some of them began to move a little and I concluded some one was coming +through them. Levelling my rifle and with finger on the trigger, I heard +some one shout to me not to shoot. It was a white man, who wanted to +cross the slough. He ran into the water and mud far enough so that I +could reach him and pull him on to the bank. He, too, had encountered +the Indians in the rice and willows, and for a time was unable to stand, +being completely exhausted with fear and his efforts to escape. As soon +as he could walk, we started away from that locality with what strength +and energy we had left. He was there alone and unarmed, looking for +strayed cattle, and had been skulking and hiding from Indians for more +than an hour before I came along. I, being well armed, might have +discouraged them in their hunt for either one of us. At least they never +got in my way after our first sight of each other. + +My hands were now swollen and very painful. The stranger carried my gun, +and in a couple of hours we overtook my comrades. As I got on to my mule +I thought what a fool I had been to go alone so far on a wild-goose +chase. That day's experience ended my hunting at any considerable +distance from camp. + +While we were still trailing close beside the Humboldt River a most +remarkable and pathetic incident occurred, the vicinity being that now +known as Elko, in Elko County, Nevada. + +We had been camping over night in the Humboldt Mountains, and on our +way out in the morning I chanced to be some distance ahead. Riding down +a steep, narrow place, walled in on either side, I could catch only a +glimpse of the Humboldt River as it spun along just ahead of me. Just +before emerging from this narrow place I heard loud screaming for help, +although as yet I could see no one. Coming out into the open, I saw a +man in the river struggling with a span of horses to which was still +attached the running gear of a wagon. A few rods below him were his wife +and two children about five and three years old, floating down the +strong current in the wagon bed. + +I swam my mule across, and the minute I reached the land, I jumped off, +and, leaving my rifle on the ground, ran over the rocks down stream +after the woman and children, who were screaming at the top of their +voices. The river made a short bend around some rocks on which I ran +out, and, wading a short distance, I was able to grasp the corner of the +the wagon bed as it came along, which was already well filled with +water. Holding to it, the current swept it against the shore, where the +woman handed her children out to me and then climbed ashore herself. As +soon as all were on land, the woman, hugging her children with one arm, +knelt at my feet and clasping me about the knees sobbed as though her +heart would break, as she kept repeating that I had saved their lives, +and expressing her thanks for the rescue. + +As soon as I could collect my wits I began to tug at the wagon-bed, and +then the woman helped, and together we got it where it was safe. Then we +led the children up to where the man had got ashore with his team. + +By this time the rest of our train had crossed the river and were with +the man and his horses. When they learned just what had happened, they +became very indignant because the man had apparently abandoned his wife +and children to the mercies of the river, while he exerted himself to +save his team. Quicker than I can tell it, the tongue of the man's wagon +was set up on end, and hasty preparations being made to hang the man +from the end of it. Almost frantic with what she saw, the wife again +threw herself at my feet and begged me to save her husband. Her tears +and entreaties, probably more than all I said, finally quieted the men, +although some of them were still in favor of throwing him in the river. +We eventually helped them get their wagon together, when we moved on +and left them. + +At this place the river runs down into a cañon, where we had to ford it +four times in ten miles, the stream changing that many times from one +side of the rocky walls to the other. We made the last ford about middle +afternoon, and as it was Sunday, we put out for the day and night. + + + "Up with my tent, here will I lie to-night. + But where to-morrow? Well, all's well for that." + + + + +CHAPTER X. + +BOOTS AND SADDLES CALL. + +[Illustration: Music] + + +In nearly all lifetimes and in nearly all undertakings, there will occur +seasons which severally try not merely one's faith and courage, but +one's power of physical endurance as well; seasons when one's spirits +are fagged and stand in need of a reveille, or "Boots and Saddles" call. + +The march of our little company during these mid-July days, with their +privations and sufferings, could scarcely have been maintained, but for +the notes of cheer which, by memory's route, came to us from out the +silent places of the past, or, on the wings of hope, alighted among us +from off the heights of the future. + +The Humboldt River, which by this time had become to us quite a +memorable stream, was winding and crooked after coming out of the cañon, +and could be traced through the desert only by the willows that grew +along its banks and around its shallow pools. Our route lay on the left +bank all the way down to the "sink." + +It was the middle of July, with never a cloud in the sky, not a tree or +shade of any kind. The ground was heated like an oven and covered more +or less by an alkali sand, which parched our lips while the sun was +blistering our noses. + +The river from here down to its sink is like all desert streams in the +dry season. It does not have a continuous current, but the water lies in +pools, alternating with places where the bed is dry and bare. In its +windings it averaged about twenty-five miles from one bend to another, +the trail leading a straight line like a railroad from one point to +another. These points were our camping-places. As it was useless to stop +between them we had to make the river or perish. + +The willows were already browsed down to mere stubs, consequently there +was little or no feed for the stock. Wherever we could find any grass, +there we took the animals and tended them until they got their fill. +There was no game to be seen nor anything that had life, except horned +toads and lizards. The former could be seen in the sand all day. They +were of all sizes, ranging from a kernel of corn to a common toad, each +ornamented with the same covering of horns, beginning with a Turk's +crescent on the tip of the nose. As to the lizards, none could be seen +during the day, but at night there would be a whole family of them lying +right against one, having crept under the blankets to keep warm, I +suppose, as the nights were quite cool. Upon getting up in the morning +we would take our blankets by one end and give a jerk, and the lizards +would roll out like so many links of weinerwurst. + +About midway to the river we began to get uncomfortably short of +provisions, having only some parched coffee, a little sugar, and a few +quarts of broken hardtack. We had neither flour nor meat for more than +two weeks. But of all our sufferings the greatest was that of thirst. It +was so intense that we forgot our hunger and our wearied and wornout +condition. Our sole thought was of water, and when we talked about what +amount we would drink when we came to a good spring no one ever +estimated less than a barrel full, and we honestly believed we could +drink that much at a single draught. We had, in a degree, become "loony" +on the subject, particularly in the middle of the day, when one could +not raise moisture in his mouth to even spit. For about ten days the +only water we had was obtained from the pools by which we would camp. +These pools were stagnant and their edges invariably lined with dead +cattle that had died while trying to get a drink. Selecting a carcass +that was solid enough to hold us up, we would walk out into the pool on +it, taking a blanket with us, which we would swash around and get as +full of water as it would hold, then carrying it ashore, two men, one +holding each end, would twist the filthy water out into a pan, which in +turn would be emptied into our canteens, to last until the next +camping-place. As the stomach would not retain this water for even a +moment, it was only used to moisten the tongue and throat. + +One afternoon we noticed on the side of a mountain spur off to our left +a green spot part way up its side. We looked at the spot and then at the +bend to which we were going, and as each seemed to be about +equi-distant we concluded to go to the mountains, believing we would +find water. + +Well, if any of you have had any experience in travelling toward a +mountain you, as did we, probably under-estimated the distance. We left +the trail at 3 o'clock and tramped until nearly sundown before we began +to make the ascent, always keeping our eyes on that green spot. About an +hour after dark we came into the bed of a dry creek, and believing that +it would eventually lead us to water, we followed it up until about +midnight, when we came to water in a ditch about two feet wide and a few +inches deep. + +Ourselves and animals being nearly exhausted, we just laid down in that +stream, and I guess each one came pretty near drinking his barrel of +water. We pulled off the packs and let the animals go loose in the feed, +which was very good, while we were soon stretched out and sound asleep. +When we woke in the morning the sun was well up and sending down its +scorching rays into our faces. We made some coffee, drank it and felt +better. We stayed there until noon, as the animals were still getting +good feed, and we--well, we were getting all the water we wanted. We +filled our canteens with it, and after making necessary preparations +started to strike the river again, which we could plainly see from our +mountain perch, also slow moving trains, as they plod their weary way +over the plain. + +We reached the river about sundown and as we looked against the western +horizon, began to see quite distinctly the snow-capped range of the +Sierra Nevada Mountains. They looked grand and formidable to us, knowing +that we must climb up and over them before we could reach our journey's +end. They held no terror for us, however, for we knew that we should +suffer neither from heat nor thirst during our trail over their broad, +friendly sides. + +For a couple of days we had been trying the experiment of camping during +the day and travelling at night, but we soon got enough of that way of +getting along. The traveling at night was all right, but to camp all day +with a scorching sun overhead and a burning sand under our feet was more +than we could endure, so we again worked by day and slept at night. + +There was no fuel along here except willows, and they were so green it +was impossible to coax them into a blaze. We finally resorted to a +willow crane, which we made by sticking a couple of willows into the +sand, arching them over toward each other and tying them together, +hanging our coffee-pot between them, underneath which we made a fire of +dead grass tied in knots. For a long time we laid on the sand and fed +that fire with knotted grass, but _boil_ the coffee would not. + +We had now reached the sink of the Humboldt, which was a small lake, +perhaps ten or twelve miles long and two or three miles wide. The upper +half was quite shallow, with soft, miry bottom covered with flags and +rushes. The lower half was clear, open water, rounding off at its lower +end with a smooth, sandy beach, making it a very pretty thing to look +at, but its water was so brackish as to be unpalatable for drinking +purposes. + +We camped for the night near its flags and rushes, a large quantity of +which we cut and brought in for the animals, which seemed to give them +new life and ambition. We also cut as many bundles as we could carry +away bound to the backs of our loose stock, for we still had forty-two +miles more of desert, without wood, water or grass, before reaching the +Carson River. While camping in this vicinity two pelicans sailed around +and lighted in the clear lake, beyond reach of rifle-shot. These were +the first birds of the kind I had ever seen outside of a showman's cage, +and I was determined to have one of them if possible; so, with rifle in +hand, I waded out till the water came up under my arms, and, not being +able to go any farther, I fired, but without avail. + +In looking about me as I waded back, I saw a little white tent a short +way off, just on the edge of the lake. Going to it, I found a lone man +about half drunk. I asked him what he was doing there, and he said he +had some alcohol to sell at five dollars a quart. I bought a quart, my +canteen full, and went back to camp. We succeeded in making coffee of +the strongest kind and enough of it to fill our six canteens. We divided +the alcohol equally among us and mixed it with the coffee. This +arrangement was an experiment, but we found upon trial that one swallow +of this mixture would make a person bat his eyes and step about quite +lively, while two of them would make a man forget most of his troubles. + +I remember that it was about mid-afternoon when we finally packed and +left the Humboldt River for the last time, which we did with but few +regrets. It was our intention to make as much as possible of the +Humboldt desert during the night. + +A few miles out the trail forked, the one to the right being "Trucke +Route" and the other "Carson Route"; we decided upon the latter. Near +the forks were some campers, two sets of them, who were quarreling as to +which route was the better. They finally began to shoot at each other +and were still at it when we passed out of hearing, not knowing or +caring how the duel might end. Toward sundown we came to the salt wells, +twelve miles from the sink, the water in them being as salt as the +strongest brine. This was the last salt water we saw on our journey. +About midnight we came to some tents, wagons, and a corral of stock; we +were then nearly half the distance across the desert. + +At the tent water was sold at the very low price of "six bits" a gallon. +We bought one gallon apiece for each of the animals and as much as we +needed to drink at the time for ourselves. We did not care to dilute the +contents of our canteens. We gave the stock a feed and moved on. The +night was moonlighted, very bright and pleasant, but awfully still, +rendered so seemingly by the surroundings, or perhaps by the lack of +surroundings, for there could be heard no rushing of waters, no +murmuring of forests no rustling of grasses. All of Nature's +music-pieces had been left far behind. There was nothing but sand, and +it was at rest except as our footfalls caused it to vibrate. The broad +and barren expanse, the white light of the full moon full upon it, the +curvings and windings of the trail upon the sand, the steady onward +march of our caravan, all combined to make a subject worthy the brush of +a Millet. + +We travelled in silence mostly. There was reverence in the atmosphere +and we could not evade it. We did not even try. + +Akin to this scene must have been the one which inspired Longfellow to +write: + + + "Art is the child of Nature; yes, + Her darling child, in whom we trace + The features of the mother's face, + Her aspect and her mien." + + + + +CHAPTER XI. + +"BUT ALL COMES RIGHT IN THE END." + + +From this point on to Carson River the route was continuously strewn +with the carcasses of stock that had perished there, some of them years +before. Owing probably to the dry climate and the fact that the greater +part of the desert was covered with alkali and crystalized soda, the +bodies of these animals remained perfect, as they had fallen. The sand +glistening in their eyes gave them a very lifelike appearance. At +intervals could be seen wagons, all complete except the cover, with two +to four yoke of cattle lying dead, with the yokes on their necks, the +chains still in the rings, just as they fell and died, most of them with +their tongues hanging from their mouths. + +Daylight came just as we got to the loose sand. The moment the sun rose +above the horizon its influence could be seen and felt, and in an hour +or two several cattle-teams had perished near us. First one ox would +drop as though he were shot, and in a few minutes others would sink +down, and almost before the owner could realize the condition of things, +a part or the whole of his team would lie dead. + +For the want of vegetables or acid of some kind, I had been troubled for +a week or so with an attack of scurvy in my mouth, the gums being +swollen because of the alkali dust. This not only caused me pain and +misery, but created a strong and constant desire for something sour. +While riding past an ox team I noticed a jug in the front end of the +wagon. Upon inquiry of the driver, I found that the jug contained +vinegar. I offered him a silver dollar for a cupful, but he refused to +part with any of it, saying that he might need it himself before he got +through. He was afoot on the off side of the wagon, where the jug was +setting. I was sort of crazy mad and drawing my revolver, I rode around +the rear of the wagon, thinking I would kill the fellow and take his jug +of vinegar. But when he began to run for his life around the front yoke +of cattle I came to my senses and hastened away from his outfit. + +We could now see a few scattering, tall trees outlining the Carson +River, also long mountain spurs reaching almost out into the sand, +covered with a short growth of pine timber. In leaving the sand about 11 +o'clock A. M. I noticed a large open tent near by. I rode up and into the +tent, and, looking about, saw among other things one bottle of gherkin +pickles about one quart of them. I asked the price. It was five dollars, +and I paid it gladly as the owner passed the bottle over to me. I saw in +that bottle of pickles my day of deliverance and salvation, and drawing +my long knife from my bootleg soon drew the cork and filled my fevered +mouth with pickles. I assure my readers that I can taste those gherkins +to this day. The proprietor, who evidently thought that I was a "little +off," brought me to a sense of realization by telling me that his tent +was not a mule stable and that I had better get out. His voice and +expression made me feel that I might be in danger of losing my pickles, +so I waited not on ceremony, but beat a hasty and complete retreat. + +We had now finished the desert which, with all its events and +experiences, was already behind us. We had travelled more than one +thousand miles with no tree in sight, and our feelings can easily be +imagined when, in looking a short distance ahead, we saw a clump of +trees--real trees, green trees, shade-giving trees. We instantly became, +as it were, initiated into the tree-worshipping sect. We were soon, men +and beasts, within the cooling shade, and the packs stripped from the +poor, tired animals, when they were led into the shallow water of the +Carson, where they drank and bathed to their heart's content, and were +then turned loose into a stretch of good grass. + +We couldn't treat ourselves as well as we had treated our animals, for +we had only a bite of hardtack crumbs, which we washed down with some of +the "elixir of life" from our canteens. But we stretched ourselves +underneath the friendly trees and, just letting loose of everything, +slept until nearly noon the next day. + +The vicinity in which we camped seemed to have been pre-empted by a +number of parties, who lived in tents and sold provisions to the +immigrants. The settlement was called "Ragtown." + +After coming out of our long sleep and taking in the situation of our +whereabouts we were soon ready to take up our westward march, which, in +two days, brought us to the first real house we had seen since leaving +the Missouri. This house was known as "Mormon Station." It was a +good-sized story and half building, with a lean-to on one side and a +broad porch on the other, along which was a beautiful little stream of +cold, clear water. Cups were hanging on the porch columns for the use of +immigrants. There were also long benches for them to sit and rest on. +Connected with this house was a stock ranch and a cultivated farm of +sixty acres, mostly all in vegetables. Within was a large store of +supplies. Well, we didn't stop long for compliments, for our mouths were +watering for some of those onions, lettuce, cabbage, new potatoes, +pickles, steak and bacon, etc. We laid in a generous supply of the whole +thing, including soft and hard bread and a bucket of milk. We also got a +new coffeepot, as our old one had neither spout nor handle. + +After making our purchases we selected our camping-site and proceeded to +make ourselves comfortable, after disposing of the stock in grass up to +its eyes. We were going to have a supper fit for the gods, and everybody +became busy. The boss coffee-maker attended strictly to his business, +and some others cut and sliced an onion that was as large as a plate, +covering it with salt and pepper and vinegar, which we ate as a +"starter." We had an elegant supper and appetites to match. After supper +some of the men went back to the store and laid in a supply of fresh +bread and steak for breakfast. They brought back some pipes and tobacco, +and for a long time we sat around our campfire smoking and reciting many +experiences incident to our journey across the continent. With pangs of +hunger and thirst appeased, our pipes filled to the brim and the smoke +therefrom curling and twisting itself into cloud-banks, we were a +supremely happy lot, and with the poet was ready to sing: + + + "The road is rough and the day is cold, + And the landscape's sour and bare, + And the milestones, once such charming friends, + Half-hearted welcomes wear. + There's trouble before and trouble behind, + And a troublesome present to mend, + And the road goes up and the road goes down, + _But it all comes right in the end._" + + +We decided to remain in this place another day, thereby giving ourselves +and the stock time to secure the rest which we so greatly needed. It was +during our stay here that in loading my rifle for a duck the stock broke +in two. In making this little book, I cannot pass the incident by +without a few parting words in memory of my faithful old friend and +protector. + +In make and style the gun was known as a Kentucky rifle, with curled +maple stock the entire length of the barrel, underneath which was a +"patch box," set lock, and a brass plate. Since we began to pack I had +carried it continually on my shoulders, exposed to weather and elements, +hot air and desert heat, until the varied exposures had so weakened it +that it broke while being loaded. I had carried it on my shoulders for +such a long time that my shirt and vest became worn through, and the +brass plate, heated by the scorching sun, did a remarkable piece of +pyro-sculpture by burning into my bare shoulders a pair of shoulder +straps that continued with me more than a year. + +Carson valley, through which our route lay, seemed to be twenty or more +miles wide when we first entered it, but it narrowed as it continued +toward the Sierras until it became not more than a mile in width at the +point where it pushed itself far into the mountain range. Upon the +morning of our departure, we were early astir, and, turning to the +right, left the valley that had been to us a Mecca of rest and +replenishment, and entered the Dark Cañon, which is but a few rods +wide, with perpendicular sides of rock so high that daylight seemed to +be dropped down from overhead. Through this cañon flowed a rushing, +roaring torrent of water, and as the bed of the cañon is very steep and +made up mostly of round stones and boulders ranging in size from a +marble to a load of hay, one can imagine something of the difficulties +we had to encounter during the first four miles of our ascent. + +In addition to the well-nigh impassable track, was the most deafening +and distracting accumulation of noises ever heard since the time of +Babel. The water as it roared and rushed and dropped itself from boulder +to boulder, the rattling and banging of empty wagons, the cracking of +the drivers' whips, the shouting of the men, and the repetitions and +reverberations of it all as the high walls caught them up and tossed +them back and forth on their way to the exit, gave an impression that +the cañon was engaged in grand opera with all stops open. + +After spending one entire day here we emerged into what is known as Hope +Valley, and its name in no wise belied its nature. In its quietude we +took a new hold of ourselves, remaining in camp within its enclosure +during the night. The valley is a large estuary or basin upon the first +great bench of the range. Its center seemed to consist of a quagmire, as +one could not walk far out on it and stock could not go at all. + +Some of us took our knives and 'twixt rolling and crawling on our +stomachs, got to where the grass was and cut and brought in enough to +bait our horses and mules. + +We started again at daylight next morning, and as the roads were fairly +good we made twelve miles, which brought us to the shore of Mountain +Lake. The weather here was cold during the night, the water near the +edge of the lake freezing to the thickness of window glass. We were +among quite heavy timber of pine and fir. This place might be called the +second point in line of ascent. About one-half mile distant was the +region of perpetual snow, in full sight, toward which we climbed and +worked most assiduously, the line being very steep and the trail +exceedingly zigzagged. Resting-places were only to be had on the upper +side of the great trees. It was here that a four mule team, hitched to a +splendid carry-all, got started backward down the mountain, the driver +jumping from his seat. The whole outfit going down the mountain end over +end and brought up against a large tree, the vehicle completely wrecked. +The mules landed farther down. + +Arriving at the snow line, we found grass and even flowers growing and +blooming in soil moistened by the melting snow. The notch in the summit +of the mountains through which we had to pass was four miles distant +from this point. The trail leading up was of a circular form, like a +winding stair, turning to the left, and the entire distance was +completely covered with snow, or more properly ice crystals as coarse as +shelled corn, which made the road-bed so hard that a wheel or an +animal's foot scarcely made an impression on it. + +We reached the summit about noon, August 7th, where we halted to rest +and, as did Moses, "to view the landscape o'er." Looking back and down +upon the circular road we could plainly see many outfits of men, +animals, and wagons, as they slowly worked their way up and around the +great circle which we had just completed. + +Thinking we might see the Missouri River or some eastern town from our +great altitude, we looked far out to the east; but the fact was we could +see but a very little way as compared with our view on the plains. On a +point high up on the rocks I spied a flag, which proved to be a section +from a red woolen shirt. Upon going to it I found in a small cavity in +the highest peak a bottle having upon its label the inscription, "Take a +drink and pass on." + +We went down to the edge of the timber on the California side and spent +a night on the hard snow. We had wood for fire, snow for water, and pine +boughs for beds, but no feed for our hungry beasts. Having laid in a +good supply of provisions at Mormon Station, among which was a big sack +of hard bread, we gave the animals a ration apiece of the same, +promising them something better as soon as it could be had. This was our +first night in California, having heretofore been travelling, since +leaving the Missouri River Valley, in the Territory of Nebraska, except +as we passed through a little corner of Oregon, near Ft. Hall. + +After an early breakfast, we left the region of snow and went down among +the timber and into a milder atmosphere. We passed through a place +called Tragedy Springs, whose history, we afterwards learned, was +indicated by its name. Leek Springs was the name of our next stopping +place, which, from its appearance, evidently a favorite resort of all +who passed that way. It so happened, however, that we were the only +parties camping there that night. Realizing that we were very near our +journey's end, we made these last evenings together as pleasant and as +restful as possible. I remember this evening in particular, also the +following morning, when, upon bestirring ourselves, we found that our +sack of hard bread had been eaten and the sack torn to pieces. The +frying pan had been licked clean, and things generally disturbed. Upon +investigation we soon found that the camp had been invaded by two +grizzly bears. They had walked all around us while we slept, evidently +smelling of each one, as was indicated by the large, plain tracks which +they had left, not only in the camp, but across the road also as they +took their departure. + +During the day we had opportunity to buy some hay for our stock, and at +night we made ourselves at home among the heaviest white pine timber I +ever saw. To test the size of the trees, we selected one that was +representative of more than half the trees in that vicinity, and four of +us joined hands and tried to circle the tree, but could not. They were +so large and so near together that it seemed as though more than +one-half of the ground and air was taken up by them. They had only a few +stub branches for a top. Their bodies were as straight and as smooth as +a ship's mast, and so tall that in looking at them one usually had to +throw one's head back twice before seeing their tops. + +The western slope of the Sierras was much more gradual in its descent +than on the eastern side, the former reaching from the summit to the +Valley of the Sacramento, about one hundred miles, while the ascent on +the eastern side, from the leaving of Carson Valley, is about +twenty-four miles. + +The travel along here was quiet and easy, and as we had reason to +believe that we were in close proximity to the gold mines, we were +constantly looking out for them. We found a sort of restaurant on the +hillside, where we treated ourselves to sardines and vinegar, coffee and +crackers; and a little later we came upon some men actually engaged in +gold-digging, the first we had ever seen. The place was called Weber +Creek Diggings. There were several Chinamen in the group, who, with +their broad bamboo hats and their incessant chatter, were certainly a +great curiosity to us. + +We passed on and soon came to Diamond Spring Diggings, where we spent +the night under an immense lone tree. The ground was rich with gold +here, and if we had gone to digging and washing the very spot on which +we slept we could all of us have made a snug fortune; but it was not for +us to get rich so quickly. + +This was our last night together, Hangtown, or Placerville, Eldorado +County, as it is to-day, being but a few miles distant. We reached +Hangtown in time for breakfast, after which we all rode up the dividing +ridge, from the top of which we looked down upon the busiest town and +richest mining district in that country. + +The hill was long and steep, and thereby hangs a tale. The saddle had +worked up on my mule's shoulders, which I had not noticed, my mind being +so wholly given to our new surroundings. In a second of time, and with +no admonition whatever, that mule kicked both hind feet into the air, +and I was made to turn a complete somersault over his head landing on +the flat of my back just in front of him. He stopped and looked at me +with a malicious smile in his eye, as much as to say: "We will now quit +even." The breath was knocked out of me. The boys picked me up and +brushed the dirt off, but I never mounted the mule again. We closed our +social relations right there. To think he should be so ungrateful as to +treat me in that way after I had watched over him with so much care and +tenderness! We had swam many a stream together; I had even divided my +bread with him; I had reposed so much confidence in him that many a +night had I slept with the loose end of his lariat tied to my wrist. +When we returned to town I sold both my mule and pony. + +After we had treated ourselves to a bath, shave, haircut, and some new +clothes we started out to prospect for individual interests, and became +separated. Two of the company I have never seen since we parted that +afternoon, August 10, 1852. + + + + +CHAPTER XII. + +EACH DAY MAKES ITS OWN PARAGRAPHS AND PUNCTUATION MARKS. + + + "I am dreaming to-night of the days gone by, + When I camped in the open so free and grand. + + * * * * * + + Those days have gone; each passing year + Has made the buoyant steps grow slow, + But the pictures stay to comfort and cheer + The days that come and the days that go." + + +During the preparation of the previous chapters I have once again been +twenty-four years old. Once again I have lived over those five months, +so alternated with lights and shadows, but above which the star of hope +never for a moment lacked luster or definiteness. The entire route from +Monroe, Michigan, to Hangtown, was one great book, having new lessons +and illustrations for each day. Some of them were beautiful beyond +description; others were terrible beyond compare, and so hard to +understand. + +Each day made its own paragraphs and punctuation marks, and how +surprising and unexpected many of them were! Commas would become +semicolons and periods give place to exclamation points, in the most +reckless sort of fashion. The event which had been planned as a period +to a day's doings would often instead become a hyphen, leading into and +connecting us with conditions wholly undreamed of. + +To-day as I look back upon the more than fifty intervening years I +realize that the wealth that I gathered from the wayside of each day's +doings has enriched my whole after-life far beyond the nuggets which I +digged from the mines. Nature never does anything half-heartedly. Her +every lesson, picture, and song is an inspirer and enricher to all who +would learn, look, and listen aright. + +All of our company, excepting the one who still sleeps in his prairie +bed, eventually reached the "promised land." Captain and Mrs. Wadsworth, +then as before, were noted and esteemed for their noble manhood and +womanhood. The Captain in time was made Marshal of Placerville and did +much for the advancement of its interests. Both he and his wife died +after being in California about seven years. Charley Stewart, the young +man with whom I had the midnight tussle, returned to his home in a few +months, dying shortly thereafter. He had made the trip hoping to benefit +his impaired health, but was disappointed in the result. I kept in touch +with several of the others for some time. + +After two years I returned home by way of the Isthmus, when other and +new interests claimed my time and attention, and I would only hear now +and again that one and then another and yet others had left the trail +and passed over the dividing ridge into the land where camps neither +break nor move on. + +The story of our trail has of necessity been told in monologue, as only +I of all the number am here to tell it. + +The pictures upon memory's walls, a few relics, and a golden band upon +my wife's finger, made into a wedding-ring from gold that I myself had +dug, are the links which unite _these_ days to _those_ days. + + + + + +End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of In the Early Days along the Overland +Trail in Nebraska Territory, in 1852, by Gilbert L. 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Cole + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + +Title: In the Early Days along the Overland Trail in Nebraska Territory, in 1852 + +Author: Gilbert L. Cole + +Release Date: February 25, 2010 [EBook #31384] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ISO-8859-1 + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK OVERLAND TRAIL *** + + + + +Produced by Martin Pettit and the Online Distributed +Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net (This file was +produced from images generously made available by The +Internet Archive/American Libraries.) + + + + + + +</pre> + + +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_iii" id="Page_iii">[Pg iii]</a></span></p> + +<h1>In the Early Days Along<br />the Overland Trail in<br />Nebraska Territory,<br />in 1852.</h1> + +<hr class="smler" /> + +<h3>BY</h3> + +<h2>GILBERT L. COLE,</h2> + +<h3>1905.</h3> + +<hr class="smler" /> + +<h3><span class="smcap">Compiled by Mrs. A. Hardy.</span></h3> + +<hr class="smler" /> + +<h4>Press of<br /><span class="smcap">Franklin Hudson Publishing Company,</span><br /> +<span class="smcap">Kansas City, Mo.</span></h4> + +<hr /> + +<div class="center"><img src="images/i002.jpg" width='509' height='700' alt="Gilbert L. Col" /></div> + +<h4><span class="smcap">Gilbert L. Cole.</span></h4> + +<hr /> + +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_iv" id="Page_iv">[Pg iv]</a></span></p> + +<hr class="smler" /> + +<h4><span class="smcap">Copyright, 1905,</span><br /> +<span class="smaller">BY</span><br /> +GILBERT L. COLE,<br /> +<span class="smcap">Beatrice, Neb.</span></h4> + +<hr class="smler" /> + +<hr /> + +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_v" id="Page_v">[Pg v]</a></span></p> + +<h2>TESTIMONIALS.</h2> + +<p>A true story plainly told, of immense historical value and fascinating +interest from beginning to end.</p> + +<p class="right"><span class="smcap">Dr. Geo. W. Crofts</span>, <br /> +Beatrice, Nebraska.</p> + +<hr class="smler" /> + +<p>I have read every word of "In the Early Days," written by Mr. Gilbert L. +Cole, with great interest and profit. The language is well chosen, the +word-pictures are vivid, and the subject-matter is of historic value. +The story is fascinating in the extreme, and I only wished it were +longer. The story should be printed and distributed for the people in general to read.</p> + +<p>July 27, 1905.</p> + +<p class="right"><span class="smcap">C. A. Fulmer</span>, <br /> +<i>Superintendent of Public Schools</i>, <br />Beatrice, Neb.</p> + +<hr class="smler" /> + +<p>At a single sitting, with intense interest, I have read the manuscript +of "In the Early Days." It is a very entertaining narrative of +adventure, a vivid portrayal of conditions and an instructive history of +events as they came into the personal experience and under the +observation of the writer fifty-three years ago. An exceedingly valuable +contribution to the too meager literature of a time so near in years, +but so distant in conditions as to<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_vi" id="Page_vi">[Pg vi]</a></span> make the truth about it seem +stranger than fiction.</p> + +<p class="right"><span class="smcap">Rev. N. A. Martin</span>, <br /> +<i>Pastor, Centenary M. E. Church</i>, <br />Beatrice, Neb.</p> + +<hr class="smler" /> + +<p class="right"><span class="smcap">Nebraska State Historical Society.</span> <br /> +<span class="smcap">Lincoln</span>, Nebraska, July 28, 1905.</p> + +<p><i>To whom it may concern</i>: The manuscript account of the overland trip by +Mr. Gilbert L. Cole of Beatrice, Nebraska, in my opinion is a very +carefully written story of great interest to the whole public, and +particularly to Nebraskans. It reads like a novel, and the succession of +adventures holds the interest of the reader to the end. The records of +trips across the Nebraska Territory as early as this one are very +incomplete, and Mr. Cole has done a real public service in putting into +print so complete a record of these experiences. I predict that it will +find a wide circulation among lovers of travel and of Nebraska history.</p> + +<p class="center">Very sincerely,</p> + +<p class="right"><span class="smcap">Jay Amos Barrett</span>, <br /> +<i>Curator and Librarian Nebraska <br />State Historical Society</i>,</p> + +<p>Author of "Nebraska and the Nation";<br /> + "Civil Government of Nebraska."</p> + +<hr class="smler" /> + +<p class="right"><span class="smcap">Executive Chamber</span>, <br /> +<span class="smcap">Lincoln</span>, Nebraska, July 28, 1905.</p> + +<p><i>To whom it may concern</i>: It gives me great pleasure to say that the +publication, "In the Early Days," written by Mr. Gilbert L. Cole, of +Beatrice,<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_vii" id="Page_vii">[Pg vii]</a></span> Nebraska, is a very interesting and profitable work to read. +It bears upon many subjects of great historical value and no doubt will +prove a very interesting book to all who read it and I take pleasure in recommending the same.</p> + +<p class="center">Very respectfully,</p> + +<p class="right"><span class="smcap">John H. Mickey</span>, <br /> +<i>Governor</i>.</p> + +<hr class="smler" /> + +<p><i>To whom it may concern</i>: It is with pleasure I write a few words of +commendation for the book written by Mr. Gilbert L. Cole, of Beatrice, +Nebraska, entitled "In the Early Days." It is well prepared and full of +interest from beginning to the end. It is of great value to every Nebraskan.</p> + +<p><i>July 28, 1905.</i></p> + +<p class="right"><span class="smcap">D. L. Thomas</span>, <br /> +<i>Pastor Grace M. E. Church</i>, <br />Lincoln, Neb.</p> + +<hr class="smler" /> + +<p>An interesting, thrilling and delightful bit of prairie history hitherto +unwritten and unsung, which most opportunely and completely supplies a +missing link in the stories of the great Westland.</p> + +<p class="right"><span class="smcap">Mrs. A. Hardy</span>, <br /> +<i>President Beatrice Woman's Club</i>, <br />Beatrice, Neb.</p> + +<hr class="smler" /> + +<p class="right"><span class="smcap">Beatrice, Neb.</span>, July 30, 1905.</p> + +<p>I have just read "In the Early Days," by Col. G. L. Cole, and I find it +an interesting and instructive narrative, clothed in good diction and +pleasing style. Few of the Argonauts took time or trouble to make note +of the events of their journey and our California gold episode is +remarkably barren of literature, a fact which makes Col. Cole's book +doubly interesting and valuable.</p> + +<p class="right"><span class="smcap">M. T. Cummings</span></p> + +<hr /> + +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_ix" id="Page_ix">[Pg ix]</a></span></p> + +<h2>CONTENTS.</h2> + +<table class="tbrk" summary="CONTENTS"> + <tr> + <td><span class="smcap">Chapter</span> I.—Setting up Altars of Remembrance,</td> + <td class="right"><a href="#Page_13">13</a></td> + </tr> + <tr> + <td><span class="smcap">Chapter</span> II.—"God Could Not Be Everywhere, and so He Made Mothers,"</td> + <td class="right"><a href="#Page_23">23</a></td> + </tr> + <tr> + <td><span class="smcap">Chapter</span> III.—"But Somewhere the Master Has a Counterpart of Each,"</td> + <td class="right"><a href="#Page_32">32</a></td> + </tr> + <tr> + <td><span class="smcap">Chapter</span> IV.—Our Prairies are a Book Whose Pages Hold Many Stories,</td> + <td class="right"><a href="#Page_41">41</a></td> + </tr> + <tr> + <td><span class="smcap">Chapter</span> V.—A Worthy Object Reached For and Missed is a First Step Toward Success,</td> + <td class="right"><a href="#Page_51">51</a></td> + </tr> + <tr> + <td><span class="smcap">Chapter</span> VI.—"'Tis Only a Snowbank's Tears, I Ween,"</td> + <td class="right"><a href="#Page_58">58</a></td> + </tr> + <tr> + <td><span class="smcap">Chapter</span> VII.—We Stepped Over the Ridge and Courted the Favor of New and Untried Waters,</td> + <td class="right"><a href="#Page_67">67</a></td> + </tr> + <tr> + <td><span class="smcap">Chapter</span> VIII.—We Had No Flag to Unfurl, but Its Sentiment Was Within Us,</td> + <td class="right"><a href="#Page_77">77</a></td> + </tr> + <tr> + <td><span class="smcap">Chapter</span> IX.—We Listened to Each Other's Rehearsals, and Became Mutual Sympathizers and Encouragers, </td> + <td class="right"><a href="#Page_87">87</a></td> + </tr> + <tr> + <td><span class="smcap">Chapter</span> X.—Boots and Saddles Call,</td> + <td class="right"><a href="#Page_98">98</a></td> + </tr> + <tr> + <td><span class="smcap">Chapter</span> XI.—"But All Comes Right in the End,"</td> + <td class="right"><a href="#Page_108">108</a></td> + </tr> + <tr> + <td><span class="smcap">Chapter</span> XII.—Each Day Makes Its Own Paragraphs and Punctuation Marks,</td> + <td class="right"><a href="#Page_123">123</a></td> + </tr> +</table> + +<hr /> + +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_xi" id="Page_xi">[Pg xi]</a></span></p> + +<h2>INTRODUCTORY.</h2> + +<hr class="smler" /> + +<p>If one is necessary, the only apology I can offer for presenting this +little volume to the public is that it may serve to record for time to +come some of the adventures of that long and wearisome journey, together +with my impressions of the beautiful plains, mountains and rivers of the +great and then comparatively unknown Territory of Nebraska. They were +presented to me fresh from the hand of Nature, in all their beauty and +glory. And by reference to the daily journal I kept along the trail, the +impressions made upon my mind have remained through these long years, bright and clear.</p> + +<p class="right"><span class="smcap">The Author.</span></p> + +<hr /> + +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_13" id="Page_13">[Pg 13]</a></span></p> + +<h1>IN THE EARLY DAYS ALONG<br />THE OVERLAND TRAIL IN<br />NEBRASKA TERRITORY,<br />IN 1852.</h1> + +<hr class="smler" /> + +<h2>CHAPTER I.</h2> + +<h3><span class="smcap">Setting Up Altars of Remembrance.</span></h3> + +<p>It has been said that once upon a time Heaven placed a kiss upon the +lips of Earth and therefrom sprang the fair State of Nebraska.</p> + +<p>It was while the prairies were still dimpling under this first kiss that +the events related in this little volume became part and parcel of my +life and experience, as gathered from a trip made across the continent +in the morning glow of a territory now occupying high and honorable +position in the calendar of States and nations.</p> + +<p>On the 16th day of March, 1852, a caravan consisting of twenty-four men, +one woman (our captain, W. W. Wadsworth being accompanied by his wife),<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_14" id="Page_14">[Pg 14]</a></span> +forty-four head of horses and mules and eight wagons, gathered itself +together from the little city of Monroe, Michigan, and adjacent country, +and, setting its face toward the western horizon, started for the newly +found gold fields of California, where it expected to unloose from the +storage quarters of Nature sufficient of shining wealth to insure peace +and plenty to twenty-five life-times and their dependencies. As is usual +upon such occasions, this March morning departure from home and friends +was a strange commingling of sadness and gladness, of hope and fear, for +in those days whoever went into the regions beyond the Missouri River +were considered as already lost to the world. It was going into the dark +unknown and untried places of earth whose farewells always surrounded +those who remained at home with an atmosphere of foreboding.</p> + +<p>Nothing of importance occurred during our travel through the States, +except the general bad roads, which caused us to make slow progress. +Crossing the Mississippi River at Warsaw, Illinois, we kept along the +northern tier of counties in Missouri, which were heavily timbered and +sparsely settled. Bearing <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_15" id="Page_15">[Pg 15]</a></span>south-west, we arrived at St. Joseph, +Missouri, on the first day of May.</p> + +<p>The town was a collection of one-story, cheap, wooden buildings, located +along the river and Black Snake Hollow.</p> + +<p>The inhabitants appeared to be chiefly French and half-breed Indians. +The principal business was selling outfits to immigrants and trading +horses, mules and cattle. There was one steam ferry-boat, which had +several days crossing registered ahead.</p> + +<p>The level land below the town was the camping-place of our colony. After +two or three days at this point, we drove up to the town of Savannah, +where we laid in new supplies and passed on to the Missouri River, where +we crossed by hand-ferry at Savannah Landing, now called Amazonia. Here +we pressed for the first time the soil of the then unsettled plains of +the great West. Working our way through the heavily timbered bottom, we +camped under the bluffs, wet and weary.</p> + +<p>We remained here over Sunday, it having been decided to observe the +Sabbath days as a time of rest. We usually rested Wednesday afternoons also.</p> + +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_16" id="Page_16">[Pg 16]</a></span></p><p>Just after crossing the river, we had a number of set-backs; beginning +with the crippling of a wheel while passing through a growth of timber. +As we examined the broken spokes, we realized that they would soon have +to be replaced by new ones, and that the wise thing to do was to provide +for them while in the region of timber; so we stopped, cut jack-oak, +made it into lengths and stored them in the wagon until time and place +were more opportune for wheel-wrighting. This broken wheel proved to be +a hoodoo, as will appear at intervals during the story of the next few weeks.</p> + +<p>In attempting to cross the slough which lies near to and parallel with +the river for a long distance, my team and wagon, leading the others, no +sooner got fairly on to the slough, which was crusted over, than the +wagon sank in clear to its bed, and the horses sank until they were +resting on their bellies as completely as though they were entirely without legs.</p> + +<p>And there we were, the longed-for bluffs just before us, and yet as +unapproachable as if they were located in Ireland. A party of campers, +numbering some fifty or seventy-five, who were resting near by, came to +our relief. The horses<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_17" id="Page_17">[Pg 17]</a></span> were extricated, and, after we had carried the +contents of the wagon to the bluff shore, they drew the wagon out with +cow-teams, whose flat, broad hoofs kept them from sinking. Cow-teams +were used quite extensively in those days, being very docile and also swift walkers.</p> + +<p>Here under the bluffs over-hanging the Missouri, we completed our +organization, for it was not only necessary that every man go armed, but +also each man knew his special duty and place. W. W. Wadsworth, a brave +and noble man, was by common consent made captain. Four men were +detailed each night to stand guard, two till 1 o'clock, when they were +relieved by two others, who served till daylight.</p> + +<p>Monday morning came, and at sunrise we started on the trail that led up +the hollow and on to the great plains of Kansas and Nebraska. The day +was warm and bright and clear. The sight before us was the most +beautiful I had ever seen. Not a tree nor an obstacle was in sight; only +the great rolling sea of brightest green beneath us and the vivid blue +above. I think it must have been just such a scene as this that inspired +a<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_18" id="Page_18">[Pg 18]</a></span> modern writer to pen those expressive and much admired lines:</p> + +<div class="poem"><div class="stanza"> +<div>"I'm glad the sky is painted blue</div> +<div class="i1">And the grass is painted green,</div> +<div>And a lot of nice fresh air</div> +<div class="i1">All sandwiched in between."</div> +</div></div> + +<p>Sky, air, grass; what an abundance of them! in all the pristine splendor +of fifty-three years ago, was ours upon that spring morning. This, then, +was the land which in later years was called the "Great American +Desert." I have now lived in Nebraska for a quarter of a century and +know whereof I speak when I say that in those days the grass was as +green and luxuriant as it is today; the rivers were fringed with willow +green as they are today; the prairie roses, like pink stars, dotted the +trail sides through which we passed; and, later on, clumps of golden-rod +smiled upon us with their sun-hued faces; the rains fell as they have +been falling all these years, and several kinds of birds sang their +praises of it all. This was "the barren, sandy desert," as I saw it more +than half a hundred years ago.</p> + +<p>Perhaps right here it will be well to ask the reader to bear in mind the +fact<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_19" id="Page_19">[Pg 19]</a></span> that the boundary lines of Nebraska in 1852, were different from +the boundary lines of today. They extended many miles farther south, and +so many miles farther west, that we stepped out of Nebraska on to the +summit of the Sierra Nevada Mountains into California.</p> + +<p>It was at this stage of our journey, that, in going out, very early in +the morning to catch my horse, I noticed ahead of me something sticking +up above the grass. Stepping aside to see what it might be, I found a +new-made grave; just a tiny grave; at its head was the object I had +seen—a bit of board bearing the inscription,</p> + +<p class="center">"Our only child,<br /> Little Mary."</p> + +<p>How my heart saddened as I looked upon it! The tiny mound seemed bulging +with buried hopes and happiness as the first rays of a new sun fell +across it, for well I knew that somewhere on the trail ahead of us there +were empty arms, aching hearts, and bitter longings for the baby who was +sleeping so quietly upon the bosom of the prairie.</p> + +<p>The first Indians we saw were at Wolf Creek, where they had made a +bridge of logs and brush, and charged us fifty cents<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_20" id="Page_20">[Pg 20]</a></span> per wagon to pass +over it. We paid it and drove on, coming northwest to the vicinity of +the Big Blue River, at a point near where Barneston, Gage County, is now located.</p> + +<p>As a couple of horsemen, a comrade and myself, riding in advance, came +suddenly to the Big Blue, where, on the opposite bank stood a party of +thirty or forty Indians. We fell back, and when the train came up a +detail was made of eight men to drive the teams and the other sixteen +were to wade the river, rifles in hand.</p> + +<p>In making preparations to ford the river, Captain Wadsworth, as a +precaution of safety, placed his wife in the bottom of their wagon-bed, +and piled sacks of flour around her as a protection in case of a fight.</p> + +<p>Being one of the skirmish line, I remember how cold and blue the water +was, and that it was so deep as to come into our vest pockets. We walked +up to the Indians and said "How," and gave some presents of copper cents +and tobacco. We soon saw that they were merely looking on to see us ford +the stream. They were Pawnees, and were gaily dressed and armed with +bows and arrows. We passed<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_21" id="Page_21">[Pg 21]</a></span> several pipes among them, and, seeing that +they were quiet, the train was signalled, and all came through the ford +without any mishap, excepting, that the water came up from four to six +inches in the wagon-bed, making the ride extremely hazardous and +uncomfortable for Mrs. Wadsworth, who was necessarily drawn through the +water in an alarming and nerve-trying manner. But she was one of the +bravest of women, and in this instance, as in many others of danger and +fatigue before we reached our journey's end, she displayed such courage +and good temper, as to win the admiration of all the company. The sacks +of flour and other contents of the wagons were pretty badly wet, and, +after we were again on the open prairie, we bade the Indians good-bye, +and all hands proceeded to dismount the wagons, and spread their +contents on the grass to dry.</p> + +<p>An "Altar of remembrance," is sure to be established at each of these +halting places along life's trail. A company of kin-folk and +neighbor-folk hitting the trail simultaneously, having a common goal and +actuated by common interests, are drawn wonderfully close together by +the varied incidents and conditions of the<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_22" id="Page_22">[Pg 22]</a></span> march, and, at the spots +thus made sacred, memory never fails to halt, as in later life it makes +its rounds up and down the years. Not fewer in number than the stars, +which hang above them at night, are the altars of remembrance, which +will forever mark the line of immigration and civilization from east to +west across our prairie country.</p> + +<hr /> + +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_23" id="Page_23">[Pg 23]</a></span></p> + +<h2>CHAPTER II.</h2> + +<h3>"<span class="smcap">God Could Not Be Everywhere And So He Made Mothers.</span>"</h3> + +<p>We now moved on in the direction of Diller and Endicott, where we joined +the main line of immigration coming through from St. Joe, and, crossing +the Big Blue where Marysville, Kansas, is located, we were soon coming +up the Little Blue, passing up on the east side, and about one-half mile +this side of Fairbury.</p> + +<p>Our trail now lay along the uplands through the day, where we could see +the long line of covered wagons, sometimes two or three abreast, drawing +itself in its windings like a huge white snake across this great sea of +rolling green. This line could be seen many miles to the front and rear +so far that the major portion of it seemed to the observer to be motionless.</p> + +<p>This immense concourse of travellers was self-divided into trail +families or travelling neighborhoods, as it were; and while each party +was bound together by local ties of friendship and affection, there +still ran through the entire procession a<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_24" id="Page_24">[Pg 24]</a></span> chord of common interest and +sympathy, a something which, in a sense, made the whole line kin. This +fact was most touchingly exemplified one day in the region of the Blue.</p> + +<p>I was driving across a bad slough, close behind a man who belonged to +another party, from where I did not know. Himself, wife and little +daughter lived in the covered wagon he was driving. The piece of ground +was an unusually bad one, and both his wagon and mine being heavily +loaded, we stopped as soon as we had pulled through, in order that the +horses might rest; our wagons standing abreast and about ten or twelve +feet apart. In the side of his wagon cover next to me was a flap-door, +which, the day being fine, was fastened open. As we sat our loads and +exchanged remarks, his little girl, a beautiful child, apparently three +or four years old, came from the recesses of the wagon-home, and +standing in the opening of the door, looked coyly and smilingly out at +her father and myself. She made a beautiful picture, with her curls and +dimples, and, as I didn't know any baby talk at that time, I playfully +snapped my fingers at her. The thought of moving on evidently came to +the father<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_25" id="Page_25">[Pg 25]</a></span> very suddenly, for, without any preliminary symptoms and not +realizing that the little one was standing so nearly out of the door, he +swung his long whip, and, as it cracked over the horses' backs, they +gave a sudden lurch, throwing the little girl out of the door and +directly in front of the hind wheel of the heavily laden wagon, which, +in an instant had passed over the child's body at the waist line, the +pretty head and hands reaching up on one side of the wheel, and the feet +on the other, as the middle was pressed down into the still boggy soil. +The little life was snuffed out in the twinkling of an eye. The mother, +seeing her darling fall, jumped from the door, and such excruciating +sobs of agony I hope never to hear again. But why say it in that way +when I can hear them still, even as I write? It seemed but a moment of +time till men and women were gathered about the wagon, helping to gather +the crushed form from the prairie, and giving assistance and sympathy in +such measure and earnestness as verified the truth of the words, "A +touch of sorrow makes the whole world kin."</p> + +<p>When started again, the trail soon led to a stream, called the Big +Sandy; I <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_26" id="Page_26">[Pg 26]</a></span>believe it is in the northwest part of Fillmore County, where, +about nine o'clock, <span class="smaller">A. M.</span>, we were suddenly alarmed by the unearthly +whoops and yells of one hundred or more Indians (Pawnees), all mounted +and riding up and down across the trail on the open upland opposite us, +about a good rifle shot distant.</p> + +<p>Our company was the only people there. A courier was immediately sent +back for reinforcements. We hastily put our camp in position of defense +(as we had been drilled) by placing our wagons in a circle with our +stock and ourselves inside. The Indians constantly kept up their noise, +and rode up and down, brandishing their arms at us, and every minute we +thought they would make a break for us.</p> + +<p>We soon had recruits mounted and well armed coming up, when our Captain +assumed command, and all were assigned to their positions. This was kept +up until about four <span class="smaller">P. M.</span>, when we decided that our numbers would +warrant us in making a forward movement.</p> + +<p>As a preliminary, skirmishers were ordered forward toward the creek, +through some timber and underbrush, I being one of them. My pardner and +I, coming<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_27" id="Page_27">[Pg 27]</a></span> to the creek first, discovered an empty whiskey barrel, and +going a little farther into the brush, discovered two tents. Creeping +carefully up to them, we heard groans as of some one in great pain. +Peeping through a hole in the tent we saw two white men, who, on +entering the tent, we learned were badly wounded by knife and bullet. +From them we learned the following facts, which caused all our fear and +trouble of the morning: The two white men were post-keepers at that +point, and, of course, had whiskey to sell. Two large trains had camped +there the night before; the campers got on a drunk, quarreled, and had a +general fight, during which the post-keepers were wounded. On the trail +over where the Indians were, some immigrants were camped, and a guard +had been placed at the roadside. One of the Indians, hearing the noise +down at the post, started out to see what was going on. Coming along the +trail, the guard called to him to halt, but as he did not do so the +guard fired, killing him on the spot. The campers immediately hitched up +and moved on. Later the dead Indian was found by the other Indians lying +in the road. It was this that aroused their<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_28" id="Page_28">[Pg 28]</a></span> anger and kept us on the +ragged edge for several hours.</p> + +<p>The Indians all rode off as we approached them, and as the trail was now +clear our train moved ahead, travelling all night and keeping out all +the mounted ones as front and rear guards.</p> + +<p>We now come to the "last leaving of the Little Blue," and pass on to the +upland without wood or water, thirty-three miles east of Ft. Kearney, +leading to the great Platte Valley.</p> + +<p>Meanwhile my broken wheel had completely collapsed. Having a kit of +tools with me, I set about shaping spokes out of the oak wood gathered +several days before. While I was doing this others of the men rode a +number of miles in search of fuel with which to make a fire to set the +tire. It was nearly night and in a drizzling rain when we came to the +line of the reservation. A trooper, sitting on his horse, informed us +that we would have to keep off of the reservation or else go clear +through if once we started. This meant three or four miles' further ride +through the darkness and rain, and so we camped right there, without +supper or even fire to make some coffee. We hitched up in the morning +and drove into the<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_29" id="Page_29">[Pg 29]</a></span> Fort, where we were very kindly treated by the +commanding officer, whose name, I think, was McArthur. He tendered us a +large room with tables, pen and ink, paper and "envelope paper," where +we wrote the first letters home from Nebraska, which, I believe, were +all received with much joy. The greater part of the troops were absent +from the Fort on a scout.</p> + +<p>After buying a few things we had forgotten to bring with us and getting +rested, we moved on our journey again, going up on the south side of the Platte River.</p> + +<p>Before leaving this region I want to speak of the marvelous beauty of +the Platte River islands, a magnificent view of which could be had from +the bluffs. Looking out upon the long stretch of river either way were +islands and islands of every size whatever, from three feet in diameter +to those which contained miles of area, resting here and there in the +most artistic disregard of position and relation to each other, the +small and the great alike wearing its own mantle of sheerest +willow-green. There are comparatively few of these island beauty spots +in the whole wide world. When the Maker of the universe gathered up his +emeralds<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_30" id="Page_30">[Pg 30]</a></span> and then dropped them with careless hand upon a few of earth's +waters. He wrought nowhere a more beautiful effect than in the Platte +islands of Nebraska. It was well that at this point we had an extra +amount of kindness tendered us and so much unusual beauty to look upon, +for a great sorrow was about to come upon us.</p> + +<p>Just as we were leaving the Little Blue, thirty-three miles back, one of +our party, Robert Nelson, became ill, and in spite of the best nursing +and treatment that the company could give he rapidly grew worse, and it +soon became evident that his disease was cholera, which was already +quite prevalent thereabout. Mrs. Wadsworth, that most excellent woman, +gave to him her special care, taking him into the tent occupied by +herself and husband, which, in fact, was the only tent in the outfit. It +was Lew Wallace who once said that "God couldn't be everywhere, and so +He made mothers." Our captain's wife was a true mother to the sick boy, +but she couldn't save him. At 3 o'clock Sunday afternoon, May 27th, +about sixty miles beyond Kearney, his soul passed on, and we were bowed +under our first bereavement. We dug his grave in<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_31" id="Page_31">[Pg 31]</a></span> the sand a little way +off the trail. We wrapped his blanket about him and sewed it, and at +sunrise Monday morning laid him to rest. The end-gate from my wagon had +been shaped into a grave-board and, with his name cut upon it, was +planted to mark his resting-place. It was a sorrowful little company +that performed these last services for one who was beloved by all.</p> + +<p>Just before dying, Robert had requested that his grave might be covered +with willow branches, and so a comrade and myself rode our horses out to +one of the islands and brought in big bunches of willows and tucked them +about him, as he had desired.</p> + +<p>Truly our prairies have been a stage upon which much more of tragedy +than of comedy has been enacted.</p> + +<hr /> + +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_32" id="Page_32">[Pg 32]</a></span></p> + +<h2>CHAPTER III.</h2> + +<h3>"<span class="smcap">But Somewhere the Master Has a Counterpart of Each.</span>"</h3> + +<p>"O Lord Almighty, aid Thou me to see my way more clear. I find it hard +to tell right from wrong, and I find myself beset with tangled wires. O +God, I feel that I am ignorant, and fall into many devices. These are +strange paths wherein Thou hast set my feet, but I feel that through Thy +help and through great anguish, I am learning."</p> + +<p>This modern prayer, as prayed by the hero of a modern tale, would have +fitted most completely into the spirit and conditions prevailing in our +camp on a certain morning in early June, 1852, as we were completing +arrangements preparatory to the extremely dangerous crossing of the +Platte River, owing to its treacherous quicksand bottom.</p> + +<p>Despite the old proverb, "Never cross a bridge till you get to it," we +had, because of the very absence of a bridge, been running ahead of +ourselves during the entire trip, to make the dreaded <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_33" id="Page_33">[Pg 33]</a></span>crossing over +this deceptive and gormandizing stream. We had now caught up with our +imaginings and found them to be realities. There was not much joshing +among the boys that morning as we made the rounds of the horses and +wagons and saw that every buckle and strap and gear was in the best +possible condition, for to halt in the stream to adjust a mishap would +mean death. "Once started, never stop," was the ominous admonition of the hour.</p> + +<p>About 9 o'clock, all things being in readiness, two of us were sent out +to wade across the river and mark the route by sticking in the sand long +willow branches, with which we were laden for that purpose. The route +staked, we returned and the train lined up. It need not require any +great feat of imagination on the part of the reader to hear how +dirge-like the first hoofs and wheels sounded as they parted the waters +and led the way. Every man except the drivers waded alongside the horses +to render assistance if it should be required. Mrs. Wadsworth was +remarkably brave, sitting her wagon with white, but calm face. Scarcely +a word was spoken during the entire crossing, which occupied about +twenty-five <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_34" id="Page_34">[Pg 34]</a></span>minutes. We passed on the way the remains of two or three +wagons standing on end and nearly buried in the sand. They were grewsome +reminders of what had been, as well as of what might be. But without a +halt or break, we drove clear through and on to dry land. To say that we +all felt happy at seeing the crossing behind us does not half express +our feelings. The nervous strain had been terrible, and at no time in +our journey had we been so nearly taxed to the utmost. One man dug out a +demijohn of brandy from his traps and treated all hands, remarking, +"That the success of that undertaking merits something extraordinary."</p> + +<p>The crossing was made at the South Fork of the Platte, immediately where +it flows into the main river. What is now known as North Platte and +South Platte was then known as North Fork and South Fork of Platte River.</p> + +<p>It was at the South Fork and just before we crossed that I shot and +killed my first buffalo. It was also very early in the morning, and +while I was still on guard duty. A bunch of five of them came down to +the river to drink, buffalo being as plentiful in that region, and time, +as domestic cattle are here today. My<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_35" id="Page_35">[Pg 35]</a></span> first shot only wounded the +creature, who led me quite a lively chase before I succeeded in killing +him. We soon had his hide off, and an abundance of luscious, juicy steak +for breakfast. I remember that we sent some to another company that was +camping not far distant. This was our first and last fresh meat for many a day.</p> + +<p>A few days after this an incident occurred in camp that bordered on the +tragic, but finally ended in good feeling. My guard mate, named Charley +Stewart, and myself were the two youngest in the company, and, being +guards together, were great friends. He was a native of Cincinnati, well +educated, and had a fund of stories and recitations that he used to get +off when we were on guard together. This night we were camped on the +side of some little hills near some ravines. The moon was shining, but +there were dark clouds occasionally passing, so that at times it was +quite dark. It was near midnight and we would be relieved in an hour. We +had been the "grand rounds" out among the stock, and came to the nearest +wagon which was facing the animals that were picketed out on the slope. +Stewart was armed with a "Colt's Army,"<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_36" id="Page_36">[Pg 36]</a></span> while I had a double-barreled +shot-gun, loaded with buckshot. I was sitting on the double-tree, on the +right side of the tongue, which was propped up with the neck-yoke. +Stewart sat on the tongue, about an arm's length ahead of me, I holding +my gun between my knees, with the butt on the ground. Stewart was +getting off one of his stories, and, had about reached the climax, when +I saw something running low to the ground, in among the stock. Thinking +it was an Indian, on all fours, to stampede the animals, I instantly +leveled my gun, and, as I was following it to an opening in the herd, my +gun came in contact with Stewart's face at the moment of discharge, +Stewart falling backward, hanging to the wagon-tongue by his legs and +feet. My first thought was that I had killed him. He recovered in a +moment, and began cursing and calling me vile names; accusing me of +attempting to murder him, etc. During these moments, in his frenzy, he +was trying to get his revolver out from under him, swearing he would +kill me. Taking in the situation, I dropped my gun, jumped over the +wagon tongue, as he was getting on to his feet, and engaged in what +proved to be a desperate<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_37" id="Page_37">[Pg 37]</a></span> fight for the revolver. We were both sometimes +struggling on the ground, then again on our knees, he repeatedly +striking me in the face and elsewhere, still accusing me of trying to +murder him. As I had no chance to explain things, the struggle went on. +Finally I threw him, and held him down until he was too much exhausted +to continue the fight any longer, and, having wrested the revolver from +him, I helped him to his feet. In trying to pacify him, I led him out to +where the object ran that I had fired at, and there lay the dead body of +a large gray wolf, with several buckshot holes in his side.</p> + +<p>Stewart was speechless. Looking at the wolf, and then at me, he suddenly +realized his mistake, and repeatedly begged my pardon. We agreed never +to mention the affair to any one in the company. Taking the wolf by the +ears, we dragged him back to the wagon, where I picked up my gun, and +gave Stewart his revolver. I have often thought what would have been the +consequence of that shot, had I not killed the wolf.</p> + +<p>Along in this vicinity, the bluff comes down to the river, and, +consequently, we had to take to the hills, which were <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_38" id="Page_38">[Pg 38]</a></span>mostly deep sand, +making heavy hauling. This trail brought us into Ash Hollow, a few miles +from its mouth. Coming down to where it opened out on the Platte, about +noon, we turned out for lunch. Here was a party of Sioux Indians, camped +in tents made of buffalo skins. They were friendly, as all of that tribe +were that summer. This is the place where General Kearney, several years +later, had a terrific battle with the same tribe, which was then on the +war-path along this valley.</p> + +<p>My hoodoo wheel had recently been giving me trouble. The spokes that I +made of green oak, having become dry and wobbly, I had been on the +outlook for a cast-off wheel, that I might appropriate the spokes. Hence +it was, that, after luncheon I took my rifle, and started out across the +bottom, where, within a few rods of the river, and about a half a mile +off the road which turned close along the bluff, I came upon an old +broken-down wagon, almost hidden in the grass. Taking the measure of the +spokes, I found to my great joy, that they were just the right size and +length. Looking around, I saw the train moving on, at a good pace, +almost three-quarters of a mile away. I was delayed some time in getting +the<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_39" id="Page_39">[Pg 39]</a></span> wheel off the axle-tree. Succeeding at last, I fired my rifle +toward the train, but no one looked around, all evidently supposing that I was on ahead.</p> + +<p>It was an awful hot afternoon, and I was getting warmed up myself. I +reloaded my rifle, looked at the receding train, and made up my mind to +have that wheel if it took the balance of the day to get it into camp. I +started by rolling it by hand, then by dragging it behind me, then I ran +my rifle through the hub and got it up on my shoulder, when I moved off +at a good pace. The sun shining hot, soon began to melt the tar in the +hub, which began running down my back, both on the inside and outside of +my clothes, as well as down along my rifle. I finally got back to the +road, very tired, stopping to rest, hoping a wagon would come along to +help me out, but not one came in sight that afternoon. In short, I +rolled, dragged and carried that wheel; my neck, shoulders and back +daubed over with tar, until the train turned out to camp, when, I being +missed, was discovered away back in the road with my wheel. When relief +came to me, I was nearly tired out with my exertions, and want of water to drink.</p> + +<p>Some of the men set to work taking<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_40" id="Page_40">[Pg 40]</a></span> the wheel apart and fitting the +spokes and getting the wheel ready to set the tire. Others had collected +a couple of gunny-sacks full of the only fuel of the Platte Valley, +viz., "buffalo-chips," and they soon had the job completed. The boys +nearly wore themselves out, laughing and jeering at me, saying they were +sorry they had no feathers to go with the tar, and calling me a variety +of choice pet names.</p> + +<p>The wheel, when finished and adjusted, proved to be the best part of the +wagon, and, better than all else, had provided a season of mirth to the +whole company, which, considering the all too serious environments of +our march, was really a much needed tonic and diversion.</p> + +<p>We learned so many wonderful lessons in those days, lessons that have +never been made into books. We learned from nature; we learned from +animal nature; we learned from human nature; and where are they who +studied from the same page as did I? So often and so completely have the +slides been changed, that among all the faces now shown by life's +stereopticon, mine alone remains of the original twenty-five, of the +trail of '52. But somewhere the Master has a counterpart of each.</p> + +<hr /> + +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_41" id="Page_41">[Pg 41]</a></span></p> + +<h2>CHAPTER IV.</h2> + +<h3><span class="smcap">Our Prairies are a Book, Whose Pages Hold Many Stories.</span></h3> + +<p>We have just been passing through an extremely interesting portion of +Nebraska, a portion which today is known as Western Nebraska, where +those wonderful formations, Scott's Bluff, Courthouse Rock and Chimney +Rock, are standing now, even as they did in the early '50's. Courthouse +Rock a little way off really looked a credit to its name. It was a huge +affair, and, in its ragged, irregular outline, seemed to impart to the +traveller a sense of protection and fair dealing.</p> + +<p>Scott's Bluff was an immense formation, and sometime during its history +nature's forces had cleft it in two parts, making an avenue through its +center at least one hundred feet wide, through which we all passed, as +the trail led through instead of around the bluff.</p> + +<p>Chimney Rock in outline resembled an immense funnel. The whole thing was +at least two hundred feet in height, the chimney part, starting about +midway,<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_42" id="Page_42">[Pg 42]</a></span> was about fifty feet square; its top sloped off like the roof +of a shanty. Beginning at the top, the chimney was split down about one +quarter of its length. On the perpendicular part of this rock a good +many names had been cut by men who had scaled the base, and, reaching as +far on to the chimney as they could, cut their names into its surface. +So clear was the atmosphere that when several miles distant we could see +the rock and men who looked like ants as they crept and crawled up its sides.</p> + +<p>As one stops to decipher the inscriptions upon this boulder the sense of +distance is entirely lost, and the traveller finds himself trying to +compare it with that other obelisk in Central Park, New York. As he +thinks about them, the truth comes gradually to him that there can be no +comparison, since the one is a masterpiece from the hand of Nature and +the other is but a work of art.</p> + +<p>These formations are not really rock, but of a hard marle substance, and +while each is far remote from the others, the same colored strata is +seen in all of them, showing conclusively that once upon a time the +surface of the ground in that region was many feet higher than it was<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_43" id="Page_43">[Pg 43]</a></span> +in 1852 or than it is today, and that by erosion or upheaval large +portions of the soil were displaced and carried away, these three chunks +remaining intact and as specimens of conditions existing many centuries ago.</p> + +<p>I have been through the art galleries of our own country and through +many of those in Europe; I have seen much of the natural scenery in the +Old World as well as in the New; but not once have I seen anything which +surpassed in loveliness and grandeur the pictures which may be seen +throughout Nature's gallery in Nebraska and through which the trail of +'52 led us. Landscapes, waterscapes, rocks, and skies and atmosphere +were here found in the perfection of light, shadow, perspective, color, +and effect. Added to these fixed features were those of life and +animation, contributed by herds of buffalo grazing on the plains, here +and there a bunch of antelope galloping about, and everywhere wolf, +coyote, and prairie dog, while a quaint and picturesque charm came from +the far-reaching line of covered wagons and the many groups of campers, +each with its own curl of ascending smoke, which, to the immigrant, +always indicated that upon that particular patch of<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_44" id="Page_44">[Pg 44]</a></span> ground, for that +particular time, a home had been established.</p> + +<p>In this connection I find myself thinking about the various modes of +travel resorted to in those primitive days, when roads and bridges as we +have them today were still far in the future. The wagons were generally +drawn by cattle teams, from two to five yokes to the wagon. The number +of wagons would be all the way from one to one hundred. The larger +trains were difficult to pass, as they took up the road for so long a +distance that sometimes we would move on in the night in order to get +past them. Among the smaller teams we would frequently notice that one +yoke would be of cows, some of them giving milk right along. The cattle +teams as a rule started out earlier in the morning and drove later at +night than did the horse and mule teams; hence, we would sometimes see a +certain train for two or three days before we would have an opportunity +to get ahead of them. This was the cause of frequent quarrels among +drivers of both cattle and horse teams; the former being largely in the +majority and having the road, many of them seemed to take delight in +keeping the horse teams out of the road and<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_45" id="Page_45">[Pg 45]</a></span> crowding them into narrow +places. These little pleasantries were indulged in generally by people +from Missouri, as many of them seemed to think their State covered the +entire distance to California.</p> + +<p>As to classes and conditions constituting the immigration, they might be +divided up somewhat as follows: There were the proprietors or partners, +owners of the teams and outfits; then there were men going along with +them who had bargained with the owners before leaving home, some for a +certain amount paid down, some to work for a certain time or to pay a +certain amount at the journey's end. This was to pay for their grub and +use of tents and wagons. These men were also to help drive and care for +the stock, doing their share of camp and guard duty. There were others +travelling with a single pack animal, loaded with their outfits and +provisions. These men always travelled on foot. Then there were some +with hand-carts, others with wheelbarrows, trudging along and making +good time. Occasionally we would see a man with a pack like a knapsack +on his back and a canteen strapped on to him and a long cane in either +hand. These men would just walk away from everybody.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_46" id="Page_46">[Pg 46]</a></span> A couple of +incidents along here will serve to show how these conditions sometimes worked.</p> + +<p>We were turned into camp one evening, and as we were getting supper +there came along a man pushing a light handcart, loaded with traps and +provisions, and asked permission to camp with us, which was readily +granted. He was a stout, hearty, good-natured fellow, possessed of a +rich Irish accent, and in the best of humor commenced to prepare his +supper. Just about this time there came into camp another lone man, +leading a diminutive donkey, not much larger than a good-sized sheep. +The donkey, on halting, gave us a salute that simply silenced the +ordinary mule. The two men got acquainted immediately, and by the time +their supper was over they had struck a bargain to put their effects +together by way of hitching the donkey to the cart, and so move on +together. They made a collar for the donkey out of gunny-sack, and we +gave them some rope for traces. Then, taking off the hand-bar of the +cart, they put the donkey into the shafts and tried things on by leading +it around through the camp till it was time to turn in.</p> + +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_47" id="Page_47">[Pg 47]</a></span></p><p>Everything went first-rate, and they were so happy over their +transportation prospects that they scarcely slept during the whole +night. In the morning they were up bright and early, one making the +coffee and the other oiling the iron axle-trees and packing the cart. +Starting out quite early, they bade us goodby with hearty cheer, saying +they would let the folks in California know that we were coming, etc. +About 10 o'clock we came to a little narrow creek, the bottom being miry +and several feet below the surface of the ground. There upon the bank +stood the two friends who had so joyously bidden us goodby only a few +hours before. The cart was a wreck, with one shaft and one spindle +broken. It appeared that the donkey had got mired in crossing the creek +and in floundering about had twisted off the shaft and broken one of the +wheels. We left them there bewailing their misfortune and blaming each +other for the carelessness which worked the mishap. We never saw them again.</p> + +<p>This incident is an illustration of those cases where a man obtained his +passage by contributing something to the outfit and working his way +through. There<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_48" id="Page_48">[Pg 48]</a></span> were quite a number of this class, they having no +property rights in the train.</p> + +<p>At the usual time we turned in for dinner near by a camp of two or three +wagons. On the side of one wagon was a doctor's sign, who, we afterwards +learned, was the proprietor of the train. As we were quietly eating and +resting we suddenly heard some one cursing and yelling in the other +camp, and saw two men, one the hired man and the other the doctor, the +latter being armed with a neck-yoke and chasing the hired man around the +wagon, and both running as fast as they could. They had made several +circuits, the doctor striking at the man with all his might at each +turn, when some of us went over to try to stop the fight. Just at this +point, the hired man, as he turned the rear of the wagon, whipped out an +Allen revolver and turning shot the doctor in the mouth, the charge +coming out nearly under the ear. The doctor and the neckyoke struck the +ground about the same time. His eyes were blinded by powder and he had +the appearance of being dangerously if not fatally wounded. Everybody +was more or less excited except the hired man. From expressions all +around in both trains, the hired man<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_49" id="Page_49">[Pg 49]</a></span> seemed to have the most friends. +There were many instances of this kind, though none quite so tragic, the +quarrels usually arising from the owner of the wagons constantly +brow-beating and finding fault with the hired man.</p> + +<p>Again I saw an instance where two men were equal partners all around, in +four horses, harness and wagon. They seemed to have quarreled so much +that they agreed to divide up and quit travelling together. They divided +up their horses and provisions, and then measured off the wagon-bed and +sawed it in two parts, also the reach, and then flipped a copper cent to +see which should have the front part of the wagon. After the division +they each went to work and fixed up his part of the wagon as best he +could, and drove on alone.</p> + +<p>The entire trip from Monroe, Michigan, our starting-point, to Hangtown, +the point of landing in California, covered 2,542 miles, and we were +five months, lacking six days, in making it. Today the same trip can be +made in a half week, with every comfort and luxury which money and +invention can provide. There is probably nothing that marks the progress +of civilization more distinctly than<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_50" id="Page_50">[Pg 50]</a></span> do the perfected modes and +conveniences of travel. It is strange, but true, however, that so long +as our prairies shall stretch themselves from river to ocean the imprint +of the overland trail can never be obliterated. Today, after a lapse of +over fifty years, whoever passes within seeing distance of the old trail +can, upon the crest of grain and grass, note its serpentine windings, as +marked by a light and sickly color of green. I myself have followed it +from a car-window as traced in yellow green upon an immense field of +growing corn. No amount of cultivation can ever restore to that +long-trodden path its pristine vigor and productiveness.</p> + +<div class="poem"><div class="stanza"> +<div>Our prairies are a book,</div> +<div>Whose pages hold many stories</div> +<div>Writ by many people.</div> +<div>Tragedy, comedy, pathos,</div> +<div>Love and valor, duly</div> +<div>Punctuated by life's</div> +<div>Rests and stops,</div> +<div>Whose interest shall appeal</div> +<div>To human hearts as long as</div> +<div>Their green cover enfolds them.</div> +</div></div> + +<hr /> + +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_51" id="Page_51">[Pg 51]</a></span></p> + +<h2>CHAPTER V.</h2> + +<h3><span class="smcap">A Worthy Object Reached For and Missed is a First Step Toward Success.</span></h3> + +<p>Who, among the many persons contributing for a wage, to the convenience +of everyday life in these latter times, is more waited and watched for, +and brings more of joy, and more of sorrow when he comes, than the postman.</p> + +<p>In the days of trailing, our post accommodations were extremely few and +very far between. There were no mailing points, except at the government +forts, Fort Kearney and Laramie being the only two on the entire trip, +soldiers carrying the mail to and from the forts either way. After +leaving Fort Kearney, the next mailing point east, was Fort Laramie.</p> + +<p>Before leaving home, I had been entrusted with a package of letters by +Hon. Isaac P. Christiancy, from his wife, to her brother, James +McClosky, who had been on the plains some fourteen years, and who was +supposed to be living near Fort Laramie. When within a couple of days' +drive of the fort we came to a <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_52" id="Page_52">[Pg 52]</a></span>building which proved to be a store, and +which was surrounded by several wigwams. Upon halting and going into the +store, we found ourselves face to face with the man we were wanting to +meet, Mr. McClosky. He was glad to see us, and overjoyed to receive the +package of letters. He stepped out of doors and gave a whoop or two, and +immediately Indians began to come in from all directions. He ordered +them to take our stock out on the ranch, feed and guard it, and bring it +in in the morning. He treated us generously to supper and breakfast, +including many delicacies to which we had long been strangers. In +consideration of my bringing the letters to him, he invited me to sleep +in his store, and, in the morning, introduced me to his Indian wife and +two sons, also, to several other women who were engaged in an adjoining +room, in cutting and making buckskin coats, pants and moccasins, +presenting me with an elegant pair of the latter. His wife was a bright +and interesting woman, to whom he was deeply attached. His two boys were +bright, manly fellows, the oldest of whom, about ten years old, was soon +to be taken to St. Joe or Council Bluffs and placed in school.</p> + +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_53" id="Page_53">[Pg 53]</a></span></p><p>At an early hour in the morning, the Indians brought in the stock, in +fine condition, and we hitched up and bade our host goodbye. He sent +word to his sister at home, and seemed much affected at our parting. +This was the first morning when, in starting out, we knew anything about +what was ahead of us; what we would meet, or what the roads and +crossings would be. In fact, every one we saw, were going the same as +ourselves, consequently, all were quite ignorant of what the day might +bring forth. On this morning, we knew the conditions of the roads for +several days ahead, and, that Fort Laramie was thirty-six miles before us.</p> + +<p>Shortly after going into camp toward sunset, a party of horsemen was +seen galloping toward us, who, on nearer approach, proved to be a band +of ten or twelve Indians. When within about one hundred yards, they +halted and dismounted, each holding his horse. The chief rode up to us, +saluted and dismounted. He was a sharp-eyed young fellow, showing +beneath his blanket the dress-coat of a private soldier and +non-commissioned officer's sword. He gave us to <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_54" id="Page_54">[Pg 54]</a></span>understand that they +were Sioux, and had been on the warpath for some Pawnees, also that they +were hungry and would like to have us give them something to eat. After +assuring him that we would do so, he ordered his men to advance, which +they did after picketing their ponies, coming up and setting themselves +on the grass in a semi-circle.</p> + +<p>We soon noticed that they carried spears made of a straight sword-blade +thrust into the end of a staff. On two or three of the spears were +dangling one or more fresh scalps, on which the blood was yet scarcely +dry. On pointing to them, one of the Indians drew his knife, and taking +a weed by the top, quickly cut it off, saying as he did so, "Pawnees." +His illustration of how the thing was done was entirely satisfactory.</p> + +<p>We gave the grub to the chief, who in turn, handed it out to the men as +they sat on the ground. When through eating, they mounted their ponies, +waved us a salute and were off.</p> + +<p>The balance of the day was spent in writing home letters, which we +expected to deliver on the morrow at the post.</p> + +<p>About 9 o'clock the next morning, we came to Laramie River, near where +it<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_55" id="Page_55">[Pg 55]</a></span> empties into the North Platte, which we crossed on a bridge, the +first one we had seen on the whole route. At this point a road turns +off, leading up to the fort, about one mile distant. Being selected to +deliver the mail, I rode out to the fort, which was made up of a +parade-ground protected by earth-works, with the usual stores, quarters, +barracks, etc., the sutler and post-office being combined. On entering +the sutler's, about the first person I saw was the young leader of the +Indians, who had lunched at our camp the afternoon before. He was now +dressed in the uniform of a soldier, recognizing me as soon as we met +with a grunt and a "How."</p> + +<p>Delivering the mail, I rode out in another direction to intercept the +train. When about one-half mile from the fort I came to a sentinel, +pacing his beat all alone. He was just as neat and clean as though doing +duty at the general's headquarters, with his spotless white gloves, +polished gun, and accoutrements. In a commanding tone of voice, he +ordered me to halt. Asking permission to pass, which was readily +granted, I rode on a couple of miles, when I met some Indians with their +families, who were on the march with ponies, dogs, women, and papooses.</p> + +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_56" id="Page_56">[Pg 56]</a></span></p><p>Long spruce poles were lashed each side of the ponies' necks, the other +ends trailing on the ground. The poles, being slatted across, were made +to hold their plunder or very old people and sometimes the women and +children. The dogs, like the ponies, were all packed with a pole or two +fastened to their necks; the whole making an interesting picture.</p> + +<p>Overtaking the train about noon, we camped at Bitter Cottonwood Creek, +the location being beautifully described by the author of the novel, "Prairie Flower."</p> + +<p>Our standard rations during these days consisted of hardtack, bacon, and +coffee; of course, varying it as we could whenever we came to a +Government fort. I recall how, on a certain Sunday afternoon, we men +decided to make some doughnuts, as we had saved some fat drippings from +the bacon. Not one of us had any idea as to the necessary ingredients or +the manner of compounding them, but we remembered how doughnuts used to +look and taste at home. So we all took a hand at them, trying to imitate +the pattern as well as our ignorance and poor judgment would suggest. +Well, they looked a trifle peculiar, but we thoroughly enjoyed them, for +they were<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_57" id="Page_57">[Pg 57]</a></span> the first we had since leaving home, and proved to be the +last until we were boarding in California.</p> + +<p>One thing was sure; our outdoor mode of living gave us fine appetites +and a keen relish for almost anything. And then again, persons can +endure almost any sort of privation as long as they can see a gold mine +ahead of them, from which they are sure to fill their pockets with +nuggets of the pure stuff. What a happy arrangement it is on the part of +Providence that not too much knowledge of the future comes to us at any +one time! Just enough to keep us pushing forward and toward the ideal we +have set for ourselves, which, even though we miss it, adds strength to +purpose as well as to muscle. A worthy object reached for and missed is +a first step towards success.</p> + +<hr /> + +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_58" id="Page_58">[Pg 58]</a></span></p> + +<h2>CHAPTER VI.</h2> + +<h3>"'<span class="smcap">Tis Only a Snowbank's Tears, I Ween.</span>"</h3> + +<p>We are now approaching the foot-hills of the Rocky Mountains. The +fertile plains through which we have been passing are being merged into +rocky hills, the level parts being mostly gravelly barrens. The roads +are hard and flinty, like pounded glass, which were making some of the +cattle-teams and droves very lame and foot-sore. When one got so it +could not walk, it was killed and skinned. Other lame ones were lashed +to the side of a heavy wagon, partially sunk in the ground, their lame +foot fastened on the hub of a wheel, when a piece of the raw hide was +brought over the hoof and fastened about the fet-lock, protecting the +hoof until it had time to heal. This mode of veterinary treatment, +although crude, lessened the suffering among the cattle very materially.</p> + +<p>The streams along here, the La Barge, La Bonte, and Deer Creek, were all +shallow with rocky bottoms and excellent water.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_59" id="Page_59">[Pg 59]</a></span> Here we frequently took +the stock upon the hills at night, where the bunch-grass grows among the +sage brush. This grass, as its name indicates, grows in bunches about a +foot high and about the same in diameter, bearing a profusion of yellow +seeds about the size of a kernel of wheat. This makes excellent feed, +and the stock is very fond of it.</p> + +<p>At this point Mother Nature is gradually changing the old scenes for new +ones. The big brawny mountains with their little ones clustered at their +feet are just before us; while the Platte River, which for many miles +has been our constant companion, will soon be a thing of the past, as we +are close to the crossing, and once over we shall see the river no more. +This river which stretches itself in graceful curves across an entire +State, is one of peculiar construction and characteristics. At a certain +point it is terrifying, even to its best friends. In curve, color, +contour, and graceful foliage, it is a magnificent stretch of beauty; +while as a stream of utility its presence has ever been a benediction to +the country through which it passes. As a tribute to its general +excellence, I place here the beautiful lines<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_60" id="Page_60">[Pg 60]</a></span> (name of author unknown to +me), entitled:</p> + +<div class="poem"><div class="stanza"> +<div class="i2"><span class="smcap">In the Cradle of The Platte.</span></div> +</div><div class="stanza"> +<div>A little stream in the cañon ran,</div> +<div class="i1">In the cañon deep and long,</div> +<div>When a stout old oak at its side began</div> +<div class="i1">To sing to it this song,</div> +</div><div class="stanza"> +<div>"Oh, why do you laugh and weep and sing,</div> +<div class="i1">And why do you hurry by,</div> +<div>For you're only a noisy little thing,</div> +<div class="i1">While a great strong oak am I;</div> +<div>A hundred years I shall stand alone,</div> +<div class="i1">And the world will look at me;</div> +<div>While you will bubble and babble on</div> +<div class="i1">And die at last in the sea."</div> +</div><div class="stanza"> +<div>"So proud and lofty," the stream replied,</div> +<div class="i1">"You're a king of the forest true;</div> +<div>But your roots were dead and your leaves all dried</div> +<div class="i1">Had I not watered you."</div> +</div><div class="stanza"> +<div>The oak tree rustled its leaves of green</div> +<div class="i1">To the little stream below;</div> +<div>"'Tis only a snowbank's tears, I ween,</div> +<div class="i1">Could talk to a monarch so.</div> +<div>But where are you going so fast, so fast,</div> +<div class="i1">And what do you think to do?</div> +<div>Is there anything in the world at last</div> +<div class="i1">For a babbling brook like you?"</div> +</div><div class="stanza"> +<div>"So fast, so fast,—why should I wait,"</div> +<div class="i1">The hurrying water said,</div> +<div>"When yonder by the cañon gate</div> +<div class="i1">The farmer waits for bread?"</div> +</div><div class="stanza"> +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_61" id="Page_61">[Pg 61]</a></span><div>Out on the rainless desert land</div> +<div class="i1">My hurrying footsteps go;</div> +<div>I kiss the earth, I kiss the sand,</div> +<div class="i1">I make the harvest grow.</div> +</div><div class="stanza"> +<div>"And many a farmer, when the sky</div> +<div class="i1">Has turned to heated brass,</div> +<div>And all the plain is hot and dry,</div> +<div class="i1">Gives thanks to see me pass.</div> +<div>By many a sluice and ditch and lane</div> +<div class="i1">They lead me left and right,</div> +<div>For it is I who turns the plain</div> +<div class="i1">To gardens of delight."</div> +</div><div class="stanza"> +<div>Then hurrying on, the dashing stream</div> +<div class="i1">Into a river grew,</div> +<div>And rock and mountain made a seam</div> +<div class="i1">To let its torrent through;</div> +<div>And where the burning desert lay,</div> +<div class="i1">A happy river ran;</div> +<div>A thousand miles it coursed its way,</div> +<div class="i1">And blessed the homes of man.</div> +</div><div class="stanza"> +<div>Vain was the oak tree's proud conceit,</div> +<div class="i1">Dethroned the monarch lay;</div> +<div>The brook that babbled at its feet</div> +<div class="i1">Had washed its roots away.</div> +<div>Still in the cañon's heart there springs</div> +<div class="i1">The desert's diadem,</div> +<div>And shepherds bless the day that brings</div> +<div class="i1">The snow-bank's tears to them.</div> +</div></div> + +<p>We crossed the river on a ferry-boat that was large enough to hold four +wagons and some saddle-horses. The boat was run by a cable stretched +taut up<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_62" id="Page_62">[Pg 62]</a></span> stream fifteen or twenty feet from the boat. A line from the +bow and stern of the boat connected it with a single block which ran on +the cable. When ready to start, the bow-line was hauled taut, the stern +line slacked off to the proper angle, when, the current passing against +the side of the boat, it was propelled across very rapidly. The river +here was rapid, the water cold and deep, with a strong undercurrent.</p> + +<p>We had to wait nearly a whole day before it came our turn to take our +wagons over. In the meantime we were detailed as follows: Ten men were +selected to get the wagons aboard the boat, cross over with them and +guard them until all were carried over; three or four men were sent +across and up the river to catch and care for the stock as it came out +of the river near a clump of cottonwoods. One of the company, named Owen +Powers, a strong, courageous young man and a good swimmer, volunteered +to ride the lead horse in and across to induce the other animals to +follow, the balance of the company herding them, as they were all loose +near the edge of the river. When everything was ready, Powers stripped +off, and mounting the horse he had selected, rode<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_63" id="Page_63">[Pg 63]</a></span> out into the stream. +The other animals, forty-seven of them followed, and when a few feet +from the shore had to swim. Everything was going all right until Powers +reached the middle of the river, when an undercurrent struck his horse, +laying him over partly on his side. Powers leaned forward to encourage +his horse, when the animal suddenly threw up his head, striking him a +terrible blow squarely in the face. He was stunned and fell off +alongside the horse. It now seemed as though both he and his horse would +be drowned, as all the other stock began to press close up to them. He +soon recovered, however, and as he partially pulled himself on to his +horse, we could plainly see that his face and breast were covered with +blood. We shouted at him words of encouragement, cheering him from both +sides of the river. While his struggling form was hanging to the horse's +mane, the other animals all floundered about him, pulling for the shore +for dear life. The men on the other side were ready to catch him as he +landed, nearly exhausted by his struggles and the blow he had received. +They carried him up the bank and leaned him against a tree, one man +taking care of him while the<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_64" id="Page_64">[Pg 64]</a></span> others caught the animals, or rather +corralled them, until the rest of us got across and went to their +assistance. We brought the young man's clothes with us and fixed him up, +washing him and stanching his bleeding nose and mouth. He had an awful +looking face; his eyes were blackened, nose flattened and mouth cut. +However, he soon revived and was helped by a couple of the men down to +the wagons. We then gathered the stock, went down to the train, hitched +up, and drove into camp.</p> + +<p>We now soon came to the Sweetwater River. The country here is more hilly +and rocky, and the valleys narrower and more barren. The main range of +Wind River Mountains could be plainly seen in the distance, while close +upon our left were the Sweetwater Mountains. The difference in scenery +after leaving the river and plains was such as to awaken new emotions +and fire one with a new kind of admiration. The immensity and fixedness +of the mountains awakened a keener sense of stability, of firmness of +purpose, and a sort of <i>expect great things and do great things spirit</i>; +while the sense of beauty appreciation was in no wise narrowed as it +followed the lights and shades<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_65" id="Page_65">[Pg 65]</a></span> of jut and crevice, and the rosy, +scintillating bits of sun as a new day dropped them with leisure hand +upon summit and sides, or later the tender glow of crimson and blue and +gold, as the gathered sun-bits trailed themselves behind the mountains for the night.</p> + +<p>When making up our outfit back in the States, by oversight or want of +knowledge of what we would need, we had neglected to lay in a supply of +horse-nails, which we now began to be sorely in need of, as the horses' +shoes were fast wearing out and becoming loose. It was just here that we +came one day to a man sitting by the roadside with a half-bushel measure +full of horse nails to sell at the modest price of a "bit" or twelve and +one-half cents apiece. No amount of remonstrance or argument about +taking advantage of one's necessity could bring down the price; so I +paid him ten dollars in gold for eighty nails. I really wanted to be +alone with that man for awhile, I loved him so. He, like some others who +had crossed the plains before, knew of the opportunity to sell such +things as the trailers might be short of at any price they might see fit to ask.</p> + +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_66" id="Page_66">[Pg 66]</a></span></p><p>It was here, too, that we came upon the great Independence Rock, an +immense boulder, lying isolated on the bank of the Sweetwater River. It +was oblong, with an oval-shaped top, as large as a block of buildings. +It was of such form that parties could walk up and over it lengthwise, +thereby getting a fine view of the surrounding country.</p> + +<p>About a mile beyond was the Devil's Gate, a crack or rent in the +mountain, which was probably about fifty feet wide, the surface of the +walls showing that by some sort of force they had been separated, +projections on one side finding corresponding indentations on the other. +The river in its original course had run around the range, but now it +ran leaping and roaring through the Gate.</p> + +<p>There was considerable alkali in this section. We had already lost two +horses from drinking it, and several others barely recovered from the effects.</p> + +<hr /> + +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_67" id="Page_67">[Pg 67]</a></span></p> + +<h2>CHAPTER VII.</h2> + +<h3><span class="smcap">We Stepped Over the Ridge and Courted the Favor of New and Untried +Waters.</span></h3> + +<p>Between Independence Rock and Devil's Gate we cross the river, which is +about four feet deep and thirty or forty feet wide. There was a man +lying down in the shade of his tent, who had logs enough fastened +together to hold one wagon, which he kindly loaned the use of for fifty +cents for each wagon, we to do the work of ferrying. Rather than to wet +our traps, we paid the price. The stock was driven through the ford.</p> + +<p>We camped at the base of some rocky cliffs, and while we were getting +our supper an Indian was noticed peering from behind some rocks, taking +a view of the camp. One of the boys got his rifle from the wagon and +fired at him. He drew in his head and we saw no more of him, but kept a +strong guard out all night.</p> + +<p>The trail that followed up the Sweetwater was generally a very good +road, with good camping-place's and fair grass<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_68" id="Page_68">[Pg 68]</a></span> for stock; while grass +and sage brush for fuel and excellent water made the trip of about +ninety miles very pleasant, as compared with some of the former route.</p> + +<p>We now came to the last-leaving of the Sweetwater, which is within ten +miles of the highest elevation of the South Pass. The springs and the +little stream on which we were camped, across which one could have +stepped, was the last water we saw that flowed into the Atlantic. We +were upon the summit or dividing line of the continent. With our faces +to the southward, the stream at our left flowed east and into the +Atlantic, while that upon our right flowed west into the Pacific.</p> + +<p>There was something not altogether pleasant in considering the +conditions. Following and crossing and studying the streams as we had so +long been doing, it was not without a tinge of regret and broken +fellowship that we stepped over the ridge and courted the favor of new +and untried waters.</p> + +<p>The abrupt ending of the great Wind River Mountain range was at our +right. These mountains are always more or less capped with snow. To the +south, perhaps one hundred miles, could be seen the<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_69" id="Page_69">[Pg 69]</a></span> main ridge of the +Rocky Mountains looming up faintly against the sky. The landscape, +looking at it from the camp, was certainly pleasing, if not beautiful. +During the day there could be seen bunches of deer, antelope, and elk +grazing and running about on the ridges, the whole making a picture +never to be forgotten. The sky was clear, the air pure and invigorating, +the sun shone warm by day and the stars bright at night.</p> + +<p>The spot proved to be a "parting of the ways" in more than one sense, +for it was here, before the breaking of camp, that the company decided +to separate, not as to interests, but as to modes of travel.</p> + +<p>Some of our wagons were pretty nearly worn out, and, as we had but +little in them, there were sixteen men who that night decided to give up +their five wagons and resort to "packing." Consequently the remaining +three wagons, including Captain and Mrs. Wadsworth, bade us goodby and +pulled out in the morning. This parting of the trail, as had been the +case in the parting of the waters, was not without its smack of regret. +For four months we had travelled as one family, each having at heart the +interest and <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_70" id="Page_70">[Pg 70]</a></span>comfort of the others. There had been days of sickness and +an hour of death; there was a grave at the roadside; there had had been +times of danger and disheartenment; all of which marshalled themselves +to memory's foreground as the question of division was talked <i>pro</i> and +<i>con</i> by the entire family while camped at the base of the snow-capped +mountains on that midsummer night.</p> + +<p>After the departure of the three wagons we who remained resolutely set +ourselves to work to prepare, as best we could, ourselves and our +belongings for the packing mode of travel. For three days and nights we +remained there busily engaged. We took our wagons to pieces, cutting out +such pieces as were necessary to make our pack saddles. One bunch of men +worked at the saddles, another bunch separated the harnesses and put +them in shape for the saddles, while others made big pouches or +saddle-bags out of the wagon covers, in which to carry provisions and cooking utensils.</p> + +<p>The spot upon which our camp was located was in the vicinity of what is +now known as Smith's Pass, Wyoming. During one of our afternoons here +Nature treated us to one of the grandest <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_71" id="Page_71">[Pg 71]</a></span>spectacles ever witnessed by +mortal eyes. We first noticed a small cloud gathering about the top of +the mountain, which presently commenced circling around the peak, +occasionally reaching over far enough to drop down upon us a few +sprinkles of water, although the sun was shining brightly where we were. +As the cloud continued to circle, it increased in size, momentum, and +density of color, spreading out like a huge umbrella. Soon thunder could +be heard, growing louder and more frequent until it became one +continuous roar, fairly shaking the earth. Long, vivid flashes of +lightning chased each other in rapid succession over the crags and lost +themselves in crevice and ravine. All work was forgotten. In fact, one +would as soon think of making saddles in the immediate presence of the +Almighty as in the presence of that terrific, but sublime spectacle upon +the mountain heights. Every man stood in reverential attitude and gazed +in speechless wonder and admiration. David and Moses and the Christ had +much to do with mountains in their day; and, as we watched the power of +the elements that afternoon, we realized as never before how David could +hear the floods clap their<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_72" id="Page_72">[Pg 72]</a></span> hands and see expressions of joy or anger +upon the faces of the mountains; and how Mount Sinai might have looked +as it became the meeting-place of the Lord and Moses and the tables of +stone. The storm lasted about an hour, and when at last Nature seemed to +have exhausted herself the great mountain-top stood out again in the +clear sunlight, wearing a new mantle of the whitest snow.</p> + +<p>During our three-days' camp we had a number of callers from other +trains, also six or eight Indians, among whom we divided such things as +we could not take with us.</p> + +<p>In the evening of the last day, we made a rousing camp-fire out of our +wagon wheels, which we piled on top of each other, kindling a fire under +them, around which we became reminiscent and grew rested for an early +start on the morrow.</p> + +<p>All things finally ready, we brought up the animals in the morning to +fit their saddles and packs to them. One very quiet animal was packed +with some camp-kettles, coffee-pots, and other cooking traps. As soon as +he was let loose and heard the tinware rattle he broke and ran, bringing +up in a quagmire up to his sides. The saddle had turned, and his hind +feet<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_73" id="Page_73">[Pg 73]</a></span> stepping into the pack well nigh ruined all our cooking utensils.</p> + +<p>We managed to pull him out of the mire and quieted him down, but we +could never again put anything on him that rattled. We took our guns and +provisions and only such clothing as we had on, leaving all else behind. +I remember putting on a pair of new boots that I had brought from home, +which I did not take off until I had been some time in California, nor +any other of my clothes, lying down in my blanket on the ground, like +the rest of the animals.</p> + +<p>As we turned out for noon, we saw off toward the mountain a drove of +eleven elk. I took my rifle and creeping behind rocks and through +ravines, tried to get in range of them, but with all my caution, they +kept just beyond my reach. But I had a little luck toward night just as +we were turning into camp. Out by a bunch of sagebrush sat the largest +jack rabbit I ever saw. I raised my rifle and hit him squarely in the +neck, killing him. I took him by the hind feet and slung him over my +shoulder, and as I hung hold of his feet in front, his wounded neck came +down to my heels behind. His ears were as long as a mule's ears. We +dressed it<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_74" id="Page_74">[Pg 74]</a></span> and made it into rabbit stew by putting into the kettle +first a layer of bacon and then one of rabbit, and then a layer of +dumpling, which we made from flour and water, putting in layer after +layer of this sort until our four camp-kettles were filled. We had a +late supper that night. It was between 9 and 10 o'clock before our stews +were done to a turn, but what a luscious feast was ours when they were +finally ready. I can think of no supper in my whole life that I have +enjoyed so much as I did that one. We had plenty left over for our +sixteen breakfasts the next morning, and some of the boys packed the +remainder as a relish for the noon meal.</p> + +<p>Soon after our start in the morning, we came to the Big Sandy, a stream +tributary to Green River. The land here had more of the appearance of a +desert than any we had yet seen. Out on the plain the trail forked, the +left hand leading via Fort Bridges and Salt Lake City, while the right +hand led over what is known as Sublett's Cut-off. Being undecided as to +which fork to follow, we finally submitted it to vote, which proved to +be a large majority in favor of the Cut-off, it having<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_75" id="Page_75">[Pg 75]</a></span> been reported +that the Mormons were inciting the Indians to attack immigrants.</p> + +<p>The road here was hard and flinty, and, for more than a mile passed down +a steep hill, at the bottom of which we noticed that wagon tires were +worn half through owing to the wheels being locked for such a long distance.</p> + +<p>This was Green River valley, and, where we made our crossing, the water +being deep and cold, with a swift current. There was a good ferry boat, +on which, after nearly a day's waiting, we ferried over our pack animals +at one dollar per head; the balance of the stock we swam across. A short +way on we had to ford a fork of the same river, and were then in an +extremely mountainous country, up one side and down the other, until we +reached Bear River valley.</p> + +<p>We came down off the uplands into the valley and beside the river to +camp, where we had an experience as exasperating as it was unexpected. +Seeing some fine looking grass, half knee high, we started for it, when +all at once clouds of the most persistent and venomous mosquitos filled +the air, covering the animals, which began stamping and running about, +some of them lying down and rolling in great <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_76" id="Page_76">[Pg 76]</a></span>torment. We hurried the +packs and saddles off them and sent a guard of men back to the hills +with them. The rest of us wrapped ourselves head and ears and laid down +in the grass without supper or water for man or beast. About 3 o'clock +in the morning, the mosquitos having cooled down to some extent, the +guard brought in the pack animals, which we loaded, and, like the Arab, +"silently stole away." Returning to the road and getting the balance of +the stock, we moved along the base of the hills, and about sunrise came +to a beautiful spring branch, which crossed the trail, refreshing us +with its cool, sparkling water. Here we went up into the hills and into +camp for a day and a night, to rest and recuperate from our terrible +experience of the night before.</p> + +<p>It was now the first of July. By keeping close to the base of the hills +we found good travelling and an abundance of clear spring-water. At +nights we camped high up in the hills, where the mosquito was not.</p> + +<hr /> + +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_77" id="Page_77">[Pg 77]</a></span></p> + +<h2>CHAPTER VIII.</h2> + +<h3><span class="smcap">We Had No Flag to Unfurl, But its Sentiment Was Within Us.</span></h3> + +<p>"It ought to be commemorated as the day of deliverance by solemn acts of +devotion to God Almighty. It ought to be solemnized with pomp and +parade, with shows, games, sports, bells, bonfires and illuminations, +from one end of this continent to the other, from this time forward for evermore."</p> + +<p>These words, written by John Adams to his wife the day following the +Declaration of Independence, and regarding that act and day, were +evidently the sounding of the key-note of American patriotism.</p> + +<p>It has long been one of Uncle Sam's legends that "he who starts across +the continent is most sure to leave his religion on the east side of the +Missouri river." Conditions in Nebraska to-day refute the truth of this +statement, however. Whatever may be the rule or exception concerning an +American traveller's religion, the genuineness of his patriotism and his +fidelity to it are rarely questioned. Hence<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_78" id="Page_78">[Pg 78]</a></span> it was that during the +early July days the varied events of the past few months betook +themselves to the recesses of our natures, and patriotism asserted its right of pre-emption.</p> + +<p>The day of July 3d was somewhat eventful and perhaps somewhat +preparatory to the 4th, in that I did a bit of horse-trading, as my +riding-horse, through a hole in his shoe, had got a gravel into his +foot, which made him so lame that I had been walking and leading him for +the last ten days. We had just come to Soda Springs, where there was a +village of Shoshone Indians, numbering about one thousand, among whom +was an Indian trader named McClelland, who was buying or trading for +broken-down stock. I soon struck him for a trade. He finally offered me, +even up, a small native mule for my lame horse, and we soon traded. I +then bought an Indian saddle for two dollars, and, mounting, rode back +to camp with great joy to myself and amusement of the balance of the +company. I had walked for the last two hundred miles, keeping up with +the rest of them, and consequently was nearly broken down; and now that +I had what proved to be the toughest and easiest riding <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_79" id="Page_79">[Pg 79]</a></span>animal in the +bunch, I was to be congratulated. I afterwards saw the horse I had +traded for the mule in Sacramento, hitched to a dray. His owner valued +him at four hundred dollars.</p> + +<p>We had gone into camp close to the Indians, right among their wigwams, +in fact, and, though it was Independence eve, the weather was cool and +chilling, which, together with the jabbering and grunting of the Indians +and their papooses, made sleeping almost impossible.</p> + +<p>We had not been in camp more than an hour when three or four packers +rode up on their way to the "States." They were the first persons +travelling eastward that we had met since leaving the Missouri River. +One of the men had been wounded with a charge of buckshot a few hours +before, and there being no surgeon present, some of us held him while +others picked out the shot and dressed his wounds.</p> + +<p>Soda Springs was in the extreme eastern part of what is now the State of +Idaho, at which point there is a town bearing the same name, Soda +Springs. Indeed, the 4th of July found us in a settlement of springs, +Beer Spring and Steamboat Spring being in close proximity to Soda<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_80" id="Page_80">[Pg 80]</a></span> +Springs. Beer Spring is barrel-shaped, its surface about level with the +ground surface. It was always full to the top, and we could look down +into the water at least twenty feet and see large bubbles that were +constantly rising, a few feet apart, one chasing another to the surface, +where they immediately collapsed. The peculiarity of the water was that +one could sip down a gallon at a time without any inconvenience. The +celebrated Steamboat Spring came out of a hole in a level rock. The +water was quite hot, and the steam, puffing out at regular intervals, +presented an interesting sight.</p> + +<p>We remained in camp during the forenoon and celebrated the 4th of July +as best we could. I am quite positive that we could not have repeated in +concert the memorable words which open this chapter, but, while the +letter of the injunction was absent, the spirit was with us and we +carried it out in considerable detail, the Indians joining with us. We +shot at a mark, we ran horse-races with the Indians and also foot-races. +We had no bells to ring, but we had plenty of noise and games and +sports. We had no flag to unfurl, but its sentiment was within us;<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_81" id="Page_81">[Pg 81]</a></span> and +when we had finished we were prouder than ever to be Americans.</p> + +<p>After dinner we packed up and started out again, our trail leading us up +in the top of the mountains, where, after going into camp for the night, +it began to snow, so I had to quit writing in my diary. We spent a very +uncomfortable night, and got out of the place early, going down into a +warmer atmosphere and to a level stretch of deep sand covered with a +thick growth of sagebrush. Having neglected to fill our canteens while +on the mountain, we had to travel all day in the sand, under a scorching +sun, without a drop of water. This was our first severe experience in +water-hunger, and we thought of the deserts yet to be crossed.</p> + +<p>At night we were delighted with coming to a stream, by the side of which +we made camp, ourselves and our animals quite exhausted with the day's +experiences. The country along here was very rough and mountainous, +making travelling very difficult, so much so that two or more men +dropped out to rest up.</p> + +<p>We were soon in the region of the "City of Rocks," which was not a great +distance south of Fort Hall, in Oregon.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_82" id="Page_82">[Pg 82]</a></span> This place, to all appearance, +was surrounded by a range of high hills, circular in form and perhaps a +quarter mile in diameter. A small stream of mountain water ran through +it, near which we made our noon meal.</p> + +<p>From about the center of this circle arose two grand, colossal steeples +of solid rock, rising from two hundred to three hundred feet high; in +outline they resembled church steeples. From the base of these great +turrets, allowing the eyes to follow the circular mountains, could be +seen a striking resemblance to a great city in ruins. Tall columns rose +with broad facades and colossal archings over the broad entrances, which +seemed to lead into those great temples of nature. Many of the +formations strongly resembled huge lions crouched and guarding the +passageways. Altogether the spot was one of intense interest and stood +as strong evidence that</p> + +<div class="poem"><div class="stanza"> +<div>"The manuscript of God remains</div> +<div>Writ large in waves and woods and rocks."</div> +</div></div> + +<p>In crossing the valley of Raft River, which is tributary to the Snake +River, and finally empties into the Columbia, we came to a deep, +ditch-like crack in the<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_83" id="Page_83">[Pg 83]</a></span> earth, partly filled with water and soft mud. +It was about a rod in width, but so long that we could not see its end +either up or down the valley as far as the eye could reach, so there was +no possible show to head it or go around it. Scattered along its length +we could see a dozen or more wagons standing on their heads, as it were, +in this almost bottomless ditch of mud and water, each waiting for the +bank to be dug out in front of it, when a long cattle-team would haul it +out. After looking the situation over, we put our wits to work for some +means of crossing, and finally hit upon what proved to be a feasible +plan. A part of the men stripped off, plunged in and made their way +through to the opposite bank. We then led the animals up, one at a time, +secured a good strong lariat around its neck, and threw the end of it +across to the men on the other side. Then we just pushed the brute into +the ditch and the men ahold of the lariat pulled him through. We then +did up our traps in light bundles and threw them across. After +everything else was over, we took turns in being pulled through at the +end of the lariat. This was a successful way of getting over, but, O my! +we were the dirtiest lot of men and<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_84" id="Page_84">[Pg 84]</a></span> animals one ever saw. We were +little more than one-quarter mile from Raft River, and we lost no time +in getting there and wading out in the clear, running water, about two +feet deep, with rocky bottom, where we and the animals were washed sleek and clean.</p> + +<p>Leaving the river we entered a narrow defile in the mountain, where +horses and men were crowded close together. One of the men having a +rifle with the hammer underneath the barrel attempted to mount his horse +without stopping and accidentally discharged his gun, the shot shot +taking effect in the horse's side. As I happened to be walking on the +other side of the wounded horse I was fortunate in not getting some part +of the discharge. We pulled the pack off the horse and led him a few +steps off the road, where he soon fell dead.</p> + +<p>We camped for the night farther up this ravine. It was the same place +where, a few years afterward, some immigrants were massacred, when a +part of the Wright family was killed and others badly wounded. Years +afterward I became well acquainted with the survivors. Their description +of the place and its surroundings left no doubt in my mind that our<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_85" id="Page_85">[Pg 85]</a></span> +ravine camping-spot was identical with that of their massacre.</p> + +<p>Our passage up Goose Creek Valley was extremely slow and difficult, the +valley in places being no wider than the road, while in other places +rocks and streams were so thick and close together that the way was +almost impassible. We camped in this valley at nightfall, and, as there +was no feed in sight for the animals, several of us took them up on the +mountain side and gave them a feed of bunch grass, one man and myself +remaining to guard them.</p> + +<p>Very soon a storm came up, dark clouds, deep thunder, sharp lightning, +and a perfect deluge of rain were sweeping through the mountains. We +brought the animals as close together as we could, tied them to the +sagebrush, and kept going among them, talking to them and quieting them +as best we could, for they were whinnying and trembling with fear. It +was an awful night. Over and above the roaring storm could be heard the +howling of wolves, which added much terror to the situation. On being +relieved at daylight and going down to camp, the men were trying to find +themselves and a lot of traps that were missing. It seemed that the men +had lain down in a bunch on a<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_86" id="Page_86">[Pg 86]</a></span> narrow bit of ground close to the creek, +and when the rain began to fall they drew a canvas wagon cover over them +for protection, when, without any sound or warning that could be heard +above the storm, a tide of water came down upon them which fairly washed +them off the earth. They got tangled up in the wagon cover and were +being washed down the creek, not knowing in the darkness when or where +they were going to land. They kept together by all keeping hold of the +wagon cover, but for which some or all of them might have lost their +lives. They were finally washed up against a rocky projection and pulled +themselves ashore. We were a sorry-looking lot—wet, cold, dilapidated, +and suffering from the terror and fright of the night.</p> + +<p>After breakfast we went out to hunt for our missing goods, some of which +we found caught in the brush; some was washed beyond finding.</p> + +<p>This was Sunday morning and the weather had cleared up bright. All +Nature seemed anxious to make amends for her outrageous conduct of the +night before. We concluded to stop here until Monday morning, and spread +our traps out to dry, and cook some rice, and rest and replenish in a general sense.</p> + +<hr /> + +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_87" id="Page_87">[Pg 87]</a></span></p> + +<h2>CHAPTER IX.</h2> + +<h3><span class="smcap">We Listened to Each Other's Rehearsals and Became Mutual Sympathizers +and Encouragers.</span></h3> + +<p>We travelled up Goose Creek for several days till we got to its head, on +the great divide that separates the Snake River from the Humboldt. The +second or third day up the creek we had a genuine surprise that put us +all in the best of humor again. It was no less than the overtaking of +the three wagons that left us in the South Pass, where we commenced +packing. Captain Wadsworth's wagon was mired down and part of the team. +We all turned in and soon had him out. We were all glad to meet again, +and all our men were delighted to meet and shake hands with Mrs. +Wadsworth, who was equally as joyful as ourselves. We camped together +that night and had a good visit. It was a genuine family reunion. How +thoroughly we listened to each other's rehearsals and became mutual +sympathizers and encouragers! This was<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_88" id="Page_88">[Pg 88]</a></span> the last time the original +company ever met together.</p> + +<p>Some of our boys, whose stock was nearly worn out, concluded that they +would join the three wagons and take more time to get through. This move +reduced our little company of packers to six men and ten animals. In the +morning we bade them all goodby (some of them for the last time), swung +into our saddles, and moved on.</p> + +<p>After crossing the divide we entered Pleasant Valley, which, with its +level floor, abundant grass, and willow-fringed stream of cool water, +was very appropriately named. As our provisions were now getting short, +I was on the lookout for game of any sort that would furnish food. After +dinner, taking my rifle, I went along down the stream as it led off the +road, when a pair of ducks flew up and alighted a short distance below. +These were the first ducks I had seen since leaving the Platte, and, +being out for something to eat, I was particularly glad to see them. I +watched them settle, and then creeping up through tall wild rice I got a +shot and killed one of them. I quickly reloaded. As I was out there +alone I was necessarily on my guard. The duck was about<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_89" id="Page_89">[Pg 89]</a></span> twenty-five +feet from the bank, and as the water was deep and cold and no one with +me I concluded not to go in after it. So I took out the ramrod, screwed +the wormer to it, lengthened it out with willow cuttings fastened one to +another, and then shoved it out on the water until the wormer touched +the duck, which I managed to twist into the game and draw it ashore. We +had an elegant supper that night.</p> + +<p>The next day or two I came to a pond where were sitting five snipe. I +killed the whole bunch, and they helped to make another square meal. We +were now near the border of the Great Desert proper, where, out of the +midst of a level plain, stood a lone mountain known as the "Old Crater," +which, together with its surroundings, had all the appearance of an +extinct volcano. The plain round about this mountain had been rent in +narrow cracks or crevices leading in various directions from the +mountain off on to the plain, some of them crossing the trail, where we +had to push and jump the stock across them. In dropping a rock into them +there seemed to be no bottom. All about them the ground was covered with +pieces of broken lava, largely composed of gravel stones that had been +welded<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_90" id="Page_90">[Pg 90]</a></span> together by intense heat. A half mile or so from the mountain +stood a block of the same material, which was nearly square in shape and +larger than a thirty-by-forty-foot barn.</p> + +<p>We made good time here after coming off the mountain, although we +suffered intensely for want of water, the sun being very hot. However, +we soon found ourselves in the "Thousand Spring Valley," and, being +influenced by its name, expected to have, for that day at least, all the +water we could drink. But, as is sometimes the case, there was</p> + +<div class="poem"><div class="stanza"> +<div>"Water, water everywhere,</div> +<div>But not a drop to drink."</div> +</div></div> + +<p>Near the entrance of the valley, which is about thirty miles long, is +the Great Rock Spring, deriving its name, I presume, from its flowing +out from under an immense rock, forming a pool or basin of the brightest +and clearest of water, but so warm that neither man nor beast could +drink it. We all waded around through the basin, the water being about +two feet deep. After a few more miles, we could see ahead of us clouds +of steam vapor rising from the earth in various places. We came to the +first group of boiling springs<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_91" id="Page_91">[Pg 91]</a></span> at noon, nearly famished for water that +one could drink. We turned out for a resting-while. Some went to look +for cool water, and found none, while others made some coffee with +boiling water from a spring, of which there were hundreds on a very few +acres of ground. Some of the springs were six to ten feet across and +three or four inches deep. We set our coffee-pots right in a spring and +made coffee in a very short time. The hot sun pouring down on us, and +boiling springs all about us, and no cold water to drink, made the place +desirable for only one thing—to get away from.</p> + +<p>Toward night we turned off into the hills and looked for water, where, +tramping over the rocks and brush, supperless, until nearly midnight, we +found a most delicious spring. We all drank together, men and animals, +and together laid down and slept.</p> + +<p>A little farther along, one day at noon, while we were drinking our +coffee, two wild geese flew over and down the river. Watching them sail +along as if to light at a certain point, I took my rifle and followed. +The trail led to the right and over a range of hills, coming into the +valley again several miles ahead, and the <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_92" id="Page_92">[Pg 92]</a></span>direction in which I was +pursuing the geese being a tangent, I soon lost sight of the company. I +went hurriedly on down the river bottom, much of which was covered with +wild rice, very thick and almost as high as my head. The course and +windings of the river here were, as elsewhere, marked by the willows +along the banks. I was now a mile or so from the trail, and coming quite +near where I expected to find the game. Passing cautiously by a clump of +willows I noticed something white on the dead grass, which, upon +investigation, proved to be a human skeleton in a perfect state of +preservation. I picked up the skull, looked it over, and picked off the +under jaw which was filled with beautiful teeth. Putting these in my +pocket and replacing the skull, I moved carefully forward, expecting to +soon see the geese. Picking my way through the stiff mud, I saw several +moccasin tracks. I was just on the point of turning back when I saw the +head of an Indian to my left, within easy range of my rifle. Looking +hurriedly about me, I saw another at my right and quite a distance to +the rear. In a moment they drew their heads down into the grass. I +immediately realized the danger of <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_93" id="Page_93">[Pg 93]</a></span>retreating back into open ground, so +I plunged forward into the wild rice, gripping my rifle with one hand +and making a path through the rice with the other. I ran along in this +way until my strength was nearly gone and the hand I worked the rice +with was lacerated and bleeding. I faced about, dropped to my knees, +and, with rifle cocked, awaited developments. After resting a few +minutes and getting over my scare I started in the direction of the +trail, hoping to get out of the rice and the willows into the open. +Again I had to rest. My hands and arms were now both so lame and sore I +could scarcely use them. When I finally got out of the rice, I +straightened up and ran like a deer, expecting at every jump I made to +be pursued and shot. I made straight for a bend in the slough which was +partly filled with water. The opposite bank being lined with willows, +some of them began to move a little and I concluded some one was coming +through them. Levelling my rifle and with finger on the trigger, I heard +some one shout to me not to shoot. It was a white man, who wanted to +cross the slough. He ran into the water and mud far enough so that I +could reach him and pull him on to the bank. He,<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_94" id="Page_94">[Pg 94]</a></span> too, had encountered +the Indians in the rice and willows, and for a time was unable to stand, +being completely exhausted with fear and his efforts to escape. As soon +as he could walk, we started away from that locality with what strength +and energy we had left. He was there alone and unarmed, looking for +strayed cattle, and had been skulking and hiding from Indians for more +than an hour before I came along. I, being well armed, might have +discouraged them in their hunt for either one of us. At least they never +got in my way after our first sight of each other.</p> + +<p>My hands were now swollen and very painful. The stranger carried my gun, +and in a couple of hours we overtook my comrades. As I got on to my mule +I thought what a fool I had been to go alone so far on a wild-goose +chase. That day's experience ended my hunting at any considerable +distance from camp.</p> + +<p>While we were still trailing close beside the Humboldt River a most +remarkable and pathetic incident occurred, the vicinity being that now +known as Elko, in Elko County, Nevada.</p> + +<p>We had been camping over night in the Humboldt Mountains, and on our +way<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_95" id="Page_95">[Pg 95]</a></span> out in the morning I chanced to be some distance ahead. Riding down +a steep, narrow place, walled in on either side, I could catch only a +glimpse of the Humboldt River as it spun along just ahead of me. Just +before emerging from this narrow place I heard loud screaming for help, +although as yet I could see no one. Coming out into the open, I saw a +man in the river struggling with a span of horses to which was still +attached the running gear of a wagon. A few rods below him were his wife +and two children about five and three years old, floating down the +strong current in the wagon bed.</p> + +<p>I swam my mule across, and the minute I reached the land, I jumped off, +and, leaving my rifle on the ground, ran over the rocks down stream +after the woman and children, who were screaming at the top of their +voices. The river made a short bend around some rocks on which I ran +out, and, wading a short distance, I was able to grasp the corner of the +the wagon bed as it came along, which was already well filled with +water. Holding to it, the current swept it against the shore, where the +woman handed her children out to me and then climbed ashore herself. As +soon as all were on land, the<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_96" id="Page_96">[Pg 96]</a></span> woman, hugging her children with one arm, +knelt at my feet and clasping me about the knees sobbed as though her +heart would break, as she kept repeating that I had saved their lives, +and expressing her thanks for the rescue.</p> + +<p>As soon as I could collect my wits I began to tug at the wagon-bed, and +then the woman helped, and together we got it where it was safe. Then we +led the children up to where the man had got ashore with his team.</p> + +<p>By this time the rest of our train had crossed the river and were with +the man and his horses. When they learned just what had happened, they +became very indignant because the man had apparently abandoned his wife +and children to the mercies of the river, while he exerted himself to +save his team. Quicker than I can tell it, the tongue of the man's wagon +was set up on end, and hasty preparations being made to hang the man +from the end of it. Almost frantic with what she saw, the wife again +threw herself at my feet and begged me to save her husband. Her tears +and entreaties, probably more than all I said, finally quieted the men, +although some of them were still in favor of throwing him in the river. +We <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_97" id="Page_97">[Pg 97]</a></span>eventually helped them get their wagon together, when we moved on +and left them.</p> + +<p>At this place the river runs down into a cañon, where we had to ford it +four times in ten miles, the stream changing that many times from one +side of the rocky walls to the other. We made the last ford about middle +afternoon, and as it was Sunday, we put out for the day and night.</p> + +<div class="poem"><div class="stanza"> +<div>"Up with my tent, here will I lie to-night.</div> +<div>But where to-morrow? Well, all's well for that."</div> +</div></div> + +<hr /> + +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_98" id="Page_98">[Pg 98]</a></span></p> + +<h2>CHAPTER X.</h2> + +<h3><span class="smcap">Boots and Saddles Call.</span></h3> + +<div class="center"><img src="images/i098.jpg" width='500' height='212' alt="Music" /></div> + +<p>In nearly all lifetimes and in nearly all undertakings, there will occur +seasons which severally try not merely one's faith and courage, but +one's power of physical endurance as well; seasons when one's spirits +are fagged and stand in need of a reveille, or "Boots and Saddles" call.</p> + +<p>The march of our little company during these mid-July days, with their +privations and sufferings, could scarcely have been maintained, but for +the notes of cheer which, by memory's route, came to us from out the +silent places of the past, or, on the wings of hope, alighted among us +from off the heights of the future.</p> + +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_99" id="Page_99">[Pg 99]</a></span></p><p>The Humboldt River, which by this time had become to us quite a +memorable stream, was winding and crooked after coming out of the cañon, +and could be traced through the desert only by the willows that grew +along its banks and around its shallow pools. Our route lay on the left +bank all the way down to the "sink."</p> + +<p>It was the middle of July, with never a cloud in the sky, not a tree or +shade of any kind. The ground was heated like an oven and covered more +or less by an alkali sand, which parched our lips while the sun was +blistering our noses.</p> + +<p>The river from here down to its sink is like all desert streams in the +dry season. It does not have a continuous current, but the water lies in +pools, alternating with places where the bed is dry and bare. In its +windings it averaged about twenty-five miles from one bend to another, +the trail leading a straight line like a railroad from one point to +another. These points were our camping-places. As it was useless to stop +between them we had to make the river or perish.</p> + +<p>The willows were already browsed down to mere stubs, consequently there +was little or no feed for the stock. Wherever we could find any grass, +there we<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_100" id="Page_100">[Pg 100]</a></span> took the animals and tended them until they got their fill. +There was no game to be seen nor anything that had life, except horned +toads and lizards. The former could be seen in the sand all day. They +were of all sizes, ranging from a kernel of corn to a common toad, each +ornamented with the same covering of horns, beginning with a Turk's +crescent on the tip of the nose. As to the lizards, none could be seen +during the day, but at night there would be a whole family of them lying +right against one, having crept under the blankets to keep warm, I +suppose, as the nights were quite cool. Upon getting up in the morning +we would take our blankets by one end and give a jerk, and the lizards +would roll out like so many links of weinerwurst.</p> + +<p>About midway to the river we began to get uncomfortably short of +provisions, having only some parched coffee, a little sugar, and a few +quarts of broken hardtack. We had neither flour nor meat for more than +two weeks. But of all our sufferings the greatest was that of thirst. It +was so intense that we forgot our hunger and our wearied and wornout +condition. Our sole thought was of water, and when we talked about what +amount we<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_101" id="Page_101">[Pg 101]</a></span> would drink when we came to a good spring no one ever +estimated less than a barrel full, and we honestly believed we could +drink that much at a single draught. We had, in a degree, become "loony" +on the subject, particularly in the middle of the day, when one could +not raise moisture in his mouth to even spit. For about ten days the +only water we had was obtained from the pools by which we would camp. +These pools were stagnant and their edges invariably lined with dead +cattle that had died while trying to get a drink. Selecting a carcass +that was solid enough to hold us up, we would walk out into the pool on +it, taking a blanket with us, which we would swash around and get as +full of water as it would hold, then carrying it ashore, two men, one +holding each end, would twist the filthy water out into a pan, which in +turn would be emptied into our canteens, to last until the next +camping-place. As the stomach would not retain this water for even a +moment, it was only used to moisten the tongue and throat.</p> + +<p>One afternoon we noticed on the side of a mountain spur off to our left +a green spot part way up its side. We looked at the spot and then at the +bend to which<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_102" id="Page_102">[Pg 102]</a></span> we were going, and as each seemed to be about +equi-distant we concluded to go to the mountains, believing we would find water.</p> + +<p>Well, if any of you have had any experience in travelling toward a +mountain you, as did we, probably under-estimated the distance. We left +the trail at 3 o'clock and tramped until nearly sundown before we began +to make the ascent, always keeping our eyes on that green spot. About an +hour after dark we came into the bed of a dry creek, and believing that +it would eventually lead us to water, we followed it up until about +midnight, when we came to water in a ditch about two feet wide and a few inches deep.</p> + +<p>Ourselves and animals being nearly exhausted, we just laid down in that +stream, and I guess each one came pretty near drinking his barrel of +water. We pulled off the packs and let the animals go loose in the feed, +which was very good, while we were soon stretched out and sound asleep. +When we woke in the morning the sun was well up and sending down its +scorching rays into our faces. We made some coffee, drank it and felt +better. We stayed there until noon, as the animals were still getting +good feed,<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_103" id="Page_103">[Pg 103]</a></span> and we—well, we were getting all the water we wanted. We +filled our canteens with it, and after making necessary preparations +started to strike the river again, which we could plainly see from our +mountain perch, also slow moving trains, as they plod their weary way over the plain.</p> + +<p>We reached the river about sundown and as we looked against the western +horizon, began to see quite distinctly the snow-capped range of the +Sierra Nevada Mountains. They looked grand and formidable to us, knowing +that we must climb up and over them before we could reach our journey's +end. They held no terror for us, however, for we knew that we should +suffer neither from heat nor thirst during our trail over their broad, friendly sides.</p> + +<p>For a couple of days we had been trying the experiment of camping during +the day and travelling at night, but we soon got enough of that way of +getting along. The traveling at night was all right, but to camp all day +with a scorching sun overhead and a burning sand under our feet was more +than we could endure, so we again worked by day and slept at night.</p> + +<p>There was no fuel along here except willows, and they were so green it +was<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_104" id="Page_104">[Pg 104]</a></span> impossible to coax them into a blaze. We finally resorted to a +willow crane, which we made by sticking a couple of willows into the +sand, arching them over toward each other and tying them together, +hanging our coffee-pot between them, underneath which we made a fire of +dead grass tied in knots. For a long time we laid on the sand and fed +that fire with knotted grass, but <i>boil</i> the coffee would not.</p> + +<p>We had now reached the sink of the Humboldt, which was a small lake, +perhaps ten or twelve miles long and two or three miles wide. The upper +half was quite shallow, with soft, miry bottom covered with flags and +rushes. The lower half was clear, open water, rounding off at its lower +end with a smooth, sandy beach, making it a very pretty thing to look +at, but its water was so brackish as to be unpalatable for drinking purposes.</p> + +<p>We camped for the night near its flags and rushes, a large quantity of +which we cut and brought in for the animals, which seemed to give them +new life and ambition. We also cut as many bundles as we could carry +away bound to the backs of our loose stock, for we still had forty-two +miles more of desert, without wood, water or grass, before reaching the +Carson<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_105" id="Page_105">[Pg 105]</a></span> River. While camping in this vicinity two pelicans sailed around +and lighted in the clear lake, beyond reach of rifle-shot. These were +the first birds of the kind I had ever seen outside of a showman's cage, +and I was determined to have one of them if possible; so, with rifle in +hand, I waded out till the water came up under my arms, and, not being +able to go any farther, I fired, but without avail.</p> + +<p>In looking about me as I waded back, I saw a little white tent a short +way off, just on the edge of the lake. Going to it, I found a lone man +about half drunk. I asked him what he was doing there, and he said he +had some alcohol to sell at five dollars a quart. I bought a quart, my +canteen full, and went back to camp. We succeeded in making coffee of +the strongest kind and enough of it to fill our six canteens. We divided +the alcohol equally among us and mixed it with the coffee. This +arrangement was an experiment, but we found upon trial that one swallow +of this mixture would make a person bat his eyes and step about quite +lively, while two of them would make a man forget most of his troubles.</p> + +<p>I remember that it was about mid-afternoon when we finally packed and<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_106" id="Page_106">[Pg 106]</a></span> +left the Humboldt River for the last time, which we did with but few +regrets. It was our intention to make as much as possible of the +Humboldt desert during the night.</p> + +<p>A few miles out the trail forked, the one to the right being "Trucke +Route" and the other "Carson Route"; we decided upon the latter. Near +the forks were some campers, two sets of them, who were quarreling as to +which route was the better. They finally began to shoot at each other +and were still at it when we passed out of hearing, not knowing or +caring how the duel might end. Toward sundown we came to the salt wells, +twelve miles from the sink, the water in them being as salt as the +strongest brine. This was the last salt water we saw on our journey. +About midnight we came to some tents, wagons, and a corral of stock; we +were then nearly half the distance across the desert.</p> + +<p>At the tent water was sold at the very low price of "six bits" a gallon. +We bought one gallon apiece for each of the animals and as much as we +needed to drink at the time for ourselves. We did not care to dilute the +contents of our canteens. We gave the stock a feed and<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_107" id="Page_107">[Pg 107]</a></span> moved on. The +night was moonlighted, very bright and pleasant, but awfully still, +rendered so seemingly by the surroundings, or perhaps by the lack of +surroundings, for there could be heard no rushing of waters, no +murmuring of forests no rustling of grasses. All of Nature's +music-pieces had been left far behind. There was nothing but sand, and +it was at rest except as our footfalls caused it to vibrate. The broad +and barren expanse, the white light of the full moon full upon it, the +curvings and windings of the trail upon the sand, the steady onward +march of our caravan, all combined to make a subject worthy the brush of a Millet.</p> + +<p>We travelled in silence mostly. There was reverence in the atmosphere +and we could not evade it. We did not even try.</p> + +<p>Akin to this scene must have been the one which inspired Longfellow to write:</p> + +<div class="poem"><div class="stanza"> +<div>"Art is the child of Nature; yes,</div> +<div>Her darling child, in whom we trace</div> +<div>The features of the mother's face,</div> +<div>Her aspect and her mien."</div> +</div></div> + +<hr /> + +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_108" id="Page_108">[Pg 108]</a></span></p> + +<h2>CHAPTER XI.</h2> + +<h3>"<span class="smcap">But All Comes Right in the End.</span>"</h3> + +<p>From this point on to Carson River the route was continuously strewn +with the carcasses of stock that had perished there, some of them years +before. Owing probably to the dry climate and the fact that the greater +part of the desert was covered with alkali and crystalized soda, the +bodies of these animals remained perfect, as they had fallen. The sand +glistening in their eyes gave them a very lifelike appearance. At +intervals could be seen wagons, all complete except the cover, with two +to four yoke of cattle lying dead, with the yokes on their necks, the +chains still in the rings, just as they fell and died, most of them with +their tongues hanging from their mouths.</p> + +<p>Daylight came just as we got to the loose sand. The moment the sun rose +above the horizon its influence could be seen and felt, and in an hour +or two several cattle-teams had perished near us. First one ox would +drop as though he were shot, and in a few minutes others<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_109" id="Page_109">[Pg 109]</a></span> would sink +down, and almost before the owner could realize the condition of things, +a part or the whole of his team would lie dead.</p> + +<p>For the want of vegetables or acid of some kind, I had been troubled for +a week or so with an attack of scurvy in my mouth, the gums being +swollen because of the alkali dust. This not only caused me pain and +misery, but created a strong and constant desire for something sour. +While riding past an ox team I noticed a jug in the front end of the +wagon. Upon inquiry of the driver, I found that the jug contained +vinegar. I offered him a silver dollar for a cupful, but he refused to +part with any of it, saying that he might need it himself before he got +through. He was afoot on the off side of the wagon, where the jug was +setting. I was sort of crazy mad and drawing my revolver, I rode around +the rear of the wagon, thinking I would kill the fellow and take his jug +of vinegar. But when he began to run for his life around the front yoke +of cattle I came to my senses and hastened away from his outfit.</p> + +<p>We could now see a few scattering, tall trees outlining the Carson +River, also long mountain spurs reaching almost out<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_110" id="Page_110">[Pg 110]</a></span> into the sand, +covered with a short growth of pine timber. In leaving the sand about 11 +o'clock <span class="smaller">A. M.</span> I noticed a large open tent near by. I rode up and into the +tent, and, looking about, saw among other things one bottle of gherkin +pickles about one quart of them. I asked the price. It was five dollars, +and I paid it gladly as the owner passed the bottle over to me. I saw in +that bottle of pickles my day of deliverance and salvation, and drawing +my long knife from my bootleg soon drew the cork and filled my fevered +mouth with pickles. I assure my readers that I can taste those gherkins +to this day. The proprietor, who evidently thought that I was a "little +off," brought me to a sense of realization by telling me that his tent +was not a mule stable and that I had better get out. His voice and +expression made me feel that I might be in danger of losing my pickles, +so I waited not on ceremony, but beat a hasty and complete retreat.</p> + +<p>We had now finished the desert which, with all its events and +experiences, was already behind us. We had travelled more than one +thousand miles with no tree in sight, and our feelings can easily be +imagined when, in looking a short <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_111" id="Page_111">[Pg 111]</a></span>distance ahead, we saw a clump of +trees—real trees, green trees, shade-giving trees. We instantly became, +as it were, initiated into the tree-worshipping sect. We were soon, men +and beasts, within the cooling shade, and the packs stripped from the +poor, tired animals, when they were led into the shallow water of the +Carson, where they drank and bathed to their heart's content, and were +then turned loose into a stretch of good grass.</p> + +<p>We couldn't treat ourselves as well as we had treated our animals, for +we had only a bite of hardtack crumbs, which we washed down with some of +the "elixir of life" from our canteens. But we stretched ourselves +underneath the friendly trees and, just letting loose of everything, +slept until nearly noon the next day.</p> + +<p>The vicinity in which we camped seemed to have been pre-empted by a +number of parties, who lived in tents and sold provisions to the +immigrants. The settlement was called "Ragtown."</p> + +<p>After coming out of our long sleep and taking in the situation of our +whereabouts we were soon ready to take up our westward march, which, in +two days, brought us to the first real house we had seen since leaving +the Missouri. This house was<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_112" id="Page_112">[Pg 112]</a></span> known as "Mormon Station." It was a +good-sized story and half building, with a lean-to on one side and a +broad porch on the other, along which was a beautiful little stream of +cold, clear water. Cups were hanging on the porch columns for the use of +immigrants. There were also long benches for them to sit and rest on. +Connected with this house was a stock ranch and a cultivated farm of +sixty acres, mostly all in vegetables. Within was a large store of +supplies. Well, we didn't stop long for compliments, for our mouths were +watering for some of those onions, lettuce, cabbage, new potatoes, +pickles, steak and bacon, etc. We laid in a generous supply of the whole +thing, including soft and hard bread and a bucket of milk. We also got a +new coffeepot, as our old one had neither spout nor handle.</p> + +<p>After making our purchases we selected our camping-site and proceeded to +make ourselves comfortable, after disposing of the stock in grass up to +its eyes. We were going to have a supper fit for the gods, and everybody +became busy. The boss coffee-maker attended strictly to his business, +and some others cut and sliced an onion that was as large as a plate, +covering it with salt and pepper and vinegar,<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_113" id="Page_113">[Pg 113]</a></span> which we ate as a +"starter." We had an elegant supper and appetites to match. After supper +some of the men went back to the store and laid in a supply of fresh +bread and steak for breakfast. They brought back some pipes and tobacco, +and for a long time we sat around our campfire smoking and reciting many +experiences incident to our journey across the continent. With pangs of +hunger and thirst appeased, our pipes filled to the brim and the smoke +therefrom curling and twisting itself into cloud-banks, we were a +supremely happy lot, and with the poet was ready to sing:</p> + +<div class="poem"><div class="stanza"> +<div>"The road is rough and the day is cold,</div> +<div class="i2">And the landscape's sour and bare,</div> +<div>And the milestones, once such charming friends,</div> +<div class="i2">Half-hearted welcomes wear.</div> +<div>There's trouble before and trouble behind,</div> +<div class="i2">And a troublesome present to mend,</div> +<div>And the road goes up and the road goes down,</div> +<div class="i2"><i>But it all comes right in the end.</i>"</div> +</div></div> + +<p>We decided to remain in this place another day, thereby giving ourselves +and the stock time to secure the rest which we so greatly needed. It was +during our stay here that in loading my rifle for a duck the stock broke +in two. In making this little book, I cannot pass the incident<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_114" id="Page_114">[Pg 114]</a></span> by +without a few parting words in memory of my faithful old friend and protector.</p> + +<p>In make and style the gun was known as a Kentucky rifle, with curled +maple stock the entire length of the barrel, underneath which was a +"patch box," set lock, and a brass plate. Since we began to pack I had +carried it continually on my shoulders, exposed to weather and elements, +hot air and desert heat, until the varied exposures had so weakened it +that it broke while being loaded. I had carried it on my shoulders for +such a long time that my shirt and vest became worn through, and the +brass plate, heated by the scorching sun, did a remarkable piece of +pyro-sculpture by burning into my bare shoulders a pair of shoulder +straps that continued with me more than a year.</p> + +<p>Carson valley, through which our route lay, seemed to be twenty or more +miles wide when we first entered it, but it narrowed as it continued +toward the Sierras until it became not more than a mile in width at the +point where it pushed itself far into the mountain range. Upon the +morning of our departure, we were early astir, and, turning to the +right, left the valley that had been to us a Mecca of rest and +replenishment, and entered the<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_115" id="Page_115">[Pg 115]</a></span> Dark Cañon, which is but a few rods +wide, with perpendicular sides of rock so high that daylight seemed to +be dropped down from overhead. Through this cañon flowed a rushing, +roaring torrent of water, and as the bed of the cañon is very steep and +made up mostly of round stones and boulders ranging in size from a +marble to a load of hay, one can imagine something of the difficulties +we had to encounter during the first four miles of our ascent.</p> + +<p>In addition to the well-nigh impassable track, was the most deafening +and distracting accumulation of noises ever heard since the time of +Babel. The water as it roared and rushed and dropped itself from boulder +to boulder, the rattling and banging of empty wagons, the cracking of +the drivers' whips, the shouting of the men, and the repetitions and +reverberations of it all as the high walls caught them up and tossed +them back and forth on their way to the exit, gave an impression that +the cañon was engaged in grand opera with all stops open.</p> + +<p>After spending one entire day here we emerged into what is known as Hope +Valley, and its name in no wise belied its nature. In its quietude we +took a new hold of ourselves, remaining in camp<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_116" id="Page_116">[Pg 116]</a></span> within its enclosure +during the night. The valley is a large estuary or basin upon the first +great bench of the range. Its center seemed to consist of a quagmire, as +one could not walk far out on it and stock could not go at all.</p> + +<p>Some of us took our knives and 'twixt rolling and crawling on our +stomachs, got to where the grass was and cut and brought in enough to +bait our horses and mules.</p> + +<p>We started again at daylight next morning, and as the roads were fairly +good we made twelve miles, which brought us to the shore of Mountain +Lake. The weather here was cold during the night, the water near the +edge of the lake freezing to the thickness of window glass. We were +among quite heavy timber of pine and fir. This place might be called the +second point in line of ascent. About one-half mile distant was the +region of perpetual snow, in full sight, toward which we climbed and +worked most assiduously, the line being very steep and the trail +exceedingly zigzagged. Resting-places were only to be had on the upper +side of the great trees. It was here that a four mule team, hitched to a +splendid carry-all, got started backward down the<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_117" id="Page_117">[Pg 117]</a></span> mountain, the driver +jumping from his seat. The whole outfit going down the mountain end over +end and brought up against a large tree, the vehicle completely wrecked. +The mules landed farther down.</p> + +<p>Arriving at the snow line, we found grass and even flowers growing and +blooming in soil moistened by the melting snow. The notch in the summit +of the mountains through which we had to pass was four miles distant +from this point. The trail leading up was of a circular form, like a +winding stair, turning to the left, and the entire distance was +completely covered with snow, or more properly ice crystals as coarse as +shelled corn, which made the road-bed so hard that a wheel or an +animal's foot scarcely made an impression on it.</p> + +<p>We reached the summit about noon, August 7th, where we halted to rest +and, as did Moses, "to view the landscape o'er." Looking back and down +upon the circular road we could plainly see many outfits of men, +animals, and wagons, as they slowly worked their way up and around the +great circle which we had just completed.</p> + +<p>Thinking we might see the Missouri River or some eastern town from our<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_118" id="Page_118">[Pg 118]</a></span> +great altitude, we looked far out to the east; but the fact was we could +see but a very little way as compared with our view on the plains. On a +point high up on the rocks I spied a flag, which proved to be a section +from a red woolen shirt. Upon going to it I found in a small cavity in +the highest peak a bottle having upon its label the inscription, "Take a +drink and pass on."</p> + +<p>We went down to the edge of the timber on the California side and spent +a night on the hard snow. We had wood for fire, snow for water, and pine +boughs for beds, but no feed for our hungry beasts. Having laid in a +good supply of provisions at Mormon Station, among which was a big sack +of hard bread, we gave the animals a ration apiece of the same, +promising them something better as soon as it could be had. This was our +first night in California, having heretofore been travelling, since +leaving the Missouri River Valley, in the Territory of Nebraska, except +as we passed through a little corner of Oregon, near Ft. Hall.</p> + +<p>After an early breakfast, we left the region of snow and went down among +the timber and into a milder atmosphere. We passed through a place +called Tragedy<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_119" id="Page_119">[Pg 119]</a></span> Springs, whose history, we afterwards learned, was +indicated by its name. Leek Springs was the name of our next stopping +place, which, from its appearance, evidently a favorite resort of all +who passed that way. It so happened, however, that we were the only +parties camping there that night. Realizing that we were very near our +journey's end, we made these last evenings together as pleasant and as +restful as possible. I remember this evening in particular, also the +following morning, when, upon bestirring ourselves, we found that our +sack of hard bread had been eaten and the sack torn to pieces. The +frying pan had been licked clean, and things generally disturbed. Upon +investigation we soon found that the camp had been invaded by two +grizzly bears. They had walked all around us while we slept, evidently +smelling of each one, as was indicated by the large, plain tracks which +they had left, not only in the camp, but across the road also as they +took their departure.</p> + +<p>During the day we had opportunity to buy some hay for our stock, and at +night we made ourselves at home among the heaviest white pine timber I +ever saw. To test the size of the trees, we selected<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_120" id="Page_120">[Pg 120]</a></span> one that was +representative of more than half the trees in that vicinity, and four of +us joined hands and tried to circle the tree, but could not. They were +so large and so near together that it seemed as though more than +one-half of the ground and air was taken up by them. They had only a few +stub branches for a top. Their bodies were as straight and as smooth as +a ship's mast, and so tall that in looking at them one usually had to +throw one's head back twice before seeing their tops.</p> + +<p>The western slope of the Sierras was much more gradual in its descent +than on the eastern side, the former reaching from the summit to the +Valley of the Sacramento, about one hundred miles, while the ascent on +the eastern side, from the leaving of Carson Valley, is about twenty-four miles.</p> + +<p>The travel along here was quiet and easy, and as we had reason to +believe that we were in close proximity to the gold mines, we were +constantly looking out for them. We found a sort of restaurant on the +hillside, where we treated ourselves to sardines and vinegar, coffee and +crackers; and a little later we came upon some men actually engaged in +gold-digging, the first we had ever seen. The place was<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_121" id="Page_121">[Pg 121]</a></span> called Weber +Creek Diggings. There were several Chinamen in the group, who, with +their broad bamboo hats and their incessant chatter, were certainly a +great curiosity to us.</p> + +<p>We passed on and soon came to Diamond Spring Diggings, where we spent +the night under an immense lone tree. The ground was rich with gold +here, and if we had gone to digging and washing the very spot on which +we slept we could all of us have made a snug fortune; but it was not for +us to get rich so quickly.</p> + +<p>This was our last night together, Hangtown, or Placerville, Eldorado +County, as it is to-day, being but a few miles distant. We reached +Hangtown in time for breakfast, after which we all rode up the dividing +ridge, from the top of which we looked down upon the busiest town and +richest mining district in that country.</p> + +<p>The hill was long and steep, and thereby hangs a tale. The saddle had +worked up on my mule's shoulders, which I had not noticed, my mind being +so wholly given to our new surroundings. In a second of time, and with +no admonition whatever, that mule kicked both hind feet into the air, +and I was made to turn a<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_122" id="Page_122">[Pg 122]</a></span> complete somersault over his head landing on +the flat of my back just in front of him. He stopped and looked at me +with a malicious smile in his eye, as much as to say: "We will now quit +even." The breath was knocked out of me. The boys picked me up and +brushed the dirt off, but I never mounted the mule again. We closed our +social relations right there. To think he should be so ungrateful as to +treat me in that way after I had watched over him with so much care and +tenderness! We had swam many a stream together; I had even divided my +bread with him; I had reposed so much confidence in him that many a +night had I slept with the loose end of his lariat tied to my wrist. +When we returned to town I sold both my mule and pony.</p> + +<p>After we had treated ourselves to a bath, shave, haircut, and some new +clothes we started out to prospect for individual interests, and became +separated. Two of the company I have never seen since we parted that +afternoon, August 10, 1852.</p> + +<hr /> + +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_123" id="Page_123">[Pg 123]</a></span></p> + +<h2>CHAPTER XII.</h2> + +<h3><span class="smcap">Each Day Makes its own Paragraphs and Punctuation Marks.</span></h3> + +<div class="block"> +<div class="poem"><div class="stanza"> +<div>"I am dreaming to-night of the days gone by,</div> +<div class="i1">When I camped in the open so free and grand.</div> +</div><div class="stanza"> +<div class="i4">* * * * *</div> +</div><div class="stanza"> +<div>Those days have gone; each passing year</div> +<div class="i1">Has made the buoyant steps grow slow,</div> +<div>But the pictures stay to comfort and cheer</div> +<div class="i1">The days that come and the days that go."</div> +</div></div></div> + +<p>During the preparation of the previous chapters I have once again been +twenty-four years old. Once again I have lived over those five months, +so alternated with lights and shadows, but above which the star of hope +never for a moment lacked luster or definiteness. The entire route from +Monroe, Michigan, to Hangtown, was one great book, having new lessons +and illustrations for each day. Some of them were beautiful beyond +description; others were terrible beyond compare, and so hard to +understand.</p> + +<p>Each day made its own paragraphs and punctuation marks, and how +surprising and unexpected many of them<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_124" id="Page_124">[Pg 124]</a></span> were! Commas would become +semicolons and periods give place to exclamation points, in the most +reckless sort of fashion. The event which had been planned as a period +to a day's doings would often instead become a hyphen, leading into and +connecting us with conditions wholly undreamed of.</p> + +<p>To-day as I look back upon the more than fifty intervening years I +realize that the wealth that I gathered from the wayside of each day's +doings has enriched my whole after-life far beyond the nuggets which I +digged from the mines. Nature never does anything half-heartedly. Her +every lesson, picture, and song is an inspirer and enricher to all who +would learn, look, and listen aright.</p> + +<p>All of our company, excepting the one who still sleeps in his prairie +bed, eventually reached the "promised land." Captain and Mrs. Wadsworth, +then as before, were noted and esteemed for their noble manhood and +womanhood. The Captain in time was made Marshal of Placerville and did +much for the advancement of its interests. Both he and his wife died +after being in California about seven years. Charley Stewart, the young +man with whom I had the midnight tussle,<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_125" id="Page_125">[Pg 125]</a></span> returned to his home in a few +months, dying shortly thereafter. He had made the trip hoping to benefit +his impaired health, but was disappointed in the result. I kept in touch +with several of the others for some time.</p> + +<p>After two years I returned home by way of the Isthmus, when other and +new interests claimed my time and attention, and I would only hear now +and again that one and then another and yet others had left the trail +and passed over the dividing ridge into the land where camps neither +break nor move on.</p> + +<p>The story of our trail has of necessity been told in monologue, as only +I of all the number am here to tell it.</p> + +<p>The pictures upon memory's walls, a few relics, and a golden band upon +my wife's finger, made into a wedding-ring from gold that I myself had +dug, are the links which unite <i>these</i> days to <i>those</i> days.</p> + + + + + + + + +<pre> + + + + + +End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of In the Early Days along the Overland +Trail in Nebraska Territory, in 1852, by Gilbert L. 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Cole + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + +Title: In the Early Days along the Overland Trail in Nebraska Territory, in 1852 + +Author: Gilbert L. Cole + +Release Date: February 25, 2010 [EBook #31384] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ASCII + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK OVERLAND TRAIL *** + + + + +Produced by Martin Pettit and the Online Distributed +Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net (This file was +produced from images generously made available by The +Internet Archive/American Libraries.) + + + + + + +In the Early Days Along the Overland Trail in +Nebraska Territory, in 1852. + +BY + +GILBERT L. COLE, + +1905. + +COMPILED BY MRS. A. HARDY. + +Press of +FRANKLIN HUDSON PUBLISHING COMPANY, +KANSAS CITY, MO. + + +[Illustration: GILBERT L. COLE.] + + +COPYRIGHT, 1905, +BY GILBERT L. COLE, +BEATRICE, NEB. + + + + +TESTIMONIALS. + + +A true story plainly told, of immense historical value and fascinating +interest from beginning to end. + +DR. GEO. W. CROFTS, +Beatrice, Nebraska. + + +I have read every word of "In the Early Days," written by Mr. Gilbert L. +Cole, with great interest and profit. The language is well chosen, the +word-pictures are vivid, and the subject-matter is of historic value. +The story is fascinating in the extreme, and I only wished it were +longer. The story should be printed and distributed for the people in +general to read. + +July 27, 1905. +C. A. FULMER, +_Superintendent of Public Schools_, +Beatrice, Neb. + + +At a single sitting, with intense interest, I have read the manuscript +of "In the Early Days." It is a very entertaining narrative of +adventure, a vivid portrayal of conditions and an instructive history of +events as they came into the personal experience and under the +observation of the writer fifty-three years ago. An exceedingly valuable +contribution to the too meager literature of a time so near in years, +but so distant in conditions as to make the truth about it seem +stranger than fiction. + +REV. N. A. MARTIN, +_Pastor, Centenary M. E. Church_, +Beatrice, Neb. + + +NEBRASKA STATE HISTORICAL SOCIETY. +LINCOLN, Nebraska, July 28, 1905. + +_To whom it may concern_: The manuscript account of the overland trip by +Mr. Gilbert L. Cole of Beatrice, Nebraska, in my opinion is a very +carefully written story of great interest to the whole public, and +particularly to Nebraskans. It reads like a novel, and the succession of +adventures holds the interest of the reader to the end. The records of +trips across the Nebraska Territory as early as this one are very +incomplete, and Mr. Cole has done a real public service in putting into +print so complete a record of these experiences. I predict that it will +find a wide circulation among lovers of travel and of Nebraska history. + +Very sincerely, + +JAY AMOS BARRETT, +_Curator and Librarian Nebraska +State Historical Society_, + +Author of "Nebraska and the Nation"; +"Civil Government of Nebraska." + + +EXECUTIVE CHAMBER, +LINCOLN, Nebraska, July 28, 1905. + +_To whom it may concern_: It gives me great pleasure to say that the +publication, "In the Early Days," written by Mr. Gilbert L. Cole, of +Beatrice, Nebraska, is a very interesting and profitable work to read. +It bears upon many subjects of great historical value and no doubt will +prove a very interesting book to all who read it and I take pleasure in +recommending the same. + +Very respectfully, +JOHN H. MICKEY, +_Governor_. + + +_To whom it may concern_: It is with pleasure I write a few words of +commendation for the book written by Mr. Gilbert L. Cole, of Beatrice, +Nebraska, entitled "In the Early Days." It is well prepared and full of +interest from beginning to the end. It is of great value to every +Nebraskan. + +_July 28, 1905._ +D. L. THOMAS, +_Pastor Grace M. E. Church_, +Lincoln, Neb. + + +An interesting, thrilling and delightful bit of prairie history hitherto +unwritten and unsung, which most opportunely and completely supplies a +missing link in the stories of the great Westland. + +MRS. A. HARDY, +_President Beatrice Woman's Club_, +Beatrice, Neb. + + +BEATRICE, NEB., July 30, 1905. + +I have just read "In the Early Days," by Col. G. L. Cole, and I find it +an interesting and instructive narrative, clothed in good diction and +pleasing style. Few of the Argonauts took time or trouble to make note +of the events of their journey and our California gold episode is +remarkably barren of literature, a fact which makes Col. Cole's book +doubly interesting and valuable. + +M. T. CUMMINGS + + + + +CONTENTS. + +CHAPTER I.--Setting up Altars of Remembrance, 13 + +CHAPTER II.--"God Could Not Be Everywhere, +and so He Made Mothers," 23 + +CHAPTER III.--"But Somewhere the Master +Has a Counterpart of Each," 32 + +CHAPTER IV.--Our Prairies are a Book +Whose Pages Hold Many Stories, 41 + +CHAPTER V.--A Worthy Object Reached For +and Missed is a First Step Toward Success, 51 + +CHAPTER VI.--"'Tis Only a Snowbank's Tears, I Ween," 58 + +CHAPTER VII.--We Stepped Over the Ridge +and Courted the Favor of New and Untried Waters, 67 + +CHAPTER VIII.--We Had No Flag to Unfurl, +but Its Sentiment Was Within Us, 77 + +CHAPTER IX.--We Listened to Each Other's +Rehearsals, and Became Mutual Sympathizers +and Encouragers, 87 + +CHAPTER X.--Boots and Saddles Call, 98 + +CHAPTER XI.--"But All Comes Right in the End," 108 + +CHAPTER XII.--Each Day Makes Its Own +Paragraphs and Punctuation Marks, 123 + + + + +INTRODUCTORY. + + +If one is necessary, the only apology I can offer for presenting this +little volume to the public is that it may serve to record for time to +come some of the adventures of that long and wearisome journey, together +with my impressions of the beautiful plains, mountains and rivers of the +great and then comparatively unknown Territory of Nebraska. They were +presented to me fresh from the hand of Nature, in all their beauty and +glory. And by reference to the daily journal I kept along the trail, the +impressions made upon my mind have remained through these long years, +bright and clear. + +THE AUTHOR. + + + + +IN THE EARLY DAYS ALONG THE OVERLAND TRAIL IN NEBRASKA TERRITORY, +IN 1852. + + + + +CHAPTER I. + +SETTING UP ALTARS OF REMEMBRANCE. + + +It has been said that once upon a time Heaven placed a kiss upon the +lips of Earth and therefrom sprang the fair State of Nebraska. + +It was while the prairies were still dimpling under this first kiss that +the events related in this little volume became part and parcel of my +life and experience, as gathered from a trip made across the continent +in the morning glow of a territory now occupying high and honorable +position in the calendar of States and nations. + +On the 16th day of March, 1852, a caravan consisting of twenty-four men, +one woman (our captain, W. W. Wadsworth being accompanied by his wife), +forty-four head of horses and mules and eight wagons, gathered itself +together from the little city of Monroe, Michigan, and adjacent country, +and, setting its face toward the western horizon, started for the newly +found gold fields of California, where it expected to unloose from the +storage quarters of Nature sufficient of shining wealth to insure peace +and plenty to twenty-five life-times and their dependencies. As is usual +upon such occasions, this March morning departure from home and friends +was a strange commingling of sadness and gladness, of hope and fear, for +in those days whoever went into the regions beyond the Missouri River +were considered as already lost to the world. It was going into the dark +unknown and untried places of earth whose farewells always surrounded +those who remained at home with an atmosphere of foreboding. + +Nothing of importance occurred during our travel through the States, +except the general bad roads, which caused us to make slow progress. +Crossing the Mississippi River at Warsaw, Illinois, we kept along the +northern tier of counties in Missouri, which were heavily timbered and +sparsely settled. Bearing south-west, we arrived at St. Joseph, +Missouri, on the first day of May. + +The town was a collection of one-story, cheap, wooden buildings, located +along the river and Black Snake Hollow. + +The inhabitants appeared to be chiefly French and half-breed Indians. +The principal business was selling outfits to immigrants and trading +horses, mules and cattle. There was one steam ferry-boat, which had +several days crossing registered ahead. + +The level land below the town was the camping-place of our colony. After +two or three days at this point, we drove up to the town of Savannah, +where we laid in new supplies and passed on to the Missouri River, where +we crossed by hand-ferry at Savannah Landing, now called Amazonia. Here +we pressed for the first time the soil of the then unsettled plains of +the great West. Working our way through the heavily timbered bottom, we +camped under the bluffs, wet and weary. + +We remained here over Sunday, it having been decided to observe the +Sabbath days as a time of rest. We usually rested Wednesday afternoons +also. + +Just after crossing the river, we had a number of set-backs; beginning +with the crippling of a wheel while passing through a growth of timber. +As we examined the broken spokes, we realized that they would soon have +to be replaced by new ones, and that the wise thing to do was to provide +for them while in the region of timber; so we stopped, cut jack-oak, +made it into lengths and stored them in the wagon until time and place +were more opportune for wheel-wrighting. This broken wheel proved to be +a hoodoo, as will appear at intervals during the story of the next few +weeks. + +In attempting to cross the slough which lies near to and parallel with +the river for a long distance, my team and wagon, leading the others, no +sooner got fairly on to the slough, which was crusted over, than the +wagon sank in clear to its bed, and the horses sank until they were +resting on their bellies as completely as though they were entirely +without legs. + +And there we were, the longed-for bluffs just before us, and yet as +unapproachable as if they were located in Ireland. A party of campers, +numbering some fifty or seventy-five, who were resting near by, came to +our relief. The horses were extricated, and, after we had carried the +contents of the wagon to the bluff shore, they drew the wagon out with +cow-teams, whose flat, broad hoofs kept them from sinking. Cow-teams +were used quite extensively in those days, being very docile and also +swift walkers. + +Here under the bluffs over-hanging the Missouri, we completed our +organization, for it was not only necessary that every man go armed, but +also each man knew his special duty and place. W. W. Wadsworth, a brave +and noble man, was by common consent made captain. Four men were +detailed each night to stand guard, two till 1 o'clock, when they were +relieved by two others, who served till daylight. + +Monday morning came, and at sunrise we started on the trail that led up +the hollow and on to the great plains of Kansas and Nebraska. The day +was warm and bright and clear. The sight before us was the most +beautiful I had ever seen. Not a tree nor an obstacle was in sight; only +the great rolling sea of brightest green beneath us and the vivid blue +above. I think it must have been just such a scene as this that inspired +a modern writer to pen those expressive and much admired lines: + + + "I'm glad the sky is painted blue + And the grass is painted green, + And a lot of nice fresh air + All sandwiched in between." + + +Sky, air, grass; what an abundance of them! in all the pristine splendor +of fifty-three years ago, was ours upon that spring morning. This, then, +was the land which in later years was called the "Great American +Desert." I have now lived in Nebraska for a quarter of a century and +know whereof I speak when I say that in those days the grass was as +green and luxuriant as it is today; the rivers were fringed with willow +green as they are today; the prairie roses, like pink stars, dotted the +trail sides through which we passed; and, later on, clumps of golden-rod +smiled upon us with their sun-hued faces; the rains fell as they have +been falling all these years, and several kinds of birds sang their +praises of it all. This was "the barren, sandy desert," as I saw it more +than half a hundred years ago. + +Perhaps right here it will be well to ask the reader to bear in mind the +fact that the boundary lines of Nebraska in 1852, were different from +the boundary lines of today. They extended many miles farther south, and +so many miles farther west, that we stepped out of Nebraska on to the +summit of the Sierra Nevada Mountains into California. + +It was at this stage of our journey, that, in going out, very early in +the morning to catch my horse, I noticed ahead of me something sticking +up above the grass. Stepping aside to see what it might be, I found a +new-made grave; just a tiny grave; at its head was the object I had +seen--a bit of board bearing the inscription, + + + "Our only child, + Little Mary." + + +How my heart saddened as I looked upon it! The tiny mound seemed bulging +with buried hopes and happiness as the first rays of a new sun fell +across it, for well I knew that somewhere on the trail ahead of us there +were empty arms, aching hearts, and bitter longings for the baby who was +sleeping so quietly upon the bosom of the prairie. + +The first Indians we saw were at Wolf Creek, where they had made a +bridge of logs and brush, and charged us fifty cents per wagon to pass +over it. We paid it and drove on, coming northwest to the vicinity of +the Big Blue River, at a point near where Barneston, Gage County, is now +located. + +As a couple of horsemen, a comrade and myself, riding in advance, came +suddenly to the Big Blue, where, on the opposite bank stood a party of +thirty or forty Indians. We fell back, and when the train came up a +detail was made of eight men to drive the teams and the other sixteen +were to wade the river, rifles in hand. + +In making preparations to ford the river, Captain Wadsworth, as a +precaution of safety, placed his wife in the bottom of their wagon-bed, +and piled sacks of flour around her as a protection in case of a fight. + +Being one of the skirmish line, I remember how cold and blue the water +was, and that it was so deep as to come into our vest pockets. We walked +up to the Indians and said "How," and gave some presents of copper cents +and tobacco. We soon saw that they were merely looking on to see us ford +the stream. They were Pawnees, and were gaily dressed and armed with +bows and arrows. We passed several pipes among them, and, seeing that +they were quiet, the train was signalled, and all came through the ford +without any mishap, excepting, that the water came up from four to six +inches in the wagon-bed, making the ride extremely hazardous and +uncomfortable for Mrs. Wadsworth, who was necessarily drawn through the +water in an alarming and nerve-trying manner. But she was one of the +bravest of women, and in this instance, as in many others of danger and +fatigue before we reached our journey's end, she displayed such courage +and good temper, as to win the admiration of all the company. The sacks +of flour and other contents of the wagons were pretty badly wet, and, +after we were again on the open prairie, we bade the Indians good-bye, +and all hands proceeded to dismount the wagons, and spread their +contents on the grass to dry. + +An "Altar of remembrance," is sure to be established at each of these +halting places along life's trail. A company of kin-folk and +neighbor-folk hitting the trail simultaneously, having a common goal and +actuated by common interests, are drawn wonderfully close together by +the varied incidents and conditions of the march, and, at the spots +thus made sacred, memory never fails to halt, as in later life it makes +its rounds up and down the years. Not fewer in number than the stars, +which hang above them at night, are the altars of remembrance, which +will forever mark the line of immigration and civilization from east to +west across our prairie country. + + + + +CHAPTER II. + +"GOD COULD NOT BE EVERYWHERE AND SO HE MADE MOTHERS." + + +We now moved on in the direction of Diller and Endicott, where we joined +the main line of immigration coming through from St. Joe, and, crossing +the Big Blue where Marysville, Kansas, is located, we were soon coming +up the Little Blue, passing up on the east side, and about one-half mile +this side of Fairbury. + +Our trail now lay along the uplands through the day, where we could see +the long line of covered wagons, sometimes two or three abreast, drawing +itself in its windings like a huge white snake across this great sea of +rolling green. This line could be seen many miles to the front and rear +so far that the major portion of it seemed to the observer to be +motionless. + +This immense concourse of travellers was self-divided into trail +families or travelling neighborhoods, as it were; and while each party +was bound together by local ties of friendship and affection, there +still ran through the entire procession a chord of common interest and +sympathy, a something which, in a sense, made the whole line kin. This +fact was most touchingly exemplified one day in the region of the Blue. + +I was driving across a bad slough, close behind a man who belonged to +another party, from where I did not know. Himself, wife and little +daughter lived in the covered wagon he was driving. The piece of ground +was an unusually bad one, and both his wagon and mine being heavily +loaded, we stopped as soon as we had pulled through, in order that the +horses might rest; our wagons standing abreast and about ten or twelve +feet apart. In the side of his wagon cover next to me was a flap-door, +which, the day being fine, was fastened open. As we sat our loads and +exchanged remarks, his little girl, a beautiful child, apparently three +or four years old, came from the recesses of the wagon-home, and +standing in the opening of the door, looked coyly and smilingly out at +her father and myself. She made a beautiful picture, with her curls and +dimples, and, as I didn't know any baby talk at that time, I playfully +snapped my fingers at her. The thought of moving on evidently came to +the father very suddenly, for, without any preliminary symptoms and not +realizing that the little one was standing so nearly out of the door, he +swung his long whip, and, as it cracked over the horses' backs, they +gave a sudden lurch, throwing the little girl out of the door and +directly in front of the hind wheel of the heavily laden wagon, which, +in an instant had passed over the child's body at the waist line, the +pretty head and hands reaching up on one side of the wheel, and the feet +on the other, as the middle was pressed down into the still boggy soil. +The little life was snuffed out in the twinkling of an eye. The mother, +seeing her darling fall, jumped from the door, and such excruciating +sobs of agony I hope never to hear again. But why say it in that way +when I can hear them still, even as I write? It seemed but a moment of +time till men and women were gathered about the wagon, helping to gather +the crushed form from the prairie, and giving assistance and sympathy in +such measure and earnestness as verified the truth of the words, "A +touch of sorrow makes the whole world kin." + +When started again, the trail soon led to a stream, called the Big +Sandy; I believe it is in the northwest part of Fillmore County, where, +about nine o'clock, A. M., we were suddenly alarmed by the unearthly +whoops and yells of one hundred or more Indians (Pawnees), all mounted +and riding up and down across the trail on the open upland opposite us, +about a good rifle shot distant. + +Our company was the only people there. A courier was immediately sent +back for reinforcements. We hastily put our camp in position of defense +(as we had been drilled) by placing our wagons in a circle with our +stock and ourselves inside. The Indians constantly kept up their noise, +and rode up and down, brandishing their arms at us, and every minute we +thought they would make a break for us. + +We soon had recruits mounted and well armed coming up, when our Captain +assumed command, and all were assigned to their positions. This was kept +up until about four P. M., when we decided that our numbers would +warrant us in making a forward movement. + +As a preliminary, skirmishers were ordered forward toward the creek, +through some timber and underbrush, I being one of them. My pardner and +I, coming to the creek first, discovered an empty whiskey barrel, and +going a little farther into the brush, discovered two tents. Creeping +carefully up to them, we heard groans as of some one in great pain. +Peeping through a hole in the tent we saw two white men, who, on +entering the tent, we learned were badly wounded by knife and bullet. +From them we learned the following facts, which caused all our fear and +trouble of the morning: The two white men were post-keepers at that +point, and, of course, had whiskey to sell. Two large trains had camped +there the night before; the campers got on a drunk, quarreled, and had a +general fight, during which the post-keepers were wounded. On the trail +over where the Indians were, some immigrants were camped, and a guard +had been placed at the roadside. One of the Indians, hearing the noise +down at the post, started out to see what was going on. Coming along the +trail, the guard called to him to halt, but as he did not do so the +guard fired, killing him on the spot. The campers immediately hitched up +and moved on. Later the dead Indian was found by the other Indians lying +in the road. It was this that aroused their anger and kept us on the +ragged edge for several hours. + +The Indians all rode off as we approached them, and as the trail was now +clear our train moved ahead, travelling all night and keeping out all +the mounted ones as front and rear guards. + +We now come to the "last leaving of the Little Blue," and pass on to the +upland without wood or water, thirty-three miles east of Ft. Kearney, +leading to the great Platte Valley. + +Meanwhile my broken wheel had completely collapsed. Having a kit of +tools with me, I set about shaping spokes out of the oak wood gathered +several days before. While I was doing this others of the men rode a +number of miles in search of fuel with which to make a fire to set the +tire. It was nearly night and in a drizzling rain when we came to the +line of the reservation. A trooper, sitting on his horse, informed us +that we would have to keep off of the reservation or else go clear +through if once we started. This meant three or four miles' further ride +through the darkness and rain, and so we camped right there, without +supper or even fire to make some coffee. We hitched up in the morning +and drove into the Fort, where we were very kindly treated by the +commanding officer, whose name, I think, was McArthur. He tendered us a +large room with tables, pen and ink, paper and "envelope paper," where +we wrote the first letters home from Nebraska, which, I believe, were +all received with much joy. The greater part of the troops were absent +from the Fort on a scout. + +After buying a few things we had forgotten to bring with us and getting +rested, we moved on our journey again, going up on the south side of the +Platte River. + +Before leaving this region I want to speak of the marvelous beauty of +the Platte River islands, a magnificent view of which could be had from +the bluffs. Looking out upon the long stretch of river either way were +islands and islands of every size whatever, from three feet in diameter +to those which contained miles of area, resting here and there in the +most artistic disregard of position and relation to each other, the +small and the great alike wearing its own mantle of sheerest +willow-green. There are comparatively few of these island beauty spots +in the whole wide world. When the Maker of the universe gathered up his +emeralds and then dropped them with careless hand upon a few of earth's +waters. He wrought nowhere a more beautiful effect than in the Platte +islands of Nebraska. It was well that at this point we had an extra +amount of kindness tendered us and so much unusual beauty to look upon, +for a great sorrow was about to come upon us. + +Just as we were leaving the Little Blue, thirty-three miles back, one of +our party, Robert Nelson, became ill, and in spite of the best nursing +and treatment that the company could give he rapidly grew worse, and it +soon became evident that his disease was cholera, which was already +quite prevalent thereabout. Mrs. Wadsworth, that most excellent woman, +gave to him her special care, taking him into the tent occupied by +herself and husband, which, in fact, was the only tent in the outfit. It +was Lew Wallace who once said that "God couldn't be everywhere, and so +He made mothers." Our captain's wife was a true mother to the sick boy, +but she couldn't save him. At 3 o'clock Sunday afternoon, May 27th, +about sixty miles beyond Kearney, his soul passed on, and we were bowed +under our first bereavement. We dug his grave in the sand a little way +off the trail. We wrapped his blanket about him and sewed it, and at +sunrise Monday morning laid him to rest. The end-gate from my wagon had +been shaped into a grave-board and, with his name cut upon it, was +planted to mark his resting-place. It was a sorrowful little company +that performed these last services for one who was beloved by all. + +Just before dying, Robert had requested that his grave might be covered +with willow branches, and so a comrade and myself rode our horses out to +one of the islands and brought in big bunches of willows and tucked them +about him, as he had desired. + +Truly our prairies have been a stage upon which much more of tragedy +than of comedy has been enacted. + + + + +CHAPTER III. + +"BUT SOMEWHERE THE MASTER HAS A COUNTERPART OF EACH." + + +"O Lord Almighty, aid Thou me to see my way more clear. I find it hard +to tell right from wrong, and I find myself beset with tangled wires. O +God, I feel that I am ignorant, and fall into many devices. These are +strange paths wherein Thou hast set my feet, but I feel that through Thy +help and through great anguish, I am learning." + +This modern prayer, as prayed by the hero of a modern tale, would have +fitted most completely into the spirit and conditions prevailing in our +camp on a certain morning in early June, 1852, as we were completing +arrangements preparatory to the extremely dangerous crossing of the +Platte River, owing to its treacherous quicksand bottom. + +Despite the old proverb, "Never cross a bridge till you get to it," we +had, because of the very absence of a bridge, been running ahead of +ourselves during the entire trip, to make the dreaded crossing over +this deceptive and gormandizing stream. We had now caught up with our +imaginings and found them to be realities. There was not much joshing +among the boys that morning as we made the rounds of the horses and +wagons and saw that every buckle and strap and gear was in the best +possible condition, for to halt in the stream to adjust a mishap would +mean death. "Once started, never stop," was the ominous admonition of +the hour. + +About 9 o'clock, all things being in readiness, two of us were sent out +to wade across the river and mark the route by sticking in the sand long +willow branches, with which we were laden for that purpose. The route +staked, we returned and the train lined up. It need not require any +great feat of imagination on the part of the reader to hear how +dirge-like the first hoofs and wheels sounded as they parted the waters +and led the way. Every man except the drivers waded alongside the horses +to render assistance if it should be required. Mrs. Wadsworth was +remarkably brave, sitting her wagon with white, but calm face. Scarcely +a word was spoken during the entire crossing, which occupied about +twenty-five minutes. We passed on the way the remains of two or three +wagons standing on end and nearly buried in the sand. They were grewsome +reminders of what had been, as well as of what might be. But without a +halt or break, we drove clear through and on to dry land. To say that we +all felt happy at seeing the crossing behind us does not half express +our feelings. The nervous strain had been terrible, and at no time in +our journey had we been so nearly taxed to the utmost. One man dug out a +demijohn of brandy from his traps and treated all hands, remarking, +"That the success of that undertaking merits something extraordinary." + +The crossing was made at the South Fork of the Platte, immediately where +it flows into the main river. What is now known as North Platte and +South Platte was then known as North Fork and South Fork of Platte +River. + +It was at the South Fork and just before we crossed that I shot and +killed my first buffalo. It was also very early in the morning, and +while I was still on guard duty. A bunch of five of them came down to +the river to drink, buffalo being as plentiful in that region, and time, +as domestic cattle are here today. My first shot only wounded the +creature, who led me quite a lively chase before I succeeded in killing +him. We soon had his hide off, and an abundance of luscious, juicy steak +for breakfast. I remember that we sent some to another company that was +camping not far distant. This was our first and last fresh meat for many +a day. + +A few days after this an incident occurred in camp that bordered on the +tragic, but finally ended in good feeling. My guard mate, named Charley +Stewart, and myself were the two youngest in the company, and, being +guards together, were great friends. He was a native of Cincinnati, well +educated, and had a fund of stories and recitations that he used to get +off when we were on guard together. This night we were camped on the +side of some little hills near some ravines. The moon was shining, but +there were dark clouds occasionally passing, so that at times it was +quite dark. It was near midnight and we would be relieved in an hour. We +had been the "grand rounds" out among the stock, and came to the nearest +wagon which was facing the animals that were picketed out on the slope. +Stewart was armed with a "Colt's Army," while I had a double-barreled +shot-gun, loaded with buckshot. I was sitting on the double-tree, on the +right side of the tongue, which was propped up with the neck-yoke. +Stewart sat on the tongue, about an arm's length ahead of me, I holding +my gun between my knees, with the butt on the ground. Stewart was +getting off one of his stories, and, had about reached the climax, when +I saw something running low to the ground, in among the stock. Thinking +it was an Indian, on all fours, to stampede the animals, I instantly +leveled my gun, and, as I was following it to an opening in the herd, my +gun came in contact with Stewart's face at the moment of discharge, +Stewart falling backward, hanging to the wagon-tongue by his legs and +feet. My first thought was that I had killed him. He recovered in a +moment, and began cursing and calling me vile names; accusing me of +attempting to murder him, etc. During these moments, in his frenzy, he +was trying to get his revolver out from under him, swearing he would +kill me. Taking in the situation, I dropped my gun, jumped over the +wagon tongue, as he was getting on to his feet, and engaged in what +proved to be a desperate fight for the revolver. We were both sometimes +struggling on the ground, then again on our knees, he repeatedly +striking me in the face and elsewhere, still accusing me of trying to +murder him. As I had no chance to explain things, the struggle went on. +Finally I threw him, and held him down until he was too much exhausted +to continue the fight any longer, and, having wrested the revolver from +him, I helped him to his feet. In trying to pacify him, I led him out to +where the object ran that I had fired at, and there lay the dead body of +a large gray wolf, with several buckshot holes in his side. + +Stewart was speechless. Looking at the wolf, and then at me, he suddenly +realized his mistake, and repeatedly begged my pardon. We agreed never +to mention the affair to any one in the company. Taking the wolf by the +ears, we dragged him back to the wagon, where I picked up my gun, and +gave Stewart his revolver. I have often thought what would have been the +consequence of that shot, had I not killed the wolf. + +Along in this vicinity, the bluff comes down to the river, and, +consequently, we had to take to the hills, which were mostly deep sand, +making heavy hauling. This trail brought us into Ash Hollow, a few miles +from its mouth. Coming down to where it opened out on the Platte, about +noon, we turned out for lunch. Here was a party of Sioux Indians, camped +in tents made of buffalo skins. They were friendly, as all of that tribe +were that summer. This is the place where General Kearney, several years +later, had a terrific battle with the same tribe, which was then on the +war-path along this valley. + +My hoodoo wheel had recently been giving me trouble. The spokes that I +made of green oak, having become dry and wobbly, I had been on the +outlook for a cast-off wheel, that I might appropriate the spokes. Hence +it was, that, after luncheon I took my rifle, and started out across the +bottom, where, within a few rods of the river, and about a half a mile +off the road which turned close along the bluff, I came upon an old +broken-down wagon, almost hidden in the grass. Taking the measure of the +spokes, I found to my great joy, that they were just the right size and +length. Looking around, I saw the train moving on, at a good pace, +almost three-quarters of a mile away. I was delayed some time in getting +the wheel off the axle-tree. Succeeding at last, I fired my rifle +toward the train, but no one looked around, all evidently supposing that +I was on ahead. + +It was an awful hot afternoon, and I was getting warmed up myself. I +reloaded my rifle, looked at the receding train, and made up my mind to +have that wheel if it took the balance of the day to get it into camp. I +started by rolling it by hand, then by dragging it behind me, then I ran +my rifle through the hub and got it up on my shoulder, when I moved off +at a good pace. The sun shining hot, soon began to melt the tar in the +hub, which began running down my back, both on the inside and outside of +my clothes, as well as down along my rifle. I finally got back to the +road, very tired, stopping to rest, hoping a wagon would come along to +help me out, but not one came in sight that afternoon. In short, I +rolled, dragged and carried that wheel; my neck, shoulders and back +daubed over with tar, until the train turned out to camp, when, I being +missed, was discovered away back in the road with my wheel. When relief +came to me, I was nearly tired out with my exertions, and want of water +to drink. + +Some of the men set to work taking the wheel apart and fitting the +spokes and getting the wheel ready to set the tire. Others had collected +a couple of gunny-sacks full of the only fuel of the Platte Valley, +viz., "buffalo-chips," and they soon had the job completed. The boys +nearly wore themselves out, laughing and jeering at me, saying they were +sorry they had no feathers to go with the tar, and calling me a variety +of choice pet names. + +The wheel, when finished and adjusted, proved to be the best part of the +wagon, and, better than all else, had provided a season of mirth to the +whole company, which, considering the all too serious environments of +our march, was really a much needed tonic and diversion. + +We learned so many wonderful lessons in those days, lessons that have +never been made into books. We learned from nature; we learned from +animal nature; we learned from human nature; and where are they who +studied from the same page as did I? So often and so completely have the +slides been changed, that among all the faces now shown by life's +stereopticon, mine alone remains of the original twenty-five, of the +trail of '52. But somewhere the Master has a counterpart of each. + + + + +CHAPTER IV. + +OUR PRAIRIES ARE A BOOK, WHOSE PAGES HOLD MANY STORIES. + + +We have just been passing through an extremely interesting portion of +Nebraska, a portion which today is known as Western Nebraska, where +those wonderful formations, Scott's Bluff, Courthouse Rock and Chimney +Rock, are standing now, even as they did in the early '50's. Courthouse +Rock a little way off really looked a credit to its name. It was a huge +affair, and, in its ragged, irregular outline, seemed to impart to the +traveller a sense of protection and fair dealing. + +Scott's Bluff was an immense formation, and sometime during its history +nature's forces had cleft it in two parts, making an avenue through its +center at least one hundred feet wide, through which we all passed, as +the trail led through instead of around the bluff. + +Chimney Rock in outline resembled an immense funnel. The whole thing was +at least two hundred feet in height, the chimney part, starting about +midway, was about fifty feet square; its top sloped off like the roof +of a shanty. Beginning at the top, the chimney was split down about one +quarter of its length. On the perpendicular part of this rock a good +many names had been cut by men who had scaled the base, and, reaching as +far on to the chimney as they could, cut their names into its surface. +So clear was the atmosphere that when several miles distant we could see +the rock and men who looked like ants as they crept and crawled up its +sides. + +As one stops to decipher the inscriptions upon this boulder the sense of +distance is entirely lost, and the traveller finds himself trying to +compare it with that other obelisk in Central Park, New York. As he +thinks about them, the truth comes gradually to him that there can be no +comparison, since the one is a masterpiece from the hand of Nature and +the other is but a work of art. + +These formations are not really rock, but of a hard marle substance, and +while each is far remote from the others, the same colored strata is +seen in all of them, showing conclusively that once upon a time the +surface of the ground in that region was many feet higher than it was +in 1852 or than it is today, and that by erosion or upheaval large +portions of the soil were displaced and carried away, these three chunks +remaining intact and as specimens of conditions existing many centuries +ago. + +I have been through the art galleries of our own country and through +many of those in Europe; I have seen much of the natural scenery in the +Old World as well as in the New; but not once have I seen anything which +surpassed in loveliness and grandeur the pictures which may be seen +throughout Nature's gallery in Nebraska and through which the trail of +'52 led us. Landscapes, waterscapes, rocks, and skies and atmosphere +were here found in the perfection of light, shadow, perspective, color, +and effect. Added to these fixed features were those of life and +animation, contributed by herds of buffalo grazing on the plains, here +and there a bunch of antelope galloping about, and everywhere wolf, +coyote, and prairie dog, while a quaint and picturesque charm came from +the far-reaching line of covered wagons and the many groups of campers, +each with its own curl of ascending smoke, which, to the immigrant, +always indicated that upon that particular patch of ground, for that +particular time, a home had been established. + +In this connection I find myself thinking about the various modes of +travel resorted to in those primitive days, when roads and bridges as we +have them today were still far in the future. The wagons were generally +drawn by cattle teams, from two to five yokes to the wagon. The number +of wagons would be all the way from one to one hundred. The larger +trains were difficult to pass, as they took up the road for so long a +distance that sometimes we would move on in the night in order to get +past them. Among the smaller teams we would frequently notice that one +yoke would be of cows, some of them giving milk right along. The cattle +teams as a rule started out earlier in the morning and drove later at +night than did the horse and mule teams; hence, we would sometimes see a +certain train for two or three days before we would have an opportunity +to get ahead of them. This was the cause of frequent quarrels among +drivers of both cattle and horse teams; the former being largely in the +majority and having the road, many of them seemed to take delight in +keeping the horse teams out of the road and crowding them into narrow +places. These little pleasantries were indulged in generally by people +from Missouri, as many of them seemed to think their State covered the +entire distance to California. + +As to classes and conditions constituting the immigration, they might be +divided up somewhat as follows: There were the proprietors or partners, +owners of the teams and outfits; then there were men going along with +them who had bargained with the owners before leaving home, some for a +certain amount paid down, some to work for a certain time or to pay a +certain amount at the journey's end. This was to pay for their grub and +use of tents and wagons. These men were also to help drive and care for +the stock, doing their share of camp and guard duty. There were others +travelling with a single pack animal, loaded with their outfits and +provisions. These men always travelled on foot. Then there were some +with hand-carts, others with wheelbarrows, trudging along and making +good time. Occasionally we would see a man with a pack like a knapsack +on his back and a canteen strapped on to him and a long cane in either +hand. These men would just walk away from everybody. A couple of +incidents along here will serve to show how these conditions sometimes +worked. + +We were turned into camp one evening, and as we were getting supper +there came along a man pushing a light handcart, loaded with traps and +provisions, and asked permission to camp with us, which was readily +granted. He was a stout, hearty, good-natured fellow, possessed of a +rich Irish accent, and in the best of humor commenced to prepare his +supper. Just about this time there came into camp another lone man, +leading a diminutive donkey, not much larger than a good-sized sheep. +The donkey, on halting, gave us a salute that simply silenced the +ordinary mule. The two men got acquainted immediately, and by the time +their supper was over they had struck a bargain to put their effects +together by way of hitching the donkey to the cart, and so move on +together. They made a collar for the donkey out of gunny-sack, and we +gave them some rope for traces. Then, taking off the hand-bar of the +cart, they put the donkey into the shafts and tried things on by leading +it around through the camp till it was time to turn in. + +Everything went first-rate, and they were so happy over their +transportation prospects that they scarcely slept during the whole +night. In the morning they were up bright and early, one making the +coffee and the other oiling the iron axle-trees and packing the cart. +Starting out quite early, they bade us goodby with hearty cheer, saying +they would let the folks in California know that we were coming, etc. +About 10 o'clock we came to a little narrow creek, the bottom being miry +and several feet below the surface of the ground. There upon the bank +stood the two friends who had so joyously bidden us goodby only a few +hours before. The cart was a wreck, with one shaft and one spindle +broken. It appeared that the donkey had got mired in crossing the creek +and in floundering about had twisted off the shaft and broken one of the +wheels. We left them there bewailing their misfortune and blaming each +other for the carelessness which worked the mishap. We never saw them +again. + +This incident is an illustration of those cases where a man obtained his +passage by contributing something to the outfit and working his way +through. There were quite a number of this class, they having no +property rights in the train. + +At the usual time we turned in for dinner near by a camp of two or three +wagons. On the side of one wagon was a doctor's sign, who, we afterwards +learned, was the proprietor of the train. As we were quietly eating and +resting we suddenly heard some one cursing and yelling in the other +camp, and saw two men, one the hired man and the other the doctor, the +latter being armed with a neck-yoke and chasing the hired man around the +wagon, and both running as fast as they could. They had made several +circuits, the doctor striking at the man with all his might at each +turn, when some of us went over to try to stop the fight. Just at this +point, the hired man, as he turned the rear of the wagon, whipped out an +Allen revolver and turning shot the doctor in the mouth, the charge +coming out nearly under the ear. The doctor and the neckyoke struck the +ground about the same time. His eyes were blinded by powder and he had +the appearance of being dangerously if not fatally wounded. Everybody +was more or less excited except the hired man. From expressions all +around in both trains, the hired man seemed to have the most friends. +There were many instances of this kind, though none quite so tragic, the +quarrels usually arising from the owner of the wagons constantly +brow-beating and finding fault with the hired man. + +Again I saw an instance where two men were equal partners all around, in +four horses, harness and wagon. They seemed to have quarreled so much +that they agreed to divide up and quit travelling together. They divided +up their horses and provisions, and then measured off the wagon-bed and +sawed it in two parts, also the reach, and then flipped a copper cent to +see which should have the front part of the wagon. After the division +they each went to work and fixed up his part of the wagon as best he +could, and drove on alone. + +The entire trip from Monroe, Michigan, our starting-point, to Hangtown, +the point of landing in California, covered 2,542 miles, and we were +five months, lacking six days, in making it. Today the same trip can be +made in a half week, with every comfort and luxury which money and +invention can provide. There is probably nothing that marks the progress +of civilization more distinctly than do the perfected modes and +conveniences of travel. It is strange, but true, however, that so long +as our prairies shall stretch themselves from river to ocean the imprint +of the overland trail can never be obliterated. Today, after a lapse of +over fifty years, whoever passes within seeing distance of the old trail +can, upon the crest of grain and grass, note its serpentine windings, as +marked by a light and sickly color of green. I myself have followed it +from a car-window as traced in yellow green upon an immense field of +growing corn. No amount of cultivation can ever restore to that +long-trodden path its pristine vigor and productiveness. + + + Our prairies are a book, + Whose pages hold many stories + Writ by many people. + Tragedy, comedy, pathos, + Love and valor, duly + Punctuated by life's + Rests and stops, + Whose interest shall appeal + To human hearts as long as + Their green cover enfolds them. + + + + +CHAPTER V. + +A WORTHY OBJECT REACHED FOR AND MISSED IS A FIRST STEP TOWARD SUCCESS. + + +Who, among the many persons contributing for a wage, to the convenience +of everyday life in these latter times, is more waited and watched for, +and brings more of joy, and more of sorrow when he comes, than the +postman. + +In the days of trailing, our post accommodations were extremely few and +very far between. There were no mailing points, except at the government +forts, Fort Kearney and Laramie being the only two on the entire trip, +soldiers carrying the mail to and from the forts either way. After +leaving Fort Kearney, the next mailing point east, was Fort Laramie. + +Before leaving home, I had been entrusted with a package of letters by +Hon. Isaac P. Christiancy, from his wife, to her brother, James +McClosky, who had been on the plains some fourteen years, and who was +supposed to be living near Fort Laramie. When within a couple of days' +drive of the fort we came to a building which proved to be a store, and +which was surrounded by several wigwams. Upon halting and going into the +store, we found ourselves face to face with the man we were wanting to +meet, Mr. McClosky. He was glad to see us, and overjoyed to receive the +package of letters. He stepped out of doors and gave a whoop or two, and +immediately Indians began to come in from all directions. He ordered +them to take our stock out on the ranch, feed and guard it, and bring it +in in the morning. He treated us generously to supper and breakfast, +including many delicacies to which we had long been strangers. In +consideration of my bringing the letters to him, he invited me to sleep +in his store, and, in the morning, introduced me to his Indian wife and +two sons, also, to several other women who were engaged in an adjoining +room, in cutting and making buckskin coats, pants and moccasins, +presenting me with an elegant pair of the latter. His wife was a bright +and interesting woman, to whom he was deeply attached. His two boys were +bright, manly fellows, the oldest of whom, about ten years old, was soon +to be taken to St. Joe or Council Bluffs and placed in school. + +At an early hour in the morning, the Indians brought in the stock, in +fine condition, and we hitched up and bade our host goodbye. He sent +word to his sister at home, and seemed much affected at our parting. +This was the first morning when, in starting out, we knew anything about +what was ahead of us; what we would meet, or what the roads and +crossings would be. In fact, every one we saw, were going the same as +ourselves, consequently, all were quite ignorant of what the day might +bring forth. On this morning, we knew the conditions of the roads for +several days ahead, and, that Fort Laramie was thirty-six miles before +us. + +Shortly after going into camp toward sunset, a party of horsemen was +seen galloping toward us, who, on nearer approach, proved to be a band +of ten or twelve Indians. When within about one hundred yards, they +halted and dismounted, each holding his horse. The chief rode up to us, +saluted and dismounted. He was a sharp-eyed young fellow, showing +beneath his blanket the dress-coat of a private soldier and +non-commissioned officer's sword. He gave us to understand that they +were Sioux, and had been on the warpath for some Pawnees, also that they +were hungry and would like to have us give them something to eat. After +assuring him that we would do so, he ordered his men to advance, which +they did after picketing their ponies, coming up and setting themselves +on the grass in a semi-circle. + +We soon noticed that they carried spears made of a straight sword-blade +thrust into the end of a staff. On two or three of the spears were +dangling one or more fresh scalps, on which the blood was yet scarcely +dry. On pointing to them, one of the Indians drew his knife, and taking +a weed by the top, quickly cut it off, saying as he did so, "Pawnees." +His illustration of how the thing was done was entirely satisfactory. + +We gave the grub to the chief, who in turn, handed it out to the men as +they sat on the ground. When through eating, they mounted their ponies, +waved us a salute and were off. + +The balance of the day was spent in writing home letters, which we +expected to deliver on the morrow at the post. + +About 9 o'clock the next morning, we came to Laramie River, near where +it empties into the North Platte, which we crossed on a bridge, the +first one we had seen on the whole route. At this point a road turns +off, leading up to the fort, about one mile distant. Being selected to +deliver the mail, I rode out to the fort, which was made up of a +parade-ground protected by earth-works, with the usual stores, quarters, +barracks, etc., the sutler and post-office being combined. On entering +the sutler's, about the first person I saw was the young leader of the +Indians, who had lunched at our camp the afternoon before. He was now +dressed in the uniform of a soldier, recognizing me as soon as we met +with a grunt and a "How." + +Delivering the mail, I rode out in another direction to intercept the +train. When about one-half mile from the fort I came to a sentinel, +pacing his beat all alone. He was just as neat and clean as though doing +duty at the general's headquarters, with his spotless white gloves, +polished gun, and accoutrements. In a commanding tone of voice, he +ordered me to halt. Asking permission to pass, which was readily +granted, I rode on a couple of miles, when I met some Indians with their +families, who were on the march with ponies, dogs, women, and papooses. + +Long spruce poles were lashed each side of the ponies' necks, the other +ends trailing on the ground. The poles, being slatted across, were made +to hold their plunder or very old people and sometimes the women and +children. The dogs, like the ponies, were all packed with a pole or two +fastened to their necks; the whole making an interesting picture. + +Overtaking the train about noon, we camped at Bitter Cottonwood Creek, +the location being beautifully described by the author of the novel, +"Prairie Flower." + +Our standard rations during these days consisted of hardtack, bacon, and +coffee; of course, varying it as we could whenever we came to a +Government fort. I recall how, on a certain Sunday afternoon, we men +decided to make some doughnuts, as we had saved some fat drippings from +the bacon. Not one of us had any idea as to the necessary ingredients or +the manner of compounding them, but we remembered how doughnuts used to +look and taste at home. So we all took a hand at them, trying to imitate +the pattern as well as our ignorance and poor judgment would suggest. +Well, they looked a trifle peculiar, but we thoroughly enjoyed them, for +they were the first we had since leaving home, and proved to be the +last until we were boarding in California. + +One thing was sure; our outdoor mode of living gave us fine appetites +and a keen relish for almost anything. And then again, persons can +endure almost any sort of privation as long as they can see a gold mine +ahead of them, from which they are sure to fill their pockets with +nuggets of the pure stuff. What a happy arrangement it is on the part of +Providence that not too much knowledge of the future comes to us at any +one time! Just enough to keep us pushing forward and toward the ideal we +have set for ourselves, which, even though we miss it, adds strength to +purpose as well as to muscle. A worthy object reached for and missed is +a first step towards success. + + + + +CHAPTER VI. + +"'TIS ONLY A SNOWBANK'S TEARS, I WEEN." + + +We are now approaching the foot-hills of the Rocky Mountains. The +fertile plains through which we have been passing are being merged into +rocky hills, the level parts being mostly gravelly barrens. The roads +are hard and flinty, like pounded glass, which were making some of the +cattle-teams and droves very lame and foot-sore. When one got so it +could not walk, it was killed and skinned. Other lame ones were lashed +to the side of a heavy wagon, partially sunk in the ground, their lame +foot fastened on the hub of a wheel, when a piece of the raw hide was +brought over the hoof and fastened about the fet-lock, protecting the +hoof until it had time to heal. This mode of veterinary treatment, +although crude, lessened the suffering among the cattle very materially. + +The streams along here, the La Barge, La Bonte, and Deer Creek, were all +shallow with rocky bottoms and excellent water. Here we frequently took +the stock upon the hills at night, where the bunch-grass grows among the +sage brush. This grass, as its name indicates, grows in bunches about a +foot high and about the same in diameter, bearing a profusion of yellow +seeds about the size of a kernel of wheat. This makes excellent feed, +and the stock is very fond of it. + +At this point Mother Nature is gradually changing the old scenes for new +ones. The big brawny mountains with their little ones clustered at their +feet are just before us; while the Platte River, which for many miles +has been our constant companion, will soon be a thing of the past, as we +are close to the crossing, and once over we shall see the river no more. +This river which stretches itself in graceful curves across an entire +State, is one of peculiar construction and characteristics. At a certain +point it is terrifying, even to its best friends. In curve, color, +contour, and graceful foliage, it is a magnificent stretch of beauty; +while as a stream of utility its presence has ever been a benediction to +the country through which it passes. As a tribute to its general +excellence, I place here the beautiful lines (name of author unknown to +me), entitled: + + + IN THE CRADLE OF THE PLATTE. + + A little stream in the canon ran, + In the canon deep and long, + When a stout old oak at its side began + To sing to it this song, + + "Oh, why do you laugh and weep and sing, + And why do you hurry by, + For you're only a noisy little thing, + While a great strong oak am I; + A hundred years I shall stand alone, + And the world will look at me; + While you will bubble and babble on + And die at last in the sea." + + "So proud and lofty," the stream replied, + "You're a king of the forest true; + But your roots were dead and your leaves all dried + Had I not watered you." + + The oak tree rustled its leaves of green + To the little stream below; + "'Tis only a snowbank's tears, I ween, + Could talk to a monarch so. + But where are you going so fast, so fast, + And what do you think to do? + Is there anything in the world at last + For a babbling brook like you?" + + "So fast, so fast,--why should I wait," + The hurrying water said, + "When yonder by the canon gate + The farmer waits for bread?" + + Out on the rainless desert land + My hurrying footsteps go; + I kiss the earth, I kiss the sand, + I make the harvest grow. + + "And many a farmer, when the sky + Has turned to heated brass, + And all the plain is hot and dry, + Gives thanks to see me pass. + By many a sluice and ditch and lane + They lead me left and right, + For it is I who turns the plain + To gardens of delight." + + Then hurrying on, the dashing stream + Into a river grew, + And rock and mountain made a seam + To let its torrent through; + And where the burning desert lay, + A happy river ran; + A thousand miles it coursed its way, + And blessed the homes of man. + + Vain was the oak tree's proud conceit, + Dethroned the monarch lay; + The brook that babbled at its feet + Had washed its roots away. + Still in the canon's heart there springs + The desert's diadem, + And shepherds bless the day that brings + The snow-bank's tears to them. + + +We crossed the river on a ferry-boat that was large enough to hold four +wagons and some saddle-horses. The boat was run by a cable stretched +taut up stream fifteen or twenty feet from the boat. A line from the +bow and stern of the boat connected it with a single block which ran on +the cable. When ready to start, the bow-line was hauled taut, the stern +line slacked off to the proper angle, when, the current passing against +the side of the boat, it was propelled across very rapidly. The river +here was rapid, the water cold and deep, with a strong undercurrent. + +We had to wait nearly a whole day before it came our turn to take our +wagons over. In the meantime we were detailed as follows: Ten men were +selected to get the wagons aboard the boat, cross over with them and +guard them until all were carried over; three or four men were sent +across and up the river to catch and care for the stock as it came out +of the river near a clump of cottonwoods. One of the company, named Owen +Powers, a strong, courageous young man and a good swimmer, volunteered +to ride the lead horse in and across to induce the other animals to +follow, the balance of the company herding them, as they were all loose +near the edge of the river. When everything was ready, Powers stripped +off, and mounting the horse he had selected, rode out into the stream. +The other animals, forty-seven of them followed, and when a few feet +from the shore had to swim. Everything was going all right until Powers +reached the middle of the river, when an undercurrent struck his horse, +laying him over partly on his side. Powers leaned forward to encourage +his horse, when the animal suddenly threw up his head, striking him a +terrible blow squarely in the face. He was stunned and fell off +alongside the horse. It now seemed as though both he and his horse would +be drowned, as all the other stock began to press close up to them. He +soon recovered, however, and as he partially pulled himself on to his +horse, we could plainly see that his face and breast were covered with +blood. We shouted at him words of encouragement, cheering him from both +sides of the river. While his struggling form was hanging to the horse's +mane, the other animals all floundered about him, pulling for the shore +for dear life. The men on the other side were ready to catch him as he +landed, nearly exhausted by his struggles and the blow he had received. +They carried him up the bank and leaned him against a tree, one man +taking care of him while the others caught the animals, or rather +corralled them, until the rest of us got across and went to their +assistance. We brought the young man's clothes with us and fixed him up, +washing him and stanching his bleeding nose and mouth. He had an awful +looking face; his eyes were blackened, nose flattened and mouth cut. +However, he soon revived and was helped by a couple of the men down to +the wagons. We then gathered the stock, went down to the train, hitched +up, and drove into camp. + +We now soon came to the Sweetwater River. The country here is more hilly +and rocky, and the valleys narrower and more barren. The main range of +Wind River Mountains could be plainly seen in the distance, while close +upon our left were the Sweetwater Mountains. The difference in scenery +after leaving the river and plains was such as to awaken new emotions +and fire one with a new kind of admiration. The immensity and fixedness +of the mountains awakened a keener sense of stability, of firmness of +purpose, and a sort of _expect great things and do great things spirit_; +while the sense of beauty appreciation was in no wise narrowed as it +followed the lights and shades of jut and crevice, and the rosy, +scintillating bits of sun as a new day dropped them with leisure hand +upon summit and sides, or later the tender glow of crimson and blue and +gold, as the gathered sun-bits trailed themselves behind the mountains +for the night. + +When making up our outfit back in the States, by oversight or want of +knowledge of what we would need, we had neglected to lay in a supply of +horse-nails, which we now began to be sorely in need of, as the horses' +shoes were fast wearing out and becoming loose. It was just here that we +came one day to a man sitting by the roadside with a half-bushel measure +full of horse nails to sell at the modest price of a "bit" or twelve and +one-half cents apiece. No amount of remonstrance or argument about +taking advantage of one's necessity could bring down the price; so I +paid him ten dollars in gold for eighty nails. I really wanted to be +alone with that man for awhile, I loved him so. He, like some others who +had crossed the plains before, knew of the opportunity to sell such +things as the trailers might be short of at any price they might see fit +to ask. + +It was here, too, that we came upon the great Independence Rock, an +immense boulder, lying isolated on the bank of the Sweetwater River. It +was oblong, with an oval-shaped top, as large as a block of buildings. +It was of such form that parties could walk up and over it lengthwise, +thereby getting a fine view of the surrounding country. + +About a mile beyond was the Devil's Gate, a crack or rent in the +mountain, which was probably about fifty feet wide, the surface of the +walls showing that by some sort of force they had been separated, +projections on one side finding corresponding indentations on the other. +The river in its original course had run around the range, but now it +ran leaping and roaring through the Gate. + +There was considerable alkali in this section. We had already lost two +horses from drinking it, and several others barely recovered from the +effects. + + + + +CHAPTER VII. + +WE STEPPED OVER THE RIDGE AND COURTED THE FAVOR OF NEW AND UNTRIED +WATERS. + + +Between Independence Rock and Devil's Gate we cross the river, which is +about four feet deep and thirty or forty feet wide. There was a man +lying down in the shade of his tent, who had logs enough fastened +together to hold one wagon, which he kindly loaned the use of for fifty +cents for each wagon, we to do the work of ferrying. Rather than to wet +our traps, we paid the price. The stock was driven through the ford. + +We camped at the base of some rocky cliffs, and while we were getting +our supper an Indian was noticed peering from behind some rocks, taking +a view of the camp. One of the boys got his rifle from the wagon and +fired at him. He drew in his head and we saw no more of him, but kept a +strong guard out all night. + +The trail that followed up the Sweetwater was generally a very good +road, with good camping-place's and fair grass for stock; while grass +and sage brush for fuel and excellent water made the trip of about +ninety miles very pleasant, as compared with some of the former route. + +We now came to the last-leaving of the Sweetwater, which is within ten +miles of the highest elevation of the South Pass. The springs and the +little stream on which we were camped, across which one could have +stepped, was the last water we saw that flowed into the Atlantic. We +were upon the summit or dividing line of the continent. With our faces +to the southward, the stream at our left flowed east and into the +Atlantic, while that upon our right flowed west into the Pacific. + +There was something not altogether pleasant in considering the +conditions. Following and crossing and studying the streams as we had so +long been doing, it was not without a tinge of regret and broken +fellowship that we stepped over the ridge and courted the favor of new +and untried waters. + +The abrupt ending of the great Wind River Mountain range was at our +right. These mountains are always more or less capped with snow. To the +south, perhaps one hundred miles, could be seen the main ridge of the +Rocky Mountains looming up faintly against the sky. The landscape, +looking at it from the camp, was certainly pleasing, if not beautiful. +During the day there could be seen bunches of deer, antelope, and elk +grazing and running about on the ridges, the whole making a picture +never to be forgotten. The sky was clear, the air pure and invigorating, +the sun shone warm by day and the stars bright at night. + +The spot proved to be a "parting of the ways" in more than one sense, +for it was here, before the breaking of camp, that the company decided +to separate, not as to interests, but as to modes of travel. + +Some of our wagons were pretty nearly worn out, and, as we had but +little in them, there were sixteen men who that night decided to give up +their five wagons and resort to "packing." Consequently the remaining +three wagons, including Captain and Mrs. Wadsworth, bade us goodby and +pulled out in the morning. This parting of the trail, as had been the +case in the parting of the waters, was not without its smack of regret. +For four months we had travelled as one family, each having at heart the +interest and comfort of the others. There had been days of sickness and +an hour of death; there was a grave at the roadside; there had had been +times of danger and disheartenment; all of which marshalled themselves +to memory's foreground as the question of division was talked _pro_ and +_con_ by the entire family while camped at the base of the snow-capped +mountains on that midsummer night. + +After the departure of the three wagons we who remained resolutely set +ourselves to work to prepare, as best we could, ourselves and our +belongings for the packing mode of travel. For three days and nights we +remained there busily engaged. We took our wagons to pieces, cutting out +such pieces as were necessary to make our pack saddles. One bunch of men +worked at the saddles, another bunch separated the harnesses and put +them in shape for the saddles, while others made big pouches or +saddle-bags out of the wagon covers, in which to carry provisions and +cooking utensils. + +The spot upon which our camp was located was in the vicinity of what is +now known as Smith's Pass, Wyoming. During one of our afternoons here +Nature treated us to one of the grandest spectacles ever witnessed by +mortal eyes. We first noticed a small cloud gathering about the top of +the mountain, which presently commenced circling around the peak, +occasionally reaching over far enough to drop down upon us a few +sprinkles of water, although the sun was shining brightly where we were. +As the cloud continued to circle, it increased in size, momentum, and +density of color, spreading out like a huge umbrella. Soon thunder could +be heard, growing louder and more frequent until it became one +continuous roar, fairly shaking the earth. Long, vivid flashes of +lightning chased each other in rapid succession over the crags and lost +themselves in crevice and ravine. All work was forgotten. In fact, one +would as soon think of making saddles in the immediate presence of the +Almighty as in the presence of that terrific, but sublime spectacle upon +the mountain heights. Every man stood in reverential attitude and gazed +in speechless wonder and admiration. David and Moses and the Christ had +much to do with mountains in their day; and, as we watched the power of +the elements that afternoon, we realized as never before how David could +hear the floods clap their hands and see expressions of joy or anger +upon the faces of the mountains; and how Mount Sinai might have looked +as it became the meeting-place of the Lord and Moses and the tables of +stone. The storm lasted about an hour, and when at last Nature seemed to +have exhausted herself the great mountain-top stood out again in the +clear sunlight, wearing a new mantle of the whitest snow. + +During our three-days' camp we had a number of callers from other +trains, also six or eight Indians, among whom we divided such things as +we could not take with us. + +In the evening of the last day, we made a rousing camp-fire out of our +wagon wheels, which we piled on top of each other, kindling a fire under +them, around which we became reminiscent and grew rested for an early +start on the morrow. + +All things finally ready, we brought up the animals in the morning to +fit their saddles and packs to them. One very quiet animal was packed +with some camp-kettles, coffee-pots, and other cooking traps. As soon as +he was let loose and heard the tinware rattle he broke and ran, bringing +up in a quagmire up to his sides. The saddle had turned, and his hind +feet stepping into the pack well nigh ruined all our cooking utensils. + +We managed to pull him out of the mire and quieted him down, but we +could never again put anything on him that rattled. We took our guns and +provisions and only such clothing as we had on, leaving all else behind. +I remember putting on a pair of new boots that I had brought from home, +which I did not take off until I had been some time in California, nor +any other of my clothes, lying down in my blanket on the ground, like +the rest of the animals. + +As we turned out for noon, we saw off toward the mountain a drove of +eleven elk. I took my rifle and creeping behind rocks and through +ravines, tried to get in range of them, but with all my caution, they +kept just beyond my reach. But I had a little luck toward night just as +we were turning into camp. Out by a bunch of sagebrush sat the largest +jack rabbit I ever saw. I raised my rifle and hit him squarely in the +neck, killing him. I took him by the hind feet and slung him over my +shoulder, and as I hung hold of his feet in front, his wounded neck came +down to my heels behind. His ears were as long as a mule's ears. We +dressed it and made it into rabbit stew by putting into the kettle +first a layer of bacon and then one of rabbit, and then a layer of +dumpling, which we made from flour and water, putting in layer after +layer of this sort until our four camp-kettles were filled. We had a +late supper that night. It was between 9 and 10 o'clock before our stews +were done to a turn, but what a luscious feast was ours when they were +finally ready. I can think of no supper in my whole life that I have +enjoyed so much as I did that one. We had plenty left over for our +sixteen breakfasts the next morning, and some of the boys packed the +remainder as a relish for the noon meal. + +Soon after our start in the morning, we came to the Big Sandy, a stream +tributary to Green River. The land here had more of the appearance of a +desert than any we had yet seen. Out on the plain the trail forked, the +left hand leading via Fort Bridges and Salt Lake City, while the right +hand led over what is known as Sublett's Cut-off. Being undecided as to +which fork to follow, we finally submitted it to vote, which proved to +be a large majority in favor of the Cut-off, it having been reported +that the Mormons were inciting the Indians to attack immigrants. + +The road here was hard and flinty, and, for more than a mile passed down +a steep hill, at the bottom of which we noticed that wagon tires were +worn half through owing to the wheels being locked for such a long +distance. + +This was Green River valley, and, where we made our crossing, the water +being deep and cold, with a swift current. There was a good ferry boat, +on which, after nearly a day's waiting, we ferried over our pack animals +at one dollar per head; the balance of the stock we swam across. A short +way on we had to ford a fork of the same river, and were then in an +extremely mountainous country, up one side and down the other, until we +reached Bear River valley. + +We came down off the uplands into the valley and beside the river to +camp, where we had an experience as exasperating as it was unexpected. +Seeing some fine looking grass, half knee high, we started for it, when +all at once clouds of the most persistent and venomous mosquitos filled +the air, covering the animals, which began stamping and running about, +some of them lying down and rolling in great torment. We hurried the +packs and saddles off them and sent a guard of men back to the hills +with them. The rest of us wrapped ourselves head and ears and laid down +in the grass without supper or water for man or beast. About 3 o'clock +in the morning, the mosquitos having cooled down to some extent, the +guard brought in the pack animals, which we loaded, and, like the Arab, +"silently stole away." Returning to the road and getting the balance of +the stock, we moved along the base of the hills, and about sunrise came +to a beautiful spring branch, which crossed the trail, refreshing us +with its cool, sparkling water. Here we went up into the hills and into +camp for a day and a night, to rest and recuperate from our terrible +experience of the night before. + +It was now the first of July. By keeping close to the base of the hills +we found good travelling and an abundance of clear spring-water. At +nights we camped high up in the hills, where the mosquito was not. + + + + +CHAPTER VIII. + +WE HAD NO FLAG TO UNFURL, BUT ITS SENTIMENT WAS WITHIN US. + + +"It ought to be commemorated as the day of deliverance by solemn acts of +devotion to God Almighty. It ought to be solemnized with pomp and +parade, with shows, games, sports, bells, bonfires and illuminations, +from one end of this continent to the other, from this time forward for +evermore." + +These words, written by John Adams to his wife the day following the +Declaration of Independence, and regarding that act and day, were +evidently the sounding of the key-note of American patriotism. + +It has long been one of Uncle Sam's legends that "he who starts across +the continent is most sure to leave his religion on the east side of the +Missouri river." Conditions in Nebraska to-day refute the truth of this +statement, however. Whatever may be the rule or exception concerning an +American traveller's religion, the genuineness of his patriotism and his +fidelity to it are rarely questioned. Hence it was that during the +early July days the varied events of the past few months betook +themselves to the recesses of our natures, and patriotism asserted its +right of pre-emption. + +The day of July 3d was somewhat eventful and perhaps somewhat +preparatory to the 4th, in that I did a bit of horse-trading, as my +riding-horse, through a hole in his shoe, had got a gravel into his +foot, which made him so lame that I had been walking and leading him for +the last ten days. We had just come to Soda Springs, where there was a +village of Shoshone Indians, numbering about one thousand, among whom +was an Indian trader named McClelland, who was buying or trading for +broken-down stock. I soon struck him for a trade. He finally offered me, +even up, a small native mule for my lame horse, and we soon traded. I +then bought an Indian saddle for two dollars, and, mounting, rode back +to camp with great joy to myself and amusement of the balance of the +company. I had walked for the last two hundred miles, keeping up with +the rest of them, and consequently was nearly broken down; and now that +I had what proved to be the toughest and easiest riding animal in the +bunch, I was to be congratulated. I afterwards saw the horse I had +traded for the mule in Sacramento, hitched to a dray. His owner valued +him at four hundred dollars. + +We had gone into camp close to the Indians, right among their wigwams, +in fact, and, though it was Independence eve, the weather was cool and +chilling, which, together with the jabbering and grunting of the Indians +and their papooses, made sleeping almost impossible. + +We had not been in camp more than an hour when three or four packers +rode up on their way to the "States." They were the first persons +travelling eastward that we had met since leaving the Missouri River. +One of the men had been wounded with a charge of buckshot a few hours +before, and there being no surgeon present, some of us held him while +others picked out the shot and dressed his wounds. + +Soda Springs was in the extreme eastern part of what is now the State of +Idaho, at which point there is a town bearing the same name, Soda +Springs. Indeed, the 4th of July found us in a settlement of springs, +Beer Spring and Steamboat Spring being in close proximity to Soda +Springs. Beer Spring is barrel-shaped, its surface about level with the +ground surface. It was always full to the top, and we could look down +into the water at least twenty feet and see large bubbles that were +constantly rising, a few feet apart, one chasing another to the surface, +where they immediately collapsed. The peculiarity of the water was that +one could sip down a gallon at a time without any inconvenience. The +celebrated Steamboat Spring came out of a hole in a level rock. The +water was quite hot, and the steam, puffing out at regular intervals, +presented an interesting sight. + +We remained in camp during the forenoon and celebrated the 4th of July +as best we could. I am quite positive that we could not have repeated in +concert the memorable words which open this chapter, but, while the +letter of the injunction was absent, the spirit was with us and we +carried it out in considerable detail, the Indians joining with us. We +shot at a mark, we ran horse-races with the Indians and also foot-races. +We had no bells to ring, but we had plenty of noise and games and +sports. We had no flag to unfurl, but its sentiment was within us; and +when we had finished we were prouder than ever to be Americans. + +After dinner we packed up and started out again, our trail leading us up +in the top of the mountains, where, after going into camp for the night, +it began to snow, so I had to quit writing in my diary. We spent a very +uncomfortable night, and got out of the place early, going down into a +warmer atmosphere and to a level stretch of deep sand covered with a +thick growth of sagebrush. Having neglected to fill our canteens while +on the mountain, we had to travel all day in the sand, under a scorching +sun, without a drop of water. This was our first severe experience in +water-hunger, and we thought of the deserts yet to be crossed. + +At night we were delighted with coming to a stream, by the side of which +we made camp, ourselves and our animals quite exhausted with the day's +experiences. The country along here was very rough and mountainous, +making travelling very difficult, so much so that two or more men +dropped out to rest up. + +We were soon in the region of the "City of Rocks," which was not a great +distance south of Fort Hall, in Oregon. This place, to all appearance, +was surrounded by a range of high hills, circular in form and perhaps a +quarter mile in diameter. A small stream of mountain water ran through +it, near which we made our noon meal. + +From about the center of this circle arose two grand, colossal steeples +of solid rock, rising from two hundred to three hundred feet high; in +outline they resembled church steeples. From the base of these great +turrets, allowing the eyes to follow the circular mountains, could be +seen a striking resemblance to a great city in ruins. Tall columns rose +with broad facades and colossal archings over the broad entrances, which +seemed to lead into those great temples of nature. Many of the +formations strongly resembled huge lions crouched and guarding the +passageways. Altogether the spot was one of intense interest and stood +as strong evidence that + + + "The manuscript of God remains + Writ large in waves and woods and rocks." + + +In crossing the valley of Raft River, which is tributary to the Snake +River, and finally empties into the Columbia, we came to a deep, +ditch-like crack in the earth, partly filled with water and soft mud. +It was about a rod in width, but so long that we could not see its end +either up or down the valley as far as the eye could reach, so there was +no possible show to head it or go around it. Scattered along its length +we could see a dozen or more wagons standing on their heads, as it were, +in this almost bottomless ditch of mud and water, each waiting for the +bank to be dug out in front of it, when a long cattle-team would haul it +out. After looking the situation over, we put our wits to work for some +means of crossing, and finally hit upon what proved to be a feasible +plan. A part of the men stripped off, plunged in and made their way +through to the opposite bank. We then led the animals up, one at a time, +secured a good strong lariat around its neck, and threw the end of it +across to the men on the other side. Then we just pushed the brute into +the ditch and the men ahold of the lariat pulled him through. We then +did up our traps in light bundles and threw them across. After +everything else was over, we took turns in being pulled through at the +end of the lariat. This was a successful way of getting over, but, O my! +we were the dirtiest lot of men and animals one ever saw. We were +little more than one-quarter mile from Raft River, and we lost no time +in getting there and wading out in the clear, running water, about two +feet deep, with rocky bottom, where we and the animals were washed sleek +and clean. + +Leaving the river we entered a narrow defile in the mountain, where +horses and men were crowded close together. One of the men having a +rifle with the hammer underneath the barrel attempted to mount his horse +without stopping and accidentally discharged his gun, the shot shot +taking effect in the horse's side. As I happened to be walking on the +other side of the wounded horse I was fortunate in not getting some part +of the discharge. We pulled the pack off the horse and led him a few +steps off the road, where he soon fell dead. + +We camped for the night farther up this ravine. It was the same place +where, a few years afterward, some immigrants were massacred, when a +part of the Wright family was killed and others badly wounded. Years +afterward I became well acquainted with the survivors. Their description +of the place and its surroundings left no doubt in my mind that our +ravine camping-spot was identical with that of their massacre. + +Our passage up Goose Creek Valley was extremely slow and difficult, the +valley in places being no wider than the road, while in other places +rocks and streams were so thick and close together that the way was +almost impassible. We camped in this valley at nightfall, and, as there +was no feed in sight for the animals, several of us took them up on the +mountain side and gave them a feed of bunch grass, one man and myself +remaining to guard them. + +Very soon a storm came up, dark clouds, deep thunder, sharp lightning, +and a perfect deluge of rain were sweeping through the mountains. We +brought the animals as close together as we could, tied them to the +sagebrush, and kept going among them, talking to them and quieting them +as best we could, for they were whinnying and trembling with fear. It +was an awful night. Over and above the roaring storm could be heard the +howling of wolves, which added much terror to the situation. On being +relieved at daylight and going down to camp, the men were trying to find +themselves and a lot of traps that were missing. It seemed that the men +had lain down in a bunch on a narrow bit of ground close to the creek, +and when the rain began to fall they drew a canvas wagon cover over them +for protection, when, without any sound or warning that could be heard +above the storm, a tide of water came down upon them which fairly washed +them off the earth. They got tangled up in the wagon cover and were +being washed down the creek, not knowing in the darkness when or where +they were going to land. They kept together by all keeping hold of the +wagon cover, but for which some or all of them might have lost their +lives. They were finally washed up against a rocky projection and pulled +themselves ashore. We were a sorry-looking lot--wet, cold, dilapidated, +and suffering from the terror and fright of the night. + +After breakfast we went out to hunt for our missing goods, some of which +we found caught in the brush; some was washed beyond finding. + +This was Sunday morning and the weather had cleared up bright. All +Nature seemed anxious to make amends for her outrageous conduct of the +night before. We concluded to stop here until Monday morning, and spread +our traps out to dry, and cook some rice, and rest and replenish in a +general sense. + + + + +CHAPTER IX. + +WE LISTENED TO EACH OTHER'S REHEARSALS AND BECAME MUTUAL SYMPATHIZERS +AND ENCOURAGERS. + + +We travelled up Goose Creek for several days till we got to its head, on +the great divide that separates the Snake River from the Humboldt. The +second or third day up the creek we had a genuine surprise that put us +all in the best of humor again. It was no less than the overtaking of +the three wagons that left us in the South Pass, where we commenced +packing. Captain Wadsworth's wagon was mired down and part of the team. +We all turned in and soon had him out. We were all glad to meet again, +and all our men were delighted to meet and shake hands with Mrs. +Wadsworth, who was equally as joyful as ourselves. We camped together +that night and had a good visit. It was a genuine family reunion. How +thoroughly we listened to each other's rehearsals and became mutual +sympathizers and encouragers! This was the last time the original +company ever met together. + +Some of our boys, whose stock was nearly worn out, concluded that they +would join the three wagons and take more time to get through. This move +reduced our little company of packers to six men and ten animals. In the +morning we bade them all goodby (some of them for the last time), swung +into our saddles, and moved on. + +After crossing the divide we entered Pleasant Valley, which, with its +level floor, abundant grass, and willow-fringed stream of cool water, +was very appropriately named. As our provisions were now getting short, +I was on the lookout for game of any sort that would furnish food. After +dinner, taking my rifle, I went along down the stream as it led off the +road, when a pair of ducks flew up and alighted a short distance below. +These were the first ducks I had seen since leaving the Platte, and, +being out for something to eat, I was particularly glad to see them. I +watched them settle, and then creeping up through tall wild rice I got a +shot and killed one of them. I quickly reloaded. As I was out there +alone I was necessarily on my guard. The duck was about twenty-five +feet from the bank, and as the water was deep and cold and no one with +me I concluded not to go in after it. So I took out the ramrod, screwed +the wormer to it, lengthened it out with willow cuttings fastened one to +another, and then shoved it out on the water until the wormer touched +the duck, which I managed to twist into the game and draw it ashore. We +had an elegant supper that night. + +The next day or two I came to a pond where were sitting five snipe. I +killed the whole bunch, and they helped to make another square meal. We +were now near the border of the Great Desert proper, where, out of the +midst of a level plain, stood a lone mountain known as the "Old Crater," +which, together with its surroundings, had all the appearance of an +extinct volcano. The plain round about this mountain had been rent in +narrow cracks or crevices leading in various directions from the +mountain off on to the plain, some of them crossing the trail, where we +had to push and jump the stock across them. In dropping a rock into them +there seemed to be no bottom. All about them the ground was covered with +pieces of broken lava, largely composed of gravel stones that had been +welded together by intense heat. A half mile or so from the mountain +stood a block of the same material, which was nearly square in shape and +larger than a thirty-by-forty-foot barn. + +We made good time here after coming off the mountain, although we +suffered intensely for want of water, the sun being very hot. However, +we soon found ourselves in the "Thousand Spring Valley," and, being +influenced by its name, expected to have, for that day at least, all the +water we could drink. But, as is sometimes the case, there was + + + "Water, water everywhere, + But not a drop to drink." + + +Near the entrance of the valley, which is about thirty miles long, is +the Great Rock Spring, deriving its name, I presume, from its flowing +out from under an immense rock, forming a pool or basin of the brightest +and clearest of water, but so warm that neither man nor beast could +drink it. We all waded around through the basin, the water being about +two feet deep. After a few more miles, we could see ahead of us clouds +of steam vapor rising from the earth in various places. We came to the +first group of boiling springs at noon, nearly famished for water that +one could drink. We turned out for a resting-while. Some went to look +for cool water, and found none, while others made some coffee with +boiling water from a spring, of which there were hundreds on a very few +acres of ground. Some of the springs were six to ten feet across and +three or four inches deep. We set our coffee-pots right in a spring and +made coffee in a very short time. The hot sun pouring down on us, and +boiling springs all about us, and no cold water to drink, made the place +desirable for only one thing--to get away from. + +Toward night we turned off into the hills and looked for water, where, +tramping over the rocks and brush, supperless, until nearly midnight, we +found a most delicious spring. We all drank together, men and animals, +and together laid down and slept. + +A little farther along, one day at noon, while we were drinking our +coffee, two wild geese flew over and down the river. Watching them sail +along as if to light at a certain point, I took my rifle and followed. +The trail led to the right and over a range of hills, coming into the +valley again several miles ahead, and the direction in which I was +pursuing the geese being a tangent, I soon lost sight of the company. I +went hurriedly on down the river bottom, much of which was covered with +wild rice, very thick and almost as high as my head. The course and +windings of the river here were, as elsewhere, marked by the willows +along the banks. I was now a mile or so from the trail, and coming quite +near where I expected to find the game. Passing cautiously by a clump of +willows I noticed something white on the dead grass, which, upon +investigation, proved to be a human skeleton in a perfect state of +preservation. I picked up the skull, looked it over, and picked off the +under jaw which was filled with beautiful teeth. Putting these in my +pocket and replacing the skull, I moved carefully forward, expecting to +soon see the geese. Picking my way through the stiff mud, I saw several +moccasin tracks. I was just on the point of turning back when I saw the +head of an Indian to my left, within easy range of my rifle. Looking +hurriedly about me, I saw another at my right and quite a distance to +the rear. In a moment they drew their heads down into the grass. I +immediately realized the danger of retreating back into open ground, so +I plunged forward into the wild rice, gripping my rifle with one hand +and making a path through the rice with the other. I ran along in this +way until my strength was nearly gone and the hand I worked the rice +with was lacerated and bleeding. I faced about, dropped to my knees, +and, with rifle cocked, awaited developments. After resting a few +minutes and getting over my scare I started in the direction of the +trail, hoping to get out of the rice and the willows into the open. +Again I had to rest. My hands and arms were now both so lame and sore I +could scarcely use them. When I finally got out of the rice, I +straightened up and ran like a deer, expecting at every jump I made to +be pursued and shot. I made straight for a bend in the slough which was +partly filled with water. The opposite bank being lined with willows, +some of them began to move a little and I concluded some one was coming +through them. Levelling my rifle and with finger on the trigger, I heard +some one shout to me not to shoot. It was a white man, who wanted to +cross the slough. He ran into the water and mud far enough so that I +could reach him and pull him on to the bank. He, too, had encountered +the Indians in the rice and willows, and for a time was unable to stand, +being completely exhausted with fear and his efforts to escape. As soon +as he could walk, we started away from that locality with what strength +and energy we had left. He was there alone and unarmed, looking for +strayed cattle, and had been skulking and hiding from Indians for more +than an hour before I came along. I, being well armed, might have +discouraged them in their hunt for either one of us. At least they never +got in my way after our first sight of each other. + +My hands were now swollen and very painful. The stranger carried my gun, +and in a couple of hours we overtook my comrades. As I got on to my mule +I thought what a fool I had been to go alone so far on a wild-goose +chase. That day's experience ended my hunting at any considerable +distance from camp. + +While we were still trailing close beside the Humboldt River a most +remarkable and pathetic incident occurred, the vicinity being that now +known as Elko, in Elko County, Nevada. + +We had been camping over night in the Humboldt Mountains, and on our +way out in the morning I chanced to be some distance ahead. Riding down +a steep, narrow place, walled in on either side, I could catch only a +glimpse of the Humboldt River as it spun along just ahead of me. Just +before emerging from this narrow place I heard loud screaming for help, +although as yet I could see no one. Coming out into the open, I saw a +man in the river struggling with a span of horses to which was still +attached the running gear of a wagon. A few rods below him were his wife +and two children about five and three years old, floating down the +strong current in the wagon bed. + +I swam my mule across, and the minute I reached the land, I jumped off, +and, leaving my rifle on the ground, ran over the rocks down stream +after the woman and children, who were screaming at the top of their +voices. The river made a short bend around some rocks on which I ran +out, and, wading a short distance, I was able to grasp the corner of the +the wagon bed as it came along, which was already well filled with +water. Holding to it, the current swept it against the shore, where the +woman handed her children out to me and then climbed ashore herself. As +soon as all were on land, the woman, hugging her children with one arm, +knelt at my feet and clasping me about the knees sobbed as though her +heart would break, as she kept repeating that I had saved their lives, +and expressing her thanks for the rescue. + +As soon as I could collect my wits I began to tug at the wagon-bed, and +then the woman helped, and together we got it where it was safe. Then we +led the children up to where the man had got ashore with his team. + +By this time the rest of our train had crossed the river and were with +the man and his horses. When they learned just what had happened, they +became very indignant because the man had apparently abandoned his wife +and children to the mercies of the river, while he exerted himself to +save his team. Quicker than I can tell it, the tongue of the man's wagon +was set up on end, and hasty preparations being made to hang the man +from the end of it. Almost frantic with what she saw, the wife again +threw herself at my feet and begged me to save her husband. Her tears +and entreaties, probably more than all I said, finally quieted the men, +although some of them were still in favor of throwing him in the river. +We eventually helped them get their wagon together, when we moved on +and left them. + +At this place the river runs down into a canon, where we had to ford it +four times in ten miles, the stream changing that many times from one +side of the rocky walls to the other. We made the last ford about middle +afternoon, and as it was Sunday, we put out for the day and night. + + + "Up with my tent, here will I lie to-night. + But where to-morrow? Well, all's well for that." + + + + +CHAPTER X. + +BOOTS AND SADDLES CALL. + +[Illustration: Music] + + +In nearly all lifetimes and in nearly all undertakings, there will occur +seasons which severally try not merely one's faith and courage, but +one's power of physical endurance as well; seasons when one's spirits +are fagged and stand in need of a reveille, or "Boots and Saddles" call. + +The march of our little company during these mid-July days, with their +privations and sufferings, could scarcely have been maintained, but for +the notes of cheer which, by memory's route, came to us from out the +silent places of the past, or, on the wings of hope, alighted among us +from off the heights of the future. + +The Humboldt River, which by this time had become to us quite a +memorable stream, was winding and crooked after coming out of the canon, +and could be traced through the desert only by the willows that grew +along its banks and around its shallow pools. Our route lay on the left +bank all the way down to the "sink." + +It was the middle of July, with never a cloud in the sky, not a tree or +shade of any kind. The ground was heated like an oven and covered more +or less by an alkali sand, which parched our lips while the sun was +blistering our noses. + +The river from here down to its sink is like all desert streams in the +dry season. It does not have a continuous current, but the water lies in +pools, alternating with places where the bed is dry and bare. In its +windings it averaged about twenty-five miles from one bend to another, +the trail leading a straight line like a railroad from one point to +another. These points were our camping-places. As it was useless to stop +between them we had to make the river or perish. + +The willows were already browsed down to mere stubs, consequently there +was little or no feed for the stock. Wherever we could find any grass, +there we took the animals and tended them until they got their fill. +There was no game to be seen nor anything that had life, except horned +toads and lizards. The former could be seen in the sand all day. They +were of all sizes, ranging from a kernel of corn to a common toad, each +ornamented with the same covering of horns, beginning with a Turk's +crescent on the tip of the nose. As to the lizards, none could be seen +during the day, but at night there would be a whole family of them lying +right against one, having crept under the blankets to keep warm, I +suppose, as the nights were quite cool. Upon getting up in the morning +we would take our blankets by one end and give a jerk, and the lizards +would roll out like so many links of weinerwurst. + +About midway to the river we began to get uncomfortably short of +provisions, having only some parched coffee, a little sugar, and a few +quarts of broken hardtack. We had neither flour nor meat for more than +two weeks. But of all our sufferings the greatest was that of thirst. It +was so intense that we forgot our hunger and our wearied and wornout +condition. Our sole thought was of water, and when we talked about what +amount we would drink when we came to a good spring no one ever +estimated less than a barrel full, and we honestly believed we could +drink that much at a single draught. We had, in a degree, become "loony" +on the subject, particularly in the middle of the day, when one could +not raise moisture in his mouth to even spit. For about ten days the +only water we had was obtained from the pools by which we would camp. +These pools were stagnant and their edges invariably lined with dead +cattle that had died while trying to get a drink. Selecting a carcass +that was solid enough to hold us up, we would walk out into the pool on +it, taking a blanket with us, which we would swash around and get as +full of water as it would hold, then carrying it ashore, two men, one +holding each end, would twist the filthy water out into a pan, which in +turn would be emptied into our canteens, to last until the next +camping-place. As the stomach would not retain this water for even a +moment, it was only used to moisten the tongue and throat. + +One afternoon we noticed on the side of a mountain spur off to our left +a green spot part way up its side. We looked at the spot and then at the +bend to which we were going, and as each seemed to be about +equi-distant we concluded to go to the mountains, believing we would +find water. + +Well, if any of you have had any experience in travelling toward a +mountain you, as did we, probably under-estimated the distance. We left +the trail at 3 o'clock and tramped until nearly sundown before we began +to make the ascent, always keeping our eyes on that green spot. About an +hour after dark we came into the bed of a dry creek, and believing that +it would eventually lead us to water, we followed it up until about +midnight, when we came to water in a ditch about two feet wide and a few +inches deep. + +Ourselves and animals being nearly exhausted, we just laid down in that +stream, and I guess each one came pretty near drinking his barrel of +water. We pulled off the packs and let the animals go loose in the feed, +which was very good, while we were soon stretched out and sound asleep. +When we woke in the morning the sun was well up and sending down its +scorching rays into our faces. We made some coffee, drank it and felt +better. We stayed there until noon, as the animals were still getting +good feed, and we--well, we were getting all the water we wanted. We +filled our canteens with it, and after making necessary preparations +started to strike the river again, which we could plainly see from our +mountain perch, also slow moving trains, as they plod their weary way +over the plain. + +We reached the river about sundown and as we looked against the western +horizon, began to see quite distinctly the snow-capped range of the +Sierra Nevada Mountains. They looked grand and formidable to us, knowing +that we must climb up and over them before we could reach our journey's +end. They held no terror for us, however, for we knew that we should +suffer neither from heat nor thirst during our trail over their broad, +friendly sides. + +For a couple of days we had been trying the experiment of camping during +the day and travelling at night, but we soon got enough of that way of +getting along. The traveling at night was all right, but to camp all day +with a scorching sun overhead and a burning sand under our feet was more +than we could endure, so we again worked by day and slept at night. + +There was no fuel along here except willows, and they were so green it +was impossible to coax them into a blaze. We finally resorted to a +willow crane, which we made by sticking a couple of willows into the +sand, arching them over toward each other and tying them together, +hanging our coffee-pot between them, underneath which we made a fire of +dead grass tied in knots. For a long time we laid on the sand and fed +that fire with knotted grass, but _boil_ the coffee would not. + +We had now reached the sink of the Humboldt, which was a small lake, +perhaps ten or twelve miles long and two or three miles wide. The upper +half was quite shallow, with soft, miry bottom covered with flags and +rushes. The lower half was clear, open water, rounding off at its lower +end with a smooth, sandy beach, making it a very pretty thing to look +at, but its water was so brackish as to be unpalatable for drinking +purposes. + +We camped for the night near its flags and rushes, a large quantity of +which we cut and brought in for the animals, which seemed to give them +new life and ambition. We also cut as many bundles as we could carry +away bound to the backs of our loose stock, for we still had forty-two +miles more of desert, without wood, water or grass, before reaching the +Carson River. While camping in this vicinity two pelicans sailed around +and lighted in the clear lake, beyond reach of rifle-shot. These were +the first birds of the kind I had ever seen outside of a showman's cage, +and I was determined to have one of them if possible; so, with rifle in +hand, I waded out till the water came up under my arms, and, not being +able to go any farther, I fired, but without avail. + +In looking about me as I waded back, I saw a little white tent a short +way off, just on the edge of the lake. Going to it, I found a lone man +about half drunk. I asked him what he was doing there, and he said he +had some alcohol to sell at five dollars a quart. I bought a quart, my +canteen full, and went back to camp. We succeeded in making coffee of +the strongest kind and enough of it to fill our six canteens. We divided +the alcohol equally among us and mixed it with the coffee. This +arrangement was an experiment, but we found upon trial that one swallow +of this mixture would make a person bat his eyes and step about quite +lively, while two of them would make a man forget most of his troubles. + +I remember that it was about mid-afternoon when we finally packed and +left the Humboldt River for the last time, which we did with but few +regrets. It was our intention to make as much as possible of the +Humboldt desert during the night. + +A few miles out the trail forked, the one to the right being "Trucke +Route" and the other "Carson Route"; we decided upon the latter. Near +the forks were some campers, two sets of them, who were quarreling as to +which route was the better. They finally began to shoot at each other +and were still at it when we passed out of hearing, not knowing or +caring how the duel might end. Toward sundown we came to the salt wells, +twelve miles from the sink, the water in them being as salt as the +strongest brine. This was the last salt water we saw on our journey. +About midnight we came to some tents, wagons, and a corral of stock; we +were then nearly half the distance across the desert. + +At the tent water was sold at the very low price of "six bits" a gallon. +We bought one gallon apiece for each of the animals and as much as we +needed to drink at the time for ourselves. We did not care to dilute the +contents of our canteens. We gave the stock a feed and moved on. The +night was moonlighted, very bright and pleasant, but awfully still, +rendered so seemingly by the surroundings, or perhaps by the lack of +surroundings, for there could be heard no rushing of waters, no +murmuring of forests no rustling of grasses. All of Nature's +music-pieces had been left far behind. There was nothing but sand, and +it was at rest except as our footfalls caused it to vibrate. The broad +and barren expanse, the white light of the full moon full upon it, the +curvings and windings of the trail upon the sand, the steady onward +march of our caravan, all combined to make a subject worthy the brush of +a Millet. + +We travelled in silence mostly. There was reverence in the atmosphere +and we could not evade it. We did not even try. + +Akin to this scene must have been the one which inspired Longfellow to +write: + + + "Art is the child of Nature; yes, + Her darling child, in whom we trace + The features of the mother's face, + Her aspect and her mien." + + + + +CHAPTER XI. + +"BUT ALL COMES RIGHT IN THE END." + + +From this point on to Carson River the route was continuously strewn +with the carcasses of stock that had perished there, some of them years +before. Owing probably to the dry climate and the fact that the greater +part of the desert was covered with alkali and crystalized soda, the +bodies of these animals remained perfect, as they had fallen. The sand +glistening in their eyes gave them a very lifelike appearance. At +intervals could be seen wagons, all complete except the cover, with two +to four yoke of cattle lying dead, with the yokes on their necks, the +chains still in the rings, just as they fell and died, most of them with +their tongues hanging from their mouths. + +Daylight came just as we got to the loose sand. The moment the sun rose +above the horizon its influence could be seen and felt, and in an hour +or two several cattle-teams had perished near us. First one ox would +drop as though he were shot, and in a few minutes others would sink +down, and almost before the owner could realize the condition of things, +a part or the whole of his team would lie dead. + +For the want of vegetables or acid of some kind, I had been troubled for +a week or so with an attack of scurvy in my mouth, the gums being +swollen because of the alkali dust. This not only caused me pain and +misery, but created a strong and constant desire for something sour. +While riding past an ox team I noticed a jug in the front end of the +wagon. Upon inquiry of the driver, I found that the jug contained +vinegar. I offered him a silver dollar for a cupful, but he refused to +part with any of it, saying that he might need it himself before he got +through. He was afoot on the off side of the wagon, where the jug was +setting. I was sort of crazy mad and drawing my revolver, I rode around +the rear of the wagon, thinking I would kill the fellow and take his jug +of vinegar. But when he began to run for his life around the front yoke +of cattle I came to my senses and hastened away from his outfit. + +We could now see a few scattering, tall trees outlining the Carson +River, also long mountain spurs reaching almost out into the sand, +covered with a short growth of pine timber. In leaving the sand about 11 +o'clock A. M. I noticed a large open tent near by. I rode up and into the +tent, and, looking about, saw among other things one bottle of gherkin +pickles about one quart of them. I asked the price. It was five dollars, +and I paid it gladly as the owner passed the bottle over to me. I saw in +that bottle of pickles my day of deliverance and salvation, and drawing +my long knife from my bootleg soon drew the cork and filled my fevered +mouth with pickles. I assure my readers that I can taste those gherkins +to this day. The proprietor, who evidently thought that I was a "little +off," brought me to a sense of realization by telling me that his tent +was not a mule stable and that I had better get out. His voice and +expression made me feel that I might be in danger of losing my pickles, +so I waited not on ceremony, but beat a hasty and complete retreat. + +We had now finished the desert which, with all its events and +experiences, was already behind us. We had travelled more than one +thousand miles with no tree in sight, and our feelings can easily be +imagined when, in looking a short distance ahead, we saw a clump of +trees--real trees, green trees, shade-giving trees. We instantly became, +as it were, initiated into the tree-worshipping sect. We were soon, men +and beasts, within the cooling shade, and the packs stripped from the +poor, tired animals, when they were led into the shallow water of the +Carson, where they drank and bathed to their heart's content, and were +then turned loose into a stretch of good grass. + +We couldn't treat ourselves as well as we had treated our animals, for +we had only a bite of hardtack crumbs, which we washed down with some of +the "elixir of life" from our canteens. But we stretched ourselves +underneath the friendly trees and, just letting loose of everything, +slept until nearly noon the next day. + +The vicinity in which we camped seemed to have been pre-empted by a +number of parties, who lived in tents and sold provisions to the +immigrants. The settlement was called "Ragtown." + +After coming out of our long sleep and taking in the situation of our +whereabouts we were soon ready to take up our westward march, which, in +two days, brought us to the first real house we had seen since leaving +the Missouri. This house was known as "Mormon Station." It was a +good-sized story and half building, with a lean-to on one side and a +broad porch on the other, along which was a beautiful little stream of +cold, clear water. Cups were hanging on the porch columns for the use of +immigrants. There were also long benches for them to sit and rest on. +Connected with this house was a stock ranch and a cultivated farm of +sixty acres, mostly all in vegetables. Within was a large store of +supplies. Well, we didn't stop long for compliments, for our mouths were +watering for some of those onions, lettuce, cabbage, new potatoes, +pickles, steak and bacon, etc. We laid in a generous supply of the whole +thing, including soft and hard bread and a bucket of milk. We also got a +new coffeepot, as our old one had neither spout nor handle. + +After making our purchases we selected our camping-site and proceeded to +make ourselves comfortable, after disposing of the stock in grass up to +its eyes. We were going to have a supper fit for the gods, and everybody +became busy. The boss coffee-maker attended strictly to his business, +and some others cut and sliced an onion that was as large as a plate, +covering it with salt and pepper and vinegar, which we ate as a +"starter." We had an elegant supper and appetites to match. After supper +some of the men went back to the store and laid in a supply of fresh +bread and steak for breakfast. They brought back some pipes and tobacco, +and for a long time we sat around our campfire smoking and reciting many +experiences incident to our journey across the continent. With pangs of +hunger and thirst appeased, our pipes filled to the brim and the smoke +therefrom curling and twisting itself into cloud-banks, we were a +supremely happy lot, and with the poet was ready to sing: + + + "The road is rough and the day is cold, + And the landscape's sour and bare, + And the milestones, once such charming friends, + Half-hearted welcomes wear. + There's trouble before and trouble behind, + And a troublesome present to mend, + And the road goes up and the road goes down, + _But it all comes right in the end._" + + +We decided to remain in this place another day, thereby giving ourselves +and the stock time to secure the rest which we so greatly needed. It was +during our stay here that in loading my rifle for a duck the stock broke +in two. In making this little book, I cannot pass the incident by +without a few parting words in memory of my faithful old friend and +protector. + +In make and style the gun was known as a Kentucky rifle, with curled +maple stock the entire length of the barrel, underneath which was a +"patch box," set lock, and a brass plate. Since we began to pack I had +carried it continually on my shoulders, exposed to weather and elements, +hot air and desert heat, until the varied exposures had so weakened it +that it broke while being loaded. I had carried it on my shoulders for +such a long time that my shirt and vest became worn through, and the +brass plate, heated by the scorching sun, did a remarkable piece of +pyro-sculpture by burning into my bare shoulders a pair of shoulder +straps that continued with me more than a year. + +Carson valley, through which our route lay, seemed to be twenty or more +miles wide when we first entered it, but it narrowed as it continued +toward the Sierras until it became not more than a mile in width at the +point where it pushed itself far into the mountain range. Upon the +morning of our departure, we were early astir, and, turning to the +right, left the valley that had been to us a Mecca of rest and +replenishment, and entered the Dark Canon, which is but a few rods +wide, with perpendicular sides of rock so high that daylight seemed to +be dropped down from overhead. Through this canon flowed a rushing, +roaring torrent of water, and as the bed of the canon is very steep and +made up mostly of round stones and boulders ranging in size from a +marble to a load of hay, one can imagine something of the difficulties +we had to encounter during the first four miles of our ascent. + +In addition to the well-nigh impassable track, was the most deafening +and distracting accumulation of noises ever heard since the time of +Babel. The water as it roared and rushed and dropped itself from boulder +to boulder, the rattling and banging of empty wagons, the cracking of +the drivers' whips, the shouting of the men, and the repetitions and +reverberations of it all as the high walls caught them up and tossed +them back and forth on their way to the exit, gave an impression that +the canon was engaged in grand opera with all stops open. + +After spending one entire day here we emerged into what is known as Hope +Valley, and its name in no wise belied its nature. In its quietude we +took a new hold of ourselves, remaining in camp within its enclosure +during the night. The valley is a large estuary or basin upon the first +great bench of the range. Its center seemed to consist of a quagmire, as +one could not walk far out on it and stock could not go at all. + +Some of us took our knives and 'twixt rolling and crawling on our +stomachs, got to where the grass was and cut and brought in enough to +bait our horses and mules. + +We started again at daylight next morning, and as the roads were fairly +good we made twelve miles, which brought us to the shore of Mountain +Lake. The weather here was cold during the night, the water near the +edge of the lake freezing to the thickness of window glass. We were +among quite heavy timber of pine and fir. This place might be called the +second point in line of ascent. About one-half mile distant was the +region of perpetual snow, in full sight, toward which we climbed and +worked most assiduously, the line being very steep and the trail +exceedingly zigzagged. Resting-places were only to be had on the upper +side of the great trees. It was here that a four mule team, hitched to a +splendid carry-all, got started backward down the mountain, the driver +jumping from his seat. The whole outfit going down the mountain end over +end and brought up against a large tree, the vehicle completely wrecked. +The mules landed farther down. + +Arriving at the snow line, we found grass and even flowers growing and +blooming in soil moistened by the melting snow. The notch in the summit +of the mountains through which we had to pass was four miles distant +from this point. The trail leading up was of a circular form, like a +winding stair, turning to the left, and the entire distance was +completely covered with snow, or more properly ice crystals as coarse as +shelled corn, which made the road-bed so hard that a wheel or an +animal's foot scarcely made an impression on it. + +We reached the summit about noon, August 7th, where we halted to rest +and, as did Moses, "to view the landscape o'er." Looking back and down +upon the circular road we could plainly see many outfits of men, +animals, and wagons, as they slowly worked their way up and around the +great circle which we had just completed. + +Thinking we might see the Missouri River or some eastern town from our +great altitude, we looked far out to the east; but the fact was we could +see but a very little way as compared with our view on the plains. On a +point high up on the rocks I spied a flag, which proved to be a section +from a red woolen shirt. Upon going to it I found in a small cavity in +the highest peak a bottle having upon its label the inscription, "Take a +drink and pass on." + +We went down to the edge of the timber on the California side and spent +a night on the hard snow. We had wood for fire, snow for water, and pine +boughs for beds, but no feed for our hungry beasts. Having laid in a +good supply of provisions at Mormon Station, among which was a big sack +of hard bread, we gave the animals a ration apiece of the same, +promising them something better as soon as it could be had. This was our +first night in California, having heretofore been travelling, since +leaving the Missouri River Valley, in the Territory of Nebraska, except +as we passed through a little corner of Oregon, near Ft. Hall. + +After an early breakfast, we left the region of snow and went down among +the timber and into a milder atmosphere. We passed through a place +called Tragedy Springs, whose history, we afterwards learned, was +indicated by its name. Leek Springs was the name of our next stopping +place, which, from its appearance, evidently a favorite resort of all +who passed that way. It so happened, however, that we were the only +parties camping there that night. Realizing that we were very near our +journey's end, we made these last evenings together as pleasant and as +restful as possible. I remember this evening in particular, also the +following morning, when, upon bestirring ourselves, we found that our +sack of hard bread had been eaten and the sack torn to pieces. The +frying pan had been licked clean, and things generally disturbed. Upon +investigation we soon found that the camp had been invaded by two +grizzly bears. They had walked all around us while we slept, evidently +smelling of each one, as was indicated by the large, plain tracks which +they had left, not only in the camp, but across the road also as they +took their departure. + +During the day we had opportunity to buy some hay for our stock, and at +night we made ourselves at home among the heaviest white pine timber I +ever saw. To test the size of the trees, we selected one that was +representative of more than half the trees in that vicinity, and four of +us joined hands and tried to circle the tree, but could not. They were +so large and so near together that it seemed as though more than +one-half of the ground and air was taken up by them. They had only a few +stub branches for a top. Their bodies were as straight and as smooth as +a ship's mast, and so tall that in looking at them one usually had to +throw one's head back twice before seeing their tops. + +The western slope of the Sierras was much more gradual in its descent +than on the eastern side, the former reaching from the summit to the +Valley of the Sacramento, about one hundred miles, while the ascent on +the eastern side, from the leaving of Carson Valley, is about +twenty-four miles. + +The travel along here was quiet and easy, and as we had reason to +believe that we were in close proximity to the gold mines, we were +constantly looking out for them. We found a sort of restaurant on the +hillside, where we treated ourselves to sardines and vinegar, coffee and +crackers; and a little later we came upon some men actually engaged in +gold-digging, the first we had ever seen. The place was called Weber +Creek Diggings. There were several Chinamen in the group, who, with +their broad bamboo hats and their incessant chatter, were certainly a +great curiosity to us. + +We passed on and soon came to Diamond Spring Diggings, where we spent +the night under an immense lone tree. The ground was rich with gold +here, and if we had gone to digging and washing the very spot on which +we slept we could all of us have made a snug fortune; but it was not for +us to get rich so quickly. + +This was our last night together, Hangtown, or Placerville, Eldorado +County, as it is to-day, being but a few miles distant. We reached +Hangtown in time for breakfast, after which we all rode up the dividing +ridge, from the top of which we looked down upon the busiest town and +richest mining district in that country. + +The hill was long and steep, and thereby hangs a tale. The saddle had +worked up on my mule's shoulders, which I had not noticed, my mind being +so wholly given to our new surroundings. In a second of time, and with +no admonition whatever, that mule kicked both hind feet into the air, +and I was made to turn a complete somersault over his head landing on +the flat of my back just in front of him. He stopped and looked at me +with a malicious smile in his eye, as much as to say: "We will now quit +even." The breath was knocked out of me. The boys picked me up and +brushed the dirt off, but I never mounted the mule again. We closed our +social relations right there. To think he should be so ungrateful as to +treat me in that way after I had watched over him with so much care and +tenderness! We had swam many a stream together; I had even divided my +bread with him; I had reposed so much confidence in him that many a +night had I slept with the loose end of his lariat tied to my wrist. +When we returned to town I sold both my mule and pony. + +After we had treated ourselves to a bath, shave, haircut, and some new +clothes we started out to prospect for individual interests, and became +separated. Two of the company I have never seen since we parted that +afternoon, August 10, 1852. + + + + +CHAPTER XII. + +EACH DAY MAKES ITS OWN PARAGRAPHS AND PUNCTUATION MARKS. + + + "I am dreaming to-night of the days gone by, + When I camped in the open so free and grand. + + * * * * * + + Those days have gone; each passing year + Has made the buoyant steps grow slow, + But the pictures stay to comfort and cheer + The days that come and the days that go." + + +During the preparation of the previous chapters I have once again been +twenty-four years old. Once again I have lived over those five months, +so alternated with lights and shadows, but above which the star of hope +never for a moment lacked luster or definiteness. The entire route from +Monroe, Michigan, to Hangtown, was one great book, having new lessons +and illustrations for each day. Some of them were beautiful beyond +description; others were terrible beyond compare, and so hard to +understand. + +Each day made its own paragraphs and punctuation marks, and how +surprising and unexpected many of them were! Commas would become +semicolons and periods give place to exclamation points, in the most +reckless sort of fashion. The event which had been planned as a period +to a day's doings would often instead become a hyphen, leading into and +connecting us with conditions wholly undreamed of. + +To-day as I look back upon the more than fifty intervening years I +realize that the wealth that I gathered from the wayside of each day's +doings has enriched my whole after-life far beyond the nuggets which I +digged from the mines. Nature never does anything half-heartedly. Her +every lesson, picture, and song is an inspirer and enricher to all who +would learn, look, and listen aright. + +All of our company, excepting the one who still sleeps in his prairie +bed, eventually reached the "promised land." Captain and Mrs. Wadsworth, +then as before, were noted and esteemed for their noble manhood and +womanhood. The Captain in time was made Marshal of Placerville and did +much for the advancement of its interests. Both he and his wife died +after being in California about seven years. Charley Stewart, the young +man with whom I had the midnight tussle, returned to his home in a few +months, dying shortly thereafter. He had made the trip hoping to benefit +his impaired health, but was disappointed in the result. I kept in touch +with several of the others for some time. + +After two years I returned home by way of the Isthmus, when other and +new interests claimed my time and attention, and I would only hear now +and again that one and then another and yet others had left the trail +and passed over the dividing ridge into the land where camps neither +break nor move on. + +The story of our trail has of necessity been told in monologue, as only +I of all the number am here to tell it. + +The pictures upon memory's walls, a few relics, and a golden band upon +my wife's finger, made into a wedding-ring from gold that I myself had +dug, are the links which unite _these_ days to _those_ days. + + + + + +End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of In the Early Days along the Overland +Trail in Nebraska Territory, in 1852, by Gilbert L. 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