New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1849-07-21

psny OF - who went from DN"aO'
Pozr K,AHxrY SEAK grand ISLAND,
Wednesday, June G. lsi9.
I embrace an opportunity the last probably
.b.n get Of writing you fe" nss'y mes 70 MORN
~ ~ our whereabout, and the progress we have
"a. we are row encsmped a. OFT hearney, wnlcn
$1,000 On the main shore, the head o. Grand
Isn5 IN he Platte Nebraska River and - about ~
rn5ies IVES. Of the Missouri IL 10 Government post
and every eighteen days mai leaves here Tor NE 'e'
We have moved slowly because we did no. wish %
Leave the settlements until Sne grass "As sofcienty
advanced the plains 70 render sale Tor oaf All
mals From 81 Joseph went Up on the east eide Of
The .sour about 20 miles 70 old FOrt he@rn-y. where
we crossed and then struck out upon the plains Our
road since We crossed the Missouri has generally been
good excepting when rains asd rendered y ueaFy-
The grsss IL barely algn and strong enough r. a1Jrd
sustenaBce for our animals and they are gradually
growing poor What those have done who started
weeks ago / do not know, out many mule trans ~
have met whose animals have % much gwen out from
tne scarcity Of grass that they have been compelled ~
lie ~ Tor several days % recruit Although ~ have
Travelled through the Otto an the PaHnee county YET
have but very lev lDc.ans % tbs point ~
informed that they nave ~ the other 90" %
the Platte River We passed through one Pa"nee '-'
lsge OF about 10 lodges, bat 70 Vas wholly deserted
We are now tod the Indians on tne route - ~ -
heard from are qyiet and the many reports ~ heard
Al II Jo VI engagements between tnem 4So me en-
grants prove ~ be false.
You can from no conception VI me immense nde o.
emigration flowing this year " Caliornla We are
scarcely ever out VI sght Of trans Of ealns number
ing from ~ ~ wagons. % - said that Government
has person al this point " keep Al account OF Toe
wagons which pass and ~ 70 sunday at upward 0i
$3.50 wagons had passed over 10 have gone 1y since
We sncsmped mere, which Wa Saturday evening The
routes from - Joseph, independence Fort Lesven-
worth and the various other points ~ me Nss9ur
south oi the Platte Join a. his point and low from
here IN one channel Most 0i the enigrants on reach
INK this place ind that their wagons are TOO heavily
loaded. and many Ut ineT prOVlsOns a0d ELECTS DE-
srosn upon the prairie, at tne disposal Of the 1rs
passeT by. Bacon, hard bread hour, clothing &c can
scarcely be sold Al any Dnce and they are Abandoned
Many fear have thrown away more provision than .
consistent With their safety Il viii be a iong ana
tedious journey 70 California tnis year ana ine pro
gTsss Of AL will be very slow the Immense neHDef oi
animals gong with ne rams VIII ear up ns1i,y e.y
blade Of grass and snail often BE- cOmpeued 20 sop
ior lew days 70 recruit when we come 70 toe aDe
feed We hoped make the Journey IN ~ days from
the sacramento in four months from TINS lace
Franz RusseBs regiment Of mounted nnleuen pass
ed mere on Saturday morning on Monday they were
enoamped about fifteen miles out and are moving very
slowly We shall probably overtake them Frank -
acting as captain Of the company DuDois ana Us
company passed here some time ago, and IS probably
200 miles ahead Of "a. williams company passed
here GA Wednesday last and think are between mere
and the ford Most Of the wagons are drawn by oxen
and up 70 this they have done as well If not better
than the mules, the weather has generally been quite
cold but when The hot weather sets 10 ana "heh 'h.y
get 10 the sand and mountain roads where sore ieet vi"
attend them think that mules will be found Infinitely
seryiceable. 90
better than At this day We exposed to ali sorts Of
weather and yet feel no bad results have stood my
two hours watch in the midst of most fearful thun
der Storm have ridden all day IN drenching rain have
slept in wet clothes, and in the open air on damp
ground with the dew Of Heaven falling almost like ram
and Yet have taken cold or experienced any delete
rious results from the exposure. In watering our
mules often obliged TO wade kneedeeP in the
prairie slues and marshes and thus ride ali day win
wet feet Our fare IL coarse but wholesome, ana can
now eat a piece of raw salt pork or piece Of hard
broad for lunch with relish before coming upon
this expedition. ! had Jews antpathy 10 fat pork
We called up At in the morning, sometimes Al -
and while getting breakfast the others are ha
Messing the mules that the road At an ear
ly hour We cook but twice day, and stop Al noon
for q cold lunch Hard bread and fried pork are our
staple food with coffee and tea and and then when
wood is plenty, pot of beans rice IL cooked up,
enough 10 last several days As yet we have not been
compelled Buffalo chips for FIRE wood hay
ing taken the precaution, when We feared we should
ind no wood TO pick II up along the way ana carry II
with One evening we well earned our frugal meal q
the only material could find 70 burn, were some
dried PUSHES In an adjoining swamp which were smaller
than a ppestem and about IL inches long these We
compelled TO gather stem by stem standing near
ly TO the tops Of boots in water and mud and ~
they grew very sparsely required nearly an hour 10
gather ermful. We hear that for many days jour
ney above this there is wood, and Buffalo chips will
be only resource have however taken the pre-
caution 10 supply ourselves with quite stock oil hgh
hTewOOd, split up from the boxes with which the emf
grants have stTOwn the prairies in order to tighten
their loads
We have yet joined other company for the
purpose of mutual protection the route and shall
probably not do so pretty well satisfied that
small but chosen band Of twelve has enough Of
stout hearts and ready hands Ia il to encounter and
sist any danger that may threaten from the hume
rOus Indian tribes through which we shal pass. We
compelled 10 keep strict watch night and day
lest our aDimaS upon which our whole safety and
success depend. should be stsmpeded of. As yet We
have escaped any attempt of that nature, although
other trains have suffered some by losing few OF their
animals. Many joint stock companies have completely
dsbanded divided their stock and effects and formed
themselves into smaller masses. Some have attached
themselves 10 other trains some have gone on in par
ties OF eight or ten while others still have seen the
elephant and returned home. We have met quite a
number Of wagons carrying back home sick aud dis
heartened emgrants and IL well for them that they
return now, for II their spirits sink and their courage
fails at the few troubles they have had up TO this
time. they could survive the hsrdships and the
dangers which await those who going expect
we shall see times which will "try mems souls 10
the utmost and yet there is not the slightest dispos
ton wish on the part OF any Of company 10 re-.
turn All have entered into this expedition with fore
thought aud after counting well the chances OF failure
or success II may be that we shall not get TO Cafor
mis- until late, we may possibly be obliged to winter
with the Mormons At Sa Lake, but are determined
20 encounter and overcome all obstacles w. b. o.