Los Angeles daily herald., 1890-02-24
DAYS OF FORTY-NINE.
Crossing the Continent to Dig
California Gold.
CAMPING ON THE GREAT DIVIDE.
Mountain Sheep. Indians, Long Emil
grant Trains, Ferding Rivers
and Miring in Swamps.

The journal Of j. M. Hixson. kept
while crossing the continent in '49, in
this installment reaches the top of the
Rocky mountains and the banks of the
Green river:
Monday, June 1lth, we lay in camp all
day, waiting our turn to cross the river.
1t was very tedious crossing with the
large OK teams. There was young man
by the name of James Brown, from
Howard county, Missouri, drowned in
crossing.
On Tuesday, June 18th, we crossed
the river at 10 O'Clock, and drove two
miles up the river and stopped for noon.
We travelled then twenty miles, and
stopped for the night at Mineral Springs.
We made Camp 80 on Wednesday,
June 18th, then took an early start, ira
veled sixteen miles, and nooned at
Willow Springs. We crossed three
streams of running water and passed
Prospect Hill. We had to cross
some swampy ground; got two
teams mired down; dug them
out; had some good road; made good
time came to Sweetwater, one mile be-
low Independence Rock, where we
camped, having travelled thirty-eight
miles. Camp 40 was pitched on Thurs
day, June 14th, after passing Independ-
ence Rock. This is one of natures won
ders. 1t is two miles in circumference
and seventy-five feet high, disconnected
from all other similar formations, lying
in a level plain. A half mile above we
crossed the Sweetwater, deep stream
of ice-cold water coming from the SHOWS
of the Rocky mountains. Six miles
from the crossing of the Sweetwater is
DEVILS Gate. The road passes between
two high cliffs, and but short distance
to the right the river rushes through q
cleft in the rock, the sides of which are
400 feet high, with perpendicular sides.
Why this should be called the DEVILS
Gate am at loss to know, for had this
pass not been made I gee no way the
country beyond could have been reached
It may be the Old Boy expects to get
those who pass this place. 1t is GER
tainly q most romantic place. 1t
has a smooth, level wagon road
few yards wide, with walls
of perpendicular sides of smooth rocks
towering to the clouds on either side,
and with the roaring of river rs it's
waters dashed oyer the rocks through a
gorge still more wild few rods away.
We were inside or beyond the DEVILS
Gate. To our right was the Sweetwater.
From it's northern bank rises the rockiest,
steepest and highest peaks of the Rocky |
We had no means of ascer-
tanning their height, but it takes two
looks to get to the top of some of the
peaks. To our left for few hundred |
yards was bottom land, covered with
short grass called buffalo grass. Then
commences gradual rise. First, grease
wood and stunted ssgebrush; further on
the sagebrush becomes almost trees in
size, many being four to six inches
through and five to seven feet high. |
The rise continues until far away to the |
south the rugged mountain sides appear,
and still beyond the snow.capped peaks.
After travelling some six and half miles
up the river, we turned to the left across
rolling lands, cut by several small
streams rushing to the right, where their
waters enter the Sweetwater. After
over considerable heavy sand.
We found camping place on reaching
the river, having travelled twenty FIVE
miles.
Camp Al was made on Friday, June
18th. Our experience the night before
was anything but pleasant. l arrived at
the river before dark, and finding great
crowd of campers and but little chance for
grass on the side of the river we were
travelling on, saw there was bottom
on the opposite side where the grass was
good, there being no stock on that side
of the river. On examination, l saw the
river run near point of the rocks. Then
for half mile it flowed along the bot
tom, and came to the perpendicular
bluff below, making corral of several
hundred acres of most luxuriant feed,
bounded on one side by the river and on
the other side by perpendicular wall
of rock that the mules could not cross
It was quite dark when the wagons came
up, 80 I explained the situation, that the
only show for feed was to cross over the
stream, which was about fifty feet wide
and deep enough to swim the smallest
of the mules. The Tennessee boys had
. large black horse, and knowing the
mules would follow him the boys soon
had them Embarrassed, and by forcing
the horse across the mules all followed
Having gathered some drift-wood before
the wagons arrived, I soon had a good
fire and supper in a short time. The
guards took their stations, one above the
camp and the other below on the river.
Being in the midst of the Grow Indians
territory and seeing none of them along
the road, but seeing their signal fires at
night, we knew it was necessary to keep
. close lookout of nights. Having hard
days travel all but the two on guard
we're soon wrapped up in their blankets
sleeping soundly. 1t was but short
time, however, until the guard above
on the river came rushing into camp
with the news that the mules we're cross
ing the river on to the plains and sage.
brush lands to the south. 1t took less
time to gather guns and start for the
place designated than it does to write
about it; all feeling satisfied there must
be Indians after them or they would
never have crossed the river.
After accommodating for some time and
making careful examination for hoof
tracks, we came to the conclusion there
must be some mistake, 80 we returned
to our blankets, after admonishing the
guard that we wanted no more false
alarms. While we approved of his
course in calling us out, it was anything
but pleasant to leave ones warm bed o.
q cold night unless there were Indians to
shoot at.
We had not been in bed an hour,
inst IorO auouUh to pat cOnlfOrta hlv