Staunton spectator, and general advertiser. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 183?-1849, 1844-02-01
u 7 S q q Z u A 81 = o
(From the n. Y Tribunc.)
4 II Z OREGON EMIGRANT

Mcssrs. GREELEY AND McELRATH - saw
IN your paper OF yesterday morning, i'm COM
munication from the city of Washington, a
notice of the misfortuncs which have already
h~failnn tho company Of cmisrant, to- the Or
egan Territory. 1t appears that eight per-
sons, women and children, died of thirst, star
| vauon, or fatigue, before reaching Fort Hall,
on the Saptm that their cattle and other an
lmas were very muci. .lo,,a d, and their
hopes OF getting 10 Lower Oregon were sur
rounded with such gloomy forebodings tina,
some of the company had returned 10 the
States. This is sad news to me; not because
have relatives among that daring band, or
ties or interest connected with them, other
than those which would follow any individ-
u2is similarly circumstanccG. am made sor-
rowful by deriving, from a recollection of my
own suilerings in those terrible regions, a clear
idea OF the lingering agony which those moth
ers and children must have endured, from the
time want began to creep upon them, or wea-
rlness TO waste away their lives. till the last
Pang was swallowed up in death. do not
believe that one who has never crossed the
Rocky Mountains-that awful barrier orsnows,
and herbess sands, and naked rocks can
have fair conception Of the horrors which
hang around every day and hour of that Jour
ney. Perpetual journeylngs themselves, If at
tended with the comforts of eating, drink ing,
and sleeping, as found along the highways of
civilized countries, would be found quite try
ing 10 health and '..ental quiet Ladies with
families in charge would sink under the hard
ships, and the physical powers of children
would be materially deprecated.
But, III progressing over the plains on this
side Of the Rocky Mountains. as we'll as a.
mong those mountains themselves, there is no
roof under which to sleep--the deep heavens.
gemmed with stars, or covered with the pail
oil the tempest, is the wayIarer's only shelter.
He has not even tree to castils banches over
bIm at dozen encampments from the from
tier Of the States to Fort Hall.
lie has no road on which TO travel-On
the trail along the banks of the great Platte
The traveller is beset with tall grass, so harsh
as soon 10 wear the foreparis OF his animals
hoois to the quick, unless they be protected
with iron shoes, or bound up with raw hide
taken from the neck of the buffalo bull.
When he passes the grassy distric, and ap-
Droaches the mountains, he finds himself a.
mong endless fields of different species Of
cact, or Prickly pear, which fill his animals
legs with thorDs, or among vast fields OF
loose sand, small sharp rocks the wild worm
wood, or trdcta scoriB all Of which contin-
ually main and weary his riding and pack
bearing animals to such degree as to com
pei him, if he would advance on his Journey.
TO submit his own limbs TO be lacerated in a
similar manner.
He has nothing but meet for food. A little
meal, -four and Indian corn is taken ont 10
sustain life until the advenurer meets the buff
lalo. These animals are usually found ir the
latter part of May, (the time when parties
who intend crossing the mountains leave the
Slates,) about three hundred miles from the
frontier. From this point onward, wild meat
is usually relied on as the only diet, until they
reach Lower Oregon, a distance of three
thousand miles.
The suherngs Of women and children on
such Journey, made or horses or mules, with
such sustenance and lodging, must often end
IN death il is indeed remarkable to me that
more of the Oregon emigraDts did not die be.
fore reaching Fort Hall.