The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1850-02-09
Delan0's Journal,

route. we were positively assured by one ar
two men who had rode out on the road some
ways that there was good grass within ten miles,
fine spring at fifteen aud at thirty five miles we
would find grass and water which would con
tinue nll the rest Of the way BY taking this
road, it was represented that we should avoid
crossing the desert, and be able TO keep our cat
tie in good plight and that the distance to the dig
glDgs would be shortened an hundred miles--ob
iects highly desirable 10 Us Col kincaid was
anxious 10 60 with US but his wife and daughter
wcic So much excited by going road over the
mountains which was but little known, and the
idea Of going among Indians, who were reprcsen-
ted as being extremely troublesome, induced him
finally To yield TO thcr fears and determine tO con
tinue ON the old route to cut hay for hs cattle at
the Slough and cross the des.rt--a most fortunate
decision for him, rs it afterwards proved in the
low condition which his cattle were in. Here
we parted with mutual regret; lor the long time
that we had been travelling together made us
seem like old Gcguaintances
About an hour before sunset we set ont in fine
spirits at the good prospects bcSre Us, Mr. Fred
enhurg and myself walking ON and the train fol.
lowing
We left Mary's River, after travelling through
It's valley 935 miles about G5 miles above the
sink where 1t disappears in the sands Of the des.
basin, bounded by high rugged mountains, the soil
resembling baked clay without ts tenacty' when
We came TO the pass in the mountains, making
nearly due west course from the river We did
not find blade Of grass, where we expected it
ut the end Of ten miles III fact It was nothing but
barren sage II was II weary walk, but about e.
lcycn o'clock we reached the spriny which l. near
" Il mile off the road and took the first draught
of pure cool water that we Ind drank for many
day. We found camped around it small pack
mule company from Chicago, and spreading our
blankets by their camp fires We were soon lost in
sleep Distance IL miles.
Aug. l6.-Dayliyht showed US nothing but bar
ren mountains and, instead OF grass around the
spring, there was not blade left; the trains go
ing before had taken it all The water Of the
springs sank into the parchcd earth within five
rods OF their source 1t WAS now twenty miles at
least TO the next water. Our wagons had passed
during the night, having taken very little water
in the kegs for the cattle. and were far IN the All
vance and our prospect for breakfast rs we'll as
water looked SHIN. We started of rs there was
no help for it, being joined by two or three more
Of the men who came up during the night and
walked five miles through the pass, when another
desert basin presented Itself 10 our view, without
a tree or blade of grass in the whole distance OF
ly direction aud overlook our wagon oua high hill
Just on the point Of entering another dchle. \
cup of tea hastily prepared from water saved III
our vinegar key revived Us and We pressed on
anxious to reach the other spring, whore our cat
tie, that were now suffering, could have grass
and water for they had drank but once s!Are lea
wing the tycr and the day was unusually warm.
Descending for a couple # miles through the gage
,tlIi auotler barren basin lay before u, surround
cd by volcanic mountains, so,uC ui which were GU
rously co.urcd with bright liuk earth. Hurry
ing through this. IN westerly direction, we az
length came to the long wished for -prip- about
noon, and what was ouy disappointment to find
only barren waste thirty miles farther without
a blade of grass, and the spring only two holes
dug in the ground, and so far from attording a
drop of water fur our weary and suffering cattle,
scarcely yielded supply To- quench cur own In.
toerabc thirst, Soon after our arrival 1 or five
wagons came in from the west. They had driven
ten miles beyond this spring, without finding sub
si,trnCe for their cattle uI water for themselves,
became discouracrd AMI turned around, with the
now desperate determination of trying To- regain
! the river AGAIN Among them was one unur iel-
/ low by the nnme Of Gard, who WIS cml-uting
with his family and two wagons, with IA, cattle
exhausted and worn down, and It seemed iinpo,-
sib,e that, in the state in wli,h they then We're,
/ they cOlll live 10 roach the river. Should
! his team fdl, another tale of suffering will he
added to the list for his children were too small
| to walk, and how could he carry prov,.iuns and
water for thcnf We were now sensible that,
! stcad Of avoiding the desert, We were upon it
and caught there without preparation, by false
| reports and instrumentation. What was to be
! done II was dangerous to 20 either way. Ii
was thirty miles to the river, and said to bc thirty
miles nj least to the next water where there
might be grass Could our cattle 20 either wayi
! 1t would make two nights and one day Of inces.
SAINT labor without food and water bat once and
that scanty supply only from our kegs, and we
| felt that they could hardly endure IT. For awhile
W. remained undecided. We were told that
what we afterwards saw was true that many cat
lie had died or given Ou. exhausted. and had been
| left 20 perish hy hunger and thirst prey to the
wolves, and we felt thnt 60 either way our con
gli,ion might be the same. We came To the con
cu.ior finally ,hot desperate as our condition was
our best chance was to 20 on To the next spring
{ It was only 70 recruit our oxen. We waited
ill near sunset anil then avll,cd ourselves Of the
.ht as the cattle would suffer less in the night
than by day We met here Col. Joseph $. Wat
kins, of whom | have previously spoken. HC
had gone on about mile, beyond an two ofhi-
cattle gave ont and he had got them back here
| nd hoped, by giving them u little water anC
flour, TO recruit them sufficiently to get them n
cross the thirty mile stretch and he eventually
succeeded. He hal pf, his wagon there and sent
his other cattle forward 10 the grass intending
when they were recruited, to drive them back anl
get his wagon. This was the plan we propose,
to adopt should any of our cattle fiL ON set
ting out our cattle travelled well, for they haC
been prudently driven during the journey, AN.
were in good heart and they finally made th,
distance n little after sunrise, having travelled n
least forty hours without food or water but once
, We were on n level plain Of ashy earth whcr'
nothing grew but few stmtedgreaSe wood bush
es and eight or ten miles before reaching thu
spring it was "a flat barren desert, without vcgc
tation which we found to be the bed of Mudd,
Lake laid down by Fremont now dry, and cover
ed with incrustations Of salt, About midnight
became tired out, having had a slight chill an,
fever during the day, and spreading my banke
on the ground, slept souudly till daylight wher
n walk of ten miles brought me into camp, just il
time for breakfast, with II living appetite If
cup Of coffee and slice of bacon ever tasted good
it did then for had eatcn dinner the day he
; fore Indeed think weW cooked young Dig
2 ger would not have gone amiss
dug Ill found the spring and basin to b.
hot, about three rods in diameter, and very deer
II Ian, tl,n unt,r Uua ,,nra unl cnnlinfr hollow "A