Republican vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1857, 1849-11-26
From the Winchester Republican
CALIFORNIA NEWS.

Of the late Mr.. Charles Hardesty, decd Of
Clarke.
CALIFORNIA, Sept 9, 1849.
Dear Brother--I arrived here on the 25th
August and would have written sooner but
thought would look around little, and learn
something about the Gold Diggins first and then
could state the truth about them
am as well and hearty as ever | was. and
have been at work in the Mines some seven or
eight days.
wrote once whilst on my way here which
you have long since received. In that letter |
stated the manner in which started, and why
When wrote, think was Oh Blue River On
21st May passed for. Childs no buildings, only
Of Prairie sod and covered with the same.
Big Platte River is a tolerably large stream
Its banks are very low--il many places not more
than two feet high, and very wide in places; very
swift, though not very deep; the bed is level and
affords a great deal OF grass. We crossed the
South Fork of this river on the 29th Of May 1t
was from one half to two and half feet deep;
gravel bottom, with good deal of sand--so
much SO, that a wagon stopping in it, the sand
and gravel would wash from under the wheels,
and it would soen sink so deep as to make it
difficult to draw out Next days travel took us
to the North Fork; travelled up it to Fort Laramie;
passed Fort on the 18th June. The Fort is built
though. Thence we crossed what are called the
Black Hills to Platte. The road is very good
for horses but not for cattle, for it is SO hard and
gravely as to wear out their feet and render them
unfit for service. Grass was remarkably good
better than had ever been seen before. On
The 18th we got to the crossing of Platte; remain
ed there until the 18th 10 get across, there being
about one hundred wagons waiting. The Nor
mons had ferry. The one we crossed on
swan the cattle--charge, SO. A great many
crossed in their wagon beds by calkig them--
Grass and water in abundance on the Platte, but
wood scarce--no timber Oh either bank. Will
low, one years growth, was our principle fuel
We saw but very few buffaloes--killed only
one; anteopes were as plenty as hogs in the
States, and are in Size color. shape and habits
much like the deer their meat is excellent.
We travelled some days thirty miles After
leaving Platte, the next stream was Sweetwater
Sandy roads. Went through the South Pass OH
the 23d June at this end Of it We're the Pacific
Springs, so called because the waters go into the
Pacific. Grass ana road good through the Pass
snow on every side within mile of the read:
some creeks we passed within thirty feet OF
snow eight to twelve feet deep.
On the 81 July we saw the first trnbered
mountain. On same day we had to let our
wagons down steep precipice by ropes
Thence into Bear River valley, the prettiest one
on the route, atfor1ing the best grass ever saw .
We travelled on the River several days; the
mountains along Bear River valley were covered
with the most luxuriant grass | ever saw. In
this valley is the place intended by the govern
1nent to build fort instead of building atrFort
Hall, or at least learned so on the way
We passed Fort Hall on the 10th July got to
Goose Creek on the 18th. This is the stream
which was represented to have so much gold on
= A. a., HI
disging-but when | got there, I found it to be
like all other tales that were aAoat.
After we left the Pacific Springs, one of Our
oxen was poisoned on alkaline water, which is
very plentiful in places Two days after we
got to the forks of tae read the right hand one
went by Fort Hall, the other by Salt Lake. The
emigration seemed mostly to have gone the right
hand route, though both We're beaten The
right went across Subjects cutoff, distance fifty
miles, without water, and shorter than the other
road by eighty miles grass was plenty. We
left Big Sandy River at ~ or l clock travelled
untilnearly night had some twelye or fifteen
gallons Of water. We started again at dark
travelled until nearly day stopped few hours,
and then started again Our cattle were pretty
well tagged ; the OK that was poisoned began to
fail, though not entirely until we got across,
which was late in the afternoon before we reach
ed Green River. We had to stay there five days
before we could get our wagons and oxen over;
there were more than one hundred waiting to 90
over before we could get across-cost 81; went
over in sheet iron wagon bed. The Mormons
had ferry there, but could not take the emf
grants over as fast as they came. The cattle
were very hard to get across we were three
days trying to cross ours-the water being very
cold and swift
On the gath July, we came to St. Mary's Riv-
A of tho ia tb,., b,r
sble travelling we had; grass was scarce, water
bad; soil SO loose that it was slavsh for horse or
OK to walk; banks Of the river so loose and in
places miry that oxen could scarcely get to wa
ter We travelled on that stream more than
two weeks then we came to the main desert,
forty miles, eight miles heavy sand hot springs
in the middle-the only water on it there are
number of them together, constantly boiling,
but do not run off we cooled the wafer as well
as we could, and the cattle drank little of it
] boiled piece of bacon in one of the springs
as soon as could over fire. We travelled this
desert in the night the road was good except
eight miles of sand at the latter end our team
rot SO weak that it could not draw the wagon
we then took off the yokes and drove the oxen
to " alter, except three which could net be driven
until late in the day.
From Buckeye river we had very rough
road got here with but little provisions. We
found it but little use to be with or in large
company; SO we travelled with from one to seven
wagons after we left the organized company, and
sometimes alone; we got here with but seven
oxen some we left after we got in the gold re-
sions There were not a great many ahead of
us, but thousands of wagons behind us, and I
fear hundreds of them will never get in unless
they do as great many did who We're ahead
of us-throw away their wagons and everything
but what they could pack. saw more provis-
ions thrown away than would keep thousand
men one year and have learned from men
who started ten, fifteen and twenty days later,
and came up with US ON pack mules, that we
saw nothing compared with what hey ana: Last
evening learned from man who left Fort
Laramie ten or twelve days later than we, that
he saw not less than fifty tons of -four thrown "a
way at that place. Some throw away because
their loads are too heavy others pack and are
compelled TO leave such things as cannot be car
ried in this way. At the Hot Springs saw sew
oral first rate runs in one pile and almost any