Southern shield., 1860-01-28
. TRIP FR0M CAMP FLOYD TO u
 ANGELES.
FROM CAMP FLOYD TO LOS VEGAS.
Correspondence of the Missouri Democrat.
Los VEGAS, NEW MEXICO, Nov. IS, 1850.

Los VEGAS, NEW MEXICO, Nov. IS, lS5y.
 EDrToRs MISSOURI DEmocRAT-Seven days aco we bade adieu to our friends at Camp Floyd, mounted our animals, and turned theirsI heads towards Southern California. Our party numbered three, our arms consisted of good rifle, brace of Colts navy sized reyolyers to the man one of my companions had pair of Derringer pistols extra, while my indiyidu- al equipments consisted of bowie-knife, a double-barrel shot gun, two of Colts navy pistols, and n Sharp's pistol, giving the com- pany in all forty-three shots Our first days travel brought us 10 Nephia, Mormon settlement of several hundred souls. On the second day we reached Fillmore city, tEc capi tal of tho Territory. This city is, likeai other Mormon towes, nothing more than a settle ment of three or four hundred souls The houses are all built of adobe, and have the ap- pearance of thrift and energy. We made our camp upon the banks of very beautiful stream, where I succeeded in catching a couple of very fine mountain trout, which we cooked for break fast tie next morning. The thi;d day brought us to Beaver city, another settlement of several hundred souls. Here we encampcd on the banks of clear brook, and made fine meal from some rabbits and ducks that had killed during the day.
 Our next day travel brought us to the vii lage of Paronan. This place contains pop- ulation of near 1000 souls, and is by far the most prosperous Mormon settlement in the Territory We were treated with every kind- ness by the people of the village, and left the next morning with the sincere re- gret that there were so few like these in the God-forsalzen Territory of Utah. Our fifth days travel brought us to to the ialnous Mountain Meadows During the day we pass ed through Cedar City, which, from a thriving settlement of three thousand souls, has dwin- dled away till scarce 300 remain. The entire male portion of the inhabitants of this place participated in the massacre of the Arkansas emigrant train, on the 10th of September, 1857, and since that dark and bloody day, the curse of God seems to have settled upon the place, and many have fled it, fearing the ghosts of the murdered victims. We walked over the ground and visited the different spots where the different acts of the tragedy were perpetrated, and our eyes, though unused to the melting mood, filled with tears as we gazed upon the scattered remnants of the victims that lay strewn over the plain. Our first visit was to the rayine where one hundred and four teen women and children were shotdoWn by their ruthless enemies. Here we picked up several punches of hair that had belonged to the mur- dered ones. We then crossed the plain about half mile distant, to the spot where the un- armed and defenceless men were offered up as victims to Mormon treachery and rapacity.-
 
 our course till we arrived at the springs where the party were encanped, and where they were l first attacked.
 l Company K, of the 1st U $. Dragons, have built a monument upon the ground occupied 1 by the emigrants a corral. short distance of it bears strong resemblance to a huge hay 1 stack, but upon nearer approach its contour assumes more architectural aspect. Upon | it's summit is erected a huge cross, bearing the following inscription:
 Vengeance is mine, and I will repay, saith 1 the Lord"
 Since the terrible slaughter, no inducement is strong enough to persuade the Mormons to make this spot camping ground. There has | been much difference of opinion as to the real number of victims. The general opinion is that not over one hundred and thirty-four were slain, as that number comprised the skulls found and buried by the soldiers; but goodly number were cast into the spring, which is some sixty feet deep, and many were killed far from the scene of tragedy, in an endeavor to eff feet an escape. I have been told by gentle man who encamped with them on the Sweetwa- ter that the train contained one hundred and ninety three souls. Should this be the truth, and I have every reason to believe it is, then l one hundred and seVenty-seyen were murdered
 With heavy hearts we turned from the scene and pursued our way the next day, and reached Beaver Dam on the Rio Virgin, having passed down the Santa Clara river distance of thirty miles, and crossed and recrossed the stream one hundred and four times. This days travel brought us into very fine country, when view ed with an artists eye, for more beautiful and picturesque scenery never saw. After resting z--T t1yT CT ---- r----s 1lafs7CT, Y the first crossing of the Rio Virgin, where we found good grass and encamped for the night
 The next day rye were early in the saddle and proceeded down the Rio Virgin for twenty or thirty miles, there crossed a desert to tho Muddy, and made camp about o'clock P. M Soon after making camp we were attacked by party of Flutes. We drove them of ana caught up our animals, hastily saddled them ! and mounted.
 We now kept up running fight for several miles, but as the Indians were armed only with bows and arrows, they effected no seriou; damage; we travelled across what is known as the Muddy Desert distance of fifty five miles. and reached here this morning at half past o'clock. Here, at some previous day existed a Mormon settlement, and their adobe fort is still in good preservation. We found good grass close by the fort, and good pure wa ter within, so we have determined to rest oul faded animals as well as ourselves. 1 have determined to embrace the time that stand i guard over opr animals and my sleeping com panions, to write to you. My table is a pail of macheers. We shall start forward to-mor- row, and I shall write you from the different points along the road.
 FROM LOS VEGAS TO FL MONTE.
 FL MONTE, CAL, Nov. 25.
 We arrived here two days ago, and have been detained by the heavy rains that have prevail ed here several days.
 On the morning of the 18th VIC caught up our animals and had an carly start, and by dint of hard riding reached the Kingston springs by 12 o'clock at night. Our travel was over one of the worst deserts have ever seen.- l Not a drop of water nor g blade of grass foI sixty miles, and but poor supply of water when l the springs are reached; and what there is oi it, so strongly impregnated with alkali as to render it almost unfit for use. The water in these springs bears an exact resemblance to i lye, and has a taste not a whit more pleasant On our arrival here we found no grass so we rested for couple of hours, and then set out towards the Bitter Springs. In order to reach 1 these springs we had to cross a sixty mile des- ert, which we accomplished in little over twelve hours. Here wefound the water still worse than at the Kingston Springs, and nc i grass. So, after a rest of two or three hours 1 we attacked the last desert, and reached the Mohave after weary march of thirty five miles, our animals nearly famished for water and nearly 'gone under for want of food, hay ing travelled one hundred and seventy miles l q, p,1