The Trinity journal., 1856-02-16

cealing them. There was one of our num-
Der, however, whose distinguishing trait of
character or disposition became so appar
ent in its manner, and serious in its effects,
as to render it almost impossible to pass it
by mnoticed. This was the constant, new
er-cndng and neyCr-abSent fear of Ross,
that some unusual calamity or distress would
sooner or later oyertake us. Present ycXa-
tionS, though never so numerous or burden
some, were insufficient, unless his tortured
imagination could devise the dread of some
thing still more harassing in its nature and
consequences. 1t required but little time
for ali to learn that other and more greiy-
Gus crosses were to be borne than that of
finding rifle or pistol would not take
fire, when buffalo or an antelope had been
overtaken, however satisfactorily both had
operated by the camp fire But the few mo-
mentS which might otherwise have passed
pleasantly during our travel, were rendered
miserable by the fears of Ross, that we were
about to be attacked by the cholera, or poi
soncd by the traders, or that the cattle
would stampede in the night, or that the
Indians would fall upon us before morning.
Although the health of the whole party
could not have been better, nothing could
convince him that he was not dying of the
diarhWa nor was he satisfied until he had
consumed all the medicine within his reach.
Our diet-warm bread and fried bacon, he
swore was killing him the doctors had over
and over again warned him not to touch it.,
yet Notwithstanding his want of appetite.
he always managed to eat more of it than
any one else If his distrcsscs were partial
ly forgotten during the May days spent in
travcrsing Kansas and Nebraska plains of
unparalleled beauty where our way was
bordered with nowcry fields of unknown cx-
tent, they returned with rcdoublcd weight
as we penetrated still farther amongst say
age Indians, or, as we entered upon deserts
whose growth of wild sage was not sufficient
to relieve their appalling dcsolation
Arriving within days travel of Deer
Creek, II stream flowing into the Upper
Platte, it was reported to us that several
thousand Indians lay there, awaiting in am
bush our appearance, and that several trains
had been borbarously murdered by them
Every look, word and action Of Ross, now
as ever, betrayed the terror his heart was
unable to conceal Camping at evening
within few miles Of the spot where it was
supposed the sayages lay, our arms were
placed in order, our stock carefully secured
and guarded, and in spite of the ilLomencd
croak Of the raven, which at dark, did not
pass overhead uunoticcd, We passed the
creek the next day and found the report
false, as was expected Thus the long and
scorchmg summer days were passed in drag
ging our toilsomc way over prairies, hills
and mountains, uninterrupted even by Che
luXuriant growth of rattlcSnakcs, or the
still more poisonous tarantulas, which cnli-
vened the deserts On reaching, however,
that terror to all overland cmigrants, the
Humboldt river, Ross himself became the
bnr1 of On oflFnnttpn ,,,ti,b I,nI i'll.
terminated his existence Having stopped
for refreshment on Rush Creek after u
stretch Of twenty-nine miles, without grass
or water, he had returned few miles to
bring up q portion Of our stock, which from
exhaustion we were compelled to leave un-
til rest should have recruited them In the
meantime, we changed our camp from Rush
Creek to point on the Humboldt, about
two miles farther on our way for the sake
of better p0sturagc Here we determined
to await the coming up Of Ross with the
missing animals Night came on without
his return, and to prevent Il possibility OF
his passing US, We built fire by the wag-
ons, some two hundred yards from the road,
and sat by it, relating and listening to yari-
Gus kinds Of yarns for two or three hours
and still he did not come. The guard was
set for the night and the remainder Of our
party, presuIning that Ross had tarried with
another train in the rear, spread our blan-
kets on the grass, and were soon asleep
Morning came, and with it one train after
another, vending their way down the river,
but with them no tidings Of our missing
companion. Messengers were despatched
in different directions, but nothing could be
learned of him, until about noon, when a
trader coming up the river, stopped at our
camp, and enquired for man named Hart.
That's nv uomp eaid Hart annrOnclinp