Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1882-06-02

upon--luxurlos not enjoyed again for
many a day. We had travelled that day
possibly fifteen or eighteen miles. If
We had not yet fallen in with the beau
tiful and romantic scenery of the plains.
as we were assured by the Boss ut
Wheeling and on tho trip from that
place TO Missouri, we should do, immedi-
ately after crossing the border, wc did
fall in with a knowledge of the kind Of
person who had persuaded us on this trip
for his own selfish use and purposes and
not in any degree for our individual
pleasure or profit We found out now
that he had beguiled us to part with al
most all our money on the jovial trip
VIC had on the steamers from Wheeling to
Independence, asserting we would not
need dino on the plains, or even after
reaching California, his object being to
make ussaependent upon him alone for
provisions. nc, on the journey and there
fore unable to leave him and join other
trains if at any time we 80 desired. We
found out too even in this early part of
the trip that he had advised us to part
with our warm, heavy clothing simply
to get rid of that addition to the freight
age of tho wagons, single pound be-
ing consideration, as afterwards we
fully comprehended, and too, to harden
us at once for the work Immediately be-
fore us. recollect he (he Boss lay out
in the rain all that first night only to
show us what We had to expect, and was
wrathy when (after supper) some of us
sought shelter in the cabin aforesaid.
The second day was similar to the first,
rainy and cold, and what with unload
ing and reloading the wagons again
very little yet had any of us seen of the
glory of crossing the plains, but that
we could and did wish unseen. To be
sure we we're now fairly out upon the
plains some thirty or more miles from
the borders of civilization, or such in
dicatons of social living Or society as
towns, houses, barns, fencing, &c, but
not until after four or five days more or
pretty similar travelling through rain and
mud, crossing high streams, going to and
getting up from bed wet and cold, cat
ing cold victuals, cooked before starting
with the exception of coffee. Not until
after four or five days more of this kind
of experience, and the sun had once
again broken out and dispelled the
clouds. was it we could sec and say,
with Bryant
"These are the gardens of the desert these
The unshorn fields, boundless and beautiful, |
For which tho anaanh al En,rIonI haa
The Prairies. behold them Tor the first,
And my heart swells while the dlated sight |
Takes in the encircling vastness."
do not mean to resort TO quotations,
however, to help me describe the scenes
and incidents of this journey. mean
to depict them and the thoughts and feel
ings cngendercd by them in my own
brain and bosom in tho order can now
remember them, and in the crude, des-
ultory manner my literary capacity, or
rather incapacity, will admit,
Boundless aud beautiful These two
words in their fullest significance we're
over uppermost in my thoughts, and con-
slant to give expression to these thoughts,
as from day to day during clear weather
(and clear weather on the plains con-
trasts novelty and pleasantly with what
we call such herc,) we moved slowly on
Westward, and perceptibly from the start
apward to the Rocky Mountains, and
saw as far as the eye could reach on either
hand an unbroken stretch Of the softest
green intcrspcrsed with
"Flowers whose glory and whose multitude
Rivaled the consultations"
unbroken, save now and then by isolated
steep sand bluffs, assuming in the dis
lance fantastic shapes, such as of tall
monuments, great cathedrals, &c, no.
tably Chimney Rock" Court House
Bluff" Pyramid Recks," Scots
Bluff, " seen, some Of them. by the emf
grant even weeks before coming 10 and
after passing them
But must now rctracc my steps aud
give more detailed account of things
occurring to and seen by me thus far on
the trip.
On the evening of the third or fourth
day out from Independence We were ia
the neigbborhood of Mission" Gas
our guide-book informed us) either Cath
Ollie or Baptist, ] have forgotten now
which, | think it was called Omaha
Mission There was another one some
distance further west which we also
passed, aud that is the reason cannot
now distinguish the ono from the other
IN name or sect
| spoke Of guide-book above this
was small pamphlet, the work of
some former emigrant, published at St.
Louis, and was Of great use TO parties
travelling 10 California, particlarly to
those driving large herds of cattle and
sheep. | onl y wish | lad one Of these
books now, for il would enable me " rec.
ollect dates, distances and names Of places
more correctly than now can
The evening Of the day spoken Of was
clear and comparatively pleasant, and
was the first occasion of our encamping
off the great cmgrant trail and Of our
cooking meal. After unbitcbiog teams
and picketing the horses and mules, |
took up bucket to go after water to a
small stream some distance of, say n
quarter Of n mile The sun was down ,
and it was getting dark, and while filing /
the bucket from the stream with a tin ;
cup suddenly hoard very queer noise I
coming from rocky, sbrub-covorcd ,
bluff on the opposite side of the stream, j
sounding like parties talking low but an t
grily. had not seen any Indians, as
yet, but knowing by report that they /
were quite plenty in the neighborhood | {
became little uneasy and was about to
pick up my bucket and leave when a
general howl "all along the line" quickly {
explained the matter and knew at once I
that the noise proceeded from pack Of 4
prairie wolves, or coyotes, as they are I
usually called, commencing their evening I
concert had never seen or even heard |
any Of them before, but knew by des- /