The Breckenridge news. (Cloverport, Ky.) 1876-1955, 1894-02-21
Notes From Journal Kept by Mrs
Francis n. Sawyer in a Jour-
ney Across the Plains,
MAY 8 To AUGUST II, 1852.
Reviss ID and Compiled for the Enter
tainment Of the Readers of the
Breckenridge News.
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der of the day.
We have been travelling, for severa
days, in company with an old gentleman
and his family. He has with him his
wife, two sons, daughter and daughter
husband. The daughter is dressed in
boomer costume-pants, short skirt ant
red-top boots I.think it is a very APP
propriate dress for a trip like this. Sc
many ladies wear it, that almost wish
that | was so attired myself. The old
lady wears a short skirt and pantletts
She is fifty years old. Her health was
not GOO when she started, but it is i'm.
proving now.
Distance Travelled, sixteen miles.
May "a To-day has been very warm
ono, but nothing startling has occurred
to break the monotony of the trip The
roads, however, continue good and we
are making rapid strides toward the far
West.
MIR. Sawyer guards his mules OF nights
now, for fear that the Indians may steal
them.
Distance travelled to-day, thirty miles.
May 25.-We came to the Platte river
to-day 1t is wide and shallow stream,
and its water is warm and muddy.
There is some timber on its banks and on
the islands.
Some Indians are in camp near us to-
night, and they came over to our camp,
begging for something to eat They are
not very pleasant looking guests, though
they seem to be friendly and peaceable.
Distance travelled, twenty-five miles.
May Pa large party of Pawnee
Indians passed us this morning going On
to their hunting grounds after buffalo,
and this afternoon We met them return
ing They had met party OF Sioux,
and the result was battle took place
The Sioux had whipped them, killing
and scalping two OF the party and wound
ing several others. The Pawnees were
very angry and badly frightened. Some
were armed with bows and some with
guns. | met some ladies that saw the
fight, and they said that they were
scared almost to death themselves. The
Pawnees had made poor fight
There were only thirteen Sioux and
they whipped sixty or seventy Pawpees.
When We came to where the battle had
been fought, Mr.. Sawyer and drove off
the road short distance to see one of
the Indians who had been killed. 1t
was the most horrible sight ever saw.
Four or five arrows were sticking in his
body and his scalp was gone, leaving his
head bare, bloody and CHASTITY. l am
sorry went out to look at him. have
had the blues ever since.
We are in camp with a large company
of emigrants tonight, and have out
strong guard. So we women are safe
and secure from danger, and may rest in
peace and comfort, il we don't dream OF
dead Indians.
The grass is good here, but mosquitoes
are very bad.
Distance travelled, twenty-five miles.
May 27.-Morpheus cozily wrapped us
all in his arms last night, and the pleas
ant dreams OF our far-away Kentucky
home were not disturbed by the Indians
either dead or alive
have plucked some beautiful prairie
flowers to-day. The prairie is very pref
ty, dressed in its many bright colors, and
the atmosphere is sweet with it's
fragrance. The flowers somewhat resem-
Bile the bloom OF the sweet pea
Distance travelled, twenty-five miles.
May rs Nothing of startling impor-
lance happened to-day. The same old
monotony-endlcss prairies.
Distance travelled, thirty miles.
May 29.-We arrived at new Fort
Kearney at 2 O'Clock this afternoon and
went into camp near it. We wrote some
letters home and mailed them at the
Fort The Fort is neat little place,
kept in the best OF Order and the best OF
order is kept in it. There are several
ladies here with their husbands who are
officers. They keep an account OF the
number OF emigrants who pass this place,
and soldier came out this afternoon to
get our names to register.
Distance travelled to-day, fifteen miles.
May 3O.-Sabbath. We passed the
Fort this morning and kept the.bank OF
the Platte river till we arrived at point
ten miles above, where We iorded the
stream.
The Platte is a mile wide at this point,
and our wagons pulled very hard in the
quick-sand. Mr.. Sawyer went over in
the carriage with me. The water was
so deep that our mule had 10 swim in
some places ! was greatly frightened
and held on tightly to my husband.
When we got over Mr.. Sawyer took the
mule out OF the carriage aud went back
on her TO help the boys over with the
wagon. The mules stopped once and
the wagon settled down 80 that oxen had