Mountain Democrat. [volume] (Placerville, El Dorado Co., Cal.) 1854-1860, 1859-10-22

raising blocks Of buildings six feet higher, Oy
means Of large iron screws, an inch at time.
The street had been filled up. ] am well
pleased with Chicago. At II o'clock r. n. we
started for Rock Island. Arrived in Iowa
City. As the men with the horses and wag-
Ons had started the last day Of February, and
were then in Iowa, we expected them TO meet
u.s. We found Mr.. c., Mr.. q. and Mr.. NJ,
waiting to greet their wives; also Mr.. w. and
myself. After dining, we got into the wagons
that were to be our homes for such long
time, and started for the camp, which was 8
miles distant. We were badly frightened ri.
ding over the rough, muddy roads, on side
hills and steep places. while the wind blew
over the praires bitter cold. How glad we
were when We eSpieh some one jump from
distant straw stack. and knew it was a srnti-
mel watching fnr our coming. Soon we began
to wind through a newly cut road and descend
hill, and 10! we behold the tents among the
trees. The curtains arc thrown up, we wave
the Northeast corner Of our ShawlS, we shout
aloud, We clap our hands, we jump from our
gO'icles, and shake hands with the rest of the
party. Willie L., as artist. had embcliShed
the tents with "Charcoal Sketches" ThtO-
dOre was commander in.chicr Of the cooking
utensils Of a sheet iron stove, and was frying
some prairie chickens camp fire was sur.
rounded by pinnacle.like structure-archi
tect, Mr.. Clark. The horses were htched
ttntier = bowery as the stseR had ea#aped here
two weeks. In Mrs. C.'S tent was another
cnokiHg Etuvg over which Mr. B. presided as
ruling genius Of the "hou>ehold gods " 0f this
dcpnI tment, and he dcGurned the cOOkinary
bOthcratiOns with wonderful alaciitv. The
men flew around like kittens on hot Jimmy.
cake to get our supper b., as head cook,
very SOom lad his hands immersed in pan Of
flour, which, under his Skillful treatment, fast
assumed recognizable shape. We were sOon
called TO supper, and seated ourselves upon
trunks, fecdboxes and pals around table
that could be taken to pieces, (ninc Of ms in
Mr.. G : Co., ami fifteen in Mr.. G.'S) and drank
as good TIA from tin basins, and Mtc biscuit,
pork. dried beef and lnolaSses with all the
gustO of an epicGc at first class hotel. B.
waAhed the silver plate, (ashion in Iowa to
make silver things out Of tin,) hung things
upon the floor, and we spread the beds on the
first story. and prepared to 60 10 rOost.-Mr.
Z. and wife had One side of the tent, Mr.. NJ.
and family the other side, and my humble self
the tOther eend: r0OuIs pnrtiiiOned with shawls.
The boys slept in the wagons.
Thursday, 9TH. Awakened by hearing the
birds sing. Fine morning, but cool and windy.
used the lnl Of the porcelain kettle and the
small clipper as substitute for gong. Had
breakfast. -Bustlcd around, packed up things,
and gut into the passenger wagon to start
Didmt start SD much as we might. Four
horse team balky. finally all the horses began
t0 dance and prancc. Some time bcfDrc four
horses would gO up the hill. We were to go
I" the III Mic House, which was ten miles
from camp-wcnt 20 miles, gnt off on the
wrong road aud didn't Ct on the right one
until dark, as some Of the people who did not
know what cOl0r white beans were, directed
us an the wr'lg rnl. Ol! dear! such roads,
S'lch S!"ugh>! | do believe lost ten pounds
0f beef from flight. The Cour-hOrSe team was
stuck three times The wind was bitter cold.
Mrs. c. and got out to walk-juSt then down
went all four 0C the horses in slough the
men unhitched them, unloadcd tho wagon,
and finally got it out Of the mud. Mrs. &.
and walked up tO little house on the top Of
the hill, and went in to get warm and study
"hWman natur'." Found feeble woman and
three children. She said there was not much
ngue, but more consumption there, and she
did not like to live there. We started again,
and at 9 r. n. reached the is Mile House -
MIR. S. W. aud T. went with the drove Of cattle
IN another road, ami had been waiting for US
. long time. Went into the bar.room where
there was big log fire to get warm. Mr.. j.
W. q. Of California is here purchasing cattle
t0 take back with him. Pitched tents, had
supper, went to bed, cOld night, didn't sleep
much. ] had an attack Of a nighthOT
woke up by screaming and finding myself
away out on the wet ground, while one Of the
horses had got loose, and stuck his nose on
the tent close by my head while he tried to
get the hay under tile bed.
Friday, 9th. 4 little snow on the ground
that fell in the night. The season is three
weeks more backward here than in Michigan.
We do not Sce any green grass here, and there
the earth waS covered with its emerald carpet
ISrenkfaSted, and started westward A. NJ
The sun was shining, but the air was very
cold. ] noticed that the fences were only two
or three rails high, or made Of wire, owing to
the scarcity Of timber. We saw prairie on
fire. We soon came to Washington, situated
on stream, quite hilly and sandy. Many
persons suppose Washington Of District Of
Columbia to be the Capitol Of the U. S.
Washington is city Of magnificent distances,
and this certainly must be the place meant,
for the houses were so distant from each other,
that we could not discern them. Saw girl
with brown dress, green apron, yellow hand
kerchirf tied under her arms, and q blue bon
net. POlitencss is something good to eat,
presume they think, and not raised in this
country, as they know so little about it. The
prairieS may look very beautiful in Summer
time, hut they arc anything but inviting now.
y" trees to break the cold, bleak winds that
sweep Ncr,SS them with such force. No barns,
fruit trees, or Shrubhcry around. No school
houses u he seen. An air Of loneliness and
desrTlinn around. Oh dear! had a shake Ol
the ague in the wagon. Came 90 miles, and
South English.
Saturday, 9th Warm April showers. feel
weak AMI have no appetite. We deci,lcd ia
abVcviatc oar dresses, and sport the BlUOmrr
as We were constantly burning great holes in
our dresses whHR VIC hit against the stove. be.
sides tearing them on the bushes. and getting
them drabbled on the wet ground. They are
not very graceful lOoking dress, but never
theless are very convenient and just the thing
G.Ar such jannt As lind another Ngue shake
! made my bed on the table, for the grOHnd
was very wet
Sunday, 10Th. Warm morning. with light
SllIwcrS. All Of us went to meeting. xaw
the DMnkaUlS GR the first time. They believe
in Initiating the disciples; the men veal
hrOad.brimncd hats, and part their hair IL
the Misl,lle And wear it and lhrir beard very
lNngA All the wemen c0Mhed their hair plaii
hehnd their ears, and wore Swiss null caps
QWakeE-like. One man tined the hymns. IN
other read chapter from Hebrews, a thEr
prayed, and a fourth preached from the Who'll,
chapiCr. They believe in being so familiar
with the whole bible as to have any one prcacl
frCun anu vNnrt;nn uifhn,,k rrov;0,,s 1,rnnn -