Overland diaries of the eighteen fifties

BANCROFT
LIBRARY

o

THE LIBRARY

OF

THE UNIVERSITY
OF CALIFORNIA

.Overland Diaries of the Eighteen Fifties.

—no , \

HENRY CLAY DEAN 303

In 1868 he labored earnestly to prevent the nomination of
Salmon P. Chase for the Presidency by the Democratic Na
tional Convention, and in the delivering of his speech against
Chase ruined a rosewood table upon which he stood. The next
day his attention was called to the ruin he had wrought, and
he replied that the table was worth less than the Democratic
party, which, he believed, he had saved by preventing the
nomination of Mr. Chase. He was intensely patriotic. He
loved his country and its institutions. He boasted of the lib
erty it guaranteed to the citizen. He advocated only such
measures and such policy as he deemed in harmony with public
weal and as would assure the greatest good to the greatest
number. He was an unfaltering friend to the people and
believed that upon an intelligent and educated citizenship de
pended the stability of free institutions. In defense of what
he deemed right, and in the interest of the great underlying
principles of free government he was courageous, eloquent and
unanswerable. No political antagonist ever dared to engage
him in joint discussion of current political issues. On the
rostrum he was the equal of any man in his day. He had
complete control of "his audience and could convulse it with
mirth, melt it to tenderness, or arouse it to the highest in
dignation. He was a unique character even where originality
predominated. He would have been classed as a genius in
any age of the world or in any condition of society. He was
the peer of statesmen, a friend of the masses, the great com
moner of his day.

Dean never forgot a friend and never neglected an oppor
tunity to repay a kindness. He bore no enmity toward man.
Even toward those whose acts or politics he assailed with the
most violent invective, he at the same time breathed a spirit
of kindness. Toward a trusted friend, who was his ideal
of a gentleman, his devotion was pathetic and unswerving. To
his neighbors and friends he kept open house and his hos
pitality was unbounded.

He left Mount Pleasant in 1871 and located on an 800-acre
farm in Putnam county, Missouri, and named his home

304 ANNALS OF IOWA

"Rebels Cove." Here / he died February 6, 1887, leaving a
devoted family consisting of a wife and seven children.

Henry Clay Dean, eminent divine, statesman, philosopher,
and a leader of men, is dead. The highest meed of praise
that could be tendered him is that "the world is better from
his having lived in it. ' '

Sedalia, Missouri.

JOURNAL OF THE OREGON TRAIL.

In the spring of 1852 there was organized among the
citizens of Cedar township, Van Buren county, Iowa, an
emigrant train of about twenty-five wagons. Each wagon was
drawn by from three to five yoke of oxen. In the company
were, Paul Brattain and family of seven adult persons;
William Newman; Lafayette Spencer; Charles Spencer and
wife and two children; Henry Newman; George Gimple;
Michael Smith and his wife, two sons and a daughter ; George
Hammonds; Henry Hammonds; Jacob Whetstone and
family ; George Taylor and family ; Robert Carter and family ;
Adam Barnes and family; Oliver Mitchell and family; John
Hilary and family; Napoleon Baker; William Howard and
family; Charles Adams and family; Thomas Clark and
family; Thomas Whetstone and family; Nicholas Boley and
family; John Boley and family; James Watson and family;
Hill Watson and family; Iradel Anderson; Mathies Ander
son; George, James and William Ebert; Henry and Sloan
Keck.

Paul Brattain was best known to the Iowa public of any
in this train. He had served in different official capacities,
the most important being as Treasurer of the Des Moines
River Improvement Board of Public Works.

To assist his brother, William, who expected to follow in
1853, Lafayette Spencer kept a diary of his trip to Oregon,
which he transmitted with a letter after the journey ended.
This letter and the diary in the quaint diction and orthog
raphy of the writer are herewith presented with no more than
necessary alterations. E. R. H.

JOURNAL OF THE OREGON TRAIL 305

December 27, 1852.
Dear Brother:

I now embrace the present opportunity of writing a few lines to
let you know that I am well at the present time, hoping that these
few lines will find you all well. I have not much to write about at
the present time. I have traveled a good deal in Oregon. We started
from John Newman's near Oregon City the eighth day of November
for the Eogue Eiver gold mines. We traveled some two hundred and
fifty miles to south Umpequa river. It rained so much that the roads
got so bad that we could not travel with our wagons. We stopped
on Cow creek to wait for the waters to run down and prospect for gold,
but could not make it pay very well. * * We lacked some seventy

miles of getting to Eogue river but it commenced snowing and snowed
for fifteen or sixteen days in succession. The snow is over two feet
deep and still snowing. I do not know what will become of our stock
for the people have no feed to give them. The pack mules are be
ginning to die now of hunger. * * * I will stay here until the
winter breaks up, then I will go to Eogue river. * * * I have
traveled all through the Willamette Valley. It is about 20 miles wide
and is cut up with hills and mountains. All the land that is worth
anything is cleaned up. The Umpequah Valley is not as good as the
Willamette Valley, nor half as big. All of the best of the claims are
taken up. I shall advise you to Stay where you are, but if you want to
come you must start by the first of April with six or seven yoke of
oxen to the wagon and as much as one or two hundred dollars in cash.
You will find it a long, tedious journey to travel. I send you my
journal that I kept on the road through to Oregon. Mr. Newman is
gone on to Eogue river. I am staying here in Umpequa with the
team and provisions until I get word from him what to do. I live
fat and saucy. Direct letters to Kanyanville, Douglass county, Oregon.
WILLIAM SPENCER. LAFAYETTE SPENCER.

LAFAYETTE SPENCER DAY BOOK.

M»\y llth. 1852. Started from 14th Camp on Colt Creek 2

home Pass through Birmingham miles west of Albia the county

smd camp on the East fork of Lick seat of Monroe county.

Creek. 15th Camp on the 14 miles Be-

12th Pass through Libertyville tween Albia and Charidon Point

and Ashland and camp at The in Lucas County.

Agency. 16th Camp on Grave Creek 4

13th Pass through Autumwa. miles west of Charidon Point.

Cross the Des Moines Eiver and 17th Camp on Camp Creek in,

camp 8 miles west of Autumwa. Clark County.
20

306

ANNALS OF IOWA

18th Camp on seven mile Creek
in Union County

19th Camp on Twelve Mile
Creek Cross Grand Kiver at Pisga
the old Mormon Town.

20th Camp on Nodawa Creek
in Adair County.

21st Camp in a grove one mile
west of the Eoad.

22nd Camp on a ereek six miles
East of Indians town.

23rd Camp near Neshynabot-
tany.

24th Camp on Silver Creek in
Potawatimy County.

25th Camp at Council Bluffs 2
miles Below Kanesville on the
Missouri.

26th Lay by.

27th Lay by.

28th Camp on Missouri Kiver
10 miles above Kanesville at the
upper ferry.

29th Lay by.

30th Cross the Missouri Eiver
in the night and Camp on the
west Bank.

31st Travel 18 miles Camp on
Pappea Creek Good grass.

June 1st Travel 10 miles Cross
the Elk Horn Eiver and Camp on
Bridge Creek Good grass

2nd Travel 15 miles Camp on
a Lake to the Left of the Eoad
Good grass.

3rd Travel 20 miles Camp on
Shell Creek Good grass.

4th Travel 24 miles Camp on
Loup Fork near the Ferry Good
grass.

5th Lay by. Nancy Spencer
taken Sick.

6th Travel 4 miles Cross the
Loup Fork and camp on the
Plain es

7th Travel 18 miles and Camp
on Loup Fork Good grass

8th Lay by for Mr. Smith to
get up with us

9th Travel 22 miles and Camp
west of the Cold Spring Good
grass

10th Travel 16 miles and
Camp near Prairie Creek Nancy
Spencer died at 9 o'clock P. M.
and Burried at 8 o'clock A. M.
the next morning

llth Travel 16 miles and Camp
on Wood Creek

12th Travel 15 miles and Camp
on the Plat Eiver Good grass

13th Travel 24 miles Camp on
Plat river opposite Fort Kenney.

14th Travel 16 miles Camp
on Buffalo Creek grass fair

15th Travel 15 miles Camp on
Plat Eiver near willow Lake grass
fair

*16th Travel 15 miles Camp on
Plat Eiver Good grass

17th Travel 15 miles Camp on
the Plat Elver near Skunk Creek
Good Grass

18th Travel 7 miles Camp on
a small Creek Eobert Carter Died
with colrhea

19th Travel 18 miles Camp on
Plat Eiver no more Timber for
two hundred miles

20th Travel 15 miles Camp on
Plat Eiver Good grass

21st Travel 20 miles Camp on
Wolf Creek and Spring

22nd Travel 10 miles Camp on
Rattle Snake Creek

23rd Travel 8 miles Camp on
Plat River near Cedar Bluff
Good grass

JOURNAL OF THE OREGON TRAIL

307

24th Travel 22 miles Camp
near Castle Creek Good grass
their is a postoffice kept their I
wrote back

25th Travel 20 miles Camp on
Plat Kiver Good grass

26th Travel 18 miles Camp
near Ancient Bluff Good grass

27th Lay by on the account of
sickness

28th Travel 16 miles Camp
near Chimney Eoek Good grass

29th Travel 18 miles Camp on
Plat Eiver near Scott Bluff Good
grass

30th Travel 25 miles Camp at
Blue Stone Cliff on Plat Eiver

July 1st Travel 25 miles
Camp on Plat Eiver seven miles
East of Fort Laramie

2nd Travel 15 miles Pass Ft
Laramie and Camp on Plat Eiver
near the United States farm

3rd Lay by Grass scarse
their I wrote Back again

4th Travel 16 miles through
the Black Hill road verry Eough
Camp on Plat Eiver Grass scearse

5th Travel 14 miles Camp on
a small Creek in the Black hills

6th Travel 16 miles Camp on
Platt Eiver Grass scearse

7th Travel 10 miles Camp on
Plat river grass scearse

8th Travel 15 miles Over verry
rough and hilly Camp on Plat
Eiver Grass scearse

9th Travel 12 miles Camp on
Plat Eiver one mile South of the
road

10th Travel 12 miles Camp on
Plat Eiver grass scearse

llth Travel 10 miles Camp on
Plat Eiver near the uper ferry

12th Travel 15 miles Camp on
Plat Eiver grass scearse

13th Travel 10 miles Camp on
Plat Eiver for the Last time We
have travel on it for seven Hun
dred miles

14th Lay By and Hunted Buf
falo and killed four

15th Travel 18 miles Camp at
the Willow Spring No grass

16th Travel 16 miles Camp
near Alkali Lake grass scearse

17th Travel 18 miles Pass the
Independence Eock a rock which
raises right up out of the ground
in a smooth Bottom of Sweet
Water it is 125 rod long and
120 feet high We pass the Devil
Gate through which Sweet water
Passes It is 400 feet hie on Both
sides of Perpendekler Camp on
Sweet Water

18th Travel 16 miles Camp on
Sweet Water near Bitter Cotton
wood Creek

19th Travel 15 miles Camp on
Sweet Water grass scearse

20th Travel 18 miles Camp on
Sweet Water grass scearse

21st Travel 17 miles over Eough
and Eockey Eoads and Camp on
a small Branch grass scearse
no timber on Sweet Water

22nd Travel 12 miles and camp
at the last crossing of Sweet Water
grass scearse

23rd Travel 8 miles Camp
three miles to the right of the
Eoad on Sweet Water

24th Travel 30 miles Pass the
South Pass of the Eocky Moun
tains and Persippee Spring Camp
on Little Sandy three miles north
of the road

308

ANNALS OF IOWA

25th Lay by to rest our cattle

26th Travel 10 miles Camp on
Big Sandy grass seearse

27th Travel 10 miles off the
road to get grass to Cross the
Deasert forty-two miles across
without water or grass

28th Started in the Desert

travel

29th all night and next day t
ten o'clock and cross Green river
grass seearse

30th Travel 13 miles Camp on
tranche of Green river among the
Snake Indians grass good

31st Travel 18 miles Cross a
verry hie and Bough mountain and
Camp in the valley grass seearse
August 1st, 1852 Travel 12
miles Cross a mountain and camp
on Ham Fork of Green river
grass scearse

2nd Travel 24 miles over very
hie and rough mountain Camp in
Bear Eiver Valley good grass

3rd Travel 4 miles and camp on
Bear river good grass

4th Travel 25 miles Cross
Smith and Thomas fork of Bear
river Camp on Bear river

5th Travel 18 miles Camp on
Bear river grass scearse

6th Travel 6 miles Camp on
Bear Eiver good grass

7th Travel 18 miles Pass Beer
and Soda and Steam Boat Springs
Camp at the Junction of the Cali-
forna and Oregon Boad

8th Travel 15 miles Camp on
a small Creek Good grass

9th Travel 17 miles Camp on
a small Branch of the Port Neuf
Biver good grass

10th Travel 16 miles Camp on
Port Neuf Creek

llth Travel 15 miles Passed
Ft Hall I wrote Back Camp
on Port Neuf Biver good grass

12th Travel 12 miles Camp
on Snake river good grass

13th Travel 16 miles Camp on
Bock Creek grass scearse

14th Travel 15 miles Camp on
Baft Biver good grass
15th Lay By

16th Travel 18 miles Camp at
Bull Bush Spring

17th Travel 16 miles Camp on
Goose Creek grass scearse

18th Travel 10 miles Camp on
Snake Biver Swam our cattle
across

19th Lay By Could not get
our Cattle Back

20th Lay By Still could not
get them over to the wagons

21st Lay By the only way we
could get our Cattle Back was to
drive them three or four miles up
the Biver to the falls where the
water was so swift when you got
them into it the water wash them
down over the falls on the other
Side the Biver was three quarters
of a mile wide

22nd Travel 18 miles Camp on
dry Creek four miles off the road
to water and grass

23rd Travel 25 miles Camp on
Bock Creek grass scearse

24th Travel 16 miles and camp
near Snake Biver on the Plains
without water or grass

25th Travel 17 miles Camp on
Bannac Creek no grass Our Cat
tle nearly all give out for some
thing to eat

26th Travel 5 miles Crossed
Snake Biver on wagon Beds and
swam our cattle over Camp on
the Bank good grass

JOURNAL OF THE OREGON TRAIL

309

27th Travel 6 miles Camp on
a small Creek good grass

28th Lay By to recruit our
cattle

29th Travel 20 miles Camp on
a small Creek grass seearse

30th Travel 20 miles Camp on
a small Creek good grass

31st Lay By with Henry New
man who was very sick with Liver
Complaint

September 1st 1852 Travel 15
miles Camp on Seven miles Creek

2nd Travel 15 miles Camp on
Barren Creek use warm water
good grass

3rd Travel 14 miles Camp on
Charlotte Creek grass seearse

4th Travel 14 miles Camp on
a dry branch good grass

5th Travel 10 miles Camp on
white Horse Creek grass fair

6th Travel 10 miles Camp at
a good spring grass fair

7th Travel 16 miles Camp on
Boies Eiver good grass

8th Travel 16 miles Camp on
Boies Eiver good grass

9th Travel 12 miles Camp on
Boies Eiver good grass

10th Lay by

llth Travel 15 miles Camp on
Boies Eiver good grass

12th Travel 10 miles Cross
Snake Eiver at Fort Boies and
camp on Bank

13th Lay By for to hunt our
cattle

14th Travel 16 miles Camp on
Malaher Eiver grass scearse

15th Lay By Michiel Smith
very sick George Gimple was tak
en sick today grass scearse

16th Travel 25 miles Camp on
Bench Creek grass searse

17th Travel 9 miles Camp on
Burnt Eiver grass searse

18th Travel 10 miles in the
afternoon Michiel Smith Died in
the forenoon Burried in one hour
after death

19th Travel 16 miles Eoads
rough and Crooked Camp on a
branch of Burnt river grass
scearse

20th Travel 14 miles Camp on
a branch of Burnt river grass
searse

21st Travel 10 miles Cross a
mountain and camp on a Spring
branch grass scearse

22nd Travel 16 miles Camp on
a slough of Powder Eiver Cold
windy weather grass fair

23rd Travel 10 miles Camp on
Powder Eiver grass scearse

24th Travel none but lay by

25th Travel 15 miles Cross
three Powder river Camp at a
Spring near the mountains

26th Travel 10 miles Cross
over a mountain Camp in Grand
Eound Valley This valley is about
30 miles long and 20 miles wide
good grass

27th Travel 8 miles Cross
Grand round Camp on a small
Branch at the foot of a verry hie
mountain

28th Lay By

29th Travel 14 miles Cross
some verry hie mountains and
camp on the mountain

30th Travel 14 miles amongst
the Blue Mountains over some
verry hie ones it rained and
snowed which made the mountains
verry bad to travel on. Verry
heavy timber Camp on the mount
ain Use snow for water grass

310

ANNALS OF IOWA

October 1st Travel 14 miles
Cross over some verry hie mount
ains which were verry steep and
rough Camp on the mountain

2nd Travel 12 miles Pass over
the Blue Mountains Camp on the
Umatilla Eiver amongst the Kiouse
Indians grass scearse

3rd Travel 12 miles Eoads
good Camp on the Umatilla Eiver
grass seearse

4th Travel 5 miles and Cross
the river and camp on a hie Bluff
grass scearse

5th Travel 15 miles camp on
the Umatilla Eiver grass scearse

6th Travel 8 miles Cross the
Umatilla Eiver at the Agency
House and took water and wood
and camp on the Bluff

7th Travel 10 miles road
sandy took water and wood and
camp on the Plains grass fair

8th Travel 14 miles Eoad
sandy Camp on the Plains with
out water or wood

9th Travel 10 miles Passed
two Springs took water and camp
on the Plaines grass seearse

10th Travel 9 miles road sandy
Camp at Willow Creek grass
scearse

llth Travel 10 miles took wa
ter and camp on the Plaines grass
scearse

12th Travel 15 miles road good
Camp on a smal creek grass
scearse

13th Travel 8 miles Cross
John Day Eiver ascended a verry
hie and rockey mountain Camp on
the Plain grass fair

14th Travel 15 miles Camp on
the Plains Charles Spencer took
the ague grass fair

15th Travel 10 miles Camp on
the Columbia river grass fair

16th Travel 3 miles Camp on
the De Shuts Eiver grass scearse

17th Travel 5 miles Camp on
Only Creek Eough Eoads grass
scearse

18th Travel 5 miles Camp on
five miles Creek grass scearse

19th Lay By to wash

20th Travel 5 miles and came
to the Dalls Sold our cattle

21st Started Down the Colum
bia Eiver in sciff The wind Blew
at night and camp on the Bank

22d Started in the seiff again
and landed at the Cascades

23d Lay at tlie Cascade

24th Lay at the same Place

25th Started Down to the
Steamboat Landing we hired wag
on and oxen to haul our Plunder
down

26th Got on a Steam Boat and
Landed in Portland in the evening
the whole distence from the Dalls
to Portland is 160 miles

October the 27th, 1852 Charles
remain very sick Died at 9 o 'clock
in the morning Burried in the
City of Portland the Same Day at
five o'clock in the Evening

28th Still remain in Portland

29th Started for Oregon City
at noon on a Steam Boat and
Landed in the Evening

Thus end my Journal

Lafayette Spencer

such thing can be carried into execution for very many reasons,
and I doubt if any such exists. I know how suspicious men are apt
to be about matters of this kind, and particularly in such inflam-
able times as these. But I would like to know if the project really
has an existence. Have you heard anything of it, or seen or heard
anything that impressed you with the idea that it might be so?

* * * Let me hear from you. This in confidence.

XVI.

GEN. ROBERT E. LEE TO GEORGE W. JONES, DUBUQUE.

LEXINGTON, VA., 8th Jan'y, 1869.

I have been gratified recently by a visit from an old friend, Capt.
James May, now of Rock Island City. Among the many pleasing
reminiscences of bygone times & scenes recalled by his visit is the
recollection of you, extending back to the time when you were a
young delegate to Congress from Wisconsin [Territory], I have a
distinct recollection of your appearance, & a pleasing one of our
intercourse & social meetings at General Gratiot's hospitable house.

* * * I know that you have felt keenly the calamities of the
country, even amidst your own afflictions, but I did not intend to
touch upon that subject; but merely to express to you my pleasure
in hearing of you, & conversing of you with one who admires and
esteems you, as your friends always do. There is another friend,
I hope I may call him so, of former years, of whom I was also
delighted to learn & converse — Gen'l Augustus C. Dodge. His manly
character and honest frankness impressed me most forcibly, & I
was glad to know of his well being. Gen'l Henry Dodge has passed
away from us & left us his sterling worth and good deeds to remem
ber. But those who have gone are happier than those who remain.
They are spared what we have to see & meet; but my trust in the
mercy of God is so great, & my faith in the good sense and probity
of. the American people is so strong, that I know that all things will
in time come right — I hope that you may live to enjoy that good
time & that Gen'l Dodge may participate in it. Although he is
at some distance from you, I hope that you sometimes enjoy his
company, & that you will give him my warm regards. To yourself
I wish every happiness, & am with great respect,

Your friend and servant,

R. B. LEE.

XVII.

HANNIBAL HAMLIN TO A. C. DODGE.
LEGATION OF THE U. S. OF AMERICA, MADRID, June 7, 1881.
MY DEAR OLD FRIEND: I have your esteemed favor of the 16th
ult. * * * How many pleasant memories of the long past it

OLD LETTERS 515

516 ANNALS OF IOWA

revives of the times when we occupied the same seat, or rather
seats side by side in the House of Rep's, and later on our service
in the Senate. Of course we did not think alike and act together
upon all questions, but it is surely a pleasure to us both to know
that there never was any disagreement to disturb the friendly
relations which have always existed.

I thank you for your kind and friendly suggestions, made from
your official experience here and your knowledge of the Spanish
people. I can understand their force and correctness. Indeed I
have marked out for myself as nearly as possible the course you
suggest.

I have been aware that there is much of historic interest in
Spain to be seen. The localities you name, as well as others, I
intend to visit while I remain in this Legation. Indeed that was
the great inducement for me to go abroad. * * * The business
of this Legation has largely increased since you were at its head;
so while I may not have quite as much leisure as you found, yet
I will have enough to see all that is of decided interest in Spain
and I mean to do so.

I will endeavor to find a copy of paper containing what I said
to the King and his reply. His reception was very cordial, and I
was very favorably impressed with the appearance of both the King
and Queen. * * *

Will also from time to time endeavor to send you a paper as
you request. In haste but with pleasant memories of "auld lang
syne," I am, Very truly yours,

H. HAMLIN,

DIARY KEPT BY WILLIAM EDMUNDSON, OF OSKA-

LOOSA. WHILE CROSSING THE WESTERN

PLAINS IN 1850.

Left Oskaloosa, Iowa, in the Stage on Monday morning, May
20th, 1850, and arrived on the evening of the same day at Fort
Des Moines and found my company 9 in number encamped on
Raccoon River about a mile from the Town.

May 21st — Traveled about 22 miles and camped on the North
River.

May 22nd — Traveled 23 miles and encamped on the Middle Eiver
North Side. This day it commenced raining Slowly about 12
Oclock and continued till near Sundown.

May 23rd— This morning it commenced raining before day and
continued till about 10 Oclock when we Started and Traveled 15

,

CROSSING THE PLAINS IN 1850 517

miles where we crossed Middle River and went 5 miles further and
camped in the prairie hauling wood from the last Timber. This
day was cloudy with occasional Showers.

May 24th — Traveled 12 miles and crossed The East branch of
the Nodaway about noon went 12 miles further and camped on the
West branch of the Nodaway. Saw but little Timber to day and that
at a great distance except where we camped at night There being
a Small grove on the Creek.

May 25th — Traveled 15 miles and came to the East branch of the
Nishnabotany crossed Over and went down the creek about a mile
to Indian Town a Mormon Settlement of 7 families being on the
Site of an Old Potawatamie village We then went 7 miles further
and camped in the Prairie hauling wood from Indian Town.

May 26th — Went 8 miles and came to a beautiful grove where
there is a Mormon Settlement. Then 5 miles to The west fork
of the Nishnabotany. Then 10 miles to Silver Creek where There
is a Mormon village or Settlement.

May 21th — This morning it commenced raining before day and
rained very hard accompanied by Thunder and Lightning but
cleared off about 6 Oclock. We Started about 9 Oclock and Trav
eled 8 miles to Keg Creek. Then 10 miles to Kanesville. The head
quarters of the Mormans in Iowa and Situated about 4 miles from
the Missouri River near the lower end of the Council Bluffs at a
place formerly Called Indian Hollow. A. W. Hildreth from High
land County, Ohio, Settled here in 1839 and built a Saw mill within
the present limits of the Town. The Potawatomie mills on Muske-
toe Creek are in 2 miles of this place. They were built for The
Indians Some years ago by the U. S. Government. Kanesville con
tains 5 or 6 hundred inhabitants. They do a flourishing business
in The mercantile line Owing Chiefly to the California emigra
tion. The Frontier Guardian a weekly Newspaper is published
here Elder Orson Hyde Editor. (We camped 2 miles below the
Town.)

May 28th — This day we went to Kanesville and Bought pro
visions and Some other articles for our journey and in the after
noon moved about 6 miles down the river and camped on Musketoe
Creek back of St. Francis (Trader's point) about one mile from
the Town. (The 6 miles to day not included in an estimate of dis
tances.)

May 29th — Remained at our encampment. Some of the company
went To Kanesville.

May 30th — A sufficient number of Teams having arrived during
the day we joined them and organized into a company amounting
in all to 50 men and 2 women.

518 ANNALS OF IOWA

May 31st— Crossed the river at St. Francis, or Traders Point,
landing at Bellvue where The Agency for the Pawnees, Ottoes &
Omahas is located; An Indian School under the direction of the
Presbyterian church is established about a mile from the agency
under the Superintendence of the Rev. Wm. McKinney; here the
traveler may be said to commence his journey across the Plains;
The School or Mission being the last Settlement till we reach Fort
Laramie a distance of 522 miles.

June 1st — Some of the wagons being out of order, it became
necessary to stay till the afternoon in order to have them repaired
upon which 26 of our company left us and went ahead. After get
ting the wagons ready we Started about one O'clock P. M. and
went 5 miles and Camped on Spring Creek.

June 2nd — Started early, went 4 miles and crossed a Creek called
the Pipeo. Then 8 miles to the little Pipeo where there is a small
Grove and a good Spring. Then 8 miles to the Ferry on the Elk-
horn which is here about 150 yards wide one and a half miles from
its mouth here there is some Timber and the Country at this
point seems susceptable of Settlement. After crossing we camped
about 200 yards from the Elkhorn. Soon after stoping 300 Pawnees
came up going toward the Missouri river, and camped between us
and the Ferry.

June 3rd — Soon after Starting we got stalled in a marsh which
detained us for some time, after going 9 miles we came to Platte
river which is here about one-third of mile wide, in appearance it
resembles the Missouri, being muddy and rapid with a continued
succession of Boils and Eddies, though the water is said to be very
shallow. After stoping a short time to Graze and Water the Horses
we went about 9 miles further, 2 miles beyond the confluence of
Winter quarters and Agency Roads, and camped at a grove of Tim
ber on the Platte river; Having procured a Mormon Guide Book
at Kanesville in which places and distances are laid down with
great accuracy, we are enabled to Know the exact distance Trav
eled in a day or from one point to another. This day we Traveled
18 miles. A few Indians Camped with us having followed us all
the afternoon for the purpose of Beging. About Sundown a heavy
rain commenced falling accompanied by Thunder & Lightning
which continued till about 10 O'clock when the rain ceased, but
the night continued to be very dark and cloudy, there being no
moonlight.

June 4th — Went 13 miles and stoped for noon opposite an Island
in Platte river. This Island looks at a distance like a grave in
the Prairie. Went 11 miles further and camped on Shell Creek.
This night the rain commenced about dark and continued till near

CROSSING THE PLAINS IN 1850 519

day. Soon after stoping we were visited by 12 Pawnee wariors;
they said they were a part of a company of 60 who were en
camped a short distance from us across the creek. We gave them
some Small presents in the way of Provisions, upon which they
left us. They were probably a war party out against the Sioux.

June 5th — Early this morning we ran our wagons across Shell
Creek by hand on a Temporary Bridge made of Brush the waters
being high on account of the late rains; Started about 9 Oclock;
This day it commenced raining soon after we started and continued
till about 2 Oclock P. M. Soon after which we came to the river
again and camped. The river here is near a mile wide. This day
we Traveled only 12 miles. The roads being very bad in consequence
of the rains.

June 6th — Started at 8 O'clock and went 11 miles to the Ferry
on the Loup Fork. The Ferrymen were gone and the Boat sunk,
we attempted to raise it but found it so much damaged as to be
unfit for use. we then took the road up the Loup Fork to the Ford
which is 48 miles from the Ferry, went 9 miles and camped at
Looking glass creek near a small Lake; Traveled 20 miles to day.

June 7th — Started late this morning having to repair a bridge
before crossing the creek. Traveled 9 miles to Beaver River a
stream about 10 yards wide and very deep. We had to unload our
wagons and carry the contents across on a Temporary Bridge formed
of a log and some Brush we then drew the empty wagons across
by Ropes and swam the Horses and Oxen we finished crossing
about 3 Oclock went 6% miles further and camped on Plumb creek
near the site of Old Pawnee Missionary Station and 2 miles from the
ruins of the Grand Pawnee village. The Mission was removed I
believe in consequence of the Pawnees being driven from that part
of the Country and the village above mentioned being burned by
the Sioux in 1846. Traveled 15% miles to day.

June 8th — Started early and after Traveling 2 miles came to the
ruins of the principal vilage of the Grand Pawnees and Tappas
(the one refered to in the notes of yesterday) it is enclosed by a
wall built of Sod in the manner of an ordinary Sod fence the wall
is about 6 feet high and is still entire, it contains an Area of about
30 or 40 acres; from appearances the village Seems to have had
a large Population; after leaving the old vilage we Traveled 4
miles to Cedar Creek a stream 8 rods wide the water being deep we
proped our wagon beds up on Block so as to raise them a foot
higher and then forded the stream without damage, in the after
noon a storm coming on we stoped early and camped at the foot
of a Bluff, here there is the remains of Some Old embankments

520 ANNALS OF IOWA

but for what purpose they were thrown up is uncertain; Some
of our men having been out hunting during the day saw several
Buffalo but could not get near them, Traveled 17 miles to day.

June 9th — Went 6 miles to the Loup Fork which we forded by
laying poles across the tops of our wagon Beds and piling the loads
on the top then taking the wagons across by hand the river is
here about 300 yards wide about three feet deep very rapid and
full of quick sand. We commenced at 11 Oclock A. M. and finished
crossing about sundown camping on the western bank of the river,
here we overtook the company who had left us on the Missouri
river, they had crossed the day before and had stoped to rest, Trav
eled 6 miles to day.

June 10th — Started rather late the road for the first 7 miles being
over a high ridge very sandy and broken with numerous ponds
and Basins, the next 18 miles the country is flat and rather marshy,
we camped on Prairie Creek having again overtaken the company
who left us at the Missouri river, they had started before us in
the morning; We Traveled 25 miles to day.

June llth — Started early the Country very level and tolerably
dry. Traveled 11 miles and come to Wood river, unloaded the
wagons and carried the loads over on the horses then brought the
wagons over empty. Went 7 Miles further and camped in the
Prairie about one mile from the Platte river. 18 miles to day.

June 12th — Cool and cloudy this morning. The country level and
dry. Traveled 7 miles and came to Platte River. This day we
passed through several Towns of Prairie-Dogs. They bear some
resemblance to the Gopher are of a yellowish grey color and are
about the size of a small Rabbit. They live on the Prairie grass,
The soda or alkali so much dreaded on the plains begins to make
its appearance to day lying in a thin crust in the Buffalo beats
where the sun has dried up the water. Traveled 25 miles to day
and camped near Platte river.

June 13th — Started at 7 Oclock Keeping up the Valey of Platte
River, passed through a great many Dog-Towns to day some of them
deserted most probably on account of the inhabitants having con
sumed all the grass in their vicinity which compelled them to seek
a new location. Saw a good many dead Buffalo to day which had
been killed by emigrants ahead of us. Saw a train across the river
to day, Traveled 25 miles and camped near the river. (Plumb
Creek.)

June 14th — Traveled only 15 miles to day still following up the
Platte river, at noon we saw where a coal-Pitt had been burned,
this is about 240 miles from the nearest settlement, the train
across the river is still in sight. (5 miles east of Willow Island.)

CROSSING THE PLAINS IN 1850 521

June 15th — Saw some Buffalo to day but at a considerable dis
tance, at noon we came to Ptah Lake or Bayou where we saw
Edward Haggard's grave who died on his way to California, he is
buried on the Bank of the Ptah Lake about half way from the
Council Bluffs to Fort Laramie. According to the inscription on the
head-board he died on the 7th of June 1849. we Traveled 24 miles
to day and camped near the River. (Brady Island)

June 16th — This morning one of our Horses died leaving us only
3 to our wagon. The road to day is sandy. The ground in places
incrusted with salaratus or soda; in the afternoon some of our
company thought they Saw Buffalo ahead of us and left the wagons
to get a shot at them, when they came near they found the supposed
Buffalo to be the Horses belonging to the company who had gone
ahead of us at the crossing of Wood river the same that had first
organized with us and left us at Council Bluffs, we came up and
camped near them by a small Lake. Traveled 22 miles to day.

June nth — This morning after going a mile and a half we came
to a very large spring of cold water at the head of Pawnee Swamp
293 miles from the Council Bluffs, went on to the last Timber on
the north side of the river and camped about 3 Oclock 12 miles
below the junction of the North and South Platte. Traveled 15
miles to day.

June 18th — we remained at our encampment to Cook for our
journey there being no more Timber except a lone tree on the north
side of the river for a distance of 200 miles.

June 19th — This morning soon after starting we saw several
large droves of Buffalo. Two companies went in persuit of them;
The foremost company soon killed a large Bull, about the time we
finished dressing it the other company came up having killed a Bull,
a Cow and a young Heifer but we had so much meat already that
we did not go back for them; While stoping to dress our Buffalo
a man on foot came up with us (Isaac Shuck from Louisa County
Iowa) he had Traveled the whole distance about 600 miles alone
and on foot till he overtook us. We Traveled 15 Miles to day
and camped on North Bluff creek.

June 20th — We passed over Sand Hills and camped on Petite
creek.

June 21st — We camped about sundown in the Prairie, a Tremen
dous storm coming on just as we stoped for the night.

June 22d — We camped late in the evening 2 miles above the lone
tree and opposite Ash Hollow another storm coming on about sun
down. Having been sick for the last 3 days I have no further rec
ollection of events during that time.

522 ANNALS OF IOWA

June 23d — Traveled 19 miles to day keeping close to the river, the
road good considering the late rains. We are now 400 miles from
the Council Bluffs not a stick of Timber in sight.

June 24th — To day at noon we passed some Bluffs on the right of
the road, Some of the company ascended them and saw the Chimney
Rock a distance of 45 miles, in the afternoon we passed the
ancient Bluff ruins. They are high Bluffs composed of very soft
stone and which from the washing of the rains or other causes
have assumed the appearance of Ancient Castles or fortifications.
We have Traveled 25 miles to day and camped in the Prairie.

June 25th — Started before sunrise and went 5 miles to where the
road comes to the river, and stoped there for Breakfast, we saw
the Chimney Rock this Morning distance about 40 miles it looks
like a pole set in the Prairie, after Breakfast we went 21 miles and
camped a little below the Chimney rock which is situated on the
opposite side of the Eiver apparently about 3 miles from our
encampment but from information upon which we can rely the
distance is at least 10 miles this difference between actual and
apparent distance is common in this part of the country and often
brings disappointment to the emigrant, before he becomes accus
tomed to the delusion. The chimney Rock commences in the shape
of a Cone then running up to a great height something in the form
of a chimney from which circumstance it takes its name; Originally
it was doubtless one of the largest isolated Rocks or Bluffs so com
mon in the vicinity of the Platte river and being very soft the action
of the frost and rain has reduced it to its present shape. We
Traveled 24 miles to day.

June 26th — This day we Traveled 23 miles over a gravelly road
and camped opposite Scotts Bluffs.

June 21th — To day in the forenoon we saw Laramie Peake being
Then 45 miles from Fort Laramie. We Traveled 21 miles to day
and camped on a creek 200 yds south of the road. There has been
much rain lately.

June 28th — Went 12 miles and stoped at noon at the first Timber
on the north side of the river, for the last 200 miles further and
camped near the River, Grass scarce for the first time since leaving
the Council Bluffs, Wood plenty. Traveled 22 miles to day.

June 29th — Went 7 miles and arrived opposite Fort Laramie
about 10 Oclock A. M. camped and remained till next morning,
Grass very scarce; during the day Some Emigrants crossed from
the Fort who had come up on the South Side of Platte River who
informed us that the Cholera had been very fatal among the
emigrants on that rout.

CROSSING THE PLAINS IN 1850 523

June 30th — Crossed the river and camped about 2 miles from Fort
Laramie which is situated on the Laramie river, one and a half
miles from its junction with North Platte, It was built by the
American Fur Company and is surrounded by a wall eleven (11)
feet high. The wall is made of Adobes which are bricks dried in
the sun and put up without being burned. Being well situated for
a Military Post, the Fort was purchased by the United States in
1848 it is now occupied by 2 companies of Infantry and one com
pany of Mounted Riflemen under the command of Major Sander
son. An office is kept here in which is registered the name and
former residence of each emigrant traveling this rout. Laramie
Peak (A Spur of the Rocky Mountains) is 55 miles from this place
and may be seen at a distance of 100 miles. The Black hills
commence here.

July 1st — This day we spent in making arrangements to continue
our journey, the next Settlement except Fort Bridger being at the
Salt-Lake which is distant 509 miles. This -place (Fort Laramie)
is 522 miles from the Council Bluffs.

July 2d — This morning we bought a Horse for $100 to replace
the one that died on Platte river and started on our journey about
noon and went 12 Miles through the Black hills when we came to
a large spring but were disappointed to find it so warm as to be
unfit for use but on going about a mile and a half down the creek
we found good water and tolerable grass, where we camped.

July 3d — This day we reached Dead-Timber creek having Trav
eled 15 miles, wood & water plenty, but grass Scarce. Still among
the Black-hills.

July 4th — Traveled 18 miles to day and camped on a small creek
with very little grass.

July 5th — Traveled only 13 miles to day and camped on La Bonte
river a stream about 10 yards wide. 400 Crow Indians said to be
camped a short distance up the river. Though we saw none of
them. Peppermint grows wild here.

July 6th— Traveled 19 miles to day and crossed La Prele river
where we saw some men diging a grave for a woman who had died
leaving two small Infants (Twins), we went 4 miles further and
camped on a small Creek at a cold spring, grass Very scarce.

July 1th — To day we remained at our encampment. Some of the
company went out hunting and killed 3 Buffalo.

July 8th — Traveled 8 miles and came to Platte river which we had
not seen for the last 80 miles (here we leave the Black hills) went
5 miles further and camped on Deer Creek at a celebrated

524 ANNALS OF IOWA

camping place, grass and water scarce but from appearances it has
once been abundant in this vicinity.

July 9th — Went down Deer-Creek to its mouth and crossed the
Platte river in a boat that had been found and repaired by the
emigrants and camped on the North Side opposite the crossing 28
miles below the upper or Mormon Ferry. The water of Platte
river much clearer and the Current more gentle than it is lower
down.

July 10th — Traveled 18 miles up the river and camped rather
early having found some excellent grass, rather unusual for the
last 12 days.

July llth — Continued our journey up the river and arrived oppo
site the upper Ferry about noon, went 15 miles further and stoped
near sundown at some springs, but the water being represented as
poisonous we did not use any of it and concluded to go on to the
next water (13 miles) where we arrived about Midnight and
camped on a small creek 3 miles below the Willow-Springs having
traveled 38 miles to day.

July 12th — Started very early and went on to the Willow-Springs
where we stoped for breakfast, on reaching the Top of the hill
after leaving the Willow-Springs we came in sight of the Sweet-
Water Mountains. To day our road lay mostly through a level plain
covered with loose sand, about sundown we came to the alkali
ponds. Salaratus is found here in large quantities being produced
by evaporation. We reached Sweet-Water river a little after dark,
having traveled 21 miles to day over the worst road we have had
since leaving home. This night we camped close to Independence
Rock. The Sweet-Water river is about 20 yards wide at this place
the water is very clear and entirely free from Alkali from which
circumstance it probably takes its name, the Independence-Rock is
situated on a level plain where the road first comes to Sweet- Water
and is a solid Rock of Granite about 600 yards long 120 yards wide
and 80 or 100 feet high. (Some say 120 feet high)

July 13th — Early this morning being told that we could find grass
about 4 miles north of the road we started in search of it and
found a small Valey or Basin where several trains were encamped.
We found plenty of grass and firewood but water rather scarce
the wild sage grows to a most enormous size in this Valey. We
stayed during the remainder of the day to recruit our Teams.

July 14th — This morning we started and passed a place called
the Devils-Gate (2 miles from Independence-Rock) at this place
the Sweet-Water is forced through a narrow passage between per
pendicular Rocks several hundred feet high. Some of our com
pany (with some difficulty) passed through the Gate which is about

CROSSING THE PLAINS IN 1850 525

2 miles in length. (Traveled 18 miles and camped on Sweet-
Water.)

July 15th — Traveled 19 miles to day and again camped on the
Sweet-Water.

July 16th — Traveled 24 miles to day and camped on the Sweet-
Water 42 miles from the South-Pass.

July 17th — To day at noon we left the Sweet-Water and traveled
over a Mountain and camped on Strawberry-Creek. Came 20 miles
to day.

July 18th — Traveled 10 miles and came to the river again 12
miles from the South-Pass, and camped; here we saw a large Bank
of snow on the road-side near the river.

July 19th — Crossed the Sweet-Water for the last time, Traveled
12 miles and crossed the dividing ridge between the waters of the
Atlantic and the Pacific about 1 Oclock P. M. The South-Pass is an
elevated Plain about 7000 feet above the level of the Sea. The road
passes about 20 miles South of the Wind-River Mountains which rise
to the height of 13000 feet and are always covered with Snow. The
Colorado the Yellow-Stone and Lewis's river head in these Moun
tains. After crossing the ridge we went 3 miles and Camped at the
Pacific Springs. Traveled 15 miles to day.

July 20th — To day we crossed Dry-Sandy, Little-Sandy and camped
after dark on Big-Sandy. They are all Tributaries of Green-River.
We Traveled 30 miles to day.

July 21st — This morning we crossed the Big-Sandy Traveled 17
miles and camped at night on the same stream but did not cross it.

July 22d — Traveled 10 miles and came to Green River. Crossed
over and camped 2 miles below the Ferry. Green-River is about
100 yards wide with a deep and rapid current. Traveled 12 miles
to day.

July 23d — After traveling 5 miles down the river we found some
good grass where we stoped till the morning of the 25th during our
stay here we caught some Pish and killed some Sage-Hens.

July 25th — Left Green-River Traveled 16 miles and camped on
Blacks-Fork another branch of Green-River.

July 26th— This morning we left the Old Mormon Road and took
one bearing more to the north and camped at night on a small creek
the water of which was very Muddy an unusual thing in this region,
here we found plenty of grass We traveled about 20 miles to day.

July 27th — This morning soon after starting some of the com
pany killed an Antelope, we traveled 15 miles and came to the old
road at Fort-Bridger about 2 Oclock P. M. where we encamped.

526 ANNALS OF IOWA

Fort-Bridger consists of a few Cabins surrounded by a Stockade
of Pine logs. It was built in 1842 by Mr. Bridger who still
occupies it as an Indian Trading-Post. The soil appears to be rich
in the immediate vicinity of the fort, but the climate is too cold
to admit of farming or gardening. This place is on the head waters
of Blacks-Fork in the immediate vicinity of the Utah Mountains
which are covered with snow. We are now 114 miles from the Salt-
Lake City.

July 28th — Left Fort-Bridger about noon Traveled 10 miles &
camped on a small creek.

July 29th — We started early and Traveled 4 miles to the Muddy-
fork where we saw the Grave of George Tallman a man with whom
we were acquainted and who had passed us on the Sweet- Water, he
died July 28th. This day about noon we crossed the ridge dividing
the waters of the Pacific from the Great-Basin. We camped at night
on Sulphur Creek a branch of the Bear River, having Traveled 21
miles to day.

July 30th — After traveling 2 miles we crossed Bear-River the
largest stream that empties into the Salt-Lake. Went 15 miles
further and camped on a small creek near Cache Cave.

July 31st — Traveled 16 miles to day and camped on Echo-creek.
A berry resembling the Black-Currant grows here in great quan
tities.

Aug. 1st — Traveled down Echo-Creek 5 miles when we came [to]
the Red-fork of Weber River, here the road forked and a large
Guide-Board is placed advising Travelers to take the new or left
hand rout but we kept the Old Mormon road which we afterwards
understood was much the best. The Red-Fork is about 20 yards
wide and has some timber growing on its Margin, we traveled
down the river 4 miles where we crossed over went 4 miles further
and camped on a small creek. Traveled 13 miles to day.

Aug. 2d — Traveled 17 miles and camped on Kanyon Creek. This
evening we met the Mail going from Salt-Lake to independence
Missouri.

Aug. 3d — Left Kanyon Creek and commenced ascending a high
Mountain (covered with Timber mostly of the Balsam Fir) on reach
ing the Summit we came in sight of a portion of the Salt-Lake
valey being then 17 miles from the City, in the afternoon we
crossed another Mountain and at night camped on a small stream
called the Last-Creek 9 miles from the City.

Aug. Jfth — Proceeding down the creek about 5 miles we came to
the Salt-Lake valey and reached the City about 11 Oclock A. M.
We passed through without stoping crossed the Jordan or Utah out-

CROSSING THE PLAINS IN 1850 527

let on a Toll-Bridge and camped about 3 miles from the Town where
we remained till the Morning of the 10th.

On the 24th of July 1847 a company of Mormons consisting of 120
men entered the valey of the Salt-Lake (Previously called Bear
Valey) and took up Their residence on the site of the present City,
In August and September about 600 wagons with families arrived.
This was the first Settlement at Salt-Lake.

The City is 22 miles South-East of Salt-Lake on the Eastern side
of the Valey, on a slightly inclined Plain. It is laid out into 19
Wards (the 20th Ward runing into a Spur of the Mountains is not
included in the Corporation) each Ward is divided into Blocks of
10 Acres each and each Block in 8 Lots of an Acre and a quarter.
The Blocks are divided by streets 8 rods wide and a stream of
Spring-water from the mountain is conducted through each street
throughout its entire length. The dwelling-houses are built of
Adobes or unburned Brick. They are generally plain but neat and
comfortable. They have a State-House built of Red Sand-Stone
which they procure in the neighboring Mountains. They have also
a Tithing-House in progress of building of the same material. Lime
is found in this neighborhood in a natural state of decomposition
and Plaster of Paris is found in the same vicinity. The outlet
from the Utah Lake to the Salt-Lake runs a short distance west
of the City, This stream which was formerly called the Utah Out
let, the Mormons have appropriately enough named the Jordan
and by this name it is now generally known. The Salt-Lake Valey
is 60 or 70 miles in length and on an average about 20 miles wide
a part of it is very fertile and produces enormous crops of Wheat,
Barley, Oats and Garden vegetables. A considerable portion how
ever of the Valey is entirely barren and unfit for cultivation. The
whole Valey is said to contain a Population of about 20 thousand;
five or six thousand of whom are in the city. The Mormons have
Settlements in several other Valeys within the Great-Basin.

The distances heretofore have been given as laid down in the
Mormon Guide-Book which Terminates at this place. Hereafter they
will be given according to the best information we can procure
which may in some instances be slightly incorrect.

Aug. 10th — This morning about 10 Oclock we resumed our jour
ney taking the Rout South of the Salt-Lake commonly called Has
tings' Cut off. Traveled 15 miles and camped at the foot of a
Mountain on the West side of the Valey.

Aug. llth — This day in the forenoon we came to the Salt-Lake
and went in bathing, the water is so heavy that a man will float
upon it without making any exertions and so strongly impregnated
with salt that no living animal is found to exist in it. When we
came out we found ourselves covered with an incrustation of salt

528 ANNALS OF IOWA

which proved annoying as we could procure no fresh water to wash
it off. The Lake is said to be from 80 to 100 miles long North and
South and 60 or 70 miles wide. There are several Islands in it
upon some of which are high Mountains. We Traveled 25 miles
to day and Camped at the Willow-Springs, where we remained dur
ing the 12th to recuit our Horses and Procure a supply of Hay
for the Desert being the last opportunity we shall have.

Aug. 13th — Traveled 25 miles over a very dusty road and camped
at a spring of Brackish water with very little grass or wood, here
two men who were Traveling ahead of us passed us in the night
returning towards Salt-Lake City with a Woman and little Girl
whom they had found in the road having been abandoned and left
by their Company. (They belonged to a company of Cherokees)

Aug. 14th — We traveled 10 miles to day over a dusty road and
about noon came to some springs of good water with plenty of grass
but no fuel except wild sage, here we stoped for the remainder of
the day.

Aug. 15th — This morning we took in a supply of water for the
Desert and after Traveling 15 miles over a plain covered in places
with salt we caine to the foot of a Mountain where we found a
spring of Brackish water plenty of fire-wood and some grass; here
the Desert commences.

Aug. Wth — To day about 3 Oclock P. M. we commenced our jour
ney across the Desert and at 7 Oclock on the Morning of the 18th
we arrived at the first springs where we found plenty of water
and grass where we remained till the Morning of the 21st. during
the Trip we stoped in all about 8 hours. The distance across the
Desert according to the best accounts is 91 miles. The first
8 miles is over a Mountain. The next twenty miles is a sandy
plain, when we come to a ridge or low Mountain runing East and
West, after crossing the ridge the road lies over a level plain cov
ered more or less with salt. This plain is evidently covered with
water during the winter season and probably communicates with the
Salt-Lake which rises and falls several feet during the year. At
the time we passed ponds of salt-water were still standing in many
places.

Aug. 21st — This Morning we started and after going 5 miles we
stoped at a large spring of rather Brackish water where we remained
till 6 Oclock P. M. when we a<;ain started and at about 2 Oclock in
the Morning we came to some holes of fresh water but found no
grass here we stoped till 8 Oclock next Morning during this day and
night we traveled about 25 miles.

GROSSING THE PLAINS IN 1850 529

Aug. 22d — After Traveling 18 miles we came to a place called
Slough-Springs at about 2 Oclock P. M. here finding good grass and
water we encamped.

Aug. 23d — This day we did not start till Sundown and arrived
about midnight at some warm Sulphur Springs having Traveled 18
miles here we found some grass, and stoped till next Morning. Some
emigrants who are encamped here say it is only 6 miles to the
Humboldt river, we think it is very doubtful.

Aug. 24th — Started at 8 Oclock and crossed over a Mountain But
instead of finding the Humboldt we came upon a dry sandy plain,
during the day we could see what appeared to be groves of Timber
and Lakes of water in different* directions but they proved to be
Optical delusions. The groves of Timber turned out to be sage
brush and the Lakes to be plains of white sand. These deceptive
appearances are not uncommon on these Deserts, in the Afternoon
we came to the some Sulphur Springs similar to those we left in
the Morning. Here we found a paper informing Emigrants that
there was good grass and water about 2 Miles to the North of the
road we accordingly went and found it as they had described and
a large number of emigrants encamped. We have remained here till
the morning of the 26th, 20 Miles to day.

Aug 26th — This Morning we started early and crossed over a
Mountain into a valey and about noon came to grass and water where
we stoped about 2 hours; after dinner we started again and crossed
another Mountain about dark, seeing some fires ahead we kept on
through the valey for about 5 miles where we found a company of
emigrants here we encamped having Traveled about 30 miles to day.
No word of the Humboldt yet.

Aug. 27th — This morning we found ourselves in a large valey
extending appearantly about 20 miles to the North. On the South
we could not see its terminations it is about 15 or 20 miles in width
with a high Mountain runing along the west side. Grass and water
in great abundance. This day our Horses having taken a stam
pede we only Traveled 14 miles our road was on the West side of
the valey bearing nearly due South.

Aug. 28th — This Morning we started early and in the course of
the day crossed a great many creeks formed by springs from the
Mountains; grass still plenty and soil rich Our road to day lay
in the same direction as yesterday. We traveled 25 miles and
Camped at one of the numerous springs.

Aug. 29th — Continued our journey in the same direction as yes
terday and the day before, the country presenting the same appear
ance, having Traveled about 18 miles we encamped in a few miles

530 ANNALS OF IOWA

of the lower end of the valey where it appears to be shut in by
the Mountains. We found a large number of emigrants encamped
and waiting for company. They had a map of the Country and had
come to the conclusion that we had lost our road and had taken the
rout taken by Fremont in 1845, which goes by Walkers Lake. It is
tolerably certain we are not on Hastings-Cutoff as the road does not
appear to have been Traveled by Emigrants till the present season.
The valey through which we have just passed is probably as large
as the valey of the Salt-Lake. The soil seems to be equally as good
and capable of supporting as large a Population. This valey is
situated about 300 miles South West of Salt-Lake City, by the road.

Aug. 80th — This morning our road bore westward across the
Mountain we started in company with the other emigrants and after
crossing the Mountain the road turned to the north precisely in
an opposite direction from the course Traveled for the last three
days. We Traveled 20 miles and camped on a small creek; not yet
certain whether we are on the Fremonts rout or not.

Aug. .Ust — This morning our Road continued north down the
valey. The creek sometimes disappearing under ground then rising
again, we Traveled about 18 miles to day and Camped at some wells
of Brackish water which, had been dug by former Emigrants.

Sept. 1st — This morning after Traveling about 7 miles down the
valey we again come to water, the same creek reappearing. We
Traveled down the valey till near sundown and camped on the creek
having come 25 miles to day, during the forenoon Some emigrants
found the bodies of two men supposed to have been killed by the
Indians, who are said to be very troublesome in this region though
we have seen but one Since crossing the Desert. We have been
Traveling for the last 50 miles in an opposite direction from our
rout down the Big Valey on the other side of the Mountain. We
supposed this place to be not more than 20 miles from where we
left on the Morning of the 27th Ultimo. We have come to the con
clusion that we are not on Freemonts rout, but don't know where
we are. Think we are not far from the Sink of the Humboldt.

Sept. 2d — After Traveling down the valey about 5 or 6 miles we
came to a large creek coming in on our right hand from the South
East; we kept down this creek in a North-west direction till noon
where it enters a canyon and runs nearly due west. We started
through the Kanyon at one Oclock P. M. and about sundown
emerged into a valey of considerable size with a rich soil producing
an abundance of Grass, Mustard and Flax, here we encamped hav
ing traveled 22 miles. The Kanyon through which we passed this
evening is so narrow that in many places we had to Travel along
the bed of the creek for a considerable distance there being no room

CROSSING THE PLAINS IN 1850 531

on either side for a road, it is hemed in by precipitous mountains
and overhanging Rocks. Across the valey 4 or 5 miles North of our
encampment is the appearance of a larger stream coming in from
the East, which we suppose to be the Humboldt though Some of
the company think Otherwise; We Shall probably see in the morn
ing.

Sept. 3d — This morning after going about 4 miles we found a
paper Posted up on the road-side dated a few days back and appar
ently directed to some of the writers Friends' informing them that
they were then in a few miles of Walkers-River and about 200
miles from Sacramento City. After going about 2 miles further we
came to a river of considerable size which we all supposed to be
the Humboldt, notwithstanding the notice we had just seen on the
road. Soon afterwards we were overtaken by some Emigrants who
had come by the Northern Rout from the Salt-Lake. They informed
us that the river down which we were now Traveling was Really
the Humboldt and that we were now about 220 miles above the
Sink. Though somewhat disappointed to find ourselves so far from
the end of our journey we were glad at being now upon a road of
which we had some knowledge. We had all been mistaken in re
gard to the Rout, the Road bearing much farther North than we had
supposed for several days past. We Traveled 18 Miles to day and
camped on a small creek near the River on the North side. Here
upon comparing our notes of distances with those of a, man who had
Traveled the same Rout we found a variation of 12 miles in our
calculations since leaving Salt-Lake a distance of about 450 miles
From the best accounts given by other Emigrants the Road Traveled
by us is about 120 miles further than the Northern rout from the
Salt-Lake which comes in by the head of the Humboldt. We now
think it probable that we left Hastings'-Cuttoff at the Slough-Springs
on the 23d of August.

Sept. fill — This morning we left the valey of the Humboldt and
Traveled over a range of Mountains 17 miles when we again came
to the river. After going 3 miles further we camped having Trav
eled 20 miles.

Sept. 5th — To day in the forenoon we came to where the road
forks one runing on each side of the river. We took the one on
the North side, in the afternoon we came to the Grave of Ephraim
Bowles of Keokuk County Iowa; from the inscription on the Head-
Board he was killed on the 19th of August in a Skirmish with
the Indians about 10 miles North of the Road. We went 6 miles
where we camped and killed a Beef which we had bought being
nearly out of Provisions. Traveled 22 miles to day.

Sept. 6th — Remained at our encampment for the purpose of drying
our Beef.

532 ANNALS OF IOWA

Sept. 1th — Soon after starting we saw a number of Indians they
showed Some hostile intentions but finally went off without molest
ing us We Traveled 25 miles to day and Camped near the River.
Here we overtook a man and his wife Traveling with no other com
pany except one man who was sick They camped with us.

Sept. 8th— This day we Traveled 22 miles besides losing about
12 miles by taking the wrong road (Probably Lawsons Cutoff) upon
which we went about 6 miles and then came back to the road which
we had left a short distance ahead of where we turned off. We
camped near the river with about 25 men belonging to Woodwards
Train from Cincinnati. One of their men very sick.

Sept. 9th — Woodwards Company started ahead of us. About
10 Oclock we passed them. The sick man having died they were
diging his Grave. They overtook us in the afternoon. * We Traveled
till after dark and Camped together. We Traveled about 30 miles
to day.

Sept. 10th — We traveled 20 miles to day and camped at a small
Grove of Thorn-Bushes. The only Timber except small Willows
that we had seen since reaching the Humboldt.

Sept. llth — Traveled 20 miles and camped in a head of the river
among the Willows with but little grass.

Sept. 12th — This day Traveled till after dark before we camped
making only 20 miles, We took our Horses across the river into a
little bend but found very little grass.

Sept. 13th — This morning 2 Indian men and a Boy came to our
camp with 2 Horses and 2 Mules, we talked of claiming them as
stolen property but finally let them pass concluding that they were
the rightful owners. We started and about 10 Oclock met the Owner
inquiring for them. They had been stolen the night before. We
reached the Big-Meadow after dark where we camped having Trav
eled 30 miles to day.

Sept. 14th — This morning my Brother David and Myself left the
company with whom we had Traveled from home. Went on 5 miles
and joined Dr. Bell's Train Our company being nearly out of Pro
visions we thought it best to separate.

Sept. 15th — To day we remained at our encampment and cut. Hay
preparatory to crossing the Desert between the Humboldt and
Carson Rivers.

Sept. 16th — Resumed our journey Traveled 16 miles and camped
close to Humboldt-Lake.

Sept. nth — After Traveling 9 miles we crossed the Outlet from
the Lake being merely a continuation of the river which finally

CROSSING THE PLAINS IN 1850 533

sinks among the Sand-Hills a few miles below. About 1 Oclock
P. M. started on the Desert which commences at the crossing of the
Outlet and continues to the Carson River, the distance is said to be
40 miles. We Traveled all night and in the Morning at sunrise
found ourselves about 6 miles from Carson River. Our Teams very
tired and the worst part of the Desert before us. We held a consul
tation and concluded to take the Cattle from the Wagons and send
them forward with a part of the company to the river while some
of us should remain with the Wagons. This was accordingly done.
Four of us remained in the Desert till about sundown when those
who had gone ahead in the Morning returned with the Teams and
we all went on to the River. Here we found quite a village of Tents
a number of Traders having established themselves here temporarily
for the purpose of trading with the Emigrants. They were selling
Flour at 20 cents per pound which we considered cheap having paid
one Dollar a pound at the Big-Meadows. The Destruction of prop
erty on the Desert during the present season has been immense.
At the time we crossed it was estimated that 5 thousand head of
Horses, Mules and Oxen were lying dead in a distance of 40 miles;
incredible as this statement may seem it perhaps falls short of
the actual number. The destruction of Wagons and other property
was in proportion. Our company lost 2 Horses and an other company
who Traveled with us lost 32 head of Oxen. It is supposed that the
Cattle generally died from the effects of the Alkali water at the
crossing of the outlet. The Carson river is about 30 yards wide
much the same size as the Humboldt, it runs into a Lake and sinks,
the water is clear and apparently free from Alkali.

Sept. 19th — This Morning we started again Traveling up the
Carson river about 5 miles where we encamped and remained till
next morning.

Sept. 20tn — Started early but only went 3 miles till we stoped
haying a desert of 12 miles before us which we concluded not to
cross till evening. Started again at 1 Oclock and Traveled 18 miles
further stoping about 9 Oclock at night having Traveled 21 miles
to day. We remained here till the afternoon of the 22d to recruit
our Teams, having found good grass, the first we have had since
crossing the Desert.

Sept. 22d— Started at 1 Oclock P. M. Traveled 10 miles and
camped. Turning our cattle onto an Island in the river we found
good grass.

Sept. 23d— Started early, but Traveled only 10 miles to a Trading
Post where we camped being told there was no more grass for the
distance of 35 miles.

534 ANNALS OP IOWA

Sept. 24th — This Morning we started expecting a Desert of 35
miles but after Traveling 16 miles were agreeably disappointed at
finding good grass where we camped rather early in the afternoon.

Sept. 25th — After Traveling 4 miles we left the river and Traveled
12 miles over a Mountain coming to the river again at the lower end
of a small valey. Traveled up the valey 3 miles and camped, having
good grass and water. Same warm springs in this Valey. Traveled
19 miles to day.

Sept. 26th — Traveled 5 miles over a low ridge into what is called
Carson Valey. Then 12 miles up the Valey and camped near the
Mormon Station, having Traveled 17 miles to day. At this place
there is a Log Cabin occupied by some Traders. A high Mountain
is on our right covered with large Pine Timber. Some Gold-Diggers
are said to be at work on the other side of the river.

Sept. 27th — Traveled 10 miles and camped near the head of Car
son Valey where we remained till the afternoon of the 29th for the
purpose of cuting hay for the Teams in crossing the Mountains. The
best Springs I have ever seen are on Carson Valey.

Sept. 29th — Started in the afternoon. Traveled 4 miles and
camped at the head of the Valey.

Sept. 30th — After Traveling 5 miles we came to where the road
turns to the right into a large Kanyon through which it passes for
7 miles. This part of the road is much the worst we have Traveled
over since leaving home, we reached the head of the Kanyon a little
before sundown and after going about a mile further camped in
a small Valey having Traveled 13 Miles to day.

October 1st — Traveled 7 miles up the same creek which runs
through the Kanyon and camped a short distance to the right of the
road.

October 2d — After Traveling 3 miles we came to a small Lake
where the road comes to the Mountain. This Lake is by some called
the Red-Lake though this name is more generally applied to another
Lake on the other side of the Mountain. This Mountain is a ridge
of the Sierra Nevada and very steep we crossed it without much
difficulty and reached the Valey on the western side in the after
noon where we encamped close to the Bed-Lake. We traveled about
9 miles to day.

October 3d — This day we crossed the main ridge of the Sierra
Nevada. This Mountain is not so steep as the one we crossed yes
terday, but higher being 5 miles by the road from the Base to the
Summit. There was some snow near the Top but none in the road.
We reached the Summit about noon. And having Traveled 6 miles
down the Western Slope we camped at a Small Creek in Rock

CROSSING THE PLAINS IN 1850 535

Valey. This creek we supposed to be one of the head branches of
the Cosumnes or Macosma. We Traveled about 11 miles to day.

October 4th — After Traveling 6 miles we came to a place called
Tragedy-Springs from three men having been killed there by the
Indians; from ah inscription on a tree close by they were killed
on the night of the 27th of June 1848. Their names were Daniel
Browett, Ezra H. Allen and Henderson Cox. They are all buried in
one Grave under a pile of Stones. After Traveling 2 miles further
we came to a Trading Post about noon where we camped having
come 8 miles to day. A young man from Henry County, named
Allen Melton died at this place during the night.

October 5th — After Traveling 7 miles we came to the Leek-
Springs about noon. Then 11 miles further to Camp-Creek a branch
of the Macosma. We Traveled 18 miles to day.

October 6th — This morning after Traveling 6 miles we came to
a Trading-Post where Dr. Bell Sold his Wagon and Team reserv
ing the use of them to Weaver-Town. We Traveled 9 miles further
and Camped at another Trading-Post having come 15 miles to day.

October 1th — This morning we started early and about noon came
to Some Trading-Posts at Pleasant Valey (12 miles) in the afternoon
we traveled 10 miles further arrived at Weavertown about dark.
Having come 22 miles to day. Here our journey ends for the
present after having Traveled according to our calculations 2200
miles since leaving home the greater part of the way through an
uninhabited Country. After having been on the road 141 days.
Weavertown which is some times called Weberville is situated on
Weaver or Weber Creek a branch of the American river 8 miles
west of Placerville (Commonly called Hangtown) and 50 miles
East of Sacramento City.

Weavertown and Ringold may properly be called the same vilage.
Though the eastern part which is first entered on the emigrant road
is called Ringold and the lower part Weavertown.

COLONIZATION MEETING. A meeting of the State Coloniza
tion Society will be held this (Friday) evening, at the Supreme
Court Room, in the Capitol, at 7 o'clock. Judge Hall, of
Burlington, Governor Lowe, and others are expected to ad
dress the meeting. By order of the executive committee.
Samuel Storrs Howe, Cor. Sec'y- Tri-Weekly State Journal
(Des Moines), Feb. 26, 1858.

ANNALS OF IOWA

HANDLING THE PANIC OF 1907.

BY A. C. MILLER.

Late Saturday evening, October 26, 1907, word reached
two or three of the bankers of Des Moines through a private
source in Chicago, that the banks of that city on the follow
ing Monday morning, would suspend currency payments and
for a time, at least, would only honor drafts drawn on them
for balances on deposit with them, through the Clearing
House Association of Chicago. New York, at this time, was
practically on a Clearing House basis, so it therefore became
necessary for the banks of Des Moines to protect their cur
rency reserve by a similar action.

The officers and directors of the various banks were noti
fied Sunday morning, October 27, 1907, to attend a meeting
called for 10:00 o'clock at the Des Moines Savings Bank
rooms. This meeting was attended by practically all of the
officers of every bank in the city and was in session for sev
eral hours. At this meeting, the attorneys who were present
to advise us, were instructed to prepare Articles of Agree
ment and have them ready Monday morning to be signed
by the officers of the various banks, members of the Clearing
House Association. A copy of this agreement together with
the officers who executed the same is as follows :

We, the undersigned Banks of the City of Des Moines,
Iowa, members of the Des Moines Clearing House Associa
tion, do hereby agree each with the other and with the said
Des Moines Clearing House Association and the. Clearing
House Committee of said Association, to abide by and con
form to all the rules of said Association, including the fol
lowing rules:

1. That a resolution of the form heretofore adopted by this
Association, relating to the manner of issuing Clearing House
certificates, and securing the same and pledging the credit of
all of the banks, members of this Association, and for the
security of all Clearing House certificates issued by the As
sociation, be passed by the Board of Directors of each of the
said members of this Association, and a certified copy thereof
be sent to the Secretary of this Association.

C. J. A. ERICSON 31

Senator Ericson's cherished desire to add to his extended
travels the cruise around the world, referred to in the above
extracts, was gratified, when, on July 30, 1910, he reached
his home in Boone, having left the January previous. Taken
suddenly ill the evening of August 2d, three days following
his return, in spite of medical aid, he died Sunday morning,
August 7, 1910. So closed the career of one whose Christian
character has made the world better; one who enjoyed the
esteem and love of all who knew him, and of whom it can
be said, as some one has so beautifully expressed it :

"To look into some eyes

teaches us faith —
They are so true;
The sound of some voices

lessens pain
Which is life's due;
The touch of some hands

helps us live
Our whole lives through."

32

ANNALS OF IOWA

JOURNAL OF A. W. HARLAN WHILE CROSSING THE
PLAINS IN 1850.

A JOUKNAL OF CALLIFORNIA BOUND IN COMPANY WILBURN WILSON,
JAMES WILSON, MICHAEL DUST & A. W. HARLAN.1

1850

Wed May 1st left Athens Mo. 11 o'clock A. M. & camped at
Irvine Wilsons. Made about 12 miles 12

Thur May 2nd traveled 12 miles & camped at Wm Wriggles
worths 12

Fri 3rd
Sat 4th

Sun 5th

Mon 6th
Tues 7th

traveled 12 miles & camped at Freezes (?)

12

traveled 17 miles & camped 1% miles west of
Drakesvilles, one yoke of oxen ran away, snowing
next morning 17

traveled about 15 miles and camped on a branch
of Soap Creek, the best grass that we have seen,
a white frost & ice % in next m 15

lay by all day. The wind blew a gale and rain
came on at night

a drizling rain until 9 o'clock A. M. we then
started, the wind blowed brisk & cooll. traveled
over beautiful rolling rich prearie. took the left
hand at Dodges point, went three miles further
and camped at the goose pond on Chariton.
rained at night, made 23 m. frosted 23

we traveled 12 miles over beautiful rich prearie
& camped on a small branch of Chariton. grass
scarce a white frost next morning and all the
mud on the waggon wheels froze hard 12

Word Harlan was one of the best known pioneers of south
eastern Iowa, having arrived at Fort Des Moines (now Montrose) as a
servant in 1834. Engaged in merchandising at Keosauqua in 1837, set
tled on the Half Breed tract and acted as the local agent of Charles
Mason, emigrated to California during the gold rush, served from the
day of the battle of Athens when he was fifty-one years of age for nearly
four years in the Union Army in the Twenty-first Regiment Missouri
Infantry, returned to his farm near Croton and remained an active partic
ipant and intelligent witness of events until his death in his one hun
dredth year on the 30th day of April, 1911.

Wed 8th

THE A. W. HARLAN JOURNAL

33

Thur 9th

Fri 10th

May Sat llth

Sund 12th

Mond ISth

Tues 14th

traveled 10 miles and stopped on the open prearie.
boiled the tea kettles with rosin weeds. 10 o'clock
at night all our cattle broek from the waggon
to the N. W. we stopped them in good time, cold
North wind at night, slight frost 10

we traveled about 12 miles on the main road
to Garden Grove then went 4 miles of from the
road down the creek to find grass for our cattle 12
here William Allen of Lee County Iowa turned
back & Alfred Allen joined Lapsleys crew, put
in two yoke of oxen making 5 men and 6 yoke
of oxen to one waggon

took up a ride without any. road, in about 5 miles
struck the road and traveled 20 miles & camped
on a small stream that I supposed ran into the
Des Moines, Squaw creek of 3 rivers, roads dry
and dusty — a strong wind all day from the N
West 20

grass being scarce we yoked up & traveled about
3 miles, fell in with Hines. stopped on a small
brook. The grass rather poor, we will keep the
sabbath the ballance of the day. — But Lapsleys
team came along and we followed on about 10
miles further in all. 13 m to day & camped on
a small branch of Grand river 13

this day our road lay over very rolling prearie
the points thin and almost covered with red
granite even where there had been no wash, we
made about 7 miles headway though we have
traveled 10. passed through Pisgah, a mormon
settlement on one branch of Grand River consist
ing of some 50 or 60 miserable huts & turned
down the river about a mile to graze, weather
hot roads dusty & grass wilted 7

we took the plainest road, it had been made by
teams turning off for grass — though it was the
wrong road— we lost 4 miles by it. our road today
lay over very rolling though rich prearie. a great
many teams in sight winding over the prearie
hills and looking over this vast expanse of
prearie & beholding the energy of our people I
look forward to the time that it will all be sub
dued, fenced with wire and hedges and every

34 ANNALS OF IOWA

farmer will have his own chemical aparatus —
and with a little manuel labour — burn water for
fuel — we have crossed the last branch of Grand
river — made — 13 m

Wed 15th To day our road has been over gently rolling

prearie, the swales deep & muddy the axels of
the waggon often dragging in the mud. seaps or
springs along the sloughs — stock water will al
ways be plenty and good both winter and sum
mer, wells could be got anywhere almost, trav
eled 20 miles and crossed one branch of the Nod-
doway River and turned of a half mile and then
drove- to grass in 20

Thur 16th we left our encampment on the East fork of

Noddoway. crossed the middle fork in 5 miles —
and in 15 m more encamped on the west fork.
20 miles in all 20

rolling prearie, rich sandy soil, water plenty,
grass growing better. The wind blew a hurri
cane all day. the dust flew like the prearie on
fire, the wild plum bushes just in bloom, one
of our oxen was snake bit in the morning, an
old settler says there has been no rain for 6
weeks

Fri nth this morning our snake bit ox was to lame to

carry the yoke, we therefore had to drive him
single, we left the Noddoway, in about 7 miles,
crossed a branch I supposed to be the Nishna-
botany. in 9 miles further we cross quite mill
stream — The E P of Noddoway. here we fell in
with the travel from Raccoon — forty waggons in
sight at a time, went 2 miles out in the prearie
& camped, traveled in all about 18 miles 18

Sat 18th we left our prearie encampment, crossed several

small streams and the west or main branch of
the Nishnebotany, then went 2 miles out in the
prearie to camp — in all — 18 m

The wind blew strong from the North, here an
old settler says there has been no rain for 7
weeks — very dusty. Rich rolling prearie, water
plenty— seaps or springs along all the branches —
danger of cattle mireing

THE A. W. HARLAN JOURNAL

35

Sund 19th this day we crossed several small streams — Silver

creek, a few mormons liveing there — traveled
about 15 miles 15

rich rolling prearie, water plenty — today we saw
the Missouri River and those peculiar knobs of
clay on top of the hills either eaten or washed
into irregularities hard to account for. a hot day,
strong S. W. wind, a great thunder storm at
night, camped on keg creek

Mond 20th we wound our way through Carter town among

the hills then through Kaneville and 8 miles more
to the bottom — in all — 15 m

Those bluffs are fertile and of Plutonian mecha
nism, in fact miniature mountains from 100- to 300
feet high covered with grass and a few trees in
the sheltered places, affording a beautiful pros
pect, today has been cloudy & chilly with a strong
east wind, we are now here at the upper ferry
to the Bluffs, crossed Musquito creek. There is
no good grass within three miles of Kanesville
on either side

Tues 21st to day we have all lay by waiting for Henshaw

& Rollins, we are not yet organized into a com
pany. I have spent most of the day wandering
over these Romantic Bluffs

Wed 22nd we waited for Henshaw until 10 o'clock, then

went to the ferry 4 miles, by being late others
crowded in and we have had to wait another day
by so doing, we are not yet organized, we have
had a great rain at night and continued until after
8 o'clock this morning, high wind from S E 4

Thurs 23d it was afternoon before the ferries were in opera

tion, our company crossed over, traveled 6 miles
to a good camping ground, wood and plenty,
grass better — fine rolling prearie. a strong S E
wind all day 6

Fri 24th To day we crossed Pappeau creek at noon, 15 ft

wide, and ferried Elkhorn. in the afternoon went
2% miles and camped on a small creek, trav
eled about 20 miles 20
in the forenoon those cones near the Missouri on
our right were in sight some distance, bearing a
resemblance to the Bluffs — fine rolling prearie —
well watered — we are now on the main plat

36

ANNALS OP IOWA

[Platte] bottom — a brisk south wind to day, all
hands cheerful, we now consider ourselves fairly
on the way for Callifornia

Sat 25th our road to day has been level though some ot

it quite muddy, we are now going up the bottom
of the Big Platt from 5 to 8 miles wide, mostly
very rich but some of it sandy and some of it
to wet for cultivation, on our right several miles
the highland rises gentle & beautiful prehaps 80
or 100 feet high in all, but straight ahead there
is seemingly no end to dead level, a part of the
time [to] day there has been timber on our left
near the river and ridges of sand among the timber
some 15 to 25 feet high, evedently thrown there
by the water of the Platt, also some considerable
ridges of sand out in the open prearie. The Platt
is a moveing bed of quick sand of all depths, &
width from % of a mile wide to less than 200
yds, with banks from 3 to 5 feet high, several
pools or little lakes near the river on our left
we have organized into a company at last

16 m

Sund 26th To day we have traveled about 18 miles & saw

a Pawnee village on the opposite, side of the
River— the land and grass both good, weather
pleasant and camped on shell creek, it was very
high (& we pulled our waggons over by hand 18

On our left rolled down the mighty Platt
A broad sheet of turbid waters

And still beyond were hills and vales
The home of the Pawnee daughters

On our right stretched forth an extensive plain

As level as the ocean
The Bluffs beyond, the mirage between

The hills all seemed in motion

And in our front was an open space

With full scope to the vision
Here in the center still rolling ahead

Was our split log division

Mond 27th to day we have traveled about 18 miles and en

camped on a clear lake near the Platt. this morn
ing we had another great storm of rain & thunder.
I waded through water near % of a mile, cold
N W wind in the afternoon. Last night I mounted
& stood guard for the first time — very cold this
morning 18

THE A. W..HARLAN JOURNAL

37

Tues 28th we traveled 3 miles to the Loup fork of tlie

Platt & ferried, then went up said stream 6
miles & camped on the banks 9 m

it is generally 5 or 6 hundred yards wide, filled
with very white quick sand and snags, the water
much clearer than the main Platt. the Bluffs hack
are evidently diminishing in height. The sand
banks show that this stream occasionally raises
to a wonderful height

Wed 29th we still traveled up the Loup about 25 miles with

a succession of sand hills on our left from 30 to
50 feet high, consisting of single cones and ridges
of white sand with some flats and pools between,
there is a similar ridge of them on the main
Platt from 40 rods to 2 miles wide, then there
is a rich valley, of land between them in shape
resembling a sad iron, on the north of the loup.
the hills at a distance appear to be clay with a
few scattering oak, the first in 100 miles 25

Thurs 30th to day we have traveled about 22 miles between

the Loup and Main Platt, sometimes very sandy,
some wet land and soome gentle rises of almost
pure sand and a good deal of good land, high
sand hills on our left hand all day. to night we
are encamped on a considerable flat of good clay
soil but lots of sand down about 4 feet, the high
lands north of the loup are visible but not a
single stick of timber, we drink water out of a
small puddle full of wiggle tails 22

Friday 31st late last evening Win Freeman & McCown came

in from hunting and reported a village of Prearie
Dogs near by. next morning it was the wish of
many of [us] to see them, we' went and killed sev
eral, they seem to feed on grass and roots, we
have seen many antelopes but as yet have killed
none, yesterday and to day we have seen many
Buffaloe trails — from 5 to 15 paths side by side
very straight and worn deep into the ground, as
yet we have not seen any Buffaloe. we traveled
west for some 5 miles, then struck the Mormon
track, then South West some six miles all through
sand hills, we then struck the flats near the Big
Platte. I could not see south of the river but at
5 o'clock P. M. the sand hills on our rear were
invisible and E. W. and N. as far as the eye

38

ANNALS OP IOWA

could extend it was almost a perfect level of rich
black dry though rather sandy soil, we are en
camped near the Big Platte. Grass is very good.
I saw yesterday where some emigrants had been
mowing, traveled 22 m

Sat June 1st we traveled up the Platt near the timber and are
camped in the edge of the timber, have made
about 16 miles headway, in about five miles we
crossed Wood river, a pretty mill stream. I have
seen great quantities of the sensitive plants to
day. there is a flat or low bottom near the river
subject to overflow, then the land rises gradually
— sometimes abrupt about 20 feet, generally rich
sandy loam from 20 inches to 3 ft deep, then
gravel below though sometimes clay on the sur
face, in short I have this day seen the largest
body of good land that I ever saw resembling
the second bottoms of the Miami or Whitewaters
in Ohio and Indiana. The Bluffs in the north
are barely visible about 10 miles distant but
whether clay or sand I am unable to say 16

Sunday 2nd to day we have all hands laid by & overhauled
our loading, in ours we found all right excepting
about 10 Ib of bread on the lower side of one
sack, done up some washing and John Gray
killed a hare, some of the other companies killed
Buffaloes in our neighbourhood, this is keeping
Sabbath after a manner on the first of the week
instead of the seventh as commanded

Mon 3rd Started early and had not proceeded more than

a half mile until a loose horse of Mitchells came
galloping up and frightened a Mr. Mendenhalls
team, they started to runaway — their running
and the rattling of the waggon started others —
it became contagious and in half a minute nine
teams were under way. old oxen that had never
runaway before sprung to it like quarter horses,
we stopped them after a time, all well excepting
Bennings team — another team run against them
and knocked down three oxen, one of their horns
stuck in the ground and broke his neck, two
others slightly injured, the land has been gen
erally very good, the second bottom from 5 to 8
miles wide, a considerable scope has been in-
crusted by salt, salt-petre, copperas, etc. and lit-

THE A. W. HARLAN JOURNAL

39

erally torn to pieces by Buffaloes, quite recently
we passed through a succession of prearie dog
villages & one city, we have traveled about 20
miles to day & cooked our suppers and breakfasts
with green willow brush, rained hard all the
afternoon & most all night 20

Tues 4th The width of the valley is materially deminished,

prehaps six miles wide here, a portion subject to
overflow, we have traveled about 14 miles and
camped on elm creek near the head of Grand
island, this afternoon about 2 o'clock it com
menced raining hard and has poured down with
but little intermission in perfect torrents all
night, the cattle were very uneasy all night re-
quireing additional guarding, a double cover on
the waggons but partially answers the purpose —
our bedding all wet and some of our provisions
also, five of our men went out on a Buffaloe
hunt & killed one poor little cow to poor for use,
they were caught in the rain storm and did not
reach our encampment until 11 o'clock at night,
the little creek on which we are, raised about 9
feet perpendicular, there is no end seemingly to
the prearie dogs 14

Wed 5th we have had a drizling rain all day & conse

quently laid by. there are several varieties of
Prickley pear in this vicinity (and to me) new
kinds of grass, weeds, etc. There are many dead
Buffaloe scattered over the plains. Some of them
appear to have died from poverty and some have
been shot for amusement

Thurs 6th our cattle were inclined to Stampede so we rolled

out early, went 6 miles to Dry creek, it lacked
only nine feet of answering to its name, with a
swift current, we set stakes & stretched ropes
& chains across & built a bridge of willow brush,
rolled our waggons over by hand, swam our
teams across, by this time there was 60 other
waggons waiting, we loaned them our chains,
ropes & bridge & left, the running of a horse to
day made 4 teams runaway — no harm done, we
could not get to the old road for sloughs but
have traveled about 12 miles through water &
grass and camped in open prearie without any
thing to raise a fire this morning 18

40 ANNALS OP IOWA

Fri 7th The country maintains its beauty in the valley

here from 6 to 10 miles wide, the hills are get
ting more sandy, there are but few flowers in
bloom, the plains are filled with men hunting
stray cattle — almost every company have had
stampedes & many waggons broken

Sat 8th to day the sand hills approach much nearer the

river, the country is getting poorer and more
broken, there is only a few scattering trees along
the Platt. the vegetation is all new to me. we
have traveled about 20 miles, camped in the
bottom 20

Sund 9th this day we have [travelled] about 22 miles

through poor country, here the Platt is about as
wide as the Mississippi at New Orleans, but very
shallow, by the Mormon guide we here expected to
find the last timber but all had been used up by
others ahead of us so we must go about 200 miles
without any provisions cooked up yet all hands
are cheerful 22

Mon 10th This day we have traveled about 21 miles &

crossed the North Bluff fork for 50 yds wide, the
bottoms low '& wet, the hills all sand & broken,
this morning our hunters came in loaded with
Buffaloe meat and we have all been feasting on
it. they report haveing seen many wild horses,
generally fine steeds, one especially a black stal
lion, as something extra he came near them at
first then left with the speed of the wind, those
sand hills are almost covered with Buffaloe,
horses, antelope, Hares, wolves, lizzards & terra
pins and could be made to produce cottonwood
& Black locust timber 21

Tues llth To day the Platt has looked more like a common

river running alternately from Bluff to Bluff, the
bottoms generally low and wet. Our road has
been mud and sand hills, the sand frequently six
inches deep, traveled about 21 m

Wed 12th This morning a large herd of Buffaloe were quietly

grazeing in the bottom near our encampment &
others on the hills, on the south side of the river
there is a lime Stone Bluff (the first rock I have

THE A. W. HARLAN JOURNAL 41

seen since we left Pizgah in Iowa) There was a
respectable number of cedar trees growing among
the rocks. The country here changes its appear
ance, limestone appears on the north side, the
Bottoms high & sandy, the river is much nar
rower, say 600 yds, with but few isleands. this
evening L. B. Mitchell & Win Philips came in
loaded with Buffaloe meat. I saw roses in Bloom,
we have traveled about 20 miles

Thurs 13th to day we crossed Castle Creek 50 yds wide, the

bluffs on the S Side of Platte still continue rocky
with a few scattering cedar bushes, the rocks show
on the N side occasionally, we passed the Noted
lone tree, a large cedar with most of the limbs
cut off, the body much mutilated with names cut
and penciled, one island with cedars of good size
growing on it. I daily take my sack to gather
Buffaloe chips as the Israelites did the Manna.
Grass is becomeing very poor, traveled 19 m

Fri 14th I examined the rocks on the N Side of the river,

found some bastard limestone but mostly soft sand
stone scarce deserving the name, all of them
worthless as the land around them, this evening
some timber appears on top of the bluff south side,
probably pine, the road for the last hundred
miles has been strewed with wagon irons, cooking
Stoves etc. traveled 21 m

Sat 15th this morning I left camp before the teams to take

a ramble over the cobble hills, they consist of
cones of rocks of various kinds almost covered
with gravel & sand and look like they were one
hundred thousand years old. the word desert
would form but a poor Idea of their Sterility, yet
there were many flowers blooming among them.
I had a view of chimney rock some 20 miles dis
tant, (it was 33 miles) I saw several Bumble
bees but no honey bees. I also saw the largest ants
by 1-3 that I ever saw, also saw a new species of
ant with heads & jaws 3 times as large as usual,
they always carry gravel instead of dirt, we
have traveled 19 miles to day & camped on the
river bank among good grass 19

42 ANNALS OF IOWA

Sund 16th we have kept Sabbath most of the day and traveled

this afternoon 10 miles and are encamped in full
view of chimney rock so often described, the
country at a distance has quite a broken ap
pearance, there are many Isolated Masses of
rocks in sight in the South at great distance, re
semble the ruins of Splendid edifices and as we
travel they gradually change their resemblance
from one building to another, we have tolerably
good grass to night 10 m

Mond 17th This morning as the fog had partially cleared

away we had a splendid view of a group of isolated
rocks some 23 miles west of us representing a
magnificent City in ruins with streets and all its
appendages, when the fog had entirely cleared
away they were out of view for some miles, then
in sight again, distance lent enchantment to the
view but now we are near them they an ugly mass
of ill shaped rocks. Philips horse got the saddle
under her belly, broke and run, frightened the
oxen and seven teams ranaway at once, we trav
eled over some midling land this afternoon, trav
eled about 20 miles & camped in good grass 20

Tues 18th we have traveled our 20 miles, passed Scotts Bluffs,

the weather in morning very cold, rain, hail and
snow, at 1 o'clock very hot. rain in the evening,
miserable poor Country except where the ground
is nearly level with the river and then the grass is
good, some few willows now begin to appear on
the islands, even here log chains are not worth
picking up, our company haveing passed four
of them & left them lying there 20

Wed 19th to day we have passed many sand hills on our

right, totally destitute of vegetation, very soft,
white & clean, we have passed many cottonwood
stumps but no timber, the Black hills are now
in full view, we have I might say no grass to
night.

The rugged Black hills now rise in view

Beyond are snow capped mountains
We'll leave this desert to welcome you
For sake of your cooling fountains 19.

THE A. W. HARLAN JOURNAL

43

Tfiurs 20th To day we have traveled about 11 miles and camped

near fort Larimie on the opposite side of the River,
scarcely any grass, the ferry has been cut loose
& lost, on tomorrow they expect to have a new
boat in operation, there are pretty conclusive
reports of cholerea on the S Side of the River
& at the fort, there are many waggons near and
hourly increasing — many have gone up the river
to try finding a new route, we have ha,d a severe
rain >& hail storm to day 14

496 m

The Mormon guide makes the distance 522 miles

496

26 miles

less by my reckoning (we saved some in ferrying
loup fork)

Fri 21st we are still lying by waiting to ferry, they are

very slow about business. The Platt here is about
400 yds from bank to bank, pretty well filled with
isleands. runs I should think 12 miles an hour
at this stage the bars are cobble stones yet move
about like quick sand

Sat 22 I strolled about 3 miles from camp on to a high

peak to view the country hereabouts & the black
hills in the distance, every thing except the gar
rison buildings looked dilapidated and time worn,
we have run the ferry all night & crossed 6 wag
gons before our 15 which makes 21 in all. dis
tance about 250 yds over 12 ft water, a current of
fifteen miles an hour, and but few of us have
closed our eyes, we are at fort Laramie on Sunday
morning June 23 our cattle yet to swim

Sund 23rd left Laramie, traveled over four ridges in 10

miles, came to a cove, or sink of considerable ex
tent of tolerable grass, went on to the warm
springs & camped & drove our cattle back to the
cove, the guard went to sleep and lost 80 head of
them, we have found all of them again. These
warm springs are in the bed of a dry creek it
treaks up in white sand and runs of quite a
creek it is but little warmer than river water

12 ?

44
Mond 24

Tues 25th

Wed 26

Thurs 27th

ANNALS OF IOWA

we left the warm springs, traveled over a country
of cobble hills, crossed the beds of several dry
streams, found a little of stinking water in Bit-
terwood creek so named from a species of wil
low growing there in abundance, we made a
prearie encampment, no water, traveled about 20
miles, this morning the weather was clear and
warm, at 10 the fog commenced accumulateing on
the top of Laramie peak and soon grew to a
thunder storm, this is the first time I have seen
the sight, the grazeing very poor. 20

This morning we left early, went seven miles to
horse creek, found plenty of good water, grazed
2 hours without grass, yoked up and went 18
miles further to Labontea creek, then drove the
cattle 1 mile down the creek to some grass,
(water good), the road has been horrible bad to
day. the clouds hung on laramie peake nearly
all day. at 3 o'clock in the afternoon the sun
shone out, we had a splendid view of the hillyes
country entirely all in beautiful confusion, to
day we found the horns of the mountain Sheep
and also the mountain goat, elk horns are be
coming plenty — we had seen but few since leaveing
the Council Bluffs, our whole days travel 25 ni

To day we lay by all day. the hills in this
vicinity present pretty conclusive evidence of
haveing at sometime been burned and am or'
opinion that it is from such places in times of
great rains and of overflowing the bottoms has left
the deposites of alkalie along down the Platte.
the country here is more clayey than heretofore,
the foundation seems clay, the cobble stones
seems to have been washed on when submerged by
water then the hills raised by Plutonian agency,
there are ma[n]y old dead trunks of pines & old
pine trees and scarcely any young pines or cedars

we traveled over very broken country yet we
wound our way through almost miraculously,
crossed the Alaprelle, a pretty stream, water
plenty, & went about 1 mile out to camp, grass
poor, travel 20 m

THE A. W. HARLAN JOURNAL 45

Frid 28th To day we have traveled about 18 miles, country

poor and broken in this vicinity, the crickets
are quite plenty, this morning I gathered a
handful of the blue bloomed perrenial flax, quite
plenty, artimesa makes its appearance. 'we crossed
poosh bosh creek, we are camped on deer creek

18

Sat 29th we have traveled about 18 miles, tolerable road,

no grass scarcely, crossed crooked muddy creek
true to its name, our catties feet are much worn
out. we have but two yoke able to work in our
team. W. Wilson has now been quite sick for two
days — getting better 18

Bund 80th To day we have come eight miles to the upper

ferry on the Patte and are all crossed over' safe
at $3.12 per waggon, our cattle still to swim, we
now find that we have been swindled in the most
rascally manner and that the officers of the gar
rison at Laramie are concerned, we have come
the longest & worst road on the poorest feed and
poor prospect ahead for 50 miles, we have all
agreed to write to others comeing not to cross
the Platte at all hereafter, no cholerea on the
road now 8

Monday June I looked around on the wreck of waggons & other
[July] 1st property, it gave me serious reflections, by noon we
had swam our oxen all over safe and was on the
march, our road lay over a high barren country of
sand, at 4 o'clock I went on a high point to our
left & had an extensive view of the desert around
us. some 80 or 100 miles N. W. there were high
mountains and seemed to be capped with snow we
went 12 miles & took a cup of tea, then went on all
night. I walked day and night ahead driveing the
loose stock. I counted 4 disabled oxen yet liveing,
14 that had died recently & 2 horses, besides old
carcasses, here I immagined I saw the tracks of
the Elephant but my eyes were literally filled
with dust and sand so I could scarcely see the loose
stock, we are here at the willow springs, our
day & night travel amounts to 29 miles 29

Tues 2nd we browsed our oxen on wild sage & rue until

noon, then drove 6 miles to a small branch, no
grass at all though there has been some, our cattle

46

Wed 3rd

Thurs 4th

ANNALS OF IOWA

have nothing to eat. dead oxen are to plenty to
count any more. I suspect the deaths are mostly
occasioned by drinking alkalie water 6

we yoked up our famishing cattle & made about
10 miles headway, then turned back to our left 1%
miles to a spring of good water, then drove our
cattle 2 miles further to poor grass — the sand has
been generally about shoe mouth deep, we passed
the salaratus lakes, they were most of them dry
leaveing an incrustation of salaratus on the ground
& those nearly dry had a crust on top of the
water resembling new made ice very much 10
I had neglected to say we are now among the
spurrs of the Rocky mountains, they are large
Isolated Masses of granite interspersed over a
sandy plain with seams running in every direction.
I have just returned from the top of one about
1000 feet high, on a bench half way up there
was round pebles like a lake shore peble showing
that they had been washed by waves, near their
bases there is great quantities of burnt or scori
fied granite showing plainly that they are all
from plutonian agency

This has been an eventful day with us. there
was a little difference originated between J. J.
Benning & Allen of Chequest about the camping
ground last night, we yoked up our teams this
morning & started, Benning & Mitchell remaining
behind, 5 waggons, the rest came on to Inde
pendence rock. I left the loose stock and ascended,
reached the summit at precisely 12 o'clock. Just
half way to Callifornia and the middle of the 19th
century. I looked at thousands of names but did
not see Mr. Preemonts, but I did see my old friends
name, J. Ralston, June 21st, 1847. we then forded
Sweet water, the captain then told us the com
pany was dissolved, we parted like brothers,
divideing out into small companies in order to
procure grass for the oxen, we associated with Mr.
Lawrence, Ramey & Robinson from Utica, V. B.
Iowa, the mornings are warm, the afternoons very
windy & clouds of dust aflying. we passed the
devils gate and have mad about 13 miles head
way 13

THE A. W. HARLAN JOURNAL

47

Sat 6

Frid 5th This morning we lightened our load by leaveing

2 axes, 1 chain, 1 yoke, some rosin, some bedding
& other things & mad a cache of our pork and
have traveled 8 miles & camped on the bank of
Sweet water below the narrows, this is the land of
game — Elk, antelop & sage hens all in sight. Wil-
burn Wilson killed a fine Antelope, late in the
evening we saw at about 2 miles distance 2 steal
and runaway with 7 horses. 8

To day we have traveled about 20 miles through
hot sand 3 to 6 inches deep, and camped on the
bank of Sweet water, the grass on the plains
is thin and dried up. on the low land near the
river it is about 1 inch high and looks as bare as
a Kentucky goose yard 20

Sund 7th To day we traveled about 15 miles fording Sweet

water No 2-3 & 4. at No. 4 we found gold dust in
considerable quantities though very fine, at 1
o'clock we turned to the left round a mass of
rocks and at once had a splendid view of the
Wind River mountains, the same I saw
capped with snow glistening in the sunshine, we
camp on Sweet water, grass short though the
best we have had in a week 15

Moncl 8th This day we have traveled 22 miles over deep sand

and gravel, the weather is cold as November, the
wind blowing a hurricane, the air is filled with fly
ing sand & salaratus. we passed two salaratus lakes
complete incrusted with masses of salaratus. we
again camp on Sweet water, scarcely any grass 22

Tues 9th This morning there was frost, a gentle Breese

from the S W has blown to day. the weather
pleasant, our road has been very rough to day.
at the crossing of Strawberry creek there was
a long bank of snow ten feet deep and Straw
berries in bloom within a few feet of the snow
drift, grass short 18 m

Wed 10th To day we have traveled about 10 miles & then,

off from the road three miles to graze on Sweet
water near the mountains, there is plenty of
snow along the bluff banks of the creek, we are
now along side of a mass of Snowy mountains
on our right, they are the same that I mentioned

48 ANNALS OF IOWA

twice before. I first saw them 145 miles distant,
to day the wind has blowed hard, our eye are
filled with dust, we are now in tolerable grazeing.
all hands cheerful, my own feelings seem to [be]
regulated entirely by the quality of the grass
around our encampment. The Sweet Water is a
small stream kept up by melting snow, generally
60 to 80 feet wide — the valley about 10 miles
wide, almost entirely a sand plain, the low bot
toms from 20 to 80 rods wide, well set with short
dry grass that is certainly as nutritious as our
blue grass, the N. side of the mountains that are
on the S. side of the river are pretty well tim
bered with pine about half way up the stream,
then the is nothing but bar cobble hills 10

Thurs 11 white frost this morning, forenoon warm, after

noon windy, there are many pretty flowers in
bloom, we have laid by all day & doctored and
grazed our oxen, our elevation is so great that
the rays of light from the sun are visible all the
night, horned toads are plenty

Frid 12 more frost, we left our encampment late in the

day & crossed through the pass, this appears to
have been in some age of the world a mass of
lime stone interveneing between the granite forma
tions & the whole has been burned, the lime has
t •' gradually leached away & settled down, forming

these salaratus lakes & alkalie water & furnish
ing the material to support the coral insects &
build up the reefs of florida and the west indies,
about the Pacific Springs the ground was literally
strewed with dead cattle & horns, say 100 within
1 mile, we traveled about 25 miles and camped
on Little Sandy — there has been grass, there is
none now 25

Sat 13 we yoked up our starving oxen, went 8 miles on

to Big Sandy and then drove them 8 miles back
to grass towards the mountains, the country is
a desert that has been all burnt over, leaveing
occasionally Butes of calcined clay, elevated about
60 to 80 feet above the usual sand plain, there
is nothing to indicate the presence of a running
stream, they have narrow winding channels
through the sand plains 8

THE A. W. HARLAN JOURNAL

40

Sund 14th

Mon 15th

Tues 16th

Wed nth

Thurs 18th

Frid 19th

Sat 20

at 12 oclock M we rolled out, our oxen not quar
ter filled, we went on until near sunset, rested 1
hour, then 1 hour at midnight and 1 hour at

sunrise, then rolled ahead, at 12 M we reached
Green river making in all 53 miles in 24 hours
without feed, this is going on the atmospheric
pressure principle, and that all through light
dust about 3 inches deep, as light as flour and at
times entirely hideing the whole teams and filling
our eyes & throats, and scarcely any grass here,
poor prospect ahead 53.

we left the ferry at 12 M and drove 8 miles S W
on to a creek where there had been grass (none
now), graves wer quite thick and ded cattle
everywhere. I made soop from the washings of a
number of putrid carcasses, the alkalie is very
thick here and Elephant tracks have been growin
more plenty for the last 300 miles 8

we have spent most of the day hunting grass &
have found some at a considerable distance from
the road on the same creek, alkalie is very plenty,
we have made about 6 miles headway 6

To day we have laid by (our fare is changed)
good grass for the oxen and we have fine smooth
gooseberries for sauce, nearly ripe, & cool water
to drink from the best of medical springs (sulphur
& oxide of iron) James Wilson is sick

To day we reached the Mountain side at 12 M.
cool springs are plenty here, we saw a new species
of pine & Columbia root. The Butes in the S
pass are still visible, say 90 miles distant. The
roads are dry & dusty, we have traveled about
20 miles the grass is very scarce, at a distance
from the road, we have again fell in with Benning,
Mitchell & company 20

This day we have traveled about 18 miles, the
road is as rough as can well be imagined, we
nooned on a large creek, there is many groves
of quakeing asp along here & some small spots of
good soil but the climate is to cold & dry, yet vege
tation seems to flourish, the snowdrop is now in
bloom & many other pretty flowers and banks of
snow all about, above and below, we are near the

50 ANNALS OF IOWA

summit east of Bear River, the best of water &
grass midling. we had this afternoon a fine shower,
a strange occurrence here 18

Sund 21st This morning at 7 oclock the musquitoes were

most voraceous. we left at 8. we passed through
a dense grove of fir & quaking asp & soon reached
the summit, we had a glorious view of a mass of
clouds below us in the Bear river valley, they
soon cleared away and gave us a full view of the
valley, here some few thousand years ago no
doubt was a vast chasm of lake that burned with
fire and brimstone, then it was a horrible pit of
mirey clay and poison water, there is some mud
and alkalie yet but thousands of acres of good
land well set in grass resembling our blue grass
but more nutritious, such is the changes of time
it will now soon be the home of the Sheep herd
and the finest flocks in the world, traveled about

16 m

Mond 22nd we left our encampment in Smiths fork of Bear

River and traveled about 6 miles & stopped to
graze, the Straw Berries are scare but ripe, some
service bushes, the fruit green, musquitoes are
very bad. we caugh[t] a few Speckled [ ]

from Bear River 6

Tues 23rd we went 6 miles & stopped and razzed our wagon

bed 3% feet & coupled up shorter, then went 14
miles over the worst of mountains, crossed many
pretty rivulets, the mountains have a tolerably
smooth surface pretty well clothed with grass and
if there was timber here this would be a desirable
country, as it is the scenery is most delightful,
we are again on the banks of Bear River 20

Wed 24th we left our encampment near Big timber & Great

Bear Lake, the lake is but a goose pond, the Big
timber is few Bitterwood 1 foot in diameter and
about 40 feet high, we have traveled 16 miles &
crossed many pretty mountain Brooks and eat
yellow and red currants, the yellow are tart and
tolerably good, the red ar puckery & poor things.
the weather is pleasant and the scenery delightful

16

THE A. W. HARLAN JOURNAL

51

Thurs 25th To day we have traveled about 18 miles down

Bear river, the Bottoms are not so handsome
but there is a fair supply of timber near the top
of the mountains 18

we here met with a caravan of Americans, French
half breeds, Indians, of two or three kinds, with
mules, horses, oxen & wagons — squaws and white
women, with a portable government forge, some
government waggons, and no two could give the
same account of themselves, in short they was a
pack of whores, rogues & robbers, about 50 per
sons & 100 horses

Frid 26 This day we passed the celebrated Soda Springs

So ofter described by others, here was another
motley crew, we have taken the fort Hall road,
traveled about 15 miles and are camped at a big
soda spring

Sat 27th To day we traveled about 9 miles in the fore

noon & laid by the ballance of the day on account
of Mr. Lawrence being sick, our course is to the
N. W. up a valley of some 6 or 7 miles in width in
which there is several extinct craters of volcanoes
that appears to have bursted up after the general
burning of the country had ceased, there is con
siderable portion of the valley quite rich and pro
duces a considerable quantity of flax spontaneous
ly, blue bloomed and perrenial. the grazeing is
good, water plenty 9

Sund 28th To day at 1 o'clock Lawrences waggon was up

set in 3 ft water in the Bear river valley, at 6
o'clock we passed the ridge and had a fine view
of the valley of the Columbia, this evening we
ar camped on its waters, we have traveled about
18 miles, water plenty, grass midling 18

Mond 29th This day we have traveled about 18 miles, the

road is pretty level but the dust is from 1 to 6
inches deep with the exception of small portions
of coarse grass near the creeks, all the rest is
dried up and looks- as bad as the grass does in
Iowa in the month of November 18

Tues 30th This day we have traveled about 16 miles passing

Port Hall, it is situated in the middle of an
extensive plain near the Junction of several small
streams with the main branch of Lewis River.

52

ANNALS OP IOWA

it is all mud even to the roof, we stopped in the
evening as usual but the musquitoes were so bad
our cattle became so uneasy that we yoked and
traveled two miles to where they were not quite
so bad. M. Dust & J. Wilson are both getting
about 16

Wed 81st The first thing this morning was to raise all

our loading on top the waggon beds & cross Raft
river, some 50 yds wide, we crossed all safe, then
went about 100 yds and down steep bank into
a mud hole, our load being on top all slid for
ward into 1 foot water & deep mud below, lost
part of our sugar, the rest all muddy but not
seriously injured, the dust has been horrible to
day, we have traveled about 17 miles 17

Thurs Aug 1st after one mile travel we came to the American
falls of Lewis R. here the river is nearly as large
as the Des Moine. it is precipitated over and
through a ledge of rocks, falling about 40 feet
in 100 yds, dashing the water into foam and form
ing the rainbow above and still a succession of
Rapids for several miles below, it is a splendid
sight, traveled about 16 m

Frid 2nd Today we have left Lewis River and traveled

about 11 miles and camped on Cassia Creek, the
grazeing eat out. we lay by on this afternoon on
account of Lawrence' sickness 11

Sat Srd This day we moved up the creek about 3 miles

and laid by and grazed, the weather is very hot.
the roads is extremely dusty

Sund JttU Today we have travelled up the creek 14 miles and

found a large scope of excellent grass and laid by
this afternoon, here we found the Henshaws of
Missouri and Beckley and Millers of Bonaparte
and have spent the afternoon in visiting one
another, all feel quite cheerful and sanguine in
getting to California somehow or other. J. Wil
son is now well again and Mr. Dust is well ex
cept the sore eyes 14

Mond 5th after traveling about 9 miles this morning our

road was intersected by the Hudspeth Cut off and
we find that we have lost no time by going by
Port Hall and our teams are in much better con-

THE A. W. HARLAN JOURNAL

53

dition than those that went the cut off. we are
among the mountains this afternoon again, our
days travel will be about 18 miles 18

Tues 6th This morning we left a small creek, the waters of

Lewis River, and went over a ridge of moderate
elevation easy of ascent and descent and took
our nooning on a pretty branch that runs into
Salt Lake, here is small portions of land suscepti
ble of cultivation, there are a few scrubby Cedars
from 6 to 10 feet high on the mountain sides and
small parcels of snow — This afternoon we have
been among Rocky Mountains worthy of the name
indeed, Stupendous Magnificent and Sublime! our
road is good, seeming to wind its way through
Merracalously and we have traveled about 23
miles 23

Wedns 7th This morning at 9 o'clock when on the summit of

a mountain I had an extensive view of a broken
Mountainous country far to the west, and still
beyond at a great distance I saw an extensive
range of snow capped mountains looming above
the rest and glistening in the sunshine
(I have left a blank to fill hereafter) we are en
camped on Goose creek. I suppose it to be a tribu
tary of Lewis river, our road has been extremely
rough, our days travel about 18 miles 18

Thurs 8th we nooned on Goose creek on short grazeing,

then rolled on through a narrow chasm in the
mountain side of scorified bassalt piled up in
high masses on either side, then we came into an
open pass, got some supper at night and then
rolled on and came to some large springs at
night, there was no grass and we still rolled on
until 2 oclock in the morning and stopped, make-
ing in all about 33 miles and no grass yet 33

Frid 9th we still drove on 7 miles and then 2 miles off

the road to a patch of wild rye but no water, we
then drove 9 miles more and have good grass and
water tonight, there has been about 100 waggons
jammed close together today 16

Sat 10th Today at 11 o'clock we passed the far famed

boiling springs, they are quite hot indeed but the
boiling is produced by the escape of gas. they are
all abot over near an acre of ground, sending off

54

ANNALS OF IOWA

a considerable stream, they are situated in a
valley of considerable extent known as the Thou
sand spring valley, yet water is scarce, it soon
sinks, there is a large scope of land here sus
ceptible of cultivation though there is no chance
for irigation. I am of the opinion the gas from
those hot springs could be collected and conveyed
in pipes so as to. answer a small community here
for fuel and light, we are on the banks of Kanyan
creek without water for the oxen or cooking pur
poses tonight, we have traveled about 18 miles
road good but dusty

Sund llth we yoked up last night and came on 7 miles to

some water and a little grass and today we have
traveled 9 miles and lay by the ballance of the
day. all the teams are pushing ahead, many are
scarce of provisions and grass is scarce for the
teams, we are now on the waters of the Hum-
boldt 16

Mond 12th late last evening there was many Indians prowl

ing around and some 40 of them evidently medi
tated an attack on 4 wagons near by us but they
were bluffed off and the night passed off quietly,
today the weather is fine, the road excellent and
grass good and we have rolled on about 20 miles
and are encamped on the Humboldt 20

Tues 18th This morning while some Ohioans were at break

fast about a dozen Indians ran off 2 of their
horses and 2 oxen they pursued them and retook
their stock and 1 indian horse to boot, no lives
lost, about 10 miles below the Indians killed an
ox. they have their signal lights out every night
it is almost as good as our Telegraph, we have
come about 23 miles today and have had a shower
of rain 23

Wed 14th Today we have traveled about 20 miles down the

river, frogs are very numerous and the Indians
are commiting frequent depredations and the emi
grants confine themselves to self defence only, as
yet we have had several gentle showers, weather
pleasant and feed tolerable 20

Thurs 15th This morning our road was intersected by one

comeing in from Salt Lake down the south branch
of the Humbolt. the river then passes through

THE A. W. HARLAN JOURNAL

55

several kanyans and we forded 4 times. Indian
depredations are frequent, they shoot at the emi
grants from the crags of the hills at a safe dis
tance for themselves, and we have traveled about

12m

Frid 16th Early this morning we learned that the Indians

had stolen 6 oxen of 1 man and killed all but one
of another mans team, some of onr men have
gone to chastise them but it is very much like
running down grayhounds with Bull dogs, our
road today has been over a high barren moun
tain and we have traveled in the day and night
25 miles, the road is dusty beyond precedent, the
weather hot, and now that we are back to the
river there is but little grass 25

Sat 17th This morning our cattle had no grass and we

have driven them 10 miles down the river to tol
erable grass (though scarce), these mountains
have all been burnt down to ash hills, some of
them look hot yet. there is no system to them at
all. their sides are now brown and everything
looks desolate 10

Sund 18th Today we have had a cool north wind, roads very

dusty, good grass in the afternoon in abundance,
but some salaratus ground, and we have rolled
on about 21 miles 21

Mond 19th This morning there was quite a frost, the day

has been pleasant, the roads dusty, in passing a
stony point there was several small hot springs
near one of which I measured some bull Rushes
over 12 feet high standing erect, we passed a
good deal of saline and salaratus ground and
tolerable grass and we have traveled about 20
miles 20

Tues 20th Last, night was cool to. has been very hot and

we have travelled over thousands of acres of
salaratus. for the last 3 days the travel has been
on both sides of the river and all the indian
depredation has been on the south side, we are
on the North, have traveled about 18m

Wed 21st On our way today the river passed through a

kanyan and we passed over a mountain, here I
saw some horned toads in reality haveing ten
respectable horns (and but one head) and used

ANNALS OF IOWA

them in self defence while the little draggons of
Green river have horns on the body and none on
the head. I also saw a shrub that appears never
to have any leaves — we have traveled about 16
miles 16

Thurs 22nd This forenoon the road was dusty, in the after

very sandy, the atmosphere continues very smoky.
The river seems to dimmish in size and we have
rolled ahead about 18 miles 18

Frid 28rd Most of our road today has been sand from 4 to

6 inches deep, the weather hot and the atmosphere
smoky and we have travelled about 17 miles.
There are hundreds of persons with packs on
their backs that live on rose berries and frogs
haveing no other means of subsistence, flour has
been sold at $1 pr pound and two dollars a pound
has been refused in many cases when offered,
grass poor. 17

Sat 24th The road today has led off from the river over

an ash plain and we have traveled 16 miles, the
mountains lay around in low dark masses, partly
Isolated and Seem Shrouded almost in Egyptian
darkness, so dense and smoky is the atmosphere.
Grass is very scarce and our oxen feed on willows.
we have seen no Indians yesterday or today. 16

Sund 25th Most of the way today our road has led through

a greaswood flat and notwithstanding a small
shower this morning it has been very dusty and
our oxen had but little else than willows for feed
last night (and poor feed tonight) and we have
traveled about 14m

Mond 26th This morning after driveing our oxen 2 miles

and swimming the river we took up our march
over an ash plain on which there is neither weeds
nor a spear of grass and but little else than a
small prickly bitter shrub from 6 to 10 inches
high, we traveled on until 11 oclock and watered,
rested 1 hour, then went on until three oclock,
watered again and then drove on until 11 at
night, watered again and drove on, makeing in all
about 40 miles, most of this distance the river
winds its way among high lime and ash banks,
small bottoms but few willows and no grass, and
only a few bites now and we must go further and
this place is not called a desert 40

THE A. W. HARLAN JOURNAL

57

Tues 27th No feed for the oxen yet on the road and we

have turned off to the left and crossed the big
slough for feed which will take us eight miles off
our way. wre have found plenty of flags and some
grass among running water, our day's travel will
be about 14 miles. I think that I have seen
more than five hundred dead horses today. I
stopped at one time and counted 43 horses and
5 oxen, at another time 35, all putrid, the scene
can be better imagined than described, about
here there is several thousand acres of tillable
land though to much potash and salt but under
proper tillage could be rendered as fruitful as
old Egypt 14

Wed 28th Today we have laid by all day and cut grass to

last across the Desert, cooked up some victuals,
etc. The atmosphere continues very smoky pre
venting any considerable view of the country,
many persons are now suffering for provisions
and teams are growing poor

Thurs 29th This forenoon we filled our water Casks with what

we knew to be the leachings off from the putrid
carcasses of thousands of dead horses, mules and
oxen, then put in our grass and at 2 oclock
rolled down 6 miles and then grazed awhile, at
three in the morning went on 6 miles further to
the head of the Lake or pond makeing 12 miles 12
The mountains all the way down the Humboldt
are mere ash hills. The River has but seldom
exceeded 30 yds in width, frogs have been very
numerous and but few muskuitoes. There is no
timber but willows and but few of them exceeding
20 feet high, ducks are plenty also some wild
geese and black snipes or water hens

Frid 30th This morning at the head of the Lake or Sink I

saw some 15 or 20 lodges of Indians, most of them
engaged in gathering and cleaning of a grass seed
or grain much resembling broom corn seed but
flat. Their graneries and fans would do credit
to the engenuity of any people, they also make
sugar from the honeydew. we traveled down
beside this pond about 10 mils, crossed a slough
and went 8 mils further, then got a cup of tea
and went on most of the night through the desert

58 ANNALS OF IOWA

until one of Lawrences oxen gave out. then we
stopped and are here near the middle of the desert
say 18m

8at 31st This morning all was a desert almost as far as

the eye could extend, it has the appearance of
haveing once heen highland, then burned down
to its present level, a great portion of it consists
of small sand hills or cones like hay stacks and
hay cocks blown up by the wind, the only vege
tation is some scattering grease wood bushes, we
started and went on until near noon, then watered
and fed our teams again, then put the ballan[c]e
of our load in one waggon and spliced teams,
leaving everything that we thought we could
spare, then rolled ahead a few miles further,
there met with J J. Benning beside the road, he
and Mitchell had sent one waggon to the river
and all their oxen, men, women, etc. and will
send back for the other two waggons as soon as
they can. we however were able to reach the
river at 11 o'clock, at night makeing about 22
miles this day, 12 of which was deep sand. I
tried to count the number of wrecks of waggons,
stock, etc. to the mile.

I find there is about 30 waggons to the mile for
40 miles of the road — 1200. the dead animals
will average about 100 to the mile for 40 miles —
4000. water is being sold at $1.00 a gallon 22m

Sund Sept 1st Today we have laid by on Carson River among
hundreds of waggons and lots of elephant tracks. I,
think here in one place of say 20 acres of ground
that there is the remains of 800 waggons, some
persons think 3000. there is perhaps 2000 along
the bank of the River in 6 miles, waggons and
ox yokes are valuable only as firewood and ma[n]y
persons when they abandan their wagg[on]s set
fire to the beds. I have seen say 50 waggons that
had been fired and went out. others pile them
up and then pile on their ox yokes and harness
and consum all together, such bonfires are com
mon, here in this place a meals victuals cost fivo
dollars and a tired ox will sell from one to eight
dollars, (cottonwood trees here)

THE A. W. HARLAN JOURNAL

59

Mond Sept 2nd Still laying by I went full eight miles down the
river to cut grass to do our team one day on the
road up the river, there has been pretty good
bunch grass here on the low bottoms but it is
all eat out down the river for 6 miles and for 30
miles up stream, people arrive all hours of the
night, those that reach here with more than
half the team they start in with are considered
fortunate.

Tues 3rd This morning after hailing some hay 6 miles we

left this scene of devastation, takeing up on the
N side of the river, after 6 miles our road left
the river and went over a rocky dusty sage plain
16 miles on to the river again, and no grass
scarcely, all haveing been eat out. went 2 miles
further and stopped, as yet we have all our
stock and we are all well, our hearts are light
and so is our stock of provisions, our sugar is
gone, today we eat our last bacon, our fruit
is nearly gone, our supply of rice is bountiful,
; I coffee and tea to spare, we yet have about 10

days rations of breadstuff 24

Wedns 4th This morning we went 3 miles to a large Meadow

of 1000 acres, all eat off. we found good grass
further up the river off from the road, here we
sold an ox for 16$. I had drove him loose for
more than 1000 miles, our road then left the
river for 11 miles over, deep hot sand, we are
again encamped on the River, whole days travel

14

Thurs 5th Today we have crossed the river, it is a pretty

stream but seldom exceeding 40 yds in width, our
road has been near the river and yet very dusty,
we have made about 16 miles, hereabouts the
burnt hills rise up high enough to be entitled to
the dignified name of mountains, but no timber
as yet save a few cottonwood trees along the
River, whose shade I have enjoyed several times
today, it is a great luxury to me. this forenoon
grass was plenty but dry. this afternoon scarcely
any 16

Frid 6th In the forenoon our road was near the river, in

the afternoon over a rocky sage plain and our
days travel about 21 miles, today we had a
shower of rain, running in streaks, scrubby Cedars
on the Mountain sides near by. there is spots of

60

ANNALS OF IOWA

Sat 7th

Sund 8th

Mond 9th

Tues 10th

old snow and pine timber on the mountains 3
miles ahead to the right, some packers report
4 inches of new on the highest mountains on the
1st of sept. 21

Today we are in the Carson valley, it consists
of several thousand acres of the best of grazeing
land, considerable quantity fit for cultivation, the
river running through the center, bold Mountains
on the west, well studded with beautiful pine tim
ber some of which are 6 feet in diameter, many
of them from 3 to 4 feet, lots of good springs,
several pretty brooks, here white people could
live and we have traveled today about 16 miles 16

after going about 2 miles there was a succession
of hot springs at left of our road, several times
I placed my left hand in almost scalding water
and turned up my right eye and viewed those
small though everlasting drifts of snow near by.
the grass has been burnt in several places, the
atmosphere is smoky. The Indians all the way on
Carson river shoot all the oxen they can. they
also shoot at the emigrants every convenient op
portunity but we think so little of it now that I
had neglected to mention anything about it. we
come about 6 miles and are resting the team and
cutting hay to last over the mountains, a ma
jority of the emigrants are now on foot with their
packs on their backs, haveing lost almost every
thing, the speculators are sending large quantities
of provisions to sell to those still behind us 6

This morning we had frost, the wind has blown
a gale all day. we saw several men today with
mules packed with provisions for their friends
that are digging gold north and east of this place
and we ar considerably east of the highest moun
tains, we have come on 6 miles more and laid by
the rest of the day, preparing for the rugged
mountains ahead, there will not more than % of
waggons that started to Callifornia ever attempt
to cross the mountains 6

Last night the wind blew a hurricane bareing
down tents, blowing away tinware and hats gen
erally, this morning as cold as December and
brisk snow squalls this afternoon, we have trav
eled 12 miles 7 m of which beats anything I

THE A. W. HARLAN JOURNAL 61

ever saw before, through the Kanyan on the head
of Carson river, here the scenery was most grand
and imposing, the Mountains of light grey granite
rose almost perpendicular to an enormous height,
yet the dark green pines of several varieties and
in great numbers seemes to cling to the mountain
sides and nourish most luxuriantly 12

Wed llth This morning the high Mountains wer covered

with snow, the lowland with hoar frost, ice % in
thick in the water pail. Two new varieties of
elder and several new varieties of currants make
their appearance in this locality, most of the
way today has been among rugged mountains and
dense pine forests, many of them seem on the
decline and dying, we ascended one mountain about
1% miles, the road can neither be imagined nor
described, — a person mus[t] both see it and go
over it to appreciate the difficulty, we are en
camped about half way up another mountain, the
last serious obstacle on our route, and have come
today about 16m.

Thurs 12th In ascending the Mountain this morning I discov-

." ered the bluebells and column vine [columbine]
both in bloom 300 ft above the level of perpetual
snow and within 20 ft fresh mad[e] Icickles. we
soon passed among heavy drifts of old snow, the
road steep and rocky, and reached the summit at
9 oclock A. M. near 1000 ft above the level of
perpetual snow, even here among the frozen
earth there are many flowers in bloom, from this
hight we had an extensive view of a very rough
mountainous country far to the wes[t]. we can
now say if we have not rode the Elephant Tri-
umpantly we have at least mounted the highest
portion of the Siera Naved [Nevada] Mountains
successfully, our road has been very rough, the
country well timbered with pines and balsam fir.
traveled 16m

Frid 13th This morning we passed the tragedy springs and

soon came to some large cedars, many of them 3
to 4 feet through. 1 tree was near 7 feet in
diameter but not exceeding 50 feet in height, we
are encamped this evening 2 miles west of the
leek springs, there is to all appearance some

62

ANNALS OF IOWA

little1 spots of tolerable soil hereabouts. the
country is a dense forest of pines and Balsom fir,
The Fir largely predominateing. there is a few
whortle berries, some Rosberries — a new variety,
and also a goosberry in great abundance, Bigger,
Better and thornyer than anything of the Kind in
the States. The bushes are low, the fruit almost
lying on the ground, our days travel will be
about 13 miles 13.

Sat 14th Today we have laid by all day resting and graze-

ing our stock, but little grass to graze on and
none at all for the next 40 miles. I have seen
several new kinds of squirrels and birds among
which I saw a mountain Blue Jay, a noble Bird
entirely blue, nearly as large again but in other
respects resembling the Jay of the states, the
Black tailed deer are here in great abundance

Sund 15th we again took up the line of march over the moun

tains, our road very rough and stony, dense forests
of pines fir and Cedars. Cedar trees do grow 100
feet high and from 2 to 4 feet in diameter, a
few Oaks made their appearance today. The
Emigrants have cut down nearly all' of them that
their stock might feed on their leaves and we
have done the same this evening, we have had
a little shower of rain this evening and trav
eled 14m.

Mond 16th Today we have traveled about 18 miles, the [road]

has been extremely dusty, some portion rocky,
the oaks become more plenty and the forest has
lost its beauty, we are this evening in pleasant
valley, there is no feed here nor anything pleas
ant save a few very large scrubby oaks 18

Tues llth Our oxen had nothing to eat last [night] save a

few oak leaves and we have come on 10 miles
to a little town called Ringold. here we sold
our team and waggon all together for 295$. he [re]
I separated from my companions and went with
the team to the Diamond springs 2y2 towards
sacramento City, at Ringold as at these Springs
I have seen several men digging and washing
gold. I can now say I am fairly into the gold
diggins and will probably cease keeping a Journal

12

I

^ \"3 -vx
OcJf, ^

o

-C

•

FANCHER STIMSON
(From a daguerreotype of about 1850, age about twenty-one years.)

ANNALS OF IOWA

VOL. XIII, No. 6 DBS MOINES, OCTOBER, 1922 THIRD SERIES

OVERLAND JOURNEY TO CALIFORNIA BY PLATTE
RIVER ROUTE AND SOUTH PASS IN 1850

BY FANCHER STIMSON

The ceding to the United States by Mexico of California in
1818 and the discovery of gold there the same year turned the at
tention of the people of the United States to that distant country.
When it became known that gold existed there in paying quanti
ties a tide of emigration set in, many people from the seaboard
states going by way of Cape Horn, a trip requiring at least six
months by sailing vessels.

A few emigrants late in 1848 started overland and wintered
in Salt Lake Valley, which had been settled by the Mormons
three years before. A much larger overland movement followed
in 1849. The writer then lived in Palmyra, Jefferson County,
Wisconsin. Among his acquaintances were some who started
overland for the gold fields early in the spring of that year.
During the winter which followed the excitement grew to fever
heat by the arrival in that quiet town of two men direct from the
new Eldorado. These men brought with them large sums of
money which they had obtained in the placer diggings in Cali
fornia. The sight of the gold which they had with them intensi
fied the excitement. Soon a company was organized with the
view of making an early start in the spring of 1850 to cross the
plains.

iFancher Stimson was born in Ontario County, New York, February 25,
1828, and died at Council Bluffs, Iowa, January 9, 1902. In his early manhood
he resided for a time at Palmyra, Wisconsin, and later at Kalamazoo, Mich
igan, but in 1880 removed to Council Bluffs, Iowa. He was a civil engineer
and from 1888 to 1890 served as city engineer of Council Bluffs. This interest
ing and graphic diary kept by him while making a trip across the plains and
mountains to California in 1850, and the accompanying article and notes
written by him in 1900, were in their original form recently presented to the
Historical Department of Iowa by his daughter, Mrs. Carrie S. Allingham, of
Council Bluffs.— Editor.

404 I ANNALS OF IOWA

The company consisted of five men of whom the writer was
one. The others were John Clark, Richard Williams, —
Weed, and H. Griswold. The outfit consisted of six horses and
one wagon. Four of the horses were in harness, attached to the
wagon. The other two were saddle horses, or were so used in
the early part of our journey. We made our start, as noted in
the diary, in March. The weather was good and gave fair prom
ise of an early spring, a promise not realized later on.

We headed for the Mississippi River at Fulton, Illinois, oppo
site Clinton, Iowa, passing through Whitewater, Janesville, and
Beloit, Wisconsin, and Rockford, Illinois. In that early day
Iowa was not much settled, save along the Mississippi River and
in the counties in the east half of the state. Leaving Clinton
we passed through DeWitt, county seat of Clinton County,2
crossed the Cedar River many miles below the present site of
Cedar Rapids, thence to Iowa City, then the capital of the state,
thence to Des Moines, then a little town of board shanties. There
was no settlement from there to Kanesville (now Council Bluffs)
nor any survey of public lands.

The country passed over between Des Moines and Kanesville
was unbroken prairie. The route for the road had been chosen
in advance of the first wagons which had passed, and its course
indicated by a pile of buffalo bones and skulls on each high point
or ridge over which the road passed, done perhaps by the first
Mormon emigrants four years before.

On our journey from our home in Wisconsin to Kanesville we
had the company of several other Wisconsin outfits from neigh
boring towns in that state. On arriving at Kanesville we se
lected our respective camping grounds to await the growth of
grass, which was much behind what was usual at that season,
April 10. The selection made by my party was the lower part of
the glen in which stands George Keeline's house on Pierce Street,
then as now grass-grown and without trees or brush. The hill
sides, then annually swept over by fires, were sparsely covered
by a stunted. growth of brush and small trees, from which oaks
and elms and walnuts of large size have since grown. The resi-

SDeWitt was the county seat of Clinton County from 1842 to 1869. The re
moval of the county records to Clinton was made in November, 1869. (See
flies of the DeWitt Observer in the Historical Department of Iowa.)— Editor.

OVERLAND JOURNEY TO CALIFORNIA 405

dent population, all Mormons, including the farming portion sur
rounding the village,, could not have exceeded 400. All build
ings were of logs and mostly one story. The business portion
was clustered about the corner where now stands the First M. E.
Church. Residences were built for a little distance up the glen,
now First Street, and on the level bottoms between there and
Harrison Street. Indian Creek, now flowing through a channel
100 feet wide by 30 feet deep, was then a little meandering
stream easily spanned by a few planks resting upon logs reach
ing from bank to bank.

In this camp we remained about two weeks. We occupied the
time in making final preparations for our journey. For several
weeks the grass would be scant and unnutritious. For that rea
son we bought of the Mormon farmers a large quantity of corn
which we shelled and sacked. This we loaded upon our wagon.
We also bought a lighter wagon suitable for our two extra horses,
and that was loaded with corn. For this we paid sixty-five cents
per bushel. Later in that market a much higher price was paid.
We had also to provide for our subsistence. No further oppor
tunity would offer for laying in a supply. Three months was
the shortest time on which we could safely figure before we could
reach our destination. A generous stock of flour, bacon, sugar,
coffee, and tea was provided. Luxuries like butter, syrups, con
densed milk, etc., were not to be thought of. Salt, baking pow
der, and soap were not omitted.

It was known that in '49 the emigrants had laid in much
larger stocks of provisions than were found to be necessary, and
near the end of the journey great quantities were cast out along
the way to relieve their animals of a part of their burden. We
erred in not providing enough. Our supplies ran short. Only
for the reason that all along on the last one hundred or hundred
and fifty miles we met many small parties who had come over
the Sierra Nevada Mountains with provisions to sell, we would
have been obliged to kill and eat our jaded but faithful horses.
If reports which we heard were true some there were who, taking
another route near the last end, failed to meet such supplies and
perished in the mountains. This was told of some of the parties
who took the Truckee River route. Among the articles most

406 ANNALS OF IOWA

fortunately remembered by us were an extra supply of horse
shoes, and nails for same. Later on during our journey these
were found to be of great service to ourselves and to some of our
fellow travelers less provident in that particular.

During our stay at this place there occurred the death of a
member of one of the Whitewater, Wisconsin, companies who
had been our companions from the time of leaving home. He
was a man of thirty-five or forty years, unmarried. The Mor
mon preacher, Orson Hyde, was at that time a resident, and
officiating minister of the Mormon Church at Kanesville. At the
funeral of our friend the elder conducted the services, and the
remains were taken to the hill where now is Fairview Cemetery.

Preparations for moving out were begun soon after April 20.
An organization had been formed for mutual help and protection
from Indian depredations, of about one hundred and thirty men,
an equal number of horses, and forty-three wagons. A captain
and other officers were elected. It may here be said that this
organization was soon found to be cumbersome and undesirable.
The fear of Indians was quickly dispelled and became a subject
of merriment. After two or three days of wrangling and dis
agreement, the captain resigned and disbandment followed. My
party continued in company with the Wisconsin parties with
whom we had traveled from the start, say about twenty-five men,
twenty horses and five or six wagons.

Returning now to the breaking up of our camp in Kanesville,
our unwieldy train of more than forty wagons moved out, our
purpose being to reach the ferry over the Missouri River lo
cated not far from where now is Florence, a suburb of Omaha
north of that city, and distant from our camp by the road which
we must travel, twelve or fifteen miles. To reach the ferry we
were forced to go north from Kanesville several miles to avoid
a bend of the river, which at that time flowed through Big Lake,
so called now, the river having long since departed from it. Ar
riving at the ferry (a rope one) late in the afternoon we found
many teams ahead of us waiting for their turn. It was near
night next day (April 21) before we were over, and a camp
was made on the west side of the river. There was no home of
any white man then on that side of the Missouri, and none were

OVERLAND JOtjRNEY TO CALIFORNIA 40?

seen by us until we reached the end of our journey in Califor
nia, July 16.

Our camp on the west bank of the river was near the winter
quarters of the Mormons, the first wintering place of that perse
cuted people after they had been driven from Nauvoo. That
was the winter of 1846-47. That was to them a memorable win
ter. Many were the deaths among them which resulted from
its rigors, unhoused as they were and with insufficient food and
clothing. During our stay in that camp we visited their burial
place on the side of the bluff overlooking the river. The many
mounds, then overgrown with grass, told a story of suffering
and endurance which has since then been told and retold, and
has, throughout the civilized world, excited feelings of pity and
admiration. Their history was then unwritten. They had pre
ceded us only three years, over a trackless stretch of prairie,
mountain, and desert, and had made for themselves a new home
a thousand miles away from the scene of their suffering, and by
their thrift and industry were already making the "desert blos
som as the rose."

In bidding adieu for several months to the civilized world, as
we were then doing, we were to follow for hundreds of miles
a route selected by their guides, and by them and their animals
trodden into a well-beaten wagon road over mountain and plain,
which at this time, fifty years later (1900), is still distinctly
visible in places undisturbed by cultivation.

The little log hamlet on the Iowa side of the river, Kanes-
ville, although made up wholly of people of that sect, was not
intended to be a permanent settlement. It was merely a way
station for the outfitting of Mormon parties who would follow
on to Salt Lake, the land of promise. To one of the wagon
wheels of their first emigrant party was attached an odometer,
and a suitable person was detailed to take notes. A record was
kept of each day's travel and distance — in one column the dis
tance from starting place, in another column the distance from
the last camp. Objects which would attract notice as creeks,
groves along the river bank, even solitary clumps of willows on
a treeless plain, rocks of peculiar and noticeable shape, were
named and distance noted. After reaching their destination

408 ANNALS OF IOWA

these were arranged and published in pamphlet form and sent
back to their outpost, Kanesville, for the benefit and guidance
of the Saints who were to follow.

When we were there copies of this "Mormon Guide Book" were
available. We supplied ourselves with them and found them of
much value. We knew where water could be had and could se
lect our camping places a day or more ahead. We continued in
this well-marked road to the summit of the Rocky Mountains.
A few miles beyond South Pass this road divides. We there
left the Mormon road and took the right hand or Oregon Trail
as noted in the diary under date of May 30.

These notes were kept by the writer daily while on the trip,
often when tired, dusty, and hungry, after a day's travel. The
brief space allotted to each day renders them short and at times
unsatisfactory. Side notes were taken, as will be observed, but
they are lost, as is also the last page of the diary, containing the
last three days' travel and arrival in the mining town of Placer-
ville, then for obvious reason called "Hang Town."

Sunday, April 21st, 1850.2a Left Palmyra Wisconsin March llth 1850
and arrived at Council Bluffs April 10th having been just 30 days on
the road a distance of about 500 miles. At Council Bluffs we staid some
thing over a week, and having obtained our supplies we joined an
organized company of about 130 men and 43 waggons.

Monday, April 22nd. At about 9 oclock A.M, left camp on south
west side Missouri river at the old Mormon winter-quarters Our course
for a considerable part of the day lay within sight of the Missouri river.
The road good entirely free from sloughs very hard and firm but ex
ceedingly winding and somewhat hilly passing as it does over a con
tinual succession of hills and hollows. Arrived at Pappea [Papillion?]
creek 18 miles drive and camped for the night.

Tuesday, April 23d. Weather very fair but cold north wind. Very
little appearance as yet of grass. Left camp early this morning. Crossed
the creek by the bridge built by the Mormons. Our road today if pos
sible was more crooked than yesterday. Drove 9 miles to Elk-Horn
river, which is a beautiful stream about nine rods wide, and 6 or 8 feet
deep. A good ferry is established here. After crossing over the river
we encamped to wait for a part of our company who were yet behind.
Wind changed during the day to south.

2aThe text of the writer of this diary is followed precisely, including his
style of dates, and his errors in punctuation, spelling, capitalization, etc.,
mostly made, no doubt, because the writing was 'done under the hardships of
travel, and when he was only a boy. The portions of the article preceding and
following the diary, which were written fifty years later, show correctness and
good literary quality. — Editor.

OVERLAND JOURNEY TO CALIFORNIA 409

Wednesday, April 2$th. Weather fine today: South wind and quite
warm. Made 25 miles and camped on the bank of the Platte river. Our
road today has been straight and level all the way on flat land of the
Platte river. The flats are from 8 to 10 miles wide and have at some
time been over-flowed by the river which is a shallow muddy looking
stream with a quicksand bottom The road on the bottoms in midsummer
would be excellent but at the present time is intersected with several bad
sloughs.

Thursday, April 25th. Made about 23 miles today. Crossed several
bad sloughs and were obliged to draw our waggons through by hand.
7y2 miles from camp passed an Indian grave and saw at a distance on
the opposite of the river an Indian village.3 Weather still continues
warm. Wind S.S W. with some prospect of rain.

Friday, April 26th. Decamped about daylight & arrived at the ferry
on the Loup, Fork about 9y2 oclock: this is a very bad stream to ford or
ferry. The old Mormon fording place is about 27 miles above. The
current of the river is very swift and forms sand bars in the bed of the
river which are continually changing. Camped on east bank of river
as one company was ahead of us and wind blew too strong to ferry.
Plenty cotton wood timber and good place to camp. We are told that
4 or 5 men were drowned last year in attempting to ford the river at
this place.

Saturday, April 27th. Weather rather cold all day spent in ferrying
the river at night camped on the other side

This was a rope and current ferry, owned & operated by some Mor
mons, who had made a temporary stop at the Loup Fork, and were
making a "good thing" helping us gentiles to cross a bad & somewhat
dangerous stream We did not begrudge them our crossing fee.

Sunday, April 28th. It was thought best to travel today as our teams
are well rested I am prepared to oppose travelling on the Sabbath ou
all occasions except when compelled to do so by absolute necessity, but
the majority rules and I am carried along. Made about 34 miles and
encamped on bank of Loup Fork.4

3These were the first Indians which we had seen. After we had gone into
camp two of them crossed the shallow Platte River and visited us. We had
heard harrowing tales of their depredations against the whites passing through
their country, and although these two were treated kindly and well fed, it
was suggested that they were really acting as spies and a night attack might
be expected from the warriors of the village. After sunset, they uttered their
"How, how!" and were about to depart on their return. This our brave (?)
fellows prevented, and showed them a bed under cover, where they might pass
the night. Reluctantly they crawled inside, and our night watch were instructed
to keep an eye on them and prevent their escape. Next morning after feeding
them well, they were permitted to go where they pleased. Later on we be
came better acquainted with our red brother of the plains, and whenever this
incident was alluded to it seldom failed to provoke a broad smile.

4An error was made in name of river at this camp. It could not have been
Loup Fork. We left that in the morning of that day (Sunday) thirty-four
miles back. That would bring us to a point about half way between Clarks
and Central City— stations on the Union Pacific. Here a long island in the
Platte lies near the north bank of the river. The island is more than six miles
in length, and is overgrown with cottonwood trees and willow. The main river
could not be seen from our camp and the smaller stream between us and the
island has in the diary been called the Loup Fork. An incident occurred on

410 ANNALS OF IOWA

Monday, April 29th. Made about 33 miles. Struck the Mormon trail
about 5-y2 or 6 miles from our last night camp. We traveled about 25
miles today without water & were fortunate enough to find a little a
little creek not mentioned in the Mormon guide probably at that time
entirely dry. The wind had blown strong all day and we had just un
hitched our teams and struck our tent when the wind struck us with
redoubled fury driving clouds of sand before it. We held our tent up
about 2 hours and then pulled it down & got under tent cloth and some
in the waggon and spent the worst night I ever experienced.5

Tuesday, April 30th. After a search of about an hour and a half for
caps hats, horse blankets, and other loose articles which the wind had
blown away in the night we decamped, and drove over a very good road
for about 8 or 10 miles and came within 2 miles of the Platte river again.
Made about 15 miles and pitched our tents at Wood river so called by
the Mormons; good camping place, stream easily forded. Today one
of our men shot a buffalo. They are becoming quite plenty, several an
telopes have been seen.

Wednesday, May 1st. Started about 9 oclcok and made about 16
miles and camped near a small creek which puts into the Platte near
by. The new grass is higher here than I have seen it before. Our ani
mals were able to get a good bite. One of our company lost a good
horse last night from eating too much corn without hay or grass. We
feast on buffalo meat now-a-days. I think it the sweetest and best
meat that I have ever eaten.

Thursday, May 2d. Broke up camp early this morning. Road still
level and very good quite free from bad sloughs Road still continues

this day which I recall. After our tents had been struck in the morning and
our own wagons loaded and ready for a start, I went ahead alone and on
foot. I was perhaps a mile in advance of the company. A low swell of the
prairie to the south— on my left— hid the river and the intervening bottoms
from my view and from view of those who were behind. I heard a roaring
noise in that driecton. At first I could not make out what it meant. The
south wind was blowing strongly. Presently I saw a volume of smoke rise
above the low hill. The prairie grass was on fire and the strong wind was
sweeping it upon us with the speed of a running horse. If it caught our train
the result would be disastrous. Nothing could control our horses in their terror,
nor save our canvas-covered wagons and commissary stores. Luckily, when I
felt in my pocket for a match I found one. I quickly had it lighted and ap
plied to the tall and heavy prairie grass on the leeward side of the road, and
with a lighted wisp fired the grass along as fast as I could go. Away went
a wall of flame, fifteen or twenty feet high as fast as it was approaching us
from the south. Our people saw and understood. Horses were lashed into a
run. They arrived upon the burnt-over ground none too quickly.

5This storm was of wind, not accompanied with rain or moisture in any
form. The fire had swept over the prairie two days before and the ground was
covered with ashes, cinders, and particles of unconsumed grass. All this min
gled with grains of sand was lifted into the air in such a cloud that no eye
of man or horse could be held open. No supper could be prepared, no feed
or water for the horses. These stood tied to our wagons until the wind had
spent its fury. The little stream mentioned was in a depression three or four
feet below the general level. Water was flowing in it when we arrived. When
morning dawned the wind had ceased. We looked for the stream. Even the
depression was filled with ashes and cinders and could scarcely be located. On
finding it and digging through to water, that was found to be black and unfit
for use. Without any attempt to prepare breakfast or to feed, we gathered
our scattered property and drove on in search of water which we found as
described.

OVERLAND JOURNEY TO CALIFORNIA 411

within 4 or 5 miles of the Platte. Made 26 miles and camped near the
river. It is now raining considerably. The ground is very dry and a
shower of rain will start the grass right up. Plenty of cotton wood
timber along the streams yet, but we shall soon pass timber of all de
scription.

Friday, May 3d. Started early this morning and made about 28
miles over a very good road for the season of the year. There has
been a strong north wind blowing today and very cold. No prospects
of grass yet the old grass has been entirely burnt off. We see large
quantities of game buffalo and antelope every day. Camped near the
river again, no timber.

Saturday, May 4th. Drove 15 miles to-day and encamped at the first
convenient place, two or three miles from the river: quite cool yet but
warmer than yesterday As our animals have only corn to eat without
hay or grass, they are running down rapidly and we are obliged to
make short drives and camp early to let them pick around as much as
possible. From our experience so far I would not advise emigrants to
leave the settlements in the spring before their animals can get a bite
of grass.

Sunday, May 5th. We hitched up our teams about 9 oclock and
drove about 20 miles and encamped near the river The weather is clear
but cold. The roads are good and The Lord has still continued to bless
us with health and prosperity although we have not refrained from
desecrating his holy Sabbath day.

Monday, May 6th. Made 21 miles to-day over a heavy sandy road
a part of the way with some sloughs. Our road to-day has been off
the river and next the bluffs thus avoiding a bad swamp.6 We have
encamped for the night close by a little stream called Carrion Creek.
The grass at this point is the best that I have seen This afternoon we
passed the most beautiful spring of clear cold water that I ever saw.

Tuesday, May 7th. Today our road has been close alongside of the
river We have now passed the last timber that we shall see for a dis
tance of 200 miles: our only dependanance for fuel for this distance
will be buffalo chips & willow bushes. The bluffs approach nearer the
river here than when we first neared it, and the flats are more springy
and soft, consequently we are obliged to keep along the bluffs which
gives us a sandy road.

Wednesday, May 8th. Our road to-day has been for the most part
been over the bluffs, very hard drawing through the sand. We have
now passed the point where the South Branch of the Platte puts into
the river hence the stream is not more than half as large as it has been
back. We passed the grave of a man from Iowa who died May 1st
1850 of congestion of the brain. He must have belonged to the first
company that went through.

eDuring this day's drive — Monday, May 6 — we must have passed the mouth
of the South Platte River. We did not observe it for reason that our road
was far away from the river and along the bluffs, to avoid a bad swamp.

412 ANNALS OF IOWA

Thursday, May 9th. Road to-day mostly alongside the river very
good but occasionally a soft spot Made 26 miles and camped by wolf
creek. Our number of waggons which at first consisted of 26 waggons
that is after our division, is now reduced to 23. Three have been thrown
aside, after having fed out the load with which they were loaded. We
have seen no Indians for the last 10 or 12 days.

Friday, May 10th. This morning ascended a steep sand bluff a few
rods from camp. Our road for threefourths of a mile was heavey sand
after which it was hard and good. Drove 28 miles and camped oppo
site an encampment of Indians and traders on South side Platte: were
visited in the evening by several Indians of the Sioux nation. About
10 oclock A.M passed "Lone Tree." The bluffs on the opposite side
of the river are very bold and high and from this side look like one
compact ledge of rocks but are probably composed of a species of
hard clay.

Saturday, May llth. Three oclock P.M. found us 21 miles from our
last encampment. Our road has been good a part of the way over
bluffs but not sandy. Encamped near the river at a point called "An
cient Bluff Ruins", supposed by some to resemble the ruins of old
castles & fortifications. Several single towers of rock and clay from
100 to 300 feet in diameter rise to the perpendicular height of 75 to
200 feet giving a home in the caverns and crevices to great numbers of
wolves, ravens, rattlesnakes, etc. etc.

Sunday, May 12th.

Again it was thought advisable to travel on the Sabbath and night
found us about 30 miles further advanced on our journey and in camp
nearly opposite "Chimney Rock" which is on the south side of the river.
The top of this rock is elevated about 250 feet above the surrounding
country and rises in a slim perpendicular column from the top of a
conical shaped hill which makes up about half its height.

Monday, May 13th. Brought us 26 miles along on our journey over
the best road for that distance that I ever saw; perfectly smooth with
out a slough, sand or even a stone in the way. Passed "Mount Scott"
about l-y2 oclock and camped at Trout creek. Our animals are doing
well. Grass is now high enough to afford considerable nourishment.

Tuesday, May 14th. A drive of 28 miles brought us to a rather poor
camping place7 on the banks of the Platte Road today rather sandy

This camp (Tuesday evening, May 14) was about nine or ten miles west
of the west line of Nebraska. During the drive of this day we saw the last
of the buffaloes. Only a few small bunches had been seen for several days.
We passed them in largest numbers from about where Grand Island now is
to somewhere near the mouth of South Platte River. The valley along where
are now Kearney, Lexington, and Cozad, was swarming with them in bands of
fifty to two hundred or three hundred. At times we estimated as many as
four thousand or five thousand would be in sight at one view. They paid
little attention to us save when hunted by us. The old and superannuated
males seemed to be in bands by themselves. On an occasion one of our hunters
killed one of these, but the meat was found to be so tough that we passed
them by. Some of them had been caught by the prairie fire previously de
scribed and were totally blind, and so burned over that their sides and backs
were masses of sores. Dead antelopes also, and wolves, were found which had
been overtaken or surrounded by the flames and had perished.

OVERLAND JOURNEY TO CALIFORNIA 413

weather fine. About 6 o'clock in the evening we were passed in our
camp by a company that had made two long drives to pass us in order
to beat us at the Laramie Ferry. We remained quiet until about 11,
hitched up our teams and outgeneraled them beautifully.

Wednesday, May 15. Arrived at the ferry a distance of 17 miles
about sunrise over a very bad sandy road Teams very much fatigued
and worn Spent the day in ferrying and visiting the fort and govern
ment improvements. The fort is situated in forks of the Laramie and
Platte on the South side of the latter. Very pleasantly located and
guarded with three companies of soldiers.8

Thursday, May 16th. Our teams needing considerable rest and some
of our company wishing to make some alteration in wagon etc, we drove
only 10 miles and encamped on the borders of Platte south side. There
finding good feed for animals we concluded to lay up for the next day:
cast of our large waggon and all the baggage we could possibly spare,
rerigged our light one and put all our provisions and traps on it and
were ready for an early start next morning.

Friday, May 17th. Morning at daylight found stirring and making
preperations for leaving camp to continue our journey. Instead of
taking the road leading over the Black Hills we took what is called the
middle road said to a few miles nearer and a better chance for grass.
The road today has been good somewhat hilly and a little stony but
hard, easy for a team and free from dust. Made 30 miles and en
camped on the banks of the horseshoe creek.

Saturday, May 18. Had a lovely place to camp last night. Our ani
mals looked full and refreshed. We started our teams early and during
a greater part of the day kept at a considerable distance from the river.
The road has been excellent hard as a pavement but hilly. Made 30
miles and encamped at La Perch river. Swift current — poor feed plenty
of timber. Met today a team of mules from Salt Lake and the Fort
Hall mail, 30 days out. They met the first Californians 200 miles ahead
this side of the pass.

Sunday, May 19. A majority being in favour of travelling we left
our camping place at an early hour and made 19-y2 miles and camped
in a pleasant place near a pretty stream. Our road to-day has been
good but hilly. Passed many high hills and rocky ridges.

Monday, May 20. Our teams were somewhat worn, in consequence
of which we drove to the ferry across Platte river near Deer creek a
distance of 17-y2 miles The road still continues rough but hard. Camp
ing places are plenty. The road is intersected by beautiful streams with
plenty of grass and timber. A part of our company ferried and camped
on the opposite side of the river.

8 After ferrying over the river on Wednesday, May 15, we remained in camp
near the ferry over night. Next camp was ten miles up the river on south
side. Referring to a map of Guernsey and vicinity, in Laramie County, Wyom
ing, this would seem to locate that camp on the river, on N. E. % of Sec. 12, T.
26 N., R. 66 W. Or possibly on S. E. % of Sec. 6, T. 26 N., 65 W.

414 ANNALS OF IOWA

Tuesday, May 21st. That part of our company that ferried yester
day drove on this morning early not waiting for us who with five other
waggons were camped on the South side We crossed at near seven
o'clock and drove about 25 miles over a very bad sandy road Passed
an alkali creek about noon, camped near the Platte in sight of the snow
capped Black Hills a part of the Rocky mountains.9

Wednesday, May 2'2nd. Today we drove 26 miles. We have now
left the Platte river entirely and our course is directed towards the
Sweetwater river. The road today has been very good since we left
the river but no water until we struck spring creek where we encamped
with little grass and wood but wild sage. Passed several alkali lakes10
and one creek A little beyond one swamp of bad water we counted 11
skeletons of cattle that were probabally poisened by drinking the water
last year.

Thursday, May 23d. Our horses had a poor chance for feed last
night and early this morning we hitched them up and thought we would
drive to good feed and lay till morning. We found nothing worth stop
ping for within 17-y2 miles here we encamped without water and no
wood but sage. We however had filled our barrel with water at Greece-
Wood11 creek The Sweet Water mountains are ahead of us now a few
miles and covered with snow Met today several ox teams 5 weeks from
Salt Lake.

Friday, May 24th. We had last night a very good feed for our ani
mals and did not start very early. Came to the Sweet Water river12

»The range of mountains referred to is the Laramie range. At that time
these mountains were referred to as the "Black Hills," a name which now
attaches to a mining region in Dakota. Laramie Peak, the most elevated point
in this range, is about 10,200 feet high and is distant from Fort Laramie about
fifty miles, nearly due west. Until late in the summer months snow can be
seen in the ravines near the summit. It can hardly be said to be a part of
the Rocky Mountain range, being more than 200 miles from the continental
divide, and separated from it by the North Platte River. Good pine timber
abounds there and from there the government obtained supplies for use at
the fort or post at the time of our visit, 1850.

JOThese soda lakes were then a novelty to us. The water which was strongly
impregnated with an alkaline substance, was found to be unwholesome for our
stock, and we were at some pains to prevent them from drinking it. One of
the horses belonging to my outfit came near dying from drinking it. We saved
him as we think by a liberal close of uncooked bacon which we forced him io
swallow. It later became known to us that animals accustomed to it could
drink it with impunity. There are various places in Wyoming and in other
western states where these lakes are found. The evaporation of the water
leaves upon the surface an incrustation of soda (so called) of a thickness and
strength sufficient to safely bear the weight of a man or horse.

"Probably now called Horse Creek.

i-'This is 'a cleft through a high ledge of rock lying athwart the course of
the Sweet Water River and through which that stream rushes in a wild and
tumultuous flow. The walls of the canon are not less than 400 feet in height
and are precipitous or overhanging. In visiting it we climbed along the edge
of the chasm, looking for a place to descend to the water's edge. Only one
such on our side of the canon was found. By climbing down a steep slope of
rock by a narrow passage we found ourselves at the bottom a little above the
water in the river in a space not more than three square rods, surrounded on
three sides by a wall of rock, on the other side by the tumbling and rushing
waters of the .river. Whether this chasm is a natural gorge or has been worn
through by the river is not apparent, probably the latter cause. Surveys have
been made through it to determine the feasibility of constructing a railroad.
That could be done but it would not be necessary, as the canon can be avoided
by going around.

OVERLAND JOURNEY TO CALIFORNIA 415

5 miles from camp grass here looks considerable better. Five miles
further passed Independence Rock. This is the largest specimen of
rock that I have ever seen composed of solid granit 120 rods long and
24 rods wide and from 75 to 100 feet high The end next the road bears
the names of p*robably 5000 visitors. Made 17 miles and camped two
miles beyond "Devils Gate"

Saturday, May 25th. Brought us twenty miles nearer our journey's
end. Our grain now is nearly gone and our horses are obliged to sub
sist entirely on grass and in consequence of the change we are obliged
for the present to make short drives and give them time to fill them
selves. Many are passing us but I think that they miss it in driving
so hard now. I think we will pass them at the last end of the route,
camped near a high bluff or mountain by the Sweet Water river:
Weather to-day very cold, had quite a snow storm.

Sunday, May 26th. Morning came again and found us not as usual
busy about camp making preperations to continue our journey, but
quietly resting in our tents until a late hour in the morning. We are
encamped in a lovely place in a seculded and romantic spot back from
the road: the river is on one side and a towering almost perpendicular
wall of recks on the other. Our animals are in good feed and the day
was spent in cleansing our persons and refreshing ourselves for another
weeks travel.13

Monday, May 27th. This morning we awoke and on looking out of
our tent were somewhat surprised to see that during the night Nature
had silently clothed herself in a gown of white. The snow was about
an inch deep. This morning found our animals in good trim and we
moved off at a good pace and made about 32-% miles. We passed
during the day a peice of low swampy ground where ice may be found
at any season of the year by digging about two feet Encamped at the
Sweet Water.

Tuesday, May 28th. I awoke this morning as keen as a briar after
having slept out on the prairie which I did for the purpose of keeping
our horses together and guarding them against the Indians. There was
no grass about the camp and we took them about a mile off and I wrapt
myself in a blanket and lay down among them and rested very well.
We forded the river this morning and drove 17 miles and encamped

i3In this camp where we remained over Sunday we saw the first mountain
sheep — "big horn" — which had been seen on the trip. These were too far away
for a shot but we observed their movements with interest: They were on an
inaccessible (to us inaccessible) ledge of rock on the face of what seemed a
perpendicular wall. How came they there or how would they get off, were
questions which we .asked ourselves. It did not remain a mystery long. When
they had satisfied their curiosity by gazing at us and our tents, their leader
suddenly made a spring. To us it seemed he must go to earth and rocks below
and be dashed to death. Not so to him. He landed on a projection indistin
guishable to us, then another leap and another, the whole band following, and
all passed around a sharp angle and disappeared from sight. In form and
structure they resemble the goat or deer more than a sheep, except in head
and horns. They have hair like deer or goat, not at all resembling the wool
Of our sheep.

416 ANNALS OF IOWA

close by a snowbank using the water from a little stream near by melted
snow and within 23 miles of the famous "South Pass"

Wednesday, May 29th. This morning we found that the stream
where we were encamped had ceased to furnish us with water and we
were obliged to melt snow to use in cooking. Last flight I killed a
very fine antelope which makes excellent eating. We have passed today
a great deal of snow. In one place we drove over a bank I should think
six feet deep. This afternoon we forded Sweet Water for the last
time 3 rods wide and 2-% feet deep. Made 23 miles and camped with
in 2 miles of South Pass without water except what we brought with us.

Thursday, May 30th. Started early and passed the "Summit of the
Rocky mountains" two miles from camp three miles further came to
first water which tends toward the Pacific Ocean. 19-% miles from
camp we came to the junction of the Salt Lake and Oregon roads. We
took the Righthand or Oregon road and traveled 5 miles and encamped
at the "Little Sandy" creek. Found feed here very scarce and drove
our horses about a mile and a half to tolerable grass.

Friday, May 81st. The 73 miles stretch without water known as the
desert was now within six miles of us. We struck our tents early and
took in water. We drove on about 7 miles and turned our animals out
to graze. About three o'clock P.M. we hitched up and drove two miles
to the Big Sandy and took in all the water that we had room for and
broke out upon the dreaded desert. Drove till about midnight and
finding good grass we camped for the remaining part of the night.
Made about 30 miles.

Saturday, June 1st. Sunrise found us in readiness for a start. We
drove on until about 8 o'clock when when we hauled upon a good spot
of grass and cooked our breakfast and drove on arrived at Green river
about 1 O'clock forded and drove up the river nearly two miles to good
grass and struck our tents for an encampment. Instead of finding the
desert barren waste and deep sand as we expected we found with the
exception 10 or 12 miles excellent feed and hard clayey road.

Sunday, June 2nd. Lain in camp today. The weather is fine clear
and comfortably warm something unusual for this mountainous country.
It rains or snows nearly every day. The emigrants mostly lay in camp
Sabbath days, but their time is spent principally in attending to worldly
matters in one way or another. I rarely meet with a disciple of Christ
yet my daily prayer is that the Lord will grant me grace sufficient for
me in my present situation.

Monday, June 3d. Made about 25 miles to-day over the roughest
road that I ever saw. We would hardly clear one steep rugged moun
tain before we would have to commence another so high that a man on
the top would look like a school-boy. We exchanged horses this morn
ing with an old Indian for a mountain pony. About 11 miles from
camp we struck a tributary of Green river which we forded we passed
numerous snow streams and encamped in a deep ravine.

OVERLAND JOURNEY TO CALIFORNIA 417

Tuesday, June 4th. Our route today still continued over the moun
tain. Sometimes in gaining two miles we rise to the height of 2000
feet or more. We are having a much worse and more rugged road over
these (Bear) mountains than over the Rocky mountains. About 13
miles from camp we came to a deep swift stream, about 3 or 4 rods
wide. We swam our animals over and ferried our baggage in waggon
boxes which we made tight by caulking. Traveled about 7 miles after
this and encamped by a small snow stream.

Wednesday, June 5th. This morning we found that our stream had
ceased to flow but we had taken precaution to fill our cans with water
so that we have plenty for cooking. Came in sight of Bear river about
noon. We descended a long steep hill and found on the bottoms or
flat land first rate feed. The river runs westerly and I think empties
into the Great Salt Lake. Forded a branch of the river and camped
on the north side near a high mountain have made about 25 miles.

Thursday, June 6th. An early hour found us in readiness for a start.
A few miles travel brought us to a branch of Bear river which was so
swollen by snow water that we were obliged to ferry over with our
waggon boxes. The trail still continues down Bear river, and we find
the best of feed. The valley is covered with wild flowers of various
kinds and a thick rank growth of grass while the hills on either side are
white with snow. Made 31 miles and encamped by a creek coming in
from the mountains.

Friday, June 7th. Today made about 34 miles and encamped near
Bear River within one mile of Hedpeths cut-off. Passed during the
day some of the most beautiful springs of water that I ever saw. One
of them called Soda Spring is a curiosity well worthy of a visit from
the passer-by The water is a little warm and is strongly impregnated
with a soda substance and gushes up through the rock boiling like the
water in a chaldron kettle jutting up sometimes from one to one and a
half feet.

Saturday, June 8th. Distance made to-day about 21 miles. One mile
from camp we came to Hedspeths cut-off which we took leaving the
old Fort Hall trail on the right. The country through we passed this
morning is very volcanic in its character. We passed an extinct vol
cano on the left of the road. The feed is excellent but the road is hilly
and stony and will probabally continue so for the next 100 miles. En
camped on a beautiful stream of a clear water surrounded by high
bluffs.

Sunday, June 9th. Remained in camp today. Cool today with occa
sionally a little dash of rain. Last night a man belonging to a com
pany that fell in with us a few days since was taken sick probabally
with the mountain fever. Learned today that one of the men with
whom we have been travelling a short time is a professed follower of
Christ. This is the first Christian man that I have fallen in with to my
knowledge since I .left home.

418 ANNALS OF IOWA

Monday, June 10th. Started early and made about 28 miles. Our
horses are in fine travelling condition this morning. I think that all
emigrants after once trying the experiment will continue afterwards
•to lay up every Sabbath day. The sick man in our company some
better. The roads over which we are travelling are very hilly but free
from sand. Feed is fine and of the best quality. Our horses still con
tinue in good condition. Camped by a small creek near several Indian
wigwams belonging the Shoshones or Snakes.

Tuesday, June llth. Drove 30 miles. Our course has been today
over a hilly road; about 5 miles from camp we struck a small creek,
from this we found no more water for twentyfive miles. Last night the
Indians stole a fine pair of horses from a man encamped near us which
left him without one animal to continue his journey. He however got
his effects aboard of another waggon and keeps along.

Wednesday, June 12th. An early hour found us in readiness for a
start. We cleared 28 miles through a rough broken country. About
4 miles from camp we came into a deep ravine between high mountains
which we followed in its winding course about 20 miles: for about half
of this distance the road is gradually ascending to the summit of the
mountain and then descends to the valley of Raft River. Took in
water at a small creek and drove 3 miles further and made a dry
camp.

Thursday, June 13th, Encamped at the crossing of raft river, after
driving about 18 miles. About 12 miles from camp we crossed a deep
creek. From this place to our camping ground we found the worst
road that we have seen since we left home. We crossed a swampy piece
of ground which was almost impossible for a horse to cross without
drawing anything. We were obliged to take the teams off from several
of our waggons and try them over by hand. We crossed Raft river
over a willow bridge with our waggons and forded our horses.

Friday, June l!fih. Drove about 20 miles and encamped near a
boiling spring at the base of a high mountain Crossed Raft River again
about 8 miles from camp which was much swollen by late rains the road
today has been very bad and our teams are much wearied. Struck
Fort Hall trail directly after leaving camp. Feed still continues plenty
which keeps our animals in good spirits.

Saturday, June 15th. About 15 miles from our last nights encamp
ment we struck our tents in a mountain gorge by a pretty clear creek.
Weather still continues lowery and unfavourable roads now are very
muddy. About 8 miles from mornings camp we came to the Salt Lake
trail: this evening that part of our company that left us at the Platte
river came up with us We passed them by taking the cutoff.

Sunday, June 16th. We did not move out of camp today. We have
been passed by a great many teams most of them however lay over
yesterday on account of the storm This evening the weather looks more
favourable: we have been delayed some from bad weather. Our old

OVERLAND JOURNEY TO CALIFORNIA 419

company are in camp with us and tomorrow we will move on together.

Monday, June 17th. Started early and camped about 4:i/3 P.M. hav
ing made 25 miles over a very rough road. About 7 miles travel
brought us to Goose creek which we followed up for 18 miles without
fording it and struck our tents near where the road leaves the creek.
The roads are dry now and good but some stony; very little feed and
that of a poor quality.

Tuesday, June 18th. Today travelled about 33 miles and camped at
a spot barren of feed for horses. We stopped at a creek called cold
spring creek. The trail follows the creek up, the valley of which is
wide and grows abundance of wild sage and greece-wood and a species
of coarse grass very good for cattle but horses will scarcely eat it at
all. All along this valley are numerous hot springs.

Wednesday, June 19th. Camped this afternoon in sight of the Hum-
boldt mountains the tops of which are white with snow. We have trav
elled today about 23 miles passing in the morning many hot springs.
About noon we came to good feed again which continued during the
afternoons drive. We encamped by a small creek as usual without
timber except wild sage which answers as a substitute.

Thursday, June 20th. Sunrise found us on .the move and we drove
on a rapid rate. A few miles from camp we saw some men who had
lost a horse during the night probabally stolen by the Indians. About
noon crossed a branch of the Humboldt, muddy and bad to cross. A
drive of about 30 miles brought us to the Humboldt river which we
ferried in our waggon boxes and encamped for the night.

Friday, June 21st. This morning we were obliged to cross several
bad sloughs before we reached the high land joining the river bottom.
Our course then lay some part of the time on the lowland & a part of
the time on the bluffs; road fair land barren & destitute of grass for
horses or mules. During the day forded a branch of the river about
3 feet deep, made 25 miles and encamped on the high land about 80
rods from the river.

Saturday, June 22nd. Today weather very warm. Made about 30
miles and encamped near a tributary of the Humboldt with very poor
feed. In the fore part of the day the road lay along the river bottoms:
about noon we left the flat land and took the bluff road which has been
made to avoid several fords. Very rough and wearing to a team. Good
grass on the mountains but no water.

Sunday, June 23d. As we were poorly situated to lay over for re
cruiting our teams it was thought best to hitch up and drive to feed
and water. This we found about 10 miles from camp. Water poor
but grass excellent. The road here is several miles from the river.
We encamped on a hill with good grass in a ravine on the right and
water in a river on the left.

Monday, June 24th. This morning 4 of our animals were missing:
y/e had a long search for them and found them about 3-% miles from

420 ANNALS OF IOWA

camp. We hitched up and drove until 2, oclock and stopped on a spot
almost barren of grass. After this drove until about sundown near a
creek which puts into the river. Travelled during the day about 30
miles. Teams considerably reduced in strength.

Tuesday, June 25th. Three mules and two horses were missing this
morning: after a search of nearly all day they were found in possession
of the Indians and were brought in about sundown. Our team in com
pany with some others went on and made about 25 miles. Encamped
by a small creek on an 18 miles stretch of alkali land.

Wednesday, June 26th. Today we laid in camp until about noon
when the other part of the company coming up we decamped and drove
about 15 miles and struck our tent by a branch of the river at a spot
of good feed. This is the most desolate and barren section of country
that we have passed through. The bluifs on either side of the river
are almost entirely destitute of vegetation.

Thursday, June 27th. Last night a man belonging to a company
campetl near us died of the mountain fever. He was a native of Iowa
but was travelling with an Illinois company. He was buried by the
roadside; in morning and soon after we started on our days travel and
drove about 12 miles and encamped near the river and spent most of
the afternoon in cutting grass on the other side of the river and bring
ing it over.

Friday, June 28th. At 2 and a half O'clock in the morning we
hitched up and drove on: our teams were tolerably well rested and we
drove on until about 7 o'clock when we halted and cooked our break
fast & then moved on. Travelled part of the time on the river flats
and part of the time on the bluffs. Distance today about 25 miles.
camped near the river.

Saturday, June 29th. Our animals had rather poor feed last night
and after driving 5 miles we came to some grass where we stopped and
baited and cut grass and put into our waggons. We drove about 15
miles during the day and camped at a good grazing spot. Weather hot
and roads dusty/

Sunday, June 30th. Today it was thought best to travel and we left
camp early and drove about 8 miles and stopped to bait. Hitched up
again and drove 5 miles and took in water and started on the 20 miles
stretch without water. At the end of this distance we camped near
the river without grass. Distance travelled about 32 miles. Tied our
horses to our waggons and gave them some hay that we had along.

Monday, July 1st. About 2 o'clock in the morning we started out
thinking to find grass and stop. We found some About 5 miles dis
tant: cut some for our animals and spent the remaining part of the
day in laying a stock to take along. We find feed very poor all along
this river and sometimes have to wade through mud and water 2 feet
to get it where it is top miry for the horses, Started on about

OVERLAND JOURNEY TO CALIFORNIA 421

sundown and drove until one o'clock at night and camped near the
river did 25 miles.

Tuesday, July 2nd. As we were obliged to camp last night without
grazing we used the grass we had on hand and early in the morning
moved on and struck the river about 9 o'clock and stopped to cook
our breakfast We then started on and came to the river only once
more and camped at a creek and spring near grass slough, having made
about 35 miles.

Wednesday, July 3d, Started early this morning before eating our
breakfast and drove to within 3 miles of grass slough and finding good
baiting stopped and cooked our breakfast and then drove to where we
lay up to cut grass to feed across the desert. This is the, first spot of
decent grass that we have found on the low land adjoining the river.
Distance today 7 miles.

Thursday, July 4th. Today we lay in camp until about 5 oclock.
We cut and made hay for our animals over the desert. A great many
teams seem to miss this point and pass by to the Sink. There is said
to be no feed beyond this place. Towards night we hitched up and
started for Sulpur Spring the Starting point for the desert. Distance
to the Spring 24 miles.

Friday, July 5th.

Arrived at the Spring this morning about 6 o'clock. The water is
very poor, but it must be used for our animals across the 40 miles
stretch without any water. We brought nearly enough with us for
our own drinking, and made out with a little of this by making coffee.
Staid here until about 3-y2 o'clock and started for the Desert.

Saturday, July 6th. Had tiresome work, Travelled all night baiting
twice. We passed a great many carcasses of dead animals and some
that have probabally been killed to afford food for some starving emi
grant. Passed on our way a spring the water of which is as salt as
brine. Left our waggon about midway on the desert, packed and ar
rived at Pilot river about noon. Moved on towards evening 3 miles
and camped near the river.

Sunday, July 7th. We expected to find good feed along this river
but are disappointed. Our animals had very little to eat last night
and this morning are hungry tired and weak. Moved on early and
stopped where we found a very little feed. Here we staid till about
noon and started again and travelled on until about dark and encamped
near the river at a spot of tolerable feed. Made during the day about
21 miles.

Monday, July 8th. We lay in camp today until three o'clock P.M.
and started over the 20 miles stretch without water. The road was
somewhat sandy & as our animals are weak it was rather slow and to
them tiresome work. Arrived at the river late in the night and camped
without grass for the remaining part of the night and hitched them to
the bushes till morning.

422 ANNALS OF IOWA

Tuesday, July 9th. Found grass about a mile along the road and
turned our animals out to graze and did not move out again until about
2 o'clock P.M. when we repacked our animals and travelled on 7 miles
to where the road leaves the river for ten miles and camped for the
night. Distance traveled today 8 miles.

Wednesday, July 10th. Started out early and arrived at the river
about 11 oclock over a very bad road. The feed now as we advance
in our course up the river is becoming considerable better. Travelled
along the river for some distance and then left it for several miles
passing a high hill around to the right as the river goes to the left.
Exchanged two horses nearly worn out with some traders from the
mines for a little flour and fresh beef. Distance today 26 miles.

Thursday, July llth. Four miles from camp we passed a company
of men encamped near the mountains and river who were butchering
fat cattle and selling to the emigrants at the moderate price of a dollar
per pound. There we found splendid feed animals would recruit in a
short time. We are now often meeting with supplies from the mines.
Flour they sell at $2, per pound bacon the same. Traveled 24 miles
and encamped at a snow stream.

Friday, July 12th. Five miles travelling brought us to the end of
the valley to "the Kanyon" where the stream passes through a part of
the Sierra Nevada mountains. Crossed the stream 3 times, found a
very bad rocky road. A few miles further we passed "Red Lake" and
then ascended the mountain up which the road leads. This we found
decidedly the worst road we have seen. Travelled about 22 miles and
encamped on the mountain where we found good grazing.

Saturday, July 13th. One and a half miles from camp we came to
a lake; leaving it to the left we climbed a mountain over snow perhaps
20 or 25 feet deep. Arriving at the top we left the main track to the
left and struck off to the right taking a cut off which is said to save
some 10 miles. After descending the mountain we came to a beautiful
lake skirted with handsome pines. Passed around the lake leaving it
to the left and climbed the mountain again and struck the old track.
Made about 15-% miles.

Sunday, July 14th. We have now passed the Summit of the Sierra
Nevada range. The descent to the west appears to be more gradual,
not continuous, but each successive ridge or foot hill of the mountain
is lower than the last. We have been skirting lakes & passing over
Snow banks, in some places the ground quite wet. All this is now
changed. Ground is dry & roads are fine — Vegetation seems dried
up but our animals eat it freely & appear to thrive. A change in the
character of the timber appears since passing the summit. West of
that Spruce & Cedar. Some trees of the latter of very large size. Last
night we made our camp near a windfall of pine timber on a flattened
summit between ravines. The night was cool and we soon had a blazing
fire of pine which burned all night. No guard kept out with horses,

OVERLAND JOURNEY TO CALIFORNIA 423

but found them all right & well filled At noon baited our horses and
hasty lunch as we advance, the timber is increasing in size. Another
camp by a fire of pine. Nights now not so cool. Distance today about
25 miles.

Monday, July 15th. Our breakfast was soon prepared. Our Sup
plies are running very low. Only bacon flour & coffee without sugar —
Our journey is drawing to a close and we hear no complaints. We are
now in the midst of the finest timber which I have ever seen. Many
trees of great height & of immense size. About noon we passed the
stump of a tree, called here redwood which had been felled & was being
hollowed out and shaped into a canoe or dugout. It was on skids and
unfinished It was 45 or 50 feet long, not less than ten feet in diameter
and would carry 100 men — No one working on it when we passed.
Where it was proposed to float it or how transport it to water, was to
us an unanswered querry. It was at least 75 miles to navigable water.
No incident worthy of note today. Weather is becoming very warm.
Feed among the pines dry but nutritious. Large Oak trees now. Low
but wide spreading. Distance today about 18 miles.

Tuesday, July 16th. For a camping place last night we found an
open area of 2 or 3 acres surrounded by pines and live oak trees, near
the road. Several small springs of cool, clear water kept the ground
moistened. Mountain clover, grew in abundance, green & just in bloom,
in marked contrast with the parched and gray surface around, and over
which we had travelled for two days. We rose this morning refreshed,
and in good spirits. A general expectancy is evident. It is known that
the end of our journey is near, and some think this our last day. We
were early on the way, our animals well fed & rested. Only few wagons
in the company — Most had been discarded east of the mountains and
luggage packed on animals. About an hour before noon as we were
plodding onward dusty and hot, a sound was heard which caught all
ears. Every step was arrested. It w.as the crowing of a cock near by.
Instantly every hat in the party was swinging in air, and more than
two dozen throats were shouting hurrah, hurrah ! It was a sound which
had not before been heard for many weeks, a most certain indication
that we had passed from a wilderness into some sort of civilization.
The sound came from an opening in the forest, such as was our camp
ing place of the night before. A miner, two or three perhaps, had
built a cabin near a spring, and remembering, I suppose surroundings
of home, had planted out some garden "truck", and had domicilled half
a dozen fowls. All was hidden from our view by a narrow strip of low
growing mansineeter bushes between the opening and the road. Half
a mile further on Placerville was reached and our journey of more
than 4 months was ended. Here also ends my diary.

The winter which followed arrival in California the writer
spent in the mineral district near Georgetown, spending the

424 ANNALS OF IOWA

"rainy season" in a cabin of pine logs, in company with Clark
and Williams, companions all, since leaving Wisconsin. Of these
two messmates and companions I would speak in highest praise.
They were cheerful, sociable, and pleasant, helpful in health or
in sickness, and my recollections of them after these many years
call up only pleasant memories. Our copartnership continued
throughout our stay. Clark returned to Wisconsin in March or
April of 1851, and Williams and myself returned in July of the
same year.

Our comfortable log cabin was in a broad stretch of upland
between two tributaries of the American River (itself tributary
to the Sacramento River), the surface undulating and pine-cov
ered. Some gold we found along the little streams, but not in
paying quantity. Early in February we left our winter quar
ters and located on a nearby river where mining was being done
with better results. For several weeks we succeeded fairly well
and in April or the first of May we had in the company purse,
in gold dust, a little sum laid by. About that time John Clark,
one of the trio, decided that he had had enough of California,
and that his duty to his family, a wife and several children, re
quired that he should go home. To meet the expense of a trip
home by steamer and the Panama route would take all we had
in common. Williams and I turned over what we had, and he
left us, glad to regard the trip as two or three years of his life
wasted. Williams and I remained and continued our desultory
mining during the month of May.

The river on which our work was at that time was the Middle
Fork of the American River. The Middle Fork now forms the
boundary line between Eldorado and Placer counties. Only
placer mining occupied the attention of the mass of miners at
that time. The reduction of ores from the native rock was con
fined to limited areas and conducted by companies of large cap
ital. The river on which we operated was at that point emerg
ing from the mountains, whose rocky and precipitous sides con
fined its rapid and rushing waters in a tortuous and narrow
valley. Bold and craggy rocks in many places rose from the
water's edge, thus cutting off communication between mining-
camps above and below, save by frequent river crossings. In

OVERLAND JOURNEY TO CALIFORNIA 425

some places these crossings were made by spanning narrow places
with rude foot bridges, often no more than two unhewn pine
logs placed side by side. Upon these on one side a rude hand
rail was sometimes constructed for the benefit of passers-over
who might have giddy heads or unsteady nerves, as a fall into
the roaring, turbulent waters below could hardly fail to be at
tended with disastrous results. Generally stiller waters were
chosen and the crossings made in canoes or dugouts.

These rivers on their way from mountain range to the broad
Sacramento valley, in passing through the foothills and pine-cov
ered highlands, have cut for themselves through rocks and earth
channels of immense depth, 2,000 to 2,500 feet, and of width
at top from brow to brow of two miles or more. The sides of
these are gashed with ravines and rocky canons through which
mountain torrents dash against the rocks or leap in threads of
silver from precipice above to eddying pools below. In this vi
cinity no wagon road had been constructed from the uplands
above to the mining camps along the river. All supplies were
brought to these on pack animals. The sure-footed and plod
ding mule was the main reliance of the trader for transportation.
The trails ascend the steep and rocky side of the mountain in a
zigzag way, often rounding a projecting cliff 1,500 or 2,000 feet
above the river which, like a crawling serpent, winds its way
from side to side across the narrow valley. At such points a
footing missed, mule and lading would be dashed to rocks below,
a shapeless mass.

On one occasion I was making the ascent from the valley and,
reaching one of these outlooks, seated myself upon a rock and
was looking down upon the river and camps below. I saw far
below a wild fowl which had risen from the river and was trying
to attain an altitude from which it could make its way over the
uplands adjoining. The height to be overcome was too great
for direct flight. Its track through the air was similar to the
zigzag path by which I had ascended. As it came nearer, I saw
it was a wild goose which had visited the river, I suppose, in
search of food or water. I watched it with interest as it wheeled
back and forth, gaining elevation on each tack, until when far
above me it struck away over the country at right angles with
the course of the river.

426 ANNALS OF IOWA

To the observing mind this is an interesting inquiry : What time
has been required and what forces employed to furrow out from
the bowels of the mountain range and lower lying foothills these
immense gorges, through which the mountains discharge their
surplus waters to the ocean? It may be said that Nature takes
no account of time in her operations. A thousand years are as
a day. As to the agency employed, perhaps (probably, indeed)
it was water and ice. But speculation aside, some force has
plowed into the rocky entrails of the mountain, has broken
through veins and ledges of gold-bearing rock. The rock has
been crushed into dust and carried down by the waters and now
forms, perhaps, the alluvial bottoms in the valleys of Sacramento
and San Joaquin rivers. The gold, being malleable, has better
withstood the abrasion, and by its greater weight has resisted
transportation, has halted by the way, has found lodgement in
crevices, or been held in place by beds of tenacious clay where
it has remained for ages unnumbered. From these lodgements
the pick and shovel of the miner is releasing it and the "rocker"
and "Long Tom" are busy separating it from the grasp of the
clay. Truly, "The mills of the gods grind slowly, but they grind
exceeding small."

In this great workshop of Nature, the veins of gold-bearing
rock have been cut across, but not exhausted. Many of them
along the mountain side beyond the limit of abrasion have been
discovered, opened up, and through the agency of stamp mill
and smelter, are pouring wealth into the channels of commerce
and trade.

Returning now to the narrative of the mining operations of
Williams and myself, late in May or the first of June, we em
braced an opportunity to become connected with a company
formed for the purpose of draining a section of the river bed
by passing the water over the portion to be drained in a flume
of pine boards. No sawmill was then in that part of the mines.
Pine timber of suitable size was near and these were to be sawed
by the "whipsaw" method, all by hand. One man stood on the
log, another man in a pit under the log. By alternate strokes
of up and down, the saw, kept to a line, would after many strokes
go through the log and one plank was the result.

OVERLAND JOURNEY TO CALIFORNIA 427

This was hard work and slow. Before the flume was com
pleted, Williams and I had a chance to sell our interest and
make good profit. The sale was made and receiving our money
we at once set out for Sacramento City on our homeward way.
Learning that the Panama steamer would not leave San Fran
cisco for several days, we thought best to spend part of the
intervening time in Sacramento City. We spent July 4, 1851, in
that place. The great fire which consumed a large part of that
busy city occurred a few months later and after our departure.

A steamer down the Sacramento River landed us in a few
hours at the Golden Gate City, then in size and population a
mere hamlet compared with its present dimensions. The city
was then in the throes of civil convulsion. The lawless element
had become bold and daring in their deeds of murder and rob
bery, and the law-abiding citizens had felt compelled to band
together for mutual protection and had organized the famous
Vigilance Committee for the execution of the penal laws. At
the time of our arrival that committee was in full power and
almost daily public executions were taking place. Williams and
I were sauntering along a street near the bay when we found
ourselves in the midst of a hurrying crowd which was making
its way to the nearby wharf. Curious to know what it all meant,
we followed ^long. When at the wharf a halt was called, we
quickly learned their purpose. A condemned culprit was led to
a lighter boat moored to the wharf, and a rope tied about his
neck. Strong hands quickly seized the other end of the rope
which had been passed over a pulley in the rigging, and a mo
ment later he was dangling in the air, while at least a thousand
onlookers gazed in silence, until he was pronounced dead and
let down. It was a sight which I had not sought, and from the
thought of which I have ever after turned in horror. His spe
cific offense I did not learn, save that it was robbery. There
was a rapid exit from that city of the criminal classes who had
been holding high carnival. Order was soon restored and the
acts of the Vigilance Committee became matter of frontier
history.

We found there in waiting for the steamer which we had hoped
to take, a very great number of expectant passengers. It soon

428 ANNALS OF IOWA

became evident that the ship would be overcrowded. It was a
large side-wheeler belonging to the regular line plying between
San Francisco and Panama on the Pacific side and Chagres and
New York on the Atlantic. An iron steamer of English bottom
(officered by Americans) would start a day or two later. She
was a screw propeller, not so fast as the regular line ships, but
well fitted up, offered cheaper rates, and would not be over
crowded. She was the Sarah Sands, and in later years had a
history. On this ship we engaged passage. I may add that
the passengers were well satisfied with all her appointments save
that her speed was below our expectations.

Passing into the Pacific from the bay, we found at first the
sea air to be uncomfortably cool. Warm blankets in our state
room berths were in demand. A few hundred miles out this
all changed. The southing made was daily bringing the sun
more nearly vertical at midday and the weather became most
uncomfortably warm.

Little occurred to relieve the monotony of a sea voyage on the
generally smooth waters of the Pacific. Frequent views of
whales were had, some near, others far off, sometimes singly, at
other times in numbers, disporting themselves in the water. On
one occasion a dozen or fifteen were to be seen in a group amus
ing themselves as it would seem by rushing upward from a depth
with force which would send them into the air near their entire
length. When they fell back into the sea the agitated water could
be seen lifted upward and flying from their huge bodies in all
directions. We had a nearby view from the starboard quarter
deck of one of these monsters which was exciting. He rose to
the surface for air not more than a cable's length from the ship
and blew a column of water from the single breathing place on
the top of his head, which descended in spray almost within our
reach. His broad black back parted the water and came into
view in size like half the deck of our ship. He appeared to be
unconscious of the ship's near vicinity at first, but soon in ap
parent alarm dived to depths below, his broad flukes lashing the
water into foam. It was an impressive sight.

Other creatures of the sea were observed in numbers. Por
poises at times swimming along with an undulating motion

OVERLAND JOURNEY TO CALIFORNIA 429

seemed purposely to keep even pace with the ship. These are
animals,, not fish, and belong to the same family as the whale.
Like the whales, they must come often to the surface to breathe.
Like the whales, also, the dams suckle their young. Numbers
of their young of all sizes were to be seen accompanying the
dams. They appeared to be from three and a half to five feet
in length.

After our ship had reached the warmer waters of the tropics
another object of interest came into notice. We passed through
shoals of flying fish, interesting little creatures, varying in
length, I would judge, from eight inches to a foot. They rise
from the water in great numbers and often simultaneously, and
as the surface of the water is disturbed by their coming out of
it, a sound is produced resembling large hail stones falling into
water. Their flights are short and often quickly repeated, each
successive flight shorter and weaker than the last. It may be
that they are trying to escape from the pursuit of some enemy
below the surface. If so, they sometimes avoid one enemy by
falling a prey to another. Sea birds often take advantage of
these flights and pounce upon them while they are in the air and
carry them off in numbers. Their rise from the water is gener
ally not more than a few feet, although our seamen told us they
often go high enough to fall on ship deck. They do not appear
to move their outstretched fins, but seem to sail through the air
only while the momentum gained in the water lasts.

Our ship on its downward passage encountered no storm.
Only one squall called for a hasty furling of the sails. That
was too quickly over to form heavy rollers. While it lasted the
roaring of the wind through the rigging was terrific. The sur
face of the surrounding water was lashed into a foam. I stayed
upon the deck, not caring to go below. The heavy iron hull of
the ship careened, seemingly until the spars nearly touched the
sea. It was soon over and all again serene.

We passed the coast of Lower California too far to seaward
for it to be seen, so far as I know. A daily report of latitude
and longitude was posted in a conspicuous place on the deck
where all who chose might consult it. This could be of little
service fo us who were not possessed of maps and charts. My

430 ANNALS OF IOWA

first knowledge of our real position was when I saw the ship
heading toward an opening in the shore line of low mountains
and learned that we were putting into Acapulco Bay. This bay
is landlocked and constitutes a safe and commodious harbor,
well protected on the seaboard side by a low mountain range. A
gap in this range of ample width and great depth of water af
fords ingress and egress for ships of largest size. It has a ca
pacity sufficient to float the largest navy.

The city of Acapulco is at the upper end of the bay, twenty
or twenty-five miles from the opening. It is a city of no great
size or commercial importance. It affords to the steamship and
transportation companies a good harbor and convenient .point
for ships to take in supplies. Our ship spent about two full
days there. There was no wharf, but good anchorage quite near
the shore. Passengers all went ashore. Natives in row boats
swarmed around the ship, glad to receive a trifle from the sea-
weary people on board to put them on land. Only seventeen
degrees north of the equator, tropical fruits could be had in
abundance — oranges, pineapples, bananas, mangoes — ripe, lus
cious, and very cheap. The business houses and residences of
the better classes were all of stone, one story high and had floors
of flagstone or earth. Houses of the peons and poorer classes
were mere huts of bamboo poles, covered with reeds or grass.

Most of the passengers soon tired of wandering about in so
uninteresting a city and returned on shipboard where they found
amusement in watching the aquatic feats of native boys about
ten or twelve years old. A dozen or more of them came near
the ship in an open dugout, their brown and plump bodies naked
and shining, they plunged into the waters of the bay, as much
at home in that element as in their own. Swimming about like
eels, they clamored in Spanish and beckoned for coin to be
thrown overboard by the passengers who were above and watch
ing them. Many small silver pieces were tossed over the ship's
side and dropped into the clear water. A coin could be seen
going downward in the water, zigzag, like a bit of white paper
falling in still air. The nearest boy would strike out for it, and
in a few strokes would be over the spot. Down goes his head
and upward his heels. The water was so lucid that the race of

OVERLAND JOURNEY TO CALIFORNIA 431

the boy after the sinking coin could be plainly seen from ship
deck. When he came within reach of the coin, his hands quickly
came together under it in bowl shape. Lodging in his hands it
was transferred to his mouth with a quick motion. By a dex
terous movement of arms and legs, his inverted posture was
quickly reversed and his head and shoulders popped above the
water like a cork released. He was ready to chase another coin.

After a time the coins available for continuing the sport were
no longer forthcoming. The boys were still in the water and
expectant. Someone on deck called out in Spanish, "A shark !
A shark!" A rush followed for the dugout, which had been
tossing idly. In quick time they were safe inside. Had they
been boys of our land, I have no doubt the first who reached the
rocking dugout would have upset it. Not so they.

At leaving time a shot from the ship's gun announced to
passengers on shore that the anchor was about to be raised. Soon
all were aboard and the ship moved off. A mile or two out it
was discovered that a skiff was following behind, rowed by two
men while a third was standing and vigorously swinging his hat
and sometimes his coat. Apparently a belated passenger was
eager to attract notice and be allowed to overtake the ship. The
captain looked annoyed and seemed inclined to give him a long,
stern chase. The ship was half way to open sea when a round
to was ordered, to await the arrival of the boat. A hearty laugh
broke out when it was found that the boat contained no belated
passenger, but a quarter of beef which had been bespoken for
delivery on shipboard but reached the anchorage a few minutes
late. The merriment was in no way diminished when in hauling
the beef on board it slipped from the rope and splashed into the
sea and the sharks seized and made off with it. The satisfied
agent and his men returned. His orders had been strictly
obeyed.

Another start was made. Soon the rolling swells, pulsations
of Old Ocean, told of our near approach to open sea. The gate
way was soon passed and our prow turned to the southeast. No
more stops to be made before reaching Panama. Our course from
this on was nearer to coasts of Mexico and Guatemala. The
deep green of the foliage on the foothills and along the moun-

432 ANNALS OF IOWA

tain side was plainly visible and relieved the monotony of a
horizon always shutting down upon the sea. The nights were
intensely hot. It was impossible to sleep in a stateroom. Mat
tresses and blankets were brought out and spread upon the deck.
The captain warned us not to sleep in the full rays of the moon.
It was suggestive of distorted and rigid muscles of the face and
neck. Query: Is that a superstition of the seafaring man or
a recognized fact? Our captain was an intelligent and an ex
perienced man. We pass the question — no place to discuss it
here. Suffice it that we heeded the advice and suffered no ill.

Amusements and quarter deck promenades quickly ended
when, after more than three weeks from San Francisco, we found
our ship heading into the Bay of Panama. This harbor for
safety and convenience cannot be compared with that of Aca-
pulco. It is little better than an open roadstead which was
reached by row boats and lighters. At the landing place the
beach was sandy and very shelving. When the sea was calm
and no swells coming in, the keel of the boats would touch bot
tom and come to a halt many rods from dry land. The native
boatmen would then carry the passengers and their light bag
gage through the shallow water to good footing. At other times
when ocean swells were dashing far upon the beach after the
boat's bottom had struck sand, the boatmen would be quickly in
the water and with hands upon the edge of the boat would await
the next swell, then with the lifting of the boat, carry it far for
ward. The receding wave would leave the boat out of water on
the sand. A hasty scramble would then take place among the
passengers to leave the boat and be clear of reach of the next
swell, or wet pants and skirts would result.

Panama is a quaint old Spanish- American city of 15,000 to
18,000 people of mixed races. The original city was enclosed
by a wall of masonry, now broken in many places, the cracks
and crevices choked with rank growth of tropical vines and
plants, quite veiling it from sight in some places. Streets are
narrow and far from clean. There are no sewers, no garbage
wagons. Turkey buzzards are the only scavengers. They are
in numbers countless and they do their work well. The offal
from a slaughtered animal cast into an open court, is by them

OVERLAND JOtfllNEY TO CALIFORNIA 433

quickly disposed of. They appear quite fearless of man. In
those cities of torrid heat, they are his best friends.14

Of public buildings I saw none of importance save the cathe
dral. It is a building of quite large proportions and has some
pretensions to architectural beauty. We visited it. Black-robed
priests were moving about in performance of their various duties.
Natives in deferential manner were passing in and out, kneeling
before crucifixes, and at the entrance crossing themselves with
holy water. At that time the presence of English-speaking peo
ple was not noticeable, nor has it been since. The city was on
the great highway of traffic and travel betwen the Atlantic and
Pacific. We spent several days there, as our arrival had been
too late for the fortnightly departure of the steamer from Cha-
gres on the Atlantic side for New York. Our stay was not be
cause of any attraction offered by scenery or climate, but for the
reason that as between that city and Chagres, the latter was
least to be desired. This is a very old town, but not the Panama
of 1532 where the cruel and relentless Pizzaro fitted out the ex
pedition which wiped out the empire of the Incas in Peru. That
city was on the bay, several miles northeast and is now in ruins.

Leaving Panama by the old and well established route, our
course would be northwest twenty miles to Gorgona on the Cha-
gres River, thence down the river fifty miles to Chagres on the
Atlantic side. The twenty miles to Gorgona must be made by
mules and pack animals or on foot. The summit of divide be
tween the oceans is not high (250 feet) nor very much broken.
It would not be difficult to construct a good road for wagons or
pack animals. We found no wheeled vehicle could thread the nar
row trails along which the pack trains went. In many places
along the sides there was a thick growth of tropical vines and
bamboo saplings overshadowed by large forest trees. No one
could penetrate the thicket without the use of ax or hatchet. In
other places the trail had been worn down by saddle animals and
pack mules into the clayey knolls and side hills, making deep
and narrow channels which gave barely room on the sides for the
overhanging packs. During the rainy season these trails would

i4These notes written in 1900 were descriptive of conditions as the writer
saw them in 1851. Modern science and engineering, coming with the Panama
Canal, have changed conditions there.— Editor.

434, ANNALS OF IOWA

become water courses, in many places almost impassable. The
rains come in July and August, and our trip was made in August
when the whole country seemed a quagmire.

A large and full grown mountain lion (cougar) and a young
half grown grizzly bear had been captured in California and
were being transported to New York in charge of an agent of
a New York firm. The cougar was one of the largest of his
species and very fierce. He was confined in a strong cage
guarded on one side by iron bars. To the sides of the cage
were lashed poles, one on each side, projecting fore and aft.
The whole was borne on the shoulders of natives in relays of
eight carriers. When the narrow places described above were
reached, they were passed with great difficulty. The other ani
mal being smaller gave less trouble.

We met passengers on their way to California who would take
steamer at Panama for San Francisco. Among them were fam
ilies and several children. These were mounted on the shoulders
of sturdy blacks. One riding in that posture was a well-dressed
girl not less than ten years old. Another younger girl and a
boy of six, each perched upon the shoulders of a native, formed
a group alone. Not far behind was another party of adults
mounted on mules. Some of these were women and might have
had among them the mother of the children. If so, she was too
far separated from her children to be of service to them if her
aid had been rquired. Doubtless all went well, but not all moth
ers would pass through such an experience with unconcern.

One whole day was spent by us in passing over this twenty
miles. Rain fell nearly every hour of the day — a dash of rain,
then sunshine, often both together. We reached Gorgona weary
and footsore. The distance had been made on foot, our baggage
conveyed by native porters. The frequent showers had kept us
constantly wet until toward evening when the rain ceased. Ar
riving, our first inquiry was for food and lodging. Gorgona is
a native village and contains only huts of the poorest structure.
Arrangements had been made by the transportation companies
for the comfort of passengers, as many families were at that time
going to California to meet husbands or fathers, and to all this
was a stopping place, Supper found and dispatched, we saun-

OVERLAND JOURNEY TO CALIFORNIA 435

tered around for an hour or two, stopping two or three times
to look on while the native men and women danced the fandango
to rude music.

The people whom we meet here are of mixed Negro and Indian
blood. The African appears to predominate. From their In
dian ancestors they have inherited none of the sly treachery of
the North American Indian, nor his lazy, shiftless habits. Clean
ly they can hardly be called, but are trusty and faithful servants.
When sleeping time arrived we were shown into a space enclosed
by walls of slender bamboo rods, interwoven with small twigs,
the whole covered over with a roof made chiefly of large leaves
of tropical growth. The space enclosed was not subdivided but
contained a large number of movable cots, simply frames over
stretched with canvas. Apartments suitable for lady passengers
could be had when occasion required. The construction of the
Panama railway is now in progress. On its completion all these
rude arrangements will no longer be patronized nor needed.

The transportation from Gorgona is by boats on the Chagres
River. These are propelled on the downward passage by oars
worked by natives. On the trip upstream, the boats are poled.
The river is generally shallow. In places too deep for their
poles, the boat must be kept near shore. The country along
the river is of course flat. It is so overgrown with forest
trees and a jungle of underbrush that we could see but little else.
Monkeys and parrots we could see in great numbers, also many
birds of bright plumage. No song bird did we hear. A lazy
alligator would occasionally crawl into the water on our approach.
The quick current of the stream seconded the strokes of the oar,
and our trip was made by daylight of one day.

The city of Chagres is on the Atlantic side of the Isthmus at
the mouth of the River Chagres. No harbor is there, only an
open roadstead without safe anchorage for ships. Steamships
when receiving and discharging cargo keep up steam, ready to
depart in case a storm arises. They do not approach nearer
than three or four miles of land. When the Panama railroad is
completed, Chagres, as a seaport town, will be abandoned. As-
pinwall, now springing up, will be the Atlantic terminus of that
railroad. That city is about eight miles from Chagres, north
and a little east.

436 ANNALS OF IOWA

We arrived in Chagres a day or two in advance of the de
parture of the New York steamer. Our stay was long enough
The city is low and unhealthy. We saw little of it save the
American quarters. Accommodations were not so good as in
Panama, but far better than those of Gorgona. Hotels (so-called
by courtesy) are most cheaply built of rough lumber, subdivided
into rooms by studding on which was tacked ordinary white mus
lin or cotton sheeting.

Booming of the gun on board the steamer gave notice to pas
sengers that her sailing time was near. Yawl boats were in
readiness to convey us and our 'luggage to the ship. Arriving
there, a "cradle" suspended by a strong rope from a yardarm
lifted us two or three at a time to ship deck over gunwale. The
rocking of the ship from side to side caused by the waves was
considerable. Advantage must be taken when the lurch was
toward the boat and as the cradle or swing came within reach,
a quick movement if well executed would place the passengers
inside the swing, and a "Haul away" command sent the thing
aloft, and lucky the wights within if a lurch of the ship the other
way did not give them a thumping bounce against the ship's side.
Many a laugh and jeer from those on ship deck who had passed
through the ordeal went up at the expense of an unlucky one
who received a bump fit to see stars. When a lady was in the
swing, the case did not excite merriment. Even fatted steers,
shipped for the steamer's butcher, are swung aboard, not in a
cradle, but in a harness of ropes.

We found on board the ship the same cage containing a captured
cougar, also the young grizzly noted on a preceding page. The
latter was allowed during the day to roam at will on the deck
of the forecastle and he afforded some amusement for such of the
passengers as chose to romp with him. Generally they did not
incline to continue the sport long, as his play was a little rough.
We found conditions on board this steamer to be quite unlike
those on the ship which had brought us to Panama on the Pa
cific side. Its passenger list was at least three times greater,
not less than 900. Being a side-wheel steamer and driven by
more powerful engines, her speed was greater. She did not sit
the water as steadily, but rocked from side to side, causing much
seasickness among the passengers.

OVERLAND JOURNEY TO CALIFORNIA 437

Two hours of steaming, and the low lying coast which we had
left sunk out of sight. It was known that the steamer would
call at Kingston, a good seaport on the south side of the Island
of Jamaica. The atmosphere of the Caribbean Sea is more hazy
than that of the Pacific, where the coast mountains could be seen
in blue outline 90 or 100 miles away, almost as soon as their tops
would rise above the horizon. Not so in these waters. On the
southwest coast of Jamaica, where we would first approach land,
is a range of high mountains which should have been seen more
than fifty miles at sea. We were barely twenty miles from them
when, like a dim, shadowy cloud, their outline could be discerned
through the hazy atmosphere. Only a few minutes later the
coast line could be plainly seen. This and the highlands we
passed rapidly, leaving them to our left, and soon after were
moored to wharf in Kingston harbor.

This is an inlet of the sea, entered through a narrow channel.
The water in the harbor is deep and anchorage good. It is not
so capacious as that of Acapulco nor like that, protected on the
seaboard side by a coast line of low mountains, but is, next to
that harbor, the best we have seen since leaving San Francisco
Bay. Here we find constructed wharves from which ships may
receive lading and steamers be supplied with coal. Of the lat
ter, a large amount would be required for the steamer's con
sumption on her homeward trip. No provision has been made
for hoisting this from the wharf by machinery. All must be
shovelled, into baskets or buckets and carried up the gangplank
and dumped into a scuttle hole leading to the coal bunkers be
low. This work was done entirely by black women. Men on
the wharf shovelled the coal into buckets and helped to raise
the loads to the heads of the women, who then in squads of four
and five marched up the plank to the ship's deck, all keeping
time to a low and measured chant with voice and step.

I was told that the weight of a bucket of coal (net weight)
was ninety pounds. A number of the women could not have
much exceeded that weight in their own avoirdupois. Most
of these blacks had been born and many reared in slavery. Their
emancipation took place seventeen years before the time here
mentioned, that event occurring in 1834. At this time, 1851, the

458 ANNALS OF IOWA

work of emancipation as an industrial experiment seemed to
have been a failure. The blacks were apparently intoxicated
witli their newly acquired freedom, were shiftless, little inclined
to industry, and steady employment. The exports from the is
land fell off in a remarkable degree. The resident planters and
others who had employed slave labor regarded the trade of the
island as ruined.

At this time, fifty years later, a change for the better has
occurred. Like the emancipated Negroes of the Southern States,
a steady betterment of the race has gone on. The improvident
and shiftless ex-slaves are passing or have passed away. The
younger generation may have acquired some new vices but they
have learned the lesson of self-reliance, and their children have
been taught in the schools. The industrial condition of the is
land as shown by statistics is well along on the way of improve
ment.

Our steamer remained in the harbor of Kingston one night and
two days. Williams and I spent most of the time during the day
on shore. Many very pretty residences there are, all low, of one
story, neatly painted, in roomy yards, and all enveloped in a
dense growth of tropical verdure. The latitude of the island
is nearly the same as that of Acapulco in Mexico, but at Kingston
and on the adjacent plain the heat is more intense, the annual
mean being about 81 degrees F. The mountains which are at
the highest about 7,000 feet, afford many retreats much cooler
and more healthy. At an elevation of 4,000 feet it is said the
annual mean is some 15 degrees less than at the sea level.

The whites are mostly English and number on the entire is
land no more than about 13,000, most of them in the cities, and
in rural residences in the mountain districts. The evidences of
taste and culture were observable in the neat and well-kept yards
which surround their homes, and their well-groomed horses and
stylish rigs with which they appeared on the few drives and
boulevards in the outskirts of Kingston. The contrast between
that and the Spanish-American towns which we had seen in Mex
ico and on the Isthmus was very noticeable.

The steamer's supply of coal having been secured, there was
no further cause for delay and she was soon steaming through

OVERLAND JOURNEY TO CALIFORNIA 439

the narrow entrance and out into the open sea. Port Royal we
left to the east in passing out. This occupies a low-lying arm
of the mainland thrust out from the east between the harbor and
the open sea. A little longer reach of the arm westward, and
the harbor would have been an inland lake. This point of land
has been occupied by the British government as a military post
and a harbor defense maintained there, but the unhealthiness of
the place has made it practically untenable.

The course of our steamer for fifty or sixty miles was east,
bearing a little south, until the southern point of the island was
passed, then northeast between Cuba on the west and the Island
of Haiti on the east. We should have passed within sight of
one or both of these, but I did not observe either. I think the
Windward Passage which separates them must have been made
in the night. None of the Bahama Islands were at any time
visible so far as we knew, nor indeed any land in sight until the
Jersey shore and Staten Island came into view when we were
approaching New York Bay. The firing of the steamer's gun
announced to the quarantine officer our arrival within limit of
his surveillance, and a representative was soon on board. The
same gun brought to our side a pilot boat. Under its guidance
the ship steamed up the bay, after the departure of the health
officer, and was very soon in her position at the dock in East
River.

New York had long been our talked of goal, and in that city
we now were. A short stop there sufficed to make such change
in our wardrobes as was required. Williams and I there sep
arated after a year and a half of companionship — in sickness
and in health, over mountain and plain, desert and ocean. Our
hopes of gain had not been realized. Sickness had come to us
both while in our log cabin during the winter. In his case, as
also in my own, it was of such nature as to threaten serious re
sults. Sympathy and care were not wanting and medical attend
ance was provided. His wife and two children had gone from
Wisconsin to her father's home in Vermont to spend the time
of his absence. To that state he went to join them when he left
New York City.

440 ANNALS OF IOWA

My destination was West Bloomfield, Ontario County, New
York, the home of my father, an older brother, Edgar, and a
sister, Jane, younger than I. From that home I had gone three
years before, in 1848. It had been my intention to make a visit
at my father's home and then to go on west to Wisconsin. How
ever, I. changed my plan and remained in Bloomfield during the
winter and returned to Palmyra, Wisconsin, in the spring of
1852. There I did not remain long, but took up my residence
soon after in Kalamazoo, Michigan.

The Historical Department recently received a copy of The
Keosauqua Times, bearing date of March 28, 1846. This number
has the name "Van Caldwell" endorsed on the top margin with
pen and ink. Van Caldwell was the father of the late Judge
H. C. Caldwell. This copy of the Times was given by Judge
Caldwell to Hon. F. M. Epperson, of Eddyville, and since his
death his son, Frank Epperson, in turn gave it to the Historical
Department. Advertisements in it advise the reader of today
of conditions then. Among them are the following:

"Trace chains for sale at Bridgman's."

"Window glass, 8x10, and 10x12. Also putty, for sale at
Bridgman's."

"Plough slabs and plough wings, assorted sizes, for sale. F.
Bridgman."

"10 bbls. old Cincinnati whiskey, 1 half pipe superior C brandy,
ginger, cassia, nutmegs, starch, pepper, spice, cloves, and soap,
for sale at Bridgman's."

"Three or four dozen riding bridles, martingales, &c, for sale
at Games 's Sadlery."