The Athens post. [volume] (Athens, Tenn.) 1848-1917, 1858-08-06
A TRIP ACROSS THE PLAINS.

inc sketch of his trip in the direction of
Mormondom:
Ileft st. Josephs for Great Salt Lake CITY.
tina 9Th of June, Us a passenger in the mail
stage or ambulance, light-covered vehicle
on springs, and SO arranged as to afford CON-
for,able sleeping quarters. One baggage
wagon containing camp equipage, provisions,
DC, nine men and twenty mules, constituted
the caravan with which we set out to brave
the perils of the Great American Desert
All Of the mules were in state oil nature
none of them ever having been harnessed be-
fore--aud the top o the morning was con-
sumsd In getting them hitched up; but by IL
o'clock we had eight in leading lines, and
crossed the river into "bleeding Kansas."-
The first evening two of our mules gave out,
and we had to substitute wild ones from our
drove and again go through the process of
"breaking in" The next day another gave
Ger"
On the 9Th, we arrived at Big Blue,
$50 miles from st. Josephs and having used
M the other mules were detained some time
before we succeeded in filling their places
That night we camped ON the open prairie,
where, unlike the prairies of Texas no "fow.
ers waste their fragrance on the desert all"
Suuwberries are abundant, and being Just in
reflection afforded no ungrateful offering to
the lips Of the thirsty traveller. However, If
YOU are dry it is your own fault, as you have
an opportunity of wetting your whistle every
few miles at the whiskey shops that line the
route from st. Josephs to Ft Kearney.
On the 9th, we halted at Patterson's, on
the Big Sandy Creek, for breakfast, where we
got first rate coffee, biscuit, broiled ham, but.
ter, milk and ice. There, We, overlook Col.
Summers command en- roNfe for Utah, and
learned that war party Of thirty six Indians
we're about twenty miles ahead of us, in pur
suit OF the Pawnees, and at the same time
annoying travellers and trains on the road4
go we buckled up our courage, put our arms
in shooting trim, and set out. We drove un.
til near o'clock in the evening, when we
met a footman, who Informed us that the In
dams had that day driven him from his shan
ty and taken three barrels of his whiskey,
and he was now making bee line to solicit
protection from Col. Sumner. Thinking dds
erection the better part of valor" we turned
off the road and encamped in a small cove
on the banks of the Little Blue. We slept
that night with one eye open, and set out
next morning, expecting every minute to hear
the war. whCop and be called on to have our
craniums dressed by prairie barber, an ope.
ration we did not feel at all inclined to sub.
nit to. being the only passenger (the rest
of the crowd consisting Of drivers, Positions
and escort, and dependant in great measure
on my own resources for enjoyment, had FIRE.
quently amused myself by testing the pow.
ers Of glass l had brought with me, and
which now found admirably adapted to the
necessities (as'we supposedly of the case. At
intervals through the day swept the hori.
zon with my telescope, but all my scrutiny
nal, In 10 nab nj |,
skin; so we missed the Indians, and an oppor.
tunity Of showing, our mettle, but late IN the
evening met the first returning mail party,
who impaired little or no intelligence from
Salt Lake, save that Gov. Cumming had re.
turned 60 Camp Scott.
On the 18th, we arrived at Fl. Kearnev,
where we got breakfast and change Of
mules. Kearney is rather poor establish.
ment--is not fortified, and has but four or
five passable wooden houses, the balance be.
ing constructed Of sand-but Capt McCown,
formerly of Sewer county. Tenn has com.
menced improving-we met his teams going
seventy miles for saw logs-but it will take
time, patience aud money, before he can make
any very striking improvements. After leav.
ing Kearney we continued up the Platte Bot.
TOM (Which we had struck some miles below,)
and which is from five to twelve miles wide,
with range of time.worn sand hills on either
side, from 80 TO 100 feet high, and present.
ing in the distance the appearance OF some
desolated city, whose stately palaces are
crumblng to ruins. Buffaloes, wolves and
antelopes were abundant, and as the state of
our larder began TO look rather appalling.
we sent two men ahead for game but much
to our chagrin they met with no success
The view is so unobstructed that it is almost
impossible to approach within shooting dis
lance ere they see you, or snuff the tainted
gale" and are of. The boys carelessly lost a
bag Of hams and at Kearney we could only
get bacon sides three years old-but travel
ing on the desert is marvellous cure for fas.
tidiousness. No matter what the viands are,
ito the hungry soul every bitter thing is
sweet" and''old ned" is extremely palatable
when nothing else is to be had. In the Platte
Bottom we for the first time, used buffalo
chips for our culinary operations, and found
them an excellent substitute for wood.
At Cottonwood Springs, on the 18th, we
got change of mules and 'grub" and at half
past six were on the road again, considerably
refreshed by our halt and the buffalo steaks
we had devoured with the rapacity of wolves.
Our road being now as smoothe as a floor,
we gave the mules the whip and by dark had
accomplished twenty five miles. Before dark
we passed an Indian village containing about
fifty persons. They all came running out to
meet u.s. as perfectly nude as they were born,
clamoring for tobacco. We had none Of the
weed, and they turned back much disappoipt,
ed. 40 @H' y
On the 18th, we left the North and took up
the South Platte that rolls along it's shining
way, without tree, shrub, or flower, to grace
its sterile banks. Myriads Of mocking birds
were perched upon the ground singing as me.