The miners' express. (Dubuque, Iowa) 1849-1854, 1849-06-20
from the pIains.

| from the Plains. -
Inc following omtirnication, written by
our fellow citizen, E. F. GlLLrsriE, was ad.
dressed to 4. H. BENToN, ir., and by lin Kind.
y furnished US for publication. x,gtr,
PLAINS, flour miles from Council BlsFs.)3
- May 18th, le4Y.
DEAR Sill had intended TO have written
10 you at the river, but owing to press OF tu.
ties, in the shape Of ferrying, loading, &c, l
was not able to do 50. We are now in camp,
waiting for the balance Of the Dubuque Com.
Pany to come up. We got along very weIla
ter wo lett your city. aud arrived here on the
18th inst, but did not follow the route laid
down BY you TO the letter. We took south.
ern route, within IL miles Of the Des Moines.
and crossed at Martins Ferry, and intersected
the Mormon trail at Pisgah. This seems TO
have been the travelled road, and suppose the
best, as wagons. which were before us, that
took the route by Fort Des Moincs, are still not
mere ..s we round the road good, and most of
Tho streams bridged. There are two ferries
on the river hero, fifteen miles apart-the up.
per, or Mormon Ferry, and the lower at Ira.
| ders' Point. There have been in all, think.
some 900 teams here. Two Companies from
the upper ferry. have organized, and moved
on. Ono, sixty streEg, is now encampcd with.
in our ncighborhood, and will move To- morrow.
Inc Dubuque Company comes | dislike
very much TO be delayed SO long. Glenat L.
Go. and ourselves have been ready for some
four or five days. The Dubuque teams Very
fooilshly, think, stopped OH the east side Of
the river TO wait for the rear wagons to come
up. Inc consequence was, when they got
ready to move, that large number of wagons
mad collected at the ferry, and they, having
forfeited their right to cross first, came last in
| turn, and were detained some two or three
days longer. We are almost tempted 10 90 a.
head, and leave them. Delay is now danger.
GUS, and our company seems to be the slowest
believe that Hart & Ellis, ]. P. Evans and
Nlorhisel q Co.. have not been heard from, Mr..
Plumbe is with US. We are all very we'll. and
anxious to move. We anticipate by no me ms
an unpleasant trip. We have purchased ano
thor yoke of oxen, and have $500 lbs of provi.
sion Oh board. Dur outfit is COM Ietc, and
think if any one goes through, we shall stand
a chance The Indians here are as thick as
prairie grass. Some two thousand Of he Paw.
nees nave assembled here for the purpose of
receiving small gratuity from the govern.
ment. The recent winter has been SO severe,
that they arc roally IN naked and starving
condition: They appear to be harmless, but
are great nuisance, Ioa6ng and sneaking about
the wagons continually, and stealing AM thing
they can lay hands on. W. have TO keen a
constant watch night and day. Already they
have taken number Of things but rtunute.
~ for us, none Of them OF much value, Thew
have lew cuses Of cholsra OH the other side
OF the river. Yesterday the "HighlanG Ma.
ry' landed, with as dead bodies on board, from
Cholcra-chiefy Mormons and deck passcn.
gers. The emgrants do not seem to be alarm
cd. think myself there will be no dancer
when we get out on the bnundless pyuiries. If
you should hear dreadful stories OF Indian Mur
aers, do not be too ready to credit them. We
heard OF several before we reached this place.
"hich, uPou our arrival, we found never oc.
Cured. hoped to have met letters here from
home, but was disappointed. There is but one
post othee in the whole country, which is at
Approximation miles from the river, and
eight miles above Traders Point. 1t is Nor.
some SIX or seven stores. Traders Point is as
yet but little improved. 1t is about one milo
from the river, and Contains few log houses
and one store. There is no excitement here,
and shall feel relieved when we are under
way: Bell. and the teams you saw with him,
at the Codar. from Mineral Point and Platte.
vile, are within sig ht Of our camp. Captain
O'Nefl has just come up. believe they move
to.'norrow-stnhe twenty wagons strong. II
have heard nothing of the Iowa City COMPANY. A
If could be back in old Dubuque about
week. think | could then 60 on my way 70.
Joicing. II is hard to forget frmI;~r, yet alb
set faces. l have often thought that would
not again form friendships ties so closely. By i
experience. have before felt the pain of SO.
Paraton, but this is the widest breach ef oil;
yet it may not be of so long duration. II hope
not. have never yet levied in place a year,
without finding some good and true friends
With such should like always TO live.
We are all in good spirits, and hope to send
back good account Of ourselves When YOU
get this, shall be 500 miles off. rs tho mails
out this way do not travel as fast as OK teams.
| Snu your maps quite useful.
Take this Cor wha. it is worthA You will not
expect much from a cook camp. Unjust now
be off, and get supper. G!enat's camp is near
ours, and ! now hear the bacon frying The
weather is fine. and our men who are off duty
are taking life easy on the grass Tonight
comes my time to stand sentinel. So, after
supper and good principe, shall grid on my
shooting irons, and take my round Remcm.
Der me to all friends. Good bye, for long while.
Your friend, E. F. GILES PIE
Col. Tnos. II. BENTON, Jr, Iowa City, Iowa.