Portage sentinel. [volume] (Ravenna, Ohio) 1845-1854, 1851-09-22

who left home for California in the sprine
of 1850, is published al the solicitation O
his parents and friends. Portions of i
may be uninteres.ing TO the general reader
but we publish it without abridgemen,, hop
ing it will pay perusal:-
Journal Of a California Emigrant.
On the assh of April, 1850, Messrs
White, II tler and myself arrived at ST.
Joseph, where we found our company en-
camped. on the bank Of small stream, !
Of a mile from the town.
April 29sh. Remained in camp with our
teams.
April 3o.h. Still a, the camp--purchased
some horses to day.
May lst. Made arrangements TO remove
10 the Platte river, in order to Craze our
tealns; travelled Is miles and encamped on
Hundred and Two River.
May 2nd. Arrived a, The Platte river
about ncon-selected q camp, ground, cur.
ried our norses, and are now getting sup
per.
May 18th. Remained q, this place since
the 2nd inst, waiting for grass 10 grow sui.
ficien,ly for our teams. Travelled abuu,
20 miles TO day, encamped within miles
of the Mo. river, and nine above 81. 10
seph's; weather pleasant-boy ali in good
spirits.
May l9lh. Crossed and encnmped four
miles from the river on The emigrant road.
Grass poor, heavy rain with thunder and
lightning.
May 90. Travelled 10 miles-roed hilly
and muudy; one Of our horses sick with
The bolts, encamped on high prairie /
mile from v off creek. grass poor.
. Mny 2lst. Travelled about 90 miles, er-
camped Oh small creek baked bread
during the nigbt.-wri,ing by moon light
al past IL o clock while Oh guard with
A. A. Messenger. >..--. E. H..
May 22nd. Drove 95 miles, road splen.
did, Iced short, water plenty, no timber
within Is miles. Bought milk and crack
ers lor supper; it went down finely. Raj
ny aud cold.
Mny %. Travelled 20 miles-road good
grass and water plenty-wenther rainy.
S,itied our best horse-crossed tbs Mana,
nav river; four persons buried on the bank
~ho died Yesterday Of ch ,leru, causing a
look of detection among our men. Me,
tennis turned back for The States with
cholera patients, = nearly dend.
May "a. Made 80 miles roads good
ine grass-encninpet on the Big Blue
R,ve,. Our teams are falling away
tried in vain t" prevail on our men to drive
with moderation.
May 25. Remained in camp to do our
washing nnd baking. This river is nbou,
twice The size of the Cuyahoga in Ohio;
Is now about Is feet deep-current strong
There are 80 wagons to cross before our
train. Two drowning men were taken
from The river; they were engaged in fer.
rying wngnas. Boys all well.
May 26. This morning made raft Of
dry cottonwood logs, sufficiently large for
lerrying our loaded wagons. River rising
very last; O'Clock P. NJ commenced fer.
ryIsg over our wagons, and swimming our
horses. White, Messenger. Bristol aud
myself, each stripped, mounted horse nnd
rode INFO the River, and with 81 ma difficult
~ succeeded in crossing; We were all in
.he wnler ubou, 4 hours--encamped at 9
o'clock in the evening much fn,igued.
May II Fell in with a company from
Wayne Co, Ind Travelled and encamp-
ed with them the following night, good IL
| miles fon our last Camp good water and
grass plenty-our horses look well.
May %. Continued in the Wayne Co.
10 day, weather fine; Travelled 80 miles to
day.
May 90. Left the Wayne company to
day-traveled 80 miles-encnmped on a
high prairie-aIl WE'LL stand guard 10
night.
| Mny 80. Drove 25 miles-roads good; !;
Rlver-iraveled miles on the bank and
encamped for the night. Grass short and
thin. am quite sick 10 night. Bristol
stands guard.
May 81. Travelled 90 mile.,met com.
pany OF U. S. Dtng,ois trrm Fl. Kenrney
going TO the relief Of small party Of emf.
grnnls vi ho had been attacked by the ludl.
ans; one Of their number had been killed
travelled all day on The Platte, baud oI
about fifty Indians in sight, also Two herd.
Of Buffalo. We have driven by nbou
one ,huusand head Of cattle TO dnv.
June l. This day made abou: 80 miles
LETT the Platte River at ten in the morn
.ng.s,ruck an elevated Prairie. surface fat
abuu, 20 mics in width--encamped nj the
left of the road. No water since We lei
the Platte. Feed good, @en,her cold nne
wind high. Las, evening our horses go
frightened and all but ore broke their Car
ruls and run off abou. 3 mics; with gren
trouble we secui ed them all No doubt !
/ was trick OF the Indians. as this is theII
mode of stealing horses from the eni
grants
June 2. Drove about 20 mi!es-raines
hard las, night-road sIippery-strucl
Platte River miles below Fl. kearney -
KEEP, up The la;t bank 10 within q mile o
here. Fort Laramie e,nigrunts are no
i permitted 10 encamp within that distance Z"
he For,,no doupt to prevent the inlroduc
Ion Of diseases among the troops. IL
Jay while stopping to rest our teams. on
| If INV wheel.hOrses rubbed eff his bride