Southport telegraph. [volume] (Southport, W.T. [i.e. Kenosha, Wis.]) 1840-1850, 1844-02-06
From the Iowa Gazette.
FURTHER FROM THE OREGON


A letter from DR.. J f. Long, to one OF
his former neighbors at Lowell, Henry
county. dated :. Rocky Mountains, tlh
Aug. lS43,'' has been kindly transmitted
10 US for perual. We take the liberty of
making public such portion Of it as are
deemed TO possess general interest. In all
pats of the west, and in Iowa particularly
everything relating to Oregon is read with
avidly; and many, doubtless, who are dis
posed 10 emigratc, will be determined in their
movements by the representations of the
perils, kardships, and difficulties TO be en-
dured on the trip, by those who speak from
actual knowledge. and upon whose state
rncnis reliance may be placed. For this
reason we have made it a pom. TO lay be-
fore our readers every thng which has fall
len under our notice, calculated 10 throw
light upon the subject, and intend so to COS
tlnue TO do in future. DR.. L. SAYS:
"The country through which we have
Travelled for the last lhl zee weeks, is that
part o! the route known as the Sandy Des-
ct, but il does not answer the description
have heretofore had of it; for SO far from
suffering for the want Of water and feed
for our stock, we have found bountiful
supf ly Of both during the whole distance,
and at no time have we been more than
twelve hours out Of the reach Of sufficient
water for all our purposes. The weather
during the middle of the day has been gen
orally warm, especially while travelling
over thc sand and sage, which abound here
but the mornings, nights and evenings are
cool and pleasant. We have been consid.
erably annoyed by the mosquitoes, when
travelling up the waters of the Platte river,
bat are now out Of their reach, and shall,
in few days, cross the mountains, after
which, water from the snow capped peaks
viii flow down across our path in clear and
refreshing streams. In short, we will be
IN Oregon Territory ia q few days; and,
although we WILL then have seven or eight
hundred miles TO travel before we reach the
Willamette valley. we feel greatly cncou-
ragged in the belief that we will arrive there
safe and in good season We have not me,
with the least difficulty or interruption from
the Indians, and as soon rs we arrive in the
Oregon Territory we will be out of the
reach Of all the hostile tribes. assure
you we have prosecuted our journey with
FAR less difficulty than | expected; and with
the exception of two dcaths-one a boy,
killed by wagon passing over his body,
and the other death from inflammation of the
bowels-have had but little to discourage
us.
81 hope there will be a goodly number
Of nay friends from Lowell and its vicinity,
who will prepare for an early start next
spring, to meet US in Oregon; can assure
them, they will not find as much difficulty
as their fears will pre- badly suggest. OIL
course | cannot speak any further than my
own experience enables me, bat am tod
by those who have several times Travelled
the whole distance, that we are now through
the worst Of the journey. | mentioned in
my former letter, that it is indispensable
that those who in wagons, should see
that they are made Of light, strong and
good materials; that their oxen should be
young, middle size, accustomed to work,
not over fat, short legged and ronud bod-
ed. Such cattle will endure the fatigue the
better. Let them bring no loading but pro-
visions and clothing, and be sure not to en-
cumber themselves with more bedding than
is barely sufficient for the route. LET them
not bring heavy cooking articles. |, would
be well to bring cows, but u would advise
that they should be such rs are able to
wo.k in the team; we have number of
cows that work in this company. Let the
men procure leather clothing if they can,
before they start. 1t would be much bet
ter for those who start from Iowa, to for
ward their loading and families (if they
have any to Independence or West port by
water; from Lowell to Westport, we found
the most difficult pert of our journey.