The Davenport gazette. [volume] (Davenport, Scott Co., Iowa) 1841-185?, 1851-02-20
:. EXTRACTS
.Epe. .. lt.er receired BY ~, J. r. DAVIDSON. q
ESntsN Co., from his u Pc 49, ito,a'ssse.-
d 1kr dn)tV nj MF MI .l
~ SACRAMENTO oIty, Nov 4 ,Ae50
4 - [Concia2edl

& SACRAMENTO ~. Not 1880
ssse we followed through a
narrow RAMON into broad and lovely valley;
here We remained al night. never passed more
xncenfev,otAs lire Ne hsd ~ bisNksts ~ eoasss
and had uethiag 10 eat since the us,rning W did
no, know Il what moment We might be attacked
hy the Copper Skins, and Of course could sleep
,.ons. Wshsld our horses ,llnishtby Hydraulics,
but were undisiurbsd. Al the earliest dawn We
were III sadals; aslsr rsconoiiering the valley, =
few miles further, deemed II advisable TO fssafn
10 camp; ailer travelling few miles, We thought
we saw . smoke curling up from she willow
bushes. which thickly fringe,l the creek; We
knew this proceeded from an Indian Camp; We
examined out arms, then dashed forward at full
speed, bst the scoundres again saw US before we
reached them; after riding about hall mile We
suddenly saw the smoke 20 out, on coming up
we found they had lied leaving everything, thrown
water on their fires and scattered their things ~
the bushes and grass. There was st least three
wagon loads Of stuff, including all their coilection
or seeds for winter use. We saw where they
had led into dry ravine, on all sides surrounded
by the thickest willows. We grew very much
excited While standing on the edge Of the "a
vine, close to the bushes, we thought they were
undoubtedly in the ravine, and the question was
how 10 get them out. Three II rs finally dis.
mounted leaving Sim and another young man 70
hold the horses. Idirec'ed them 10 cock Their
guns aud FIRE on the Indians itthey saw them
We selected three different points and win our
guns cooked jumped into the ravins. fully ex-
pected TO come into immediate contact with Them
bull fortunately for Us Gas have since ,hought)
we saw nothing OF them. We examined the
bushes thoroughly for some two hours but made
no discovery. We returned and ransscked their
camp, carrying off every thing OF curiosity or
value.
Among other things got scoop net and two
seines about SO feet long, made precisely like our
ne,s at home only that the material was different
the twine being made from the Mild fax, which
is here very abundant; these ! intend to bring
home with me, and we will do some fishing in the
"Wabsy" with Indian nets from the Hum
boldt.
We reached our camp ats o'clock, thoroughly
tired out. Our report made geat str, and
party Of IS was made up TO give them another
chase in the morning. | was persuaded 10 go a.
long as guide. Ia the morning We started all
well armed, three Of us on horseback, the rest Oh
foot; we 30 on reached the camp, and as We ex-
pected, they had been back after their stuff. We
took the trail and followed into the ranjou where
we had pursued them the day before; this was
narrow gorge about 100 yards wide and ! miles
long, we had got about half way through this,
and into the naHowest part, when we saw an In
dian ahead, when he Immediately commenced
in most unear,hy style; here our party !
took panic, and tn rteenled; the rest Of as push
ed on, and forced the scoundrel up the side OF the
mountain when We shot him and recovered the
horse which proved 10 be one Of the stolen ones.
was unable to rally the rest Of the company
and was compelled to return, without eiieetiDg |
anything further.
The journey along the Humboldt river was the
most dreary and tedious part Of the route. This
stream is about so yards wide and has very swift
current for two-thirdsof its course. The country
is exceeding desolate, excepting narrow strip
along the river which possesses small degree Of
fertility. The valley isseveral miles wide but en-
Iirely barren except where not subject TO over
How; on each side OF the valley, mountain ridges
ri.e 10 considerable height. The black, naked
rocks having an inconceivably desolate appear
ance. Whenever, in the great basin, the noun
lains do not rise sufficiently high to retain the
snow, they are very barren, so also are the val.
leys at their feet, but wheie the snow continues
during the summer, the reverse is the case. We
found tolerable supply ofgrass, except along the
the banks are very high, the liver is confined TO
its arrow channel, and there is no grass. We
tcck in supply OF hay, and made the distance
without embarrassing. At the "sins," the river
dwindies into innumerable small channels, and
spreads over large track, forming meadow Of
The most lu1uriant grass; these little rlls iigatng
The land in the most complete manner. A por-
lion Of this track is ovsrgrown with bullrushes
and reeds of most enormous size, which afford
shelter to numerous deer and to cattle which hare
strayed from emigrants and have become Wild
Here we hsiied two days, took in an abundant
supply Of hay TO last Us across the forty mile de-
sert between the "snk" and Carson's river. We
were fifteen hours in crossing this region of the
SHADOW Of Death,'' two-thirds of the distance
Is heavy sand, and no words Of mine can describe
he horrors Of this place. Dead horses and cattle
literally blocked up the road; the wretehed oxen
were 10 be seen in all states, from those just aban.
Toned and still able TO travel listle 10 those in
The last agonies Of death. The whole distance
was lined with wagons, in many places so could
be counted in one cluster; the road was s,rewn
with harness, clothing and oil the various articles
IF an emigrant's outfit. suppose there could
not have been less than 1000 dead animals and
1890 wagons on this desert. Such tremendous.
iestruetion it is scarcely possible to imagne the
stencil was intolerable, and il was impossible to
lind spot along the whole length Of the road