The Placer herald., 1874-09-19
CROSSING Tas PLAINS IN 40:

CROSSING TuB PLAINS In '4Ss
The following. fom Dr. s,illman's ad-
dress, delivered before the Pioneers. on The
9th inst, in San Francisco, will be found in
teresting. especially 10 ihose Of our readers
who have tasted Of the bitter experience,
here so graphically depicted:
''At the approach, Of Spring the main
body Of goldhunters were gathering along
'he froniier-line. preparing to take up The
line a nAseh across ths. eoesinsut.-
This grand army, variously estimated a.
from twenty-five to Forty thousand. covered
the plains with their csnvas-covered wagons,
representing every section Of the Union, il
not every town.
On the appearance Of grass upon the
plains the grand march began. The long
geared prairie. scl,ooners Of the veteran
frotiersmen Of Missouri and Arkansas,
commMgled with the equare-bodied wagona
from the Northwest. and the light, gayIy-
printed ones. viii, aii the modern improve
ments. from down. East, poure continuous
line Of march by every route leading to the
South Pass Of the Rocky Mountains.
Persons in every variety Of circumstances
were forming an unbroken column in carts,
in wagons, on horses. on mules. and even
on foot-meR, women and children, even
women with infants at their breasts, truds-
ing along on foot.
The Asistic cholera, which had made its
appearance on the Atlantic scaboard early in
the Winter, began its ravages on the parties
moving by the Southern routes. The NOR
tality was fearful; whole companies were
cut off, and others 90 reduced that they were
compelled to return. While encamped at
the frontier towns. Independence and ST..
Joseph. the mortality was very great, and
it followed the emigrants like wolves on
the track Of the buffalo; the camps were
everywhere marked with hurriedly made
graves.
Swollen rivers were to be forded; bottom
lands, miry with spring rains, to be crossed
stalling the heavily loaded teams every hour;
the plain wae etrewn with the debris of bro.
ken and abandoned wagons. The wagons
were often unloaded and reloaded twenty
times day. Whole towns could have
heen fed with stores abandoned by the way.
Harassed by hostile tribes Of Indians, they
passed the day in incessant toll, and the
night in standing guard. Many, overcome
by unexpected difficulties, and hsrdsiips to
which they were unaccnstomed, abandoned
the enterprise and returned home. But
their absence could not be noticed in the i'm
,nensc thropg that pushed on over every
obstacle.
At length, as the higher and dryer ground
was reached. somewhat more order was
gained. Experience had cllasiened their
impotence and taught them how to apply
their energies to thu best results, but,
through inexperience and haste, the animal :
strength was already exhausted, and they
began TO fail; and before they reached the
Pass, the losees Of sock became serious and
neceasitated the Abandonment OF supplies
whose loss became of grave consequence be-
fore The end Of the journey WAS reached.
At the Mormon settlements in the valley ol
the Great Salt Lake, halted for several
weeks for their stock to recuperate for the
dreaded passage Of the desert. Along the
valley Of the Humboldt. through the in
terminable sage plains, covered with alka
like a loar frost. under a burning midsum-
ner FUN. they dragged their slow way, worn
down with the I'ardslips Of the past, and
dreading the still severer trials before them
The want Of vegetable food now began IA
develop scorbuic disease among the en-
grants; still, with brave hearts, they pushed
on; the valley Of the Sacramento, the land
Of promise. was before them it's golden
vision was their cloud by day and pillar o1
fire by night, to guide them through the
| wilderness.
So thoroughly were the animals Of the
emigrsnts worn out by the long journey
that when it became necessary tn leave the
friendly waters Of the Humboldt and strike
across the desert, to the streams that flowed
down to meet them from the Sierras, tl,ousl
the distance did not exceed forty to sixt,
miles, Il was too great; il was The last ounce
that proved too much for their endurance
No pen can describe the suffering enduref
IN that terrible route; c.itie were detached
from the wagons, everything that conld re-
tard their flight was abandoned, in the de.
spairicg efforts TO reach water. The ground
was macadamized Nth guns, ez-cl,ais,s. and
every kind of things that had not already
been abandoned; and to this day the plain il
every direction is covered with the bleacI,ed
homes Of the faithful beasts That perel,ed on
that fatal desert. 10 the banks of tie
Carson and Truckee they staggered, and
men and animals. in Ole common herd
rushed into the water with tongues swollen
and eyes red and glaring. Men, having
Stacked their thirst. filed their can.eens, and
returned to revive those who were exhausted
on the way.
Many trains, to avoid the desert, were in
duced to take more circuitous route to the