Hillsdale Whig standard. (Hillsdale, Mich.) 1846-1851, 1850-09-24

Ogden river. This is novel ferry; charge
F, fifty cents pack. and the same for each horse.
The packs are creased n canoes lashed to-
Reiher, and the horses with Ia 20 twice the
length Of the width Of the river, made fast tn
their necks. are pushed from perpendicu-
lar bank into ten feet water, and "snsked"
across where the river flows ten miles an
hour.
nth. Mire several times and carry packs
pence-rneal OH our backs through several
aloughs. Cross Bear river, our packs in Gu
noes, swimming our horses. Pay twenty.
five cents per man, toll for bridge said to
be three miles farther on across Mud creek.
II rains violently; we camp for the nigh, on
the west bank o. the river.
l2. Reach the bridge At Mud creek 1t
consists of Ave poles SO far apart that horse
is in danger Of breaking his legs in crossing;
we take off our clothes, awde tho stream in
three feet depth Of mud and drive our ami
mails; all wallow through safe. We are in
formed this is our last toll-brdge, and that
Bear river was the last to be ferried. In
gratitude for this We made feast of our beet
and took dinner. At dark come up with
Wadsworth hgain, and We travel again in
company for three days.
10th. Cross mountain in snow storm
Coldwater comrades aad camp six miles a.
head of them, alone.
l7th Cross another mountain, 90 into
campt at ten p. NJ; find a man badly bruis-
ed, By falling from his horse, his foot re-
naming in the stirru2 aud the horse. running
away; agree 10 remain with him part of the
next day.
18th. Are delayed with the wounded man
till noon, when another surgeon comes up
who 10 willing to remain in my place. Fos-
ter and company come up. and camp for din
ner; We go on, taking final leave of our for.
mer comrades with whom we have travelled
for more than thousand miles. But way
ons cannot keep pace with pack-horses.
18th. We are travelling in company with
three strangers, see two Indians, hail them,
find them 10 be of the Snake tribe; they are
richly clad and appear friendly; each carries
a cap-lock rife, and has hanging from his
shoulders the claws OF grizzly bear. Camp
on plain in bleak wind, three miles from
the head of lIumboldt's river.
2Oth. Swim the Humboldt at o'clock in
the morning, and "snakc" our packs in oiled
bags under water. Cross its head sloughs
in mud TO the saddle skirts; carry packs on
our shoulders and heads; drive our horses
through and camp Oh the bank of the river.
having travelled only ten miles in fourteen
hours.
2lst. Camp in defe of the mountain one
mile from water and are nearly devoured by
mosquitoes; a man comes to US begging pro-
visions; he has lost his all at the secpud eros
sing OF the Humboldt, which we swan in safe.
" this morning; we dare not give for fear OF
starvation our selves; we gavo him h,s sup
por.
22d. Are travelling entirely alone, riding
one horse and driving my pack-horsG my
comrades see a path leading round the base
of a mountain. over the top Of which road
runs. Take path and proceed into deep
defile. The path is well trodden by pack an
InaIs aud imagine ! am making splendid
cutoff. In about half hour three hois9men
overtake me aud We travel in company they,
like we, thinking To save distance. After
travelling about four miles, the gorge opens
on tho river bottom as we expected. We
think wo have only to travel down the river
short distance, when we shall intorscct the
main road long way ahead of the trdin.--
Ono hour passes, another aud auuthe
sun is going behind tho mountains--t -the
humboldt rolls at oar left, and perpendicular
bluffs two or three hundred feet iiigh trown
on Our right Our el-beaten path has
dwiudled into an occasional foot print, as
traveller after traveller, having discovered his
error, has turned back. But We never retro
gade. The river approaoDes tho mountain
side OH which wo are now travelling; we 80
higher on the side, To AVOID the river which !
approaches yot closer; wo are already dts |
and camberlng along tho loose |
rocks leading our frightened ANIMALS. Il 10 |
impossible to proceed farther down without |
crossing tho river or ascending the mountain |
We halt aud send on a scout; he Is gone halt |
an hour and returns saying that to attempt 10 |
cross would be madness; the river flows with |
frightful rapidhy, is hundred aud tlty feot |
wide; on this side arc sharp crags and por-
pendiCular banks, on the other, bOgs and |
soughs for twenty rods from shore; a horse |
proceed ten rods tarther-to turn a
bout is dangerous, and tho ascent Of the
seems impossible; but after mo-
mont we decide on trying the later. IL ap
poars bu: few hundred feet 10 tho top, but
before we achieve it, We iiud every loot
yard. My saddle horse and two OF The 9th
ers, make tho ascent with five rests, aud two
Of them lie down az SOON as they reach the
top; bat my pack horse aud another are not
50 fortunate; tho side ofthe mountain ls coy
cred with loose fragments of rock; hot par
Licle of soil nor "a shrub for a foot or hand
hold. We are half way up with the idst two
animals, when a rock gives way, and tho
pack horses slides back and cannot recover;
Jne springs boow the animal aud cuts tho
girths. wIllo tho othors hang to tho Iazo aud
succeed in making " fast 10 tho point OF
arge rock. The pack and saddle rolls down
.ho mountain and fortunately lodges against
1 rock before reaching the river; wo attach
another lazo TO tho animals neck, and with
Yelling, laShing aud pulling h9 makes tho
summit. The man with the other horse yells
when we are at the top, that be Is sliding
pack; we literally tum0led down I'LL wo get
% his aid, and succeed in getting him up in
manner similar To the last. We have all
made the summit and men and horses are
,anting on tho ground by moonshine, for 1t
las long been dark. Our hands and arms
iro all COVERED with blood from wounds on
sharp rocks. Myself aud one other OF the