Wisconsin tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1847-1854, 1849-02-02
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ROUTE, PROPER OUTFIT, &c. FOR
CALIFORNIA.

MIA; and at the same time, great lack Of in
| formation In regard to the proper outfit, time
| Of starting, difficulties and hardships CT the
! trip, &c. &c; having once travelled about
/ fourteen hundren miles of the route, or as far
as the Great Salt Lake, in the great interior
| basin beyond the Rocky Mountains, wish
to make a few communications through the
columns Of your paper, to the people on the
above subject ! do not design giving de-
scription Of the country or its advantages, but
simply word Of advice as to their OUTFIT, time
| to start, &c.
In the first place, | would advise those
wishing to enigrate to California. to leave
! here as soon as navigation opens In the spring,
! with nothing more than their wearing apparel
and bed clothing. which should consist of
three or four suits IF stout wooden clothes,
and coed supply Of wooden bed clothes;
and, if convenient, let them take a wagon
suitable for the trip, as they might not be able
TO procure suitable at Independence, in
consequence Of the great demand f)r them at
that point, 1t being the general rendezvous.
| This course | would recommend for several
| reasons-Flrst, because a team driven from
i here to Independence, or any other point of
starting would be so fatigued by the time
1 they reached any CT these starting points, that
| they would not be In condition to proceed
| farther. Secondly, 1t would be difficult to
reach any of these places by the first of Way,
the proper time for starting And thirdly
teams can be bought near Independence (say
forty or fifty miles below cheaper than they
can be had here, and in much better condition
at that season of the year. Provisions can be
had cheaper and more readily at Independence
than here, as such articles as are wanted BY
the emigrant, are kept in great abundance on
purpose to supply their wants
Wagons should be light and strong, made
icffh 49, Ill L
they should be about as large as the common
! sized two horse wagon, on the wide track is
to be preferred, in consequence of making the
box more roomy, and they are not so easy
! turned over. The box should be about the
ordinary height, twelve feet long, made Of
good substantial stuff, well ironed. and as light
as possible SO as to be strong. There is no
use In making it water-tight for the purpose
| Of ferrying streams, Gas some SUPPOSED for in
! the first place the streams are all fordable,
and in the second place the box would shrink
/ SO badly by the dryness of the climate through
which they have to travel, that it would not
answer the purpose Of boat. There should
be at least seven strong bows to the box, COW
cred with double sheet of cotton drilling, as
this is most comfortable, durable, and best, to
| protection from the rains Painted covers
! draw the heat, and are more liable to crack or
| split than those that are free from oil or paint
! For PROV ION wagon, the bed or box should
/ be divided into about four divisions for the
| storing of provisions, &c. with folding COW
er or lid on top, as this is much lighter than
to have a separate box for each kind of provi-
/ sIon-a person does not WANT to carry a pound
1 OF surplus weight on SO long and fdtiguing
journey as this. A wagon for the conveyance
OF a family should be entirely closed up at
each end, with side door, as it is much more
convenient for the family to get in and out
] Tho h.
than usual, in consequence of the length Of
the box-Each of these wagons should be
drawn by three or four yoke Of good substan-
tlal fast-travellIng young oxen, not exceeding
! seven years Old Much depends upon the
proper kind of oxen.
As to provision, each grown person should
be supplied with at least two hundred pounds
of flour, fMy of bacon, this may seem to be a
small amount of meat, but owing to the great
amount OF wild game that can be procured. it
is sufficient quantity, twenty pounds Of
coffee, forty Of sugar, some tea also is very
good, Tor II goes good way in proportion to
weight, while beans and rice are also very
coed articles Of food on the trip.
Each man should be provided with a good
! rife; one that will run about forty balls to
the pound, with good supply Ct ammunition,
say three pounds If powder aud twelve Of
lead. he cooking utensils should consist Of
cups and small pans, TEMPLATES, &c &c No
| heavy article liz this line should be taken,
with the exception Of d brass or ether light
| kettle tJr washing Persons going with
flinily should take two or three mica cows,
as they answ er double purpose, first, they
are very sefvIceab.e IN giving milk, secondly,
they answer good pr, ,ose for team IA case
any Of the oxen should become lame or ia
tigded, SO that they cannot be worked The
COWS can be yoked up for few days until
tie oxen recover
As to the route, 1t is no more difficult than
the same length CT road in the United States,
but there are some rather difficult and wide
streams to ford, and steep hills to ascend. In
cases CT this kind, 1t will be necessary to
'uo!e tedns both In crossing streams and
Climbing high hills. The journey will be
found decidedly pleasant and healthy one,
ior ooth male and female, particularly after
travelling two or three hundred miles The
climate Is remarkably dry and pleasant, there
being seldom any fall Of rain in the summer
season. And, In addition to the pleasantness
ct the climate, there is almost every thing to
add to the delightfulness of the tourney =
Thousands Of wild buffalo, antelope, elk.
grizzly bear, and numerous other kinds of
wild animals, are to be seen almost daily, and
also the most beautiful wild and deliphtful
scenery, which is ever varying. In general.
the route is well watered, and by payiGn rood
attention to waybilis that can be had at almost
any Of the places of rendezvous person need
not camp more than one night without water
between here and Fort Hal on Snake River. I
and even then they can have water for cook
Ing purposes by carrying water kers with
them, which every one should not fail 10 do,