Fremont journal. [volume] (Fremont, Sandusky County [Ohio]) 1853-1866, 1858-07-09

P"y uPVn ="
Two years ago the Indians hunted tho
buffalo and wild horse on these prairics,
which arc now dotted with thousands Of
cabins. Tho march Of the palc-facc is ro-
sistless, and wherever he comes il would
seem that his advent were fatal to the Indi-
ans The race Of the latter is swept back
ward and farther back, until not many years
perhaps may pass when his face shall appear
as strange at the cabin door Of these set
tiers as it would at our doors in Fremont.
AT z o'clock, a. M we were again on our
way towards the setting sun. We Travelled
all day on tho great Santa Fe road, over
which untold millions Of property has been
transported to Mexico, Oregon and CallfOr-
mia. If / had in gold the value Of ono
single train, should be satisfied. The ad-
venturers of many lands, the wild Indian,
the gold-seeker, the trader, the naturalist,
and the traveller, have passed this way. 1t
is beautiful road, dry and smooth in fair
weather, and passing through country we'll
watered, and having supcr-abundanco of
fine pasture.
There arc springs and streams of sweet,
cool water, along the road through Kansas,
and the grass is SO long and rich that tho
horses and mules almost laugh when they
get into it.
We saw three Santa Fe trains, one Of
them consisted of twenty-seven wagons,
with from four to six spans Of mules or
yokes of oxen to each, besides largo
amount of extra teams and cows. There
were sixty men in the employ of this train
besides tho superintendent and his assis-
tants
1t mado quite formidable appearance, ]
assure you. The larger portion of the mer
were Mexican Indians, with few Spaniard.
and Mexicans. The Indians were the rag
gedest filthiest looking creatures l evel
saw. They looked as if they had moi
washed since they were born, and thei
= heads looked like brush-heaps, Some hac
on only part Of a shirt, others one leg O
q pair Of pants and one shoe; some wore
: their pants rolled as high up they could ge
:. them, and wore nothing on their feet. Every
r. man was armed with knives or pistols. Th'
: knives were chained to their bolts witt
brass chains, hanging down to the left side
The drivers carry long whips composed Q
tho sinews Of the buffalo. Tho lashes ar
w. twelve and fifteen feet long. With thcs
its they beat tho cattle numerically.
lie talked with one of the superintendent
la some time.. He told mo that tho Mexican
y. were tho best drivers, better than the Amer
ur leans, because they have the most patience
ful and they are moro easily managed them
. selves.
ur This man told me ho was n native
,es North Carolina, and went to New Mexc
sis when he was ten years old, and has bee
cs- engaged in the Santa Fc trade ever sine
1t When he first arrived there he had tc
are cents in his pocket, and now he is tho ow
Csc er of the train he superintends.
Iho Three miles west of .l1o mile crock
the forward wagon in crossing ravin
we stuck in the mud, and when we first sa
we them they had sixteen yoke of oxen hitchc
~. to tho wagon and werc trying to get it OF
OF We watched them about three hours, al
our when we came away they were yet thcl
and for aught l know stick there yet.
MI There were six thousand pounds on boar
ou' ard both wheels on ono side were up
the hubs in tho mud. Tho oxen broke SC
'di- eral log chains in trying to get out. VIII
ere they got everything all ready for a start, {
the drivers, about dozen of them on each sic
OF wonld stand with their huge whips, al
ade when the word was given to Ego aheat
ear they would jump up and down, flourshi
nair their whips and yelling frightfully.
ong course every time they pulled, chain "
and broken, and away would go tho oxen, o,
ood the prairies, with twenty yelling "Injins'
no ter them. One Mexican chased an OK 10
hat after his companions gave out, and the i
ay | saw of them almost 10 tho top of !
lere trying TO see which would get over first.
ong On the whole it was laqghablo scene, a
are our stay with these poor miserable Me
cans was neither unpleasant nor uupro
ner. able.
old, The next town through which We pass
one was Prairie City. Tho inhabitants numl
ght, about two hundred and tho houses werc
four most all built Of stone. We did not st
but drove on till We reached Minneola,
alks town which certain spectators tried
for make the capital of the Territory.
ows You will remember that the Leay
ked worth Constitutional Convention assemb
cks. here and broke up in ''row.' visit
ired tho building which that honorable body
cupied. 1t looks moro like barn o
re- warehouse than anything else, The spe'
that ers desk is covered with red and blue c,
very co, the floor is covered with papers and d
r..