Dallas herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1849-1873, 1858-08-07

recently while starting on fishing excursion ny the
kick Of horsc lie Was a young man Of much prom
Use. t,
Passage of McCulloueh's Emiorant Train a.
oro-s the staked Plain.
Interesting Description of the Country Terrible
SuIrriny Of the Men from 7Airsi-Fra"fic D's-
peraiioa of The famisting Description Of
N, Plain Warning 10 other Trains.
CsnRssroypKscg oY rHs DALLAS IIuRALB.
FRANKLIN, Texas, July 3D.. 1858.
To Tie Eliior Of the Dallas Herald!
drop you n few lines TO give you faint descrip-
ton Of our trip from this place, which is on the lilo
Grandc, opposite Fl Paso left Dali as on the 18th
of April last, with McCullough's California train,
and arrived Mt Islotta, on the Rio Grandc, oh the
2Sth June, and this place the LIST inst, being out
SO days-distance Travelled TCl miles.
We al left Dallas in good spirits, bound for Cali
ornia, with good teams, II wagons, Al yoke Of good
oxen herd on Pecan you, AMI our own of 1909
heal Of cattle We Travelled slow but steady. Pass
cd Camp Colorado, pleasantly situated fort, and
fine town, in fine country, with good soil and hue
timber thence OH to Fort Chaabourne, on the wa
ters of the Colorado. This is lovely situated fort,
and town, on n high mound, surrounded by mahy
,,coe,nt groves Will. " ts distance 10 sccr 'n"Nr
Liej. htlls aud beautiful wi8-- }op Hate .aAt.
bourne VIC Travelled soma TO the Gauedo cHar loa
Camp lolnsob, there itlIpwea up ua Concho To- tin
ai@e cg lLc Great tmcr2a, pr4rl The (ge n f''e
couutrytg ol b,,l,s % tht Gige n tla pJ''gri 70
pleasantly divcfaliei wit rolling lands AMI Level
valleys, aud very rich lad productive so' and m.a
Of the bcst stock growing com rics that c5cr l"ly
passed through well watercd with numerous rum
ming streams Of pure water, and abundance Of grass,
and timber plenty for feicing, fuel, Sc.
From the head of the N Concho we struck ont to
cross the Desert, aiming to strike the Peeos river at
the Horse-IIead crossing, hut missed the road the
first nights travel, VIC had no time to spend in re-
connoitering We pressed on in the direction, guild
cd BY the compass, of the river at the point. The
third day out, in the morning. we started with the
fam shing herd ahead Of the train. The catt]s be-
co sing very excitabe, and travelling on very fast
&alk, we crossed OH as hard as We could. AT mid
night the herd got fresh breeze and turned to the
North on an Indian TRAIL and Travelled most furious
ly, the men fighting in front to keep them in place
At day break struck the Belknap road, 10 miles
from the well know Sand hills, where VIC succeeded
in turning the cattle on the road. Here one of our
men, J, Ramsey, was pitched only large steer, his
horse throwing him. His head was partially scalp
cd, his collar bone broken, and otherwise badly
bruised. Six shots had to be fired before the enrag
ed animal fell. AS soon as the herd reached the
road they pitched off and run miles, and then left
the road again, turning North into deep drifted
H. lao, H.. % ID % tha
herd, fighting them back for four long hours, they
pressing hard, and all fighting mad. At last one
file of the most furious steers led out again, when
We set to and succeeded in erdng them towards the
road, which they soon struck, and by o'clock, we
arrived in the sand hills, where wo found many
ponds Of weak ulkai water, and saved the lives OF
the furnishing men and cattle. The herd had no wa
ter for rs hours and Travelled 100 miles the herds
men were without water or nourishment 80 hours
Their exercise was very hard, riding and following
lat the cattle, and calculated to bring on thirst
soon The men suffered extremely for the want Of
water and sleep; many shot down the furnishing
bullocks on the road, stuck them, pulled off their
shoes or boots caugst the thick hot blood and drank
1t freely, and by doing saved their lives. The cat
tie were all very much excited and any of them
/
would fight and the men were compelled to shoot
many. We went into the Sand hills with 1900 head
of cattle, or struck the sand with that number aud
left with about 1850, much Of the missing having
died for wanfof water. On arriving the men were
all excited and hardly knew their comrades. Dan.
Murray, Whaley, Kelton and Collier would never
have got to water had not some of the herdsmen
been seat after water and returned to them. They
had slipped by the side ofrhe road. We had no
provisions but fresh beef FOR 9 days. and become
very much reduced, and we're none Of us able for
service. Ours was the first train that had arrived
10 the Sand hills this year.
u The oxen of the train became wild and unuanagc-
able, so the men unyoked them so miles from the
Sand hills and started them the herd trail, but
they became alarmed for their safety account Of
thirst, fatigue &C., and returned to camps, the
following the trail When they struck the road they
scattered and only IL got in the balance being lost
so head of good work oxen we're lost. As soon as
possible communication was opened between the herd
and train which was kept up day and night for nine
iays. The train Whs rationed to one pint Of water
per day. IN the mean TING the women and ehiiiren
sgsr- brought into .hs herd eomPs The loss Of cur
sssn rendered US nearly helpless the few that Hsrs
alive bal ouiy recovered % part from their great q