Des Moines courier. ([Ottumwa] Iowa) 1848-1854, 1852-10-07
Letter from Oregon.
PUBLISHED BY REQUEST.
SALT CREEK, Polk County, Oregon,
July 18th, 1852.

.. a July l1tn, 1907.
DEAR SIR:-Your letter, dated 5th OF
May last, is just received, and gave us
much pleasure TO hear from you and ma.
ny OF our old acquaintances in Iowa.
Our family are all in the enjoyment oil
,olerably good health, and have been
generally since we have been in this
country, which will soon be two years.
We heard from your Brother Tolber,
Savery about two months since; he was
then at the Rogue River gold mines, and
was well and doing tolerabIy well.
will now give you some account of our
Trip TO this country. You know we lef,
Agency City on the l4,h day of May,
1850; we made our way to Council
Bluffs and crossed the Missouri River
on the 3rd day of June, there we form
ed into company of l8 Wagons, and
rolled out, up the Platte River on It's
Nor.h side. We go, along pretty well;
once in awhile killing Buffalo. and
some times an antelope. But this eoun-
Try is very scarce Of timber; we travelled
for many days, tha, we had nothing bu,
weeds and Buffalo chips TO cook with.
On the 4th day OF July we lay on Spring
Creek in sight of the Chimney Rock
this is rock resembling a chimney in
appearance, and is said to be 300 feet
high. From there we got on to For,
Laramie on the 7th of July, 522 miles
from Missouri River; there we crossed
over TO the Fort by the directions of the
Garrison, which was grand imposition,
for the sake Of little filthy gain to the
ferries. We had much worse roads;
scarcer of grass and good water than we
would have been to have kept on the
North side of the River, and had to trav-
el through the worst part of the Black
Hills, and wore out our cattles feet. At
ter travelling some 100 miles or more, we
left the Platte River and took up the
Swec. Water River, or Creek, here we
came to the Independence Rock with lis
1000 names inscribed. Five o. six miles
further up is the Devils Gate, where the
rocks are 400 feet high, aud the River
running through narrow channel; we
travelled up this stream, rightin the midst
OF the Rocky Mountains for several hun
dred miles till we came TO the South
Pass or Twin Mounds, here we looked
back for the last time at The Atlantic
country. and shortly came to the Pacific
Spring. This was on the first day of
August, and ice froze on our w water buck
ct that night. We were then on the
high regions Of the Rocky Mountains.
From here we travelled over good deal
OF sandy country came 10 Big Sandy
Greek. a branch of Green River, from
thence we crossed the cutoff, forty miles
without water; came to Green River,
from thence over hiliy, rocky roads to
Bear River, and down that, some times
on its banks and often in the Mountains
until we came to the Soda Springs
This is great curiosity, the water tastes
very much like draught of soda
and acid. -Four miles below this the
road forks; here we parted with FL. Mi.
chael, aud his brother John, and many
others that were going to California, and
we took the right hand road to Oregon.
We came to Fort Hall on Snake or Lew
is River. This place was only occupi-
ed by few of the Hudson Bay Com pa
ny. and is said to be 500 miles from Lar
annie. We travelled down Snake River,
a most barren mountainous country, of.
ten having to camp on high mill and
drive our cattle down winding stairs to
get water. Here will observe that the
Snake Indians are very thievish all the
time you are on Snake River, aud no
doubt the Mormons are urging them on.
There were several persons killed in
small parties last year, and their horses
taxen by the Indians. We had to .des-
cend this river for several hundred miles,
and finally leaving it, we took up Burnt
River. Travelled up i, for several days,
and then struck over to Powder River,
and thence we came to the Grand Round
Valley. Here is beautiful valley of
20 miles across, With plerty of Pine
timber on the hills; from this we COM
m enced crossing the Blue Mountains. -
We are now just through what lis called
eastern Oregon. 1t took US three days
TO get over these mountains, when we
came to the Umatilla River, in middle
Oregon. Here We are 200 niles from
The Dalles of the Columbia Rive-, al,
The east foot of the Cascade Mountains.
and in sight Of Mount Washington and
Mount ST. Helen. We went down this
stream several days, and leaving it cross
, over 10 John Days River, and from
here We came to the Great Columbia
River. in the midst of rocks and hills;
down it 2 or miles 10 the Des.
chutes River. This is a swift stream,
and is dangerous to ford. We gave the
Indians two dollars Wagon, to halter
he lead OK and ride and lead the teams
across II. Here we took upa steep hill,
md II appeared as though we were 60
ng out at the garret window; when ii
,ally, we descended to Tea Mile Greek,
EN- miles from the Dalles. Here we
ound some White Oak and acoms, the
irst for near two thousand miles. Here
ne road forks, one going over the Jas
'ade Mountains, and the other to the
Fort at the Dalles. We went to the
Dalles on the 9Th Of October. II having
raining, we did not like to |