New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1850-05-17
xrapderings and Suffering. OF Party Ia the
Great Hasin.

eItht bhstus
The San publishes the following letter. which is
YER, interesting, though not entirely clear in some
parts .,,.. T., ~ ,so
About the time ! wrote the last letter several
,,ouutaincers offered themselves az guides to
conduct trains through 70 iiornia. by way of the
sDsnish trail and a WAGON train Of lJO wagons
started ON the "a OF October by way of this route.
This was the first attempt ever made by wagons
on this trail The ditl ultics we had TO encounter
were quite apparent irom the guides repre- 'enta-
ton There would be probably 1000 mdes more
navel than on the north route. AZ most there is
but 100 miles more Travelled. Tr,bl -long and
tedious deserts 20 pass which OK teams had never
before encountered. Every thing went on pleas
,ntlv as lar ss Little Salt Lake when n hesrssv
delusiOn seized the camp. Mr. A. heard Mr.. Il.
say that be had heard from mOuntainecrs By the
name of Hard, who distinctly told him OF pass
that took into the mountains near the great Basin
that by taking TINS course safe aud expeditions
route could be had % California and the mines,
ami water every Is mil aud thereby avoid the
dreadful deserts Of the Spanish trail Great
speeches were made by the learned, the no men
put their heads together, and wondcre why u hs1
never be zen thought OF before. FremoAt map was
perused by the knowing aud sure enough he had
seen a hgh range stretching East aud w est hIt
did not eN plore it, and then they consulted the mat
ter thus Now, say they wherever there is
chain Oi high mountains there must Be snow, ana
wherever there is snow there must be streams
emitting therefrom; so we viii not 90 the out OF
the way the Spanish trail. bat the short and expe-
ditous route to the mines, aud future generations
will navigate this great w inter route To California,
and Fremont will be thrown into the shade. To
this all but six wagons consented, and turned 70
the right Passing up hne kangons, here we found
good grass. plenty OF water, and prospects bright
ened as we proceeded. At length the nm OF the
Great Basin was reached, and we came TO an
swful chasm several hundred feet in depth Things
we're DOW brought TO a crisis, for we could go no
further in that direction. Here we lay over week
trying to find pass, but TO no purpose pioneers
we're sent out to observe, and explorers assembled
every snowy peak, but ali returned unsuccessful
Such was the nature Of the mania, they would not
give up. Some thought they had struck into the
mountain too soon others not soon enough. A
large number Of wagons started north OF the Basin
rim which is the last We have heard OF them. A
heavy snow fell soon after, which would prevent
their reracing, should they so desire. They had
provisions for 30 days only.
The Great Basin is surrounded by mountain
chains how its rim can be "chasm several hun
bred feet deep" we don't see. Neither could a
company get north Of the rim without going into
Oregon. By this term the writer probably means
a deep cbasm. like those which cross the table
land Of Mexico.-Ed. Tribl
Captain Smith passed us and struck south oil the
rim with pack animals. A party OF 10 packed
from the wagons, some days in the rear OF Captain
Smith, while the remaining wagons went back TO
the Spanish trail Our route lay among fearful
rocks and sleeps from which our animals fell and
were dashed to pieces. We penetrated about 200
miles into this vast region, and travelled five days
without any water for ourselves or animals except
what we could get from the rains, and suck up
through pipe stems from the crevices OF the rocks
The sufferings of some were intense, a water
10 thaxrC NOT Inv nj
Of water every rustic Of the wind was bubbing
brook to the Imagination, and all the delicious
drinks that the subject had taken for years arose
before him to torture. Sleep was out Of the ques-
ton at such times. Some went nearly crazy. At
the end of the 4th day we camped, having found a
puddle of mud and water which enabled us TO re-
pose The next morning bold push was made
Tor water; as in very few hours our faithful ami
mails would all be dead. blue smoke arose
among the hills to our right. Here we expected to
lind Indians, and if Indians water. Two out OF
die number being several miles ahead, made des.
perate by hardships, rushed for the spot Instead
a Indians, appeared Capt. Smiths men, who had
been in the mountains IL days. They were out OF
provisions, and had already killed horses, and the
meat then hung jerking 10 bush. Here found
a small Indian spring. holding about quarts OF
water, and not very strong at that. ms had 70
water 100 animals and 30 men. This was strongly
with salts and saeratus. Here we
learned that Capt. Smith had suffered extremelyln
crossing the Hornather." Some had cut their
borses throats and drank their blood. General
Bodget then lay down in the valley waiting for his
negro servant 10 bring him water. The tongues OF
others swelled TO an enormous SIZE and cracked in
their heads. Gen Rich the Nauvoo Legion, had
revelation, to the effect that all that continued
onward would perish. he, with his Mormon fol-
lowers, struck South, toward the Spanish trail
and arrived safe in the settlements. Eleven men,
with not pound Of bread stuff packed horse meat
on their backs determined TO pass the mountains
animals would not 60 over, and continue on, and
the last we saw of them they were going up the
blue mountains.
Their names are "a follows
Chas. McDermot Kentucky; Mr. Savage, ILL
nos; Jno. Adams, g. Wiley Webster, I. Ware,
j. Ware Mr. Baker, Editor, Utica, N. Y. Mr. Sc
more, Mr.. Allen, Mr.. Moore
The next day Capt Smith went back to Salt
Lake with his men, while our party Of sixteen
struck the Spanish trail on the Rio Virgin. Here
we found cattle which had been left these We
shot and packed on the animals we had left In
this attempt to penetrate the UNEMPLOYED regions,
we lost altogether about 60 mules and horses, and
ate horses and mules.
The names OF those that arrived safe in by way
Of this TRAIL are as follows-Dr Dover, Iowa:
two Mr.. Sanburns, ILL.,; p. Orr, do. Mr.. Potter,
do Gen. q. Blodget, Wis., and servaht boy ].
Stoges, Iowa Charles Burel, New.York City
w M SeuOb, 10 w H. Cucftuat, uo D. ucnQie
do; VIM. b. Lorton, do. /; J. Bucklin, do. Mr.
Springs, ILL.,; Mr.. Shannon do. No pen can de.
scribe the sutferngs and fatigue endured by those
coming the Spanish trail. Thousands Of oxen and
horses laid their bones upon the deserts. Hun
dreds Of men, women, and children have had
nothing TO eat for one and two months but the car
cases Of the sxen giving out from starvation and
fatigue. We encountered fountains OF snow, and
a great many people frozen badly. Great has been
the destruction OF property and all have suffered
more or less, from travelling over country blasted
by Nature.
With this brief report of the route leave you.
Truly yours, w. b. L0RrON.
THE SrRMeFELD MYsTERY.-The lady, whose
mysterious appearance at Springfield and at
tempted suicide, has been chronicled in the news
papers, has returned to her home. The Spring.