Fremont weekly freeman. [volume] (Fremont, Sandusky County, Ohio) 1850-1853, 1853-01-13
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Extracts from the Journal OF
Mrs Zacia II. Shoemaker, aU6o weRt 10 Cal
Jornia By the Overland Roae.
LETTER XT.
July goth, 1852.

July 26th, 1852.
Have been suffering, this hottest of all days
with headache, and find "lying by,'' far mort
tiresome than travelling. We did not stol
where we first reached the Meadows, bu
camped two miles beyond where we obtained
poor water from slough, but so much bette
than in any former year, that we do not com
plain.
July 9th Still at the meadows-very
sultry-oppreSSiV warm, and mosquitoes
swarm like bees. We left this place at five
O'Clock P. NJ. and rode all night-here the
humboldt sinks into the ground; and we fee
no regret in bidding adiue 20 SO mean river
Here we ventured to water our stock running
a risk which has never been attempted before
but as we could not drink it ourselves, we
brought water from the Meadows to cook
with and to drink, but cold coffee is much
better
July 2Sth. We have passed the most te-
! dious day here at the sink. The sun shines
intolerably hot! and were it not for an occas-
ional breeze. we should nearly sufocate -
Baked salt rising bread. currant pies. rice pud-
| ding, and boiled a ham, to last to Carson
| Yalley.-We left our camping place at
o'clock P. NJ. and stopped two hours at
midnight to rest and feed our teams. The
moon is shining as brightly upon this barren
desert as though clothed with the richest YER
dure
July 29th. At daylight we stopped an
hour for breakfast, having made 23 miles
from the Sink. 1t is II miles from here to
Carson River, through deep gravelly sand
by far the worst portion of the Desert. Here
l., e Of
in fragments, other perfectly good, standing
besides the road-the cattle having given
out, and gone on for water. The old iron
scattered along here, would make quite Il lit
tie fortune. l rode this Il miles on horse
back, in advance of the train and arrived at
the river by O'Clock. ByIl, our train came
in, all of them very tired-but had no troub-
e, except leaving few head of stock which
they brought in at night, By carrying back
water to them. We found men on the Des
ert with water to sell, at fifty cents per gallon
Having accomplished the Journey Of this long
dreaded Desert, will say, that it is nothing
to what expected Cattle that died in 40
and so land there are hundreds of them) re-
main perfect yet.
July 30th. Carson River affords excellent
water, and it is quite a treat to obtain that
which is free from alk.. We stopped on the
river, two miles after reaching it. Tonight
Mr. Lincoln was buried from the Okaw train
who are camped with US He had been
sick some time with the Moutain fever, and
had suffered very much. We left camp
after dinner, and proceeded up the river a
few miles, where we stopped in Il beautiful
spot surrounded by large trees. Here We
&C. oil
quaintance Emma FoIlet's brother) and a
Mr., McCload. who had come to Carson Val
ley to buy cattle. They stayed to supper, and
we exerted ourselves to give them the very
best the house afforded" fgh: bread
maple molasses ham, peach pies, and some
fruit cake which | brought from home.
July 3Ist MIR. Smith, ate breakfast with US.
and stayed in camp till we started,. The
road, here very rocky, left the river for four
teen miles. We are now stopping under some
large trees, and find their shade quite a lux
arY. Three miles further campeI for the
night.
August .4th. We have had ne good roads
since we came to this river; they have been
either very rocky, or very deep and sandy
We find Trading Posts or Groceries, every
few miles, Reached Carson Valley to-day
which is truly beautiful. 1t is very wide, and
watered by the purest streams flowing from
the mountains on either sde into the river,
which wanders through its centre. Here we
! found an abundance of the finest grass
Whisky is the principal article found at the
Trading Post which is sold to the poor emf
grant, at so cents per drink, and pies at 81 a
piece.
: III S,o-at,;e n "a, or,.avo VI, III lore,o Dipa
and Ceder trees, and look beautiful. The
day has been pleasant, but tonight the wind
blows cold from the snow-clad SUBMITS of the
Sierra Nevada.
August s. Six miles after starting our road
led into canon, where for some distance we
had the finest roads through. groves of beauti-
ful trees, which however were not to last
long. The road gradually become bad. In
fact all the rocky hills since we left Indepen-
dence were nothing but heaps of stones piled
upon each other, with scarcely a space be-
tween them. None of them smaller than a
barrel ard many of them, four times aslarge
Itseemed impossible to pass over them with
out breaking our Wagons alto pieces
% We crossed Carson river, over bridges three
times to day, for sl5. After this descended
into most beautiful valley, where we are
camped for the night, and shall remain to-
morrow, that our teams may rest and recruit
onithis fine grass. We are surrounded on all
sides by lofty mountains without any visible
opening; and l often wonder, how the first
person ever found a road over the difficult
and dangerous heights. Js.-.
We have come 10 miles to day, and have
not been SO much fatigued since we started.
Have walked nearly all the way-this fore
noon, from ckoice-this afternoon from neces-
sity.
August 9th. How pleasantly has passed
the day, in this delightful valley. where we
have good water, and plenty of dry cedar to
burn. We are glad to bid adieu to willows,
grousewood, and sage foyeger. ..
Have baked light bread, rusk, and goose
berry pies to-day, and spent some time in
washing and dressing Mrs. Allison's children,
and repairing theirwardrObe, which found
sadlylnegIected, il--.s,s..,y .,ar7.sL
AUGUST 7th. We came to large lake this