Eagle River review. [volume] (Eagle River, Wis.) 1890-1927, 1923-11-22

the Sweetwater, crossed the Continen
tai Divide, camped on the west side
Of South Pass, and in due time ap-
preached the Hottest part of the Wind
River chain, and on August Is, with
great difficulty and danger, assembled
the highest pinnacle of the range,
named it Fremont Peark,' and after
remaining on the summit of this peak
for an hour, returned to his camp in
the evening, and the next morning
commenced to retrace his steps, and
again arrived at independence Rock
on the evening of August %. 1t was OH
this date that be chiseled his name,
with the emblem of Christianity, on
the rock, regarding which he says:
Here, not unmindful of the custom
of the early travellers and explorers in
our country, engraved on the rock of
the Far West the symbol of the Chris
tian faith Among the thickly inscrib-
ed names, made on the hard granite
the impression of large cross, deep
ly engraved, which I covered with a
black preparation of India rubber, we'll
calculated to resist the influence of
wind and rain. 1t stands amidst the
names of many who have long since
found their way to the grave, and for
whom the huge rock is giant grave
stone
In the year 1843 the Oregon trail
first. became a great national highway,
when thousand homeseekers passed
over the trail with their teams, and
each year thereafter writes Ezra
Meeker, wagon teams passed over the
whole route to the Oregon country in
varying numbers, wearing the track
deeper and deeper, until finally the
greater exodus of 1852, when col
umn of $4,000 strong moved out from
the Missouri River and lined the
trail with dead, 5000 or more in num-
Der for that one year alone. Mean
while, the Mormon migration had fol
lowed in the track of the Oregon
pioneers for fully thousand miles
Fully 100000 people crossed over what
might be termed the western section
before the advent of the Pacific rail
road in 1869, which diverted the later
traffic, and the trail again became q
solitude.
Another traveller, who stood on the
rock in 1852 for the splendid view OF
the surrounding country, says, one OF
the trains form a line quarters OF
a mile in length; some of the team
sters ride upon the front of their wag
ons and some march beside theil
teams scattered along the line com
panies of women are taking exercise
on foot; they gather boquets Of rare
and beautiful flowers that line the
way; next come band of horses; two
or three men and boys follow them
the docile and sagacious animals
scarce needing this attention for they
have learned to follow in the rear o.
| the wagons, and know that later OF
that they will be allowed to Craze anC
rest. Their knowledge of time seem:
as accurate as of the place they are
to occupy in the line. Nothing of the
moving panamora, smooth and order
ly as it appears, has more attraction
or the eye than the vast square col
umn in which all colors are mingled
moving here slowly and there briskly
as impelIed by horsemen riding fierce
ly in front and rear. But the picture
in its grandeur, it's wonderful ming
lings of colors and distinctness of de
tail, is forgotten in contemplation o
the singular people who give it lif'
and animation. No other race of mel
with the means at their command
would undertake SO great a journey