Los Angeles daily herald., 1890-02-24

but no grass. We encamped on the last
crossing OF the Sweetwater. There was
q number OF traders here, mountaineers
and Mormons. They had lots of ponies.
ranging in price from $75 to $13O. They
sell some, as more or less mules get
lame, and some of the men who have
money, travelling with uncongenisl part.
ners, buy pony and leave their com.
panions with the OK teams. But the
most profitable part of these fellows
proceeding is to run off mules and cattle
when they get an opportunity, for they
we'll know the emigrant cannot afford to
stop here in this inhospitable cline,
where there is but little chance for feed,
to hunt for few missing animals. We
travelled twenty miles this day.
Camp A was pitched on Monday,
June 18th. We struck out early, leaving
the waters that flow toward. the Mis-
souri, and on through the Mississippi to
the Gulf of Mexico, and travelled over q
high and almost level plateau for miles
The elevation was 80 gradual that we
could hardly tell when we reached the
divide or summit of the great chain of
the Rocky mountains. In the place OF
being narrow pass, as was the general
| belief, it was wide expanse of country,
the mountains only showing at great
| distance on the left and possibly twenty
| five miles to the right. One realized
however, that they we're very high. 1t
showed at intervals throughout the day.
We nooned at Pacific Springs, three
miles from the summit, the first water
that runs toward the Pacific Ocean.
We crossed dry sand and camped on
high ground. with only the water we had
in our kegs for cooking, but We had good
bunch grass for our mules and large
sagebrush for fuel and it was something
needful, for it was fearfuily cold. We
had not had 80 long a stretch of good
road since we left the States, travelling
twenty-nine miles without locking q
wheel. That the reader may realize the
difference between locking a wagon in
those days-forty.fv years ago-and
now, we would say; There were no
brakes for locking wagons. The wagon
brake is California invention. Prior to
that there was chain on the side of the
wagon box, which was put between
spokes and fastened. So it took two
men to run a wagon in a hilly country
one to drive and one to lock and unlock
the wheels.
should think there would be lot Of
disgusted fellows when they find the
much-dreaded south pass, that they had
been rushing to reach, such place, in
stead of the narrow defile, difficult of
passing, as they had been led to believe
| it was.
Camp As, on Tuesday June 10Th there
was ice half an inch thick. We got on
the road at 6 a. M, and in one mile we
came to the forks of the road, the left
going to Salt Lake via Fort Bridger and
the right hand being known as the Sub
lett's cut off to Fort Hall. Formerly the
Oregonian and California emigrants
went by Fort Bridger, but the past two
years they had mostly taken the right
hand road. So we took that although il
was understood there was forty-fve.
mile desert before we came to Green
river. In six miles we reached the Lit.
tie Sandy, and six miles further we
reached the Big Sandy by noon, travel.
ing thirteen miles. Having reduced ou,
loading so that it could be put into two
wagons, we concluded to use the other
wagon to cook good meal and keep
warm, as it was very cold. After arrang.
ing our loading into two wagons and par
| taking Of sumptuous meal prepared by
one wAo had become quite proficient
in camp cooking, we filled our kegs
| with water, 80 as to have some for oul
mules on the morrow. Everything being
ready for an early start, ne turned in for
the night.
On Wednesday, June Goth, camp was
pitched. We left camp next morning at
a. m.. for our long drive. The road
was fair for three miles, then we came to
q swamp or alkali fat that was very bad.
After that, for twenty-five miles the road
was fine, rolling but firm, the kind to
| make good time. The remainder was
quite rough ,and we did not reach the river
| until after dark. We camped two miles
above the ferry, where we first came to
the river, travelling forty-three miles.