Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1885-06-13
OVERLAND WITH TEAMS.
INTERESTING "REMINISCENCES OF
THE EARLIER DAYS.
Dangers and Hardships of the Way
Fordipg Streams-Attacks and
Murders by Indians-Etc.

At recent meeting of the Avon Club, in
this city, a sketch of overland travel with
teams and wagons, as engaged in prior tx
the completion of the transcontinenta
railroads, was given by Mr.. Joseph Stefens
in which the experience of himself ani
party, during a several months trip, was
related Following are some of the leading
points in the sketch, which was quite
lengthy, but full of interest throughout:
Having resigned clerkship at Freeport
Illinois, and spent few days in bidding
adieu to friends, l started May TO- 1862, {
| single man, with yalise inclosing my bag
gage and earthly possessions, for an over
! land trip to the far Golden State. Join
| ing an overland party about TO leave
! from their point of rendezvous-Fort De:
Moines, Iowa-we were soon on the road. il
| the full activities of an overland Journey BY
team and march, and in true nomadic STYLE
| were jewellers in tents at least by night
and for a season.
THE OVERLAND STAGE.
After days and weeks OF travel over
new, wild country, people become weary
and Indifferent, dangers become familiar
and they pass through many undertaking,
that in ordinary life seem impOssibilities
One evening June 25th we were campeC
on the north side of the great Platte. Or
the opposite side of the river, some two
miles to the south, stands g independence
Rock" 1t cast O. long shadow down the
great valley, as does the Washington
Monument on the Potomac While look
ing at the scene, the gliding sun lighting
points here and there, there pulled out Of
the dark shadow of the great rock, seen
for the first time on the road, that model
of Western life and genius, a six-horse
overland stage, west-bound. Its sight in
-yited desertion and flight, for we were
tired, and still a long journey was ahead
As the horses struck their usual brisk gait
the rays OF the setting sun gave them new
glory, and to one soul, old Elijahs cloud
chariot, Paradise bound, would not have
looked more beautiful.
FoRDIHG 4 RAGING RIVER.
Soon after we slowly approached what
had been already reported to us by per
son bound eastward, whom we had met,
as a serious trial for us-the crossing of a
swollen river, bridges and ferry gone. But
short survey was made. Others had left
evidence Of their having gone into the
stream, il not across. The river was high
and booming. First was marshy land
then water; then bare spot again more
water, flowing rapidly; then an island, and
then the stream. But we could not turn
back, and we did not want 10 wait. We
started a solitary horseman into the
stream ahead, and one team after the other
followed in line, slowly and quietly. The
farther we went the more rushing the
waters, and the higher they rose. Then
would come a more shallow spot, and as
we emerged from the water we
breathed easier, and spoke a word of
encouragement for those who seemed to
realize the dangers that surrounded US.
During the crossing, when nearing the
island and moving slowly, the forward
wheel on the downstream side of my
wagon went into rut, and the hub went
out Of sight. A bundle that had moved
forward went past me overheard AS it
struck the rushing waters, the driver said
"Whoa I" pulled the lines, dropped them,
and jumped for the runaway personal
property; struck bottom near a willow
and caught the willow in one hand and the
property in the other. The horses were
tried and faithful. 1t was but a seconds
work TO regain the wagon and lines, and
drive on, listening to the scolding words of
the woman who was sitting further back
III Inc CONcI GU wagon ~ see less Oh tNe
dangers, but who was too frightened to
scold much By the time we were safely
over and dangers passed, she had gotten
over her fright and i'll humor at the driver 5
"recklessness' as she called it; she came
towards the front seat smiling ut the dri-
vers dripping personal and half humor-
ously said: You are nice looking duck
The girl you left behind you should see
you now"
NEW EXPERIENCE.
AS we drove on all thought or care re-
garding real danger seemed of little weight
to US. Near the Sweetwater mountains
one warm, suitry afternoon June 28th) we
were driving along barren country. de-
void Of interest, the wagons somewhat sep
arated some near asleep, and others off
on horseback out Of sight, and ladies driy-
ing in their stead, an incident occurred
which was our first experience in that
line. Behind our train proper was
single team, wagon, two horses
and two men, who had fallen in line that
morning, so as to be with us, and who, at
this hours oclock-Were full quarter of
a mile in the rear. We had Just come to
a turn in the road in front was the brow
of hill, over which seemed q deep ravine.
As my horses here turned to the left to de-
scend a steep incline of ever a mile they
both sprang forward quickly. The cool
air came up out of the valley to greet us !;
it seemed refreshing the jump Of the
horses had startled us, yet Judging it was
the change of air and the crowding of the
wagon that had started them, | reined
them up quickly and drove on carefully
but quite rapidly. My team in front was
Just reaching the foot of the mountain
when an unusual alarm came from behind.
Making a short turn, so as to look out and
back, there YVES to be seen a sight long to
be remembered Down the road was COM
ing rapidly the teams IN disorder, fol-
lowed by
A BAND OF MURDERoUs indiana.
They had dug place out from the hill
side within two hundred feet of the turn of
the road, and seeing our sleepy, careless
condition. had determined to murder and
plumber us. They were in that hole in the
mountain-side with their ponies, and it
was their presence that our own horses had
detected and warned US of as best they
could but which we did not understand
until too late The Indians came half way
down the bill and then hastily retreated.
We turned our wagons in a circle and sew
eral of us went back to see what had been
done. We pulled some arrowsfrom the horses
but found not one of our party proper had
been touched. The last team Of our own
train, four-horse team, was driven by q
lady One of the men was away from the
train and the other was in the wagon
asleep and quite unwell. Two Indians
caught hold of the leaders, but she used her
whip promptly, and the sick man, aroused
by the alarm, used his reyolvers with such
rapidity that the Indians had been fright
ened of. On going further back on the
road we found the evidenceof theredskins'
success in the attack. The two strangers
that had fallen in line with their team in
the morning were
SHOT THROUGH, AND BUTcHERED
With an ak. The wagon was found up
turned and plundered and the horses gone.
As we looked around, and near the road
only one dead Indian was found with
which to credit our careless murder-invit-
ing action. We picked up the tive strang-
ers-one dead and the other dying-and
carried them down to the foot of the noun
tain where the teams were, but before
reaching the little stream, the dying man
had passed Deaths river. We crossed over
from the little shaded valley, and on a lit