Nevada national., 1860-05-19
LETTER FROM vvAsmoE.
pnoa orr oes cornEsrcNpnrl
VInoIxA Cry, May 10, 1850.

VIRGINIA CRY, May 10, 1850.
Dear National: When l left Grass Val
lev promised to give you some notes on
the road" and my impressions OF the
mines Starting as our little company did.
with pack animals and in ,Caiteg's train, |
found no leisure Whatever to write on the
road. and since my arrival here have found
the mines quite too much OF a study for a
stranger to make mp biz mind upon them, on
three or four days examination. / am look
ing around, however. and taking copious
notes from which | shall endeavor at an
carly day, to dcduce some practical infor-
nation.
Our trip hithcr was much more pleasant
than had been led to expect it would be.
We arrived at Strawberry Valley on Mon
day. May lst. ana commenced to ascend the
summit about ! O'Clock T. NJ, designing to
spend a night as near the clouds as cirgnm-
stances wonld permit We had scarcely
commanceI the ascent when It began 20
rain. which. as we ascended soon turned TO
SNOW. We pushed on. however. despite the
storm, meeting with frequent returning par
ties. until we were pretty near the highest
portion Of The pass, when it began to grow
dusky. Those coming down shook their
heads at US as they passed, and as we were
without tents. or other coverings than blan-
kets, advised us TO look around for camps
as soon as possible. We concluded to do SO /;
and as good luck would have II, soon came
across an old wagon box, which had recently
been left upon the snow this We seized
upon. packed it a short distance 10 a better
locality for camping turned it bottom up.
resting the two ends upon stumps. cnt a
plentiful supply Of pine boughs with which
we closed in one end and the two sides, thus
making a comfortable shelter from the storm.
We next rolled together five or six large
fire logs. which were ready cut to our hands
with which we built n huge fire. both for
warmth and for protection agninst any sriz-
zlcys or lions. which might chance to be
prowlng about that neighLorhosi.
Having thus disposed our arrangements.
we dispatched a hasty meal and took com
Portable nap tin day light. The wea'herw was
quite moderate and the snow melted almost
rs fast az it fell. Notwithstanding the great
altitude Of eur camp. We were probably
over 900 feet above the level of the sea-in
fact we were directly among the clouds
which were drifting alSng over the tops Of
ihe trees, in the shape Of fog. At the first
appearance OF day light we were up, and
after dispatehing another nasty meal. passed
onward across the summit. Neither time
or space will admit Of any detailed account
OF the road /; l shall reserve that matter until
my return. which will be by the Henness
Pass aad Eureka. vhen ! shall be able TO
institute a comparison between the two
routes.
We arrived at this world removed To-
caliiy, Virginia City, on Friday last. This
place has been 90 often described by letter
writers that its appearance and puculiari-
ties are familiar to every one who reads the
papers. There are now about 1900 people
here, not more than one half OF whom appear
to have any occupation whatever.
Yesterday, May 9th, the place was in a
whirl OF excitement about the Indians.
About dark the evening previous, oLe OF the
men attached to the Pony Express station
about 30 miles from here, on the Carson,
came riding into town at a furious rate.
bringing intelligence that six white men had
been murdered by the Indians, near that
place. and that the red skins were in large
force some 500 or 1000 warriors, near by the
station and mgditating an attack on this
place aud the neighboring mining camps.
& il is we'll kuewn that the Indians, par
ticularly the Pah-Utes, are well armed aud