The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1850-02-09

UHul-N'1l, mountains lhV
along the desert valley while there is not green
thing beyond or around the Oasis to relieve the
eve. Desonton reigns to the fullest extent We
now found that about eighty wagons had preced-
ed US, and we felt that if they could get through,
we at least could follow them At the worst we
can strike off here across the plain to the oppo-
site cham OF mountains on the west and bv taking
fremonts trail reach Pyramid Lake through the
pass of Mud Lake, IN whose bed we are and
come upon Iruckees river and the old road
without losing bnt little Of anything in distance
for We cannot be more than three days travel from
Pyramid Lake But our object is 10 strike Fcath-
er River by quicker route and we shall 90 on.
The forward train is led Mr McCee mountaineer
who Processes TO know the country well beyond
the new pass in the mountains. Towards night
we went on aud in two miles came to the other
OASIS about the same size Of the other where
there was plenty Of grass but tie springs (and
there Were twenty at least besides being hot were
strongly impregnatcd with sulphur so as to be I'M
paatabe but learning that five miles beyond this
there was large OASIS and good water, We drove
on to 1t. We found that the truth had been told
once. This was an oasis watcred by two large
deep boiling springs Of pure water, which formed
a pretty brook that spreading out at a little dis
tance below, irrigatcs an hundred acres or more
which made luXuriant growth Of grass. We
foun! here about fifty wagons recruiting their
cattle for we have u continuation of the desert
still Of twenty miles, and perhaps more Mr., Ne
Gee i ahead examining the road, and two trains
are nj hl- heels We now found that we were on
AppIegatc- road Of lsi6 to Oregon which he cX-
plurcd at the reque, of the Legislative council Of
Oregon. II was on this road that party bound
for Oregon came near being lost They became
cnangcd in the Umqua mountains, and were o
bligcd TO leave their wagons, baggage, and eve
rythng, and 90 on foot but were met hv relief
party from Oregon, who finally brought them in
The Government Of Oregon had the road exlmm.
ed and guide book printed for the benefit Of
eingrants, copy Of which we found in possession
OF some Of the cmigrant- in camp This, we fol
low crossing the Sierra Nevada TO Goose Lake,
whore We are led by McGcc the road forks, one
leading to California, and the other 10 Oregon.
/ There is, however, feeling Of doubt and much
uncertainty in camp and weall feel that we are
travelling on flying reports instead Of authentic in
/ formation.
| dug ls--Ths r'oruirw we made preparation
for crossing the next desert BY cutting grass To
feed the cattle on the way. Had We known the
condition ofthings at our setting out from the NV
er, we mighthaye passed the sixty-iive miles with
comparative ease by preparing ourselves in this
way but VIC were caught III the net when 1t was
/ too late fOy a remedy
! During the lav many Of the teams living nj
this oasis moved the other portion Of the
desert oftwenty miles while few more came in
and occupied their places among whom was Col.
/ Watkins he having saved hi cattle We learned
! bv him that Gard n well as the other wagons
/ that we met at Rabbit Spring had again turned
around and were taking tins route that they had
all lost some cattle hut fortunately fund little
grass two or three miles from the spring in II
/ gorge ofthe mountnius and little water so that
what remained of their famshcl cattle, we're lit
/ Tie recruted--that they had left .nc wagon ana
put the remaining cattle on the other and had
reached Black Rock Spring lhr iirst oas.sJ IN
safety They will now get through
! One Of Col Watsons cattle could not get back
to the spring and he walked four miles three
times dav with two pals TO Rabbit Sprn.,
where he dipped the water with pint cup qnl
carried to hs OK where with feeding flour lie sa.
we'd him. | spent part Of the day with him in
examining the maps mud paper- in his possession
but no mention is made of tlis route Of Goose
Lake or anything pertaining To- it; and now oui
only dcpcncnence is upon McGec's success in find
iny a road 10 California from Goose Lake, aud
we may evcn,ullv he Obliged to 90 To Oregon il
no such road exists, 10 winter II necessary, We
shall abandon our wagons and pack across Will
our oxen il we can reach California this fall, rath
or than go to Oregon During the day took tn,
coffee pot To one Of the springs nn! boiled coffee
in ab1u. twenty minutes and many others wcr,
boiling meat beans &c Fifty rods below the
springs | could scarcely bear my hand IN the WI
ter, We left the springs about sunset and fuund
a heavy sandy road anI II took the tram till S
o'clock the next morning 10 reach the first cam
ping station The night WAS 50 Col1 that pass
ed an.n1lcrGnt night IN my sand bivu.lc all
reached the camp ground an hour before our wac
ons Three miles beyond Us werr several hun
dred acres Of good grass plenty ofwater and to
wards evening we moved down TO it. On ouI
arrival, we learned that the Indians had shot =
horse and mule the night before with arrows
They killed the horse cut of his head. and will
this and a steak cut from lis hind quarters, c,ca
ped They dill not get the mule which finally
recovered.
Aug l9.-Wc kept strict guard during tn,
night, tving uur cattle to orr wagons and lost
nothing Mr. Watson. or Missouri train had on,
horse stolcn aud two shot with arrows. The hor
scs were not killed but the arrows were sticking
in them in the morning One horse was shot IL
the right shoulder blade, and in the other tn,
arrow penetrated quite through the back bnn'
and appeared on the opposite side Such Is ia,
force with whick they are shot The arrows art
about two feet long-puintcd with small iimt~.
L. A party volunteered to follow the mountain rob
bers but although they got on their trail they're
, turned at night without being able to come ~
with them. We concluded To lay up to-day, n
the encampmcnt was so fine and we were no
troubled by the Indians rs they saw that We wer,
more on our guard, and prepared for theul Dur
ing the day mule tram clnlc in and repurtc,
that an hundred and fiftv wagons had turned bacl
10 the river, after reaching the first spring They
were met by some returning pack muIetcer' wh'
told them of the din. of the rond, and they
turned back in time TO regain the river wlthou
| essential injury to their cattle Wowrrc told q
the difficulties now existing on the old road, wncl
by the description, is at this time, worse than tins
The grass is all gone at the slough, and hundred
Q of cattle mules and horses lay dead on the desert
beyond the sink, aud the cluym arising from thcl
: putrd carcasses was in4uifrrabc, and was alread
b. producing sickness among the emgrants, and tha
, the grass was gone on the mountains. unde
these circumstances, it seems impossible that bac
| trains can cross them and dcst!tution and suffer
| ing must be the consequence
t dun 2O--'lhcrc were about twenty-five wag
\ ons left our fire camp this morning, resolved t
Il keep within supporting distance of each other, ii
A case of an attack from the Indians. The roa
l. turned nearly due west, around II point Of blac
onl ut,,t,l,p,, a p,nt,ln nf nilns nrrpsg III,