New-York daily tribune., 1850-05-01
The Overland ROute.

~. rollowing extract from private letter re-
cent. received from California gives s'mple ana
.,.o,,iic account OF the hardshps of the overland
-ou,e We hone the thousand who are now about
s,sr,ing on the same track know what they have To
encounter: ,,o
O,r marty foffyel left Camden, Missouri May :,
with two wagons purchased by US al r''souISi
dravn nv three woke of cattle each w G crossed
The M;ssonr; river four miles above St Joseph on
the 18th and commenced our Journey In earnest 'ne
next dav. The 10th of June we crossed the sou'ii
fork cf the Platte river, and the 4th OF July we &c
ebrated by ferrying ourselves over the north 10TH u
the same rivera lob which occupied US I'LL :
O'Clock the next morning On the 18Th oil July we
passed the summit OF the Rocky Mountains anu
supposed that at least one hall OF the distance was
accomplished as well as one hall oi the hards'nPs
endured; but in both of these particulars we were
disappointed After passing the mountains we
continued for several weeks over succession o.
high ridges some of them 1900 feet above the leVe
of the ocean and 500 higher than the Pass. In
this region while we had the heat oil Me-" YORK cog
days through the day the ice formed frequently 10
the thickness OF half an inch at night barreuness
and desolaton here for several hundreds OIL mhes
seemed to be the general character OF the country
while it bore indisputable evidence OF having been
| n vast region of volcanic action. We crossed the
Dry Sandy river, the Little Sandy and the BIG can
DIV; the Green river or Colorado we ferrled over
and followed the Bear river so miles on Its course
and St. Mary's or Humbolt's $50, running west; we
! likewise crossed deserts of IL, 43 and 76 miles,
without grass or water This with standing guard
atnieht with going sometimes three miles from camp
to guard our cattle and sleeping the cold groun1
with single blanket under me and another over
| me- my only shelter from the wind aud weather
this, together with the chaugeableness OF climate
the clouds of dust we had to inhale, as well as the
quality and quantity OF our provisions, which we
were unfortunate in procuring, brought upon me 10
ward the latter part of our journey the scurvy The
effect of this disease upon me was general dlsar
| rangement of the whole system, a swelling sore
ness and stiffness of the limbs, and weakness o.
the whole body. On the 18th of October we crossed
the summit oi the Sierra Nevada, or what is term
| ed the Northern route. From this point instead
the pleasant valleys we supposes was before us, we
had succession Of rocky roads the worst OF the
whole routeD over mountains and through rayine'
and morasses for 200 or 300 miles Much OF thu
distance we were surrounded by timber OF an I'm
mense size, and many Of the emigrants had thel
cattle stolen by the Indians. On the night Of the
first of November the first snow came down upor
us while we were yet among the celebrated noun
tans of California, and it attained to the deptl
of five feet Then, brother, there was suffering
| desp and death among those who had lett com
Portable and happy homes to better their fortunes
in this far off region Here well as on the east
ern side of the Sierra Nevada, road was strewi
with dead catte-in one space OF 90 miles estma
| ted 80 to o mile We had been compelled by losi
OF cattle to abandon one Of our wagons on the othe
side of the mountains, and here we were forced +
leave the other being reduced to two oxen, am
these we packed, with a small amount of our mos
necessary baggage upon their backs, to the first sci
tement-the rest we had to throw away Durinl
this part of the Journey my complaint was rathe
hard upon me, and my fare was rcry, rery short
and the extent of my strength to get in an'
out OF the wagon but when compelled to leave tha
| had no alternative but to pursue my way on foo
or remain behind. In four days accomplished tn,
distance of fifteen miles, and reached the first house
or rancho IA mud one in California. Our party 70
five were all well, and had preceded me, some o
| them, three weeks.
There crossed the Missouri river last Spring more
than 5000 wagons, 10000 cattle and 10000 people
for California. Not more than 200 wagons and 3,OO(
cattle ever reached their destination. OF the peo
pie, the cholera, the dysentery and the scurvy ha:
done their work Half dozen graves day me
our frequent observation. Many who have go
through will have to mourn over broken constitu
tions, loss of property and dissipation OF all then
golden dreams