The Davenport gazette. [volume] (Davenport, Scott Co., Iowa) 1841-185?, 1851-04-24
CALIFORNIA CORRESPONDENTS.

CALIFORNIA CORRESPONDENTS.
Conclusion OF A. II. Owens Journal to
California.
l4,h.--Started at 7 o'clock, travelled over some
muddy roads it having rainedyery hard last night
and still raining, crossed some very bad sloughs,
where We had to haul our wagons through by
hand, cur horses sometimes mreing going thro'
alone. Cannped At 8 o'clock on rait river, o
stream % feet wide and feet dsep-a bad
stream TO cross when high; distance TO day %
miles
l5,h.-Lsid BY this day.
10TH Started att O'clock. road low, wet and
muddy, and campcd a. the junction Of the Salt
Lake road; distance 20 day 90 miles.
l7th--S,arted a, Z O'Clock. road over noun
,ains for l6 miles, which brought us to goose
river, q stream 30 feet wide, 3 feet deep, good
water. Went up this stream miles and camp
ed near no, spring on right hand side road;
distance TO day 25 miles, weather quite cold.
l8,h-Left camp q. : O'Clock, Travelled up
goose river to its head, which is about 20 miles
from where we struck il and camped in the
mountains q, 5 O'Clock, rosd very rocky in pls-
ces; distance 10 day 90 miles, weather still very
cold with little snow.
I9,h.--S,ar,ed at 1o'clock, travelled over good
road for 10 miles which brought US TO small
stream (which Ical) AIkali Creek, 90 feet wide
4fee, deep, running cast and wess travelled up
this stream, road soft and swampy and camped
on il a, O'Clock distance tod day 80 miles.
e0,h-Lsf, camp o, O'Clock and crossed this
Alkali creek, and several very bad soughs, be-
ing compelled TO draw our wagons through by
hand, from here al! along until we arrived a.
Kenyon creek, we found small nvuleis OF pure
TO day 20 miles.
Those who have read thus far, have arrived
with me 10 tho head of,he great Humbold, river
1 shall no, give my journal Of the balance Of
the route, as il could be Of no advantage to the
cmigran,, as the road down this stream depends
entirely upon the stage ofits waters. Twill how
ever throw out few suggestions, which will
together with description Of the river and road
be Of great advantage to the traveller, it needed
The emigration this season was led to expect
(from wha, writers had said) to find grass very
abunden. down this river, in consequence Of this
all pushed their teams jus' before arriving here,
with the intention of here laying up and recruit
ing their stock, it was from this fact, or error,
,hatso many lost their stock, and were compelled
20 foot il the balance of the route.
The Humbold, river frs. makesits appearance
in small valley few miles from Kenyon creek
the soil Of this entire valley, for miles, is covered
with alkali, looking as white as did the streets
of your beautiful town after being lined during
the cholera season, but is perfec, quagmire for
miles, which makes il at times almos, impossible
for wagons. When the Humboldt is within its
banks it is abous4 rods wide and feet deep
It's waters as well as the little grass that grows
upon its bottom, Is strongly mpregnated with
alkali. I, would be an excellent stream to be
near a large city, as it would require no soap to
wash with its waters We found il very weak
eninr to ourselves as we'll as to our stock, but
we were compelled to use i, for the want OF bet
ter. The Humboldt river is about 300 mlleslong
and when high (as was the case this season) is
desert from its head to its sink, so barren as to
produce nothing but chapared-,herc being no
timber upon its banks. My team Mas in fine
condition when I reached this stream and al
though we used every exer,ion TO Seep them 50,
they failed SO fast tha. in few days was COM
PEELED to leave my wagon and be content to get
she animals through alive, which Isucceeded in
doing, although one in hundred was not so for
tuna,e.
Were it not for travelling down this stream,
the great 80 mile. desert would not be the great
sare croe ths, is, for the road over this dsssrs