The Davenport gazette. [volume] (Davenport, Scott Co., Iowa) 1841-185?, 1850-05-23

times that night 70 wiring tho watss from my hair.
The day at last dawned, and rose and went to
work. Hound one yoke Of oxen chilled to death.
After break fast, Mr. Forester eaid to me, "three
Of u have concluded to pack-wc leave you our
oxen-get Shrough iry you can.n Iwas thankful
the wagons. Messrs. Forester, West, and Pratt
put ali they could ia sacks 10 carry on their
backs, and threw the rest away. left a1l J
could possibly dispense with - I thought, but /
was mistaken-two large sacks Of clothes, oil
the bed clothes could spare, my tent, bed, boil
sters, stove, all iron ware, and sack Of coffee.
now started with light heart, thinking surely
can get through; but before an hour passed, an
other yoke Of oxen died, and was left in the
mountains, in the midst of snow, sixty miles from
. house, with only two yoke Of weak oxen. The
next day; gentleman from st. Louis, Mr..
Warren, offered to put my oxen with his, take
my provisions and Emilyin his wagon, and leave
mine thankfully accepted. Tne morrow
came; but every thing was worse. We were
out Of the snow, but it rsined in perfect torrents
The mud was nearly knee deep. We could gc,
tie were nearly exhausted, and Everything look :
ed dark enough. By trying very hard, made
out to boil some coffee. We sat down to eat our
hard bread; but my heart was too full. rais-
cd mouthful to my lips, and burst into tears.
Mr.. Warren sprang to his feet and said, Mrs.
Brush what do you say to leaving the wagons
and going to the settlements" said would be
very glad to, but wha. shall do with Emily, he
replied, "l'll sske care Of her," I asked Mrs.
Barber If she would 60 with ME, she said yes,
and We were of. Mr.. Warren strapped Emily
in . blanket upon his back, and she was ready
for her journey. Mr.. O'Neil Of MI. Carroll ear
ried two blankets for Mrs. Barber and mo to
sleep on. We climbed hills, wadcd rivers,
tramped through mud; and slept without shelter
for three days and nights, and At last saw in q
beautiful grove little mud cabin. We were in
the valley Of the Sacramento. In about four
days the men came in from the wagons compel
led TO abandon all except few things which
were packed upon the oxen that were left, had
but one OK left, he brought me few clo!hec and
died the next day from fatigue.
Dear friends, s it no, hard to ge, to C llifornu!
de not let any one come il you can hinderit, par
ticularly overland. No one who has not witness
sed it could conceive the amount OF destruction
Of property. 1t is estimated that not one-tenth
Of the animals that leave the Stassa live to get
through. II it had not been for assistance from
government hundreds would have died in the
mountains. To those who were sick and unable
to get through, the Government took provisions
and made them comfortable the winter. You
recollect Mr.. Roberts and family who left Gale
no. They are in the mountains unable to get in
this wihsef, young Mrs. R,berts was too unwell
TO walk and the rest would not leave hcr. (At
For, Laramie, Harvey Moss lost his wife, Mrs.
iWinlac takes charge ofthe children; they passed
US on the deser,.) There were plenty Of little
childten put in sacks and thrown across the
backs Of mules, for the sake Of getting here-all
you could see was their little heads peeping over
the mules backs But to return TO my own af-
fairs. remained al the rancho week when
Albert came, he had met with great difficulty on
account Of the high " ter and bad roads, he
brought three mules but il was too late, every
thing was lost: Our men joined with another
company and built q fiat boat, on which we de-
soended the river about three hundred miles to
Sacramento city there we waited several days
for bost TO take nfo Stockton, while at the city
we boarded At Mr.. Winters Of Elizabeth, paid
$40 day board. They have large tavern, that
ie, il is about the size of your dwelling and that's
very large for this place. Six hundred and fifty
dollars month rent. We are now you see in
Stockton, and are livingip house, very few can
say thas in his city Of tents, our house was
brought ready made from China and 10 q real
Chinese cottage; il consists Of two rooms, one Of
which / occupy and the other family from
Tennessee; there 10 no windows but the doors
are half glass; we pay sixty dolars month rent
for our room. There are but Ave American
families in the place mineincluded. Last April
there were no nhabitants here, the population
now numbers 1000 residents aud great many
transient people.
There is any amount Of Gold here. saw u
lump to-day which weighed - pounds solid gold;
II came from the Maccalinia digginge.
Your affectionate daughter.
MARY E. BRUSH.