The Emporia news. [volume] (Emporia, Kan.) 1859-1881, 1868-05-29

The following extract from letter
from DIR. Fred Peterson, brother TO DR..
Ii. ID. Peterson, detailing his hardships
we copy from the Kansas City Jour
mel Of Commerce.:
SAN FRANCISCO. April 10, 1868.
Our division after leaving
| Fort Mohave, on the Colorado, Janua-
ry 9th. dropped our line and started for
Taheechaypah Pass. We had three
hundred miles to travel over the Colo
RADIO Desert. The wagons were heavi-
ly loaded with corn, and for the first
three days we only made forty miles.
There was no sign of q road, and prob
ably wagon never passed over that
portion of the Desert. The sand was
so deep and soft that the wagons were
up to the hub all the time, and the mules
could only pull about five hundred feet
without resting. There was not sign
of vegetation save the cactus and sage
bush, and these only hindered our tray
cling. The weather was pleasant and
warm, one thing III our favor, and the
sand soft to sleep on. We would make
two or three halts during the day, turn
the mules out and let them roll, which
does them as much good as Il good feed
of corn. The fourth day the wind
commenced to blow and sand TO fly, and
before noon it was so bad that we could
not see the length of u team, and 1t was
impossible to see our land marks on the
mountain that we went travelling to-
ward. never saw snow so thick as
this sand; it would come with such
force that it cut the skin on our faces.
We were obliged to halt, about two
o'clock, and could drive no further that
4 fn1 hi Int
covered my head completely over, and
was soon foot under the sand. 1t con-
tinued to blow for two days, but not SO
hard. got "sand blind" and my eyes
are still very troublesome. We would
frequently drive for two days without
water, and that we would find was so
strong of alllah that it was impossible
to drink it. We intended to make
Tahuchay pah i'll 10 days, but when the
10 days were up, we were not half way
there, and the mules were dying every
day. We had to abandon private bag
gage, extra instruments, wagons, bar
rels of pork, tool chest, and, in fact, ev-
erythiDg- We left six wagons, and put
all the mules on the remaining three,
and then they could scarcely draw them
along. Our forage was all gone; no
grass, water, and a small supply of pro-
visions. We would find lakes mile
long of wafer saltcr than the oceans, and
qnlcksand for fifteen miles around it.
Our train would bog" and all hands
look ropes and haul mules and wagons
out. Our ''trusty" guide went ahead to
look for water, and that was the last we
ever saw of him. He took the only
good horse that was in the party, and
dug out" We were left to get across
the mountains as best we could, know
ing when we were once there we would |
find plenty of grass and water. On the |
twentieth day we came to Il spring of
fresh water, near large salt lake, |
known as Desert Lake. and found /
good grass for the stock. This was the
first water L had drank III three days. |
Could do no cooking-no wood or wa
ter, had TO be satisfied on raw flour: had |
Il barrel of pork, but dare not eat it, |
rs it would only increase our thirst. |
The mules would eat the wagon-pole. /
harness, blankets-any thing they could /
get their teeth Oh to. l have seen them i
eat sand for hours. My weight when we
left Fort Mohave was $50 pounds.
lost twenty on the desert. After rest
ing day at this spring, parties We're /
sent out i'll different directions to find I
the pass. Owe. were within three miles /
of the mountain.) Our quartermaster
and myself went with sack and two
saddle mules in one direction, which |
proved to be the right one. We left
camp i'll the morning, and had ridden !
about thirty miles when we saw
depression in the mountain answering
the description of Pah. We started to-
ward it, and struck a hard beaten road.
Imagine our joy when we found fresh
horses and cattle tracks. We followed |
this road till twelve o'clock that night, |
and came TO rancho. We awakened |
the npODlQ and were told Un wara in !
Pah. a good supper was given us,
mules fed, and l was furnished with !
fast horse to return that night to our
camp to give them the glorious news. |
l rode nearly fifty miles back, and was
i'll camp by s O'Clock, PM. **&