The Camden journal. [volume] (Camden, S.C.) 1836-1851, 1850-11-15
Correspondence ofshs North American and United States
Gazete.
GREAT SUFFERING ON THE PLAINS.
Stockton, California, Sept. 80, 1850


Ihave just cenversed with gentleman from
New York, who, with three Of his brothers, ar
rived here yesterday. after four months jour
ner across the country. He states that 700
persons are on the road now. The four bro.
theirs started with two six mule teams, plenty
of provisions, clothing, money, etc, and arrived
in Stockton with the loss of almost everything.
He states that on both branches of the Platte
the cholera prevailed to horrible extent, hun.
dreds ,iring daily. The waters on the Platte
ale th;> and muddy, and he attributes the es.
cape of Ills party from sickness to their preeau'
tons in boiling the. water. clearing it with lsin-
c!"ss. md making it into tea or coffee before
~ e-,U =. The graves Of emigrants. he says,
W. 'iyk at every camping place near the
+! -. in crossing the great Basin this side
q. :, .:,eat Salt Lake, their sufeTngs were i'll
dszciaabe.
The sand was knee deep, the sun broiling hot
not tree was to be seen; there WAS no water
and their provisions were all gone. Fortunate
", after passing over about one hundred miles
ofthis hideous desert, they came across man
who had gone forty miles farther, found good
spring, and returned with two barrels of water.
This water he first sold for 81 per gallon, then
81 per quart; then $40 per pint, aud as the emf.
grants came aleag, each cboked almostt death
and completely exhausted, his prices raised,
and no sum he could name within the power of
the poor. enligrsnt was refused to BE- paid
When the water Was nearly all gone, a man
came along who, for three whole days and
nights had drank but half pint of fluid. He
was almost dead, and. begged for some water.
The answer was:I have not enough to last
myself and mules back to the Spring" $50,
9 800, $500, 500 were Offered in succession
for one little cup full Of water, and tie deale:
refused it. The wretched eu:igraat threw ,i.uan
S700, all he had in the world. and by mdia
force grasped the cup aud quenched his thirst.
SSs This statement seems incredible but my in
fformant is man Of intelligence and probity,
and his word cannot be doubted. Soon after
leaving the water trader, the party came across
company who had a little -four which they
would not part with until the offer Of forty dol
lars per ID. tempted them to sell. One bbl. of
-four was sold for eight hundred dollars, and
( glad enongh was the purchaser to get it. Up
on arriving at Carson's river, they found pro-
visions plenty, but very high. Flour was two
dollars and 6ftg cents per pound A single
meal of two small pies, coffee, and some pilot
bread, cost them eleven dollars per man. Pro-
visions, it WAS expected would soon he much
lower on Carson's river, as my informant met
immense trains OF provisions on the way from
this valley. Whilst crossing the Sierra Neva'
Ida mountains, the party was enveloped in a
snow storm, and at the last pass the snow teI!
six or seven inches in one night, This pass is
not over $50 feet in width, and is on the side
of steep declivity. Above the road the rock
towers almost equally abrupt. At the bottom
was seen innumerable carcasses Of mules, cat.
tic, and ti,t urr,ruais. Ny Informant says II Is
the almost universal opinion at Carson's river,
that not one.third of the emigration can cross
the Sierra Nevada mountains before the Win.
ter sets in and renders the road impassable.--
He thinks they can winter very well in Carson's
Valley. His party expected to meet with, and
thought Trey were provided for, every hardship.
He says he has travelled extensively through
Europe, but no scenery there equals in sublinl-
ity and beauty many OF the views on the land
route across this continent. Nevertheless, he
declares he would give all he possesses in the
world, or all he hopes to possess, if he could
only Danish from his memory thr many horrors
he felt and witnessed on his terrible journey.
Yours truly, G.P. ".