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

miles from Fl. Kearney. A fine null
came into camp during the night. A
White put him in his team and drov'
towards California.
June 5. Travelled 10 miles-rained al
last night and all this day mud deep, saw
20 or 30 dead horses and mules To day.
June 6. Travelled 20 miles and encamp
ed nt 6 o'clock P. NJ. The cholera i:
making great havoc amongst the enigrnnts
Last evening five persons died Out Of a
company Of IL, ;hot encamped within 4C
rods OF US. FIVE miles back saw three
persons buried as we passed along. Ter
or Is companies are laid up with cholera
patients.
June Z. Drove 20 miles-roads good,
and weather pleasant-"O. K"
June 8. Drove 20 miles, passed the fork
of the Pate river about noon, kept up the
left bank Of the south Platte to the ford,
| rode my horse across the river then 70.
turned 10 dlrec, the teams where to dive
The wa,er is from Ii to 4 feet deep; the
bed of the river is quicksand OF mile
vide, water muddy, current swifi-all
crossed safely encamped 2 miles from
the Ford; feed short, lio wafer excep, the
Platte. There is no water fit for mans
use for the distance Of one hundred and
fifty miles back from this place-feed
scarce from the fact that emigrants musl
necessarily stop on the river flats These
flats extend bnck from one 10 three miles
to the Bluffs rising from one to three hun.
dred feet high, formed Of yellow quick.
sand and en.irely destitute Of vegetation,
consequently all the teams are confined to
a narrow strip Of bottom land causing
scarcity; besides, the water tha, stands on
tie ground is impregnn,ed with salt, and is
detrimental to vegetation have spared
no pains to examine the causes Of sickness
among the emigrants on this route, and
n,n led to the following conclusion: Eml-
grants are no, deprived OF good water for
more than half day at time, from their
leaving the States until they arrive within
3O miles of the Platte riyer. On arriving
at the river, both men and their teams sut.
iering with extreme thirst, indulge their
craving npoetltes without restraint. The
river wnler is bad Il, bes,, and those who
Indulge IN the free use FIT, are generally
choIern subjects Another cause of sick>
ness ,nny 10 attributed to the fact that the
days are very bot and the nights extremely
cold, Boys wet aud cold.
June9. Drove about Is miles, over to
the North Fork OF the aue River, found
good water on the Bluffs between the Riv
ers, which were both in sight. To day we
p,,H I,, ,,l,o,n-b itln1 49,
Mirwn and Bristol tonk the sadile horses,
wen, and 60. the hump of one of them.
cooked il for supper and deyoured it with
out complaint.
June 10. Remained in canp-washed,
baked bread. and jerked our Buffalo meat.
Three Of our buys are sick.
June IL. Travelled 25 miles-struck in.
to the Bluff in the morning. but encamped
in the valley n. nigh. for feed; road billy
nnd rough; no water during the day
10 K"
June IL. Travelled 25 miles-encamped
on the river. The country barren and
sandy, except on the bottoms. Boys all
well.
June IA Drove l6 miles-road hard,
sand f'om 9 to lO inches deep. This day
packed our saddle horse with l50 lbs. bur.
den. Mr. Strickland is very sick. Pur.
CEASED loo lbs bacon Mt 10 cents per
pound.
June 10 Drove 90 miles, weather
pleasant, road level and sandy-bad water
and poor grass
Juue l6. Travelled 25 miles-left the
bottom; five miles from our camp struck
the bluffs. and travelled 20 miles without
wo,d or water.
June II. Twenty five miles from our
last .cnmp p-encamped near m Indian vii
lage, fifty miles from For, Kearney; cold
and rainy. On the Is h inst, y d Hun,
AID myself visited ceIebrared rock called
Solitary Tower. 1t derived its name from
its location. |, is $50 feet high, perpen.
dIrular On two sides, and covers ab,ut one
acre of land. The name. of many Of its
visitors are engraved on the rock. With
great difficulty ascended to the top. and
upon the highest point | engraved my
name, together with the names Of my fa.
'hsr and mother, and the name OF the place
of their residence. We then returned 10
our train, kept with the company abou,
one hour, when curiosity led us the secono
time to visit another specimen of Nnture''
work-t:himney Rock-ahicb is situated
nenr the bluffs, five miles from the road
This is in the shape "i a tunnel bottom side
up; is 800 feet high, composed Of sof
saud STONE nf dark color. W thin five
miles Of the road are three exceilen
springs of water. They can be easily foune
by taking the left hand road when wi,hii
miles If the Rock.
June ls. This day cur company dis
solved by mutual consent. Il appeared ,hn
hard feelings existed in the minos Of som.
because would lot consent TO put ou'
,enms in ns joint stock. From the FIRST
considered my team superior TO the others
and so it has proved. w and L jpine.
,enm.--we renamed at this camp until lh'
9Th inst. An Indian Trader resides o
this pnln,--a MIR. R. His father was th'
founded of the city of ST. Joseph, Mo. HI
has Sous squaw for his ~ife--l bought I
pair Of moccasins Of him-all well.