A trip across the plains in 1854

A TRIP ACROSS THE
PLAINS IN 1854

BY JAMES H. RICHEY

A Trip Across the Plains in 1854

By James H. Richey

RICHEY, CALIFORNIA, March 15, 1908.

Just fifty-four years ago to-day, in 1854, I left my home
in Illinois for the trip across the plains. After bidding all good-
bye, brother Thomas took us, Alex and I, to Mr. Miller's, where
Mr. Strahn had his outfit, but they had started. We overtook
them at DeHague's. We then transferred our luggage to the
ox team.

Our company consisted of Miller Strahn, Tom Eberley, Bill
Henry, John Flemmirgs, Alex Richey and James Richey from
Illinois and S. Steele, Mose Knox? Abe Earnest and Wm. Morse
from Iowa.

Arriving at the Mississippi river we experienced our first

ferrying of cattle. After considerable trouble we got a load on
the ferry boat, "The Flint Hills." When it cast off for the other
side the cattle were greatly excited and rushed from one side
to the other, tipping the boat, and crowded four or five head into
the river. On the upper side one went under the boat, coming
up, followed the boat across making nearly as good time as we
did. We then named her Mississippi. When other rivers were
to ford she readily led tha herd across.

We stayed four miles west of Burlington the first night.
The fifth day we arrived at Bloomfield, the home of Mr. Steele,
had dinner, then took cattle to farm seven miles from town,
stayed two weeks, here finishing our outfit for the trip. On
Monday morning broke our first camp grounds and left for the
long trip to the "Golden State." Went south, passed a short
distance into Missouri, then west to the Missouri river, up this
river to St. Mary's, twelve miles below Omaha, where we camp-
ed for a few days waiting to be ferried across the river. On
the 28th of April Hopper's train joined us here, where we had
our first sight of Indians, two hundred or more of the Omaha
tribe, all great beggars. Here commenced guard duty for the
next three months. I was on duty the after part of the night.
It was a stormy night and the cattle very uneasy. V/e were
each on guard one-half night every fifth night. On April 29
left the settlements and started out on the plains and passed
over some fine looking country. Crossing the Elk Horn river,
we ferried the wagons and let the cattle swim, then the Loupe
Fork of the Platte river which we ferried; came to the Platte
river at Grand Island, one hundred miles from Missouri. Here
we saw the first Pawnee Indians, much finer looking than the

Omahas and were very friendly. We now traveled up Platte
river, having- fine feed and good roads. Saw but few buffaloes,
as but few had come north as yet. Here we had our first
stampede. We had been in camp and had our supper. A heavy
thunderstorm stampeded the cattle, they going with the storm,
but the men stayed with them, getting them back to camp
about two o'clock in the morning; had all of our cattle and the
most of another train's.

Following the Platte there was nothing of note for some
time, regular daily duty. We separated company with Hopper,
traveling by ourselves, three wagons and ten men. One day we
came to the camp of a train that had part of their horses stolen
and had to throw some of their wagons away. We took two of
their men, also a wagon, cutting ours up and carrying it for
wood, as there was none on our route. Following the Platte
we had our first view of the Rocky Mountains, Laramie Peak,
said to be two hundred miles away. We were in sight of it for
four weeks. The next thing of interest was Chimney Rock, on
south side of Platte, about twenty miles away, looked some like
a chimney in the distance, height some 150 feet. Next was
Court House Rock which resembled a large building. We ar-
rived at Fort Laramie on May 25, being the first building after
leaving Omaha. Here was our first chance for mailing letters.
Strahn crossed the river at the Fort.

After leaving Laramie we had our first mountain travel
through the Black Hills. The view was fine but very rough
roads. On guard one night I saw what I thought was an Indian
coming towards the cattle. After watching it a short time I
made up my mind to find out, so 1 crawled on my hands and

knees some one hundred yards and found my Indian was a little
mule that had strayed from a camp some distance from us. We
traveled up Platte river to the north crossing where the road
from the south crosses to the north and joined the road on
which we were traveling from Ft. Laramie, one hundred miles.
Here we left the Platte and crossed to the Sweet Water, still
on the Oregon trail; table land country, very good roads. We
met the Cheyenne tribe of Indians on their way down to hunt
buffalo and fight the Pawnee. A trader said there was about
five thousand men, women and children. They had their be-
longings packed on horses and dogs, tent poles on the sides, the
back ends dragging and baskets lashed to these with children in
them. The morning before reaching Sweet Water we had a
stampede of our horses. While we were yoking up they pulled
their picket pins and were off. As they passed me I grabbed
one of the ropes; it pulled me down but Strahn was near and
held it. He threw a saddle on it and followed them, catching
them at Sweet Water, some ten miles away. We arrived there
about noon feeling very good that he had them. We followed
this river to the south pass of the Rockies.

Places of note on Sweet Water: Independence Rock, laying
in the valley, covering about ten acres and one hundred feet
high. Five miles from Independence Rock is Devil's Gate,
where the river passes through a chasm of rock three hundred
and fifty feet in depth. On the south side of the cliff overhang-
ing the river, laying down I crawled out and looked down at the
river. It looked like a small rivulet. After passing this point,
the next was the Ice Fields, when digging down from one to
two feet in the ground we found solid ice, said to be four miles

wide. Following the river up to the last crossing-, ten miles
from the summit, which was our last camp on the east side of
the Rockies. In the morning we had a heavy sleet and snow
storm, very cold. Cleared up by seven o'clock and had a fine
day crossing the summit.

About noon June 10th, stopped for dinner at Pacific
Springs. The water flows to the Pacific ocean from here
through the Colorado river. From here the road leads to the
Little Sandy, a branch of Green River. Here the Salt Lake
road and the Oregon road, form the Salt Lake road. Bearing
south, we kept the Oregon southwest; from Little Sandy we
crossed to Big Sandy some tv/enty miles where we camped till
the next day noon. In the forenoon we were busy shoeing cattle
and preparing for crossing the Green River Desert, fifty-four
miles, with no water. This is a sage brush country, with con-
siderable bunch grass. We started at noon and traveled till
near night, camped and had supper. About dark a heavy rain-
storm came up so we had plenty of water for cattle as well as
feed. It cleared up about midnight and we hitched up and put
out for Green river, which we reached about nine o'clock the
next morning. This is a fine looking stream, some two hundred
yards wide, clear and deep, with a rapid current.

They were well prepared to handle the travel having four-
teen ferry boats. Charged $5 per wagon without any team.
Our ferry bill was $30 which we paid in bacon at fifty cents
per pound. We had a hard time getting our cattle to take the
river. They would start, then when they struck the current
they would down stream and back. We finally got them across
about the middle of the afternoon. We went down the river

some fourteen miles and camped here and had some trouble
with a horse train. Strahn had put our horses on an island
early that morning" and during" the day a horse train had put
their horses on the same island where they forbid us putting
our cattle on. Strahn said there was plenty of feed for both
but they said no, the first animal that we drive across they
would shoot. Stepping to a wagon he took a shot gun down
also Mr. Hopper and several more of our men standing on the
bank of the slough. Strahn told them his cattle were coming
across and the first man that fired on tham he would kill. He
then ordered the cattle driven in which we did. but they backed
down and got out of our way. We put on double guard but had
no more trouble. The next morning he gave the captain of the
train some good advice. In the morning we left Green River
traveling through a mountain country with plenty of water and
good feed. At Forest Grove about midnight the cattle stamped-
ed. They were lying quiet when they jumped to their feet and
were off like a shot. We were up and after them in a hurry.
They ran down the mountainside into a deep canyon, but when
they tried to climb the other side, it being very steep, we soon
got ahead of them and drove them back to camp where they
soon quieted down for the night. The only accident to a wagon
was mine which I upset coming down a mountain to Bear River,
breaking the top off. We followed down Bear river to Soda
Springs, where there was a trading post, about sixty miles north
of Salt Lake. A spring of very pleasant tasting water lies on
the bank of the river Steam boat spring near a gushing spring
through a hole about four inches in diameter, recedes out cf
sight then gushes several feet into the air, making a sound very

much like a steam boat.

Our next point is the Humbolt. After leaving- Soda Springs
some six miles, we have the Oregon trail which goes north. We
took the sublet cut-off which goes southwest into the Goose
Creek mountains. When leaving the Oregon trail we passed
over a volcanic country covered with rock resembling broken
black bottles and fissures where we dropped rocks to an un-
known depth. Goose Greek mountains are quite rough, but
plenty of feed and water. Northwest Salt Lake then came to
Raft river, a branch of Snake river, which we followed up for
some distance. The morning we left the river we passed a train
of wagons encamped. They had had their horses stolen that
morning-. We followed up a small stream into Thousand Spring
Valley. Here we found both hot and cold water. At the head
of the valley we passed the divide between the Raft river and
the Humbolt river, which we reached on July 3rd, crossed to
the south side and traveled along- the foot of the mountains,
where we found fine feed and g-ood streams of water. We
traveled very slowly here to let the cattle recruit. Found c few
Mormon settlers here. They said they were going back to Salt
Lake. Crossed the south fork of the river then had a mountain
range to cross, coming to the main Humbolt river, Gravelly Ford,
about half way down the river.

From here the country to the Sink is sage brush, with mead-
ow along the river. One day we suffered for water, leaving the
river at sunrise we went through sage brush and sand country
until sundown, with no water to be had, both cattle and men
were wild for water. Arriving at the river, the cattle rushed in
and the boys grabbing tin cups, wadsd out past the cattle to

clear water about waist deep. I think water never tasted bet-
ter There was a trading1 post here — they said we traveled
forty miles that day. At the Sink we passed around the lake to
the west side where we camped till noon the next day, when
we took up our line of march to Truckee Desert. It is forty
miles across. About sundown we stopped for supper, then re-
sumed our travel, very good roads until we came to heavy sand,
about ten miles across. Arrived at Truckee river about ten
o'clock and stayed until morning. Traveled up the river to Big
Meadows, turned to the right, took Beckwith road, crossing the
summit into the valley July 29. Just three months from Mis-
souri river. Here they went into camp to stay three or four
weeks.

The next morning five of us shouldered our blankets and
started for Dowiesville where we arrived on the third day.