The Denison review. [volume] (Denison, Iowa) 1867-current, 1901-07-02
ACROSS
PLAINS
Old Time Letter Des-
scribing Journey.
Trail Continuous Grave Yard
Indians and Buffalo. Story
of a Forty Miner.
Fort LARAMIE, June %, 19A9.

FORT LARAMIE, June %, 19A9.
DEAR FATHER, BROTHER AMI SIS
TERs:-Again / I'M seated in the
marque writing to you, probably for the
last time for some month. Since l last
wrote we have travelled $50 miles in
sixteen days. We have had some sick
ness in our company; all better butone.
John Smith, from Marion came with |.
Dumble: he died with the cholera; he
would not take medicine in time. 1t is
very easy stopped if taken in season.
VIM. has been we'll most of the time
and 1 never had better health in my
life. Inever miss my grub when can
get it After | wrote from Fort earn
ey our company divided; there were too
many of us to agree. Gen. Rowe and
his men withdrew. the rest of us came
on. He joined another train at the
Fort; we have not seen him since
Two days after leaving the fort we
came into the buffalo regions, killed
several; could kill any quantity by run
ming them on horseback. The first |
was neal to were making across the
road. l headed them, they run within
a hundred yards of me. picked out a
fat one and gave him a shot He gave
one roar, slackened his pace till | load
ed and gave him another shot when he
left the herd and made for the bluffs.
1 left him and went on to the tram.
Their meat is very much like venison
but we dare not eat freely OF it for we
find the trains that kill the most are
sick most but when it is jerked it goes
all right.
We crossed the south fork of the
Platte nearly fifty miles above it's juno
ton with the north fork. They are but
few hundred yards apart where we
crossed. 1t was n mile wide and
very rapid. The bottom is all quick
sand. 1t was no place deep enough to
wet the wagon bed. Ii the team
stopped the wheels settled into the
sand so that it is hard starting. The
evening after we crossed Smith ate sup
per as hearty as ever. About nine
O'Clock was taken sick. | worked all
night with two others rubbing him
with brandy and pepper. At eight
in the morning he died. We buried
him by the side of two other new made
graves. A few days after five or six OF
our boys were taken sick but are all
nearly we'll now. Since crossing we
have kept up the north fork. Nearthe
\ crossing we encamped one night on the
? Platte bottom where the Sioux and
Pawnees had a battle three days before.
The ground was yet bloody. Mofcasins
and leggings were scattered about
Those that were killed were laid or
the ground wrapped in buffalo robes
their bows, arrows, shields and hatchets
were lying by them, a tent OF skins was
over them. The faces of some were
uncovered. Two which we supposed
Z to be chiefs were raised on poles ten o.
twelve feet from the ground, wrapped
with robes painted with all amer 0
devices. In a few miles after leaving
here we came to where several hun
bred Sioux were encamped. The.
came to our wagons as we passed
They were mostly we'll dressed and fin
looking Indians We traded som
with them. We could get no horses c
them though they had hundreds G
them.
A few days after the Arkansas boy
thought they could travel faster tina
\ we did so they left us and started or
We passed them at noon and have keI
ahead of them over since. We fin
that the smaller the train the taste
we get along, don't have to wait fc
one another so long. The mule team
can't come it with us. Wehave passe
several trains of mules and oxen in tn
last two weeks. Three hundred mile
back we passed a large train from 5
Louis called the Pioneers. Kept ahea
till last Sunday. They passed us
we laid up that day; our cattle nee
rest as we'll as ourselves one day
seven, though it is generally the har
est day in the week for us. Our oxe
are doing we'll. Some days we trav
% miles where the roads are good.
is $50 miles to Fort Hall in Orego
Tomorrow we start for there; today '
are resting and repacking our load
throwing away everything we cs
spare as we want to be as light as pr
sible. Many are leaving Wagon
stoves, gold washers, barrels Of por
flour, sugar, whisky, and all kinds
provisions are strung along the roe
we have the lightest wagon in t
train. With a light load and thl
yoke of oxen, one yoke could take it
the mountains, have a years provisio