Year: 1859

vada. The head Of this magnificent d col


umn will enter the valley of the Sacra


nento early in August; its extreme real


will be struggling down the mountain


slopes, sad, lank, and footsore, as late al


the LIT of October.


So far as Platte Bridge, l25 miles ,hi:


side of Laramie, the Emigration is diyid


ed by the Platte and North Platte-a


bout one.third, | judge, keeping north oil


those rivers, where the best grass and


water are found, and where the loss oi


Cattle is consequently much less than on


the south side. From Platte Bridge to


the South Pass-a distance of nearly $50


miles--all the emigration and travel to


Utah, California, and Oregon pass over


common trail, and for most of the way


the deficiency Of grass was already fear
full when traversed that section ten days
ago. What must it be, then, after three


weeks more of scorcbing sunshine, and


the daily passage of hundreds, if not
thousands, of hungry cattle?


From the South Pass this way for more


than hundred miles, feed is even scar


Ger than on the other side: but here the


travel is divided A glance at the map


will show this city far south of direct


line even to Placeryille, much more of


due course to the Feather, Yuba, or even
the American. Nor is this route less
rugged, probably, on the whole, than one
or two others, considering the rough


mountain passages between this city and


Bridger. All the little emigration to
Oregon leaves the great trail on Col Lam
der's new road that strikes off on the 9TH
er side of the South Pass, and while
many more Of the California bound, sick
of the deficient forage and the infrequent
water on the Salt Lake route, strike of
more notherly at various points, expect
ing to find more grass if higher noun
tains and rougber road by the fainter
trails they severally take to reach the
Land of Gold. Some of them will prob
ably pay for their temerity by the loss of
their cattle if not also of their lives, but
this diversion will save many who could
not otherwise have gone through on the
bare trail through the deserts westward
of this point which the Emigration al
ready in advance will certainly have left.
Many cattle will die any how, but think
considerably fewer than if all had taken
this single route.


This terrible waste and destruction Of
animal life, which everywhere forces it
self on the travellers attention, is one Of
the most repulsive features of journey
across the Plains. From Laramie Bridge
(and, au assured, for long distance
east of it) to this city, the way is lined
with csrcases mainly of dead oxen. You
can scarcely cast your eyes abroad With
out seeing one such; while three, four, and
even six, are ofteG visible at once.
know that some of these have lain in this
dry. pure atmosphere for a year or more;
still, the mortality of this season has
been fearful, and is daily increasing as
grass fails, cattle tire out. and larger
number OF the emigrants reach the more
destitute and dangerous portion of the
way. / was hardly halfway over when
| heard (at the South Pass) of one party
which, having started with loaded wag
on drawn by eight oxen, bad lost every
OK but one, which they sold, and, taking
what they could carry ou their backs,
started to make their way on foot to and
across the Sierra Nevada. This is, of
course, an uncommon case; but every day
for more than a month has seen its hun
dreds, of cattle on the long journey lie
down to rise no more, and every day
henceforth till Octaber will see that num-
Der largely increased. Hunger, thirst,
weariness, over-driving, abuse, each aud
all claim their victims; but what is vague
" called Alkali water is more destruc-
tive than them ALL Hence, Judge that
loose cattle suffer more than those yoked
and drawing wagons, because less under
control with regard to the water they
drink. | am told here that cattle accus.
toned to alkaline water, so far rom shun-
ing it, acquire taste for it which they
sagerly crafty; but they generally choose
that so weak that it may be drunk with
put causing death.


This alkaline infection, corruption, or
whatever it may be called. of region
large enough for kingdom. is most re-
| heard it complained of be-
fore We struck the Republican, some three
hundred miles cast of the Denver Gold
Region; it was manifest in some OF the
Did Buffalo walows and other dry water
holes Of that region; | heard complaints
that the grass of the bottoms thereabouts,
because of the alkali. secured and failed
10 Durish the cattle fed on it; | saw the
dry bed of Sand (or Sandy Creek, a
northern tributary ofthe Arkansas, white
with it for many rods; and, though Cher
ry Creek, the South Platte, &C., are free
rom it, there were signs Of its presence
IN the dry pond beds north of the Cache
"a. Pondre. But on the North Platte,
and especially the south side OF 1t, on
which the mail runs and most of the Emit
grafton travels, poisonous mineral water
IS constant source of disquiet If not dan
ger; and, when the Platte is left to strike
across to the Sweetwater, of the lltti wa
Ter to be found on that route OF thirty


e hoA n