The Davenport gazette. [volume] (Davenport, Scott Co., Iowa) 1841-185?, 1850-02-21
CALIFORNIA EMIGRANTs.

Of the Louisville Courier, who himself took
the journey across the plains last season,-
If You ask me how like the country,
would. say very well, finding every thing as
we'll adapted to money making purposes MS
| could reasonably desire. A man in the
present condition Of the country need nc,
expect pleasure or the. comforts OF a home.
If he does, he will be disappointed. II
have friends who are thinking Of coming
ont, | would pursue the same course ! did
when lstsrtcd. would mol advise them
to come or TO stay, but would tell them g
make mp their minds in their own way and
carry out their own ideas. As for the
mean, of getting out here, | would venture
a little id,ice, which won'd be to get light
wagon, have it well irnned, but be sure TO
have the wagon light, will, drop or falling
tongue, have four pair Of well broken cat
tie from five 70 eight years old, not very
heavy. Don't shove them at the start or
on the route. lfsome Of them get tender
footed, turn them out, drive them loose for
day or two and they will gel over it and
not be troubled with it ngain. lfthe con
diiion Of the roads is such that you cant
spare them from,h team, change them from
right to left rs the case may be. They Of
ten, when at work, press harder Upon one
toe than the other. Changing sides will
often relieve this without any further trou-
BILE. d, not have more than eighteen hun
dred weight-f(ieen hundred is decidedly
preferable. | would not star. with more
than the latter. Have that mostly in pro-
visions-a good large quantity Of bacon
and -four, sugar and coffee, little tea,
rice md beans. Have good sized keg
of molasses-ihis is excellen, on the road
land also vinegar. Take no trunks and
but little clothing, except in the boot and
sire line. Be sure to nave good supply
Of them. There is no need for any white
shirts or fine Gratis and pan.s. A man in
white shirt here locks like free negro on
Sunday in slave State. Baggage after
getting here is nuisance and you will find
trunks very troublesome nnd very much in
the way ON the route. Get also a little
spiccd beef and few hams. With four
pair Of good cattle, light wagon and ff-
teen hundred weight, you can make the
trip in, or less, than one hundred days.
You can with this loading and team force
them with the expectation Of losing one pair
and perhaps two on the trip and vet have
plenty. Do not drive too herd at first and
always use every endaavor to get good grass
for Your cattle. even though il should be to
your own personal inconvenience. Take
no guide but your own Judgment, unless
yon are starting from Council Bluffs. If
you can doso, get the Mormon Guide Book,
published in ~. Think this you will find
perfect. A copv Of Bryant will be fonnd
interesting for reference. Start from In.
ST. Joseph, Or Council Bluffs.
no matter which, so Won get off early. Be
certain TO do this, md do no, be discouraged
if youfind your wagon stuck in the mud
every day or go for while. Don't throw
away your provisions or any thing else yon
deemed necessary at the start. You will
find use for it, nj some time on the road. !
started from Independence. If were ma.
king the trip again would take ST. Joseph,
and then, suppose. would regret l had
not chosen Council Bluffs.
You will find some tools necessary
as a saw, drawing-knife, hammer. monkey
wrench, &c. Ifyour wagon breaks, laugh
a, it and mend it as soon as possible. Lose
10 time on the road; rest your cattle by half
days, unless you can give three or four
days at a time. This is not advisable more
than once out on the route. In resting one
day only, they become stiffnnd gorge them
selves with grass, SO that they do not trav- :
el well again for couple Of days.
give cattle the preference because of
the cheapness Of the outfit; because they
are less trouble and you are not so liable
to loss. They can do longer without water
,han mules, their nature being nearer that
Of camel than any other domestic animal
we use, and their power Of endurance in
every respect being as great rs any animal
,ha, know anything of. Stormy weather
is the greatest danger you will have to en-
counter. During suc., you must watch
them or tie them up, no matter what the
personal Inconvenience may be. The Nor
mon city is not out Of your way, il you ore
not tempted by tho beauty Of their women
and their fine beef aud vegetables 10 over.
stay your time. II you do not go there,
take "Grcenwocd's cutoff at Big Sandy.
which is just afer going through the South
Pass, and the left hand road or Myre's route
at the point where yon leave Bear river
This goes out by the "Od Crater" laid
down in Frcmont's charts, some fifty or six
~ miles, and Fort Hall to the north. You
strike the old trail an Raft river, small
tributary Of Lewis Fork Of the Columbia.
Here, a!so, the Oregon and California roads
separate. There is no indacemcnt to 90
by Fort Hall, unless you have a curiosity
TO travel over eight miles Of very bad sand
a nd then across aban, fnrty-six sloughs and
creeks. in every cne Of which there Is
good chance for miripg and also see more
musquitces Than you ever saw in all your