Burlington hawk-eye. [volume] (Burlington, Iowa) 1845-185?, 1849-08-23

LETTER FROM REV. A. J. HUEsTIs.
Recovered from the wreck Of steamer ALaoMA,
burned at the wharf at st. Louis, the morning OF
the 2sth July, lS4s. Said boat had large California
mail-a large portion Of which was entirely con.
sumed. JOHN NJ. wIMER, P. M.
Fort LARAMIE, June II, l849.
DEAR FRIENDs:-By the blessing OF God we are
all in good health. We were detained at Missouri
river for want OF flour. .
But the land and country cannot compare with the
western States. We have had abundance 0f buffalo
and antelope meat. We have had no sickness in
the company lost no cattle, and met with no severe
accidents.
Had LEFT the Bluffs Immediately after reached
there, 1 should now have few teams ahead. But
two weeks have thrown 5000 teams past Fort Lara
mic. The Mount Pleasant folks, and Peasley's
teams from Burlington, are among them.
The season has been unusually wet and cold
Abundance Of cholera has been reported from the
south side Of the river, but in my opinion the well
marked cases sre very few. It is time Of unusu-
al excitementt but excitable a. usually am, am
now perfectly deliberate, and in degree ntimida-
ted. If our health continues shall be able to Sc
cure my family before winter. And should find,
after arriving Fort Hail. that there is great danger
being thrown into the Sierra Nevada mountains
too late, may take the oregon route, and go from
there by water. Our large company will now be ci-
vided INTO small ones OF about fifteen teams, and
we shall never Be out Of sight Of abundance of COM
pany. hope you will give yourselves no uneasi-
ness bout our welfare. =
Meanwhile BE- slow to believe reports for these will
NM ri hu md no hall thn VnAs
ans, and want Of forage. Some disasters will I'M
doubleday be realized and great ones perhaps by the
half Of the train behind US. But exagseration will
attend the report Of all of them. The greatest dan
ger that see 10 want OF deliberation. For miles
about Fort Laramie the excitement among men might
be illustrated By putting your foot upon ant hill.
Men are throwing away half their load and prepar-
ing for press. All such ! expect to pass about
Fort Hall. For one, at least, my team 10 not TO be
pressed 20 a. to break II down. They may get ten
derfooted and occasion delay. But this "race Is
not to the swim but to the prudent, persevering,
and deliberate. Perhaps ought TO say that one
man has been killed BY Indians the north side Of
the river. His name was H. Rowe, Of Platteville,
Wisconsin. His grave is on the banks Of the south
fork of the Platte. One was drowned in crossing
at this point the i3th and one man from Keokuk,
Iowa, accidentally shot one hundred miles from
home. Besides these, there has been some fifteen
or twenty deaths on the south side Of the Platte,
mostly from diarrhoa but generally called cholera.
We are now At At the commencement Of the Black
Hills.
traded for milk white horse brought from San
Diego, on the Pacific, and the whole company could
hardly ride him down. On the Plains, I can ride
him half day and drive my team, and Wilbur, my
wife, and others, will ride him the balance of the
time. lhave little time for hunting, but have given
buffalo turn with my double barrelled gun, and
took good horse race after white bear, but when
came up with him, he was white wolf Of enor-
nous size, and re barely paid him our powder and
ball compliments, ana broke for the train. We have
had warm weather 10 harm our teams until yes
terday. The nights too are cool, SO that two wool
len blankets are needed. We have so far enclosed
our cattle by the wagons at night and guarded them
while grazing morning and evening. In our COM
pany each man has stood guard once in six days
and when the rain falls in torrents at night, and the
Heavens are in . perfect fame Of electricity, the
guard night is . novelty to some of US. We gene
rally travel about eight hours in day, and after
get some supper, provided we can find any fuel
But this use of buffalo chips for 200 miles at a
stretch, is not exactly to be coveted in vet time.
But still we have got along very well, and have
had something to encourage us every day.
In the twenty wagons that am now connected
with, there are four families besides my own. Al
seem quite cheerful and are, at least, filed with
hopes of getting through with safety. Our warm
regards to my dear father, mother, and al the
friends, and be sure and write soon to San Fran
cisco. Your friend, and most obedient,
A. J. HUESTIS.
Correspondence Of the Burlington Hawk.Eye.
KNOXVILLE, August IL, lS49.