The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1847-05-20
A Winter March Across the Prairfes.
Extract from he Joury,ai Of Lieut. lanes W AbeTt, U.
S. Typographical Engineers


lcoNcLuDEDl
January 22d.-Soon after leaving camp we came IN
SIGHT OF the Cheyenne lodges. We travelled about 70
miles tins day the river continuing TO be heavily lumber
ed, and the smokes OF the Indian lodges numerous
met white traders, living with the Cheyennes who
terrible accounts of the Arraahoes telling they
had 1859 government mules in their possesson and were
coming in daily with herds of cattle and numbers OF
Spanish scalps. These Indians must be the same who
had been laying waste the valley of the oro" About
shutdown we found pleasant canplng place, and were
visited by party OF men and squaws, who brought
dried buffalo meat for which gave them vermlion,
hawks, bells and bright.colored rbands They told us
that the bufialoes were abundant 90 miles north OF the
river but that the passing of the whites prevent
ed their approaching the river
January 23d;-We found, this morning, that the
squaws had stolen, all our axes went immediately 10
The chief of the village demanded their return and was
successful the demand On the march, we met party
of men who had carried corn to meet Capt Humphrey
at the crossing OF the Arkansas and had been detained
by the snow. They gave gloomy account OF their
march, and SAID that wood scarce and the snow very
deep For the last four days had scarcely any
snow, and were much eated at rapid and unnpeded
progress, for 50 miles from Bents Fort
On account OF the which lay upon se ground we
did not march to-day he 2ith) than IS miles, and
were obliged 10 camp upon island, where the only fuel
to be procured consisted of slight willow twgs, such as
are generally found in river bottoms
The whole prairie was burnt for great distance around
us so we obliged 90 three or four miles the next
morning before we could feed our mules; the sun was
therefore four hours high before left the camp l,u
ring the day we saw some buffalo bulls at great DIS
there some old Indian wigwams chiefly composed
Of dried grass hungry mules soon Tell TO work upon
them with voraclous appentes
Jdnuary 25M.-To-day, well yesterday, our
progress extremely laguing, the appearing to
increase in depth we advanced The surface was so
encrusted to bear the weight OF the mules, whilst the
wheels cut through to the ground In the evening some
Indians from neighboring village paid visit, and
said that it was impossible to proceed further, as the
snow so deep that the mules could only bite the
tips of the tall grass. They also said that they had Just
returned from trail TO the Pawnee fork and the
snow deep as 10 prevent our reaching there. we
had scarce started this morning before 1t began to appear
that the Indians might have spoken the truth the snow
was Deep and crusted the surface this crust would
some times break, and the mules had TO plunge and
founder through it, Several were thrown-slipplng on
the crust where it hard enough to bear them and
pungng to their knees IN the softer parts their sides
reeking and smoking in the cold atmosphere So severe
were the efforts they made that we were Obliged TO stop
frequently to give them breathing IN spite OF these
obstacles wemae fourteen mies-a most excellent march
under all circumstances.
On the 9th we made early camp at spot marked
by the grave OF G.. p Gibson: piece OF barrel save
bore the date of January |, 1917 1t had before been
thrown down by the ravenous wolves which ha AREA
dy begun to scratch up the frozen ground as yet 100 n
obstacle their attempts In the evening old CHIEF
of the Arrapahoes came and encamped close by U.S. he
going up the river, having been forced TO abandon
the place where he had been encamped by the depth OF
the snow for the buffalo had all left there and his peo
pie had nothing TO eat his horses were suffering Tor pas
ture. These Indians eating dogs--an animal
they consider too good To be eNcep, the occa
sion Of some grand festival On the 18th we had west
ery wind and clear sky As the shone forth warm
ly the began TO melt and we to march with some
comfort feed-irom the elects OF the chill ar and unhar-
raised by efforts to urge forward the teams.
jan. 29h.-We had very hard tune all day--the snow
deep and when we came 10 cross the avlnes we found
tue eastern banks almost impossible on account OF the
piles of drift snow Having ascend these banks, the
toll most severe, the being all obliged to assist
at the wheels; and, when we had finished the 18th
mile, the sun had almost disappeared. The prairie all
around being burnt not blade OF vegetation was TO
be except upon the islands, and the ice was sui
tcienty strong, caused the to get bags, which they
filled with sand with this they strewed the ice; thus
pathway formed upon which the mules could be IN
duced TO venture During this days travel we lost sight
of the road il completely concealed by the snow
we therefore followed the trail OF the Arrapahoc chief
''Long Beard"
January 30M-We struck the road, but again lost it
before proceeding mile; we had a hard days work,
and was afraid that should be obliged TO stop; but
we made about eleven miles before -encamplHg. Our
camp was in low bottom, covered with swamp grass,
so tall as to overtophe snow; here we found broken
wagon, which, wood was not 10 be obtained, served
us Tor fuel.
January 3la--The sun poured down his warnest
rays to-day, and the melted with great rapldy,
particularly upon the burntprairie After marching
miles, we met Mr.. Sublee with five men; he was car
ryng express to Santa Fe. short time after this
met wagons belonging to Messrs Bullard Hook, 4
CO. They had been .'rasing the Caches" which por
ton of the company had been forced to make in conse
quence of having lost many of their animals from the
verify of the weather in the fall
To-day we marched II miles, and camped close by
the fort which the eamsers, who robbed by the
Pawnees had built for their personal security whilst
OF the number went to Bents Fort for animals to
bring on the provision train. These men had consumed
all the dry timber in the neighborhood and we We're
obliged TO green wood, which, at this season, is
filled with frozen sap therefore passed cherries
night.
FebruarY ist--We travelled for more than mile
through low ground covered with tall grass, and
found progress much less iupeded by the than
upon the bare prairie. After proceeding five miles, we
reached the upper crossns OF the Arkansas, where the
Cmmaron road crossed the river The shone bright
ly and the air pleasantly yet, account OF
the snow, progress very aborous we, howev-
er, marched until the setting sun forced 10 encamp on
the open PRAIRIE where fuel be had unless we
could the opposite side of the river Although
current rapid to have several clear chan
nes which could not be crossed without getting into
ter two or three feet deep; one OF my however did
cross, and paid dearly for the wood he obtained Just
were encampng, the wind suddenly shifted to the north
and the sky was completely obscured with dark clouds
and the cold to increase Our fires blown out and
all went to bed to keep warm. | managed to pitch my
tent under the shelter of of the wagons and the pins
were soon frozen firmly in the ground The wind blew
as II had particular spite against my pary and soon
the snow began TO fly drifting along the open prairie
with great rapidy and force, penetrating the canvass
walls of my tent covering my bedding and accoutremens
Scarce any one slept but we lay and thought of the
morningour fate depended upon the preservation of the
mules. We feared lest they should all be frozen TO
death during the night | heard the who had got
his feet wet begging 10 be admitted into the bed of some
comrade; as all the fires extngushed he had not
been able TO dry his feet, and they were now freezing
was up early in the morning, and scarcely able TO
force passage out of the tent blinded with the clouds
OF drifting snow, 1t was some time before could see
anything and when at length the wind died away, and
the storm cleared of as the sun could not perceive