Los Angeles daily herald., 1890-01-27

mo. mere we came In with several
large trains, all pushing ahead to see
who could get there first. One of thirty
wagons was from Holt county, Missouri. .
one from Ohio of thirty-three wagons /:
one from Peoria, ILL.,, of twentv.one
wagons and mixed train from yarious
places of 100 wagons.
These trains are made up in this
fashion; some fellow who is somewhat
ambitious gets few followers and goes
out on the road and takes up a camp
and has his strikers or runners out like
ward politicians and the small bands
drop In hearing this chieftain has been
out on the plains, and they are led to be.
lieve ne knows oil about the route, travel.
ing etc., and soon ho has following Of
about 200 to 800 men, and then all the
parade OF a great army is made.
A corral is formed by bring
ing the wagons in q. circle and at
night the cattle are driven into this cor
raj, in place OF letting them iced, and
putting guard out to look after them;
the men stand guard on the top of the
wagon until they hear the howl of pack
| of wolves, when they arouse all hands
with the cry of Indians. After awhile
the wolves disappear, and the weary
emigrant goes back to his blanket, and
the guard assumes his vigilant watch
again. Next morning the oxen ere
| allowed to feed for few hours, and by
the time this Great Mogul of com.
mander is ready to start his train on the
| road our little squad was several miles
ahead, TO see him and his big train no
more. We passed the grave of B. F.
/ Adams, from Illinois, who died May s,
40. Tueeday, May 18th, we were at
Camp IA. We had fine road, alternat.
ing between the high prairie and the
creek bottoms; we passed train from
Louisville, KY; six Of their teams ran
away, killing man by the name of
McMullin. We also passed a train from
Boone county, Mo. Amongst the num-
ber was cousin OF ours. Ben Orear,
formerly from our old home in Mason
county, KY.
i We had some lively times wit hIndian
marauders, but no one was hurt. We
travelled twenty miles and reached Camp
;. 15 on Wednesday, May 10th. 1t was
raining. If you never had to turn out OF q
warm pair OF blankets in the middle of the
night and strain your eyes to see if tbst
object over there is tuft Of grass or an
/ Indian crawling on you-you are not just
in condition to appreciate what we
were going through.
!, l was favored in one respect. / did
not have to stand the middle guard. 1
was elected, by unanimous vote, chief
cook soon after we started, SO I stand
first or last guard. If have q dainty
dish 10 prepare for breakfast and want to
prepare it over night l stand the first
guard, otherwise stand the last guard
SO as to have an early breakfast and get
our teams on the road before the large
trains that stop at the same camp.
j We travelled twenty-five miles this
day. That you may know how got the
distance travelled, l will explain: When l
got the dishes-tin cups, tin plates, fry.
| ing pans etc.-cleaned up and put in the
wagons and the boys ready to start, l
looked at my watch and noted the time.
| then ssddled my mule and rode On and
overlook and passed the wagons. If l
came to bad mud-hole or swampy place
| looked out for the best place to cross.
If We were detained l noted the time
lost; then the time we spent at noon,
and then the time We stopped in the
evening. Having stopped mile behind
the wagon, found the time it takes to
travel a mile, aud in that way 1 could
tell quite accurately the distance we had
travelled.