The Breckenridge news. (Cloverport, Ky.) 1876-1955, 1894-02-28
Notes From a Journal Kept by Mrs
Francis n. Sawyer in a Jour-
ney Across the Plains,
MAY 9 To AUGUST II, 1852.
Revised and Compiled for the Enter
tainment of the Readers of the
Breckenridge News.
II /

Peak now, though it will be several days
before we are opposite it
We have driven fast to-day and passed
great many OK teams, though the dust
is so heavy that it almost blinds us.
Distance travelled, thirty miles.
June 12.-We arrived opposite Fort
Laramie in time to camp for the. night.
The Fort is on the south side of the
Platte. We will lay over here tomorrow
as Mr.. Sawyer wishes to get mule shod
and make some purchases of a few things
that we need. They keep supplies here,
but sell at high prices.
June l3.-Sabbath day, and my birth
day, too-just .twenty-one. l have been
in bed most all day, taking a good rest
and trying to sleep.
Mr., Sawyer got one shoe put on his
mule and the others frightened. Cost
him five dollars We had to leave camp
late this afternoon and come out where
we could get grass for the mules.
Distance travelled, six miles.
June IL we are HOW Ill lHe DidCk
Hills. The scenery is very beautiful
Pines and cedars are scattered over the
hills and beautiful flowers are abundant
| gather tulips and larkspuls and many
other lovely kinds that cannot name.
Distance travelled, twenty-five miles.
June 15.-We passed an Indian camp
to-day. A Frenchman living there keeps
trading post in a wagon. He has a
sqnaw for WIFI who has borne him
several children. These seem playful
and happy.
Distance travelled, twenty-five miles.
June 1G.-Nothing has occurred or
been seen worthy Of note to-day. Same
old weary road to travel
Distance travelled, thirty miles.
June live have.a heavy sand road
to travel now. 1t is very hard on the
mules.
Mr. Sawyer killed fine antelope this
morning, whose fragrant flesh was qate
luxury for us.
Grass is not COOL here and mosquitoes
are very bad.
Distance travelled, twenty-three miles
June lS.-We heard to-day that a
murde red man had been found in dee p
hollow short distance from the road.
The men who found him had seen him
before and knew him. They think that
he was murdered for his money, as he
was known to have a considerable
amount, and it is thought that his murd-
erers are in the company with which he
was travelling. He had wife and one
child, Great must be thtir sorrow to be
thus so cruelty deprived of dear friend
and protector, and left alone in this wild
and friendless country. Some men have
gone in pursuit OF the murderers
Just ahead OF us wagon ran over
little boy and broke both his legs.
Distance travelled, twenty miles.
June l0.-We heard of another murd-
cred man to-day. In this case, as in
yesterdays, the man was murdered by
man in his own company, but the proof
in this instance was positive, and the
murderer was hung to tree by the in
dgnant emigrants.
We passed oppisite the ferry on the
North Fork of the Platte. Numbers of
emigrants were there waiting to get
over, but we were saved the trouble and
expense OF ferrying now by having ford
ed the main Platte several days ago We
camped at the Willow Spring, where the
water is cold and COOL.
Distanced travelled, thirty one miles.
June 20.-Sabbath day. We left the
Platte for good to-day. Passed the
famous Independence'rock, and went in
to camp one mile from it, near the
first crossing OF Sweetwater river, This
rock is great curiosity, standing, as it
does, here on the levil plain, single and
alone, hundreds of miles from any COM
panion. 1t is huge granite pile 600 feet
long, 200 feet vile and 70 feet high. II
should have been named Emigrant's
Register, as it contains thousands of
hdihCo Oh ITO ohiOpbil obhiC DCllk
carved, some being placed there with
paint, and Others with tar. The Sweet
water runs along within a few hundred
yards OF the rock. We have had a long
and tiresome march to-day without much
water or grass for our mules. The grass
is not good tonight, and the only fuel
we have is wild sage.
Distance travelled, twenty-five miles.
June 2l.-We have laid by to-day as
we found good grass for the mules not
more than mile from camp.
DR. Barkwell, from Troy, Indiana,
caught up with us to-day. We would
not have known OF his presence, had not
one OF our boys seen him when he was
watering his oxen near us, and called 10
him. lie informed us that his youngest
child had died on the plains, which
was very sorry to hear. The trials and
troubles OF this long. wear,some trip are