Nebraska advertiser., 1858-12-02
Letter from the Plains.
toRT BRIDeER,
November 10, 1858.


This post which was established many
years ago, BY Major Bridger, as a trad
ing Fort, was a few years since sold to
the Mormons, and BY them recently
th-egroand, when it-contained
houses. 1t is now garrisoned by
four companies of troops who are yet
quartered in tents but have more COM
Portable quarters in course of erection.
The location is the most delightful I'M
Imaginable. The surrounding scenery
picturesque and sublime in the extreme
Our destination is now Camp Floyd,
forty miles southeast Of Salt Lake City.
AS the road is new, and through the Ute
country, several sklrmishes have already
taken place with those passing. Asyet,
no trains have been attacked, as they go
in parties of about one hundred men. We
anticipate some difficulty and probably
the loss Of some animals from these hos
tile and treacherous wretches.
The latest advice from Salt Lake City
is rather of an exciting nature. Between
three and four hundred men, all armed
and out of employment, principally dis
charged teamsters, are at large in the
City, and riot and dissipation are rife. AL
though the Saints have a strong Police
force patrolling the streets, yet they are
unable to maintain order. AS there is
yet a great number TO arrive, whose des-
t~ination is Camp Floyd, many Of whom
will receive their discharge, l should
not wonder if they knock the bottom out
Of the City, before next Spring, as most
of them will make their way to the City.
The transfers of Majors & Co., receive
forty dollars per month, if discharged
here, but if taken back to the States
twenty, five.
AS there's no mail on this new route,
my next lettefswilI be from our destina-
ton.
From Fort Laramie / gave you the re-
port of the discovery of gold on the South
Platte. This, although given from reli.
able sources, was only from reports
No doubt next spring will prove the acu.
racy or falsity of this report. In 1856 ]
noticed in the st. Louis Republican a re.
port Of the discovery Of gold on Swee.
Water which is a tributary of the NORTH
Platte, and has its source near the sum.
nit of the Rocky Mountains. In the
South Pass, having met one of the par.
ties on Sweet Water, through whom the
report Of '56 originated, l learned tina.
while preparing a final resting place fol
one of the deluded Mormon Sisters, Ell
route for the promised land, one of the
party being a miner, supposed the dir
excavated contained gold, which, wher
tested by washing, vas found to contain
about twenty cents to the pan or bucket
full. While passing over this portion O.
the ground, and having had much expe
rience in prospectingin California, New
South Wales, Oregon, Victoria, Austria
liza, and Peru in South America, I discov
cred strong indications of gold upon tn,
surface, and in two different localities, b.
washing, found gold in the surface dirt
Want of time prevented me from testin,
it further, as this was a time when tn
attention of all concerned was require,
to save the cattle from the wane Tn,
Rocky Ridge, near the last crossing
Of the Sweet Water, is the most favora
bic locality for any prospecting operation
for any n passing who feels disposed t
turn (Buchn Oro) gold hunter. My des
t~ination being Frazier's River, l have n
inclination to try my fortune in mimi
operations anywhere on this side of tn
mountains.
In a subsequent communication
mentioned the loss of cattle by drinkin
alkaline water. Having passed over tn
road twice before, though earlier in tn
season, / was astenished, after leavin
independence Rock, at the fields of sal
eratus near the road. This was cause
by the water in the basins, some Of whic
contain many acres, being strongly in
pregnated with alkali, drying up as tn
season advances when the saleratus e1
udes from the ground, and remains upo
the surface. The grass is also strongl
i~mpregnated with this poison. Fat ba
con isa remedy. The most eficaciou.
however, is tartaric acid. An OK that ha
drank of this poisoned water, althoug
enabled to work, is certain to die shout
the skin be broken. / have frequentl
remarked this when their necks hav
been rubbed with the yoke. | found
it very powerful in its effects in extract
ing bruised blood. I had occasion to us
it once ON Snake River with a party {
three who had been shot, and one severe
" wounded, by the Indians. Making