Daily State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis, Ind.) 1861-1865, 1864-09-09
AN OVERLAND TRIP TO CALIFOR.
our Special Correspondent -
TFS MLEs WEsr or FoRr LARAxIE.l

The country west OF Ash Holev is widely
different from that east of il. in scenery, soil and
vegetation The bills are holder. rock more
abundant valley narrow. grass more scanty, wa.
ter p1rer aud cooler and cedar and pine trees are
seen on either side of the river Often the bluffs
present strong resemblance TO ancient castles in
ruins, Qualifications dismantled, Egyptian tenn
pies half buried in sand, and old gothic churches
half decayed In one instance own with broad
streets and avenues isnked with massive build
ings, with domes aud spires, Was seen on the
south side Of the river. These strange forma-
tioas are the result of the action OF the wind
upon the material of which they are composed,
clay aud sand. about hard chalk. Seventy
miles of Fort Larimie Que such fantastic trick
of nature is seen in what is styled chimney rock.
OH the south side of the river. 1t il seen near
10 miles off with the naked eye, pure is the at
mosphere here It looks much ike a tall pillar Of
the Doric ORDER resting upon a coal pit It WAS
once over two hundred feet high, but has been
worn down by the action Of the wind to less than
one hundred and sixty feet Ii Is composed OF
sand and clay of about the conslstence OF chalk,
of 4 reddish cast This curious composition of
sand and clay arranged in so manv diversified
forms is evidently in the first stages OF petIifac
ton: for ! traced ii west through the different
stages until 1t became rock. | saw shells and
gravel embedded in this clay and sand mixture.
things being found in rocks Of the limestone
order
Wild sage and prickly pear make their appear
ance near Chimney Rock and continue to the
mountains
There is an Indian Agency twenty five miles
below Fl Laramie Mr. Wree, the patent med
icine man of Indiana being the Agent. Around
the Agency are collected several hundred lodges
of Oglallah Sioux. the remnant of the tribe
whom Gen. Harvey chastised so savagely near
Ash Hollow They are now well behaved, but
incident. Their lodges are made of skins, and
look like the bell tent, except that the skins are
supported by number of poles so sticking out
at the top "a to resemble, not little. an elk 5
horn when seen at distance Some of these
lodges have rude paintings upon them, giving
them variagated and not unpleasant appearance.
But filth abounds everywhere.
Along the road on the neghboring bluffs,
Indian burial grounds are seen. The bodies,
wrapped in skins and red flannel cloths, with the
bows and arrows and other hunting and war i'm
plements of the deceased. placed upon plat
forms, raised five or six feet above ground
Near them the ponies of the deceased are killed,
so that he NAV take fair start to the spirit land
hunting grounds Seven miles west Of Fl Lar
annie one more romantic than Others of the
race has deposited the mortal remains of his
friend in the branches OF pine tree. His blanket,
buffalo skin, bow and arrows and gun are by bis
side and the bones Of his pony bleach at the
roots of the tree
Fl Laramie is military post of no strength,
but pleasantly situated, kept clearly, and con-
sists of a collection of wooden and adobe build
ings, used FOR military purposes. The site Is in
the angle of junction of the Platte and Lara
ME rivers, and chain of hills on the north and
south overlook it. The llth Ohio volunteers
commanded by 1t. Col Collins, have been sta
toned here for over two wears past, but will be
relieved by n detachment of the It'll Iowa in
few days 1t Col Collins superseded few
days since by Maj. God, of the 9TH Iowa
Loud complaints have been made against
Lieut. Col. Collins for his neglect to furnish
proper protsction to emigrants from Indian dep
relations. He is reported to have said that the
emigration this year was composed of id cop
perheads fleeing from draft and not entitled to
any protection. Likely this charge is untrue
But the feeling against him among emgrants
and settlers is universal. Within seven miles OF
the fort Indians have attacked emigrant trains
and stole stock and within thirty miles mum
Der more have been killed. Between Fort
Kearny and Fort Laramie, on the north side OF
the river, FIVE graves of white men, killed this
season by Indians, were passed. At Deer creek
a number OF men were killed. and not far from
there train was attacked by Indians, and several
men, women and children killed. two women
and one child captured. One Of the women and
child escaped She travelled two DAYS and mig hts
on foot leading the little child and carrying it by
turns, TO A station. from whence she was taken TO
the fort These attacks are made daily along
the route from two hundred miles east TO one
hundred and fifty miles west of Fort Laramie by
bands of from eight to thirty Indians, and hun
dreds Of cattle. horses and mules have been
stolen, one whole train burned. number robbed
nd live losf ia toO
highway of travel from the Mississippi to the
Pacific, where every dav hundreds of wagons
pass over TO the Great West. These marauding
Indians are the Minnesota Sioux, led on by white
men, (some say Mormons, Others Southern
rebels who have been driven from Gen. Pope's
department by his energetic measures to chastlse
them.
Lately complaints were made 20 Gen Mitchell
at Omaha, who at once repaired To Fort Lara
mic where he is now busy in insttuting meas
ures TO punish the Indians and prevent future
depredatious There is, however, little security
to person or property on this route. The force
at the fort is inanequate To the task; and part OF
that is about being sent 10 Denver TO repel In
dian assaults made in that vicinity by the Chey
ennes, pronounced "kiannes." Trusting in
Providence and relying on the strength Of
twenty seven men, armed with twenty six rifles
and shot guns, and twenty revolvers, We are
SLOWLY pushing ahead, surrounded DIV hostile IN
dians, who are kept away fIom our camp only by
constant vigilance and strong guard We drill
daily, and have much ofsarmy discipline in
camp All around US are evidences of Indian
depredA,ions. and the only consolation We get at
the fort is couched in these ten words: Coral
your stock and keep out strong guard.
SATURDAY. We met about thirty wagons return
ing from Horse Shoe Bend. They reported that
the cattle dying off by hundreds from the eff
fects of slkaIi dust inhaled in crossing The hills
to that point Grass Is scarce ahead, owing TO
the prevailing droulh here and the great
emigration that has passed over it aud con
sumed most OF il. One man lost twelve
head of cattle in one day. Two fell dead
while yoking Five hundred are represented a.
lying dead at the Horse Shoe Bend This train.
thus discouraged. was going back TO the fort. and
from thence TO Denver The road IL over
bed Of limestone, and the great number of
wagons that have been over il has ground the
stone TO the depth of at least six inches. and e.
cry step 10 II raises cloud oil dust sitting TO
man and beast, aud so thick that the driver can
stage, With a scarcity Of water, whenever We
leave the river, and YOU have picture rot very
inviting 10 the pleasure seeking traveller
In the distance mountsin rears al0it tie pine
clad crest, in our front rushes madly by the
rcely surging waters of the Plato, and on ore
side q beautiful lake fed by springs, and once
the bed of the river, furnishes cool water and
tolersble fish IL We die. We will be buried
somehow in or on the ground. and rude board