Montgomery County sentinel., 1882-06-23
South Pass lies considerably notth Of

Of the Rocky Mountains thereto we did
not after reaching the Pass keep directly
west and down the mountain side, but
rather in a southwestern course, on and
with the mountains until reaching a
point in the Valley of Salt Lake oppo-
site to aud not far from the city. Il was
not from the Pass itself or whilst going
through it, nor indeed until having trav-
eled considerable time longer that we
first got glimpse of that great valley or
the glorious scenery presented to tho eye
then aud therey shall not attempt a
description. am wholly incompetent 70
the task There are doubtless many de-
scriptioDs in print by various and COM
petent authors and prefer referring my
readers to them if they have mind TO
read such accounts. Neither shall Mt
tempt description Of our descent from
South Pass to Salt Lake as it would be
but a repetition Of ahe eyperiences of
our ascent thereto from Laramie, except
that will insist for roughness and hard
ship Of any kind to man and beast tho
descent is incomparably worse than the
ascent. The descent Of Echo and Goose
Creek canons, sor instance. through and
down both which we had to travel was
at that day, at any rate, the ultimate Of
toll and harrassment the human body
and brain could endure aud still live and
keep his or her senses. II was not ply
sical suffering SO much, even under the
trying ordeal of daily and often hourly
lifting and guiding by rope and hand
our wagons safely down places often 30
procipitous as to require the unhitching
of the teams---it was not this so much
we had to complain of at least only NJ
that helped to superinduce the other
but the suffering of the mind under and
as affected by the scenes Of misery wit
messed on every hand-the distress of
the poor, dumb animals we were driving,
sometimes for the want Of food. some
times for the want Of water and all the
time from lamoness and weariness of
travel over sharp jagged rocks, moan
ing and groaning pitifully at times. and
looking at the heartless devils urging
them forward with sticks and stones, and
from eyes streaming with tears and that
seemed to express astonishment 1T their
treatment and beg for mercy--until at
last utterly overcome they would sink to
the ground and expiro-their last look
at and knowledge Of any thing being
the presence of their covetous owner--the
Boss wriging their necks by turning
their horns or boating out their brains
and cursing them in anger at their pre-
suming 10 die and thus lose to him the
sum of from $120 to $3.50 each on their
arrival safely in California sight that
often brought me aud others Of the train
to the verge of treating him like beast,
as verify VIC esteemed him now and Of
the most disgusting sort. But the suf-
fering of those poor beasts was not oil or
the worse to trouble and distress. An-
other and painful experience on this trip
was in the cognizance Of the fact that all
of US, including myself, and Of every
emigrant we met with along these hard
places of travel there had grown up with
in them an utter Indifference as the wants,
wishes, hopes, fears and even lives Of
their fellow-emigrants or Of their own
lives--an Indifference no one could think
probable, except he was there TO see, any
more than comprehend tho look Of dis
tress, the very rocks. timber and other
things surrounding him there, even the
waters, still and running, seemed to as
sumo.
AS my narrative is already much more
voluminous than at first contemplated,
shall not describe 80 much in detail see
merry and objects Of curiosity met with
in the subsequent part Of our trip, but
leave my readers to get their descriptions
from better writer's, and shall confne the
future part Of this narrative to events
occurring that still remain in memory.
Whilst travelling on steamboat from
Wheeling to Missouri, among the pas
sengers were three young men, none Of
them apparently over twenty years Of
age. They said they we're minstrels from
New York, and seemed at first 10 have
plenty of money, but as they got to
gambling with black-leg sharpers on tho
boat, and persisted in it, Of course lost
money, and when we next saw them. at
Independence, were entirely broke, and
had to hire to an cmigantto to drive cattle,
in consideration Of his feeding them
through They soon got tired Of tbis
and determined 10 make their way by the
process now termed ''tramping'--thst is
by walking and begging, and when fail
ing to get along thus to hire again for
time to some emigrant with cattle. We
did not see the party again until at Lar
annie, where while we were breakfasting
one morning they came to our camp and
asked for something to eat, as they were
ahead Of their train and very hungry
Tho Boss refused TO give them anything
to cat unless they helped cross our cattle
over the river. This they quickly agreed
to and faithfully carried out They ate
this meal as though they were nearly
famishcd They Afterwards wanted the
Boss 10 keep them as help through TO
California, but he was too sharp and
would not trust them. Our next meet
ing Of these young gentlemen was during
our descent Of Goose canon. We had
encampcd at the foot Of hill around
tho base Of which the trail made short
turn On starting out in the morning
and making the bend in the trail we saw
coming down the side Of the hill this
same party. They seemed to recognize
our train aud to wish to avoid il. but the
Boss called to them and charged them
with having deserted some train, and in
his conversation intimated that they had
made their last meal from the carcass Of
some late dying beef They denied this,
but the Boss and others went back.
through curiosity, and upon examination
found his suspicious truo.
We never met the party again, to my
knowledge, unless indeed il was in their
character as Ministries in some California
troupe, and who knows otherwise than
that in that calling they made money
and Afterwards became the nabobs Of
thoirs tradc MAS earfainlv "a