Grass Valley telegraph., 1854-05-04
.Life ON the Plains. +.

The following extract is taken from our
friend Delano's new work 'Life on the
Plains" 1t is a true sketch of one of the
many similar occurrences incident to the ear
ly emigration to California Many who were
then allured to leave pleasant homes with
the expectation of soon returning to live with
their friends in the enjoyment of wealth, ac-
cumulated here, now sleep on some of our
lone mountain sides with no tablet to mark
their final resting place.
zone day, while was chatting with Mr..
Billinghurst, who had come down from his
camp, a stranger came up to borrow our
chains, to drag an OK from the mire, little
above us. On his return, Bllinghurst ad-
dressed me by name, making some inquiry,
when the stranger seemed struck with the
name.
'Is your name D? ~ he inquired.
:'Yes."
''There is a sick MN at Longs Bar, who is
very anxious to see you"
'sIndeed. Who is he?"
'Mr. Chapman"
"AIr. Chipman from Ottawa? Is it posi-
BILE! I was not aware that he had come to
California"
''He started after you did. He was taken
with scurvy on the plains, and is now help
less, at Longs Bar. He has made many in
quiries after you, without success; and desires
to see you very much.
''It is now too late to go there tonight !;
but tell Mr.. Chapman will see him early in
the morning." and Immediately addressed
note to him to the same effect, and gave it
to the young man, who was in his employ
Early the following morning taking such
things as had, which knew to be good for
his disease, started off to Longs Bar, which
was three miles distant, to see my old friend.
On reaching his tent l scarcely recognized
him, worn down by disease as he was. One
leg was drawn up so that he could not use it,
and he was barely able to hobble about on
crutches, and his whole appearance was chang
ed, by emaciation and sufferings. Few can
though we had been always been on familiar
terms, the peculiar circumstances under which
we now met made it doubly. interesting to
both. Nursed in the lap of luxury, unused
to any thing like the toll and labor to which
he had been subject in crossing the dreary
wilderness of the plains by eve
rything at home to make life pleasant, with
an intelligent and accomplished wife, who
would have sacrificed her own life to promote
his comfort-here, during the most inclement
season Of the year, he had only the dubious
shelter of tent to protect him from the
storm; and suffering from insidious disease,
his bed was on the damp wet ground, in a
place where money could not procure the
comforts necessary for SICK mapr maaprct Afford
to extend sympathsing hand for relief, his
future seemed anything but encouraging. and
dark forebodings could only be the result of
witnessing his present condition. l need
scarcely add that visited him almost daily
and urged him to go to the city, where be
could procure medical attendance, and the
comforts he absolutely required. He finally
consented A boat was going to Sacramento,
in which he secured a passage, and the morn
ing ne was to start went up to bid him adieu
He had been takenlto more comfortable
tent, where bed was made, off the ground,
by the kindness of Mr.. Butts, from Michigan.
On going into the tent, inquired of Mr.
Butts.
us Mr.. Chipman still here?'
''He is"
How is he this morning."
''Mr. Chapman is dead"
''Dead? I was shocked but not disap-
pointed; for short time before he had been
taken with the bloody fux, and run down
Immediately. He had expired that morning,
about an hour previous to my arrival Amid
the throng of busy men who were at work
around. it was with some difficulty that four
were obtained to carry him to his grave. He
is now at rest, in peace and quiet, on one of
the foot hills of the Sierra Nevada"