New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1843-12-28

month later, when the party passed Fort Hall, on
the Saptn in sadder plight. The real difficult
ties of this long and perllous Journey commence
in the Rocky Mountains, whence for thousand
miles the barrcnness and desolation are fearful.
Cut stone, volcanic lava and wild wormwood
are poor entertainment for man or beast; and
game is scarccr there than in Connecticut. We
await with painful solicitude farther advices from
the Emigrants.
| From the Platte Eagle.
LETTER FROM P. H. BURNETT, ESQ.
| SwEETwATER. August 9Th, 1913.
DEAR SIR--We are here in the Pass OF the great
Rocky Mountains in sight OF It's eternal SHOWS and
refreshed by the pure and OF this beautiful
region. | have determined, amidst the ncessant Ia
/! bors of the camp, to write you an account OF our
progress thus far. II may be very brief, and II may
be full. That will depend upon the time may
| have 10 spare. The constant employment OF q
camp and the great inconvenience we have TO un-
dergo in writing here in this wild world OF hills,
antelope and buffalo, viii necessarily render this
communication almost llegibe. Ny friend, Col.
| Martin by whom shall send this, will be able to
Give YOU many particulars that shall omit. We
| have come so far with great ease and safety, the
difficulties OF the wa, not coming rp to antici-
pations. We have had III our company one death and
one birth. Mr. Claiborne Payne died night before
last with the fever bilious In Capt. Applcgatc,s
company, Mr. HempravS ll,tle boy of five years old
was killed BY falling out OF wagon, which ran
over him. Inthe four companies, iliatare now WITHIN
| Il few miles OF each other, there are about 40 wag-
! ona. At Kansas River organized, and there
were II wagons. The company separated few
days atterward into three companies. and since INTO
| four viz Chiles's, Apple@aies, Coopers and Mar
tins. We find small companies most convenient.
We have as Vet suffered no Interruptions from The
| Indians having had nothing stolen and no attack
| 1 L.. Jo,- how, md
all danger. The danger OF interruption from the
Indians is very small. The most serious difficulty
we have had to meet has been made by ourselves.
and that is the grumbiing and quarreng in camp;
| but this is Just us harmless YOU ever witnessed,
and ALWAYS ends in mere cords. However, we
have had oNc fight, fist and scull, on the rood-
neither party hurt.
| shall give YOU such particulars as think will
be useful 10 our friends who may wish to come after
MS have taken much trouble to learn the best
mode of travelling and such reflections as experience
| and reason have suggested TO me will give you,
and through YOU to my friends IN Missouri and else
| where.
Uogons-slould be lgh, two horse wagons,
| strong wheels and ayels with good workmanship
| and timber light beds, and broad strong bows, high
| wheels and falling tongue. Let them be III q good
state of repair al the skanes and bands about the
wheels sound and strong, and no repairs will be ne
cessarv 1t is unnecessary TO bring any extra axel-
|
| nav for hauling, and timber can be had on the road
| Those who bring strong heavy wagons with large
| beds will regret it, Let the wagons be loaded lightly
and almost entirely with provisions. There should
| be no useless trunpcry brought along. he covers
of the wagons should be double and not painted,
and the upper edge of the wagon bed should be lev
elled so to throw the water that may run down
the sheet, on the outside, and the bottom OF the bed
should be made of narrow plank so that the ram
should run into the lower part of the bed II will run
| through the first crack in the bottom.
Teams-NIules may be preferable toward the
| close of the trip, but, thus far oxen have done
! equally us well. OF our oxen we have not lost
| more than one out of twenty, II that many, and
those that have given out very poor old ones,
| not suited for the trip at all. We have yet had
no need of shooting them, and will have none. as
then hoots seem to improve we progress. Some
of my oxen fat enough for beet, some have fallen
off very slightly, and others have improved upon
the road and out of FIVE yoke | have lost none.
have observed that Young oxen from ) to > years
old bear the trip much the best, as they generally
improve on the way. Loose cattle keep fat all the
time But cows make q better team than oxen, as
we have abundantly proven on tins Trip. They cost
less are easily broken, more active, walk better.
! stand the "Trip better and worth great deal
more in Oregon al the end of the trip, and beyond
I Fort Hall horses can be procured for them from
the Indians. the American cattle are far superior
To the California breed for milk as well us bcei.-
They are sufficiently strong for team, as the roads
are the best in the world and ii is not the weight
of the load so much the travel that wears out n
team Were gong to travel the trip again, |
would certainly buy cows and break them TO work,
and would furnish myself with some more than
were necessary for the team az 10 relieve those
that might become ured.
Provisions, Sc.-Not less than l50 lbs -four and
10 1bS bacon, to each person, with coffee and sugar,
teas, and dried fruit rice, and other necessary arti-
cles But above all except flour and bacon, plenty
of mich COWS and q few good beef cattle ought 10
bebronght. Milk Is a great luxury on the road; and
by making what we call thickened milk "a most de-
hcious article of ioodl u great saving OF hour may
he made Calves will generally give out on the way
and may be slaughtered for veal. Ii will not do TO
depend upon the buffalo for meat on the way on
see none under 500 miles from the settlements and
then only about the distance OF 100 miles until You
are through the buffalo region. on Will then travel
about 300 miles and pass again through space OF
country 100 miles III width. where Won see plenty OF
fresh meat: bar TO Kill for awhole company cannot
be done. When once alarmed they flee ~ or 81
miles of. and see no more for several days. No
amusement is so exciting aSbutiao hunting. Horses
intended for that use should not be used until YOU
reach Ike buffalo. Great care should he taken Of
the provisions and none wasted. Saddlers' tacks a
few tools screws. cold chisel, some hoop iron
wrought nails. medicines, cold punch, and many
other such articles will be found very useful. The
wagon tires and spokcS become loose occasionally II
the mountains, and the tires may be frightened With
hoop iron with great ease, and by wettins the wheels
every evening, they may kept tight
We have as vethad no trouble about water, having
found nlen1y ali The way. Orr Journey lies up the