Seattle daily post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, W.T. [Wash.]) 1881-1888, 1883-07-22
/ CIRLr LONG aoRsERACK RIDE
To CALIFORNIA.
Cheyenne Leader
Hello. how far is il 10 the next

1 ucyCA4c Ac8QcI
Hello. how far il it 10 the mex
town n
These words greeted the ears of W
w. Davis and family, "a they sat at sup
per at their residence, Sixteenth and
ONeill streets.
Mr.. Davis locked out of the open doc
| OF his dining room upon Sixteenth
street. He saw there an unusual pic
ture. A fine. large sorrel mare With {
| yeArling coils at her side, was standins
by the sidewalk. Upon the mares haci
sat young woman sidevise in q man:
saddle. she had on q mans broad.
brimned hat, a close lifting blue and
white checked calico dress, rough lace
shoes, and on one foot was a mans stir.
rup. A yellow rubber coat was tied up
behind the saddle. The young woman
was sunburnt and travel stained, but
sat erect and looked "a If she was able
of about 20 or % of age, having an intel
hair, which was brown, vas cut some
ion was of a hue that wind and sun puts
on man or woman, and her lips were
chapped from the same cause. She had
oAAkAss koy eyes, ouu q otfoIkut, uduu-
some nose.
What town do You want?'
The next town. whatever il is"
Where are you travelling tor
go California"
"Alone?"
Yes, alone and camping out. Where
can find good grass
Mr.. and Mrs Davis, like good, hos
r,ffa Ata -. 10 l. l.
to dismounta and partake of some supper.
down to the table and talked about the
trip she was making.
INV home is at Kingston, Green Lake
with my father. once spent some
time visiting in southern California, but
1t was some years ago. have for sew
eral years thought of starting in the
spring and making the journey on horse
back, and this year made up my mind
that would do it. / have been eight
weeks on the road. From my home TO
the Mississippi river the distance is $50
miles; it is $50 across the State of Iowa,
as travelled. and then 500 more to
Cheyenne. So have come over a thou
sand miles on horseback and alone"
Have you good horse 2"
Indeed / have. They wanted me to
give up my trip at Ksarny. Why. some
folks there grew real angry with me be-
cause I persisted in going on. They
me to sell my mare and colt and
take the money to pay my passage. But
do not need money, and I'll never part
with that mare. She's a good animal,
has speed as a trotter, and she weighs as
much, to a pound. as when l started
with her. To-day have ridden twenty
eight miles, but that is more than gen.
orally make. travel mornings and ev-
enings, and l stop long while at moons.
| started with side saddle, but it made
The mares back sore, 80 traded it of
for a mans saddle. At night picket |
the mare, and lie close to the picket. |
She can't move but l know it. She got |
away twice, though. Once followed |
her afoot more than ten miles, and then |
,aught her in a herd of thirty horses"
"What bedding have you in camping |
put p
"Nothins but that yellow slicker and |
he saddle blanket. l haven't suffered |
from the cold. but it gets awful lonely
at night, when the coyotes
ire bowling"
Have you been annoyed by tramps?"
"Not great deal. go back from the |
railroad at least two miles and avoid /
hem. Once tramp came upon me In
\ lonely place Vhen had the saddle of |
he mare, and began talking. l direc-
ed his attention to some emigrants off |
1t a distance, and slipped on the saddle,
buckled the fore-cinch, and Ralloped
of. But I'm not afraid. ! never think |
Of danger and carry no firearms"
"How do yon manage about eating!"
"There l have trouble. II / don't |
strike station at mealtime get moth |
ing to eat. Why I've gone all day often |
without eating-two days sometimes. Il |
was hard at first. but got used to it.
dent want to travel with emlgrants; |
there's no glory in that. have set out |
TO do this trip alone. have been the
last day or two travelling at about the |
same rate with some emigrants to |
Washington Territory. Sometimes they
are ahead; sometimes I am. But don't |
camp with them"
Would you mind telling me your
name p
Emma Larson"
miss Emma?
Eyes, sir"