The Camden journal. [volume] (Camden, S.C.) 1836-1851, 1849-04-11
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From the Democratic Review:
THE WEDDING IN TIE GATE OF
THE ROCKY MOUNTAINS.

On the evening of the 4lh of July, 1874.
two families of emigrants might be seen ten
ted for the night at "lhe Pacific Spring" on
The main trail from Missouri t" Oregon and
Uppcr California. They had left lndePen-
dence, the comm point of departure, and
| Then one thousand miles behind them, in com
pany with a much more numerous band.
But cissen,ions had occurred, as must always
happen in the absence of government, or
executive physical force, ami Inc voluntary
organization split into fragments, which, lat
Ter, however, continued to roll onwards, like
The broken pieces OF flying ball, under the
impetus of their original projection. These
two families, disguised with Tie obstinacy
and rntous spirit Of their comrades, had de-
termned to advance alone; and being pro-
vided with excellent teams, and many loose
mules and oxen, so as to rest their animals
by frequent changes in The wearing service
of their i'urney, they had been enahicd to
reach the first fountain which minetes its
waters with the western oceaD--and hence
called the Pacific Spring. some ten days
soonerlhan the remainder Of the band. Thus
,hey were in no danger Of being surprised
in the Sierra Nevada by the the premature
fall of autun nal snow. most dreadful con.
,ingcncy, which pioneers are most anxious to
avoid.
BIT the forward movement Of SO dmin-
u,ive party was hazardous i'll the extreme.
In all thew numbered only dozen persons;
four of these were small children, and the
rest adults Of opposite sexes, in equal pro-
portions. Their energy. prudence and per
severance. in spite of the hostile and thIcv.
ish savagcs that lowered around their way,
had carried them safely thus far. hall The
distance of their route oilwo thousand miles
and would probably have borne them TO tho
settlements nf The Sacramento, had not
casualty rn,ervcncd, as unexpected as 1t was
impossible to fnrsce or resist.
In The mean time, the little band, not con
scipus of the impending danger. appeared to
Je in the happies, mood, cooke their frugal
supper over fire of"buffao chips" amidst
Jokes, laughter, and scraps OF forest song.
and indulsed the while in the brightest an
licipa,ons as 10 "lhe proInl ed land" before
them.
Abaut sunset, q youth and maiden stroll.
ed from their camp, and asccEded one "t
,hose tall elevations, which overl"nk and
rnm n,and the celebrated South Pass. -
The view opened into irlescrlbabIc gran
dmr and s4.lelnn .ln-"-lnii.', I","'""S1
plains and mcasurclrss mountains extended
wide as the circumference "f SIGHT. and the
whole pnlcred in the red rays OF the eve-
n,ny, as if srrmkIed will, baptism o. burn
inc gold. Blu, the finest point in the glorious
irrespective was the nnbIe Pass itself, that
great gate in the mountain wa'l-so easy oi
ascent, tha, railway nigh, he run without
excavations, to,he very key Of its gentle arch
and so exceedingly broad, that all the ar
mics on tue globe might deploy within its
area, and ncnhcr wing of their mighty line
would touch the edge of its enormous gap.
TIE lovers (for such they wcrc,) looked
,iIl they were los, in emnti"ns of subllmI'y,
and in blending ecstacy and dcsout awe
pressed involuntary closer I" each other.
Then their two hearts ,hrobbcd together as
one, and the musical beats Of their warm
life.uuses became chime and choral an
them, for they saw the name oi natures
God sculptured on the mute marble Of ten
thousand rocks. What maltered 1t, that
both were indigenous products of the tar
frontier, and clothed in smu"k.tntc'l lcalh-
er, and coarsc.threaded home spunl That
did, not bar them from love and worship,
any more than from dew and sunshine. lie
was brave above fear, and she was beaulI-
ful beyond words. Hence their love was
Youths nccessily--as natural as the ems
sion Of odor from hnwerS. or as the coming
of n,wcrs at the call of May.
"Wha, grand church for our wcddlng?'
whispered Henry, as they gazed down on
the white canvass tents, beside "'Fhe Pacific
Spring." whence arose the tinklIng melody
of mule. bells, and The ringing merrment OF
children's voices.
Emma's soul was in her eye; but she an.
swered only with smile and blush.
"You remember your promise" contin-
ued Henry, "made one month since, at the
Grand Island of Platte, to be my bride at
the first fountain flowing towards CALIFORNIA;;
and there i, is. The sweet spring sends its
icv rill to Green River, which, lower down,
is called the Colorado Of the West, and emp.
ties its waters into the pearl producing gulf
At the Instant, tho lovers started, for both.
at the same time, discovered several dark.
looking objects in the south, towards that
extraordinary butte; which has since recelv.
ed The name of Jacobs Tower Their
first thought was Of Indians. But the near
er approach of the moving forms dsspated
all apprehension. They appeared to be
herd Of elk, lcisurely grazing In the short,
wild sage of the sterile plain. The emsrants
were ignorant of the singular fact that the
prairie Indians frequently assume the skins
and shapes of the various animals, and in
this strange melamorphoscs take The unwa-