Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1879-06-06
fmlgrant Travel on the Pacific Slope.


whose interesting letters We have occasional
lv published, in lieu Of communication
from her own pen, sends us the following
extract from private letter, showing som
Of the trials to be met with in emigran
travel even now in California and Oregon
The tourists, five in number, are on thci
way from Southern California to Idaho,
RoUSD VALLEY, ModOc county,
California, May, /, 1879.
"Our last was from Red Bluff, whcrt
we were waiting in camp, for the mul t,
dry up in front. Soon after writing, WI
concluded to try our luck at crossing tht
Sierras, by new road, rather than to re
main in camp week or So. The road wa,
reported good, but somewhat longer than tht
regular road. So, camp was broken and VIC
started direct for the mountains, the road
twisting and turning to all points of the
compass Oh and on, and up, We wound ouI
way for two and half days through mud
and snow until the top was finally reached
Here 1t was ccli and stormy and M grass
for our beasts. We all looked blue, our
teeth chattered with cold, while our dumb
animals neighed for progender. The sun
had passed the meridln, and the hands of the
watch pointed to > O'Clock p. m. Twenty
five miles lay between us and grass. while
the snow filled the road to depth Of two
feet. This made progress slow. However,
the brink of the mountain was reached by
four p. m, and we e,an the descent We
were soon cut Of the snow. but into the
mud worse than ever. soon horses and
wagon went down. The harness was strip
| ped from the horses, ani with some difficult
! ty they were extricatej. The wagon had to
| be pried up, brush piled under the wheels,
and rUpas made fast To the end nf the tongue,
| then the horses were hitched To- the end of the
ropes all hands to the wheels, mad to the
knees, and, with a push aaj pull, out We
come. Cold, wet and muddy. on We 90
down the mountain. But horror upon
misery mere we come 10 tamaracK
swamp; | rode my pony in, to see if the
wagon could cross, hat down he went, and
| had to wade out as hest cluld. The
swamp was 300 yards across, We were wet
and mndiy to the arm pits. Ii was o'clock,
came from the south. We wished We were
with our relatives in Southern California, or
had never been born, We did not care
which There was nothing to do but to
cut poles and brush and bridge the swamp.
We worked hard and late, sometimes in
water, waist deep, water cold as cold could
be. At ten o'clock we canped, but were up
at four and at work again. At ten in the
morning We crossed. The horses carried
our baggage over, and with long ropes to the
wagon tcngue, hard pushing, heavy lifting,
and a good deal Of shouting We were all
over, wet completely boots and pockets full
OF mud, and completely miserable The
horses lOokel as if the hair had been put On
the wrong way. The wagon was reloaded,
and VIC took our line of march once more,
l9 miles to feed. Two hours further on
found Us laundering in another mud hole,
two horses down, wagon in up 10 the bed,
After two hours more o! hard work We we're
again on the move, to be stopped by fallen
tree directly in our path. The pioneer corps
TO the front with axes soon cleared away the
Here onr good hum1r gave OUT entirely. The
horses had to he pnled ont OF the mud and
and the road corduroyed before wc could
cross. Ii was nearly night again, and still
ten miles to feed. We were IA muddy, be-
dragglcd set a. ever was seen, and the ANIMALS
kept up Il continual neighing for food. At
eight O'Clock VIC were in camp. The grass
was short bus our hor-cs ate v0raciously;
FIRE was soon kindled and q supper OF bread
and coffee served. An old mlu cIme to
camp and said We should fad plenty of grass,
good fishing and plenty OF game fifteen miles
further on. ~ all were sstir early in the
morning; the road was good and the unimals
travelled better thin usual. The country
was heavily timhercl with pine aud oak.
We were IN glad cheer ami really for
fan. The largest gama We saw WAS
a squirrel up tree. lie was first greeted
with both barrels from shot gun, next a
Henry rifle WAS turned on him, then
Ed played hi, baud with Winchester.
Orders were then gwen 10 load and lire at
will After four r,uni- the squirrel fell
from the tree, was caught by the dog and
killed with IA clhb. This adventure proved
to uS that ii We could only find the zane We
could maintain ourselves.
We are now in camp on Ptte river, - |
miles from Gpu>e hkc There is good grass
and plenty of wood We caught fifteen beam
tilul trout for oui dinner Shall rest here |
II dIy ,ir twi.
May 1th.--W, have moved to within - |
miles of GouSc lake AMI from there shall 90 to |
Fort B1iSe ,on thu Snukr River. We htde adieu |
to our old camp, yrst'idly morning At 9 |
o clock 1t began u ram, winch S'on changed |
10 snow. We tn1k possession ot uhr present |
quarters at night, culd. wet and hungry,
snow still fllirg iast About midnight the
horses stlmpeded !; out We get. boats all wet,
and such time pulling on y1u never saw.
We could hear the horses going on Il full
run. Your correspondent having expert
enccd such things before, started without
bDpts eat or hat found ole horse that |