The New Orleans Democrat. (New Orleans, La.) 1875-1876, 1876-03-18
THE GOLD SEEK Frs,
Letter from Capt. Porter, IT the BLACK
Wtlls IN plorcrs -Su0w-bOund
On tho Plains.

On vWC pgWlVs.
From tho Louisville Courier Journal
The following message. written by
Capt II. D. Porter. who has charge OF
the Louisville adventurers now on their
way to the Black Hills, was received in
Louisville yesterday:
OMAHA. March II. 1876.
g, w, Rose Louisville, n.y.:
Black Hills expedition got outfit
here to-day. Everything to eat IL cheap
or here than in Louisville. Got foul
new recruits to-day. All the boys in
fine spirits. Have laid in provisions
enough to last three months. Black
Truly yours. II. ID. PORTER.
Twelve persons are now ready to leave
for the Black Hills from Louisville. II
more join in the next few days. an early
start for the gold-dggings may be ex-
pected.
From these accounts by telegraph OF
the snow storm in the West. il Is almost
certain that DIR. Porter and his squad Of
Black Hills miners, which left Louisville
last Thursday arc showed up some
where between Omaha and Cheyenne.
If they made connections promptly.
they were due at Cheyenne on Sunday
afternoon. at half. past ! o'clock. But
according to the dispatches. all passen
ger and freight trains going west from
Omaha on the Union Pacific road were
snow bound. while a most terrific snow
storm was still raging. These young
Adventures have doubtless encountered
hardships OF a severe nature much EARL
or than they anticipated. Five days ago
they left land smiling with flowers. Gid
ing away through an atmosphere balmy
with ambrCsial sweetness. Now they are
wandering over a country bleak, barren
and covered with ice and snow. with no
prospect of ethereal mildness for weeks
re- come. A snow storm In the noun
tains and plains of the West means in
tense cold weather, as well as an impas-
sable barrier to travel. Instead OF the
few inches which we so easily trudge
through here, the ground there Is COW
cred by such storms as Just swept over
that country with from four to SIX feet
of snow. rendering travel in any manner
impossible. Tourists are caught sud-
denly upon tho roads. on the plains, in
the mountains or the depths OF the
forests. If they have fuel and food they
may be safe. but often they are over
come by the intensity of the cold,
together with hunger, and die.
But It is not probable our lit
tie band OF gold hunters will
die from such causes. There is no doubt
they are now experiencing all these
seventies. but an easier fate awaits
them should they be doomed to hasty
taking off from any cause at all. Old
Sitting Bull, it is said, is sitting back III
his winter wigwam yearning for scalps.
But then these young men were a hardy
set of fellows, well armed and brave,
and if attacked may fight their way
through and reach the land OF gold, and
in ali probability they may not have
any obstacles worse than the present
snow to encounter. Those young men
who are now forming second company
in this city for the Black Hills need
not. however, be discouraged by any
idle surmiSes.
In his last illness poor Hood was re-
duced to a skeleton. As he noticed
very large mustard poultice which Mrs.
Hood was making for him, he eXcialm-
ed: "Oh, Mary! Mary! That will pc
great deal Of mustard to a very little
meat!" Shortly before his death, being
visited by clergyman, whose features
as we'll as language were more lugubrl-
Gus than consoling, Hood looked up at
him compassionately and said my
6aor cir Tn, a frajd yO1r religion QOoSQ