THE 
 
 PRAIRIE TRAVELER. 
 
THE 
 
 PRAIRIE TRAVELER, 
 
 A HAND-BOOK 
 
 F< iR 
 
 OVERLAND EXPEDITIONS. 
 
 WITH ILLUSTRATIONS, AND ITINERARIES OF 
 
 THE PRINCIPAL ROUTES BETWEEN THE 
 
 MISSISSIPPI AND THE PACIFIC, 
 
 AND A MAP. 
 
 BY RANDOLPH B. MARCY, 
 
 CAPTAIN V. 8. AHMY. 
 (NOW GENERAL MARCY, CHIEF OF STAFF, AIJMY OF THE POTOMAC.) 
 
 EDITED (WITH NOTES) BY 
 
 RICHARD F. BURTON, F.R.G.S., 
 
 ETC. 
 PUBLISHED IN THE UNITED STATICS BY AUTHORITY OF THE WAR DEPARTMENT. 
 
 LONDON: 
 TRUBNER AND CO., GO, PATERNOSTER ROW. 
 
 1863. 
 
3 
 
 
 LONDON- 
 PRINTED BY WERTHEIMER AND CO. 
 FINSBURY CIRCUS. 
 
CONTENTS. 
 
 CHAPTER I. 
 
 Tlie different Routes to California and Oregon. Their respective 
 Advantages. Organization of Companies. Elections of Cap 
 tains. Wagons and Teams. Relative Merits of Mules and 
 Oxen. Stores and Provisions. How packed. Desiccated and 
 canned Vegetables. Pemuiican. Antiscorbutics. Cold Flour. 
 Substitutes in case of necessity. Amount of Supplies. Clothing. 
 Camp Equipage. Arms Page 1 
 
 CHAPTER II. 
 
 Marching. Treatment of Animals. Water. Different methods of 
 finding and purifying it. Journadas. Methods of crossing them. 
 Advance and Rear Guards. Selection of Camp. Sanitary Con 
 siderations. Dr. Jackson s Report. Picket Guards. Stampedes. 
 How to prevent them. Corraling Wagons . . . .24 
 
 CHAPTER III. 
 
 Repairing broken Wagons. Fording Rivers. Quicksand. Wagon 
 Boats.- Bull Boats. Crossing Packs. Swimming Animals. 
 Marching with loose Horses. Herding Mules. Best methods of 
 Marching. Herding and guarding Animals. Descending Moun 
 tains. Storms. Northers 43 
 
 CHAPTER IV. 
 
 Packing. Saddles. Mexican Method. Madrina, or Bell-mare. 
 Attachment of the Mule illustrated. Best Method of Packing. 
 Hoppling Animals. Selecting Horses and Mules. Grama and 
 Bunch Grass. European Saddles. California Saddle. Saddle 
 Wounds. Alkali. Flies. Colic. Rattlesnake Bites. Cures for 
 the Bite 60 
 
 498004 
 
VI CONTENTS. 
 
 CHAPTER V. 
 
 Bivouacs. Tente d Abri. Gutta-percha Knapsack. Tent. Co- 
 manche Lodge. Sibley Tent. Camp Furniture. Litters. Rapid 
 Traveling. Fuel. Making Fires. Fires on the Prairies. Jerking 
 Meat. Making Lariats. Making Caches. Disposition of Fire 
 arms. Colt s Revolvers. Gun Accidents. Trailing. Indian 
 Sagacity 86 
 
 CHAPTER VI. 
 
 Guides and Hunters. Dela wares and Shawnees. Khebirs. Black 
 Beaver. Anecdotes. Domestic Troubles. Lodges. Similarity 
 of Prairie Tribes to the Arabs. Method of making War. Track 
 ing and pursuing Indians. Method of attacking them. Tele 
 graphing by Smokes 121 
 
 CHAPTER VII. 
 
 Hunting. Its Benefits to the Soldier. Buffalo. Deer. Antelope. 
 Bear. Big-horn, or Mountain Sheep. Their Habits, and Hints 
 upon the best Methods of hunting them . . . .161 
 
 ITINERARIES. . 177 
 
LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS. 
 
 Map of Overland Routes at end of volume. 
 
 Keep Away ! Frontispiece. 
 
 Diagram for Measurements ....... 48 
 
 Grimsley s Pack-saddle . . . . . . . .61 
 
 California Saddle . . .76 
 
 Half-faced Camp 87 
 
 Conical Bivouac ......... 88 
 
 Tent Knapsack 90 
 
 SibleyTent 93 
 
 Camp Chairs 95 
 
 Camp Table Field Cot 96 
 
 Field Cot Camp Bureau 97 
 
 Mess-chest 98 
 
 Horse-tracks .117 
 
PREFACE. 
 
 A QUARTER of a century s experience in frontier life, 
 a great portion of which has been occupied in exploring 
 the interior of our continent, and in long marches where 
 I have been thrown exclusively upon my own resources, 
 far beyond the bounds of the populated districts, and 
 where the traveler must vary his expedients to surmount 
 the numerous obstacles which the nature of the country 
 continually reproduces, has shewn me under what great 
 disadvantages the "voyageur" labors for want of a timely 
 initiation into those minor details of prairie- craft, which, 
 however apparently unimportant in the abstract, are sure, 
 upon the plains, to turn the balance of success for or 
 against an enterprise. 
 
 This information is so varied, and is derived from so 
 many different sources, that I still find every new expe 
 dition adds substantially to my practical knowledge, and 
 am satisfied that a good Prairie Manual will be for the 
 young traveler an addition to his equipment of inappreci 
 able value. 
 
 With such a book in his hand, he will be able, in dim- 
 cult circumstances, to avail himself of the matured expe 
 rience of veteran travelers, and thereby avoid many 
 otherwise unforeseen disasters; while, during the ordinary 
 routine of marching, he will greatly augment the sum of 
 his comforts, avoid many serious losses, and enjoy a com 
 parative exemption from doubts and anxieties. He will 
 feel himself a master spirit in the wilderness he traverses, 
 
Xll PREFACE. 
 
 and not the victim of every new combination of circum 
 stances which nature affords or fate allots, as if to try his 
 skill and prowess. 
 
 I have waited for several years, with the confident 
 expectation that some one more competent than myself 
 would assume the task, and give the public the desired 
 information ; but it seems that no one has taken sufficient 
 interest in the subject to disseminate the benefits of his 
 experience in this way. Our frontier-men, although brave 
 in council and action, and possessing an intelligence that 
 quickens in the face of danger, are apt to feel shy of the 
 pen. They shun the atmosphere of the student s closet ; 
 their sphere is in the free and open wilderness. It is not 
 to be wondered at, therefore, that to our veteran borderer 
 the field of literature should remain a "terra incognita." 
 It is our army that unites the chasm between the culture 
 of civilization in the aspect of science, art, and social re 
 finement, and the powerful simplicity of nature. On leaving 
 the Military Academy, a majority of our officers are at 
 tached to the line of the army, and forthwith assigned to 
 duty upon . our remote and extended frontier, where the 
 restless and warlike habits of the nomadic tribes, render 
 the soldier s life almost as unsettled as that of the savages 
 themselves. 
 
 A regiment is stationed to-day on the borders of tropical 
 Mexico ; to-morrow, the war whoop, borne on a gale from 
 the northwest, compels its presence in the frozen latitudes 
 of Puget s Sound. The very limited numerical strength 
 of our army, scattered as it is over a vast area of territory, 
 necessitates constant changes of station, long and toilsome 
 marches, a promptitude of action, and a tireless energy 
 and self-reliance, that can only be acquired through an 
 
PREFACE. Xlll 
 
 intimate acquaintance with the sphere in which we act and 
 move. 
 
 The education of our officers at the Military Academy 
 is, doubtless, well adapted to the art of civilised warfare, 
 but cannot familiarise them with the diversified details of 
 border service ; and they often, at the outset of their mili 
 tary career, find themselves compelled to improvise new 
 expedients to meet novel emergencies. 
 
 The life of the wilderness is an art as well as that of the 
 city or court, and every art subjects its votaries to disci 
 pline in preparing them for a successful career in its pur 
 suit. The Military Art, as enlarged to meet all the 
 requirements of border service the savage in his wiles, or 
 the elements in their caprices embraces many other special 
 arts which have hitherto been almost ignored; and results 
 which experience and calculation should have guaranteed, 
 have been improvidently staked upon favorable chances. 
 
 The main object at which I have aimed in the following- 
 pages, has been to explain and illustrate, as clearly and suc 
 cinctly as possible, the best methods of performing the 
 duties devolving upon the prairie traveler, so as to meet 
 their contingencies under all circumstances, and thereby to 
 endeavor to establish a more uniform system of marching 
 and campaigning in the Indian country. 
 
 I have also furnished itineraries of most of the principal 
 routes that have been traveled across the plains, taken 
 from the best and most reliable authorities ; and I have 
 given some information concerning the habits of the 
 Indians and wild animals that frequent the prairies, with 
 the secrets of the hunter s and warrior s strategy, which 
 I have endeavoured to impress more forcibly upon the 
 reader by introducing illustrative anecdote. 
 
XIV. PREFACE. 
 
 I take great pleasure in acknowledging my indebtedness 
 to several officers of the Topographical Engineers, and of 
 other corps of the army, for the valuable information I 
 have obtained from their official reports regarding the 
 different routes embraced in the itineraries ; and to these 
 gentlemen I beg leave very respectfully to dedicate my 
 book. 
 
EDITOR S PREFACE. 
 
 THE object of this little Volume, as the author has ex 
 plained, is to initiate the novice into the mysteries of 
 Prairie-craft. I have been induced to re-edit it, at the 
 instance of my friend Mr. Triibner not by the vain ex 
 pectation of improving upon " a quarter of a century s 
 experience in (American) frontier life," and the work of 
 an accomplished woodsman but with the humble hope 
 that a little collateral knowledge gathered in other lands, 
 may add variety, and perhaps something of value to what 
 is at present our best Handbook of Western Field Sports. 
 When that " late lamented institution," the once United 
 States, shall have passed away, and when, after this detest 
 able and fratricidal war the most disgraceful to human 
 nature that civilization ever witnessed, the New World 
 shall be restored to order and tranquility, our shikaris 
 will not forget, that a single fortnight of comfortable travel 
 suffices to transport them from fallow-deer and pheasant- 
 shooting to the haunts of the bison and the grizzly bear. 
 There is little chance of these animals being " improved 
 off" the Prairies, or even of their becoming rare during 
 the life-time of the present generation; those who love noble 
 game may thus save themselves a journey to monotonous 
 India or to pestilential Africa. 
 
 The English reader will be disposed to criticise a book 
 which tells so much of what has been already told, and 
 well told too, in the "Art of Travel," by Mr. Francis 
 Galton. My belief is, that the more publications of the 
 kind the better. Sad experience in the Crimea, proves that 
 
XVI. PREFACE. 
 
 were the subject compulsorily rendered a part of military 
 studies, it would contribute not a little to the efficiency of 
 the service. Men would not then pine over " green coffee," 
 with tons of bones lying around them waiting to become 
 bonfires. They would not starve upon half-rations, nor 
 reduce them to a quarter by injudicious management and 
 an ignorance touching soup. 
 
 I have not taken liberties with the gallant author s 
 style or order of chapters. He has retained all such 
 naivetes as " traveler," " cantel," " canvas," " woolen," 
 "wagon," "segar," and " give out," Anglice " give in." 
 He has been left to indulge in the "Ay-merican" as much 
 as he pleases. My work has been confined to notes, which, 
 for the reader s satisfaction, I have marked ED., and for 
 which I am wholly responsible. They are mostly drawn 
 from my last study " The City of the Saints, and Across 
 the Rocky Mountains to California." 
 
 I venture, however, to solicit attention to two points. 
 The first is the improved form of carbine shell. The second 
 is the organized pantomimic practice, by which the Worth. 
 American Aborigines express themselves. It is my hope, 
 presently, to produce a system of hand-language, with 
 which, assisted by some 100 words, any man of average 
 abilities shall make himself understood in any country 
 after a week s study. Such a contrivance would be most 
 useful in Africa, where within fifty miles, one meets with 
 four or five different dialects. 
 
 Nothing remains now but to make my salam to the 
 reader, and to conclude with a quotation from Southey : 
 
 " Go, little book, from this my solitude ! 
 " I cast thee on the waters go thy ways !" 
 FERNANDO Po. 
 1st June, 1862. 
 
THE PRAIRIE TRAVELER. 
 
 CHAPTER I. 
 
 The different Routes to California and Oregon. Their respective 
 Advantages. Organization of Companies. Elections of Cap 
 tains. Wagons and Teams. Relative Merits of Mules and Oxen. 
 Stores and Provisions. How packed. Desiccated and canned 
 Vegetables. Pemmican. Anti-scorbutics. Cold Flour. Sub 
 stitutes in case of Necessity. Amount of Supplies. Clothing. 
 Camp Equipage. Arms. 
 
 ROUTES TO CALIFORNIA AND OREGON. 
 
 EMIGRANTS or others desiring to make the overland 
 journey to the Pacific should bear in mind, that there are 
 several different routes which may be traveled with wagons, 
 each having its advocates in persons directly or indirectly 
 interested in attracting the tide of emigration and travel 
 over them. 
 
 Information concerning these routes coming from 
 strangers living or owning property near them, from agents 
 of steam-boats or railways, or from other persons con 
 nected with transportation companies, should be received 
 with great caution, and never without corroborating evi 
 dence from disinterested sources. 
 
 There is no doubt that each one of these roads has its 
 advantages and disadvantages ; but a judicious selection 
 must depend chiefly upon the following considerations, 
 namely, the locality from whence the individual is to 
 take his departure, the season of the year when he desires 
 to commence his journey, the character of his means of 
 
 B 
 
Z PRAIRIE TRAVELER. 
 
 transpoi tation, mid the point upon the Pacific coast that he 
 wishes to reach. 
 
 Persons living in the Northeastern States can, with 
 about equal facility and dispatch, reach the eastern ter 
 minus of any one of the routes they may select by means 
 of public transport. And, as animals are much cheaper 
 upon the frontier than in the Eastern States, they should 
 purchase their teams at or near the point where the over 
 land journey is to commence. 
 
 Those living in the Northwestern States having their 
 own teams, and wishing to go to any point north of San 
 Francisco, will of course make choice of the route which 
 takes its departure from the Missouri River. 
 
 Those who live in the middle Western States, having 
 their own means of transportation, and going to any point 
 upon the Pacific coast, should take one of the middle 
 routes.* 
 
 Others, who reside in the extreme Southwest, and 
 whose destination is south of San Francisco, should travel 
 the southern road running through Texas, which is the only 
 one practicable for comfortable winter travel. The grass 
 upon a great portion of this route is green during the 
 entire winter, and snow seldom covers it. This road leaves 
 the Gulf coast at Powder-horn, on Montagorda Bay, which 
 point is difficult of access by land from the north, but 
 may be reached by steamers from New Orleans five times 
 a week. 
 
 There are stores at Powder-horn and Indianola where 
 the traveler can obtain most of the articles necessary for 
 his journey, but I would recommend him to supply him 
 self before leaving New Orleans with everything he 
 requires with the exception of animals, which he will find 
 cheaper in Texas. 
 
 This road has received a large amount of travel since 
 1849, is well tracked and defined, and, excepting about 
 twenty miles of " Hog-wallow Prairie " near Powder-horn, 
 
 * In a detailed account of these routes I must refer the reader to 
 Chap, ii., City of the Saints ; and for an Itinerary, to No. iv. in the 
 list at the end of this volume. ED. 
 
ROUTES TO CALIFORNIA AND OREGON. 3 
 
 it is an excellent road for carriages and wagons. It passes 
 through a settled country for 250 miles, and within this 
 section supplies can be had at reasonable rates. 
 
 At Victoria and San Antonio many fine stores will be 
 found, well supplied with large stocks of goods, embracing 
 all the articles the traveler will require. 
 
 The next route to the north is that over which the semi- 
 weekly mail to California passes, and which, for a great 
 portion of the way to New Mexico, I traveled and recom 
 mended in 1849. This road leaves the Arkansas River at 
 Fort Smith, to which point steamers run during the 
 seasons of high water in the winter and spring. 
 
 Supplies of all descriptions necessary for the overland 
 journey may be procured at Fort Smith, or at Yan Buren 
 on the opposite side of the Arkansas, Horses and cattle 
 are cheap here. The road, on leaving Fort Smith, passes 
 through the Choctaw and Chickasaw country for 180 
 miles, then crosses Red River by ferry-boat at Preston, 
 and runs through the border settlements of northern 
 Texas for 150 miles, within which distances supplies may 
 be procured at moderate prices. 
 
 This road is accessible to persons desiring to make the 
 entire journey with their own transportation from Tennessee 
 or Mississippi, by crossing the Mississippi River at Mem 
 phis or Helena, passing Little Rock, and thence through 
 Washington Country, intersecting the road at Preston. 
 It may also be reached by taking steamers up Red River 
 to Shreveport or Jefferson, from either of which places 
 there a?e roads running through a populated country, and 
 intersecting the Fort Smith road near Preston. 
 
 This road also unites with the San Antonio road at El 
 Paso, and from that point they pass together over the 
 mountains to Fort Yuma and to San Francisco in Cali 
 fornia. 
 
 Another road leaves Fort Smith and runs up the south 
 side of the Canadian River to Santa Fe and Albuquerque 
 in New Mexico. 
 
 This route is set down upon most of the maps of the 
 present day as having been discovered and explored by 
 
4 PRAIRIE TRAVELER. 
 
 various persons, but my own name seems to have been 
 carefully excluded from the list. Whether this omission 
 has been intentional or not, I leave for the authors to de 
 termine. I shall merely remark, that I had the command 
 and entire direction of an expedition which in 1849 dis 
 covered, explored, located, and marked out this identical 
 wagon road from Fort Smith, Arkansas, to Santa Fe, New 
 Mexico, and that this road, for the greater portion of the 
 distance, is the same that has been since recommended for 
 a Pacific railway. 
 
 This road, near Albuquerque, unites with Captain 
 Whipple s and Lieutenant Beall s roads to California. 
 
 Another road, which takes its departure from Fort 
 Smith and passes through the Cherokee country, is called 
 the " Cherokee Trail." It crosses Grand River at Fort 
 Gibson, and runs a little north of west to the Verdigris 
 River, thence up the valley of this stream on the north 
 side for 80 miles, when it crosses the river, and, taking a 
 northwest course, strikes the Arkansas river near old Fort 
 Mann, on the Santa Fe trace ; thence it passes near the 
 base of Pike s Peak, and follows down Cherry Creek from 
 its source to its confluence with the South Platte, and from 
 thence over the mountains into Utah, and on to California 
 via Fort Bridger and Salt Lake City. 
 
 For -persons who desire to go from the Southern States 
 to the gold diggings in the vicinity of Cherry Creek, this 
 route is shorter by some 300 miles than that from Fort 
 Smith via Fort Leaven worth. It is said to be an excellent 
 road, and well supplied with the requisites for encamping. 
 It has been traveled by large parties of California emi 
 grants for several years, and is well tracked and defined. 
 
 The grass upon all the roads leaving Fort Smith is 
 sufficiently advanced to afford sustenance to animals by 
 the first of April, and from this time until winter sets in 
 it is abundant. The next route on the north leaves the 
 Missouri River at Westport, Leavenworth City, Atcheson, 
 or from other towns above, between either of which points 
 and St. Louis steamers ply during the entire summer 
 season. 
 
ROUTES TO CALIFORNIA AND OREGON. 5 
 
 The necessary outfit of supplies can always be procured 
 at any of the starting-points on the Missouri River at 
 moderate rate>. 
 
 This is the great emigrant route from Missouri to Cali 
 fornia and Oregon, over which so many thousands have 
 traveled within the past few years. The track is broad, 
 well worn, and cannot be mistaken. It has received the 
 major part of the Mormon emigration, and was traversed 
 by the army in its march to Utah in 1857. 
 
 At the point where this road crosses the South Platte 
 River, Lieutenant Bryan s road branches off to the left, 
 leading through Bridger s Pass, and thence to Fort Brid- 
 ger. The Fort Kearney route to the golden region near 
 Pike s Peak also leaves the emigrant road at this place 
 and runs up the South Platte. 
 
 From Fort Bridger there are two roads that may be 
 traveled with wagons in the direction of California ; one 
 passing Salt Lake City, and the other running down Bear 
 River to Soda Springs, intersecting the Salt Lake City 
 road at the City of Rocks. Near Soda Springs the Oregon 
 road turns to the right, passing Fort Hall, and thence 
 down Snake River to Fort Wall ah -Wallah. Unless tra 
 velers have business in Salt Lake Valley, I would advise 
 them to take the Bear River route, as it is much shorter, 
 and better in every respect. The road, on leaving the 
 Missouri River, passes for 150 miles through a settled 
 country where grain can be purchased cheap, and there 
 are several stores in this section where most of the articles 
 required by travelers can be obtained. 
 
 Many persons who have had much experience in prairie- 
 traveling prefer leaving the Missouri River in March or 
 April, and giving grain to their animals until the new 
 grass appears. The roads become muddy and heavy after 
 the spring rains set in, and by starting out early the worst 
 part of the road will be passed over before the ground be 
 comes wet and soft. This plan, however, should never be 
 attempted unless the animals are well supplied with grain, 
 and kept in good condition. They will eat the old grass 
 
O PRAIRIE TRAVELER. 
 
 in the spring, but it does not, in this climate, as in Utah 
 and New Mexico, afford them sufficient sustenance. 
 
 The grass, after the first of May, is good and abundant 
 upon this road as far as the South Pass, from whence there 
 is a section of about fifty miles where it is scarce ; there is 
 also a scarcity upon the desert beyond the sink of the 
 Humboldt. As large numbers of cattle pass over the road 
 annually, they soon consume all the grass in these barren 
 localities, and such as pass late in the season are likely to 
 suffer greatly, and oftentimes perish from starvation. 
 When I came over the road in August, 1858, I seldom 
 found myself out of sight of dead cattle for 500 miles 
 along the road, and this was an unusually favorable year 
 for grass, and before the main body of animals had passed 
 for that season. 
 
 Upon the head of the Sweetwater River, and west of 
 the South Pass, alkaline springs are met with, which are 
 exceedingly poisonous to cattle and horses. They can 
 readily be detected by the yellowish-red color of the grass 
 growing around them. Animals should never be allowed 
 to graze near them or to drink the water. 
 
 ORGANIZATION OF COMPANIES. 
 
 After a particular route has been selected to make the 
 journey across the plains, and the requisite number have 
 arrived at the eastern terminus, their first business should 
 be to organize themselves into a company and elect a com 
 mander. The company shoidd be of sufficient magnitude 
 to herd and guard animals, and for protection against 
 Indians. 
 
 From fifty to seventy men, properly armed and equipped, 
 will be enough for these purposes, and any greater immber 
 only makes the movements of the party more cumbersome 
 and tardy. 
 
 In the selection of a captain, good judgment, integrity 
 of purpose, and practical experience are the essential re 
 quisites, and these are indispensable to the harmony and 
 consolidation of the association. His duty should be to 
 
ORGANIZATION OF COMPANIES. 7 
 
 direct the order of march, the time of starting and halt 
 ing, to select the camps, detail and give orders to guards, 
 and, indeed, to control and superintend all the movements 
 of the company. 
 
 v An obligation should then be drawn up and signed by 
 all the members of the association, wherein each one 
 should bind himself to abide in all cases by the orders and 
 decisions of the captain, and to aid him by every means 
 in his power in the execution of his duties ; and they 
 should also obligate themselves to aid each other, so as to 
 make the individual interest of each member the common 
 concern of the whole company. To ensure this, a fund 
 should be raised for the purchase of extra animals to supply 
 the place of those which may give out or die on the road ; 
 and if the wagon or team of a particular member should 
 fail and have to be abandoned, the company should obli 
 gate themselves to transport his luggage, and the captain 
 should see that he has his share of transportation equal 
 with any other member. Thus it will be made the interest 
 of every member of the company to watch over and pro 
 tect the property of others as well as his own. 
 
 In case of failure on the part of any one to comply with 
 the obligations imposed by the articles of agreement after 
 they have been duly executed, the company should, of 
 course, have the power to punish the delinquent member, 
 and, if necessary, exclude him from all the benefits of the 
 association. 
 
 On such a journey as this, there is much to interest and 
 amuse one who is fond of picturesque scenery, and of wild 
 life in its most primitive aspect, yet no one should attempt 
 it without anticipating many rough knocks and much hard 
 labor ; every man must expect to do his share of duty 
 faithfully and without a murmur. 
 
 On long and arduous expeditions, men are apt to become 
 irritable and ill-natured, and oftentimes fancy they have 
 more labor imposed upon them than their comrades, and 
 that the person who directs their march is partial towards 
 his favorites, etc. That man who exercises the greatest 
 forbearance under such circumstances, who is cheerful, 
 
8 PRAIRIE TRAVELER. 
 
 slow to take up quarrels, and endeavours to reconcile diffi 
 culties among his companions, is deserving of all praise, 
 and will, without doubt, contribute largely to the success 
 and comfort of an expedition. 
 
 The advantages of an association such as I have men 
 tioned are manifestly numerous. The animals can be 
 herded together and guarded by the different members of 
 the company in rotation, thereby securing to all the oppor 
 tunities of sleep and rest. Besides, this is the only way 
 to resist depredations of the Indians, and to prevent their 
 stampeding and driving off animals ; and much more effi 
 ciency is secured in every respect, especially in crossing 
 streams, repairing roads, etc. 
 
 Unless a systematic organization be adopted, it is im 
 possible for a party of any magnitude to travel in company 
 for any great length of time, and for all the members to 
 agree upon the same arrangements in marching, camp 
 ing, etc. I have several times observed, where this has 
 been attempted, that discords and dissensions, sooner or 
 later arose, which invariably resulted in breaking up and 
 separating the company. 
 
 When a captain has once been chosen, he should be 
 sustained in all his decisions, unless he commit some mani 
 fest outrage, when a majority of the company can always 
 remove him, and put a more competent man in his place. 
 Sometimes men may be selected, who, upon trial, do not 
 come up to the anticipations of those who have placed 
 them in power, and other men will exhibit, during the 
 march, more capacity. Under these circumstances, it will 
 not be unwise to make a change, the first election having 
 been distinctly provisional.* 
 
 WAGONS AND TEAMS. 
 
 A company having been organized, its first interest is to 
 procure a proper outfit of transportation, and supplies for 
 the contemplated journey. 
 
 * Mr. W. Kelly s California presents by far the most life-like and 
 instructive picture of an organized Caravan March across the 
 Prairies. ED. 
 
WAGONS AND TEAMS. 9 
 
 Wagons should be of the simplest possible construction 
 strong, light, and made of well-seasoned timber, especially 
 the wheels, as the atmosphere, in the elevated and arid 
 region over which they have to pass, is so exceedingly dry 
 during the summer months, that unless the wood- work is 
 thoroughly seasoned, they will require constant repairs to 
 prevent them from falling to pieces. 
 
 Wheels made of the bois-d arc, or Osage orange-wood, 
 are the best for the plains, as they shrink but little, and 
 seldom want repairing. As, however, this wood is not 
 easily procured in the Northern States, white oak answers 
 a very good purpose if well seasoned. 
 
 Spring wagons made in Concord, New Hampshire, are 
 used to transport passengers and the mails upon some of 
 the routes across the plains, and they are said, by those 
 who have used them, to be much superior to any others. 
 They are made of the close-grained oak that grows in a 
 high northern latitude, and is well seasoned. 
 
 The pole of the wagon should have a joint where it 
 enters the hounds, to prevent the weight from coming 
 upon it and breaking the hounds in passing short and 
 abrupt holes in the road. 
 
 The perch or coupling-pole should be shifting or mov 
 able, as, in the event of the loss of a wheel, an axle, or 
 other accident^ rendering it necessary to abandon the wa 
 gon, a temporary cart may be constructed out of the 
 remaining portion. The tires should be examined just 
 before commencing the journey, and, if not perfectly 
 snug, reset. 
 
 One of the chief causes of accidents to carriages upon 
 the plain arises from the nuts coming off from the numerous 
 bolts that secure the running gearing. To prevent this, 
 the ends of all the bolts should be rivetted ; it is seldom 
 necessary to take them off, and when this is required the 
 ends of the bolts may easily be filed away. 
 
 Wagons with six mules should never, on a long journey 
 over the prairies, be loaded with over 2000 pounds, unless 
 grain is transported, when an additional thousand pounds 
 may be taken, provided it is fed out daily to the team. 
 
10 PRAIRIE TRAVELER. 
 
 When grass constitutes the only forage, 2000 pounds is 
 deemed a sufficient load. I regard our government wagons 
 as unnecessarily heavy for six mules. There is sufficient 
 material in them to sustain a burden of 4000 pounds, but 
 they are seldom loaded with more than half that weight. 
 Every wagon should be furnished with substantial bows 
 and double Osnaburg covers, to protect its contents from 
 the sun and weather. 
 
 There has been much discussion regarding the relative 
 merits of mules and oxen for prairie traveling, and the 
 question is yet far from being settled. Upon good firm 
 roads, in a populated country, where grain can be procured, 
 I should unquestionably give the preference to mules, as 
 they travel faster, and endure the heat of summer much 
 better than oxen ; and if the journey be not over 1000 
 miles, and the grass abundant, even without grain, I think 
 mules would preferable. But when the march is to extend 
 1500 or 2000 miles, or over a rough sandy or muddy road, 
 I believe young oxen will endure better than mules ; they 
 will, if properly managed, keep in better condition, and 
 perform the journey in an equally brief space of lime. 
 Besides, they are much more economical, a team of six 
 mules costing six hundred dollars, while an eight-ox team 
 only costs upon the frontier about two hundred dollars. 
 Oxen are much less liable to be stampeded and driven off 
 by Indians, and can be pursued and overtaken by horse 
 men ; and, finally, they can, if necessary, be used for beef. 
 
 In Africa oxen are used as saddle animals, and it is said 
 that they perform good service in this way. This will 
 probably be regarded by our people as a very undignified 
 and singular method of locomotion, but, in the absence of 
 any other means of transportation upon a long journey, a 
 saddle- ox might be found serviceable. 
 
 Andcrsson, in his work on South-western Africa, says : 
 "A short strong stick, of peculiar shape, is forced through 
 the cartilage of the nose of the ox, and to either end of 
 this stick is attached (in bridle fashion) a tough leathern 
 thong. From the extreme tenderness of the nose he is 
 now more easily managed." " Hans presented me with 
 
WAGONS AND TEAMS. ,Q 
 
 an ox called < Spring, which I afterwards rode up wai^ 
 of 2000 miles. On the day of our departure he mounted 
 us all on oxen ; and a curious sight it was to see some 
 of the men take their seats who had never before 
 ridden on ox-back. It is impossible to guide an ox as one 
 would guide a horse ; for in the attempt to do so you would 
 instantly jerk the stick out of his nose, which at once de 
 prives you of every control over the beast ; but by pulling 
 both sides of the bridle at the same time, and toward the 
 side you wish him to take, he is easily managed.* Your 
 seat is not less awkward and difficult ; for the skin of the 
 ox, unlike that of the horse, is loose, and, notwithstanding 
 your saddle may be tightly girthed, you keep rocking to 
 and fro like a child in a cradle. A few days, however, 
 enables a person to acquire a certain steadiness ; and long 
 habit will do the rest." 
 
 " Ox- traveling, when once a man becomes accustomed 
 to it, is not so disagreeable as might be expected, particu 
 larly if one succeeds in obtaining a tractable animal. On 
 emergencies, an ox can be made to proceed at a tolerably 
 quick pace ; for, though his walk is only about three miles 
 an hour at an average, he may be made to perform double 
 that distance in the same time. Mr. Galton once accom 
 plished twenty-four miles in four hours, and that, too, 
 through heavy sand I" 
 
 Cows will be found very useful upon long journeys when 
 the rate of travel is slow, as they furnish milk, and in 
 emergencies they may be worked in wagons. I once saw 
 a small cow yoked beside a large ox, and driven about six 
 hundred miles attached to a loaded wagon, and she per 
 formed her part equally well with the ox. It has been by 
 no means an unusual thing for emigrant travelers to work 
 cows in their teams.f 
 
 * A ring instead of the stick put through the cartilage of the nose, 
 would obviate this difficulty. AUTHOR. 
 
 In the use of this ring I perfectly disagree with the Author. It 
 would often be torn away from the nose by the sage and other tough 
 growths of the Prairies. ED. 
 
 t Englishmen, as well as Americans, deride the working of cows 
 
10 PRAIRIE TRAVELER. 
 
 "W^ The inhabitants of Pembina, on Red River, work a 
 single ox harnessed in shafts like a horse, and they trans 
 port a thousand pounds in a rude cart made entirely of 
 wood, without a particle of iron. One man drives and 
 takes the entire charge of eight or ten of these teams upon 
 long journeys. This is certainly a very economical method 
 of transportation. 
 
 STORES AND PROVISIONS. 
 
 Supplies for a march should be put up in the most 
 secure, compact, and portable shape. 
 
 Bacon should be packed in strong sacks of a hundred 
 pounds to each ; or, in very hot climates, put in boxes and 
 surrounded with bran, which in a great measure prevents 
 the fat from melting away. 
 
 If pork be used, in order to avoid transporting about 
 . forty per cent, of useless weight, it should be taken out of 
 the barrels and packed like the bacon ; then so placed in 
 the bottom of the wagons as to keep it cool. The pork, if 
 well cured, will keep several months in this way, but 
 bacon is preferable. 
 
 Flour should be packed in stout double canvas sacks 
 well sewed, a hundred pounds in each sack. 
 
 Butter may be preserved by boiling it thoroughly, and 
 skimming off the scum as it rises to the top until it is 
 quite clear like oil.* It is then placed in tin canisters 
 and soldered up. This mode of preserving butter has been 
 adopted in the hot climate of southern Texas, and it is 
 
 in trains; and they are wrong. Cows, like mares and she-camels get 
 through hard journeys ; they also supply milk no small advantage 
 to the Prairie Traveller. In Africa, 1 used " Jennies " for the pur 
 pose, as the natives would not touch their milk, whilst they never 
 allowed me the use of a cow. ED. 
 
 * This is the Ghi of India, the Raughan of Persia, the Samn 
 of Arabia, and the " one sauce " of the East. It is preserved for 
 any length of time in leather bottles ; and habit soon makes it 
 as palatable as butter. ED. 
 
STORES AND PROVISIONS. 13 
 
 found to keep sweet for a great length of time, and its 
 flavor is but little impaired by the process. 
 
 Sugar may be well secured in India-rubber or gutta- 
 percha sacks, or so placed in the wagon as not to risk 
 getting wet. 
 
 Desiccated or dried vegetables are almost equal to the 
 fresh, and are put up in such a compact and portable form 
 as easily to be transported over the plains. They have 
 been extensively used in the Crimean war, and by our own 
 army in Utah, and have been very generally approved. 
 They are prepared by cutting the fresh vegetables into 
 thin slices and subjecting them to a very powerful press, 
 which removes the juice and leaves a solid cake, which, 
 after having been thoroughly dried in an oven, becomes 
 almost as hard as a rock. A small piece of this, about 
 half the size of a man s hand, w T hen boiled, swells up so as 
 to till a vegetable dish, and is sufficient for four men. It 
 is believed that the antiscorbutic properties of vegetables 
 are not impaired by desiccation ; and they will keep for 
 years if not exposed to dampness. Canned vegetables are 
 very good for campaigning, but are not so portable as 
 when put up in the other form. The desiccated vegetables 
 used in our army have been prepared by Chollet and Co., 
 46, Hue Richer, Paris. There is an agency for them in 
 New York. I regard these compressed vegetables as the 
 best preparation for prairie traveling that has yet been 
 discovered. A single ration weighs, before being boiled, 
 only an ounce, and a cubic yard contains 16,000 rations. 
 In making up their outfit for the plains, men are very 
 prone to overload their teams with a great variety of use 
 less articles. It is a good rule to carry nothing more than 
 is absolutely necessary for use upon the journey. One 
 cannot expect, with the limited allowance of transporta 
 tion that emigrants usually have, to indulge in luxuries 
 upon such expeditions, and articles for use in California 
 can be purchased there at less cost than that of overland 
 transport. 
 
 The allowance of provisions for men in marching should 
 be much greater than when they take no exercise. The 
 
14 PRAIRIE TRAVELER. 
 
 army ration I have always found insufficient for soldiers 
 who perform hard service, yet it is ample for them when 
 in quarters. 
 
 The following table shows the amount of subsistence 
 consumed per day by each man of Dr. Rae s party, in his 
 spring journey to the Arctic regions of North America in 
 1854: 
 
 Pemmican ........ 1.25 Ibs. 
 
 Biscuit 0.25 
 
 Edward s preserved potatoes . . . .0.10 
 
 Flour 0.33 
 
 Tea 0.03 
 
 Sugar 0.14 
 
 Grease or alcohol, for cooking .... 0.25 
 
 2.35 Ibs. 
 
 This allowance of a little over two pounds of the most 
 nutritious food was found barely sufficient to subsist the 
 men in that cold climate. 
 
 The pemmican, which constitutes almost the entire diet 
 of the Fur Company s men in the north-west, is prepared 
 as follows : the buffalo meat is cut into thin flakes, and 
 hung up to dry in the sun, or before a slow fire ; it is then 
 pounded between two stones and reduced to a powder ; 
 this powder is placed in a bag of the animal s hide, with 
 the hair on the outside ; melted grease is then poured into 
 it, and the bag sewn up. It can be eaten raw, and many 
 prefer it so. Mixed with a little flour and boiled, it is a 
 very wholesome and exceedingly nutritious food, and will 
 keep fresh for a long time. 
 
 I would advise all persons who travel for any consider 
 able time through a country where they can procure no 
 vegetables to carry with them some antiscorbutics; and if 
 they cannot transport desiccated or canned vegetables, 
 citric acid answers a good purpose, and is very portable. 
 When mixed with sugar and water, with a few drops of 
 the essence of lemon, it is difficult to distinguish it from 
 lemonade. Wild onions are excellent as antiscorbutics ; 
 also wild grapes and greens. An infusion of hemlock 
 leaves is also said to be an antidote to scurvy. 
 
STORES AND PROVISIONS. 15 
 
 The most portable and simple preparation of subsistence 
 that I know of, and which is used extensively by the 
 Mexicans and Indians, is called " cold flour."" It is made 
 by parching corn, and pounding it in a mortar to the con 
 sistency of coarse meal ; a little sugar and cinnamon added 
 makes it quite palatable. When the traveler becomes 
 hungry or thirsty, a little of the flour is mixed with water 
 and drunk. It is an excellent article for a traveler who 
 desires to go the greatest length of time upon the smallest 
 amount of transportation. It is said that half a bushel is 
 sufficient to subsist a man thirty days. 
 
 Persons undergoing severe labor, and driven to great 
 extremities for food, will derive sustenance from various 
 sources that would never occur to them under ordinary 
 .circumstances. In passing over the Rocky Mountains 
 during the winter of 1857-8, our supplies of provisions 
 were entirely consumed eighteen days before reaching the 
 first settlements in New Mexico, and we were obliged to 
 resort to a variety of expedients to supply the deficiency. 
 Our poor mules were fast failing and dropping down from 
 exhaustion in the deep snows, and our only dependence for 
 the means of sustaining life was upon these starved ani 
 mals as they became unserviceable and could go no further. 
 We had no salt, sugar, coffee, or tobacco, which, at a time 
 when men are performing the severest labour that the 
 human system is capable of enduring, was a great priva 
 tion. In this destitute condition we found a substitute for 
 tobacco in the bark of the red willow, which grows upon 
 many of the mountain streams in that vicinity. The outer 
 bark is first removed with a knife, after which the inner 
 bark is scraped up into ridges around the sticks, and held 
 in the fire until it is thoroughly roasted, when it is taken 
 off" the stick, pulverized in the hand, and is ready for 
 smoking. It has the narcotic properties of the tobacco, 
 and is quite agreeable to the taste and smell. The sumach 
 leaf is also used by the Indians in the same way, and has 
 a similar taste to the willow bark.* A decoction of the 
 
 * Ample details concerning this " kinnikinik " and other succe- 
 danea for tobacco used by the Western tribes are given in the " City 
 
16 PRAIRIE TRAVELER. 
 
 dried wild or horse mint, which we found abundant under 
 the snow, was quite palatable, and answered instead of 
 coffee. It dries up in that climate, but does not lose its 
 flavor. We suffered greatly for the want of salt ; but, by 
 burning the outside of our mule steaks, and sprinkling a 
 little gunpowder upon them, it did not require a very ex 
 tensive stretch of the imagination to fancy the presence of 
 both salt and pepper. We tried the meat of horse, colt, 
 and mules, all of which were in a starved condition, and 
 of course not very tender, juicy, or nutritious. We con 
 sumed the enormous amount of from five to six pounds of 
 this meat per man daily, but continued to grow weak and 
 thin, until, at the expiration of twelve days, we were able 
 to perform but little labor, and were continually craving 
 for fat meat. 
 
 The allowance of provisions for each grown person, to 
 make the journey from the Missouri Hiver to California, 
 should suffice for 110 days. The following is deemed re 
 quisite, viz.: 150 Ibs. of flour, or its equivalent in hard 
 bread ; 25 Ibs. of bacon or pork, and enough fresh beef to 
 be driven on the hoof to make up the meat component of 
 the ration ; 1 5 Ibs. of coffee, and 25 Ibs. of sugar ; also a 
 quantity of saleratus or yeast powders for making bread,* 
 and salt, and pepper. 
 
 These are the chief articles of subsistence necessary for 
 the trip, and they should be used with economy, reserving 
 a good portion for the western half of the journey. Here 
 tofore many of the California emigrants have improvidently 
 exhausted their stocks of provision before reaching their 
 journey s end, and have, in many cases, been obliged to 
 pay the most exorbitant prices in making up the deficiency. 
 
 of the Saints," chapter ii. Tobacco and green tea are the prairie 
 traveller s soothers and stimulants. Wine and spirits should be re 
 garded as remedial agents. ED. 
 
 * Many of these are quasi-poisonous. I am practically acquainted 
 with only one preparation that resists an African climate : " Bor- 
 wick s General Baking Powder ;" There are, however, doubtless 
 many oi her equally valuable recipes. ED. 
 
CLOTHING. 17 
 
 It is true, that if persons choose to pass through Salt 
 Lake City, and the Mormons happen to be in an amiable 
 mood, supplies may sometimes be procured from them ; 
 but those who have visited them well know how little 
 reliance is to be placed upon their hospitality or spirit 
 of accommodation.* 
 
 I once traveled with a party of New Yorkers en route 
 for California. They were perfectly ignorant of every 
 thing relating to this kind of campaigning, and had over 
 loaded their wagons with almost every thing except the 
 very articles most important and necessary ; the conse 
 quence was, that they exhausted their teams, and were 
 obliged to throw away the greater part of their loading. 
 They soon learned that Champagne, East India sweet 
 meats, olives, etc., etc., were not the most useful articles 
 for a prairie tour. 
 
 CLOTHING. 
 
 A suitable dress for prairie traveling is of great import 
 to health and comfort. Cotton or linen fabrics do not 
 sufficiently protect the body against the direct rays of the 
 sun at mid-day, nor against rains or sudden changes of 
 temperature. "Wool, being a non-conductor, is the best 
 material for this mode of locomotion, and should always 
 be adopted for the plains. The coats should be short and 
 stout, the shirt of red or blue flannel, such as can be found 
 in almost all the shops on the frontier ; this, in warm 
 weather, answers for an outside garment. The pants 
 should be of thick and soft woolen material, and it is well 
 to have them re-inforced on the inside, where they come 
 in contact with the saddle, with soft buckskin, which 
 makes them more durable and comfortable. 
 
 Woolen socks and stout boots, coming up well at the 
 knees, and made large, so as to admit the pants, will be 
 
 * Here also my experience differs toto ccelo from that of the 
 gallant author. I found supplies at the Great Salt Lake City plen 
 tiful, and by no means exorbitantly dear. Perhaps, however, such 
 was not the case to the Federal Officer. ED. 
 
18 PRAIRIE TRAVELER. 
 
 found the best for horsemen, and they guard against rattle 
 snake bites. 
 
 In traveling through deep snow during very cold wea 
 ther in winter, moccasins are preferable to boots or shoes, 
 as being more pliable, and allowing a freer circulation of 
 blood. In crossing the Rocky Mountains in winter, the 
 weather being intensely cold, I wore two pairs of woolen 
 socks, and a square piece of thick blanket sufficient to 
 cover the feet and ankles, over which were drawn a pair 
 of thick buckskin moccasins, and the w^hole enveloped in a 
 pair of buffalo-skin boots with the hair inside, made open 
 in the front and tied with buckskin strings. At the same 
 time I wore a pair of elkskin pants, which most effectually 
 prevented the air from penetrating to the skin, and made 
 an excellent defence against brush and thorns. 
 
 My men, who were dressed in the regulation- clothing, 
 wore out their pants and shoes before we reached the sum 
 mit of the mountains, and many of them had their feet 
 badly frozen in consequence. They mended their shoes 
 with pieces of leather cut from the saddle-skirts as long as 
 they lasted, and, when this material was gone, they covered 
 the entire shoe with green beeve or mule-hide, drawn to 
 gether and sewed upon the top, with the hair inside, which 
 protected the upper as well as the sole leather. The sewing 
 was done with an awl and buckskin strings. These simple 
 expedients contributed greatly to the comfort of the party ; 
 and, indeed, I am by no means sure that they did not, in 
 our straitened condition, without the transportation neces 
 sary for carrying disabled men, save the lives of some of 
 them. Without the awl and buckskins we should have 
 been unable to have repaired the shoes. They should 
 never be forgotten in making up the outfit for a prairie 
 expedition. 
 
 We also experienced great inconvenience and pain, by 
 the reflection of the sun s rays from the snow upon our 
 eyes, and some of the party became nearly snow-blind. 
 Green and blue glasses, inclosed in a wire net-work, are an 
 effectual protection to the eyes ; but, in the absence of 
 these, the skin around the eyes and upon the nose should 
 
CAMP EQUIPAGE. 19 
 
 be blackened with wet powder or charcoal, which will afford 
 great relief .* 
 
 In the summer season shoes are much better for footmen 
 than boots, as they are lighter, and do not cramp the 
 ankles ; the soles should be broad, so as to allow a square, 
 firm tread, without distorting or pinching the feet. 
 
 The following list of articles is deemed a sufficient out 
 fit for one man upon a three months expedition, viz. : 
 
 2 blue or red flannel overshirts, 
 open in front, with buttons. 
 2 woolen undershirts. 
 2 pairs thick cotton drawers. 
 4 pairs woolen socks. 
 2 pairs cotton socks. 
 4 colored silk handkerchiefs. 
 
 2 pairs stout shoes, for footmen. 
 1 pair boots, for horsemen. 
 
 1 pair shoes, for horsemen. 
 
 3 towels. 
 
 1 gutta percha poncho. 
 
 1 broad-brimmed hat of soft felt. 
 
 1 comb and brush. 
 
 2 tooth-brushes. 
 
 1 pound Castile soap. 
 
 3 pounds bar soap for washing 
 clothes. 
 
 1 belt- knife and small whetstone. 
 
 Stout linen thread, large needles, 
 a bit of beeswax, a few buttons, 
 paper of pins, and a thimble, 
 all contained in a small buck 
 skin or stout cloth bag. 
 
 The foregoing articles, with the coat and overcoat, com 
 plete the wardrobe. 
 
 CAMP EQUIPAGE. 
 
 The bedding for each person should consist of two 
 blankets, a comforter, and a pillow, and a gutta percha 
 or painted canvas cloth to spread beneath the bed upon 
 the ground, and to contain it when rolled up for trans 
 portation. 
 
 Every mess of six or eight persons will require a 
 wrought-iron camp kettle, large enough for boiling meat 
 and making soup ; a coffee-pot and cups of heavy tin, with 
 the handles riveted on ; tin plates, frying and bake pans 
 of wrought-iron, the latter for baking bread and roasting 
 
 * Those who know how to use the Oriental Kohl or Surma will 
 do well to take some with them. 
 
 I deprecate the use of red shirts, if sporting be the traveller s 
 object, and I advise a double broad-brim of soft felt, one being fitted 
 inside the other. ED. 
 
20 PRAIRIE TRAVELER. 
 
 coffee. Also a mess pan of heavy tin or wrought-iron for 
 mixing bread and other culinary purposes ; knives, forks, 
 and spoons ; an extra camp kettle ; tin or gutta percha 
 bucket for water wood, being liable to shrink and fall to 
 pieces, is not deemed suitable ; an axe, hatchet, and spade 
 will also be needed, with a mallet for driving picket-pins. 
 Matches should be carried in bottles and corked tight, so 
 as to exclude the moisture. 
 
 A little blue mass, quinine, opium, and some cathartic 
 medicine, put up in doses for adults, will suffice for the 
 medicine-chest.* 
 
 * The diseases to be guarded against in Prairie travelling are 
 ophthalmia, fever and ague, and dysenteric affections, proceeding 
 from liver complaint. A man can hardly expect to escape scathless 
 from a sudden change of London life to that of the Far West, and 
 he should be prepared to doctor himself rather than trust to the 
 faculty as represented in the Far West. 
 
 For ophthalmia, the best treatment is a self-adhering blister affixed 
 to the temples till inflammation disappears. The eyes must be 
 washed with warm water, coupe, if possible, with milk, and the cure 
 should be assisted by the usual drop of nitrate of silver or sulphate 
 of zinc. 
 
 For fevers, calomel not the blue pill, which easily becomes rancid 
 Epsom salts or castor oil capsules, and quinine, will be found suffi 
 cient. In very dangerous places, I always travel with a few phials 
 of tinctura Warburgii or Warburg s drops, a patent medicine which 
 may be bought of Sanger and Co., chemists, 150, Oxford Street. 
 
 The best, and indeed the only remedy for the legion of dysenteric 
 diseases, arising from hepatic derangements, is nitro-muriatic acicl. 
 I copy from the City of the Saints (chap. 6), the proportions for 
 internal administration. R Acid nit. . 1j. 
 
 Acid mur. . 5ij Misce. 
 
 Of this mixture, fifteen drops in a tumbler of water, twice a day be 
 fore meals, form the dose. 
 
 The local bath may be taken either by compress or by placing the 
 feet in a basin half filled with a quart of hot water and 1 oz. of the 
 nitro-muriatic acid, wrapping at the same time a blanket round the 
 lower extremities to confine the chlorine. 
 
 Nitro-muriatic acid is by no means convenient to carry ; but its 
 essential value should render the labour light. Above all things let 
 the traveler avoid using, in dysentery and diarrhoea, opium,laudanum, 
 and morphia or catechu, and similar astringents. Half the deaths 
 from those diseases which occurred in the Crimea, were caused, I 
 believe, by the injudicious use of opiates. 
 
 When the malady is not complicated by hepatic affections, it is 
 
ARMS. 21 
 
 Eacli ox-wagon should be provided with a covered tar- 
 bucket, filled with a mixture of tar or resin and grease, 
 two bows extra, six S s, and six open links for repairing 
 chains. Every set of six wagons should have a tongue, 
 coupling pole, king-bolt, and pair of hounds extra. 
 
 Every set of six-mule wagons should be furnished with 
 five pairs of hames, two double trees, four whipple-trees, 
 and two pairs of lead bars extra. 
 
 Two lariats will be needed for every horse and mule, as 
 one generally wears out before reaching the end of a long 
 journey. They will be found useful in crossing deep 
 streams, and in letting wagons down steep hills and moun 
 tains ; also in repairing broken wagons. Lariats made of 
 hemp* are the best. 
 
 One of the most indispensable articles to the outfit of 
 the prairie traveler is buckskin. For repairing harness, 
 saddles, bridles, and numerous other purposes of daily 
 necessity, the awl and buckskin will be found in constant 
 requisition. 
 
 ARMS. 
 
 Every man who goes into the Indian country should be 
 armed with a rifle and revolver, and he should never, 
 either in camp or out of it, lose sight of them. When 
 not on the march, they should be placed in such a position 
 that they can be seized at an instant s warning ; and when 
 moving about outside the camp, the revolver should 
 invariably be worn in the belt, as the person does not know 
 at what moment he may have to use it. 
 
 A great diversity of opinion obtains regarding the kind 
 of rifle that is the most efficient and best adapted to 
 Indian warfare ; and the question is perhaps as yet very 
 far from, being settled to the satisfaction of all. A large 
 
 easily removed by simple measures. The best, I believe, is a large 
 spoonful of iron-rust in a small coffee-cup of rum, or cognac burnt 
 down till the spirit has almost evaporated, and a diet of gruel or 
 hominy mixed with common or prepared chalk. ED. 
 * The hemp should be Russian, not Manilla. ED. 
 
22 PRAIRIE TRAVELER. 
 
 majority of men prefer the breech-loading arm ; but there 
 are those who still adhere tenaciously to the old-fashioned 
 muzzle-loading rifle as preferable to any of the modern 
 inventions. Among these may be mentioned the border 
 hunters and mountaineers, who cannot be persuaded to 
 use any other than the Hawkin s rifle, for the reason that 
 they know nothing about the merits of any others. My 
 own experience has forced me to the conclusion, that the 
 breech-loading arm possesses great advantages over the 
 muzzle-loading, for the reason that it can be charged and 
 fired with much greater rapidity. 
 
 Colt s revolving pistol is very generally admitted, both 
 in Europe and America, to be the most efficient arm of its 
 kind known at the present day. As the same principles 
 are involved in the fabrication of his breech-loading rifle 
 as are found in the pistol, the conviction to me is irresis 
 tible that, if one arm is worthy of consideration, the other 
 is equally so. For my own part, I look upon Colt s new 
 patent rifle as a most excellent arm for border service. It 
 gives six shots in more rapid succession than any other 
 rifle I know of, and these, if properly expended, are often 
 times sufficient to decide a contest. Moreover, it is the 
 most reliable and certain weapon to fire that I have ever 
 used; and I cannot resist the force of my conviction that, 
 if I were alone upon the prairies, and expected an attack 
 from a body of Indians, I am not acquainted with any 
 arm I would not as soon have in my hands as this. 
 
 The army and navy revolvers have both been used in 
 our army ; but the officers are not united in opinion in 
 regard to their relative merits. I prefer the large army 
 size, for reasons which will be given hereafter."* 
 
 * After some experience, I still prefer the " Colt," especially the 
 new edition, with the improved plan of removing the cylinder. The 
 army (dragoon or largest) size is best fitted for holsters, the navy, 
 or medium, for the belt. 
 
 Few men would, in these days, be mad enough to prefer the 
 muzzle-loader to the breech-loader, except in places like Central 
 Africa, where, in long travel, the simplest lock lasts the longest ; 
 where the flint is better than the percussion cap, and where, per- 
 
ARMS. 23 
 
 haps, the matchlock is superior to the flint. The remotest corners 
 of the American States, however, are so closely connected with 
 civilization, that in case of accidents by fire or flood, a fresh supply 
 of cartridges could readily be procured. Besides which, a breech 
 loader should always be convertible into a muzzle-loader. 
 
 When I visited the Prairies in the summer of 1800, the Maynard 
 breech-loader was incomparably " the cheese." Since that time, 
 the exigencies of the so-called " Secession " have produced new and 
 improved forms. Of the English, I prefer Cooper, of Birmingham, 
 as being more simple than the well-known " Terry." 
 
 Against so dangerous and powerful an animal as the grizzly bear 
 of the Rocky Mountains, I should be disposed, though some may 
 deem the proceeding unsportsmanlike, to use detonating shells, six 
 to the pound. Thrown from a double-barrelled rifle, made short, 
 heavy, and handy, and carrying, without kicking, four drachms of 
 powder. The "shells" now mostly in use are those invented by 
 the late Gen. Jacob, of Jacobadad, Sindh, and perpetuated in the 
 Blakeleygun. They are objectionable, because they require a pecu 
 liar ramrod, and cautious loading. Moreover, they are not wholly 
 free from danger in case of violent falls or other shocks. 
 
 My own system is to cast the leaden cone in two separate pieces, 
 which can be connected by a male and female screw, thus : 
 
 The fulminating powder, carefully proportioned to the weight of 
 metal, is contained in an air-proof cap of thin copper tube, and this 
 is inserted into the hollow left for it in the length of the missile. 
 The dotted line in the diagram represents the plan of the detonat 
 ing agent. Such cones can be carried about without risk. They keep 
 for ever they require no change of rarnrod, nor care in loading; 
 and they are not liable to explode, even when forcibly thrown 
 against a stone. 
 
 Those who object to shells, will, of course, remember that there 
 are such things as steel tips, and that they were successfully 
 used by M. Jules Gerard, against that king of kings, the lion of 
 Kabylie. And the many who prefer in such encounters, when 
 rapid loading may save life, a smooth-bore to a rifle, will hardly 
 think encountering "Ole Cuffy." except with a heavy weapon 
 throwing balls of 3oz. in weight, hardened with zinc, spelter, or 
 quicksilver. ED. 
 
24 PRAIRIE TRAVELER. 
 
 CHAPTER II. 
 
 Marching. Treatment of Animals. Water. Different methods of 
 finding and purifying it. Journadas. Methods of crossing them. 
 Advance and Rear Guards. Selection of Camp. Sanitary Con 
 siderations. Dr. Jackson s Report. Picket Guards. Stampedes. 
 How to prevent them. Corraling Wagons. 
 
 MARCHING. 
 
 THE success of a long expedition through an unpopu 
 lated country depends mainly on the care taken of the 
 animals, and the manner in which they are driven, herded, 
 and guarded. If they are broken down or lost, everything 
 must be sacrificed, and the party becomes perfectly help 
 less. 
 
 The great error into which inexperienced travellers are 
 liable to fall, and which probably occasions more suffering 
 and disaster than almost anything else, lies in overworking 
 their cattle at the commencement of the journey. To ob 
 viate this, short and easy drives should be made until the 
 teams become habituated to their work, and gradually 
 inured to this particular method of traveling. If animals 
 are overloaded and overworked when they first start out 
 into the prairies, especially if they have been recently 
 taken from grain, they soon fall away, and give out before 
 reaching the end of the journey. 
 
 Grass and water are abundant and good upon the eastern 
 portions of all the different overland routes ; animals should 
 not, therefore, with proper care, fall away in the least 
 before reaching the mountains, as, w r est of them, are long 
 stretches were grass and water are scarce, and it requires 
 the full amount of strength and vigor of animals in good 
 
WATER. 25 
 
 condition to endure the fatigues and hard labor attendant 
 upon the passage of these deserts. Drivers should be 
 closely watched, and never, unless absolutely necessary, 
 permitted to beat their animals or to force them out of a 
 walk, as this will soon break down the best teams. Those 
 teamsters who make the least use of the whip invariably 
 keep their animals in the best condition. Unless the 
 drivers are checked at the outset, they are very apt to fall 
 into the habit of flogging their teams. It is not only 
 wholly unnecessary, but cruel, and should never be toler 
 ated. 
 
 In traveling with ox teams in the summer season, great 
 benefit will be derived from making early marches; starting 
 with the dawn, and making a "nooning" during the heat of 
 the day, as oxen suffer much from the heat of the sun in 
 midsummer. These noon halts should, if possible, be so 
 arranged as to be near grass and water, where the animals 
 can improve their time in grazing. When it gets cool, 
 they may be hitched to the wagons again, and the journey 
 continued in the afternoon. Sixteen or eighteen miles a 
 day may thus be made without injury to the beasts, and 
 longer drives can never be expedient, unless in order to 
 reach grass or water. When the requisites for encamping 
 cannot be found at the desired intervals, it is better for the 
 animals to make a very long drive than to encamp without 
 water or grass. The noon halt in such cases may be made 
 without water, and the evening drive lengthened. 
 
 WATER. 
 
 The scarcity of water upon some of the routes across the 
 plains occasionally exposes the traveler to intense suffering, 
 and renders it a matter of much importance for him to 
 learn the best methods of guarding against the disasters 
 liable to occur to men and animals in the absence of this 
 most necessary element. 
 
 In mountainous districts, water can generally be found 
 either in springs, the dry beds of streams, or in holes in 
 the rocks, where they are sheltered from rapid evaporation. 
 For example, in the Hueco tanks, thirty miles east of El 
 
26 PRAIRIE TRAVELER. 
 
 Paso, New Mexico, upon the Fort Smith road, where there 
 is an immense reservoir in a cave, water can always be 
 found. This reservoir receives the drainage of a mountain. 
 
 During a season of the year when there are occasional 
 showers, water will generally be found in low places where 
 there is a substratum of clay ; but after the dry season has 
 set in these pools evaporate, and it is necessary to dig 
 wells. The lowest spots should be selected for this pur 
 pose, where the grass is green and the surface earth moist. 
 
 In searching for water along the dry sandy beds of 
 streams, it is well to try the earth with a stick or ramrod, 
 and if this indicates moisture, water will generally be ob 
 tained by excavation. Streams often sink in light and 
 porous sand, and sometimes make their appearance again 
 lower down, where the bed is more tenacious ; but it is a 
 rule with prairie travelers, in searching for water in a 
 sandy country, to ascend the streams, and, the nearer their 
 sources are approached, the more water will be found in a 
 dry season. 
 
 Where it becomes necessary to sink a well in a stream, 
 the bed of which is quicksand, a flour barrel perforated 
 with small holes, should be used as a curb, to prevent the 
 sand from caving in. The barrel must be forced down as 
 the sand is removed ; and when, as is often the case, there 
 is an under current through the sand, the well will be 
 continually filled with water. 
 
 There are many indications of water known to old cam 
 paigners, although none of them are absolutely infallible. 
 The most certain of them are deep green cotton wood or 
 willow trees growing in depressed localities ; also flags, 
 water-rushes, tall green grass, etc. 
 
 The fresh tracks and trails of animals converging 
 toward a common centre, and the flight of birds and water 
 fowl toward the same points, will also lead to water. In 
 a section frequented by deer or mustangs, it may be certain 
 that water is not far distant, as these animals drink daily, 
 and they will not remain long in a locality after the water 
 has dried up. Deer generally go to water during the 
 middle of the day, but birds toward evening. 
 
WATER. 27 
 
 A supply of drinking water may be obtained during a 
 shower from the drippings of a tent, or by suspending a 
 cloth or blanket by the four corners and hanging a small 
 weight to the centre, so as to allow all the rain to run 
 toward one point, from whence it drops into a vessel be 
 neath. India-rubber, gutta-percha, or painted canvas 
 cloths answer a very good purpose for catching water 
 during a rain, but they should be previously well washed, 
 to prevent them from imparting a bad taste. 
 
 When there are heavy dews, water may be collected by 
 spreading out a blanket with a stick attached to one end, 
 tying a rope to it, dragging it over the grass, and wring 
 ing out the water as it accumulates. In some parts of 
 Australia this method is practised. 
 
 In traversing the country upon the head waters of Red 
 River, during the summer of 18-02, we suffered most 
 severely from thirst, having nothing but the acrid and 
 bitter waters from the river, which, issuing from a gypsum 
 formation, was highly charged with salts, and, when taken 
 into the stomach, did not quench thirst in the slightest 
 degree, but, on the contrary, produced a most painful and 
 burning sensation, accompanied with diarrhoea. During 
 the four days that we were compelled to drink this water, 
 the thermometer rose to 104 in the shade ; and the only 
 relief we found was from bathing in the river. 
 
 The use of water is a matter of habit, very much within 
 our control, as by practice we may discipline ourselves so 
 as to require but a small amount. Some persons for ex 
 ample, who place no restraint upon their appetites, will, if 
 they can get it, drink water twenty times a day, while 
 others will not perhaps drink more than once or twice 
 during the same time. I have found a very effectual pre 
 ventive to thirst by drinking a large quantity of water 
 before breakfast, and, on feeling thirsty on the march, 
 chewing a small green twig or leaf. 
 
 Water taken from stagnant pools, charged with putrid 
 vegetable matter and animalculoc, would be very likely to 
 generate fevers and dysenteries if taken into the stomach 
 without purification. It should, therefore, be thoroughly 
 
28 PRAIRIE TRAVELER. 
 
 boiled, and all the scum removed from the surface as it 
 rises ; this clarifies it, and by mixing powdered charcoal 
 with it the disinfecting process is perfected. Water may 
 also be purified by placing a piece of alum in the end of a 
 stick that has been split, and stirring it round in a bucket 
 of water. Charcoal and the leaves of the prickly pear 
 are also used for the same purpose. I have recently seen 
 a compact and portable filter, made of charcoal, which 
 clarifies the water very effectually, and draws it off on the 
 siphon principle. It can be obtained at 85, West Street, 
 New York, for one dollar and a half. Water may be 
 partially filtered in a muddy pond by taking a barrel and 
 boring the lower half full of holes, then filling it up with 
 grass or moss above the upper holes, after which it is 
 placed in the pond with the top above the surface. The 
 water filters through the grass or moss, and rises in the 
 barrel to a level with the pond. Travelers frequently 
 drink muddy water by placing a cloth or handkerchief 
 over the mouth of a cup to catch the larger particles of 
 dirt and animalculse. 
 
 Water may be cooled so as to be quite palatable by 
 wrapping cloths around the vessels containing it, wetting 
 them, and hanging them in the air, when a rapid evapor 
 ation will be produced. Some of the frontier-men, use a 
 leathern sack for carrying water : this is porous, and 
 allows the necessary evaporation without wetting. 
 
 The Arabs also use a leathern bottle, which they call 
 zemzemiyah. When they are en route they hang it on the 
 shady side of a camel, where the evaporation keeps the 
 water continually cool. 
 
 No expedition should ever set out into the plains with 
 out being supplied with the means for carrying water, 
 especially in an unknown region. If wooden kegs are 
 used they must frequently be looked after, and soaked, in 
 order that they may not shrink and fall to pieces. Men, 
 in marching in a hot climate, throw off a great amount of 
 perspiration from the skin, and require a corresponding 
 quantity of water to supply the deficiency ; and, unless 
 they get this, they suffer greatly. When a party makes 
 
JOURNADAS. 29 
 
 an expedition into a desert section, where there is a pro 
 bability of finding- no water, and intends to return over 
 the same track, it is well to carry water as far as con 
 venient, and bury it in the ground for use on the return 
 trip. 
 
 " Captain Stuart, when he explored Australia, took a 
 tank in his cart, which burst, and, besides that, he carried 
 casks of water. By these he was enabled to face a desert 
 country with a success which no traveler had ever attained 
 to. For instance, when returning homeward, the water 
 was found to be drying up from the country on all sides of 
 him. lie was at a pool, and the next stage was 118 miles, 
 at the end of which it was doubtful if there remained any 
 water. It was necessary to send to reconnoitre, and to 
 furnish the messenger with means of returning should the 
 pool be found dry. He killed a bullock, skinned it, and, 
 filling the skin with water (which held 150 gallons), sent 
 it by an ox dray thirty miles, with orders to bury it and to 
 return. Shortly after, he dispatched a light one-horse 
 cart, carrying thirty-six gallons to supply them for a jour 
 ney of 476 miles, or six days at thirty miles a day, at the 
 close of which they would return to the ox hide sleeping, 
 in fact, five nights 011 thirty-six gallons of water. This a 
 hardy, well-driven horse could do, even in the hottest 
 climate."* 
 
 JOURNADAS. 
 
 ^ 
 
 In some localities 50 or 60 miles, and even greater dis 
 tances, are frequently traversed without water ; these long 
 stretches are called by the Mexicans " journadas," or day s 
 journeys. There is one in New Mexico called Journada 
 del Muerto, which is 78^ miles in length, where, in a dry 
 season, there is not a drop of water ; yet, with proper 
 care, this drive can be made with ox or mule teams, and 
 without loss or injury to the animals. 
 
 * F. Galton s Art of Travel, p. 17 and 18. AUTHOR. The English 
 traveler will not neglect to make a companion of the Second 
 Edition of this most useful Manual. I would rather examine 
 officers in the Art of Travel than " put them through " Roman 
 History, or even Latin. ED. 
 
30 PRAIRIE TRAVELER. 
 
 On arriving at the last camping- ground before entering 
 upon the journada, all the animals should be as well 
 rested and refreshed as possible. To insure this, they 
 must be turned out upon the best grass that can be found, 
 and allowed to eat and drink as much as they desire 
 during the entire halt. Should the weather be very warm, 
 and the teams composed of oxen, the march should not be 
 resumed until it begins to cool in the afternoon. They 
 should be carefully watered just previous to being hitched 
 up and started out upon the journada, the water-kegs 
 having been previously filled. The drive is then com 
 menced, and continued during the entire night, with ten 
 or fifteen minutes rest every two hours. About daylight 
 a halt should be made, and the animals immediately turned 
 out to graze for two hours, during which time, especially 
 if there is dew upon the grass, they will have become con 
 siderably refreshed, and may be put to the wagons again, 
 and driven until the heat becomes oppressive toward noon, 
 when they are again turned out upon a spot where the 
 grass is good, and, if possible, where there are shade-trees. 
 About four o clock P.M. they are again started, and the 
 march continued into the night, and as long as they can 
 be driven without suffering. If, however, there should be 
 dew, which is seldom the case on the plains, it would be 
 well to turn out the animals several times during the 
 second night, and by morning, if they are in good con 
 dition, the journada of seventy or eighty miles will have 
 been passed without any great amount of suffering. I am 
 supposing, in this case, that the road is firm and free from 
 sand. 
 
 Many persons have been under the impression that ani 
 mals, in traversing the plains, would perform better, and 
 keep in better condition, by allowing them to graze in the 
 morning before commencing the day s march, which in 
 volves the necessity of making late starts, and driving 
 during the heat of the day. The same persons have been 
 of the opinion that animals will graze only at particular 
 hours; that the remainder of the day must be allowed 
 them for rest and sleep, and that, unless these rules be 
 
JOURNADAS 31 
 
 observed, they would not thrive. This opinion is, however, 
 erroneous, as animals will in a few days adapt themselves 
 to any circumstances, so far as regards their hours of labor, 
 rest, and refreshment. If they have been accustomed to 
 work at particular periods of the day, and the order of 
 things is suddenly reversed, the working hours changed 
 into hours of rest, and vice versa, they may not do as well 
 for a short time ; but they will soon accustom themselves 
 to the change, and eat and rest as well as before. By 
 making early drives during the summer months the heat 
 of the day is avoided, whereas, I repeat, if allowed to 
 graze before starting, the march can not commence until 
 it grows warm, when animals, especially oxen, will suffer 
 greatly from the heat of the sun, and will not do as well 
 as when the other plan is pursued. 
 
 Oxen upon a long journey will sometimes wear down 
 their hoofs and become lame. When this occurs, a thick 
 piece of raw hide wrapped around the foot and tied firmly 
 to the leg will obviate the difficulty, provided the weather 
 is not wet; for if so, the shoe soon wears out. Mexican 
 and Indian horses and mules will make long journeys 
 without being shod, as their hoofs are tough and elastic, 
 and wear away very gradually; they will, however, in 
 time became very smooth, making it difficult for them to 
 travel upon grass. 
 
 A train of wagons should always be kept closed upon a 
 march ; and if, as often happens, a particular wagon gets 
 out of order and is obliged to halt, it should be turned out 
 of the road, to let the others pass while the injury is being 
 repaired. As soon as the broken wagon is in order, it should 
 fall into the line wherever it happens to be. In the event of 
 a wagon breaking down so as to require important repairs, 
 men should be immediately dispatched with the necessary 
 tools and materials, which should be placed in the train 
 where they can readily be got at, and a guard should be 
 left to escort the wagon to camp after having been repaired. 
 If, however, the damage be so serious as to require any 
 great length of time to repair it, the load should be trans 
 ferred to other wagons, so that the team which is left 
 
32 PRAIRIE TRAVELER. 
 
 behind will be able to travel rapidly and overtake the 
 train. 
 
 If the broken wagon is a poor one, and there be abun 
 dance of better ones, the accident being such as to involve 
 much delay for its repair, it may be wise to abandon it, 
 taking from it such parts as may possibly be wanted in 
 repairing other 
 
 ADVANCE AND REAR GUARDS. 
 
 A few men, well mounted, should constitute the advance 
 and rear guards for each train of wagons passing through 
 the Indian country. Their duty will be to keep a vigilant 
 look-out in all directions, and to reconnoitre places where 
 Indians would be likely to lie in ambush. Should hostile 
 Indians be discovered, the fact should be at once reported 
 to the commander, who (if he anticipates an attack) will 
 rapidly form his wagons into a circle or "corral" with 
 the animals toward the centre, and the men on the inside, 
 with their arms in readiness to repel an attack from with 
 out. If these arrangements be properly attended to, few 
 parties of Indians will venture to make an attack, as they 
 are well aware that some of their warriors might pay with 
 their lives the forfeit of such indiscretion. 
 
 I know an instance where one resolute man, pursued for 
 several days by a large party of Comanches on the Santa 
 Fe trace, defended himself by dismounting and pointing 
 his rifle at the foremost whenever they came near him, 
 which always had the effect of turning them back. This 
 was repeated so often that the Indians finally abandoned 
 the pursuit, and left the traveler to pursue his journey 
 without further molestation. During all this time he did 
 not discharge his rifle; had he done so he would doubtless 
 have been killed. 
 
 SELECTION OF CAMPS. 
 
 The security of animals, and, indeed, the general safety 
 of a party, in traveling through a country occupied by 
 
SELECTION OF CAMPS. 33 
 
 hostile Indians, depends greatly upon the judicious selection 
 of camps. One of the most important considerations that 
 should influence the choice of a locality is its capability 
 for defence. If the camp be pitched beside a stream, a 
 concave bend, where the water is deep, with a soft alluvial 
 bed inclosed by high and abrupt banks, will be the most 
 defensible, and all the more should the concavity form a 
 peninsula. The advantages of such a position are obvious 
 to a soldier s eye, as that part of the encampment inclosed 
 by the stream is naturally secure, and leaves only one side 
 to be defended. The concavity of the bend will enable 
 the defending party to cross its fire in case of attack from 
 the exposed side. The bend of the stream will also form 
 an excellent corral in which to secure animals from a 
 stampede, and thereby diminish the number of sentinels 
 needful around the camp. In herding animals at night 
 within the bend of a stream, a spot should be selected 
 where no clumps of brush grow on the side where the 
 animals are posted. If thickets of brush can not be 
 avoided, sentinels should be placed near them, to guard 
 against Indians, who might take advantage of this cover 
 to steal animals, or shoot them down with arrows, before 
 their presence was known. 
 
 In camping away from streams, it is advisable to select 
 a position in which one or more sides of the encampment 
 shall rest upon the crest of an abrupt hill or bluff. The 
 prairie Indians make their camps upon the summits of the 
 hills, whence they can see in all directions, and thus avoid 
 a surprise.* 
 
 The line of tents should be pitched on that side of the 
 camp most exposed to attack, and sentinels so posted that 
 they may give alarm in time for the main body to rally 
 and prepare for defence. 
 
 SANITARY CONSIDERATIONS. 
 When camping near rivers and lakes surrounded by 
 
 * Captain Sturt, and other Australian explorers, successfully 
 adopted this plan. ED. 
 
 D 
 
34 PRAIRIE TRAVELER. 
 
 large bodies of timber and a luxuriant vegetation, which 
 produces a great amount of decomposition and consequent 
 exhalations of malaria, it is important to ascertain what 
 localities will be the least likely to generate disease, and to 
 affect the sanitary condition of men occupying them. 
 
 This subject has been thoroughly examined by Dr. Ro 
 bert Johnson, Inspector General of Hospitals in the English 
 army in 1845 ;* and, as his conclusions are deduced from 
 enlarged experience and extended research, they should 
 have great weight. I shall, therefore, make no apology 
 for introducing here a few extracts from his interesting 
 report touching upon this subject : 
 
 "It is consonant with the experience of military people, 
 in all ages and in all countries, that camp -diseases most 
 abound near the muddy banks of large rivers, near swamps 
 and ponds, and on grounds which have been recently 
 stripped of their woods. The fact is precise, but it has 
 been set aside to make way for an opinion. It was assum 
 ed, about half a century since, by a celebrated army-phy 
 sician, that camp diseases originated from causes of putre 
 faction, and that putrefaction is connected radically with 
 a stagnant condition of the air. 
 
 " As streams of air usually proceed along rivers with 
 more certainty and force than in other places, and as there 
 is evidently a more certain movement of air, that is, more 
 wind on open grounds than among woods and thickets, 
 this sole consideration, without any regard to experience, 
 influenced opinion, gave currency to the destructive maxim 
 that the banks of rivers, open grounds, and exposed heights 
 are the most eligible situations for the encampment of 
 troops. They are the best ventilated ; they must, if the 
 theory be true, be the most healthy. 
 
 " The fact is the reverse ; but, demonstrative as the fact 
 may be, fashion has more influence than multiplied ex 
 amples of facts experimentally proved. Encampments are 
 still formed in the vicinity of swamps, or on grounds 
 
 * And later still by Sir Ranald Martin, K.C.B., whose well-digested 
 opinions touching sanitaria in tropical climates will, I hope, pre 
 sently change the map of British India. ED. 
 
SANITARY CONSIDERATIONS. 35 
 
 which are newly cleared of their woods, in obedience to 
 theory, and contrary to fact. 
 
 " It is prudent, as now said, in selecting ground for en 
 campment, to avoid the immediate vicinity of swamps and 
 rivers. The air is there noxious ; but, as its influence 
 thence originating does not extend beyond a certain limit, 
 it is a matter of some importance to ascertain to what dis 
 tance it does extend ; because, if circumstances do not 
 permit that the encampment be removed out of its reach, 
 prudence directs that remedies be applied to weaken the 
 force of its pernicious impressions. 
 
 " The remedies consist in the interposition of rising 
 grounds, woods, or such other impediments as serve to break 
 the current in its progress from the noxious source. It is 
 an obvious fact, that the noxious cause, or the exhalations 
 in which it is enveloped, ascends as it traverses the adja 
 cent plain, and that its impression is augmented by the 
 adventitious force with which it strikes upon the subject of 
 its action. 
 
 "It is thus that a position of three hundred paces from 
 the margin of a swamp, or on a level with the swamp 
 itself, or but moderately elevated, is less unhealthy than 
 one at six hundred on the same line of direction on an ex 
 posed height.* The cause here strikes fully in its ascent ; 
 and as the atmosphere has a more varied temperature, and 
 the successions of the air are more irregular on the height 
 than on the plain, the impression is more forcible, and the 
 noxious effect more strongly marked. In accord with this 
 principle, it is almost uniformly true, cceteris paribus, that 
 diseases are more common, at least more violent, in broken, 
 irregular, and hilly countries, where the temperature is 
 liable to sudden changes, and where blasts descend with 
 fury from the mountains, than in large and extensive 
 inclined plains under the action of equal and gentle breezes 
 only. 
 
 * Hence it is, that in British India the hills were always held to 
 be the least wholesome sites, until some enterprizing men bethought 
 themselves of ascending above the mean level of malaria from 
 2,500 to 4,000 feet. ED. 
 
36 PRAIRIE TRAVELER. 
 
 " From this fact it becomes an object of the first con 
 sideration, in selecting ground for encampment, to guard 
 against the impression of strong winds on their own ac 
 count, independently of their proceeding from swamps, 
 rivers, and noxious soils. 
 
 " It is proved by experience, in armies as in civil life, 
 that injury does not often result from simple wetting with 
 rain when the person is fairly exposed in the open air, and 
 habitually inured to the contingencies of weather. Irre 
 gular troops, which act in the advanced line of armies, and 
 which have no other shelter from weather than a hedge or 
 tree, rarely experience sickness never, at least, the sick 
 ness which proceeds from contagion ; hence it is inferred 
 that the shelter of tents is not necessary for the preserva 
 tion of health. Irregular troops, with contingent shelter 
 only, are comparatively healthy, while sickness often rages 
 with violence in the same scenes, among those who have all 
 the protection against the inclemencies of weather which 
 can be furnished by canvas. The fact is verified by ex 
 perience, and the cause of it is not of difficult explanation. 
 When the earth is damp, the action of heat on its surface 
 occasions the interior moisture to ascend. The heat of the 
 bodies of a given number of men, confined within a tent 
 of a given dimension, raises the temperature within the 
 tent beyond the temperature of the common air outside 
 the tent. The ascent of moisture is thus encouraged, 
 generally by a change of temperature in the tent, and 
 more particularly by the immediate or near contact of the 
 heated bodies of the men with the surface of the earth. 
 Moisture, as exhaled from the earth, is considered by ob 
 servers of fact to be a cause which acts injuriously on 
 health. Produced artificially by the accumulation of in 
 dividuals in close tents, it may reasonably be supposed to 
 produce its usual effects on armies. A cause of contagious 
 influence, of fatal effect, is thus generated by accumulating 
 soldiers in close and crowded tents, under the pretext of 
 defending them from the inclemencies of the weather ; and 
 hence it is that the means which are provided for the pre- 
 
SANITARY CONSIDERATIONS. 37 
 
 servation of health are actually the causes of destruction 
 of life.* 
 
 " There are two causes which more evidently act upon 
 the health. of troops in the field than any other, namely, 
 moisture exhaled direct from the surface of the earth in 
 undue quantity, and emanations of a peculiar character 
 arising from diseased action in the animal system in a 
 mass of men crowded together. These are principal, and 
 they are important. The noxious effects may be obviated, 
 or rather the noxious cause will not be generated, under 
 the following arrangement, namely, a carpet of painted 
 canvas for the floor of the tent ; a tent with a light roof, 
 as defence against perpendicular rain or the rays of a ver 
 tical sun ; and with side walls of moderate height, to be 
 employed only against driving rains. To the first, there 
 can be no objection : it is useful, as preventing the exhala 
 tions of moisture from the surface of the earth ; it is con 
 venient, as always ready; and it is economical, as less 
 expensive than straw. It requires to be fresh painted only 
 once a year." 
 
 The effect of crowding men together in close quarters, 
 badly ventilated, was shown in the prisons of Hindostan, 
 where at one time, when the English held sway, they had, 
 011 an average, 40,000 natives in confinement ; and this 
 unfortunate population was every year liberated by death 
 in proportions varying from 4,000 to 10,000. The annual 
 average mortality by crowded and unventilated barracks 
 in the English army has sometimes been enormous, as at 
 Barrackpore, where it seldom fell far short of one-tenth ; 
 that is to say, its garrisons were every year decimated by 
 fever or cholera, while the officers and other inhabitants, 
 who lived in well- ventilated houses, did not find the place 
 particularly unhealthy. 
 
 The same fact of general exemption among the officers, 
 and complete exemption among their wives, was observed 
 in the marching regiments, which lost by cholera from 
 
 * The author here omits one well-known fomes of malarious 
 disease in tropical lands turning up or digging into virgin ground. 
 Fresh clearings in bush or jungle are also dangerous. ED. 
 
38 PRAIRIE TRAVELER. 
 
 one tenth to one sixth of the enlisted men, who were 
 packed together at night ten and twelve in a tent, with 
 the thermometer at 96. The dimensions of the celebrated 
 Black Hole of Calcutta where in 1756, 123 prisoners 
 out of 140 died by carbonic acid in one night was but 
 eighteen feet square, and with but two small windows. 
 Most of the twenty-three who survived until morning 
 were seized with putrid fever and died very soon after 
 ward. 
 
 On the first of December, 1848, 150 deck passengers of 
 the steamer Londonderry were ordered below by the cap 
 tain and the hatches closed upon them : seventy were 
 found dead the next morning. 
 
 The streams which intersect our great prairies have but 
 a very sparse growth of wood or vegetation upon their 
 banks, so that one of the fundamental causes for the 
 generation of noxious malaria does not, to any great 
 extent, exist here ; and I believe that persons may encamp 
 with impunity directly upon their banks.* 
 
 PICKET GUARDS. 
 
 When a party is sufficiently strong, a picket guard 
 should be stationed during the night some two or three 
 hundred yards in advance of the point which is most open 
 to assault, and on low ground, so that an enemy approach 
 ing over the surrounding higher country can be seen 
 against the sky, while the sentinel himself is screened 
 from observation. These sentinels should not be allowed 
 to keep fires, unless they are so placed that they cannot 
 be seen from a distance. 
 
 During the day the pickets should be posted on the 
 summits of the highest eminences in the vicinity of camp, 
 with instructions to keep a vigilant look-out in all direc- 
 
 * There are exceptions the line of the Platte River, for instance, is 
 notorious for "chills." As a rule the Prairie Traveller should pre 
 fer a Northern aspect, defended in rear by a curtain of high ground 
 from the miasmatic South winds that sweep up from the Gulf of 
 Mexico. ED. 
 
PICKET GUARDS. 39 
 
 tions ; and, if not within hailing distance, they should be 
 instructed to give some well- under stood telegraphic 
 signals to inform those in camp when there is danger. 
 For example, should Indians be discovered approaching at 
 a great distance, they may raise their caps upon the 
 muzzles of their pieces, and at the same time walk around 
 in a circle ; while, if the Indians are near and moving 
 rapidly, the sentinel may swing his cap and run around 
 rapidly in a circle. To indicate the direction from which 
 the Indians are approaching, he may direct his piece 
 toward them, and walk in the same line of direction. 
 
 Should the pickets suddenly discover a party of Indians 
 very near, and with the apparent intention of making an 
 attack, they should fire their pieces to give the alarm to 
 the camp. 
 
 These telegraphic signals, when well understood and 
 enforced, will tend greatly to facilitate the communication 
 of intelligence throughout the camp, and conduce much 
 to its security. 
 
 The picket guards should receive minute and strict 
 orders regarding their duties under all circumstances ; and 
 these orders should be distinctly understood by every one 
 in the camp, so that no false alarms will be created. All 
 persons, with the exception of the guards and herders, 
 should after dark be confined to the limits of the chain of 
 sentinels, so that, if any one is seen approaching from 
 without these limits, it will be known that they are 
 strangers. 
 
 As there will not often be occasion for any one to pass 
 the chain of pickets during the night, it is a good rule 
 (especially if the party is small), when a picket sentinel 
 discovers any one lurking about his post from without, if 
 he has not himself been seen, to quietly withdraw and 
 report the fact to the commander, who can collect his men 
 and make his arrangements to repel an attack and protect 
 his animals. If, however, the man upon the picket has 
 been seen, he should distinctly challenge the approaching 
 party, and if he receives no answer, fire, and retreat to 
 camp to report the fact. 
 
40 PRAIRIE TRAVELER. 
 
 It is of the utmost importance that picket guards should 
 be wide awake, and allow nothing to escape their observa 
 tion, as the safety of the whole camp is involved. During 
 a dark night a man can see better himself, and is less ex 
 posed to the view of others, when in* a sitting posture than 
 when standing up or moving about. I would, therefore, 
 recommend this practice for night pickets.* 
 
 Horses and mules (especially the latter), whose senses of 
 hearing and smelling are probably more acute than those 
 of almost any other animals, will discover anything 
 strange or unusual about camp much sooner than a man. 
 They indicate this by turning in the direction from whence 
 the object is approaching, holding their heads erect, pro 
 jecting their ears forward, and standing in a fixed and 
 attentive attitude. They exhibit the same signs of alarm 
 when a wolf or other wild animal approaches the camp ; 
 but it is always wise, when they show fear in this manner, 
 to be on the alert till the cause is ascertained. 
 
 Mules are very keenly sensitive to danger, and, in 
 passing along over the prairies, they will often detect the 
 proximity of strangers long before they are discovered by 
 their riders. Nothing seems to escape their observation ; 
 and I have heard of several instances where they have 
 given timely notice of the approach of hostile Indians, 
 and thus prevented stampedes. 
 
 Dogs are sometimes good sentinels, but they often sleep 
 sound, and are not easily awakened on the approach of an 
 enemy. 
 
 In marching with a large force, unless there is a guide 
 who knows the country, a small party should always be 
 sent in advance to search for good camping-places, and 
 these parties should be dispatched early enough to return 
 and meet the main command in the event of not finding a 
 a camping-place within the limits of the day s march. A 
 regiment should average upon the prairies, where the 
 
 * In this position the danger is sleep few raw men can resist 
 the temptation, especially about the " small hours " which North 
 American Indians, like Africans and Australians, always choose 
 for onslaught. ED. 
 
STAMPEDES. 
 
 41 
 
 roads are good, about eighteen miles a day, but, if neces 
 sary, it can make twenty-five or even thirty miles. The ad 
 vance party should, therefore, go as far as the command can 
 march, provided the requisites for camping are not, found 
 within that distance. * The article of first importance in 
 campaigning is grass, the next water, and the last fuel.* 
 
 It is the practice of most persons traveling with large 
 ox-trains to select their camps upon the summit of a hill, 
 where the surrounding country in all directions can be 
 seen. Their cattle are then continually within view from 
 the camp, and can be guarded easily. 
 
 When a halt is made the wagons are " corraled," as it 
 is called, by bringing the two front ones near and parallel 
 to each other. The two next are then driven up on the 
 outside of these, with the front wheels of the former 
 touching the rear wheels of the latter, the rear of the 
 wagons turned out upon the circumference of the circle 
 that is being formed, and so on, until one-half the circle 
 is made, when the rear of the wagons are turned in to 
 complete the circle. An opening of about twenty yards 
 should be left between the last two wagons for animals to 
 pass in and out of the corral, and this may be closed with 
 two ropes stretched between the wagons. Such a corral 
 forms an excellent and secure barricade against Indian 
 attacks, and a good inclosure for cattle while they are 
 being yoked : indeed, it is indispensable. 
 
 STAMPEDES. 
 
 Inclosures are made in the same manner for horses and 
 mules, and, in case of an attempt to stampede them, they 
 should be driven with all possible dispatch into the corral, 
 where they will be perfectly secure. A " stampede " is 
 more to be dreaded upon the plains than almost any dis 
 aster that can happen. It not unfrequently occurs that 
 very many animals are irretrievably lost in this way, and 
 the objects of an expedition thus defeated. 
 
 The Indians are perfectly familiar with the habits and 
 
 * I should say water first and grass second. ED. 
 
42 PRAIRIE TRAVELER. 
 
 dispositions of horses and mules, and with the most effectual 
 methods of terrifying them. Previous to attempting a 
 stampede, they provide themselves with rattles and other 
 means for making frightful noises ; thus prepared, they 
 approach as near the herds as possible without being seen, 
 and suddenly, with their horses at full speed, rush in 
 among them, making the most hideous and unearthly 
 screams and noises to terrify them, and drive them off 
 before their astonished owners are able to rally and secure 
 them. 
 
 As soon as the animals are started, the Indians divide 
 their party, leaving a portion to hurry them off rapidly, 
 while the rest linger some distance in the rear, to resist 
 those who may pursue them. Horses and mules, will 
 sometimes, especially in the night, become frightened and 
 stampeded from very slight causes. A wolf or a deer 
 passing through a herd will often alarm them, and cause 
 them to break away in the most frantic manner. Upon 
 one occasion, in the Choctaw country, my entire herd of 
 two hundred horses and mules all stampeded in the night, 
 and scattered over the country for many miles, and it was 
 several days before I succeeded in collecting them together. 
 The alarm occurred while the herders were walking among 
 the animals, and without any perceptible cause. The fore 
 going facts go to show how important it is at all times to 
 keep a vigilant guard over animals. In the vicinity of 
 hostile Indians, where an attack may be anticipated, several 
 good horses should be secured in such positions that 
 they will continually be in readiness for an emergency 
 of this kind. The herdsmen should have their horses in 
 hand, saddled and bridled, and ready at an instant s notice 
 to spring upon their backs and drive the herds into camp. 
 As soon as it is discovered that the animals have taken 
 fright, the herdsmen should use their utmost endeavors to 
 turn them in the direction of the camp, and this can 
 generally be accomplished by riding the bell mare in front 
 of the herd, and gradually turning her toward it, and 
 slackening her speed as the familiar objects about the 
 camp come in sight. This usually tends to quiet their 
 alarm. 
 
REPAIRS OF ACCIDENTS. 43 
 
 CHAPTER III. 
 
 Repairing broken Wagons. Fording Rivers. Quicksand. Wagon 
 Boats. Bull Boats. Crossing Packs. Swimming Animals. 
 Marching with loose Horses. Herding Mules. Best Methods of 
 Marching. Herding and guarding Animals. Descending Moun 
 tains. Storms. Northers. 
 
 REPAIRS OF ACCIDENTS. 
 
 THE accidents most liable to happen to wagons on the 
 plains arise from the great dryness of the atmosphere, and 
 the consequent shrinkage and contraction of the woodwork 
 in the wheels, the tires working loose, and the wheels, in 
 passing over sidling ground, oftentimes falling down and 
 breaking all the spokes where they enter the hub. It 
 therefore becomes a matter of absolute necessity for the 
 prairie traveler to devise some means of repairing such 
 damages, or of guarding against them by the use of timely 
 expedients. 
 
 The wheels should be frequently and closely examined, 
 and whenever a tire becomes at all loose it should at once 
 be tightened with pieces of hoop-iron, or wooden wedges 
 driven by twos, simultaneously, from opposite sides. 
 Another remedy for the same thing is to take off the 
 wheels after encamping, sink them in water, and allow 
 them to remain over night. This swells the wood, but is 
 only temporary, requiring frequent repetition ; and, after 
 a time, if the wheels have not been made of thoroughly 
 seasoned timber, it becomes necessary to reset the tires, in 
 order to guard against their destruction by falling to 
 pieces and breaking the spokes. 
 
 If the tires run off near a blacksmith s shop, or if there 
 
44 PRAIRIE TRAVELER. 
 
 be a traveling forge with the train, they may be tied on 
 with raw hide or ropes, and thus driven to the shop or 
 camp. When a rear wheel breaks down upon a march, 
 the best method I know of for taking the vehicle to a 
 place where it can be repaired, is to take off the damaged 
 wheel, and place a stout pole of three or four inches in 
 diameter under the end of the axle, outside the wagon-bed, 
 and extending forward above the front wheel, where it is 
 firmly lashed with ropes, while the other end of the pole 
 runs six or eight feet to the rear, and drags upon the 
 ground. The pole must be of such length and inclination 
 that the axle shall be raised and retained in its proper 
 horizontal position, when it can be driven to any distance 
 that may be desired. The wagon should be relieved as 
 much as practicable of its loading, as the pole dragging 
 upon the ground will cause it to run heavily. 
 
 When a front wheel breaks down, the expedient just 
 mentioned cannot be applied to the front axle, but the 
 two rear wheels may be taken off and placed upon this 
 axle (they will always fit), while the sound front wheel 
 can be substituted upon one side of the rear axle, after 
 which the pole may be applied as before described. This 
 plan I have adopted upon several different occasions, and 
 I can vouch for its efficacy. 
 
 The foregoing facts may appear very simple and unim 
 portant in themselves ; but blacksmiths and wheelwrights 
 are not met with at every turn of the road upon the 
 prairies ; and in the wilderness, where the traveler is 
 dependant solely upon his own resources, this kind of in 
 formation will be found highly useful. 
 
 When the spokes in a wheel shrink more than the 
 felloes, they work loose in the hub, and cannot be tightened 
 by wedging. The only remedy in such cases is to cut the 
 felloe with a saw on opposite sides, taking out two pieces 
 of such dimensions that the reduced circumference will 
 draw back the spokes into their proper places, and make 
 them snug. A thin wagon-bow, or barrel hoops, may 
 then be wrapped around the outside of the felloe, and 
 secured with small nails or tacks. This increases the 
 
FORDING RIVERS. 45 
 
 diameter of the wheel, so that when the tire has been 
 heated, put on, and cooled, it forces back the spokes into 
 their true places, and makes the wheel as sound and strong 
 as it ever was. This simple process can be executed in 
 about half-an-hour, if there be fuel for heating, and obvi 
 ates the necessity of cutting and welding the tire. I 
 would recommend that the tires should be secured with 
 bolts and nuts, which will prevent them from running off 
 when they work loose, and, if they have been cut and 
 reset, they should be well tried with a hammer where they 
 are welded to make sure that the junction is sound. 
 
 FORDING RIVERS. 
 
 Many streams that intersect the different routes across 
 our continent are broad and shallow, and flow over beds of 
 quicksand, which, in seasons of high water, become boggy 
 and unstable, and are then exceedingly difficult to cross. 
 When these streams are on the rise, and, indeed, before 
 any swelling is perceptible, their beds become surcharged 
 with the sand loosened by the action of the under- current 
 from the approaching flood ; and from this time until the 
 water subsides fording is difficult, requiring great pre 
 cautions. On arriving upon the bank of a river of this 
 character which has not recently been crossed, the condi 
 tion of the quicksand may be ascertained by sending an 
 intelligent man over the fording-place, and, should the 
 sand not yield under his feet, it may be regarded as safe for 
 animals or wagons. Should it, however, prove soft and 
 yielding, it must be thoroughly examined, and the best 
 track selected. This can be done by a man on foot, who 
 will take a number of sharp sticks long enough, when 
 driven into the bottom of the river, to stand above the 
 surface of the water. He starts from the shore, and with 
 one of the sticks and his feet tries the bottom, in the di 
 rection of the opposite bank, until he finds the firmest 
 ground, where he plants one of the sticks to mark the 
 track. A man incurs no danger in walking over quick 
 sand, provided he step rapidly, and he will soon detect the 
 
46 PRAIRIE TRAVELER. 
 
 safest ground. He then proceeds, planting his sticks as 
 often as may be necessary to mark the way, until he 
 reaches the opposite bank. The ford is thus ascertained, 
 and, if there are footmen in the party, they should cross 
 before the animals and wagons, as they pack the sand, and 
 make the track more firm and secure. 
 
 If the sand is soft, horses should be led across, and not 
 allowed to stop in the stream ; and the better to ensure 
 this, they should be watered before entering upon the 
 ford; otherwise, as soon as they stand still, their feet sink 
 in the sand,, and soon it becomes difficult to extricate them. 
 The same rule holds in the passage of wagons; they must 
 be driven steadily across, and the animals never allowed 
 to stop while in the river, as the wheels sink rapidly in 
 quicksand. Mules will often stop from fear, and when 
 once embarrassed in the sand, they lie down, and will not 
 use the slightest exertion to regain their footing. The 
 only alternative, then, is to drag them out with ropes. I 
 have even known some mules refuse to put forth the least 
 exertion to get up after being pulled out upon firm ground, 
 and it was necessary to set them upon their feet before they 
 were restored to a consciousness of their own powers. 
 
 In crossing rivers where the water is so high as to come 
 into the wagon-beds, but is not above a fording stage, the 
 contents of the wagons may be kept dry by raising the 
 beds between the uprights, and retaining them in that 
 position with blocks of wood placed at each corner, be 
 tween the rockers and the bottom of the wagon-beds. The 
 blocks must be squared at each end, and their length, of 
 course, should vary with the depth of water, which can 
 be determined before cutting them. This is a very common 
 and simple method of passing streams among emigrant 
 travelers. 
 
 When streams are deep, with a very rapid current, it 
 is difficult for the drivers to direct their teams to the 
 proper coming-out places, as the current has a tendency 
 to carry them too far down. This difficulty may be obvi^ 
 ated by attaching a lariat rope to the leading animals, and 
 having a mounted man ride in front with the rope in his 
 
FORDING A RIVER. 47 
 
 hand, to assist the team in stemming the current, and 
 direct it toward the point of egress. It is also a wise 
 precaution, if the ford be at all hazardous, to place a 
 mounted man on the lower side of the team with a whip, 
 to urge forward any animal that may not work properly. 
 
 When rivers are wide, with a swift current, they should 
 always, if possible, be forded obliquely down stream, as 
 the action of the water against the wagons, assists very 
 materially in carrying them across. In crossing the 
 North Platte upon the Cherokee trail at a season when the 
 water was high and very rapid, we were obliged to take 
 the only practicable ford, which ran diagonally up the 
 stream. The consequence was, that the heavy current, 
 coming down with great force against the wagons, offered 
 such powerful resistance to the efforts of the mules, that 
 it was with difficulty they could retain their footing; and 
 several were drowned. Had the ford crossed obliquely 
 down the river, there would have been no difficulty. 
 
 When it becomes necessary, with loaded wagons, to 
 cross a stream of this character against the current, I 
 would recommend that the teams be doubled, the leading 
 animals led, a horseman placed on each side with whips to 
 assist the driver, and that, before the first wagon enters 
 the water, a man should be sent in advance to ascertain 
 the best ford. 
 
 During seasons of high water, men, in traversing the 
 plains, often encounter rivers which rise above a fording 
 stage, and remain in that condition for many days, and to 
 await the falling of the water might involve a great loss 
 of time. If the traveler be alone, his only way is to swim 
 his horse; but if he retains the seat on his saddle, his 
 weight presses the animal down into the water, and cramps 
 his movements very sensibly. It is a much better plan to 
 attach a cord to the bridle-bit, and drive him into the 
 stream ; then, seizing his tail, allow him to tow you across. 
 If he turns out of the course, or attempts to turn back, 
 he can be checked with the cord, or by splashing water at 
 his head. If the rider remains in the saddle, he should 
 allow the horse to have a loose rein, and never pull upon 
 
48 
 
 PRAIRIE TRAVELER. 
 
 it except wlien necessary to guide. If lie wishes to steady 
 himself, lie can lay hold upon the mane. 
 
 In travelling with large parties, the following expedients 
 for crossing rivers have been successfully resorted to within 
 my own experience ; and they are attended with no risk to 
 life or property. 
 
 A rapid and deep stream, with high, abrupt, and soft 
 banks, probably presents the most formidable array of un 
 favorable circumstances that can be found. Streams of 
 this character are occasionally met with, and it is impor 
 tant to know how to cross them with the greatest promp 
 titude and safety. 
 
 A train of wagons having arrived upon the bank of such 
 a stream, first select the best point for the passage, where 
 the banks upon both sides require the least excavation for 
 a place of ingress and egress to and from the river. As 
 I have before remarked, the place of entering the river 
 should be above the coming-out place on the opposite bank, 
 as the current will then assist in carrying wagons and 
 
 The line AB (the distance to be measurer!) is extended upon the batik to D, from which 
 point, after having- marked it, lay off equal distances, DC and Cd; produce BC to b, ma 
 king CB=Ci>; then extend the line db until it intersects the prolongation of the line 
 through CA at a. The distance between ab is equal to AB, or the width of the crossing. 
 
FORDING RIVERS. 49 
 
 animals across. A spot should be sought where the bed 
 of the stream is firm at the place where the animals are 
 to get out on the opposite bank. If, however, no such 
 place can be found, brush and earth should be thrown in 
 to make a foundation sufficient to support the animals, and 
 to prevent them from bogging. After the place for crossing 
 has been selected, it will be important to determine the 
 breadth of the river between the points of ingress and 
 egress, in order to show the length of rope necessary to 
 reach across. A very simple practical method of doing 
 this without instruments, is found in the French "Manuel 
 du Genie." This is shewn in the accompanying Diagram. 
 
 A man who is an expert swimmer then takes the end of 
 a fishing-line or a small cord in his mouth, and carries it 
 across, leaving the other end fixed upon the opposite bank, 
 after which a lariat is attached to the cord, and one end of 
 it pulled across and made fast to a tree ; but if there is 
 nothing convenient to which the lariat can be attached, an 
 extra axle or coupling-pole can be pulled over by the man 
 who has crossed, firmly planted in the ground, and the 
 rope tied to it. The rope must be long enough to extend 
 twice across the stream, so that one end may always be left 
 on each shore. A very good substitute for a ferry-boat 
 may be made with a wagon-bed by filling it with empty 
 water- casks, stopped tight and secured in the wagon with 
 ropes, with a cask lashed opposite the centre of each out 
 side. It is then placed in the water bottom upwards, and 
 the rope that has been stretched across the stream attached 
 to one end of it, while another rope is made fast to the 
 other end, after which it is loaded, the shore-end loosened, 
 and the men on the opposite bank pull it across to the 
 landing, where it is discharged and returned for another 
 load, and so on until all the baggage and men are passed 
 over. 
 
 The wagons can be taken across by fastening them down 
 to the axles, attaching a rope to the end of the tongue, 
 and another to the rear of each to steady it and hold it 
 from drifting below the landing. It is then pushed into 
 the stream, and the men on the opposite bank pull it over. 
 
50 PRAIRIE TRAVELER. 
 
 I have passed a large train of wagons in this way across 
 a rapid stream fifteen feet deep without any difficulty. I 
 took, at the same time, a six-pounder cannon, which was 
 separated from its carriage, and ferried over upon the 
 wagon-boat ; after which the carriage was pulled over in 
 the same way as described for the wagons. 
 
 There are not always a sufficient number of air-tight 
 water-casks to fill a wagon-bed, but a tent-fly, paulin, 
 or wagon-cover can generally be had. In this event, the 
 wagon-bed may be placed in the centre of one of these, 
 the cloth brought up around the ends and sides, and se 
 cured firmly with ropes tied around transversely, and 
 another rope fastened lengthwise around under the rim. 
 This holds the cloth in its place, and the wagon may then 
 be placed in the water right side upward, and managed in 
 the same manner as in the other case. If the cloth be 
 made of cotton, it will soon swell so as to leak but very 
 little, and answers a very good purpose. 
 
 Another method of ferrying streams is by means of what 
 is called by the mountaineers a " Lull-boat" the frame 
 work of which is made of willows bent in the shape of a 
 short and wide skiff, with a flat bottom. Willows grow 
 upon the banks of almost all the streams on the prairies, 
 and can be bent into any shape desired. To make a boat 
 with but one hide, a number of straight willows are cut 
 about an inch in diameter, the ends sharpened and driven 
 into the ground, forming a frame-work in the shape of a 
 half egg-shell cut through the longitudinal axis. Where 
 these rods cross, they are firmly secured with strings. A 
 stout rod is then heated and bent around the frame in such 
 a position, that the edges of the hide, when laid over it and 
 drawn tight, will just reach it. This rod forms the gun 
 wale, which is secured by strings to the ribs. Small rods 
 are thea wattled in so as to make it symmetrical and strong. 
 After which the green or soaked hide is thrown over the 
 edges, sewed to the gunwales, and left to dry. The rods 
 are then cut off even with the gunwale, and the boat is 
 ready for use. 
 
 To build a boat with two or more hides ; a stout pole 
 
FORDING RIVERS. 51 
 
 of the desired length is placed upon the ground for a keel, 
 the ends turned up and secured by a lariat ; willow rods of 
 the required dimensions are then cut, heated, and bent into 
 the proper shape for knees, after which their centres are 
 placed at equal distances upon the keel, and firmly tied 
 with cords. The knees are retained in their proper curva 
 ture by cords around the ends. After a sufficient number 
 of them have been placed upon the keel, two poles of 
 suitable dimensions are heated, bent around the ends for a 
 gunwale, and firmly lashed to each knee. Smaller willows 
 are then interwoven, so as to model the frame. 
 
 Green or soaked hides are cut into the proper shape to fit 
 the frame, and sewed together with buckskin strings ; then 
 the frame of the boat is placed in the middle, the hide 
 drawn up snug around the sides, and secured with raw-hide 
 thongs to the gunwale. The boat is then turned bottom 
 upwards and left to dry, after which the seams where they 
 have been sewed are covered with a mixture of melted tal 
 low and pitch : the craft is now ready for launching. 
 
 A boat of this kind is very light and serviceable, but 
 after a while becomes water- soaked, and should always be 
 turned bottom upward to dry whenever it is not in the 
 water. Two men can easily build a bull-boat of three 
 hides in two days which will carry ten men with perfect 
 safety.* 
 
 * A boat has been invented by Colonel R. C. Buchanan, of the 
 army, which has been used in several expeditions in Oregon and in 
 Washington Territory, and has been highly commended by several 
 experienced officers who have had the opportunity of giving its 
 merits a practical service test. 
 
 It consists of an exceedingly light framework of thin and narrow 
 boards, in lengths suitable for packing, connected by hinges, the 
 different sections folding into so small a compass as to be conve 
 niently carried upon mules. The frame is covered with a sheet of 
 stout cotton canvas, or duck, secured to the gunwales with a cord 
 running diagonally back and forth through eyelet-holes in the upper 
 edge. 
 
 When first placed in the water, the boat leaks a little ; but the 
 canvas soon swells so as to make it sufficiently tight for all practical 
 purposes. The great advantage to be derived from the use of this 
 boat is, that it is so compact and portable as to be admirably adapted 
 
52 PRAIRIE TRAVELER. 
 
 A small party traveling with a pack train, and arriving 
 upon the banks of a deep stream, will not always have the 
 time to stop or the means to make any of the boats that 
 have been described. Should their luggage be such as to 
 become seriously injured by a wetting, and there be an 
 India-rubber or gutta percha cloth disposable, or if even a 
 green beef or buffalo-hide can be procured, it may be 
 spread out upon the ground, and the articles of baggage 
 placed in the centre, in a square or rectangular form ; the 
 ends and sides are then brought up so as entirely to en 
 velop the package, and the whole secured with ropes or 
 raw hide. It is then placed in the water Avith a rope 
 attached to one end, and towed across by men in the same 
 manner as the boats before described. If hides be used, 
 they will require greasing occasionally, to prevent their 
 becoming water-soaked. 
 
 When a mounted party with pack animals arrives upon 
 the borders of a rapid stream, too deep to ford, and where 
 the banks are high and abrupt, with perhaps but one place 
 where the beasts can get out upon the opposite shore, it 
 would not be safe to drive or ride them in, calculating that 
 all will make the desired landing. Some of them will 
 probably be carried by the swift current too far down the 
 stream, and thereby endanger not only their own lives, 
 but the lives of their riders. I have seen the experiment 
 tried repeatedly, and have known several animals to be 
 carried by the current below the point of egress, and thus 
 drowned. Here is a simple, safe, and expeditious method 
 of taking animals over such a stream. Suppose, for 
 
 to the requirements of campaigning in a country where the streams 
 are liable to rise above a fording stage, and where the allowance of 
 transportation is small. 
 
 It may be put together or taken apart and packed in a very few 
 minutes; and one mule suffices to transport a boat, with all its ap 
 purtenances, capable of sustaining ten men. 
 
 Should the canvas become torn, it is easily repaired by putting on 
 a patch, and it does not rot or crack like India-rubber or gutta per 
 cha ; moreover, it is not affected by changes of climate or tempera 
 ture. 
 
FORDING RIVERS. 53 
 
 example, a party of mounted men arrive upon the bank of 
 the stream. There will always be some good swimmers in 
 the party, and probably others who cannot swim at all. 
 Three or four of the most expert of these are selected, and 
 sent across with one end of a rope made of lariats tied 
 together, while the other end is retained upon the first 
 bank, and made fast to the neck of a gentle and good 
 swimming horse ; after which another gentle horse is 
 brought up and made fast by a lariat around his neck to 
 the tail of the first, and so on until all the horses are 
 thus tied together. The men who cannot swim are then 
 mounted upon the best swimming horses and tied on, 
 otherwise they are liable to become frightened, lose their 
 balance, and be carried away in a rapid current ; or a 
 horse may stumble and throw his rider. After the horses 
 have been strung out in a single line by their riders, and 
 everything is in readiness, the first horse is led carefully 
 into the water, while the men on the opposite bank, 
 pulling upon the rope, thus direct him across, and, if 
 necessary, aid him in stemming the current. As soon aa 
 this horse strikes the bottom he pulls upon those behind 
 him, and thereby assists in making the landing ; and in this 
 manner, all are passed over in perfect safety.* 
 
 DRIVING LOOSE HORSES. 
 
 In traveling with loose horses across the plains, some 
 persons are in the habit of attaching them in pairs by 
 their halters to a long stout rope, stretched between two 
 wagons drawn by mules, each wagon being about half 
 loaded. The principal object of the rear wagon being to 
 hold back and keep the rope stretched, not more than two 
 stout mules are required, as the horses aid a good deal 
 with their heads in pulling this wagon. From thirty to 
 
 * For finding fords, crossing streams, making rafts, ferries, and 
 coracles, and determining the breadth of rivers, the reader will con 
 sult the " Art of Travel," and " What to Observe," an excellent work 
 by the late Col. J. R. Jackson, F.R.S., etc. Third edition. Revised 
 and edited by Dr. Norton Shaw, M.D., etc., Acting Secretary to the 
 Royal Geographical Society of London. ED. 
 
54 PRAIRIE TRAVELER. 
 
 forty horses may be driven very well in this manner, and, 
 if they are wild, it is perhaps the safest method, except 
 that of leading them with halters held by men riding 
 beside them. The rope to which the horses are attached 
 should be about an inch and a quarter in diameter, with 
 loops or rings inserted at intervals sufficient to admit the 
 horses without allowing them to kick each other, and the 
 halter straps tied to these loops. The horses, on first 
 starting, should have men by their sides, to accustom them 
 to this manner of being led. The wagons should be so 
 driven as to keep the rope continually stretched. Good 
 drivers must be assigned to these wagons, who will con 
 stantly watch the movements of the horses attached, as 
 well as their own teams. 
 
 I have had 150 loose horses driven by ten mounted 
 herdsmen. This requires great care for some considerable 
 time, until the horses become gentle and accustomed to 
 their herders. It is important to ascertain, as soon as 
 possible after starting, which horses are wild, and may be 
 likely to stampede and lead off the herd ; such should be 
 led, and never suffered to run loose, either on the march or 
 in camp. Animals of this character will soon indicate 
 their propensities, and can be secured during the first days 
 of the march. It is desirable that all animals that will 
 not stampede when not working should run loose on a 
 march, as they pick up a good deal of grass along the 
 road when traveling, and the success of an expedition, 
 when animals get no other forage but grass, depends in a 
 great degree upon the time given them for grazing. They 
 will thrive much better when allowed a free range than 
 when picketed, as they then are at liberty to select such 
 grass as suits them. It may, therefore, be set down as an 
 infallible rule never to be departed from, that all animals, 
 excepting such as will be likely to stampede, should be 
 turned loose for grazing immediately after arriving at the 
 camping-place ; but it is equally important that they 
 should be carefully herded as near the camp as good grass 
 will admit ; and those that it is necessary to picket should 
 be placed upon the best grass, and their places changed 
 
METHOD OF MARCHING. 55 
 
 often. The ropes to which they are attached should be 
 about forty feet long ; the picket-pins, of iron, fifteen 
 inches long, with ring and swivel at top, so that the rope 
 shall not twist as the animal feeds around it ; and the pins 
 must be firmly driven into tenacious earth. 
 
 Animals should be herded during the day at such 
 distances as to leave sufficient grass undisturbed around 
 and near the camp for grazing through the night. 
 
 METHOD OF MARCHING. 
 
 Among men of limited experience in frontier-life will 
 be found a great diversity of opinion regarding the best 
 methods of marching, and of treating animals in expedi 
 tions upon the prairies. Some will make late starts and 
 travel during the heat of the day, without nooning, while 
 others will start early and make two marches, lying by 
 during the middle of the day ; some will picket their 
 animals continually in camp, while others will herd them 
 day and night, etc., etc. For mounted troops, or, indeed, 
 for any body of men traveling with horses and mules, a 
 few general rules may be specified which have the sanction 
 of mature experience ; and a deviation from them will in 
 evitably result in consequences highly detrimental to the 
 best interests of an expedition. 
 
 In ordinary marches through a country where grass and 
 water are abundant and good, animals receiving proper 
 attention should not fall away, even if they receive no 
 grain ; and, as I saicUbefore, they should not be made to 
 travel faster than a walk, unless absolutely necessary ; 
 neither should they be taken off the road for the purpose 
 of hunting or chasing buffalo, as one buffalo-chase injures 
 them more than a week of moderate riding. In the vi 
 cinity of hostile Indians, the animals must be carefully 
 herded and guarded, within protection of the camp, while 
 those picketed should be changed as often as the grass is 
 eaten off within the circle described by the tether-rope. 
 At night they should be brought within the chain of 
 sentinels and picketed as compactly as is consistent with 
 the space needed for grazing, and, under no circumstances 
 
56 PRAIRIE TRAVELER. 
 
 unless the Indians are known to be near and an attack is 
 to be expected, should they be tied up to a picket line 
 where they can get no grass. Unless allowed to graze at 
 night, they will fall away rapidly, and soon become un 
 serviceable. It is much better to march after nightfall, 
 turn some distance off the road, and to encamp without 
 fires in a depressed locality, where the Indians cannot 
 track the party, and the animals may be picketed without 
 danger. 
 
 In descending abrupt hills and mountains, one wheel of 
 a wagon should always be locked, as this relieves the 
 wheel animals, and makes everything more secure. When 
 the declivity is great, both rear wheels should be locked ; 
 and, if very abrupt, requiring great effort on the wheel 
 animals to hold the wagon, the wheels shoiild be rough- 
 looked by lengthening the lock-chains, so that the part 
 which goes around the wheels will come directly upon the 
 ground, and thus create more friction. Occasionally, 
 however, hills are met with so nearly perpendicular, that 
 it becomes necessary to attach ropes to the rear axle, and 
 to station men to hold back upon them and steady the 
 vehicle down the descent. Rough-locking is a very safe 
 method of passing heavy artillery down abrupt declivities. 
 There are several mountains between the Missouri River 
 and California, where it is necessary to resort to one of the 
 two last-mentioned methods in order to descend with 
 security. If there are no lock- chains upon wagons, the 
 front and rear wheels on the same Side may be tied to 
 gether with ropes, so as to lock them very firmly. 
 
 It is an old and well-established custom among men 
 experienced in frontier life, always to cross a stream upon 
 which it is intended to encamp for the night, and this rule 
 should never be departed from where a stream is to be 
 forded, as a rise during the night might detain the 
 traveler for several days in awaiting the fall of the 
 waters.* 
 
 * The hint is notably useful for Indian and African travellers. 
 And, generally, it is well to surmount an obstacle at the end of 
 a march, rather than reserve it for the next day, when precious 
 time may be wasted. ED. 
 
57 
 
 STORMS. 
 
 In "Western Texas, during the autumn and winter 
 months, storms arise very suddenly, and, when accom 
 panied by a north wind, are very severe upon men and 
 animals ; indeed, they are sometimes so terrific as to make 
 it necessary for travelers to hasten to the nearest sheltered 
 place to save the lives of their animals. When these 
 storms come from the north, they are called " northers ;" 
 and as, during the winter season, the temperature often 
 undergoes a sudden change of many degrees at the time 
 the storm sets in, the perspiration is checked, and the 
 system receives an instantaneous shock, against which it 
 requires great vital energy to bear up. Men and animals 
 are not, in this mild climate, prepared for these capricious 
 meteoric revolutions, and they not unfrequently perish 
 under their effects. 
 
 While passing near the head waters of the Colorado in 
 October, 1849, I left one of my camps at an early hour in 
 the morning under a mild and soft atmosphere, with a 
 gentle breeze from the south, but had marched only a 
 short distance when the wind suddenly whipped round 
 into the north, bringing with it a furious chilling rain, 
 and in a short time the road became so soft and heavy as 
 to make the labor of pulling the wagons over it very 
 exhausting upon the mules, and they came into camp in a 
 profuse sweat, with the rain pouring down in torrents 
 upon them. 
 
 They were turned out of harness into the most sheltered 
 place that could be found ; but, instead of eating, as was 
 their custom, they turned their heads from the wind, and 
 remained in that position, chilled and trembling, without 
 making the. least effort to move. The rain continued 
 with unabated fury during the entire day and night, and, 
 on the following morning, thirty-five out of 110 mules 
 had perished, while those remaining could hardly be 
 said to have had a spark of vitality left. They were 
 drawn up with the cold, and could with difficulty walk. 
 Tents and wagon-covers were cut up to protect them, and 
 
58 PRAIRIE TRAVELER. 
 
 they were then driven about for some time, until a little 
 vital energy was restored, after which they commenced 
 eating grass ; but it was three or four days before they 
 recovered sufficiently to resume the march. 
 
 The mistake I made was in driving the mules after the 
 " norther " had commenced. Had I gone immediately 
 into camp, before they became heated and wearied, they 
 would probably have eaten the grass, and this, I have 110 
 doubt, would have saved them ; but, as it was, their blood 
 became heated from overwork, and the sudden chill brought 
 on a reaction which proved fatal. If an animal will eat his 
 forage plentifully, there is but little danger of his perish 
 ing with cold. This I assert with much confidence, as I 
 once, when traveling with about 1500 horses and mules, 
 encountered the most terrific snow-storm that has been 
 known within the memory of the oldest mountaineers. It 
 commenced on the last day of April, and continued 
 without cessation for sixty consecutive hours. The day 
 had been mild and pleasant ; the green grass was about 
 six inches high ; the trees had put on their new leaves, 
 and nature conspired to show, that the sombre garb of 
 winter had been permanently superseded by the smiling 
 attire of spring. About dark, however, the wind turned 
 into the north ; it commenced to snow violently, and 
 increased until it became a frightful tempest, filling the 
 atmosphere with a dense cloud of driving snow, against 
 which it was impossible to ride or walk. Soon after 
 the storm set in, one herd of 300 horses and mules 
 broke away from the herdsmen who were around them, 
 and in spite of all their efforts, ran at full speed, directly 
 with the wind and snow, for fifty miles before they stopped. 
 
 Three of the herdsmen followed them as far as they 
 were able, but soon became exhausted and lost on the 
 prairie. One of them found his way back to camp in a 
 state of great prostration and suffering. One of the others 
 was found dead, and the third crawling about upon his 
 hands and knees, after the storm had ceased. 
 
 It happened, fortunately, that I had reserved a quantity 
 of corn to be used in the event of finding a scarcity of 
 
STORMS. 59 
 
 grass, and as soon as the ground became covered with snow, 
 so that the animals could not get at the grass, I fed out 
 the corn, which I am induced to believe saved their lives. 
 Indeed, they did not seem at all affected by this prolonged 
 and unseasonable tempest. This occurred upon the summit 
 of the elevated ridge dividing the waters of the Arkansas 
 and South Platte Rivers, where storms are said to be of 
 frequent occurrence. 
 
 The greater part of the animals that stampeded were 
 recovered after the storm ; and, although they had 
 traveled a hundred miles at a very rapid pace, they did 
 not seem to be much affected by it. 
 
60 PRAIRIE TRAVELER. 
 
 CHAPTER IY. 
 
 Packing. Saddles. Mexican Method. Madrina, or Bell-mare. > 
 Attachment of the Mule illustrated. Best Method of Packing. 
 Hobbling Animals. Selecting Horses and Mules. Grama and 
 Bunch Grass. European Saddles. California!! Saddle. Saddle 
 Wounds. Alkali. Flies. Colic. Rattlesnake Bites. Cures for 
 the Bite. 
 
 PACKING AND DRIVING. 
 
 WITH a train of pack animals properly organized and 
 equipped, a party may travel with much comfort and 
 celerity. It is enabled to take short cuts, and move over 
 the country in almost any direction without regard to 
 roads. Mountains and broken ground may easily be tra 
 versed, and exemption is gained from many of the troubles 
 and detentions attendant upon the transit of cumbersome 
 wagon-trains."* 
 
 One of the most essential requisites to the outfit of a 
 pack train is a good pack-saddle. Various patterns are in 
 use, many of which are mere instruments of torture upon 
 the backs of the poor brutes, lacerating them cruelly, and 
 causing continued pain. 
 
 The Mexicans use a leathern pack-saddle without a tree. 
 It is stuffed with hay, and is very large, covering almost 
 the entire back, and extending far down the sides. It is 
 secured with a broad hair girth, and the load is kept in 
 position by a lash-rope drawn by two men so tight as to 
 give the unfortunate beast intense suffering. 
 
 * For information touching saddles of various sorts, packing 
 animals, tethering, hobbling, and knee-halteririg, the English reader 
 will refer to Mr. Gait on. ED. 
 
PACKING AND DRIVING. 61 
 
 A pack-saddle is made by T. Grimsley, No. 41, Main 
 Street, St. Louis, Mo. It is open at the top, with a light, 
 compact, and strong tree, which fits the animal s back well, 
 and is covered with raw hide, put on green, and drawn 
 tight by the contraction in drying. It has a leathern 
 breast-strap, breeching, and lash-strap, with a broad hair 
 girth fastened in the Mexican fashion. Of sixty-five of 
 these saddles that I used in crossing the Rocky Mountains, 
 over an exceedingly rough and broken section, not one of 
 them wounded a mule s back, and I regard them as the 
 best saddles I have ever seen. 
 
 GRIMSLEY 3 PACK-SADDLE. 
 
 No people, probably, are more familiar with the art of 
 packing than the Mexicans. They understand the habits, 
 disposition, and powers of the mule perfectly, and will get 
 more work out of him than any other men I have ever 
 seen. The mule and the donkey are to them as the camel 
 to the Arab their porters over deserts and mountains 
 where no other means of transportation can be used to 
 advantage. The Spanish Mexicans are, however, cruel 
 masters, having no mercy upon their beasts, and it is no 
 uncommon thing for them to load their mules with the 
 enormous burden of 300 or 400 Ibs. 
 
 These muleteers believe, that, when the pack is firmly 
 
62 PRAIRIE TRAVELER. 
 
 lashed, the animal supports Ms burden better, and travels 
 with greater ease, which seems quite probable, as the ten 
 sion forms, as it were, an external sheath supporting and 
 bracing the muscles."* It also has a tendency to prevent 
 the saddle from slipping and chafing the mule s back. 
 With such huge car gas as the Mexicans load upon their 
 mules, it is impossible, by any precautions, to prevent their 
 backs and withers from becoming horribly mangled, and 
 it is common to see them working their animals day after 
 day in this miserable plight. This heavy packing causes 
 the scars that so often mark Mexican mules. 
 
 The animal, in starting out from camp in the morning, 
 groaning under the weight of his heavy burden, seems 
 hardly able to move ; but the pack soon settles, and so 
 loosens the lashing that after a short time he moves along 
 with more ease. Constant care and vigilance on the part 
 of the muleteers are necessary to prevent the packs from 
 working loose and falling off. The adjustment of a cargo. 
 upon a mule does not, however, detain the caravan, as the 
 others move on while it is being righted. If the mules are 
 suffered to halt, they are apt to lie down, and -it is very 
 difficult for them, with their loads, to rise ; besides, they 
 are likely to strain themselves in their efforts to do so. 
 The Mexicans, in traveling with large caravans, usually 
 make the day s march without nooning, as too much time 
 would be consumed in unloading and packing up again. 
 
 Packs, when taken off in camp, should be piled in a 
 row upon the ground, and, if there be a prospect of rain, 
 the saddles should be placed over them, and the whole 
 covered with the saddle-blankets or canvas. 
 
 The muleteers and herders should be mounted upon 
 well-trained horses, and be careful to keep the animals of 
 the caravan from wandering or scattering along the road. 
 
 * The art of packing is, firstly, a proper balance and adjustment 
 of packs ; secondly, a firm lashing of loads. For long journeys, 
 however, a strong mule should not carry more than 120 Ibs., and 
 asses about half. Mr. Galton gives for the ass 65 Ibs. ; the small 
 mule 90 Ibs. ; the horse 100 Ibs. ; and the ox 120 Ibs. But he, pro- 
 . bably, never saw the Mexican or Californian mule. ED. 
 
PACKING AND DRIVING. 63 
 
 This can easily be done by having some of the men riding 
 upon each side, and others in rear of the caravan. 
 
 In herding mules, it is customary among prairie 
 travelers to have a bell-mare, to which the mules soon be 
 come so attached, that they will follow her wherever she 
 goes. By keeping her in charge of one of the herdsmen, 
 the herds are easily controlled ; and during a stampede, if 
 the herdsman mounts her, and rushes ahead toward camp, 
 they will generally follow. 
 
 In crossing rivers the bell-mare should pass first, after 
 which the mules are easily induced to take to the water 
 and pass over, even if they have to swim. Mules are 
 good swimmers unless they happen, by plunging off a 
 high bank, to get water in their ears, when they are often 
 drowned. Whenever a mule in the water drops his ears, 
 it is a sure indication that he has water in them, and he 
 should be taken out as soon as possible. To prevent 
 accidents of this nature, where the water is deep and the 
 banks abrupt, the mule-herds should be allowed to enter 
 slowly, and without crowding, as otherwise they are not 
 only likely to get their heads under water, but to throw 
 each other over and get injured. 
 
 The madrina, or bell-mare, acts a most important part 
 in a herd of mules, and is regarded by experienced cam 
 paigners as indispensable to their security. She is selected 
 for her quiet and regular habits. She will not wander 
 far from the camp. If she happen to have a colt by her 
 side, this is no objection, as the mules soon form the most 
 devoted attachment to it. I have often seen them leave 
 their grazing when very hungry, and flock around a small 
 colt, manifesting their delight by rubbing it with their 
 noses, licking it with their tongues, kicking up their heels, 
 and making a variety of other grotesque demonstrations 
 of affection, while the poor little colt, perfectly unconscious 
 of the cause of these ungainly caresses, stood trembling 
 with fear, but unable to make his escape from the com 
 pact circle of his mulish admirers. Horses and asses are 
 also used as bell-animals, and the mules soon become 
 accustomed to following them. If a man leads or rides a 
 
64 PRAIRIE TRAVELER. 
 
 bell-aniinal in advance, the mules follow, like so many 
 dogs, in the most orderly procession. 
 
 " After traveling about fourteen miles/ says Bayard 
 Taylor, " we were joined by three miners, and our mules, 
 taking a sudden liking for their horses, jogged on at a 
 more brisk pace. The instincts of the mulish heart form 
 an interesting study to the traveler in the mountains. I 
 would (were the comparison not too ungallant) liken it to 
 a woman s, for it is quite as uncertain in its sympathies, 
 bestowing its affections when least expected, and, when 
 bestowed, quite as constant, so long as the object is not 
 taken away. Sometimes a horse, sometimes an ass, capti 
 vates the fancy of a whole drove of mules, but often an 
 animal nowise akin. Lieutenant Beale told me that his 
 whole train of mules once galloped off suddenly, on the 
 plains of the Cimarone, and ran half a mile, when they 
 halted in apparent satisfaction. The cause of their freak 
 was found to be a buffalo calf which had strayed from the 
 herd. They were frisking around it in the greatest 
 delight, rubbing their noses against it, throwing up their 
 heels, and making themselves ridiculous by abortive 
 attempts to neigh and bray, while the calf, unconscious of 
 its attractive qualities, stood trembling in their midst." 
 
 " If several large troops," says Charles Darwin, " are 
 turned into one field to graze in the morning, the mule 
 teer has only to lead the madrinas a little apart and tinkle 
 their bells, and, although there may be 200 or 300 mules 
 together, each immediately knows its own bell, and 
 separates itself from the rest. The affection of these 
 animals for their madrina saves infinite trouble. It is 
 nearly impossible to lose an old mule, for, if detained 
 several hours by force, she will, by the power of smell, 
 like a dog, track out her companions, or rather the 
 madrina ; for, according, to the muleteer, she is the chief 
 object of affection. The feeling, however, is not of an 
 individual nature ; for I believe I am right in saying that 
 any animal with a bell will serve as a madrina." 
 
 Of the attachment that a mule will form for a horse, I 
 will cite an instance from my own observation, which 
 
PACKING AND DRIVING. 65 
 
 struck me at the time as being one of the most remarkable 
 and touching evidences of devotion that I have ever 
 known among the brute creation. 
 
 On leaving Fort Leavenworth with the army for Utah 
 in 1857, one of the officers rode a small mule, whose kind 
 and gentle disposition soon caused him to become a 
 favorite among the soldiers, and they named him " Billy." 
 As this officer and myself were often thrown together 
 upon the march, the mule, in the course of a few days, 
 evinced a growing attachment for a mare that I rode. 
 The sentiment was not, however, reciprocated on her part, 
 and she intimated as much by the reversed position of 
 her ears, and the free exercise of her feet and teeth 
 whenever Billy came within her reach ; but these signal 
 marks of displeasure, instead of discouraging, rather 
 seemed to increase his devotion, and whenever at liberty 
 he invariably sought to get near her, and appeared much 
 distressed when not permitted to follow her. 
 
 On leaving Camp Scott for New Mexico, Billy was 
 among the number of mules selected for the expedition. 
 During the march I was in the habit, when starting out 
 from camp in the morning, of leading off the party, and 
 directing the packmen to hold the mule until I should get 
 so far in advance with the mare that he could not see us ; 
 but the moment he was released, he would, in spite of all 
 the efforts of the packers, start off at a most furious pace, 
 and never stop or cease braying until he reached the mare s 
 side. We soon found it impossible to keep him with the 
 other mules, and he was finally permitted to have his own 
 way. 
 
 In the course of time we encountered the deep snows in 
 the Rocky Mountains, where the animals could get no for 
 age, and Billy, in common with the others, at length be 
 came so weak and jaded that he was unable any longer to 
 leave his place in the caravan and break a track through 
 the snow around to the front. He made frequent attempts 
 to turn out and force his way ahead, but after numerous 
 unsuccessful efforts he would fall down exhausted, and set 
 up a most mournful braying. 
 
66 PRAIRIE TRAVELER. 
 
 The other mules soon began to fail, and to be left, worn 
 out and famished, to die by the wayside; it was not, how 
 ever, for some time that Billy showed symptoms of be 
 coming one of the victims, until one evening after our 
 arrival at camp I was informed that he had dropped down 
 and been left upon the road during the day. The men all 
 deplored his loss exceedingly, as his devotion to the mare 
 had touched their kind hearts, and many expressions of 
 sympathy were uttered around their bivouac fires on that 
 evening. 
 
 Much to our surprise, however, about ten o clock, just 
 as we were about going to sleep, we heard a mule braying 
 about half a mile to the rear upon our trail. Sure enough, 
 it proved to be Billy, who, after having rested, had fol 
 lowed upon our track and overtaken us. As soon as he 
 reached the side of the mare he lay down and seemed 
 perfectly contented. 
 
 The next day I relieved him from his pack, and allowed 
 him to run loose ; but during the march he gave out, and 
 was again abandoned to his fate, and this time we certainly 
 never expected to see him more. To our great astonish 
 ment, however, about twelve o clock that night the sonorous 
 but not very musical notes of Billy in the distance aroused 
 us from our slumbers, and again announced his approach. 
 In an instant the men were upon their feet, gave three 
 hearty cheers, and rushed out in a body to meet and escort 
 him into camp. 
 
 But this well-meant ovation elicited no response from 
 him. He came reeling and floundering along through the 
 deep snow, perfectly regardless of these honors, pushing 
 aside all those who occupied the trail or interrupted his 
 progress in the least, wandered about until he found the 
 mare, dropped down by her side, and remained until 
 morning. 
 
 When we resumed our march on the following day he 
 made another desperate effort to proceed, but soon fell 
 down exhausted, when we reluctantly abandoned him, and 
 saw him no more. 
 
 The articles to be transported should be made up into 
 
PACKING AND DRIVING. 67 
 
 two packages of precisely equal weight, and as nearly 
 equal in bulk as practicable, otherwise they will sway the 
 saddle over to one side, and cause it to chafe the animal s 
 back. 
 
 The packages made, two ropes about six feet long are 
 fastened around the ends by a slip-knot, and if the pack 
 ages contain corn or other articles that will shift about, 
 small sticks should be placed between the sacks and the 
 ropes, which equalizes the pressure and keeps the packages 
 snug. The ropes are then looped at the ends, and made 
 precisely of the same length, so that the packs will balance 
 and come up well toward the top of the saddle. Two 
 men, then, each taking a pack, go upon opposite sides of 
 the mule, that has been previously saddled, and, raising 
 the packs simultaneously, place the loops over the pommel 
 and cantel, settling them well down into their places. The 
 lashing-strap is then thrown over the top, brought through 
 the rings upon each side, and drawn as tight at every turn 
 as the two men on the sides can pull it, and, after having 
 been carried back and forth diagonally across the packs as 
 often as its length admits (generally three or four times), 
 it is made fast to one of the rings, and securely tied in a 
 slip-knot. 
 
 The breast-strap and breeching must not be buckled so 
 close as to chafe the skin ; the girth should be broad and 
 soft where it comes opposite the fore-legs, to prevent cut 
 ting them. Leather girths should be wrapped with cloth 
 or bound with soft material. The hair girth, being soft 
 and elastic, is much better than leather. 
 
 The crupper should never be dispensed with in a moun 
 tainous country, but it must be soft, round, and about an 
 inch in diameter where it comes in contact with the tail, 
 otherwise it will wound the animal in making long and 
 abrupt descents. 
 
 In Norway they use a short round stick, about ten 
 inches long, which passes under the tail, and from each 
 end of this a cord connects with the saddle.* 
 
 * This is an excellent " wrinkle " (borrowed from the " Art of 
 Travel,") to prevent chafing, which, in hot damp climates, soon dis 
 ables the pluckiest animals." ED. 
 
68 PRAIRIE TRAVELER. 
 
 Camp-kettles, tin vessels, and other articles that will 
 rattle and be likely to frighten animals, should be firmly 
 lashed to the packs. When the packs work loose, the 
 lash-straps should be untied, and a man upon each side 
 draw it up again and make it fast. When ropes are used 
 for lashing, they may be tightened by twisting them with 
 a short stick and making the stick fast. 
 
 One hundred and twenty- five pounds is a sufficient load 
 for a mule upon a long journey. 
 
 In traveling over a rocky country, and upon all long 
 journeys, horses and mules should be shod, to prevent their 
 hoofs wearing out or breaking. The mountaineers contend 
 that beasts travel better without shoeing, but I have seve 
 ral times had occasion to regret the omission of this very 
 necessary precaution. A few extra shoes and nails, with a 
 small hammer, will enable travelers to keep their animals 
 shod. 
 
 In turning out pack animals to graze, it is well either 
 to keep the lariat ropes upon them with the ends trailing 
 upon the ground, or to hopple them, as no corral can be 
 made into which they may be driven in order to catch 
 them. A very good way to catch an animal without driv 
 ing him into an inclosure is for two men to take a long 
 rope and stretch it out at the height of the animal s neck ; 
 some men then drive him slowly up against it, when one 
 of the men with the rope runs round behind the animal 
 and back to the front again, thus taking a turn with the 
 rope round his neck and holding him secure. 
 
 To prevent an animal from kicking, take a forked stick 
 and make the forked part fast to the bridle-bit, bringing 
 the two ends above the head, and securing them there, 
 leaving the part of the stick below the fork of sufficient 
 length to reach near the ground when the animal s head 
 is in its natural position. He cannot kick up unless he 
 lowers his head, and the stick effectually prevents that. 
 
 Tether-ropes should be so attached to the neck of the 
 animal as not to slip and choke him, and the picket -pins 
 never be left on the ropes except when in the ground, as, 
 
PACKING AND DRIVING. 69 
 
 in the event of a stampede, they are very likely to swing 
 round and injure the animals. 
 
 Many experienced travelers were formerly in the habit 
 of securing their animals with a strap or iron ring fastened 
 around the fetlock of one fore foot, and this attached 
 to the tether-rope. This method holds the animal very 
 securely to the picket-pin, but when the rope is first put 
 on, and before he becomes accustomed to it, he is liable to 
 throw himself down and get hurt ; so that I think the 
 plan of tethering by the neck or halter is the safest, 
 and, so far as I have observed, is now universally prac 
 tised. 
 
 The mountaineers and Indians seldom tether their ani 
 mals, but prefer the plan of hoppling, as this gives them 
 more latitude for ranging and selecting the choicest 
 grass. 
 
 Two methods of hoppling are practised among the In 
 dians and hunters of the West : one with a strap about 
 two feet long buckling around the fore legs above the fet 
 lock joints ; the other is what they term the " side hopple" 
 which is made by buckling a strap around a fore and rear 
 leg upon the same side. In both cases care should be 
 taken not to buckle the strap so tight as to chafe the legs. 
 The latter plan is the best, because the animal, side-hop 
 pled, is able to go but little faster than a walk, while 
 the front hopple permits him, after a little practice, to 
 gallop off at considerable speed. If the hopples are made 
 of iron connected with chains, like handcuffs, with locks 
 and keys, it will be impossible for the Indians, without 
 files, to cut them ; but the parts that come in contact with 
 the legs should be covered with soft leather. 
 
 " A horse," says Mr. Galton, " may be hoppled* with a 
 stirrup-leather by placing the middle around one leg, then 
 twisting it several times and buckling it round the other 
 leg. When you wish to picket horses in the middle of a 
 sandy plain, dig a hole two or three feet deep, and, tying 
 your rope to a fagot of sticks or brushwood, or even to a 
 bag filled with sand, bury this in it." 
 
 a The Englishman, however, spello the word "hobbled." ED. 
 
70 PRAIRIE TRAVELER. 
 
 For prairie service, horses which have been raised ex 
 clusively upon grass, and never been fed upon grain or 
 " range horses," as they are called in the West are decided 
 ly the best, and will perform more hard labor than those 
 that have been stabled and groomed. The large, stout 
 ponies found among some of our frontier settlements are 
 well adapted to this service, and endure admirably. The 
 same remarks hold good in the choice of mules ; and it 
 will be found that the square-built, big-bellied, and short- 
 legged Mexican mule will endure far more hard service, 
 on short allowance of forage, than the larger American 
 mule w^hich has been accustomed to grain."* 
 
 * In traveling through deep snow, horses will be found much 
 better than mules, as the latter soon become discouraged, lie down, 
 and refuse to put forth the least exertion, while the former will work 
 as long as their strength holds out. 
 
 When the snow is dry, and not deeper than 2^ feet, horses in good 
 condition will walk through it without much difficulty, and throw 
 aside the snow so as to open quite a track. If there are several 
 horses they should be changed frequently, as the labour upon the 
 leading one is very severe. When the snow is deeper than 2 feet, 
 it becomes very difficult for animals to wade through it, and they 
 soon weary and give out. The best plan, under such circumstances 
 (and it is the one I adopted in crossing the Rocky Mountains, where 
 the snow was from two to five feet upon the ground), is to place all 
 the disposable men in advance of the animals to break the track, 
 requiring them to alternate from front to rear at regular intervals 
 of time. In this manner a track is beaten, over which animals pass 
 with comparative ease. 
 
 When the snow increases to about four feet, it is impossible for 
 the leading men to walk erect through it, and two or three of them 
 are compelled to crawl upon their hands and knees, all being careful 
 to place their hands and feet in the same holes that have been made 
 by those in advance. This packs the snow so that it will sustain 
 the others walking erect, and after 20 or 30 have passed it becomes 
 sufficiently firm to bear up the animals. This, of course, is an ex 
 ceedingly laborious and slow process, but it is the only alternative 
 when a party finds itself in the midst of very deep snows in a wilder 
 ness. Animals, in walking over such a track as has been mentioned, 
 will soon acquire the habit of placing their feet in the holes that 
 have been made by the men ; and, indeed, if they lose the step or 
 miss the holes, they will fall down or sink to their bellies. 
 
 Early in the winter, when the snow first falls in the Rocky Moun 
 tains, it is so light and dry that snow-shoes cannot be used to advan- 
 
PACKING AND DRIVING. 71 
 
 In our trip across the Rocky Mountains, we had both the 
 American and Mexican mules ; and improved a good op 
 portunity of giving their relative powers of endurance a 
 thorough service-trial. For many days they were reduced 
 to a meagre allowance of dry grass, and at length got no 
 thing but pine leaves, while their work in the deep snow 
 was exceedingly severe. This soon told upon the Ameri 
 can mules, and all of them, with the exception of two, died, 
 while most of the Mexican mules went through. The re 
 sult was perfectly conclusive. 
 
 We found that, where the snow was not more than two 
 
 tage. We tried the experiment when we crossed the mountains in 
 December and January, but found it impossible to walk upon them. 
 
 Should a party, in a country where the snow is deep, have the 
 misfortune to lose its animals by freezing, the journey cannot be con 
 tinued for any great length of time without devising some method 
 of transporting subsistence besides that of carrying it upon the backs 
 of men, as they are unable to break a track through deep snow when 
 loaded down in this way. 
 
 The following plan has suggested itself to me as being the most 
 feasible, and it is the one I resolved to adopt in the event of losing 
 our mules faster than we required them for subsistence when we 
 passed the Mountains. 
 
 Take willow, or other flexible rods, and make long sleds, less in 
 width than the track, securing the cross-pieces with raw-hide 
 thongs. Skin the animals, and cut the hides into pieces to fit the 
 bottom of the sleds, and make them fast, with the hair on the upper 
 side. Attach a raw-hide thong to the front for drawing it, and it is 
 complete. In a very cold climate the hide soon freezes, becomes 
 very solid, and slips easily over the snow. The meat and other ar 
 ticles to be transported are then placed upon the sled so as not to 
 project over the sides, and lashed firmly. Lieutenant Cresswell, who 
 was detached from Captain M Clure s ship in the Arctic regions in 
 1853, says his men dragged 200 pounds each upon sledges over the 
 ice. They could not, of course, pull as much over deep snow; but it 
 is believed that they would have no difficulty in transporting half 
 this amount, which would be sufficient to keep them from starvation 
 at least fifty days. 
 
 I am quite confident, that a party of men who find themselves in 
 volved in deep snow, dependent solely upon their own physical 
 powers, and without beasts of burden, can prolong their lives for a 
 greater time, travel farth.er, and perform more labour by adopting 
 the foregoing suggestions than in any other way. 
 
72 PRAIRIE TRAVELER. 
 
 feet deep, the animals soon learned to paw it away and get 
 at the grass. Of course they do not get sufficient in this 
 way ; but they do much better than one would suppose. 
 
 In Utah and New Mexico, the autumn is so dry that the 
 grass does not lose its nutritious properties by being washed 
 with rains. It gradually dries and cures like hay, so that 
 animals eat it freely, and will fatten upon it even in mid 
 winter. It is seldom that any grain is fed to stock in 
 either of these territories.* 
 
 Several of the varieties of grass growing upon the slopes 
 of the Rocky Mountains are of excellent quality ; among 
 these may be mentioned the Gramma and bunch grasses. 
 Horses and mules turned out to graze always prefer the 
 grass upon the mountain sides to grass of the valleys. 
 
 We left New Mexico about the 1st of March, six weeks 
 before the new grass appeared, with 1500 animals, many 
 of them low in flesh, yet they improved upon the journey, 
 and on their arrival in Utah were all, with very few ex 
 ceptions, in fine working condition. Had this march been 
 made at the same season in the country bordering upon 
 the Missouri River, where there are heavy autumnal rains, 
 the animals would probably have become very poor. 
 
 In this journey, the herds were allowed to range over 
 the best grass that could be found, but were guarded both 
 night and day with great care, whereas, if they had been 
 corraled or picketed at night, I dare say they would have 
 lost flesh.f 
 
 * I brought home a specimen of " bunch-grass " for trial in the 
 sandy landes about Aldershott. ED. 
 
 f Some curious and interesting experiments are said to have 
 been recently made at the veterinary school at Alfort, near Paris, by 
 order of the minister of war, to ascertain the powers of endur 
 ance of horses. It appears, that a horse will live on water 
 alone five-and-twenty days ; seventeen days without eating or drink 
 ing ; only five days if fed and unwatered ; ten days, if fed and in 
 sufficiently watered. A horse kept without water for three days, 
 drank 104 Ibs. of water in three minutes. It was found, that a 
 horse taken immediately after feed, and kept in the active exercise 
 of the squadron school, completely digested its food in three hours ; 
 in the same time, in the conscript s school, its food was two-thirds 
 digested ; and, if kept perfectly quiet in the stable, its digestion was 
 scarcely commenced in three hours. AUTHOR. 
 
73 
 
 SADDLES. 
 
 Great diversity of opinion exists regarding the best 
 equipment for horses, and the long-mooted question is 
 as yet very far from being definitely settled. 
 
 1 do not regard the opinions of Europeans as having a 
 more direct bearing upon this question, or as tending to 
 establish any more definite and positive conclusions re 
 garding it than have been developed by the experience of 
 our own border citizens, the major part of whose lives has 
 been spent in the saddle ; yet I am confident, that the fol 
 lowing brief description of the horse equipments used in 
 different parts of Europe, the substance of which I have 
 extracted from Captain M Clellan s interesting report, will 
 be read with interest and instruction. The saddle used by 
 the African chasseurs consists of a plain wooden tree, with 
 a pad upon the top, but without skirts, and is somewhat 
 similar to our own military saddle, but lower in the pom 
 mel and cantle. The girth and surcingle are of leather, 
 with an ordinary woollen saddle blanket. Their bridle 
 has a single head- stall, with the Spanish bit buckled to it. 
 
 A new saddle has recently been introduced into the 
 French service by Captain Cogent, the tree of which is 
 cut out of a single piece of wood, the cantle only being 
 glued on, and a piece of walnut let into the pommel, with 
 a thin strip veneered upon the front ends of the bars. 
 The pommel and cantle are lower than in the old model ; 
 the whole is covered with a wet raw hide, glued on and 
 sewed at the edges. The great advantage this saddle 
 possesses, is in being so arranged that it may be used for 
 horses of all sizes and conditions. The saddle-blanket is 
 made of thick felt cloth, and is attached to the pommel by 
 a small strap passing through holes in the blanket, which 
 is thus prevented from slipping, and at the same time it 
 raises the saddle so as to admit a free circulation of air 
 over the horse s spine. 
 
 The Hungarian saddle is made of hard wood, entirely 
 uncovered, with a raised pommel and cantle. The seat is 
 formed with a leather strap four inches wide, nailed to the 
 
74 PRAIRIE TRAVELER. 
 
 forks on the front and rear, and secured to the side-boards 
 by leather thongs, thus giving an elastic and easy saddle- 
 seat. This is also the form of the saddle-tree used by the 
 Russian and Austrian cavalry. The Russians have a 
 leather girth fastened by three small buckles : it passes 
 over the tree, and is tied to the side boards. The saddle- 
 blanket is of stout felt cloth, in four thicknesses, and a 
 layer of black leather over it, and the whole held together 
 by leather thongs passing through and through. When 
 the horse falls off in flesh, more thicknesses are added, and 
 vice versa. This saddle-blanket is regarded by the Russian 
 officers as the best possible arrangement. The Russians 
 use the curb and snaffle-bits made of steel. 
 
 The Cossack- saddle has a thick padding under the side 
 boards, and on the seat, which raises the rider very high 
 on his horse, so that his feet are above the bottom of the 
 belly. Their bridle has but a simple snaffle-bit, and no 
 martingale. 
 
 The Prussian cuirassiers have a heavy saddle with a low 
 pommel and cantle, covered with leather ; but it is not 
 thought by Captain M Clellan to present anything worthy 
 of imitation. 
 
 The other Prussian cavalry ride the Hungarian saddle, 
 of a heavier model than the one in the Austrian service. 
 The surcingle is of leather, and fastens in the Mexican 
 style ; the girth is also of leather, three and a half inches 
 wide, with a large buckle. It is in two parts, attached to 
 the bars by raw hide thongs. The curb and snaffle steel 
 bits are used, and attached to a single head-stall. 
 
 The English cavalry use a saddle which has a lower 
 cantle and pommel than our Grimsley saddle, covered with 
 leather. The snaffle-bit is attached to the halter head 
 stall by a chain and T ; the curb has a separate head-stall, 
 which, on a march is occasionally taken off and hung on 
 the carbine stock. 
 
 The Sardinian saddle has a bare wooden tree very 
 similar to the Hungarian. A common blanket, folded in 
 twelve thicknesses, is placed under it. The girth and 
 surcingle are of leather. 
 
SADDLES. 75 
 
 Without expressing any opinion as to the comparative 
 merits of these different saddles, I may be permitted to 
 give a few general principles, which I regard as infallible 
 in the choice of a saddle. 
 
 The side-boards should be large, and made to conform 
 to the shape of the horse s back, thereby distributing the 
 burden over a large surface. It should stand up well 
 above the spine, so as to admit a free circulation of air 
 under it. 
 
 For long journeys, the crupper, where it comes in con 
 tact with the tail, should be made of soft leather. It 
 should be drawn back only far enough to hold the saddle 
 from the withers. Some horses require much more ten 
 sion upon the crupper than others. The girth should be 
 made broad, of a soft and elastic material. Those made 
 of hair, in use among the Mexicans, fulfil the pre-cited 
 conditions. 
 
 A light and easy bit, which will not fret or chafe the 
 horse, is recommended. 
 
 The saddle-blanket must be folded even and smooth, and 
 placed on so as to cover every part of the back that comes 
 in contact with the saddle, and in warm weather it is well 
 to place a gunny bag under the blanket, as it is cooler 
 than the wool. 
 
 It will have been observed, that, in the French service, 
 the folded saddle-blanket is tied to the pommel to prevent 
 it slipping back. This is well, if the blanket be taken off 
 and thoroughly dried whenever the horse is unsaddled. 
 
 A saddle-blanket made of moss is used in some of the 
 South-western States, which is regarded by many as the 
 perfection of this article of horse equipment. It is a mat 
 woven into the proper shape and size from the beaten 
 fibres of moss that hangs from the trees in our Southern 
 States.* It is cheap, durable, is not in any way affected 
 by sweat, and does not chafe or heat the horse s spine like 
 the woolen blanket. Its open texture allows a rapid 
 
 * The well-known Tillandsia Usneoides of the Southern States, 
 popularly called "Absalom s Hair." ED. 
 
76 
 
 PRAIRTE TRAVELER. 
 
 evaporation, which tends to keep the back cool, and 
 obviates the danger of stripping and sudden exposure of 
 the heated parts to the sun and air. 
 
 The experience of some of our officers, who have used 
 this mat for years in Mexico and Texas, corroborates all I 
 have said in its favor ; and they are unanimous in the 
 opinion, that a horse will never get a sore back when it is 
 placed under a good saddle. 
 
 A saddle made by the Mexicans in California is called 
 the California saddle. This is extensively used upon the 
 Pacific slope of the mountains, and is believed to possess, 
 at least, as many advantages for rough frontier service as 
 any other pattern that has been invented. Those hardy 
 and experienced veterans, the mountaineers, could not be 
 persuaded to ride on any other saddle, and their ripened 
 knowledge of such matters certainly gives weight to their 
 conclusions. 
 
 CALIFORNIA SADDLE. 
 
SADDLES. 77 
 
 The merits of the California saddle consist in its being 
 light, strong, and compact, and conforming well to the 
 shape of the horse. When strapped on, it rests so firmly in. 
 position that the strongest pull of a horse upon a lariat 
 attached to the pommel cannot displace it. Its shape is 
 such, that the rider is compelled to sit nearly erect, with 
 his legs on the continuation of the line of the body, which 
 makes his seat more secure, and at the same time, gives 
 him a better control over his arms and horse. This 
 position is attained by setting the stirrup-leathers farther 
 back than on the old-fashioned saddle. The pommel is 
 high, like the Mexican saddle, and prevents the rider 
 from being thrown forward. The tree is covered with 
 raw hide, put on green, and sewed ; when this dries and 
 contracts, it gives it great strength. It has no iron in its 
 composition, but is kept together by buckskin strings, and 
 can easily be taken to pieces for mending or cleaning. It 
 has a hair girth about five inches wide. 
 
 The whole saddle is covered with a large and thick 
 sheet of sole- leather, having a hole to lay over the pommel ; 
 it extends back over the horse s hips, and protects them 
 from rain ; and, when taken off in camp, it furnishes a good 
 security against dampness when placed under the traveler s 
 bed. 
 
 The California saddle-tree is regarded by many as the 
 best of all others for the horse s back, and as having an 
 easier seat than the Mexican.* 
 
 General Comte de la Roche- Aymon, in his treatise upon 
 " Light Troops," published in Paris in 1856, says : 
 
 " In nearly all the European armies, the equipment of 
 the horse is not in harmony with the new tactics with 
 those tactics in which, during nearly all of a campaign, 
 the cavalry remains in bivouac. Have we reflected upon 
 the kind of saddle which, under these circumstances, 
 
 I have given my opinion of the California Saddle in the City 
 of the Saints, chap. i. It has many advantages for a prairie 
 country ; none for rough ground, except the facility with which it 
 it injures the rider. And, finally, it is too expensive for general 
 use. ED. 
 
78 PRAIRIE TRAVELER. 
 
 would cover the horse best without incommoding him 
 during the short periods that he is permitted to repose ? 
 Have we reflected upon the kind of saddle which, offering 
 the least fragility, exposes the horse to the least danger of 
 sore back ? All the cuirassiers and the dragoons of 
 Europe have saddles which they call French saddles, the 
 weight of which is a load for the horse. * The interior 
 mechanism of these saddles is complicated and filled with 
 weak bands of iron, which become deranged, bend, and 
 sometimes break. The rider does not perceive these acci 
 dents, or he does not wish to perceive them, for fear of 
 being left behind or of having to go on foot ; he continues 
 on, and, at the end of a day s march, his horse has a sore 
 back, and in a few days is absolutely unserviceable. "We 
 may satisfy ourselves of the truth of these observations, by 
 comparing the lists of horses sent to the rear during the 
 course of a campaign by the cuirassiers and dragoons who 
 use the French saddle, and by the hussars with the 
 Hungarian saddle. The number sent to the rear by the 
 latter is infinitely less, although employed in a service 
 much more active and severe ; and it might be still less by 
 making some slight improvements in their manner of 
 fixing the saddle upon the horse. 
 
 "It is a long time since Marshal Saxe said, there was 
 but one kind of saddle fit for cavalry, which was the hus 
 sar saddle : this combined all advantages, lightness, solidity, 
 and economy. It is astonishing that the system of actual 
 war had not led to the employment of the kind of saddle 
 in use among the Tartars, the Cossacks, the Hungarians, 
 and, indeed, among all horsemen and nomads. This saddle 
 has the incontestable advantage of permitting the horse to 
 
 * During the Napoleonic landing in Egypt, a French dragoon was 
 made prisoner, and his arms and accoutrements were forwarded to 
 the Head Quarters of the Mameluke Beys, who, calling together 
 their followers, drew the happiest augury from the ridiculous 
 spectacle that lay on the ground before them. For long and hard 
 riding, especially when the exercise is not habitual, nothing equals 
 the Arab or Eastern pad, covered with leather and furnished with 
 shovel iron stirrups. ED. 
 
SADDLES. 79 
 
 lie down and rest himself without inconvenience. If, not 
 withstanding the folded blanket which they place under 
 the Hungarian saddle, this saddle will still wound the 
 animal s back sometimes, this only proceeds from the 
 friction occasioned by the motion of the horse and the 
 movement of the rider upon the saddle ; a friction which 
 it will be nearly impossible to avoid, inasmuch as the 
 saddle-bow is held in its place only by a surcingle, the 
 ends of which are united by a leathern band : these bands 
 always relax more or less, and the saddle becomes loose. 
 To remedy this, I propose to attach to the saddle bow it 
 self a double girth, one end of which shall be made fast to 
 the arch in front, and the other end to the rear of the 
 arch upon the right side, to unite in a single girth, which 
 would buckle to a strap attached upon the left side in the 
 usual manner. This buckle will hold the saddle firmly in 
 its place. 
 
 " Notwithstanding all these precautions, however, there 
 were still some inconveniences resulting from the nature 
 of the blanket placed under the saddle, which I sought to 
 remedy, and I easily accomplished it. The woolen nap of 
 the cavalry saddle-blanket, not being carefully attended 
 to, soon wears off, and leaves only the rough, coarse threads 
 of the fabric ; this absorbs the sweat from the horse, and, 
 after it has dried and become hard, it acts like a rasp upon 
 the withers, first taking off the hair, next the skin, and 
 then the flesh, and finally, the beast is rendered unser 
 viceable. 
 
 " I sought, during the campaign of 1807, a means to 
 remedy this evil ; and I soon succeeded by a process as 
 simple as it was cheap. I distributed among a great 
 number of cavalry soldiers pieces of linen cloth folded 
 double, two feet square, and previously dipped in melted 
 tallow. This cloth was laid next to the horse s back, under 
 the saddle-blanket, and it prevented all the bad effects of 
 the woolen blanket. No horses, after this appliance, were 
 afflicted with sore backs. Such are the slight changes 
 which I believe should be made in the use of the Hunga 
 rian saddle. The remainder of the equipment should 
 
80 PRAIRIE TRAVELER. 
 
 remain (as it always has been) composed of a breast-strap, 
 crupper, and martingale, etc. 
 
 The improvements of the present age do not appear to 
 have developed any thing advantageous to the saddle ; on 
 the contrary, after experimenting upon numerous modifi 
 cations and inventions, public sentiment has at length 
 given the preference to the saddle-tree of the natives in 
 Asia and America, which is very similar to that of the 
 Hungarians. 
 
 SORES AMD DISEASES. 
 
 If a horse be sweating at the time he is unsaddled, it is 
 well to strap the folded saddle-blanket upon his back with 
 the surcingle, where it is allowed to remain until he is 
 perfectly dry. This causes the back to cool gradually, and 
 prevents scalding or swelling. Some persons are in the 
 habit of washing their horses backs while heated and 
 sweating with cold water; but this is pernicious, and often 
 produces sores. It is well enough to wash the back after 
 it cools, but not before. After horses backs or shoulders 
 once become chafed and sore, it is very difficult to heal 
 them, particularly when they are continued at work. It 
 is better, if practicable, to stop using them for a while, and 
 wash the bruised parts often with Castile soap and water. 
 Should it be necessary, however, to continue the animal in 
 use, I have known very severe sores entirely healed by the 
 free application of grease to the parts immediately after 
 halting, and while the animal is warm and sweating. This 
 seems to harden the skin and heal the wound, even when 
 working with the collar in contact with it. A piece of 
 bacon rind tied upon the collar over the wound, is also an 
 excellent remedy. 
 
 In Texas, where the horse-flies are numerous, they 
 attack animals without mercy, and where a contusion is 
 found in the skin they deposit eggs, which speedily pro 
 duce worms in great numbers. I have tried the effect of 
 spirits of turpentine and several other remedies ; but 
 nothing seemed to have the desired effect but calomel 
 
SORES AND DISEASES. 81 
 
 blown into the wound, which destroyed the worms and 
 soon effected a cure. 
 
 In the vicinity of the Pass upon the Ilumboldt River, 
 and in some sections upon other routes to California, alka 
 line water is found, which is very poisonous to animals 
 that drink it, and generates a disease known in California 
 as " alkali" This disease first makes it appearance by 
 swellings upon the abdomen and between the fore legs, 
 and is attended with a cough, which ultimately destroys 
 the lungs and kills the animal. If taken at an early stage, 
 this disease is curable, and the following treatment is 
 generally considered as the most efficacious. The animal 
 is first raked, after which a large dose of grease is poured 
 down its throat ; acids are said to have the same effect, 
 and give immediate relief. When neither of these reme 
 dies can be procured, many of the emigrants have been in 
 the habit of mixing starch or flour in a bucket of water, 
 and allowing the animal to drink it. It is supposed that 
 this forms a coating over the mucous membrane, and thus 
 defeats the action of the poison. 
 
 Animals should never be allowed to graze in the vicinity 
 of alkaline water, as the deposits upon the grass* after 
 floods are equally deleterious with the water itself. 
 
 In seasons when the water is low in the Humboldt 
 Hiver, there is much less danger of the alkali, as the 
 running water in the river then comes from pure moun 
 tain springs, and is confined to the channel ; Avhereas, 
 during high water, when the banks are overflowed, the 
 salts are dissolved, making the water more impure. 
 
 For colic, a good remedy is a mixture of two table- 
 spoonfuls of brandy and two tea-spoonfuls of laudanum 
 dissolved in a bottle of water and poured down the 
 animal s throat. Another remedy, which has been 
 recommended to me by an experienced officer as produc 
 ing speedy relief, is a table- spoonful of chloride of lime 
 dissolved in a bottle of water, and administered as in the 
 other case. 
 
 BATTLE-SNAKE BITES. 
 Upon the southern routes to California rattle- snakes are 
 
 G 
 
82 PRAIRIE TRAVELER. 
 
 often met with, but it is seldom that any person is bitten 
 by them. Yet this is a possible contingency, and it can 
 never be amiss to have an antidote at hand. 
 
 Hartshorn applied externally to the wound, and drunk 
 in small quantities diluted with water whenever the 
 patient becomes faint or exhausted from the effects of the 
 poison, is one of the most common remedies. 
 
 In the absence of all medicines, a string or ligature 
 should at once be bound firmly above the puncture, then 
 scarify deeply with a knife, suck out the poison, and spit 
 out the saliva. 
 
 Andersson, in his book on South-western Africa, says : 
 " In the Cape Colony the Dutch farmers resort to a cruel 
 but apparently effective plan to counteract the bad effects 
 of a serpent s bite. An incision having been made in the 
 breast of a living fowl, the bitten part is applied to the 
 wound. If the poison be very deadly, the bird soon 
 evinces symptoms of distress, becomes drowsy, droops its 
 head, and dies. It is replaced by a second, a third, and 
 more if requisite. When, however, the^irird no longer 
 exhibits any of the signs just mentioned, the patient is 
 considtered out of danger. A frog similarly applied is sup 
 posed to be equally efficacious." 
 
 Haunberg, in his Travels in South Africa, mentions an 
 antidote against the bite of serpents. He says : " The 
 blood of the turtle was much cried up, which, on account 
 of this extraordinary virtue, the inhabitants dry in the 
 form of small scales or membranes, and carry about them 
 when they travel in this country, w^hich swarms with this 
 most noxious vermin. Whenever any one is wounded by a 
 serpent, he takes a couple of pinches of the dried blood 
 internally, and applies a little of it to the wound." 
 
 I was present upon one occasion when an Indian child 
 was struck in the fore-finger by a large rattle- snake. His 
 mother, who was near at the time, seized him in her arms, 
 and, placing the wounded finger in her mouth, sucked the 
 poison from the puncture* for some minutes, repeatedly 
 spitting out the saliva ; after which she chewed and mashed 
 Borne plantain leaves and applied to the wound. Over this 
 
RATTLE-SNAKE BITES. 83 
 
 she sprinkled some finely-powdered tobacco, and wrapped 
 the finger up in a rag. I did not observe that the child 
 suffered afterward the least pain or inconvenience. The 
 immediate application of the remedies probably saved his 
 life. 
 
 Irritation from the bite of gnats and nmsquitoes, etc., 
 may be relieved by chewing the plantain, and rubbing the 
 spittle on the bite. 
 
 I knew of another instance near Fort Towson, in North 
 ern Texas, where a small child was left upon the eastern 
 floor of a cabin while its mother was washing at a spring 
 near by. She heard a cry of distress ; and, on going to 
 the cabin, what was her horror on seeing a rattle-snake 
 coiled around the child s arm, and striking it repeatedly 
 with its fangs. After killing the snake, she hurried to her 
 nearest neighbour, procured a bottle of brandy, and re 
 turned as soon as possible ; but the poison had already so 
 operated upon the arm, that it was as black as a negro s. 
 She poured down the child s throat a huge draught of the 
 liquor, which soon took effect, making it very drunk, and 
 stopped the action of the poison. Although the child was 
 relieved, it remained sick for a long time, but ultimately 
 recovered. 
 
 A man was struck in the leg by a very large rattle- snake 
 near Fort Belknap, Texas, in 1853. No other remedy 
 being at hand, a small piece of indigo was pulverized, 
 made into a poultice with water, and applied to the punc 
 ture. It seemed to draw out the poison, turning the 
 indigo white ; after which it was removed, and another 
 poultice applied. These applications were repeated until 
 the indigo ceased to change its colour. The man was then 
 carried to the hospital at Fort Belknap, and soon recover 
 ed ; and the surgeon of the post pronounced it a very 
 satisfactory cure. 
 
 A Chickasaw woman, who was bitten upon the foot near 
 Fort Washita by a ground rattle-snake (a very venomous 
 species), drank a bottle of whisky and applied the indigo 
 poultice, and when I saw her, three days afterwards, she 
 
84 PRAIRIE TRAVELER. 
 
 was recovering, but the flesh around the wound sloughed 
 away. 
 
 A Delaware remedy, which is said to be efficacious, is to 
 burn powder upon the wound ; but I have never known it 
 to be tried excepting upon a horse. In this case it was 
 successful ; or, at all events, the animal recovered. 
 
 Of all the remedies known to me, I should decidedly 
 prefer ardent spirits. It is considered a sovereign antidote 
 among our Western frontier settlers, and I would make 
 use of it with great confidence. It must be taken until 
 the patient becomes very much intoxicated ; and this re 
 quires a large quantity, as the action of the poison seems 
 to counteract its effects. 
 
 Should the fangs of the snake penetrate deep enough to 
 reach an artery, it is probable the person would die in a 
 short time. I imagine, however, that it does not often 
 occur. 
 
 The following remedial measures for the treatment of 
 the bites of poisonous reptiles are recommended by Dr. 
 Philip Weston in the London Lancet for July, 1859 : 
 
 1. The application of a ligature round the limb close to 
 the wound, between it and the heart, to arrest the return 
 of venous blood. 
 
 2. Excision of the bitten parts, or free incision .through 
 the wounds made by the poison-teeth, subsequently, en 
 couraging the bleeding by warm solutions to favour the 
 escape of the poison from the circulation. 
 
 3. Cauterization widely round the limb of the bite with 
 a strong solution of nitrate of silver, one drachm to the 
 ounce, to prevent the introduction, of the poison into the 
 system by the lymphatics. 
 
 4. As soon as indications of the absorption of the poi 
 son into the circulation begin to manifest themselves, the 
 internal administration of ammonia in aerated or soda- 
 water every quarter of an hour, to support the nervous 
 energy and allay the distressing thirst. 
 
 " But," he continues, " there is yet wanting some reme 
 dy that shall rapidly counteract the poison introduced into 
 the blood, and assist in expelling it from the system. The 
 
RATTLE-SNAKE BITES. 85 
 
 well-authenticated accounts of the success attending the 
 internal use of arsenic in injuries arising from the bites of 
 venomous reptiles in the East and West Indies, and also 
 in Africa, and the well-known properties of this medicine 
 as a powerful tonic and alterative in conditions of im 
 paired vitality of the blood arising from absorption of 
 certain blood-poisons, would lead me to include this agent 
 in the treatment already mentioned. It should be admin 
 istered in combination with ammonia, in full doses, fre 
 quently repeated, so as to neutralize quickly the poison 
 circulating in the blood, before it can be eliminated from 
 the system. This could readily be accomplished by adding 
 ten to fifteen minims of Fowler s solution to the compound 
 spirit of ammonia, to be given every quarter of an hour in 
 aerated or soda-water, until the vomiting and the more 
 urgent symptoms of collapse have subsided, subsequently 
 repeating the dose at longer intervals, until reaction had 
 become fully established, and the patient relieved by co 
 pious bilious dejections." 
 
 Cedron, which is a nut that grows on the Isthmus of 
 Panama, and which is sold by the druggists in New York, 
 is said to be an infallible antidote to serpent-bites. In 
 the Bullet, de I Acad. de Med. for February, 1858, it is 
 stated, that a man was bitten at Panama by a coral snake, 
 the most poisonous species on the Isthmus. During the 
 few seconds that it took him to take the cedron from his 
 bag, he was seized with violent pains at the heart and 
 throat ; but he had scarcely chewed and swallowed a piece 
 of the nut about the size of a small bean, when the pains 
 ceased as by magic. He chewed a little more, and applied 
 it externally to the wound, when the pains disappeared, 
 and were followed by a copious evacuation of a substance 
 like curdled milk. Many other cases are mentioned 
 where the cedron proved an antidote.* 
 
 * In the absence of all remedies, even of fire and whiskey, the 
 traveller will take two precautions : The first is to place a ligature 
 a string or rag will do between the part bitten and the heart, thus 
 preventing rapid absorption of the venom. The second is to suck 
 the wound, poisons of this character being perfectly harmless when 
 applied to a healthy mucous membrane. ED. 
 
PRAIRIE TRAVELER. 
 
 CHAPTER Y. 
 
 Bivouacs. Tented Abri. Gutta-percha Knapsack Tent. Cornanche 
 Lodge. Sibley Tent. Camp Furniture. Litters. Rapid 
 Traveling. Fuel. Making Fires. Fires on the Prairies, Jerk 
 ing Meat. Making Lariats. Making Caches. Disposition of 
 Fire-arms. Colt s Revolvers. Gun Accidents. Trailing. Indian 
 Sagacity. 
 
 BIVOUACS AND TENTS. 
 
 IN traveling with pack-animals, it is not always conve 
 nient or practicable to transport tents ; and the traveler s 
 ingenuity is often taxed in devising the most available 
 means for making himself comfortable and secure against 
 winds and storms. I have often been astonished to see 
 how soon an experienced voyager, without any resources 
 save those provided by nature, will erect a comfortable 
 shelter in a place where a person having no knowledge of 
 woodcraft would never think of such a thing. 
 
 Almost all people in different parts of the world have 
 their own peculiar methods of bivouacking. 
 
 In the severe climate of Thibet, Dr. Hooker informs us 
 that they encamp near large rocks, which absorb the heat 
 during the day, and give it out slowly during the night. 
 They form, as it were, reservoirs of caloric, the influence 
 of which is exceedingly grateful during a cold night. 
 
 In the polar regions, the Esquimaux live and make 
 themselves comfortable in huts of ice or snow, and with no 
 other combustible but oil. 
 
 The natives of Australia bury their bodies in the sand, 
 keeping their heads only above the surface, and thus sleep 
 warm during the chilly nights of that climate. 
 
 Fortunately for the health and comfort of travelers upon 
 the Plains, the atmosphere is pure and dry during the 
 
BIVOUACS AND TENTS. O/ 
 
 greater part of the year, and it is seldom that any rain or 
 dew is seen ; neither are there marshes, or ponds of stag 
 nant water, to generate putrid exhalations and poisonous 
 malaria. The night-air of the summer months is soft, ex 
 hilarating, and delightful. Persons may therefore sleep 
 in it and inhale it with perfect impunity, and, indeed, 
 many prefer this to breathing the confined atmosphere of 
 a house or tent. 
 
 During the rainy season only is it necessary to seek 
 shelter. In traveling with covered wagons one always 
 has protection from storms, but with pack-trains it 
 becomes necessary to improvise the best substitutes for 
 tents. 
 
 A very secure protection against storms may be con 
 structed by planting firmly in the ground two upright 
 poles, with forks at their tops, and crossing them with a 
 light pole laid in the forks. A gutta-percha cloth, or 
 sheet of canvas, or, in the absence of either of these two, 
 blankets, may be attached by one side to the horizontal 
 pole, the opposite edge being stretched out to the wind 
 ward, at an angle of about forty-five degrees to the ground, 
 and there fastened with wooden pins, or with buckskin 
 strings tied to the lower border of the cloth, and to pegs 
 
 HALF-FACED CAMP. 
 
88 I ll A I III K TKAVKl.KR. 
 
 driven firmly into the earth. This forms a shelter tor 
 throe or tour men, and is a good defence against winds and 
 rains. It a tiro bo then inado in front, the smoke will 
 bo earned away, so as not to incommode the occupants of 
 the bivouao. 
 
 This is called a halt-faced camp.* 
 
 Another method practised a great deal among mountain 
 men and Indians, consists in placing several rough polos 
 equidistant around in a hall circle, and bringing the 
 small ends together at the top, where thev are bound 
 with a thong. This forms the conical framework of the 
 bivouac, which, when covered with a cloth stretched 
 around it, makes a very good shelter, and is preferable to 
 the half-faced camp, because the sides are covered. 
 
 
 CONIC u HIV*I vr. 
 
 WhD no cloths, blankets, or hides are at hand, to be 
 placed over the polos of the lodge, it may be covered with 
 green boughs laid on compactly, so as to shed a good deal 
 of rain, and keep out the wind in cold weather. \Ve 
 
 * And the " Break- wind" of Australian travellers. Tho Mpongwe 
 
 of tlio Gaboon Uivor cull it u Oluko." Ki>. 
 
BIVOUACS AND I K.NTS. 
 
 adopted thin description of shelter in crossing the Rocky 
 Mountains during flic winter of lHf>7-H, and thus formed 
 a very effectual protection against the bleak winds which 
 swoop with groat violence over those lofty and inhospitable 
 sierras. We always selected a dense thicket for* enoamp- 
 inont, and covered the lodges with a heavy coating of pine 
 boughs, wattling thorn together as compactly an possible, 
 and piling snow upon tho outside in Much a man nor an to 
 make them quite impervious to the; wind. Tho (iron were 
 then kindled at tho moutliH of tho lodges, and our heads 
 and l)odieH were completely sheltered, while our foot wore 
 kept wunn by tho firoH. 
 
 The French troops, while; serving in the; Crimea, UHod 
 what they call tho tcnla dahri, OT shelter-tent, which seems 
 lo have been received with groat favor in Kimmo. It is 
 composed of two, four, or HI X square pieces of cloth, with 
 buttons and button-holes adjusted upon tho odgon, and I M 
 pitched by planting two upright HtakcH in tho ground at a 
 di/stance corresponding with tho length of the canvas when 
 buttoned together. Tho two Htickw an; connected by a 
 cord passed around tho top of each, drawn tight, and the 
 ends made fast to pirm driven firmly into the ground. Tho 
 can van in then laid ovor tho rope; between the HfiekH, 
 Hpread out at an angle about forty-five; degrees, and tho 
 lower odgew secured to the; earth with wooden pinn. Thin 
 makes Home defence against tho weather, and waH tho only 
 shelter enjoyed by the maw* of the French army in the 
 Crimea up to October, 1805. For a permanent camp, it 
 in UHual to excavate; a shallow basement under tho tent, 
 and to bank up the earth on tin; outside in cold weather. 
 It is designed that upon inarches the tftnta d abri shall be 
 taken to pieces and carried by the soldiers. 
 
 A tent has recently boon prepared by Mr. John Rider, 
 105, IJroadway, New York, which is called the " tent knap- 
 fwck" It lias been examined by u board of army officers, 
 and recommended for adoption in our military service. 
 
 This tent is somewhat similar to the tentv d ahri, and is 
 pitched in the same manner; but it has this advantage, 
 
90 
 
 PRAIRIE TRAVELER. 
 
 that each separate piece may be converted into a water 
 proof knapsack.* 
 
 TKKT KNAPSACK. 
 
 The following extracts from the Report of the Board 
 go to show that this tent knapsack will be useful to parties 
 traveling on the prairies with pack-trains : 
 
 " It is a piece of gutta-percha 5 feet 3 inches long, 
 and 3 feet 8 inches wide, with double edges on one 
 side, and brass studs and button-holes along two edges, 
 and straps and buckles on the fourth edge ; the whole 
 weighing three pounds ; two sticks, 3 feet 8 inches long 
 
 * It is the " Pal " which has been used for centuries in India. ED. 
 
BIVOUACS AND TENTS. 91 
 
 by 1| inches in diameter, and a small cord. When used 
 as a knapsack, the clothing is packed in a cotton bag, 
 and the gutta-percha sheet is folded round it, lapping at 
 the ends. The clothing is thus protected by two or three 
 thicknesses of gutta-percha, and in this respect there is a 
 superiority over the knapsack now used by our troops. 
 Other advantages are, that the tent knapsack has no seams, 
 the parts at which those in use wear out soonest ; it adapts 
 itself to the size of the contents, so that a compact and 
 portable bundle can be made, whether the kit be entire or 
 not ; and, with the cotton bag, it forms a convenient, com 
 modious, and durable receptacle for all a soldier s clothing 
 and necessaries. 
 
 " On a scout, a soldier usually carries only a blanket, 
 overcoat, and at most a single shirt, pair of drawers, and 
 a pair of socks, all of which can be packed in the tent 
 knapsack in a small bundle, perfectly protected from rain, 
 and capable of being suspended from the shoulders and 
 carried with comfort and ease during a march. 
 
 " 2d. As a shelter. The studs and eyelets along two 
 edges of the tent knapsack are for the purpose of fastening 
 a number of them together, and thus making a sheet of 
 larger dimensions. 
 
 " A sheet formed by fastening together four knapsacks 
 was exhibited to the Board, stretched upon a frame of 
 wood. When used in service, the sheet is to be stretched 
 on a rope supported by two poles, or by two rifles, muskets, 
 or carbines, and pinned down at the sides with six pins, 
 three on each side. 
 
 " The sheet of four knapsacks is 10 feet 6 inches long, 
 and 7 feet 4 inches wide ; and, when pitched on a rope 4 feet 
 4 inches above the ground, covers a horizontal space 6 feet 
 6 inches wide, and 7 feet 4 inches long, which will accom 
 modate five men, and may be made to shelter seven. The 
 sheet can also be used on the ground, and is a great pro 
 tection from dampness, and as a shawl or talma ; indeed, a 
 variety of advantageous uses to which the gutta-percha 
 sheet may be put, will suggest themselves to persons 
 using it. 
 
92 PRAIRIE TRAVELER. 
 
 " The Board is satisfied with its merits in all the uses to 
 which it is proposed to be put, and is of opinion that the 
 gutta-percha tent knapsack may be adopted in the military 
 service with advantage. 37 
 
 The usual tenement of the prairie tribes, and of the 
 traders, trappers, and hunters who live among them, is the 
 Comanche lodge, which is made of eight straight peeled 
 poles about twenty feet long, covered with hides or cloth. 
 The lodge is pitched by connecting the smaller extremities 
 of three of the poles with one end of a long line. The 
 three poles are then raised perpendicularly, and the larger 
 extremities spread out in a tripod to the circumference of 
 the circle that is to form the base of the lodge. The other 
 poles are then raised, laid into the forks of the three first, 
 and spread out equi-distant upon the circle, thus forming 
 the conical framework of the structure. Nine or ten poles 
 are generally used in one lodge.* 
 
 The long line attached to the tripod is then wound 
 several times around the top, where the poles intersect, and 
 the lower end made fast at the base of the lodge, thus se 
 curing the frame firmly in its position. The covering, 
 made of buffalo hides, dressed without the hair, and cut 
 and sewed together to fit the conical frame, is raised with 
 a pole, spread out around the structure, and united at the 
 edges with sharpened wooden pegs, leaving sufficient space 
 open at the bottom for a doorway, which may be closed 
 with a blanket spread out with two small sticks, and sus 
 pended over the opening. 
 
 The lower edge of the lodge is made fast to the ground 
 with wooden pins. The apex is left open, with a trian 
 gular wing or flap on each side, and the windward flap 
 constantly stretched out by means of a pole inserted into 
 a pocket in the end of it, which causes it to draw like a 
 sail, and thus occasions a draught from the fire built upon 
 the ground in the centre of the lodge, and makes it warm 
 
 * The number of poles in a chief s lodge may reach twenty-four. I 
 have described at some length, in the " City of the Saints," the 
 tenement, and the mode of erecting it. The Comanche lodge is pre 
 ferred to all other tents by the experienced trader. ED. 
 
BIVOUACS AND TENTS. 
 
 93 
 
 and comfortable in the coldest winter weather.* Canvas 
 makes a very good substitute for the buffalo-skin covering. 
 
 SIBLEY TENT. 
 
 A tent has been invented by Major H. H. Siblcy, of the 
 army, which is known as the " Sib ley Tent." It is some 
 what similar to the Comanche lodge ; but in place of the 
 conical frame-work of poles, it has but one upright stan 
 dard, resting upon an iron tripod in the centre. The tripod 
 can be used to suspend cooking utensils over the fire, and, 
 when folded up, admits the wooden standard between the 
 legs, thereby reducing the length one half, and making it 
 more convenient for packing and traveling. 
 
 THE SIBLEY TENT. 
 
 This tent constituted the entire shelter of the army in 
 Utah during the winter of 1857-8, and, notwithstanding 
 
 * The flap opens to windward when ventilation is wanted to lee 
 ward when smoke is to be carried off. ED. 
 
94 
 
 PRAIRIE TRAVELER. 
 
 the severity of the climate in the elevated locality of Camp 
 Scott, the troops were quite comfortable, and pleased with 
 the tent. 
 
 In permanent camps the Sibley tents may be so pitched 
 as to give more room by erecting a tripod upon the out 
 side with three poles, high and stout enough to admit of the 
 tent s being suspended by ropes attached to the apex. 
 This method dispenses with the necessity of the central 
 upright standard. 
 
 When the weather is very cold, the tent may be made 
 warmer by excavating a basement about three feet deep, 
 which also gives a wall to the tent, making it more roomy. 
 
 The tent used in the army will shelter comfortably 
 twelve men. 
 
 Captain Gr. Rhodes, of the English army, in his recent 
 work upon tents and tent-life, has given a description of 
 most of the tents used in different armies in Europe ; but, 
 in my judgment, none of them, in point of convenience, 
 comfort, and economy, will compare with the Sibley tent 
 for compaigning in cold weather. One of its most import 
 ant features, that of admitting of a fire within it and 
 of causing a draught by the disposition of the wings, is 
 not, that I am aware, possessed by any other tent. More 
 over, it is exempt from the objections that are urged 
 against some other tents on account of insalubrity from 
 want of top ventilation to carry off the impure air during 
 the night.* 
 
 CAMP FUKNITURE. 
 
 The accompanying illustrations present some convenient 
 articles of portable camp furniture. 
 
 CAMP CHAIR No. 1 is of oak or other hard wood. Fig. 
 1 represents it opened for use ; in Fig. 2 it is closed for 
 transportation. A is a stout canvas, forming the back and 
 seat ; b, b, b are iron butt-hinges ;f c, c are leather straps, 
 
 * Its main disadvantage is that of all conical tents, waste of 
 room, and more weight than accommodation. ED. 
 
 t All hinges are equally objectionable in rough travelling, they 
 are broken by the treatment they endure. The article furniture 
 
CAMP FURNITURE. 
 
 95 
 
 one inch and a quarter wide, forming the arms ; d is an 
 iron rod, with nut and screw at one end. 
 
 CAMP CHAIR. NO. 1. 
 
 CAMP CHAIRS. HOS. 2 AND 3. 
 
 is a prairie difficulty, and our Prairie Guide has by no means 
 removed it. 
 
96 PRAIRIE TRAVELER. 
 
 CAMP CHAIR No. 2 is made of sticks tied together witli 
 thongs of buckskin or raw hide. 
 
 CAMP TABL::. 
 
 FIELD COT. NO. 1. 
 
 CAMP CHAIR No. 3 is a very comfortable seat, made of a 
 barrel, the part forming the seat being filled with grass. 
 
 CAMP TABLE. Fig. 1 represents the table folded for 
 transportation ; in Fig. 2 it is spread out for use. A is 
 the top of the table ; #, a are side boards, and c, c are end 
 boards, turning on butt-hinges,* b, b, b. 
 
 * Every man prefers, upon so uncertain a point, his own inven- 
 
CAMP FURNITURE. 
 
 97 
 
 FIELD COTS. In No. 1, A represents the cot put up for 
 use ; B, the cot folded for transportation. The legs turn 
 upon iron bolts running through the head and foot boards ; 
 
 FIELD COT. NO. 2. 
 
 CAMP BUREAU. 
 
 tions. I hold to a pair of " bullock trunks," as made for the East 
 Indian market. With a canvass stretched between them upon 
 an iron frame, they form a cot ; a table when one is placed upon 
 the other; and chairs, when used singly. I make one of them 
 answer for a canteen ; the other acts wardrobe. ED. 
 
 H 
 
98 
 
 PRAIRIE TRAVELER. 
 
 they are then placed upon the canvas, and the whole is 
 rolled up around the side pieces. In No. 2, the upper 
 figure represents the cot put up for use ; the lower shows 
 it folded for transportation. A is a stout canvas ; b, b are 
 iron butt-hinges ; c, c the legs ; d, d leather straps, with 
 
 MESS-CHEST. 
 
 buckles, which hold the legs firm ; /, /, ends, which fold 
 upon hinges ; g, g, cross-bars from leg to leg. This cot is 
 strong, light, and portable. 
 
 CAMP BUREAU. This cut represents two chests, A, A, 
 
LITTERS. 99 
 
 with their handles, 0, a; the covers taken off, they are 
 placed one upon the other, and secured by the clamps, B, 
 B; d shows the division between the two chests. When 
 it is to be transported, the knobs, c are unscrewed from the 
 drawers, the looking-glass / is removed, the drawers are 
 filled with clothing, etc., and the lids are screwed on. 
 
 MESS-CHEST. A represents the chest open for the table ; 
 B is the same closed ; C is the upper tray of tin, with 
 compartments, b, b; E is the lower wooden tray, divided 
 into compartments, a, a, for various purposes, and made 
 fast to the bottom of the chest ; d, d, are lids opening 
 with hinges ; / (in figure B) is a wooden leg, turning upon 
 a hinge, and fitting snugly upon two pieces of wood 
 screwed upon the cover. 
 
 LITTEES. 
 
 Should a party traveling with pack-animals, and with 
 out ambulance or wagons, have one of its members 
 wounded or taken so sick as to be unable to walk or ride 
 on horseback, a litter may be constructed by taking two 
 poles about twenty feet in length, uniting them by two 
 sticks three feet long lashed across the centre at six feet 
 apart, and stretching a piece of stout canvas, a blanket, or 
 hide between them to form the bed- Two steady horses or 
 mules are then selected, placed between the poles in the 
 front and rear of the litter, and the ends of the poles made 
 fast to the sides of the animals, either by attachment to 
 the stirrups or to the ends of straps secured over their 
 backs. 
 
 The patient may then be placed upon the litter, and is 
 ready for the march. 
 
 The elasticity of the long poles gives an easy motion to 
 the conveyance, and makes this method of locomotion much 
 more comfortable than might be supposed. 
 
 The prairie Indians have a way of transporting their 
 sick and children upon a litter very similar in construction 
 to the one just described, excepting that one animal is 
 used instead of two. One end of the litter is made fast to 
 the sides of the animal, while the other end is left to trail 
 
100 PRAIRIE TRAVELER. 
 
 upon the ground. A projection is raised for the feet to 
 rest against and prevent the patient from sliding down. 
 Instead of canvas, the Indians sometimes lash a large 
 willow basket across the poles, in which they place the 
 person to be transported. The animals harnessed to the 
 litter must be carefully conducted on the march, and 
 caution used in passing over rough and broken ground. 
 
 A very convenient and comfortable method of packing 
 a sick or wounded man when there are no animals dis 
 posable, and w T hich is sometimes resorted to by the Indians, 
 is to take two small poles, about ten feet long, and lash 
 three cross-pieces to them, one in the centre, and the 
 other two about eighteen inches from the ends. A blanket 
 or hide is then secured firmly to this frame, and the 
 patient placed upon it under the centre cross-piece, which 
 prevents him from falling out. TWT> men act as carriers, 
 walking between the ends of the long poles. The patient 
 may be protected against the rain or sun by bending small 
 willows over the frame, and covering them with a cloth. 
 
 KAPID TKAVELING. 
 
 Small parties with good animals, light vehicles, and 
 little lading, may traverse the plains rapidly and com 
 fortably, if the following injunctions be observed. 
 
 The day s drive should commence as soon as it is light, 
 and, where the road is good, the animals kept upon a slow 
 trot for about three hours, then immediately turned out 
 upon the best grass that can be found for two hours, thus 
 giving time for grazing and breakfast. After which, 
 another drive of about three hours may be made, making 
 the noon halt about three hours, when the animals are 
 again harnessed, and the journey continued until night. 
 
 In passing through a country infested by hostile 
 Indians, the evening drive should be prolonged until an 
 hour or two after dark, turning off at a point where the 
 ground is hard, going about half a mile from the road, and 
 encamping without fires, in low ground, where the Indians 
 will find it difficult to track or see the party."* 
 
 * This, in Prairie parlance, is called, " making a dark camp." ED. 
 
FUEL AND FIRE. 101 
 
 These frequent halts serve to* rest and reorilit 1 the cidi- 
 mals, so that they will, without injury, make from thirty 
 to forty miles a day for a long time. This, however, can 
 only be done with very light loads and vehicles, such, for 
 example, as an ambulance with four mules, only three or 
 four persons, and a small amount of luggage. 
 
 FUEL AND FIRE. 
 
 There are long distances upon some of the routes to 
 California where no other fuel is found but the dried dung 
 of the buffalo, called by the mountaineers, " chips," and 
 by the French, " bois de vache," the argul of the Tartary 
 deserts."* It burns well when perfectly dry, answers a 
 good purpose for cooking, and some men even prefer it to 
 wood. As it will not burn when wet, it is well, in a 
 country where no other fuel can be had, when it threatens 
 to rain, for the traveler to collect a supply before the rain 
 sets in, and carry it in wagons to the camp. When dry, 
 the chips are easily lighted. 
 
 A great saving in fuel may be made by digging a trench 
 about two feet long by eight inches in width and depth ; 
 the fires are made in the bottom of the trench, and the 
 cooking utensils placed upon the top, where they receive 
 all the heat. This plan is especially recommended for 
 windy weather, and it is convenient at all times, f The 
 wood should be cut short, and split into small pieces. 
 
 It is highly important that travelers should know the 
 different methods that may be resorted to for kindling 
 fires upon a march. The most simple and most expe 
 ditious of these is by using the lucifer-matches ; but, 
 unless they are kept in well-corked bottles, they are liable 
 to become wet, and will then fail to ignite. 
 
 The most of those found in the shops easily imbibe 
 dampness, and are of but little use in the prairies. Those 
 marked " Van Duser, New York," and put up in flat 
 
 * And the East Indian " go bar." ED. 
 
 t By no means. The fireplace must, if possible, be raised above 
 the ground for draught of air ; three stones form a good base for 
 pot or kettle, and act as screens against the wind. ED. 
 
102 PRAIRIE TRAVELER. 
 
 boxes, are the best I have met with, and were 
 the only ones I saw which were not affected by the humid 
 climate of Mexico. Wax lucifers are better than wooden, 
 as they are impervious to moisture. 
 
 I have seen an Indian start a fire with flint and steel 
 after others had failed to do it with matches. This was 
 during a heavy rain, when almost all available fuel had 
 become wet. On such occasions dry fuel may generally 
 be obtained under logs, rocks, or leaning trees. 
 
 The inner bark of some dry trees, cedar for instance, is 
 excellent to kindle a fire. The bark is rubbed in the 
 hand until the fibres are made fine and loose, when it 
 takes fire easily ; dry grass or leaves are also good. After 
 a sufficient quantity of small kindling fuel has been col 
 lected, a moistened rag is rubbed with powder, and a spark 
 struck into it with a flint and steel, which will ignite it ; 
 this is then placed in the centre of the loose nest of in 
 flammable material, and whirls around in the air until it 
 bursts out into a flame. When it is raining, the blaze 
 should be laid upon the driest spot that can be found, a 
 blanket held over it to keep off the water, and it is fed 
 with very small bits of dry wood and shavings until it has 
 gained sufficient strength to burn the larger damp wood. 
 When no dry place can be found, the fire may be started 
 in a kettle or fryingpan, and afterwards transferred to the 
 ground.* 
 
 Should there be no other means of starting a fire, it can 
 always be made with a gun or pistol, by placing upon the 
 ground a rag saturated with damp powder, and a little dry 
 powder sprinkled over it. The gun or pistol is then (un 
 charged) placed with the cone directly over and near the 
 rag, and a cap exploded, which will invariably ignite it. 
 Another method is by placing about one-fourth of a charge 
 of powder into a gun, pushing a rag down loosely upon it, 
 and firing it out with the muzzle down near the ground, 
 which ignites the rag. 
 
 * This useful " dodge" was first proposed, I believe, by D., 4, 
 Albany, London in "The Lands of the Slave and the Free." ED. 
 
FUEL AND FIRE. 103 
 
 The most difficult of all methods of making a fire, but 
 one that is practised by some of the Western Indians, is 
 by friction between two pieces of wood. I had often 
 heard of this process, but never gave credit to its practica 
 bility until I saw the experiment successfully tried. It 
 was done in the following manner : Two dried stalks of the 
 Mexican soap plant, about three-fourths of a inch in dia 
 meter, were selected, and one of them made flat on one 
 side ; near the edge of this flat surface a very small indent 
 ation was made, to receive the end of the other stick, and 
 a groove cut from this down the side. The other stick is 
 cut with a rounded end, and placed upright upon the first. 
 One man then holds the horizontal piece upon the ground, 
 while another takes the vertical stick between the palms 
 of his hands, and turns it back and forth as rapidly as 
 possible, at the same time pressing forcibly down upon it. 
 The point of the upright stick wears away the indentation 
 into a fine powder, which runs off" to the ground in the 
 groove that has been cut ; after a time it begins to smoke, 
 and by continued friction it will at length take fire. 
 
 This is an operation that is difficult, and requires prac 
 tice ; but if a drill- stick is used with a cord placed around 
 the centre of the upright stick, it can be turned much 
 more rapidly than with the hands, and the fire produced 
 more readily. The upright stick may be of any hard, dry 
 wood, but the lower horizontal stick must be of a soft, in 
 flammable nature, such as pine, cottonwood, or black 
 walnut, and it must be perfectly dry. The Indians work 
 the sticks with the palms of the hands, holding the lower 
 piece between the feet ; but it is better to have a man to 
 hold the lower piece while another man works the drill- 
 bow. 
 
 Inexperienced travelers are very liable, in kindling fires 
 at their camp, to ignite the grass around them. Great 
 caution should be taken to guard against the occurrence of 
 such accidents, as they might prove excedingly disastrous. 
 We were very near having our entire train of wagons and 
 supplies destroyed, upon one occasion, by the carelessness 
 
104 PRAIRIE TRAVELER. 
 
 of one of our party in setting fire to the grass, and it was 
 only by the most strenuous and well-timed efforts of two 
 hundred men in setting counter- fires, and burning around 
 the train that it was saved. When the grass is dry, it 
 will take fire like powder ; and, if thick and tall, with a 
 brisk wind, the flames run like a race-horse, sweeping 
 everything before them. A lighted match, or the ashes 
 from a segar or pipe, thrown carelessly into the dry grass, 
 sometimes set it on fire ; but the greatest danger lies in 
 kindling camp fires. 
 
 To prevent accidents of this kind, before kindling the 
 fire, a space should be cleared away sufficient to embrace 
 the limits of the flame, and all combustibles removed there 
 from, and while the fire is being made, men should be 
 stationed around with blankets,* ready to put it out if it 
 takes the grass. 
 
 When a fire is approaching, and escape from its track 
 is impossible, it may be repelled in the following manner : 
 The train and animals are parked compactly together ; 
 then several men, provided with blankets, set fire to the 
 grass on the lee side, burning it away gradually from the 
 train, and extinguishing it on the side next the train. 
 This can easily be done, and the fire controlled with the 
 blankets, or with dry sand thrown upon it, until an area 
 large enough to give room for the train has been burned 
 clear. Now the train moves on to this ground of safety, 
 and the fire passes by harmless. 
 
 JERKING MEAT. 
 
 So pure is the atmosphere in the interior of our conti 
 nent that fresh meat may be cured, or jerked, as it is 
 termed in the language of the prairies, f by cutting it into 
 strips about an inch thick, and hanging it in the sun, 
 
 * Or with hides, or, in wooded lands, with leafy boughs. ED. 
 
 t The word is originally " chaire cuite," corrupted by the Span 
 iards, to "charqui," and \>y the English to "jerked." Mr. Galton 
 asserts, that jerked meat loses about one-half of its nourishing pro 
 perties. I should say one-third, and less still if prepared with 
 "ghi" (melted butter), like the Eastern "kavurmeh." ED. 
 
LARIATS. 105 
 
 where in a few days it will dry so well that it may be 
 packed in sacks and transported over long journeys with 
 out putrefying. 
 
 When there is not time to jerk the meat by the slow 
 process described, it may be done in a few hours by build 
 ing an open framework of small sticks, about two feet 
 above the ground, placing the strips of meat upon the top 
 of it, and keeping up a slow fire beneath, which dries the 
 meat rapidly. 
 
 The jerking process may be done upon the march with 
 out any loss of time, by stretching lines from front to rear 
 upon the outside of loaded wagons, and suspending the 
 meat upon them, where it is allowed to remain until suffi 
 ciently cured to be packed away. Salt is never used in 
 this process, and is not required, as the meat, if kept dry, 
 rarely putrefies. 
 
 If travelers have ample transportation, it will be a wise 
 precaution, in passing through the buffalo range, to lay in 
 a supply of jerked meat for future exigences. 
 
 LARIATS. 
 
 It frequently happens upon long journeys, that the lariat 
 ropes wear out or are lost ; and, if there were no means of 
 replacing them, great inconvenience might result there 
 from. A very good substitute may be made by taking the 
 green hide of a buffalo, horse, mule, or ox, stretching it 
 upon the ground, and pinning it down by the edges. After 
 it has been well stretched, a circle is described with a piece 
 of charcoal, embracing as much of the skin as practicable, 
 and a strip about an inch wide cut from the outer edge of 
 sufficient length to form the lariat. The strip is then 
 wrapped round between two trees or stakes, drawn tight, 
 and left to dry, after which it is subjected to a process of 
 friction until it becomes pliable, when it is ready for use ; 
 but after it has been wet and dried again it becomes very 
 hard and unyielding. This, however, may be obviated by 
 boiling it in oil or grease until thoroughly saturated, after 
 which it remains pliable. 
 
106 PRAIRIE TRAVELER. 
 
 The Indians make very good lariat ropes by dressed 
 buffalo or buck- skins cut into narrow strips and braided ; 
 these, when oiled, slip much more freely than the hemp or 
 cotton ropes, and are better for lassoing animals ; but they 
 are not as suitable for picketing as those made of other 
 materials, because the wolves will eat them, and thus set 
 free the animals to which they are attached. 
 
 CACHES. 
 
 It not unfrequently happens that travelers are com 
 pelled, for want of transportation, to abandon a portion of 
 their luggage, and if it is exposed to the keen scrutiny of 
 the thieving savages who often follow the trail of a party, 
 and hunt over old camps for such things as may be left, 
 it will be likely to be appropriated by them. Such con 
 tingencies have given rise to a method of secreting articles 
 called by the old French Canadian voyagers " caching" 
 
 The proper places for making caches are in loose sandy 
 soils, where the earth is dry and easily excavated. Near 
 the bank of a river is the most convenient for this purpose, 
 as the earth taken out can be thrown into the water, leav 
 ing no trace behind. 
 
 When the spot has been chosen, the turf is carefully cut 
 and laid aside, after which a hole is dug in the shape of an 
 egg, and of sufficient dimensions to contain the articles to 
 be secreted, and the earth, as it is taken out, thrown upon 
 a cloth or blanket, and carried to a stream or ravine, where 
 it can be disposed of, being careful not to scatter any upon 
 the ground near the cache. The hole is then lined with 
 bushes or dry grass, the articles placed within, covered 
 with grass, the hole filled up with earth, and the sods care 
 fully placed back in their original position, and every thing 
 that would be likely to attract an Indian s attention re 
 moved from the locality. If an India-rubber or gutta- 
 percha cloth is disposable, it should be used to envelop the 
 articles in the cache. 
 
 Another plan of making the cache is to dig a hole inside 
 
DISPOSITION OF FIRE-ARMS. 107 
 
 a tent, and occupy the tent for some days after the goods 
 are deposited. This effaces the marks of excavation.* 
 
 The mountain traders were formerly in the habit of 
 building fires over their caches ; but the Indians have be 
 come familiar with, this practice so that I should think it 
 no longer safe. 
 
 Another method of caching which is sometimes resorted 
 to is to place the articles in the top of an evergreen tree, 
 such as the pine, hemlock, or spruce.f The thick boughs 
 are so arranged around the packages that they cannot be 
 seen from beneath, and they are tied to a limb to prevent 
 them from being blown out by the wind. This will only 
 answer for such articles as will not become injured by the 
 weather. 
 
 Caves or holes in the rocks that are protected from the 
 rains are also secure deposits for caching goods ; but in 
 every case care must be taken to obliterate all tracks or 
 other indications of men having been near them. These 
 caches will be more secure when made at some distance 
 from roads or trails, and in places where Indians would 
 not be likely to pass. 
 
 To find a cache again, the bearing and distance from the 
 centre of it to some prominent object, such as a mound, 
 rock, or tree, should be carefully determined and recorded, 
 so that any one, on returning to the spot, would have no 
 difficulty in ascertaining its position.J 
 
 DISPOSITION OF FIRE-ARMS. 
 
 The mountaineers and trappers exercise a very wise pre 
 caution, on lying down for the night, by placing their 
 
 * Thus our dead officers were cached in Afghanistan, and the 
 same was done with the corpse of General Braddock. But savages 
 soo:i learn to suspect places where tents have been pitched. ED. 
 
 t This is the African mode. The hemlock is P. Canadensis ; 
 the spruce P. nigra and P. alba ; and the pine is the white pine, 
 P. strabus. ED. 
 
 Carelessness or want of skill may lead to disastrous results, 
 with an extreme readiness, as is proved by the melancholy fate of 
 the late Australian expedition, under Mr. Burke. ED. 
 
108 
 
 PRAIRIE TRAVELER. 
 
 arms and ammunition by their sides, where they can be 
 seized at a moment s notice. This rule is never departed 
 from, and they are, therefore, seldom liable to be surprised. 
 In Parkyns s " Abyssinia/ I find the following remarks 
 upon this subject : 
 
 " When getting sleepy, you return your rifle between 
 your legs, roll over, and go to sleep. Some people may 
 think this is a queer place for a rifle ; but, on the contrary, 
 it is the position of all others where utility and comfort are 
 most combined. The butt rests on the arm,* and serves as 
 a pillow for the head ; the muzzle points towards the knees, 
 and the arms encircle the lock and breech, so that you have 
 a smooth pillow, and are always prepared to start up armed 
 at a moment s notice." 
 
 I have never made the experiment of sleeping in this 
 way ; but I should imagine that a gun-stock would make 
 rather a hard pillow. 
 
 Many of our experienced frontier officers prefer carry 
 ing their pistols in a belt at their sides to placing them in 
 holsters attached to the saddle, as in the former case they 
 are always at hand when they are dismounted ; whereas, 
 by the other plan, they become useless when a man is un 
 horsed, unless he has time to remove them from the saddle, 
 which, during the excitement of an action, would seldom 
 be the case.f 
 
 Notwithstanding Colt s army and navy-sized revolvers 
 have been in use for a long time in our army, officers are 
 by no means of one mind as to their relative merits for 
 frontier service. The navy pistol, being more light and 
 portable, is more convenient for the belt ; but it is very 
 questionable, in my mind, whether these qualities counter 
 balance the advantages derived from the greater weight of 
 powder and lead that can be fired from the larger pistol, 
 and the consequent increased projectile force. 
 
 * How the gentleman prevents his arm becoming painfully numbed 
 and can find comfort in this position fit only for a Nottingham lamb 
 is a mystery of mysteries to me. ED. 
 
 f Colt s pocket pistol or a pair of Derringers, is the best weapon 
 for carrying about the person, where it is advisable not to show 
 arms. ED. 
 
DISPOSITION OF FIRE-ARMS. 109 
 
 This point is illustrated by an incident which fell under 
 my own observation. In passing near the " Medicine-Bow 
 Butte" during the spring of 1858, I most unexpectedly 
 encountered and fired at a full-sized grizzly bear ; but, as 
 my horse had become somewhat blown by the previous 
 gallop, his breathing so much disturbed my aim that I 
 missed the animal at the short distance of about fifty yards, 
 and he ran off. Fearful, if I stopped to reload my rifle, 
 the bear would make his escape, I resolved to drive him 
 back to the advanced guard of our escort, which I could 
 see approaching in the distance ; this I succeeded in doing, 
 when several mounted men, armed with the navy revolvers, 
 set off in pursuit. They approached within a few paces, 
 and discharged ten or twelve shots, the most of which en 
 tered the animal, but he still kept on, and his progress did 
 not seem materially impeded by the wounds. After these 
 men had exhausted their charges, another man rode up 
 armed with the army revolver, and fired two shots, which 
 brought the stalwart beast to the ground. Upon skinning 
 him and making an examination of the wounds, it was 
 discovered that none of the balls from the small pistols 
 had, after passing through his thick and tough hide, pene 
 trated deeper than about an inch into the flesh, but that 
 the two balls from the large pistol had gone into the vitals 
 and killed him. This test was, to my mind, a decisive one 
 as to the relative efficiency of the two arms for frontier 
 service, and I resolved thenceforth to carry the larger 
 size. 
 
 Several different methods are practised in slinging and 
 carrying fire-arms upon horseback. The shoulder-strap, 
 with a swivel to hook into a ring behind the guard, with 
 the muzzle resting downward in a leather cup attached by 
 a strap to the same as the stirrup leather, is a very handy 
 method for cavalry soldiers to sling their carbines ; but, 
 the gun being reversed, the jolting caused by the motion 
 of the horse tends to move the charge and shake the pow 
 der out of the cone,* which renders it liable to burst the 
 gun and to miss fire. 
 
 * The American " cone" is the English " nipple." Beg pardon for 
 the indelicacy ! Our " cousins," as we term them, so far from 
 
110 PRAIRIE TRAVELER. 
 
 An invention of the Namaquas, in Africa, described by 
 Galton in his Art of Travel, is as follows : 
 
 " Sew a bag of canvas, leather, or hide, of such bigness 
 as to admit of the butt of the gun pretty freely. The straps 
 that support it buckle through a ring in the pommel, and 
 the thongs by which its slope is adjusted fasten round the 
 girth below. The exact adjustments may not be hit upon 
 by an unpractised person for some little time, but, when 
 they are once ascertained, the straps need never be shifted. 
 The gun is perfectly safe, and never comes below the arm 
 pit, even in taking a drop leap ; it is pulled out in an 
 instant by bringing the elbow in front of the gun and close 
 to the side, so as to throw the gun to the outside of the 
 arm ; then, lowering the hand, the gun is caught up. It 
 is a bungling way to take out the gun while its barrel lies 
 between the arm and the body. Any sized gun can be 
 carried in this fashion. It offers no obstacle to mounting 
 or dismounting." 
 
 This may be a convenient way of carrying the gun ; I 
 have never tried it. Of all methods I have used, I prefer, 
 for hunting, a piece of leather about twelve inches by four, 
 with a hole cut in each end ; one of the ends is placed over 
 the pommel of the saddle, and with a buckskin string made 
 fast to it, where it remains a permanent fixture. When 
 the rider is mounted, he places his gun across the strap 
 upon the saddle, and carries the loose end forward over the 
 pommel, the gun resting horizontally across his legs. It 
 will now only be necessary occasionally to steady the gun 
 with the hand. After a little practice, the rider will be 
 able to control it with his knees, and it will be found a 
 very easy and convenient method of carrying it."* When 
 required for use, it is taken- out in an instant by simply 
 raising it with the hand, when the loose-end of the strap 
 comes off the pommel. 
 
 calling a spade, spade, explain a cock by "rooster," cockchafer by 
 " chafer," and cockroach by " roach." ED. 
 
 * I have always carried my gun or rifle loose across the pommel, 
 and 1 quite agree with Gen. Marcy, that practice soon makes it the 
 handiest and readiest method. ED. 
 
DISPOSITION OF FIRE-ARMS. Ill 
 
 The chief causes of accidents from the use of fire-arms 
 arise from carelessness ; and I have always observed that 
 those persons who are most familiar with their use are 
 invariably the most careful. Many accidents have happened 
 from carrying guns with the cock down upon the cap. 
 When in this position, a blow upon the cock, and some 
 times the concussion produced by the falling of the gun, 
 will explode the cap ; and, occasionally, when the cock 
 catches a twig, or in the clothes, and lifts it from the 
 cap, it will explode. With a gun at half-cock there is but 
 little danger of such accidents ; for, when the cock is 
 drawn back, it either comes to the full-cock, and remains, 
 or it returns to the half-cock, but does not go down upon 
 the cone. Another source of very many sad and fatal acci 
 dents resulting from the most stupid and culpable careless 
 ness is in persons standing before the muzzles of guns and 
 attempting to pull them out of wagons, or to draw them 
 through a fence or brush in the same position. If the cock 
 encounters an obstacle in its passage, it will, of course, be 
 drawn back and fall upon the cap. These accidents are of 
 frequent occurrence, and the cause is well understood by all ; 
 yet men continue to disregard it, and their lives pay the 
 penalty of their indiscretion. It is a wise maxim, which 
 applies with especial force in campaigning on the prairies, 
 " Always look to your gun, but never let your gun look at 
 you." 
 
 An equally important maxim might be added to this : 
 Never to point your gun at another, whether charged or 
 uncharged, and never allow another to point his gun at you. 
 Young men, before they beome accustomed to the use of 
 arms, are very apt to be careless, and a large percentage 
 of gun accidents may be traced to this cause. That 
 finished sportsman and wonderful shot, my friend Captain 
 Martin Scott, than whom a more gallant soldier never 
 fought a battle, was the most careful man with fire-arms I 
 ever knew; and, up to the time he received his death- wound 
 upon the bloody field of Molino del Rey, he never ceased 
 his cautionary advice to young officers upon this subject. 
 His extended experience and intimate acquaintance with 
 
112 PRAIRIE TRAVELER. 
 
 the use of arms had fully impressed him with its import 
 ance, and no man ever lived whose opinions upon this 
 subject should carry greater weight. As incomprehensible 
 as it may appear to persons accustomed to the use of fire 
 arms, recruits are very prone, before they have been 
 drilled at target practice with ball-cartridges, to place the 
 ball below the powder in the piece. Officers conducting 
 detachments through the Indian country, should, therefore, 
 give their especial attention to this, and require the 
 recruits to tear the cartridge and pour all the powder into 
 the piece before the ball is inserted. 
 
 As accidents often occur in camp from the accidental dis 
 charge of fire-arms that have been capped, I would recom 
 mend that the arms be continually kept loaded in cam 
 paigning, but the caps not placed upon the cones until they 
 are required for firing. This will cause but little delay in 
 an action, and will conduce much to security from acci 
 dents. 
 
 When loaded fire-arms have been exposed for any consi 
 derable time to a moist atmosphere, they should be dis 
 charged, or the cartridges drawn, and the arms thoroughly 
 cleaned, dried, and oiled."* Too much attention cannot be 
 given to keeping arms in perfect firing order. 
 
 TRAILING. 
 
 I know of nothing in the woodman s education of so 
 much importance, or so difficult to acquire, as the art of 
 trailing or tracking men and animals. To become an 
 adept in this art requires the constant practice of years, 
 and with some men a lifetime does not suffice to learn it.f 
 
 * This I believe to be a " vulgar error." If the cartridge fit 
 properly, and the nipple be defended by a waxed cap, powder will 
 keep drier in the barrel than in the horn. I have often fired off a 
 round of Colt that has remained loaded for months. ED. 
 
 f I have met with but one man who could gallop over hard ground 
 upon a " spoor "hog or antelope and he was of a genus soon 
 likely to become extinct, an " Indian officer." General Marcy, 
 however, goes too far in asserting that the white man s perceptions 
 are too blunt for good tracking. A few weeks of hard practice will 
 tell wonderfully upon the progress of a man, whose organs of obser 
 vation are well developed. ED. 
 
TRAILING. 113 
 
 Almost all the Indians whom I have met with are pro 
 ficient in this species of knowledge, the faculty for acquir 
 ing which appears to be innate with them. Exigencies of 
 woodland and prairie- life stimulate the savage from child 
 hood to develop faculties so important in the arts of war 
 and of the chase. 
 
 I have seen very few white men who were good trailers, 
 and practice did not seem very materially to improve their 
 faculties in this regard ; they have not the same acute per 
 ceptions for these things as the Indian or the Mexican. It 
 is not apprehended that this difficult branch of woodcraft 
 can be taught from books, as it pertains almost exclusively 
 to the school of practice, yet I will give some facts relating 
 to the habits of the Indians that will facilitate its acquire 
 ment. 
 
 A party of Indians, for example, starting out upon a 
 war excursion, leave their families behind, and never tran 
 sport their lodges ; whereas, when they move with their 
 families, they carry their lodges and other effects. If, 
 therefore, an Indian trail is discovered with the marks of 
 the lodge-poles upon it, it has certainly not been made by 
 a war party ; but if the track do not show the trace of 
 lodge-poles, it will be equally certain that a war or hunting 
 party has passed that way, and if it is not desired to come 
 in conflict with them, their direction may be avoided. 
 Mustangs or wild horses, when moving from place to 
 place, leave a trail which is sometimes difficult to dis 
 tinguish from that made by a mounted party of Indians, 
 especially if the mustangs do not stop to graze. This 
 may be determined by following upon the trail until some 
 dung is found, and if this should lie in a single pile, it 
 is a sure indication that a herd of mustangs has passed, as 
 they always stop to relieve themselves, while a party of 
 Indians would keep their horses in motion, and the ordure 
 would be scattered along the road. If the trail pass 
 through woodland, the mustangs will occasionally go 
 under the limbs of trees too low to admit the passage of a 
 man on horseback. 
 
 An Indian, on coming to a trail, will generally tell at a 
 
 i 
 
114 PRAIRIE TRAVELER. 
 
 glance its age, by what particular tribe it was made, the 
 number of the party, and many other things connected 
 with it astounding to the uninitiated. 
 
 I remember, upon one occasion, as I was riding with a 
 Delaware upon the prairies, we crossed the trail of a large 
 party of Indians traveling with lodges. The tracks 
 appeared to me quite fresh, and I remarked to the Indian 
 that we must be near the party. "Oh no," said he, 
 " the trail was made two days before, in the morning," at 
 the same time pointing with his finger to where the sun 
 would be about 8 o clock. Then seeing that my curiosity 
 was excited to know by what means he arrived at this 
 conclusion, he called my attention to the fact that there 
 had been no dew for the last two nights ; but that, on the 
 previous morning, it had been heavy. He then pointed 
 out to me some spears of grass that had been pressed down 
 into the earth by the horse s hoofs, upon which the sand 
 still adhered, having dried on, thus clearly showing that 
 the grass was wet when the tracks were made. 
 
 At another time, as I was traveling with the same 
 Indian, I discovered upon the ground what I took to be a 
 bear-track, with a distinctly-marked impression of the 
 heel and all the toes. I immediately called the Indian s 
 attention to it, at the same time flattering myself that 
 I had made quite an important discovery, w^hich had 
 escaped his observation. The fellow remarked with 
 a smile, " Oh no, captain, may be so, he not bear- track." 
 He then pointed with his gun-rod to some spears of grass 
 that grew near the impression ; but I did not comprehend 
 the mystery until he dismounted and explained to me that, 
 when the wind was blowing, the spears of grass would 
 be bent over toward the ground, and the oscillating motion 
 thereby produced would scoop out the loose sand into the 
 shape I have described. The truth of this explanation 
 was apparent, yet it occurred to me that its solution would 
 have baffled the wits of most white men. 
 
 Fresh tracks generally show moisture where the earth 
 has been turned up ; but after a short exposure to the sun 
 they become dry. If the tracks be very recent, the sand 
 may sometimes, where it is very loose and dry, be seen 
 
TRAILING. 115 
 
 running back into the tracks ; and, by following them to a 
 place where they cross water, the earth will be wet for 
 some distance after they leave it. The droppings of the 
 dung from animals are also good indications of the age of 
 a trail. It is well to remember whether there have been 
 any rains within a few days, as the age of a trail may 
 sometimes be conjectured in this way. It is very easy to 
 tell whether tracks have been made before or after a rain, 
 as the water washes off all the sharp edges. 
 
 It is not a difficult matter to distinguish the tracks of 
 American horses from those of Indian horses, as the latter 
 are never shod ; moreover, they are much smaller. 
 
 In trailing horses, there will be no trouble while the 
 ground is soft, as the impressions they leave will then be 
 deep and distinct ; but when they pass over hard or rocky 
 ground, it is sometimes a very slow and troublesome pro 
 cess to follow them. Where there is grass, the trace can 
 be seen for a considerable time, as the grass will be 
 trodden down and bent in the direction the party has 
 moved ; should the grass have returned to its upright 
 position, the trail can often be distinguished by standing 
 upon it and looking ahead for some distance in the direc 
 tion it has been pursuing ; the grass that has been turned 
 over will show a different shade of green from that around 
 it, and this often marks a trail for a long time. 
 
 Should all traces of the track be obliterated in certain 
 localities, it is customary with the Indians to follow on in 
 the direction it has been pursuing for a time, and it is 
 quite probable that in some place where the ground is 
 more favorable it will show itself again. Should the trail 
 not be recovered in this way, they search for a place 
 where the earth is soft, and make a careful examination, 
 embracing the entire area where it is likely to run. 
 
 Indians who find themselves pursued, and wish to 
 escape, scatter as much as possible, with an understanding 
 that they are to meet again at some point in advance, so 
 that, if the pursuing party follows any one of the tracks, 
 it will invariably lead to the place of rendezvous. If, for 
 example, the trail points in the direction of a mountain 
 
116 PRAIRIE TRAVELER. 
 
 pass, or toward any other place which affords the only 
 passage through a particular section of country, it would 
 not be worth while to spend much time in hunting it, as 
 it would probably be regained at the pass. 
 
 As it is important, in trailing Indians, to know at what 
 gaits they are traveling, and as the appearance of the 
 tracks of horses are not familiar to all, I have, in the 
 following cut, represented the prints made by the hoofs at 
 the ordinary speed of the walk, trot, and gallop, so that 
 persons, in following the trail of Indians, may form an 
 idea as to the probability of overtaking them, and regulate 
 their movements accordingly.* 
 
 In traversing a district of unknown country where there 
 are no prominent landmarks, and with the view of return- 
 to the point of departure, a pocket compass should always 
 be carried, and attached by a string to a button-hole of 
 the coat, to prevent its being lost or mislaid ; and on 
 starting out, as well as frequently during the trip, to take 
 the bearing, and examine the appearance of the country 
 when facing toward the starting-point, as a landscape 
 presents a very different aspect when viewing it from 
 opposite directions. t There are few white men who can 
 
 * The " cut " is well worth study. ED. 
 
 f The traveller cannot pay too much attention to this direction. 
 N one but those endued with the highest development of locality can 
 retrace a path with confidence, unless they have studied on the way, 
 its bearings from the opposite direction. The best plan is to halt at 
 times, and, turning round, to dwell upon some peculiar feature of 
 the country which re-seen will be readily recognized. In the Prairie 
 also, it is by no means easy to take a bee-line to walk straight. 
 The military man will readily march on a point to his front, by 
 fixing his eye upon the distant objects, clods, pebbles, grass 
 tussocks, or shrubs, in alignement. 
 
 I cannot agree with Mr. Galton, that there is any difficulty in 
 steering oneself by the stars or the sun a fortnight s work will 
 conquer that. The author of the " Art of Travel " proposes, how 
 ever, a good succedaneum, viz., a pocket compass without rhumbs, 
 but showing the degrees round the rim by means of which true bear 
 ings can be ascertained. That traveller also proposes, very properly, 
 that " the points of the compass, viz., North, North North-east, etc., 
 should be used for none except true bearings, and the degrees, as 
 
TRAILING. 
 
 117 
 
 retrace tlieir steps for any great distance, unless they take 
 the above precautions in passing over an unknown country 
 
 Running 1 Trotting- Waiting 
 
 HORSE-TRACKS AT ORDINARY SPEED. 
 
 25, for none except magnetic." Perhaps, however, the notation 
 might be advantageously revised ; it is easier, in mapping, to correct 
 
118 PRAIRIE TRAVELER. 
 
 for the first time ; but with the Indians it is different ; the 
 sense of locality seems to be innate with them, and they 
 do not require the aid of the magnetic needle to guide 
 them. 
 
 Upon a certain occasion, when I made a long march 
 over an unexplored section, and was returning upon an 
 entirely different route without either road or trail, a 
 Delaware, by the name of " Black Beaver," who was in 
 my party, on arriving at a particular point, suddenly 
 halted, and, turning to me, asked if I recognized the 
 country before us. Seeing no familiar objects, I replied 
 in the negative. He put the same question to the other 
 white men of the party, all of whom gave the same 
 answers, whereupon he smiled, and in his quaint vernacular 
 said, " Injun he don t know nothing. Injun big fool. 
 White man mighty smart ; he know heap." At the same 
 time he pointed to a tree about two hundred yards from 
 where we were then standing, and informed us that our 
 outward trail ran directly by the side of it, which proved 
 to be true. 
 
 Another time, as I was returning from the Conianche 
 country over a route many miles distant from the one I 
 had traveled in going out, one of my Delaware hunters, 
 who had never visited the section before, on arriving upon 
 the crest of an eminence in the prairie, pointed out to me 
 
 degrees than rhumbs ; besides which, we more naturally say N.E. 
 than 45. The use of rhumbs and degrees mixed, e.g., N. 25 E. (for 
 simple 25), is highly objectionable, and compasses should be gradu 
 ated from to 360. 
 
 This is a long note ; but losing his way is one of the sorest accidents 
 that can happen to the traveller. Such lately has twice been my fate 
 in ascending unexplored African mountains ; and my feelings upon 
 the subject are naturally enough acute. On the Prairies in Austra 
 lia and in Northern Africa teste Dr. Barth such occurrences are 
 very common, and terrible accidents have occurred from the frantic 
 state of mind which is apt to be induced by losing one s way in 
 the desert. 
 
 I have invariably found that coolness is the principal preserv 
 ative, and that it is far better to sit or lie down awaiting rescue, 
 than to waste strength by shouting, or by hastening to rejoin the 
 party. ED. 
 
TRAILING. 119 
 
 a clump of trees in the distance, remarking that our out 
 ward track would be found there. I was not, however, 
 disposed to credit his statement until we reached the 
 locality and found the road passing the identical spot he 
 had indicated. 
 
 This same Indian would start from any place to which 
 he had gone by a sinuous route, through an unknown 
 country, and keep a direct bearing back to the place of 
 departure ; and he assured me that he has never, even 
 during the most cloudy or foggy weather, or in the darkest 
 nights, lost the points of compass. There are very few 
 white men who are endowed with these wonderful faculties, 
 imd those few are only tendered proficient by matured 
 experience. 
 
 I have known several men, after they had become lost 
 in the prairies, to wander about for days without exercising 
 the least judgment, and finally exhibiting a state of mental 
 aberration almost upon the verge of lunacy. Instead of 
 reasoning upon their situation, they exhaust themselves 
 running a-head at their utmost speed without any regard 
 to direction. When a person is satisfied that he has lost his 
 way, he should stop and reflect upon the course he has 
 been traveling, the time that has elapsed since he left his 
 camp, and the probable distance that he is from it ; and if 
 he is unable to retrace his steps, he should keep as nearly 
 in the direction of them as possible; and, if he has 
 a compass, this will be an easy matter ; but, above all, he 
 should guard against following his own track around in a 
 circle with the idea that he is in a beaten track. 
 
 When he is traveling with a train of wagons which 
 leaves a plain trail, he can make the distance he has 
 traveled from camp the radius of a circle in which to ride 
 around, and, before the circle is described, he will 
 strike the trail. If the person has no compass, it is 
 always well to make an observation, and to remember the 
 direction of the wind at the time of departure from camp ; 
 and as this would not generally change during the day, it 
 would afford a means of keeping the points of the com 
 pass. 
 
120 PRAIRIE TRAVELER. 
 
 In the night, Ursa Major (the Great Bear) is not only 
 useful to find the north star ; but its position, when the 
 pointers will be vertical in the heavens, may be estimated 
 with sufficient accuracy to determine the north even when 
 the north star cannot be seen. In tropical latitudes, the 
 zodiacal stars, such as Orion and Antares, give the east 
 and west bearing, and the Southern Cross the north and 
 south, when Polaris and the Great Bear cannot be seen. 
 
 It is said that the moss upon the firs and other trees in 
 Europe gives a certain indication of the points of compass 
 in a forest country, the greatest amount accumulating 
 upon the north side of the trees. But I have often, 
 observed the trees in our own forests, and have not been 
 able to form any positive conclusions in this way. 
 
121 
 
 CHAPTER VI. 
 
 Guides and Hunters. Delawares and Shawnees. Khebirs. Black 
 Beaver. Anecdotes. Domestic Troubles. Lodges. Similarity 
 of Prairie Tribes to the Arabs. Method of making War. Tracking 
 and pursuing Indians. Method of attacking them. Telegraphing 
 by Smokes. 
 
 DELAWARES AND SHAWNEES. 
 
 IT is highly important that parties making expeditions 
 through an unexplored country should secure the services 
 of the best guides and hunters ; and I know of none who 
 are superior to the Delawares and Shawnee Indians. They 
 have been with me upon several different occasions, and I 
 have invariably found them intelligent, brave, reliable, 
 and in every respect well qualified to fill their positions. 
 They are endowed with those keen and wonderful powers 
 in woodcraft which can only be acquired by instinct, prac 
 tice, and necessity, and which are possessed by no other 
 people that I have heard of, unless it be the khebirs or 
 guides who escort the caravans across the great desert of 
 Sahara. 
 
 General E. Dumas, in his treatise upon the " Great 
 Desert," published in Paris, 1856, in speaking of these 
 guides, says : 
 
 " The khebir is always a man of intelligence, of tried 
 probity, bravery, and skill. He knows how to determine 
 his position from the appearance of the stars ; by the ex 
 perience of other journeys, he has learned all about the 
 roads, wells, and pastures ; the dangers of certain passes, 
 and the means of avoiding them ; all the chiefs whose ter 
 ritories it is necessary to pass through ; the salubrity of 
 
122 PRAIRIE TRAVELER. 
 
 the different localities ; the remedies against diseases ; the 
 treatment of fractures, and the antidotes to the venom of 
 snakes and scorpions. 
 
 " In these vast solitudes, where nothing seems to indi 
 cate the route, where the wind covers up all traces of the 
 track with sand, the khebir has a thousand ways of direct 
 ing himself in the right course. In the night, when there 
 are no stars in sight, by the simple inspection of a handful 
 of grass, which he examines with his fingers, which he 
 smells and tastes, he informs himself of his locale without 
 ever being lost or wandering. 
 
 " I saw with astonishment that our conductor, although 
 he had but one eye, and that defective, recognized perfectly 
 the route ; and Leon, the African, states that the conduc 
 tor of his caravan became blind upon the journey from 
 ophthalmia, yet by feeling the grass and sand he could tell 
 when we were approaching an inhabited place. 
 
 " Our guide had all the qualities which make a good 
 khebir. He was young, large, and strong; he was a mas 
 ter of arms ; his eye commanded respect, and his speech 
 won the heart. But, if in the tent he was affable and win 
 ning, once en route he spoke only when it was necessary, 
 and never smiled." 
 
 The Delawares are but a minute remnant of the great 
 Algonquin family, whose early traditions declare them to 
 be the parent stock from which the other numerous 
 branches of the Algonquin tribes originated. And they 
 are the same people whom the first white settlers found so 
 numerous upon the banks of the Delaware. 
 
 When "William Penn held his council with the Dela 
 wares upon the ground where the city of Philadelphia now 
 stands, they were as peaceful and un warlike in their habits 
 as the Quakers themselves. Thev had been subjugated 
 by the Five Nations, forced to take the appellation of 
 squaws, and forego the use of arms ; but after they moved 
 west, beyond the influence of their former masters, their 
 naturally independent spirit revived. They soon regained 
 their lofty position as braves and warriors, and the male 
 squaws of the Iroquois soon became formidable men and 
 
DELAWARES AND SHAWNEES. 123 
 
 heroes, and so have continued to the present day. Their 
 war-path has reached the shores of the Pacific Ocean on 
 the west, Hudson s Bay on the north, and into the very 
 heart of Mexico on the south. 
 
 They are not clannish in their dispositions like most 
 other Indians, nor by their habits confined to any given 
 locality, but are found as traders, trappers, or hunters 
 among most of the Indian tribes inhabiting our continent. 
 I even saw them living with the Mormons in Utah. They 
 are among the Indians as the Jews among the whites, es 
 sentially wanderers. 
 
 The Shawnees have been associated with the Delawares 
 185 years. They intermarry and live as one people. Their 
 present places of abode are upon the Missouri River, near 
 Fort Leavenworth, and in the Choctaw Territory, upon the 
 Canadian River, near Fort Arbuckle. They are familiar 
 with many of the habits and customs of their pale-faced 
 neighbours, and some of them speak the English language, 
 yet many of their native characteristics tenaciously cling 
 to them. 
 
 Upon one occasion, I endeavoured to teach a Delaware 
 the use of the compass. He seemed much interested in its 
 mechanism, and very attentively observed the oscillations 
 of the needle. He would move away a short distance, 
 then return, keeping his eyes continually fixed upon the 
 needle, and the uniform position into which it settled. He 
 did not, however, seem to comprehend it in the least, but 
 regarded the entire proceeding as a species of necromantic 
 performance got up for his especial benefit, and I was about 
 putting away the instrument, when he motioned me to 
 stop, and came walking toward it with a serious but in 
 credulous countenance, remarking, as he pointed his finger 
 toward it, " May-be so he tell lie sometime." 
 
 The ignorance evinced by this Indian regarding the uses 
 of the compass, is less remarkable than that of some white 
 men who are occasionally met upon the frontier. 
 
 While surveying Indian lands in the wilds of Western 
 Texas, during the summer of 1854, 1 encountered a deputy 
 surveyor traveling on foot, with his compass and chain 
 
124 PRAIRIE TRAVELER. 
 
 upon his back. I saluted him very politely, remarking 
 that I presumed he was a surveyor, to which he replied, 
 " I reckon, stranger, I ar that thar individoal." 
 
 I had taken the magnetic variations several times, al 
 ways with nearly the same results (about 10 20 ) ; but, in 
 order to verify my observations, I was curious to learn how 
 they accorded with his own working, and accordingly in 
 quired of him what he made the variation of the compass 
 in that particular locality. He seemed struck with aston 
 ishment, took his compass from his back and laid it upon 
 a log near by, then facing me, and pointing with his hand 
 toward it, said, 
 
 " Straanger, do yer see that thar instru-ment ?" to which 
 I replied in the affirmative. He continued, 
 
 " I ve owned her well-nigh goin on twenty year. I ve 
 put her through the perarries and through the timber, and 
 now look yeer, straanger, you can just bet your life on t 
 she never wzr-ried arry time, and if you ll just follow her 
 sign you ll knock the centre out of the north star. She 
 never lies, she don t." 
 
 He seemed to consider my interrogatory as a direct in 
 sinuation that his compass was an inperfect one, and hence 
 his indignation. Thinking that I should not get any very 
 important intelligence concerning the variation of the 
 needle from this surveyor, I begged his pardon for ques 
 tioning the accuracy of his instru-mew, bid him good- 
 morning, and continued on my journey. 
 
 BLACK BEAVER. 
 
 In 1849, I met with a very interesting specimen of the 
 Delaware tribe whose name was Black Beaver. He had 
 for ten years been in the employ of the American Fur 
 Company, and, during this time, had visited nearly every 
 point of interest within the limits of our unsettled terri 
 tory. He had set his traps and spread his blanket upon 
 the head waters of the Missouri and Columbia ; and his 
 wanderings had led him south to the Colorado and Gila, 
 and thence to the shores of the Pacific in Southern Cali- 
 
BLACK BEAVER. 125 
 
 forma. His life had been that of a veritable cosmopolite, 
 filled with scenes of intense and startling interest, bold and 
 reckless adventure. He was with me two seasons in the 
 capacity of guide, and I always found him perfectly reliable, 
 brave, and competent. His reputation as a resolute, deter 
 mined, and fearless warrior, did not admit of question, yet 
 I have never seen a man who wore his laurels with less 
 vanity. 
 
 When I first made his acquaintance, I was puzzled to 
 know what to think of him. He would often, in speaking 
 of the Prairie Indians, say to me, 
 
 " Captain, if you have a fight, you mustn t count much 
 on me, for I ze a big coward. When the fight begins I 
 spect you ll see me run under the cannon ; Injun mighty 
 fraid of big gun." 
 
 I expressed my surprise that he should, if what he told 
 me was true, have gained such a reputation as a warrior ; 
 whereupon he informed me that many years previous, when 
 he was a young man, and before he had ever been in battle, 
 he, with about twenty white men and four Delawares, were 
 at one of the Fur Company s trading-posts upon the Upper 
 Missouri, engaged in trapping beaver. While there, the 
 stockade fort was attacked by a numerous band of Black- 
 feet Indians, who fought bravely, and seemed determined 
 to annihilate the little band that defended it. 
 
 After the investment had been completed, and there 
 appeared no probability of the attacking party s aban 
 doning their purpose, "Oned d fool Delaware " (as Black 
 Beaver expressed it) proposed to his countrymen to make 
 a sortie, and thereby endeavor to effect an impression upon 
 the Blackfeet. This, Beaver said, was the last thing he 
 would ever have thought of suggesting, and it startled 
 him prodigiously, causing him to tremble so much that 
 it was with difficulty he could stand. 
 
 He had, however, started from home with the fixed 
 purpose of becoming a distinguished brave, and made a 
 great effort to stifle his emotion. He assumed an air of 
 determination, saying that was the very idea he was just 
 about to propose; and, slapping his comrades upon the 
 
126 PRAIRIE TRAVELER. 
 
 back, started toward the gate, telling them to follow. As 
 soon as the gate was passed, he says, he took particular 
 care to keep in the rear of the others, so that, in the 
 event of a retreat, he would be able to reach the stockade 
 first. 
 
 They had not proceeded far before a perfect shower of 
 arrows came falling around them on all sides, but, fortu 
 nately, without doing them harm. Not fancying this hot 
 reception, those in front proposed an immediate retreat, to 
 which he most gladly acceded, and at once set off at his 
 utmost speed, expecting to reach the fort first. But he 
 soon discovered that his comrades were more fleet, and 
 were rapidly passing and leaving him behind. Suddenly 
 he stopped and called out to them, " Come back here, you 
 cowards, you squaws ; what for you run away and leave 
 brave man to fight alone ?" This taunting appeal to their 
 courage turned them back, and, with their united efforts, 
 they succeeded in beating off the enemy immediately 
 around them, securing their entrance into the fort. 
 
 Beaver says when the gate was closed, the captain in 
 charge of the establishment grasped him warmly by the 
 hand, saying, " Black Beaver, you are a brave man ; you 
 have done this day what no other man in the fort would 
 have the courage to do, and I thank you from the bottom 
 of my heart." 
 
 In relating the circumstance to me he laughed most 
 heartily, thinking it a very good joke, and said after that 
 he was regarded as a brave warrior. 
 
 The truth is, my friend Beaver was one of those few 
 heroes who never sounded his own trumpet ; yet no one 
 that knows him ever presumed to question his courage. 
 
 At another time, while Black Beaver remained upon 
 the head waters of the Missouri, he was left in charge of 
 a "cache," consisting of a quantity of goods buried to 
 prevent their being stolen by the Indians. During the 
 time he was engaged upon this duty, he amused himself by 
 hunting in the vicinity, only visiting his charge once a 
 day. As he was making one of these periodical visits, and 
 had arrived upon the summit of a hill overlooking the 
 
BLACK BEAVER. 127 
 
 locality, he suddenly discovered a large number of hostile 
 Blackfeet occupying it, and he supposed they had appro 
 priated all the goods. As soon as they espied him, they 
 beckoned for him to come down and have a friendly chat 
 with them. 
 
 Knowing that their purpose was to beguile him into 
 their power, he replied that he did not feel in a talking 
 humour just at that time, and started off in another direc 
 tion, whereupon they hallooed after him, making use of 
 the most insulting language and gestures, and asking him 
 if he considered himself a man thus to run away from his 
 friends, and intimating that, in their opinion, he was an 
 old woman, who had better go home and take care of the 
 children. 
 
 Beaver says this roused his indignation to such a pitch, 
 that he stopped, turned round, and replied, " Maybe so ; 
 s pose three or four of you Injuns come up here alone, I ll 
 show you if I ze old womans." They did not, however, 
 accept the challenge, and Beaver rode off. 
 
 Although the Delawares generally seem quite happy in 
 their social relations, yet they are not altogether exempt 
 from some of those minor discords which occasionally creep 
 in and mar the domestic harmony of their more civilized 
 pale-faced brethren. 
 
 I remember, upon one occasion, I had bivouacked for 
 the night with Black Beaver, and he had been endeavoring 
 to while away the long hours of ths evening by relating 
 to me some of the most thrilling incidents of his highly- 
 adventurous and erratic life, when at length a hiatus in the 
 conversation gave me an opportunity of asking him if he 
 was a married man. He hesitated for some time ; then 
 looking up and giving his fore-finger a twirl, to imitate 
 the throwing of the lasso, replied, "One time me catch 
 um wife. I pay that woman, his modder, one hoss one 
 saddle one bridle two plug tobacco, and plenty goods. 
 I take him home to my house got plenty meat plenty 
 corn plenty everything. One time me go take walk, 
 maybe so three, maybe so two hours. When I come home, 
 that woman he say, Black Beaver, what for you go way 
 
128 PRAIRIE TRAVELER. 
 
 longtime? I say, I not go nowhere; I just take one 
 littel walk/ Then that woman he* get heap mad, and say, 
 1 JS"o, Black Beaver, you not take no littel walk. I know 
 what for you go way; you go see nodder one woman* I 
 say, Maybe not/ Then that woman he cry long time, 
 and all e time now he mad. You never see Merican wo 
 man that a- way?" 
 
 I sympathized most deeply with my friend in his distress, 
 and told him, for his consolation, that, in my opinion, the 
 women of his nation were not peculiar in this respect ; that 
 they were pretty much alike all over the world, and I was 
 under the impression that there were well- authenticated 
 instances, even among white women, where they had sub 
 jected themselves to the same causes of complaint so feel 
 ingly depicted by him. Whereupon he very earnestly 
 asked, " What you do for cure him? Whip him?" I re 
 plied, " No ; that, so far as my observation extended, I 
 was under the impression that this was generally regarded 
 by those who had suffered from its effects, as one of those 
 chronic and vexatious complaints which would not be bene 
 fited by the treatment he suggested, even when adminis 
 tered in homoeopathic doses, and I believed it was now 
 admitted by all sensible men that it was better in all such 
 cases to let nature take its course, trusting to a merciful 
 Providence." 
 
 At this reply, his countenance assumed a dejected ex 
 pression ; but at length he brightened up again and trium 
 phantly remarked, " I tell you, my friend, what I do ; I 
 ketch um nodder one wife when I go home." 
 
 Black Beaver had visited St. Louis and the small towns 
 upon the Missouri frontier, and he prided himself not a 
 little upon his acquaintance with the customs of the whites, 
 and never seemed more happy than when an opportunity 
 offered to display this knowledge in the presence of his 
 Indian companions. It so happened, upon one occasion, 
 that I had a Comanche guide who bivouacked at the same 
 
 * The N. A. Indian, like the African Negro, translates his ver 
 nacular into English. Few savage or barbarian languages have dis 
 tinctions of gender; thus a woman is always " he." ED. 
 
BLACK BEAVER. 129 
 
 fire with. Beaver. On visiting them one evening according 
 to my usual practice, I found them engaged in a very 
 earnest and apparently not very amicable conversation. On 
 inquiring the cause of this, Beaver answered, 
 
 "I ve been telling this Comanche what I seen mong 
 the white folks " 
 
 I said, " Well, Beaver, what did you tell him?" 
 
 " I tell him bout the steam boats, and the rail-roads, 
 and the heap o houses I seen in St. Louis." 
 
 " Well, sir, what does he think of that?" 
 
 " He say I ze d d fool." 
 
 " What else did you tell him about?" 
 
 " I tell him the world is round ; but he keep all e time 
 say, Hush, you fool! do you spose I ze child? Have nt I 
 got eyes? Can t I see the prairie? You call him round? 
 He say, too, maybe so I tell you something you not know 
 before. One time my grandfather he make long journey 
 that way (pointing to the west). When he get on big 
 mountain, he seen heap water on t other side, jest so flat 
 he can be, and he seen the sun go right straight down on 
 t other side. I then tell him all these rivers he seen, all 
 e time the water he run ; s pose the world flat the water he 
 stand still. Maybe so he not b lieve me?" 
 
 I told him it certainly looked very much like it. I then 
 asked him to explain to the Comanche the magnetic tele 
 graph. He looked at me earnestly, and said, 
 
 " What you call that magnetic telegraph ?" 
 
 I said, " You have heard of New York and New 
 Orleans ?" 
 
 " Oh yes," he replied. 
 
 " Yery well ; we have a wire connecting these two 
 cities, which are about a thousand miles apart, and it 
 would take a man thirty days to ride it upon a good 
 horse. Now a man stands at one end of this wire in .New 
 York ; and, by touching it a few times, he inquires of his 
 friend in New Orleans what he had for breakfast. His 
 friend in New Orleans touches the other end of the wire, 
 and in ten minutes the answer comes back ham and 
 eggs. Tell him that, Beaver." 
 
 K 
 
130 PRAIRIE TRAVELER. 
 
 His countenance assumed a most comical expression ; but 
 he made no remark until I again requested him to repeat 
 what I had said to the Coiranche, when he observed, 
 
 " No, captain, I not tell him that, for I don t b lieve 
 that myself." 
 
 Upon my assuring him that such was the fact, and that 
 I had seen it myself, he said, 
 
 " Injun not very smart ; sometimes he s big fool, but he 
 holler pretty loud ; you hear him maybe half a mile ; you 
 say Merican man he talk thousand miles. I spect you 
 try to fool me now, captain ; maybe so you lie." 
 
 The Indians living between the outer white settlements 
 and the nomadic tribes of the Plains form intermediate 
 social links in the chain of civilization. 
 
 The first of these occupy permanent habitations ; but the 
 others, although they cultivate the soil, are only resident 
 while their crops are growing, going out into the prairies 
 after harvest to spend the winter in hunting. Among the 
 former may be mentioned the Cherokees, Creeks, Choctaws, 
 and Chickasaws, and of the latter are the Delawares, 
 Shawnees, Kickapoos, etc., who are perfectly familiar with 
 the use of the rifle, and, in my judgment, would make as 
 formidable partisan warriors as can be found in the uni 
 verse. 
 
 THE WILD TRIBES OF THE WEST. 
 
 These are very different in their habits from the natives 
 that formerly occupied the country bordering upon the 
 Atlantic coast. The latter lived permanently in villages,* 
 where they cultivated the soil, and never wandered very 
 far from them. They did not use horses, but always made 
 their war expeditions on foot, and never came into action 
 unless they could screen themselves behind the cover of 
 trees. They inflicted the most inhuman tortures upon 
 their prisoners, but did not, that I am aware, violate the 
 chastity of women. 
 
 The prairie tribes have no permanent abiding-places ; 
 
 * The Eastern wigwam was a larger and more substantial tene 
 ment than the western lodge. ED. 
 
THE WILD TRIBES OF THE WEST. 131 
 
 they never plant a seed, but roam for hundreds of miles 
 in every direction over the plains. They are perfect horse 
 men, and seldom go to war on foot. Their attacks are 
 made in the open prairies, and when unhorsed they are 
 powerless. They do not, like the eastern Indians, inflict 
 upon their prisoners prolonged tortures, but invariably 
 subject all females that have the misfortune to fall into 
 their merciless clutches to an ordeal worse than death. 
 
 It is highly important to every man passing through a 
 country frequented by Indians to know some of their 
 habits, customs, and propensities ; as this will facilitate his 
 intercourse with friendly tribes, and enable him, when he 
 wishes to avoid a conflict, to take precautions against 
 coming in collision with those who are hostile. 
 
 Almost every tribe has its own way of constructing its 
 lodges, encamping, making fires, its own style of dress, by 
 some of which peculiarities the experienced frontiersman 
 can generally distinguish them. 
 
 The Osages, for example, make their lodges in the shape 
 of a wagon-top, of bent rods or willows covered with skins, 
 blankets, or the bark of trees. 
 
 The Kickapoo lodges are made in an oval form, some 
 thing like a rounded haystack, of poles set in the ground, 
 bent over, and united at top ; this is covered with cloths or 
 bark. 
 
 The "Witchetaws, Wacos, Towackanies, and Tonkowas 
 erect their hunting-lodges of sticks put up in the form of 
 the frustrum of a cone and covered with brush. 
 
 All these tribes leave the framework of their lodges 
 standing when they move from camp to camp, and this, of 
 course, indicates the particular tribe that erected them. 
 
 The Delawares and Shawnees * plant two upright forked 
 poles, place a stick across them, and stretch a canvas 
 covering over it, in the same manner as with the " tente 
 d abri." 
 
 The Sioux, Arapahoes, Cheyennes, Utes, Snakes, Black- 
 
 * Add Cherokees and Choctaws, ED. 
 
132 PRAIRIE TRAVELER. 
 
 feet, and Kioways make use of the Comanclie lodge, 
 covered with dressed buffalo hides. * 
 
 All the Prairie Indians I have met with are the most 
 inveterate beggars. They will flock around strangers, and, 
 in the most importunate manner, ask for everything they 
 see, especially tobacco and sugar ; and, if allowed, they 
 will handle, examine, and occasionally pilfer such things 
 as happen to take their fancy. The proper way to treat 
 them is to give them at once such articles as are to be 
 disposed of, and then, in a firm and decided manner, let 
 them understand that they are to receive nothing else. 
 
 A party of Keechis once visited my camp with their 
 principal chief, who said he had some important business 
 to discuss, and demanded a council with the " capitan." 
 After consent had been given, he assembled his principal 
 men, and, going through the usual preliminary of 
 taking a " big smoke/ he arose, and with a great deal of 
 ceremony commenced his pompous and flowery speech, 
 which, like all others of a similar character, amounted to 
 nothing, until he touched upon the real object of his visit. 
 He said he had traveled a long distance over the prairies 
 to see and have a talk with his white brothers ; that his 
 people were very hungry and naked. He then approached 
 me with six small sticks, and, after shaking hands, laid 
 one of the sticks in my hand, which he said represented 
 sugar, another signified tobacco, and the other four, pork, 
 flour, whisky, and blankets, all of which he assured me his 
 people were in great need of, and must have. His talk 
 was then concluded, and he sat down, apparently much 
 gratified with, the graceful and impressive manner with 
 which he had executed his part of the performance, 
 
 It then devolved upon me to respond to the brilliant 
 effort of the prairie orator, which I olid in something like 
 the following manner. After imitating his style for a 
 
 * The Sacs, Foxes, Winnebagos, or Puants and Menomenes build 
 elliptical lodges, thirty to forty feet long by fourteen to fifteen feet 
 wide, and large enough to shelter from twenty to sixty people. The 
 covering is of plaited rush mats bound to the poles, and a small 
 aperture in the lodge acts as chimney. ED. 
 
INDIAN FIGHTING. 133 
 
 short time, I closed my remarks, by telling him that we 
 were poor infantry soldiers, who were always obliged to go 
 on foot ; that we had become very tired of walking, and 
 would like very much to ride. Furthermore, I had ob 
 served that they had among them many fine horses and 
 mules. I then took two small sticks, and imitating as 
 nearly as possible the manner of the chief, placed one in 
 his hand, which I told him was nothing more or less than 
 a first-rate horse, and then the other, which signified a 
 good large mule. I closed by saying that I was ready to 
 exchange presents whenever it suited his convenience. 
 
 They looked at each other for some time without speak 
 ing, but finally got up and walked away, and I was not 
 troubled with them again.* 
 
 INDIAN FIGHTING. 
 
 The military system, as taught and practised in our 
 army up to the time of the Mexican war, was, without 
 doubt, efficient and well- adapted to the art of war among 
 civilized nations. This system was designed for the oper 
 ations of armies acting in populated districts, furnishing 
 ample resources, and against an enemy who was tangible, 
 and made use of a similar system. 
 
 The vast expanse of desert territory that has been an 
 nexed to our domain within the last few years, is peopled 
 by numerous tribes of marauding and erratic savages, who 
 are mounted upon fleet and hardy horses, making war the 
 business and pastime of their lives, and acknowledging 
 none of the ameliorating conventionalities of civilized war 
 fare. Their tactics are such as to render the old system 
 almost wholly impotent. 
 
 To act against an enemy who is here to-day and there 
 
 * In the old times, crafty North American Indians have tried 
 " dreaming dreams," against white men, and have lost by the pro 
 ceeding. Thus, while the red-face saw in sleep his pale-faced 
 brother giving him a fine cloth coat, the pale-face perceived his 
 red-faced brother making over to him a valuable tract of country. 
 The visions, of course, soon ceased. ED. 
 
134 PRAIRIE TRAVELER. 
 
 to-morrow ; who at one time stampedes a herd of mules 
 upon the head waters of the Arkansas, and when next 
 heard from, is in the very heart of the populated districts 
 of Mexico, laying waste haciendas, and carrying deA 7 asta- 
 tion, rapine, and murder in his step ; who is every where 
 without being any where ; who assembles at the moment 
 of combat, and vanishes whenever fortune turns against 
 him ; who leaves his women and children far distant from 
 the theatre of hostilities, and has neither towns or maga 
 zines to defend, nor lines of retreat to cover ; who derives 
 his commissariat from the country he operates in, and is 
 not encumbered with baggage- wagons or pack-trains ; who 
 comes into action only when it suits his purposes, and never 
 without the advantage of numbers or position with such 
 an enemy the strategic science of civilized nations loses 
 much of its importance, and finds but rarely, and only in 
 peculiar localities, an opportunity to be put in practice. 
 
 Our little army, scattered has it has been over the vast 
 area of our possessions, in small garrisons of one or two 
 companies each, has seldom been in a situation to act suc 
 cessfully on the offensive against large numbers of these 
 marauders, and has often been condemned to hold itself 
 almost exclusively upon the defensive. The morale of the 
 troops must thereby necessarily be seriously impaired, and 
 the confidence of the savages correspondingly augmented. 
 The system of small garrisons has a tendency to disorgan 
 ize the troops in proportion as they are scattered, and 
 renders them correspondingly inefficient. * The same re 
 sults have been observed by the French army in Algeria, 
 where, in 1845, their troops were, like ours, disseminated 
 over a vast space, and broken up into small detachments 
 stationed in numerous entrenched posts. "Upon the sudden 
 appearance of Abd el Kader in the plain of Mitidja, they 
 were defeated with serious losses, and were from day to 
 day obliged to abandon these useless stations, with all the 
 
 * I have treated of this important subject the deficiency of 
 centralization in the American and the Anglo-Indian armies in 
 the City of the Saints, chap. 1. ED. 
 
INDIAN FIGHTING. 135 
 
 supplies they contained. A French writer, in discussing 
 this subject, says : 
 
 " We have now abandoned the fatal idea of defending 
 Algeria by small entrenched posts. In studying the cha 
 racter of the war, the nature of the men who are to oppose 
 us, and of the country in which we are to operate, we must 
 be convinced of the danger of admitting any other system 
 of fortification than that which is to receive our grand 
 depots, our magazines, and to serve as places to recruit and 
 rest our troops, when exhausted by long expeditionary 
 movements. 
 
 " These fortifications should be established in the midst 
 of the centres of action, so as to command the principal 
 routes, and serve as pivots to expeditionary columns. 
 
 " We owe our success to a system of war which has its 
 proofs in twice changing our relations with the Arabs. 
 The system consists altogether in the great mobility we 
 have given to our troops. Instead of disseminating our 
 soldiers, with the vain hope of protecting our frontiers with 
 a line of small posts, we have concentrated them, to have 
 them at all times ready for emergencies ; and, since then, 
 the fortune of the Arabs has waned, and we have marched 
 from victory to victory. 
 
 " This system which has thus far succeeded, ought to 
 succeed always ; and to conduct us, God willing, to the 
 peaceful possession of the country." 
 
 In reading a treatise upon war as it is practised by the 
 French in Algeria, by Colonel A. Laure, of the 2nd Alge- 
 rine Tirailleurs, published in Paris in 1858, I was struck 
 with the remarkable similarity between the habits of the 
 Arabs and those of the wandering tribes that inhabit our 
 Western prairies. Their manner of making war is almost 
 precisely the same, and a successful system of strategic 
 operations for one will, in my opinion, apply to the other. 
 
 As the Turks have been more successful than the French 
 in their military operations against the Arab tribes, it may 
 not be altogether uninteresting to inquire by what means 
 the inferior soldiers have accomplished the best results. 
 
136 PRAIRIE TRAVELER. 
 
 The author above mentioned, in speaking upon this sub 
 ject, says : 
 
 " In these latter days, the world is occupied with the 
 organization of mounted infantry, according to the example 
 of the Turks, where, in the most successful experiments 
 that have been made, the mule carries the foot- soldier. 
 
 " The Turkish soldier mounts his mule, puts his provi 
 sions upon one side and his accoutrements upon the other, 
 and, thus equipped, sets out upon long marches, traveling 
 day and night, and only reposing occasionally in bivouac. 
 Arrived near the place of operations (as near the break of 
 day as possible), the Turks dismount in the most profound 
 silence, and pass in succession the bridle of one mule 
 through that of another, in such a manner that a single 
 man is sufficient to hold forty or fifty of them by retaining 
 the last bridle, which secures all the others ; they then ex 
 amine their arms, and are ready to commence their work. 
 The chief gives his last orders, posts his guides, and they 
 make the attack, surprise the enemy, generally asleep, and 
 carry the position without resistance. The operation ter 
 minated, they hasten to beat a retreat, to prevent the 
 neighbouring tribes from assembling, and thus avoid a com 
 bat. 
 
 "The Turks had only 3,000 mounted men and 10,000 
 infantry in Algeria, yet these 13,000 men sufficed to con 
 quer the same obstacles which have arrested us for twenty- 
 six years, notwithstanding the advantage we had of an 
 army which was successivelv re-inforced until it amounted 
 to a 100,000. 
 
 " Why not imitate the Turks, then ; mount our infantry 
 upon mules, and reduce the strength of our army ? 
 
 " The response is very simple : 
 
 " The Turks are Turks that is to say, Mussulmans and 
 indigenous to the country ; the Turks speak the Arabic 
 language ; the Deys of Algeria had less country to guard 
 than we, and they cared very little about retaining posses 
 sion of it. They were satisfied to receive part of its revenues. 
 They were not permanent ; their dominion was held by a 
 thread. The Arab dwells in tents ; his magazines are in caves. 
 
INDIAN FIGHTING. 137 
 
 When he starts upon a war expedition, he folds his tent, 
 drives far away his beasts of burden, which transport his 
 effects, and only carries with him his horse and arms. 
 Thus equipped, he goes every where ; nothing arrests him ; 
 and often, when we believe him twenty leagues distant, he 
 is in ambush at precisely rifle-range from the flanks of his 
 enemy. 
 
 " It may be thought the union of contingents might 
 retard their movements ; but this is not so. The Arabs, 
 whether they number 10,000 or a 100,000, move with equal 
 facility. They go where they wish, and as they wish, upon 
 a campaign ; the place of rendezvous merely is indicated, 
 and they arrive there. 
 
 " What calculations can be made against such an organi 
 zation as this ? 
 
 " Strategy evidently loses its advantages against such 
 enemies; a general can only make conjectures; he marches 
 to find the Arabs, and finds them not ; then, again, when 
 he leasts expects it, he suddenly encounters them. 
 
 " When the Arab despairs of success in battle, he places 
 his sole reliance upon the speed of his horse to escape 
 destruction ; and as he is always in a country where he can 
 make his camp beside a little water ; he travels until he 
 has placed a safe distance between himself and his enemy." 
 
 No people probably on the face of the earth are more 
 ambitious of martial fame, or entertain a higher apprecia 
 tion for the deeds of a daring and successful warrior, than 
 the North American savages. The attainment of such 
 reputation is the paramount and absorbing object of their 
 lives. All their aspirations for distinction invariably take 
 this channel of expression. A young man is never con 
 sidered worthy to occupy a seat in council until he has 
 encountered an enemy in battle ; and he who can count the 
 greatest number of scalps is the most highly honored by 
 his tribe. This idea is inculcated from their earliest 
 infancy. It is not surprising, therefore, that, with such 
 weighty inducements before him, the young man who, as 
 yet, has gained no renown as a brave or warrior, should be 
 less discriminate in his attacks than older men who have 
 
138 PRAIRIE TRAVELER. 
 
 already acquired a name. The young braves should, there 
 fore be closely watched when encountered on the Plains. 
 
 The prairie tribes are seldom at peace with all their 
 neighbors, and some of the young braves of a tribe are 
 almost always absent upon a war excursion. These forays 
 sometimes extend into the heart of the northern states of 
 Mexico, where the Indians have carried on successful 
 invasions for many years. They have devastated and 
 depopulated a great portion of Sonora and Chihuahua. The 
 objects of these forays are to steal horses and mules, and to 
 take prisoners ; and if it so happens that a war- party has 
 been unsuccessful in the accomplishment of these ends, or 
 has had the misfortune to lose some of its number in 
 battle, they become reckless, and will often attack a small 
 party with whom they are not at war, provided they hope 
 to escape detection. The disgrace attendant upon a return 
 to their friends without some trophies as an offset to the 
 loss of their comrades is a powerful incentive to action, and 
 they extend but little mercy to defenseless travelers who 
 have the misfortune to encounter them at such a conjunc 
 ture. 
 
 While en route from New Mexico to Arkansas in 1849, 
 I was encamped near the head of the Colorado River, and 
 wishing to know the character of the country for a few 
 miles in advance of our position, I desired an officer to go 
 out and make the reconnoissance. I was lying sick in my 
 bed at the time, or I should have performed the duty 
 myself. I expected the officer would have taken an escort 
 with him, but he omitted to do so, and started off alone. 
 After proceeding a short distance, he discovered four 
 mounted Indians coming at full speed directly towards 
 him, when, instead of turning his own horse towards camp, 
 and endeavoring to make his escape (he was well mounted), 
 or of halting, and assuming a defensive attitude, he delibe 
 rately rode up to them ; after which the tracks indicated 
 that they proceeded about three miles together, when the 
 Indians most brutally killed and scalped my most unfortu 
 nate but too credulous friend, who might probably have 
 saved his life, had he not, in the kindness of his excellent 
 
INDIAN FIGHTING. 139 
 
 heart, imagined that the savages would reciprocate his 
 friendly advances. lie was most woefully mistaken, and 
 his life paid the forfeit of his generous and noble disposi 
 tion. 
 
 I have never been able to get any positive information 
 as to the persons who committed this murder ; yet circum 
 stances render it highly probable that they were a party of 
 young Indians who were returning from an unsuccessful 
 foray, and they were unable to resist the temptation of 
 taking the scalp and horse of the lieutenant. 
 
 A small number of white men, in traveling upon the 
 Plains, should not allow a party of strange Indians to ap 
 proach them unless able to resist an attack under the most 
 unfavorable circumstances. 
 
 It is a safe rule, when a man finds himself alone in the 
 prairies, and sees a party of Indians approaching, not to 
 allow them to come near him ; and, if they persist in so 
 doing, to signal them to keep away. If they do not obey, 
 and he be mounted upon a fleet horse, he should make for 
 the nearest timber. If the Indians follow and press him 
 too closely, he should halt, turn round, and point his gun 
 at the foremost, which will often have the effect of turning 
 them back, but he should never draw trigger unless he 
 finds that his life depends upon the shot ; for, as soon as 
 his shot is delivered, his sole dependence, unless he have 
 time to reload, must be upon the speed of his horse. 
 
 The Indians of the Plains, notwithstanding the enco 
 miums that have been heaped upon their brethren who 
 formerly occupied the Eastern States for their gratitude, 
 have not, so far as I have observed, the most distant con 
 ception of that sentiment. You may confer numberless 
 benefits upon them for years, and the more that is done for 
 them the more they will expect. They do not seem to 
 comprehend the motive which dictates an act of benevo 
 lence or charity, and they invariably attribute it to fear or 
 the expectation of reward. When they make a present, it 
 is with a view of getting more than its equivalent in 
 return.* 
 
 * Such is the morale of all savages. The battle of life, and the 
 
140 PRAIRIE TRAVELER. 
 
 I have never yet been able to discover that the Western 
 wild tribes possessed any of those attributes which among 
 civilized nations are regarded as virtues adorning the 
 human character. They have yet to be taught the first 
 rudiments of civilization, and they are at this time as far 
 from any knowledge of Christianity, and as worthy sub 
 jects for missionary enterprise, as the most untutored 
 natives of the South Sea Islands. * 
 
 The only way to make these merciless freebooters fear or 
 respect the authority of our government is, when they 
 misbehave, first of all to chastise them well by striking 
 such a blow as will be felt for a long time, and thus show 
 them that we are superior to them in war. They will 
 then respect us much more than when their good-will is 
 purchased with presents. 
 
 The opinion of a friend of mine, who has passed the 
 last twenty-five years of his life among the Indians of the 
 Rocky Mountains, corroborates the opinions I have ad 
 vanced upon this head ; and although I do not endorse all 
 
 selection of species, compels every man to do unto his neighbour 
 what he would not have his neighbour do unto him. The word 
 " gratitude " is not to be found in the dialects of the wild men. Even 
 in Hindostan, it must be borrowed from Arabic or Persian. And when 
 trying to obtain an African equivalent for u honest," the nearest 
 approach to it is " one who does not steal." ED. 
 
 * Maugre some evidence to the contrary, I still believe that the 
 North American Aborigen, like the Tasmanian and the Australian, 
 is but a temporary denizen of the world who fails to succeed in the 
 first struggle with nature. He is, like a wild animal, to be broken 
 but not to be tamed ; as the wolf can be taught to refrain from 
 worrying, but cannot be made to act as a dog. In his wild state, the 
 Indian falls before the white man. Settled and semi-civilized he 
 dies of acute disease. He has virtually disappeared from the wide 
 regions east of the Mississipi, and the same causes, still ceaselessly 
 operating, point to his annihilation when the Prairie lands shall have 
 become the grazing grounds of the Western World. 
 
 It is a false sentimentalism that cannot look facts in the face ; an 
 unsound reverence that models Providence after its own fashion. 
 The best and wisest book of this, or, perhaps, of any age I allude to 
 the "Origin of Species," which opens up the grandest views of life, 
 is based upon a practical justification of the ways of eternal wisdom 
 to man. ED. 
 
INDIAN FIGHTING. 141 
 
 of his sentiments, yet many of them are deduced from 
 long and matured experience and critical observation. He 
 says : 
 
 " They are the most onsartainest varmits in all creation, 
 and I reckon tha r not mor ii half human ; for you never 
 seed a human, arter you d fed and treated him to the best 
 fixins in your lodge, jist turn round and steal all your 
 horses, or ary other thing he could lay his hands on. No, 
 not adzackly. He would feel kinder grateful, and ask you 
 to spread a blanket in his lodge ef you ever passed that a- 
 way. But the Injun he don t care shucks for you, and is 
 ready to do you a heap of mischief as soon as he quits 
 your feed. No, Cap.," he continued, " it s not the right 
 way to give urn presents to buy peace ; but ef I war 
 governor of these yeer United States, I ll tell you what 
 I d do. I d invite um all to a big feast, and make b lieve 
 I wanted to have a big talk ; and as soon as I got um all 
 together, I d pitch in and sculp about half of um, and 
 then t other half would be mighty glad to make a peace 
 that would stick. That s the way I d make a treaty with 
 the dog ond, red-bellied varmints ; and as sure as you re 
 born, Cap., that s the only way." 
 
 I suggested to him the idea, that there would be a lack 
 of good faith and honor in such a proceeding, and that it 
 would be much more in accordance with my notions of 
 fair dealing to meet them openly in the field, and there 
 endeavour to punish them if they deserved it. To this he 
 replied : 
 
 " Tain t no use to talk about honour with them, Cap. ; 
 they hain t got no such thing in um ; and they won t 
 show fair fight, any way you can fix it. Don t they kill 
 and sculp a white man when-ar they get the better on him ? 
 The mean varmints, they ll never behave themselves until 
 you give um a clean out and out licking. They can t 
 onderstand white folk s ways, and they won t learn um ; 
 and ef you treat um decently, they think you are afeard. 
 You may depend on t, Cap., the only way to treat Injuns 
 is to thrash them well at first, then the balance will sorter 
 take to you and behave themselves." 
 
142 PRAIRIE TRAVELER. 
 
 The wealth of the Prairie Indians consists almost ex 
 clusively in their horses, of which they possess large 
 numbers ; and they are in the saddle from infancy to old 
 age. Horsemanship is with them, as with the Arab of 
 the Sahara, a necessary part of their education. The 
 country they occupy is unsuited to cultivation, and their 
 only avocations are war, rapine, and the chase. They 
 have no fixed habitations, but move from place to place 
 with the seasons and the game. All their worldly effects 
 are transported in their migrations, and wherever their 
 lodges are pitched there is their home. They are strangers 
 to all cares, creating for themselves no artificial wants, and 
 are perfectly happy and contented so long as the buffalo is 
 found within the limits of their wanderings. Every man 
 is a soldier, and they generally exhibit great confidence in 
 their own military prowess. 
 
 MEETING INDIANS. 
 
 On approaching strangers, these people put their horses 
 at full speed, and persons not familiar with their peculiari 
 ties and habits might interpret this as an act of hostility ; 
 but it is their custom with friends as well as enemies, and 
 should not occasion groundless alarm.* 
 
 When a party is discovered approaching thus, and are 
 near enough to distinguish signals, all that is necessary, in 
 order to ascertain their disposition, is to raise the hand 
 with the palm in front, and gradually push it forward and 
 back several times. They all understand this to be a com 
 mand to halt ; and if they are not hostile, it will at once be 
 obeyed. 
 
 After they have stopped, the right hand is raised again 
 as before, and slowly moved to the right and left, which 
 signifies " I do not know you. Who are you?" f As all 
 the wild tribes have their peculiar pantomimic signals by 
 which they are known, they will then answer the inquiry 
 
 * A well known Moorish practice. The South African Kafirs, 
 according to M. Delegorgue, have retained the custom fit the levees 
 of their Kings. ED. 
 
MEETING INDIANS. 143 
 
 by giving their signal. If this should not be understood, 
 they may be asked if they are friends, by raising both 
 hands grasped in the manner of shaking hands, or by 
 locking the two fore- fingers firmly while the hands are 
 held up. If friendly, they will respond with the same 
 signal ; but, if enemies, they will probably disregard the 
 command to halt, or give the signal of anger by closing 
 the hand, placing it against the forehead, and turning 
 it back and forth while in that position. 
 
 The pantomimic vocabulary is understood by all the 
 Prairie Indians, and when oral communication is imprac 
 ticable, it constitutes the court or general council language 
 of the Plains. The signs are exceedingly graceful and 
 significant ; and, what was a fact of much astonishment to 
 me, I discovered they w T ere very nearly the same as those 
 practised by the mutes in our deaf and dumb schools, and 
 were comprehended by them with perfect facility."* 
 
 The Comanche is represented by making with the hand 
 a waving motion in imitation of the crawling of a 
 snake. 
 
 The Cheyenne, or " Cut-arm/ by drawing the hand 
 across the arm, to imitate cutting it with a knife. 
 
 The Arapahoes, or " Smellers," by seizing the nose with 
 the thumb and fore-finger. 
 
 The Sioux, or " Cut- throats," by drawing the hand 
 across the throat. 
 
 The Pawnees, or " "Wolves," by placing a hand on each 
 side of the forehead, with two fingers pointing to the front, 
 to represent the narrow, sharp ears of the wolf. 
 
 The Crows, by imitating the flapping of the bird s 
 wings with the palms of the hands. f 
 
 When Indians meet a party of strangers, and are dis 
 posed to be friendly, the chiefs, after the usual salutations 
 
 * See note at the end of this chapter. ED. 
 
 t The Kiowas, or Prairie-men, make the signs of the Prairie, and 
 of water-drinking. The Yutas (Utahs), "they who live on moun 
 tains," have a complicated sign which denotes "living on mountains." 
 The Blackfeet pass the right-hand, bent spoon-fashion, from the heel 
 to the little toe of the right foot. ED. 
 
144. PRAIRIE TRAVELER. 
 
 have been exchanged, generally ride out and accompany 
 the commander of the party some distance, holding a 
 friendly talk, and, at the same time, indulging their curi 
 osity by learning the news, etc. Phlegmatic and indifferent 
 as they appear to be, they are very inquisitive and observ 
 ing, and, at the same time, exceedingly circumspect and 
 cautious about disclosing their own purposes. 
 
 They are always desirous of procuring, from whomsoever 
 they meet, testimonials of their good behavior, which they 
 preserve with great care, and exhibit upon all occasions to 
 strangers as a guarantee of future good conduct. 
 
 On meeting with a chief of the Southern Comanches in 
 1849, after going through the usual ceremony of embracing, 
 and assuring me that he was the best friend the Americans 
 ever had among the Indians, he exhibited numerous certi 
 ficates from the different white men he had met with, tes 
 tifying to his friendly disposition. Among these was one 
 that he desired me to read with special attention, as he 
 said he was of the opinion that perhaps it might not be so 
 complimentary in its character as some of the others. It 
 was in these words : 
 
 " The bearer of this says he is a Comanche chief, named Senaco; 
 that he is the biggest Indian and best friend the whites ever had; 
 in fact, that he is a first-rate fellow ; but I believe he is a d d rascal, 
 so look out for him" 
 
 I smiled on reading the paper, and, looking up, found 
 the chief s eyes intently fixed upon mine with an expression 
 of the most earnest inquiry. I told him the paper was 
 not so good as it might be, whereupon he destroyed it. 
 
 Five years after this interview, I met Senaco again near 
 the same place. He recognized me at once ; and, much to 
 my surprise, pronounced my name quite distinctly. 
 
 A circumstance which happened in my interview with 
 this Indian, shows their character for diplomatic policy. 
 
 I was about locating and surveying a reservation of land 
 upon which the government designed to establish the Co 
 manches, and was desirous of ascertaining whether they 
 were disposed voluntarily to come into the measure. In 
 
MEETING INDIANS. 145 
 
 this connection, I stated to him that their Great Father, 
 the President, being anxious to improve their condition, 
 was willing to give them a permanent location, where they 
 could cultivate the soil, and, if they wished it, he would 
 send white men to teach them the rudiments of agriculture, 
 supply them with farming utensils, and all other requisites 
 for living comfortably in their new homes. I then desired 
 him to consult with his people, and let me know what 
 their views were upon the subject. 
 
 After talking a considerable time with his head men, he 
 rose to reply, and said, " He was very happy to learn that 
 the President remembered his poor red children in the 
 Plains, and he was glad to see me again, and hear from 
 me that their Great Father was their friend ; that he was 
 also very much gratified to meet his agent who was pre 
 sent, and he should remember with much satisfaction the 
 agreeable interview we had had upon that occasion." After 
 delivering himself of numerous other non-committal ex 
 pressions of similar import, he closed his speech, and took 
 his seat without making the slightest allusion to the subject 
 in question. 
 
 On reminding him of this omission, and again demand 
 ing from him a distinct and categorical answer, he, after 
 a brief consultation with his people, replied that his talk 
 was made and concluded, and he did not comprehend why 
 it was that I wanted to open the subject anew. But, as I 
 continued to press him for an answer, he at length said, 
 " You come into our country and select a small patch of 
 ground, around which you run a line, and tell us the 
 President will make us a present of this to live upon, when 
 everybody knows that the whole of this entire country, 
 from the Red River to the Colorado, is now, and always 
 has been, ours from time immemorial. I suppose, how 
 ever, if the President tells us to confine ourselves to these 
 narrow limits, we shall be forced to do so, whether we 
 desire it or not." 
 
 He was evidently averse to the proposed change in their 
 mode of life, and has been at war ever since the establish 
 ment of the settlement. 
 
146 PRAIRIE TRAVELER. 
 
 The mode of life of the nomadic tribes, owing to their 
 unsettled and warlike habits, is such as to render their 
 condition one of constant danger and apprehension. The 
 security of their numerous animals from the encroachments 
 of their enemies, and habitual liability to attack, compels 
 them to be at all times upon the alert. Even during pro 
 found peace they guard their herds both night and day, 
 while scouts are often patrolling upon the surrounding 
 heights to give notice of the approach of strangers, and 
 enable them to secure their animals and take a defensive 
 attitude. 
 
 When one of these people conceives himself injured, his 
 thirst for revenge is insatiable. Grave and dignified in 
 his outward bearing, and priding himself upon never ex 
 hibiting curiosity, joy, or anger, yet when once roused he 
 evinces the implacable dispositions of his race ; the affront 
 is laid up and cherished in his breast, and nothing can 
 efface it from his mind until ample reparation is made. 
 The insult must be atoned for by presents, or be washed 
 out with blood. 
 
 WAE EXPEDITIONS. 
 
 When a chief desires to organize a war-party, he pro 
 vides himself with a long pole, attaches a red flag to the 
 end of it, and trims the top with eagle feathers. He then 
 mounts his horse in his war- costume, and rides around 
 through the camp singing the war- song. Those who are 
 disposed to join the expedition, mount their horses and fall 
 into the procession ; after parading about for a time, all 
 dismount, and the war-dance is performed. This ceremony 
 is continued from day to day, until a sufficient number of 
 volunteers are found to accomplish the objects desired, 
 when they set out for the theatre of their intended 
 exploits. 
 
 As they proceed upon their expedition, it sometimes 
 happens that the chief with whom it originated, and who 
 invariably assumes the command, becomes discouraged at 
 not finding an opportunity of displaying his warlike 
 
WAR EXPEDITIONS. 147 
 
 abilities, and abandons the enterprise ; in which event, 
 if others of the party desire to proceed farther, they select 
 another leader, and push on, and thus so long as any one 
 of the party holds out. 
 
 A war-party is sometimes absent for a great length of 
 time, and for days, weeks, and months their friends at 
 home anxiously await their return, until, suddenly, from 
 afar, the shrill war-cry of an avant courier is heard pro 
 claiming the approach of the victorious warriors. The 
 camp is in an instant alive with excitement and commotion. 
 Men, women, and children swarm out to meet the advan 
 cing party. Their white horses are painted and decked 
 out in the most fantastic style, and led in advance of the 
 triumphal procession; and, as they pass around through 
 the village, the old women set up a most unearthly howl 
 of exultation, after which the scalp-dance is performed 
 with all the pomp and display their limited resources admit 
 of, the warriors having their faces painted black. 
 
 When, on the other hand, the expedition terminates 
 disastrously by the loss of some of the party in battle, the 
 relatives of the deceased cut off their own hair, and the 
 tails and manes of their horses, as symbols of mourning, 
 and howl and cry for a long time. 
 
 In 1854, I saw the widow of a former chief of the 
 Southern Comanches, whose husband had been dead about 
 three years, yet she continued her mourning tribute to his 
 memory, by crying daily for him and refusing all offers to 
 marry again. 
 
 The prairie warrior is occasionally seen with the rifle in 
 his hand, but his favorite arm is the bow, the use of which 
 is taught him at an early age. By constant practice, he 
 acquires a skill in archery that renders him no less for 
 midable in war than successful in the chase. Their bows 
 are usually made of the tough and elastic wood of the 
 " bois d arc," strengthened and re-inforccd with sinews of 
 the deer wrapped firmly around, and strung with a cord 
 of the same material. They are from three to four feet 
 long. The arrows, which are carried in a quiver upon the 
 back, are about twenty inches long, of flexible wood, with 
 
148 PRAIRIE TRAVELER. 
 
 a triangular iron point at one end, and at the other two 
 feathers intersecting at right angles.* 
 
 At short distances (about fifty yards), the bow, in the 
 hands of the Indian, is effective, and in close proximity 
 with the buffalo throws the arrow entirely through his 
 huge carcase. In using this weapon the warrior protects 
 himself from the missiles of his enemy with a shield made 
 of two thicknesses of undressed buffalo hide filled in with 
 hair. 
 
 The Comanches, Sioux, and other prairie tribes make 
 their attacks upon the open prairies. Trusting to their 
 wonderful skill in equitation and horsemanship, they ride 
 around their enemies with their bodies thrown upon the 
 opposite side of the horse, and discharge their arrows in 
 rapid succession while at full speed ; they will not, however, 
 often venture near an enemy who occupies a defensive 
 position. If, therefore, a small party be in danger of an 
 attack from a large force of Indians, they should seek the 
 cover of timber or a park of wagons, or, in the absence of 
 these, rocks or holes in the prairies which afford good 
 cover. 
 
 Attempts to stampede animals are often made when 
 parties first arrive in camp, and when every one s attention 
 is pre-occupied in the arrangements therewith connected. 
 In a country infested by hostile Indians, the ground in 
 the vicinity of which it is proposed to encamp should be 
 cautiously examined for tracks and other Indian signs, by 
 making a circuit around the locality previous to unhar 
 nessing the animals. 
 
 After Indians have succeeded in stampeding a herd of 
 horses or mules, and desire to drive them away, they are 
 in the habit of pushing them forward as rapidly as possible 
 for the first few days, in order to place a wide interval 
 between themselves and any party that may be in pursuit. 
 
 In running off stolen animals, the Indians are generally 
 divided into two parties, one for driving, and the other to 
 act as a rear guard. Before they reach a place where they 
 
 * I have always seen three feathers, as in Europe, Asia, and 
 Africa. ED 
 
TRACKING INDIANS. 149 
 
 propose making a halt, they leave a vidctte upon some 
 prominent point to watch for pursuers and give the main 
 party timely warning, enabling them to rally their animals 
 and push forward again. 
 
 TRACKING INDIANS. 
 
 When an Indian sentinel intends to watch for an enemy 
 approaching from the rear, he selects the highest position 
 available, and places himself near the summit, in such an 
 attitude that his entire body shall be concealed from the 
 observation of any one in the rear, his head only being 
 exposed above the top of the eminence. * Here he awaits 
 with great patience so long as he thinks there is any possi 
 bility of danger, and it will be difficult for an enemy to 
 surprise him or to elude his keen and scrutinizing vigilance. 
 Meanwhile his horse is secured under the screen of the 
 hill, all ready when required. Hence it will be evident, 
 that, in following Indian depredators, the utmost vigilance 
 and caution must be exercised to conceal from them the 
 movements of their pursuers. They are the best scouts in 
 the world, proficient in all the artifices and stratagems 
 available in border warfare, and, when hotly pursued by a 
 superior force, after exhausting all other means of evasion, 
 they scatter in different directions ; and if, in a broken or 
 mountainous country, they can do no better, abandon their 
 horses and baggage, and take refuge in the rocks, gorges, 
 or other hiding-places. This plan has several times been 
 resorted to by Indians in Texas when surprised, and not 
 withstanding their pursuers were directly upon them, the 
 majority made their escape, leaving behind all their ani 
 mals and other property. 
 
 For overtaking a marauding party of Indians who have 
 advanced eight or ten hours before the pursuing party are 
 in readiness to take the trail, it is not best to push forward 
 rapidly at first, as this will weary and break down horses. 
 The Indians must be supposed to have at least fifty or 
 sixty miles the start ; it will, therefore, be useless to think 
 
 * The face is concealed by a tuft of grass or a bunch of wild sage 
 held in the hand. ED. 
 
150 PRAIRIE TRAVELER. 
 
 of overtaking them without providing for a long chase- 
 Scouts should be continually kept out in front upon the 
 trail to reconnoitre and give preconcerted signals to the 
 main party when the Indians are espied. 
 
 In approaching all eminences or undulations in the 
 prairies, the commander should be careful not to allow any 
 considerable number of his men to pass upon the summits, 
 until the country around has been carefully reconnoitred 
 by the scouts, who will cautiously raise their eyes above 
 the crests of the most elevated points, making a scrutin 
 izing examination in all directions ; and, while doing this, 
 should an Indian be encountered who has been left behind 
 as a sentinel, he must, if possible, be secured or shot, to 
 prevent his giving the alarm to his comrades. These pre 
 cautions cannot be too rigidly enforced when the trail 
 becomes " warm ;" and if there be a moon it will be better 
 to lie by in the daytime and follow the trail at night, as 
 the great object is to come upon the Indians when they are 
 not anticipating an attack. Such surprises, if discreetly 
 conducted, generally prove successful. 
 
 As soon as the Indians are discovered in their bivouac, 
 the pursuing party should dismount, leave their horses 
 under charge of a guard in some sequestered place, and, 
 before advancing to the attack, the men should be in 
 structed in signals for their different movements, such as 
 all will easily comprehend and remember. As, for ex 
 ample, a pull upon the right arm may signify to face to 
 the right, and a pull upon the left arm to face to the left ; 
 a pull upon the skirt of the coat, to halt ; a gentle push on 
 the back, to advance in ordinary time ; a slap on the back, 
 to advance in double quick time, etc., etc. 
 
 These signals, having been previously well understood 
 and practised, may be given by the commander to the man 
 next to him, and from him communicated in rapid succes 
 sion throughout the command. 
 
 I will suppose the party formed in one rank, with the 
 commander on the right. He gives the signal, and the 
 men move off cautiously in the direction indicated. The 
 importance of not losing sight of his comrades on his 
 
TELEGRAPHING BY SMOKES. 151 
 
 right and left, and of not allowing them to get out of his 
 reach, so as to break the chain of communication, will be 
 apparent to all, and great care should be taken that the 
 men do not mistake their brothers in arms for the enemy. 
 This may be prevented by having two pass-words, and 
 when there is any doubt as to the identity of two men 
 who meet during the night-operations, one of these words 
 may be repeated by each. Above all, the men must be 
 fully impressed with the importance of not firing a shot 
 until the order is given by the commanding officer, and 
 also that a rigorous personal accountability will be enforced 
 in all cases of a violation of this rule. 
 
 If the commander gives the signal for commencing the 
 attack by firing a pistol or gun, there will probably be no 
 mistake, unless it happens through carelessness by the 
 accidental discharge of fire-arms. 
 
 I can conceive of nothing more appalling, or that tends 
 more to throw men off their guard and produce confusion, 
 than a sudden and unexpected night-attack. Even the 
 Indians, who pride themselves upon their coolness and 
 self-possession, are far from being exempt from its effects ; 
 and it is not surprising that men who go to sleep with a 
 sense of perfect security around them, and are suddenly 
 aroused from a sound slumber by the terrific sounds of an 
 onslaught from ail enemy, should lose their presence of 
 mind. 
 
 TELEGRAPHING BY SMOKES. 
 
 The transparency of the atmosphere upon the Plains is 
 such that objects can be seen at great distances ; a moun 
 tain, for example, presents a distinct and bold outline at 
 fifty or sixty miles, and may occasionally be seen as far as 
 a hundred miles. 
 
 The Indians, availing themselves of this fact, have 
 been in the habit of practising a system of telegraphing 
 by means of smokes during the day and fires by night ; 
 and, I dare say, there are but few travelers who have 
 crossed the mountains to California that have not seen 
 
152 PRAIRIE TRAVELER. 
 
 these signals made and responded to from peak to peak in 
 rapid succession. 
 
 The Indians thus make known to their friends many 
 items of information highly important to them. If 
 enemies or strangers make their appearance in the country, 
 the fact is telegraphed at once, giving them time to secure 
 their animals and to prepare for attack, defence, or flight.* 
 
 War or hunting parties, after having been absent a 
 long time from their erratic friends at home, and, not 
 knowing where to find them, make use of the same pre 
 concerted signals to indicate their presence. 
 
 Yery dense smokes may be raised by kindling a large 
 fire with dry wood, and piling upon it the green boughs 
 of pine, balsam, or hemlock. This throws off a heavy 
 cloud of black smoke which can be seen very far. 
 
 This simple method of telegraphing, so useful to the 
 savages both in war and in peace, may, in my judgment, 
 be used to advantage in the movements of troops co 
 operating in separate columns in the Indian country. 
 
 I shall not attempt at this time to present a matured 
 system of signals, but will merely give a few suggestions 
 tending to illustrate the advantages to be derived from the 
 use of them. 
 
 For example, when two columns are marching through 
 a country at such distances apart, that smokes may be seen 
 from one to the other, their respective positions may be 
 
 * When Indians are pursued by a large force, and do not intend 
 to make resistance, they generally scatter as much as possible, in 
 order to perplex and throw off those who follow their trail ; but 
 they have an understanding where they are to rendezvous in advance. 
 Sometimes, however, circumstances may arise during a rapid flight, 
 making it necessary for them to alter these plans, and turn their 
 course in another direction. When this happens, they are in the 
 habit of leaving behind them some well-understood signals to indi 
 cate to their friends in the rear the change in their movements. 
 
 For instance, they will sometimes leave a stick or other object to 
 attract attention ; and, under this, bury an arrow pointing in the 
 new direction they intend to take. They will then continue on for 
 a time in the course they have been pursuing, until they get upon 
 hard ground, where it is difficult to see their tracks, then gradually 
 turn their course in the new direction. AUTHOR. 
 
TELEGRAPHING BY SMOKES. 153 
 
 made known to each other at any time by two smokes 
 raised simultaneously or at certain pre- concerted intervals. 
 
 Should the commander of one column desire to com 
 municate with the other, he raises three smokes simul 
 taneously, which, if seen by the other party, should be 
 responded to in the same manner. They would then hold 
 themselves in readiness for any other communications. 
 
 If an enemy is discovered in small numbers, a smoke 
 raised twice at fifteen minutes interval would indicate it ; 
 and, if in large force, three times with the same intervals 
 might be the signal. 
 
 Should the commander of one party desire the other to 
 join him, this might be telegraphed by four smokes at ten 
 minutes interval. 
 
 Should it become necessary to change the direction of 
 the line of march, the commander may transmit the 
 order by means of two simultaneous smokes raised a 
 certain number of times to indicate the particular direc 
 tion ; for instance, twice for north, three times for south, 
 four times for east, and five times for west ; three smokes 
 raised twice for north-east, three times for north-west, etc., 
 etc.* 
 
 By multiplying the combinations of signals a great 
 variety of messages might be transmitted in this manner ; 
 but, to avoid mistakes, the signals should be written down, 
 and copies furnished the commander of each separate 
 party, and they need not necessarily be made known to 
 other persons. 
 
 During the day an intelligent man should be detailed to 
 keep a vigilant look-out in all directions for smokes, and 
 he should be furnished with a watch, pencil, and paper, to 
 make a record of the signals, with their number, and the 
 time of the intervals between them. 
 
 * This rude semaphore is known to most savages. The Western 
 Africans, to quote no others, still telegraph to slavers iu the offing by 
 means of smokes. ED. 
 
154 
 
 NOTE (REFERRED TO AT PAGE 143). 
 
 Referring to a previous page, I here present the reader with a 
 few specimens of pantomimic expressions, borrowed from the City 
 of the Saints, chap. ii. An illustrated description of the natural 
 gestures used by Surdo-Mutes would be highly desirable, as a basis 
 for the formation of an organized system of easy communication 
 between men ignoring each other s tongues. I venture to recom 
 mend the subject to those who have studied signs as well as 
 words. My calculation is, that with 100 vocables, and an intelligible 
 pantomime, one may express any want or wish. It sounds like 
 reducing the speaking man to the level of the dumb ; but Nature 
 herself gives the hint. 
 
 The following vocabulary, if I may so call it, consists of about 
 a hundred word-signs, and the reader will be surprised to see how 
 much can be explained by it. 
 
 Halt! Raise the hand, with the palm in front, and push it 
 backwards and forwards several times a gesture well known 
 in the East. 
 I don t know you ! Move the raised hand, with the palm in front, 
 
 slowly to the right and left. 
 / am angry ! Close the fist, place it against the forehead, and 
 
 turn it to and fro in that position. 
 
 Are you friendly ? Raise both hands, grasped, as if in the act 
 of shaking hands, or lock the two forefingers together while 
 the hands are raised. 
 
 These signs will be found useful upon the prairie in case of meeting 
 a suspected band. The Indians, like the Bedouin and North- 
 African Moslems, do honour to strangers and guests by putting their 
 horses to speed, couching their lances, and other peculiarities, 
 which would readily be dispensed with by gentlemen of peaceful 
 pursuits and shaky nerves. If friendly, the band will halt when the 
 hint is given and return the salute: if surly, they will disregard 
 the command to stop, and probably will make the sign of anger. 
 Then ware scalp ! 
 
 Come ! Beckon with the forefinger, as in Europe, not as is done 
 
 in the East. 
 
 Come back ! Beckon in the European way, and draw the fore- 
 linger towards yourself. 
 Go ! Move both hands edgeways (the palms fronting the breast) 
 
 towards the left with a rocking-horse motion. 
 Sit ! Make a motion towards the ground, as if to pound it with 
 
 the ferient of the closed hand. 
 Lie down ! Point to the ground, and make a motion as if of 
 
 lying down. 
 
 Sleep! Ditto, closing the eyes. 
 
 Look! Touch the right eye with the index and point it 
 outwards. 
 
THE INDIAN PANTOMIME. 155 
 
 Hear /Tap the right ear with the index tip. 
 
 Colours are expressed by a comparison with some object in sight. 
 Many things, as the blowing of wind, the cries of beasts and birds, 
 and the roaring of the sea are imitated by sound. 
 
 See! Strike out the two forefingers forward from the eyes. 
 Smell! Touch the nose tip. A bad smell is expressed by the 
 
 same sign, ejaculating at the same time " pooh ! " and making 
 
 the sign of bad. 
 Taste ! Touch the tongue tip. 
 Eat ! Imitate the action of conveying food with the fingers to 
 
 the mouth. 
 Drink ! Scoop up with the hand imaginary water into the 
 
 mouth. 
 Smoke! With the crooked index describe a pipe in the air, 
 
 beginning at the lips ; then wave the open hand from the 
 
 mouth to imitate curls of smoke. 
 Speak ! Extend the open hand from the chin. 
 Fight ! Make a motion with both fists to and fro, like a pugilist 
 
 of the eighteenth century who preferred a high guard. 
 Kill! Smite the sinister palm earthwards with the dexter fist 
 
 sharply, in sign of "going down;" or strike out with the dexter 
 
 fist towards the ground, meaning to " shut down;" or pass the 
 
 dexter index under the left forefinger, meaning to " go under." 
 
 To show that fighting is actually taking place, make the gestures 
 as above described ; tap the lips with the palm like an Oriental 
 woman when " keening," screaming the while 0-a ! 0-a ! to imitate 
 the war-song. 
 
 Wash! Hub the hand as with invisible soap in imperceptible 
 water. 
 
 Think ! Pass the forefinger sharply across the breast from light 
 to left. 
 
 Hide! Place the hand inside the clothing of the left breast. 
 This means also to put away or to keep secret. To express 
 "I won t say," make the sign of "I" and "no" (which see), 
 and hide the hand as above directed. 
 
 Love ! Fold the hands crosswise over the breast, as if embracing 
 the object, assuming at the same time a look expressing the 
 desire to carry out the operation. This gesture will be under 
 stood by the dullest squaw. 
 
 Tell truth! Extend the forefinger from the mouth ("one word"). 
 
 Tell lie! Extend the two first fingers from the mouth ("double 
 tongue," a significant gesture). 
 
 Steal ! Seize an imaginary object with the right hand from under 
 the left fist. To express horse-stealing, they saw with the right 
 hand down upon the extended finger of the left, thereby denoting 
 rope-cutting. 
 
156 PRAIRIE TRAVELER. 
 
 Trade or Exchange ! Cross the forefingers of both hands before 
 the breast " diamond cut diamond." 
 
 This sign also denotes the Americans, and indeed any white men, 
 who are generically called by the Indians west of the Rocky Moun 
 tains ;< Shwop," from our swap or swop, an Anglo- Romany word 
 for barter or exchange. 
 
 The pronouns are expressed by pointing to the person designated. 
 For " I," touch the nose-tip, or otherwise indicate self with the 
 index. The second and third persons are similarly made known. 
 
 Every animal has its precise sign, and the choice of gesture is 
 sometimes very ingenious. If the symbol be not known, the form 
 may be drawn on the ground ; and the strong perceptive faculties 
 of the savage enable him easily to recognise even rough draughts. 
 A cow or a sheep denotes white men, as if they were their totems. 
 The Indian s high development of locality also enables him to map 
 the features of a country readily and correctly upon the sand. 
 Moreover, almost every grand feature has a highly significant 
 name the Flint -water River, for instance, and nothing is easier than 
 to combine the signs. 
 
 The bear is expressed bypassing the hand before the face to mean 
 ugliness, as the same time grinning and extending the fingers like 
 claws. 
 
 The buffalo is known by raising the forefingers crooked inwards, 
 in the semblance of horns on both sides of the head. 
 
 The elk is signified by simultaneously raising both hands, with the 
 fingers extended on both sides of the head, to imitate palmated horns. 
 
 For the deer, extend the thumbs and the two forefingers of each 
 hand on each side of the head. 
 
 For the antelope, extend the thumbs and forefingers along the 
 sides of the head to simulate ears and horns. 
 
 Mountain sheep are denoted by placing the hands on a level with 
 the ears, the palms facing backwards, and the fingers slightly 
 reversed, to imitate the ammonite-shaped horns. 
 
 For the beaver, describe a parenthesis, e.g. ( ), with the thumb 
 and index of both hands, and then with the dexter index imitate the 
 wagging of the tail. 
 
 The dog is shown by drawing horizontally across the breast, from 
 right to left the two forefingers slightly opened. This is a highly 
 appropriate arid a traditional gesture. Before the introduction of 
 horses, the dog was taught to carry the tent-poles, and the motion 
 expressed the lodge-trail. 
 
 To denote the mule or ass, the long ears are imitated by the indices 
 on both sides and above the head. 
 
 For the crow, and indeed any bird, the hands are flapped near the 
 shoulders. If specification be required, the cry is imitated, or some 
 peculiarity is introduced. The following will show the ingenuity 
 with which the Indian can convey his meaning under difficulties. A 
 Yuta wishing to explain that the torpedo or gymnotus eel is found 
 
THE INDIAN PANTOMIME. 157 
 
 in Cotton wood Kanyon Lake, took to it thus : He made the body 
 by extending his sinister index to the fore, touched it with the 
 dexter index at two points on both sides to show legs, and finally 
 sharply withdrew his right forefinger, to convey the idea of an 
 electric shock. 
 
 Some of the symbols of relationship are highly appropriate, and 
 not ungraceful or unpicturesque. Man is denoted by a sign some 
 what too expressive for description ; woman, by passing the hand 
 down both sides of the head, as if smoothing or stroking the long 
 hair. A son or daughter is expressed by making with the hand a 
 movement denoting issue from the loins ; if the child be small, a 
 bit of the index held between the antagonised thumb and medius 
 is shown. The same sign of issue expresses both parents, with 
 additional explanations. To say, for instance, " my mother" you 
 would first pantomime " 7," or, which is the same thing, u my" then 
 "woman" and, finally, the symbol of parentage. " My grandmother" 
 would be conveyed in the same way, adding to the end clasped 
 hands, closed eyes, and like an old woman s bent back. The sign 
 for brother and sister is perhaps the prettiest : the two first finger 
 tips are put into the mouth, denoting that they fed from the same 
 breast. For the wife (squaw is now becoming a word of reproach 
 amongst the Indians) the dexter forefinger is passed between the 
 extended thumb and index of the left. 
 
 Of course, there is a sign for every weapon. The knife (scalp or 
 other) is shown by cutting the sinister palm with the dexter ferient 
 downwards and towards oneself; if the cuts be made upward with 
 the palm downwards, meat is understood. The tomahawk, hatchet, 
 or axe, is denoted by chopping the left band with the right ; the 
 sword, by the motion of drawing it ; the bow, by the movement of 
 bending it ; and a spear or lance by an imitation of darting it. For 
 the gnu, the dexter thumb and fingers are flashed or scattered, i.e., 
 thrown outwards and upwards to denote fire. The same movement, 
 made lower down, expresses a pistol. The arrow is expressed by 
 nocking it upon an imaginary bow, and by " snapping" with the 
 index and medius. The shield is shown by pointing with the index 
 over the left shoulder, where it is slung ready to be brought over 
 the breast when required. 
 
 The following are the most useful words : 
 Yes. Wave the hands straight forwards from the face. 
 No. Wave the hand from right to left, as if motioning away. 
 This sign also means, " I ll have nothing to do with you." Done 
 slowly and insinuatingly, it informs a woman that she is ctiar- 
 mante, "not to be touched" being the idea. 
 
 Qood. Wave the hand -from the mouth, extending the thumb 
 from the index, and closing the other three fingers. This 
 sign merxns also, " I know." " I don t know" is expressed by 
 waving the right hand, with the palm outwards, before the right 
 breast ; or by moving about the two forefingers before the 
 breast, meaning " two hearts." 
 
158 PRAIRIE TRAVELER. 
 
 Bad. Scatter the dexter fingers outwards, as if spirting away 
 water from them. 
 
 Noiu (at once). Clap both palms together sharply and repeatedly ; 
 or make the sign of " to-day." 
 
 Day. Make a circle with the thumb and forefinger of both, in 
 sign of the sun. The hour is pointed out by showing the lumi 
 nary s place in the heavens. The moon is expressed by a 
 crescent with the thumb and forefinger: This also denotes a 
 month. For a year give the sign of rain or snow. 
 
 Many Indians ignore the quadripartite division of the seasons, 
 which seems to be an invention of European latitudes ; the Persians, 
 for instance, know it, but the Hindus do not. They have, however 
 distinct terms for the month, all of which are pretty and descriptive, 
 appropriate and poetical ; e.g., the moon of light nights, the moon of 
 leaves, the moon of strawberries, for April, May, and June. The 
 Ojibwe have a queer quarternal division, called Of Sap, Of Abun 
 dance, Of Fading, and Of Freezing, The Dakota reckon five moons 
 to winter, and five to summer, leaving one to spring, and one to 
 autumn ; the year is lunar, and as the change of season is denoted 
 by the appearance of sore eyes and of racoons, any irregularity 
 throws the people out. 
 
 Night. Make a closing movement, as if of the darkness, by 
 bringing together both hands with the dorsa upwards and 
 the fingers to the fore. The motion is from right to left ; and, at 
 the end, the two indices are alongside and close to each other. 
 This movement must be accompanied by bending forward with 
 bowed head, otherwise it may be misunderstood for the freez 
 ing over of a lake or river. 
 
 To-day. Touch the nose with the index tip, and motion with the 
 fist towards the ground. 
 
 Yesterday. Make, with the left hand, the circle which the sun 
 describes from sunrise -to sunset, or invert the direction from 
 sunset to sunrise with the right hand. 
 
 To-morrow. Describe the motion of the sun from east to west. 
 Any number of days may be counted upon the fingers. The 
 latter, I need hardly say, are the only numerals in the panto 
 mimic vocabulary. 
 
 Among the Dakotas, when they have gone over the fingers and 
 thumbs of both hands, one is temporarily turned down for one ten : 
 at the end of another ten a second finger is turned down, and so on, 
 as amongst children who are learning to count. "Opawinge," one 
 hundred, is derived from "pawinga," to go round in circles, as the 
 fingers have all been gone over again for their respective tens ; 
 " keptopawinge " is from " ake," and " opawinge," " hundred again," 
 being about to recommence the circle of their fingers already com 
 pleted in hundreds. For numerals above a thousand there is no 
 
THE INDIAN PANTOMIME. 159 
 
 method of computing. There is a sign and word for one half of a 
 thing, but none to denote any smaller aliquot part. 
 
 Peace. Intertwine the fingers of both hands. 
 
 Friendship. Clasp the left with the right hand. 
 
 Glad (pleased}. Wave the open hand outwards from the breast, 
 to express " good heart." 
 
 A Cup. Imitate its form with both hands, and make the sign of 
 drinking from it. In this way any utensil can be intelligibly 
 described of course provided that the interlocutor has seen it. 
 
 Paint. Daub both the cheeks downwards with the index. 
 
 Looking-glass. Place both palms before the face, and admire your 
 countenance in them. 
 
 Bead. Point to a bead, or make the sign of a necklace. 
 
 Wire. Show it, or where it ought to be, in the ear-lobe. 
 
 Whiskey. Make the sign of " bad " and " drink " for " bad water." 
 
 Blanket or Clothes. Put them on in pantomime. 
 
 A Lodge. Place the fingers of both hands ridge-fashion before the 
 breast. 
 
 Fire. Blow it and warm the hands before it. To express the 
 boiling of a kettle, the sign of fire is made low down, and an 
 imaginary pot is eaten from. 
 
 It is cold. Wrap up, shudder, and look disagreeable. 
 
 Rain. Scatter the fingers downwards. The same sign denotes 
 snow. 
 
 Wind. Stretch the fingers of both hands outward, puffing vio 
 lently the while. 
 
 A Storm. Make the rain sign ; then, if thunder and lightning are 
 to be expressed, move, as if in anger, the body to and fro, to 
 show the wrath of the elements. 
 
 A Stone. If light, act as if picking it up : if heavy, as if dropping it. 
 
 A Hill. Close the finger-tips over the head ; if a mountain is to 
 be expressed, raise them high. To denote an ascent on rising 
 ground, pass the right palm over the left hand, half doubling up 
 the latter, so that it looks like a ridge. 
 
 A Plain. Wave both the palms outward and low down. 
 
 A River. Make the sign of drinking, and then wave both the 
 palms outwards. A rivulet, creek, or stream is shown by the 
 drinking sign, and by holding the index tip between the thumb 
 and medius ; an arroyo (dry water-course), by covering up the 
 tip with the thumb and middle finger. 
 
 A Lake. Make the sign of drinking, and form a basin with both 
 hands. If a large body of water is in question, wave both 
 palms outwards, as in denoting a plain. The prairie savages 
 have never seen the sea, so it would be vain to attempt ex 
 planation. 
 
 A Book. Place the right palm on the left palm, and then open 
 both before the face. 
 
160 PRAIRIE TRAVELER. 
 
 A Letter. Write with the thumb and dexter index on the sinister 
 
 palm. 
 
 A Waggon. Eoll hand over hand, imitating a wheel. 
 A Waggon-road. Make the waggon sign, and then wave the hand 
 
 along the ground. 
 Grass. Point to the ground with the index, and then turn the 
 
 fingers upwards to denote growth. If the grass be long, raise 
 
 the hand high ; and if yellow, point out that colour. 
 
 The pantomime, as may be seen, is capable of expressing detailed 
 narratives. For instance, supposing an Indian would tell the fol 
 lowing tale : " Early this morning, I mounted my horse, rode off 
 at a gallop, traversed a kanyon or ravine, then over a mountain to a 
 plain where there was no water, sighted bison, followed them, killed 
 three of them, skinned them, packed the flesh upon my pony, re 
 mounted and returned home " he would symbolise it thus : 
 
 Touches nose" 7." 
 
 Opens out the palms of his hand " this morning." 
 
 Points to east "early" 
 
 Places two dexter forefingers astraddle over sinister index 
 
 " mounted my horse." 
 Moves both hands upwards and rocking-horse fashion towards the 
 
 left "galloped." 
 Passes the dexter hand right through thumb and forefinger of 
 
 the sinister, which are widely extended "traversed a kanyon." 
 Closes the finger-tips high over the head, and waves both palms 
 
 outwards " over a mountain to a plain" 
 Scoops up with the hand imaginary water into the mouth, and 
 
 then waves the hand from the face to denote "no" "where 
 
 there was no water." 
 Touches eyes "sighted" 
 Eaises the forefingers crooked inwards on both sides of the head 
 
 " bison." 
 Smites the sinister palm downwards with the dexter fist 
 
 "totted? 
 
 Shows three fingers " three of them" 
 Scrapes the left palm with the edge of the right hand " skinned 
 
 them" 
 Places the dexter on the sinister palm, and then the dexter palm 
 
 on the sinister dorsum "packed the flesh upon my pony." 
 Straddles the two forefingers on the index of the left "re 
 mounted ;" and finally, 
 Beckons towards self " returned home" 
 
 To conclude, I can hardly flatter myself that these descriptions 
 have been made quite intelligible to the reader. They may, how 
 ever, serve to prepare his mind for a viva voce lesson upon the 
 prairies, should fate have such thing in store for him. ED. 
 
161 
 
 CHAPTER VII. 
 
 Hunting. Its Benefits to the Soldier. Buffalo. Deer. Antelope. 
 Bear. Big-horn, or Mountain Sheep. Their Habits, and Hints 
 upon the best Methods of hunting them. 
 
 HUNTING. 
 
 I KNOW of no better school of practice for perfecting 
 men in target-firing, and the use of fire-arms generally, 
 than that in which the frontier hunter receives his educa 
 tion. One of the first and most important lessons that he 
 is taught, impresses him with the conviction that, unless 
 his gun is in good order, and steadily directed upon the 
 game, he must go without his supper ; and if ambition 
 does not stimulate his efforts, his appetite will, and ulti 
 mately lead to success and confidence in his own powers. 
 
 The man who is afraid to place the butt of his piece 
 firmly against his shoulder, or who turns away his head 
 at the instant of pulling trigger (as soldiers often do before 
 they have been drilled at target-practice), will not be likely 
 to bag much game, or to contribute materially towards the 
 result of a battle. The successful hunter, as a general rule, 
 is a good shot, will always charge his gun properly, and 
 may be relied upon in action. I would, therefore, when 
 in garrison or at permanent camps, encourage officers and 
 soldiers in field-sports. If permitted, men very readily 
 cultivate a fondness for these innocent and healthy exer 
 cises, and occupy their leisure time in their pursuits ; 
 whereas, if confined to the narrow limits of a frontier 
 camp or garrison, having no amusements within their 
 
 M 
 
162 PRAIRIE TRAVELER. 
 
 reach, they are prone to indulge in practices which are 
 highly detrimental to their physical and moral condi 
 tion. 
 
 By making short excursions about the country, they 
 acquire a knowledge of it, become inured to fatigue, learn 
 the art of bivouacking, trailing, etc., etc., all of which 
 will be found serviceable in border warfare ; and, even if 
 they should perchance now and then miss some of the 
 minor routine duties of the garrison, the benefits they 
 would derive from hunting would, in my opinion, more 
 than counterbalance its effects. Under the old regime, it 
 was thought that drills, dress-parades, and guard-mount 
 ings, comprehended the sum total of the soldier s educa 
 tion, but the experience of the last ten years has taught us 
 that these are only the rudiments, and that to combat suc 
 cessfully with Indians, we must receive instruction from 
 them, study their tactics, and, where they suit our purposes, 
 copy from them. 
 
 The union of discipline with the individuality, self- 
 reliance, and rapidity of locomotion of the savage is what 
 we should aim at. This will be the tendency of the course 
 indicated ; and it is conceived by the writer that an army 
 composed of well- disciplined hunters will be the most effi 
 cient of all others against the only enemy we have to 
 encounter within the limits of our vast possessions. 
 
 I find some pertinent remarks upon this subject in a 
 very sensible essay by "a late captain of infantry " (U.S.). 
 He says : 
 
 " It is conceived that scattered bands of mounted hun 
 ters, with the speed of a horse and the watchfulness of a 
 wolf or antelope, whose faculties are sharpened by their 
 necessities ; who, when they get short of provisions, sepa 
 rate and look for something to eat, and find it in the water, 
 in the ground, or on the surface ; whose bill of fare ranges 
 from grass-seed, nuts, roots, grasshoppers, lizards, and 
 rattle- snakes, up to the antelope, deer, elk, bear, and 
 buffalo, and who have a continent to roam over, will be 
 neither surprised, caught, conquered, overawed, or re 
 duced to famine by a rumbling, bugle-blowing, drum- 
 
HUNTING. 163 
 
 beating town passing through their country on wheels at 
 the speed of a loaded wagon. * 
 
 " If the Indians are in the path and do not wish to be 
 seen, they cross a ridge, and the town moves on, ignorant 
 whether there are fifty Indians within a mile, or no Indian 
 within fifty miles. If the Indians wish to see, they return 
 to the crest of the ridge, crawl up to the edge, pull up a 
 bunch of grass by the roots, and look through or under it 
 at the procession." 
 
 Although I would always encourage men in hunt 
 ing when permanently located ; yet, unless you are good 
 woodsmen, it is not safe to permit them to go out alone in 
 marching through the Indian country, as, aside from the 
 danger of encountering Indians, they would be liable to 
 become bewildered and lost, and this might detain the 
 entire party in searching for them. The better plan upon 
 a march is for three or four to go out together, accom 
 panied by a good woodsman, who will be able with cer 
 tainty to lead them back to camp. 
 
 The little group could ascertain if Indians are about, and 
 would be strong enough to act on the defensive against 
 small parties of them ; and, while they are amusing them 
 selves, they may perform an important part as scouts and 
 flankers. 
 
 An expedition may have been perfectly organised, and 
 everything provided that the wisest forethought could sug 
 gest, yet circumstances beyond the control of the most 
 experienced traveler may sometimes arise to defeat the 
 best concerted plans. It is not, for example, an impossible 
 contingency that the traveler may, by unforeseen delays, 
 
 * The late " Captain of Infantry (U. S.) " is Captain Patterson. 
 Sir Francis Head ("Gallop over the Pampas,") falls into the 
 same error of praising savage at the expense of civilized warfare. 
 Without entering into the subject further than is necessary, I may 
 remark, that the Sindh Camel Corps would more than match in 
 marching any equestrian Indians, from the Comauche to the Pam 
 pero. The reader will find the matter discussed at greater length 
 in the City of the Saints, chap. i. ED. 
 
1G4 PRAIRIE TRAVELER. 
 
 consume his provisions, lose them in crossing streams, or 
 have them stolen by hostile Indians, and be reduced to the 
 necessity of depending upon game for subsistence. Under 
 these circumstances, a few observations upon the habits of 
 the different animals that frequent the Plains and on the 
 best methods of hunting them may not be altogether devoid 
 of interest or utility in this connection. 
 
 THE BUFFALO. 
 
 The largest and most useful animal that roams over the 
 prairies is the buffalo. It provides food, clothing, and 
 shelter to thousands of natives whose means of livelihood 
 depend almost exclusively upon this "gigantic monarch of 
 the prairies." 
 
 Not many years since they thronged in countless multi 
 tudes over all that vast area lying between Mexico and the 
 British possessions ; but now their range is confined within 
 very narrow limits, and a few more years w r ill probably 
 witness the extinction of the species. 
 
 The traveler, in passing from Texas or Arkansas through 
 southern New Mexico to California, does not, at the pre 
 sent day, encounter the buffalo ; but upon all the routes 
 north of latitude 36 the animal is still found between the 
 99th and 102nd meridians of longitude. 
 
 Although generally regarded as migratory in their 
 habits, yet the buffalo often winter in the snows of a high 
 northern latitude. Early in the spring of 1858, I found 
 them in the Rocky Mountains, at the head of the Arkan 
 sas and South Platte Rivers; and there was every indica 
 tion that this was a permanent abiding place for them. 
 
 There are two methods generally practised in hunting 
 the buffalo, viz. : running them on horseback, and stalking, 
 or still-hunting. The first method requires a sure-footed 
 and tolerably fleet horse that is not easily frightened. The 
 buffalo cow, which makes much better beef than the bull, 
 when pursued by the hunter runs rapidly, and, unless the 
 horse be fleet, it requires a long and exhausting chase to 
 overtake her. 
 
 "When the buffalo are discovered, and the hunter intends 
 
THE BUFFALO. 165 
 
 to give chase, he should first dismount, arrange his saddle- 
 blanket and saddle, buckle the girth tight, and make 
 everything about his horse furniture snug and secure. He 
 should then put his arms in good firing order, and, taking 
 the lee side of the herd, so that they may not get " the 
 wind " of him, he should approach in a walk as close as 
 possible, taking advantage of any cover that may offer. 
 His horse then, being cool and fresh, will be able to dash 
 into the herd, and probably carry his rider very near the 
 animal he has selected before he becomes alarmed. 
 
 If the hunter be right-handed, and uses a pistol, he 
 should approach upon the left side, and when nearly oppo 
 site and close upon the buffalo, deliver his shot, taking aim. 
 a little below the centre of the body, and about eight inches 
 behind the shoulder. This will strike the vitals, and 
 generally render another shot unnecessary. 
 
 When a rifle or shot-gun, is used, the hunter rides up on 
 the right side, keeping his horse well in hand, so as to be 
 able to turn off if the beast charges upon him ; this, how 
 ever, never happens except with a buffalo that is wounded, 
 when it is advisable to keep out of his reach. 
 
 The buffalo has immense powers of endurance, and will 
 run for many miles without any apparent effort or diminu 
 tion in speed. The first buffalo I ever saw I followed 
 about ten miles, and when I left him he seemed to run 
 faster than when the chase commenced. 
 
 As a long buffalo-chase is very severe labor upon a 
 horse, I would recommend to all travelers, unless they 
 have a good deal of surplus horse-flesh, never to expend it 
 in running buffalo. 
 
 Still-hunting, which requires no consumption of horse 
 flesh, and is equally successful with the other method, is 
 recommended. In stalking on horse-back, the most broken 
 and hilly localities should be selected, as these will furnish 
 cover to the hunter, who passes from the crest of one hill 
 to another, examining the country carefully in all direc 
 tions. When the game is discovered, if it happen to be 
 011 the lee side, the hunter should endeavor, by making a 
 
166 PRAIRIE TRAVELER. 
 
 wide detour, to get upon the opposite side, as he will find 
 it impossible to approach within rifle range with the wind. 
 
 When the animal is upon a hill, or in any other posi 
 tion where he cannot be approached without danger of 
 disturbing him, the hunter should wait until he moves off 
 to more favorable ground; and this will not generally 
 require much time, as they wander about a great deal 
 when not grazing ; he then pickets his horse, and approaches 
 cautiously, seeking to screen himself as much as possible 
 by the undulations in the surface, or behind such other 
 objects as may present themselves ; but if the surface 
 should offer no cover, he must crawl upon his hands and 
 knees when near the game, and in this way he can gene 
 rally get within rifle range. 
 
 Should there be several animals together, and his first 
 shot take effect, the hunter can often get several other 
 shots before they become frightened. A Delaware Indian 
 and myself once killed five buffaloes out of a small herd, 
 before the remainder were so much disturbed as to move 
 away ; although we were within the short distance of 
 twenty yards, yet the reports of our rifles did not frighten 
 them in the least, and they continued grazing during all 
 the time we were loading and firing. 
 
 The sense of smelling is exceedingly acute with the 
 buffalo, and they will take the wind from the hunter at as 
 great a distance as a mile. 
 
 When the animal is wounded, and stops, it is better not 
 to go near him until he lies down, as he will often run a 
 great distance if disturbed ; but if left to himself, will, in 
 many cases, die in a short time. 
 
 The tongues, humps, and marrow-bones are regarded as 
 the choice parts of the animal. The tongue is taken out 
 by ripping open the skin between the prongs of the lower 
 jaw-bone and pulling it out through the orifice. The 
 hump may be taken off by skinning down on each side of 
 the shoulders and cutting away the meat, after which the 
 hump-ribs can be unjointed where they unite with the 
 spine. The marrow, when roasted in the bones, is 
 delicious. 
 
167 
 
 THE DEER. 
 
 Of all game quadrupeds indigenous to this continent, 
 the common red deer is probably more widely dispersed 
 from north to south and from east to west over our vast 
 possessions than any other. They are found in all lati 
 tudes, from Hudson s Bay to Mexico, and they clamber 
 over the most elevated peaks of the western sierras with 
 the same ease that they range the eastern forests or the 
 ever-green glades of Florida. In summer they crop the 
 grass upon summits of the Rocky Mountains, and in 
 winter, when the snow falls deep, they descend into shel 
 tered valleys, where they fall an easy prey to the Indians. 
 
 Besides the common red deer of the Eastern States, two 
 other varieties are found in the Rocky Mountains, viz., 
 the " black- tailed deer," which takes its name from the 
 fact of its having a small tuft of black hair upon the end 
 of its tail, and the lony-tailed species. The former of these 
 is considerably larger than the eastern deer, and is much 
 darker, being of a very deep-yellowish iron- gray, with a 
 yellowish red upon the belly. It frequents the mountains, 
 and is never seen far away from them. Its habits are 
 similar to those of the red deer, and it is hunted in the 
 same way. The only difference I have been able to dis 
 cern between the long-tailed variety and the common deer 
 is in the length of the tail and body. I have seen this 
 animal only in the neighbourhood of the Rocky Mountains ; 
 but it may resort to other localities. 
 
 Although the deer are still abundant in many of our 
 forest districts in the east, and do not appear to decrease 
 very rapidly, yet there has, within a few years, been a very 
 evident diminution in the numbers of those frequenting 
 our Western prairies. In passing through Southern Texas 
 in 1846, thousands of deer were met with daily ; and, 
 astonishing as it may appear, it was no uncommon 
 spectacle to see from one to two hundred in a single herd ; 
 the prairies seemed literally alive with them ; but in 
 1855 it was seldom that a herd of ten was seen in the 
 
168 PRAIRIE TRAVELER. 
 
 same localities. It seemed to me that the vast herds first 
 met with could not have been killed off by the hunters in 
 that sparsely-populated section ; and I was puzzled to know 
 what had become of them. It is possible they may have 
 moved off into Mexico. They certainly are not in our 
 territory at the present time. 
 
 Twenty years experience in deer-hunting has taught 
 me several facts relative to the habits of the animal which, 
 when well understood, will be found of much service to 
 the inexperienced hunter, and greatly contribute to his 
 success. The best target-shots are not necessarily the 
 most skilful deer-stalkers. One of the great secrets of 
 this art is in knowing how to approach the game without 
 giving alarm ; and this cannot easily be done unless the 
 hunter sees it before he is himself discovered. There are 
 so many objects in the woods resembling the deer in colour 
 that none but a practised eye can often detect the 
 difference. 
 
 When the deer is reposing, he generally turns head 
 from the wind, in which position he can see an enemy 
 approaching from that direction ; and his nose will 
 apprise him of the presence of danger from the opposite 
 side. The best method of hunting deer, therefore, is 
 across the wind. 
 
 While the deer are feeding, early in the morning and a 
 short time before dark in the evening,* are the best times 
 to stalk them, as they are then busily occupied and less on 
 the alert. When a deer is espied with his head down, 
 cropping the grass, the hunter advances cautiously, keep 
 ing his eyes constantly directed upon him, and screening 
 himself behind intervening objects, or, in the absence of 
 other cover, crawls along upon his hands and knees in the 
 grass, until the deer hears his steps and raises his head, 
 when he must instantly stop and remain in an attitude 
 fixed and motionless as a statue, for the animal s vision is 
 his keenest sense. When alarmed he will detect the 
 
 * In most countries wild animals become very shy about evening 
 time, when instinct warns them to seek safe places for the night s 
 rest. ED. 
 
THE DEER. 169 
 
 slightest movement of a small object, and, unless the 
 hunter stands or lies perfectly still, his presence will be 
 detected. If the hunter does not move, the deer will, 
 after a short time, recover from his alarm, and resume his 
 grazing, when he may be again approached. The deer 
 always exhibits his alarm by a sudden jerking of the tail 
 just before he raises his head. 
 
 I once saw a Delaware Indian walk directly up within 
 rifle range of a deer that was feeding upon the open 
 prairie and shoot him down ; he was, however, a long 
 time in approaching, and made frequent halts whenever 
 the animal flirted his tail and raised his head. Although 
 he often turned toward the hunter, yet he did not appear 
 to notice him, probably taking him for a stump or a tree. 
 
 When the deer are lying down in the smooth prairie, 
 unless the grass is tall, it is difficult to get near them, as 
 they are generally looking around, and become alarmed 
 at the least noise. 
 
 The Indians are in the habit of using a small instrument 
 which imitates the bleat of the young fawn, with which 
 they lure the doe within range of their rifles. The young 
 fawn gives out no scent upon its track until it is suffi 
 ciently grown to make good running, and instinct teaches 
 the mother that this wise provision of nature to preserve 
 the helpless little quadruped from the ravages of wolves, 
 panthers, and other carnivorous beasts, will be defeated if 
 she remains with it, as her tracks cannot be concealed. 
 She, therefore, hides her fawn in the grass, where it is al 
 most impossible to see it, even when very near it, goes off 
 to some neighbouring thicket within call, and makes her 
 bed alone. The Indian pot-hunter, who is but little scru 
 pulous as to the means he employs in accomplishing his 
 ends, sounds the bleat along near the places where he 
 thinks the game is lying, and the unsuspicious doe, who 
 imagines that her offspring is in distress, rushes with 
 headlong impetuosity toward the sound, and often goes 
 within a few yards of the hunter to receive her death- 
 wound. 
 
 This is cruel sport, and can only be justified when meat 
 
170 PRAIRTE TRAVELER. 
 
 is scarce, which is very frequently the case in the Indian s 
 larder. 
 
 It does not always comport with a man s feelings of 
 security, especially if he happens to be a little nervous, to 
 sound the deer-bleat in a wild region of country. I once 
 undertook to experiment with the instrument myself, and 
 made my first essay in attempting to call up an antelope 
 which I discovered in the distance. I succeeded admir 
 ably in luring the wary victim within shooting range, had 
 raised upon my knee, and was just in the act of pulling 
 trigger, when a rustling in the grass on my left drew niy 
 attention in that direction, where, much to my surprise, I 
 beheld a huge panther within about twenty yards, bound 
 ing with gigantic strides directly toward me. I turned 
 my rifle, and in an instant, much to my relief and gratifi 
 cation, its contents were lodged in the heart of the beast. 
 
 Many men, when they suddenly encounter a deer, are 
 seized with nervous excitement, called, in sporting parlance, 
 the " buck fever" which causes them to fire at random. 
 Notwithstanding I have had much experience in hunting, 
 I must confess that I am never entirely free from some of 
 the symptoms of this malady, when firing at large game; 
 and I believe that in four out of five cases where I have 
 missed the game, my balls have passed too high. I have 
 endeavoured to obviate this by sighting my rifle low; and 
 it has been attended with more successful results. The 
 same remarks apply to most other men I have met with. 
 They fire too high when excited.* 
 
 THE ANTELOPE. 
 
 This animal frequents the most elevated bleak and naked 
 prairies in all latitudes from Mexico to Oregon, and con 
 stitutes an important item of subsistence with many of the 
 Prairie Indians. It is the most wary, timid, and fleet 
 animal that inhabits the Plains. It is about the size of a 
 small deer, with a heavy coating of coarse, wiry hair, and 
 
 * High firing, with some recruits, is a kind of disease. I have 
 seen men elevate their pieces to an angle of 45. 
 
THE ANTELOPE. 171 
 
 its flesli is more tender and juicy than that of the deer. 
 It seldom enters a timbered country, but seems to delight 
 in cropping the grass from the elevated swells of the 
 prairies. When disturbed by the traveler, it will circle 
 around him with the speed of the wind, but does not stop 
 until it reaches some prominent position, whence it can 
 survey the country on all sides, and nothing seems to 
 escape its keen vision. They will sometimes stand for a 
 long time and look at a man, provided he does not move 
 or go out of sight ; but if he goes behind a hill, with the 
 intention of passing around and getting nearer to them, 
 he will never find them again in the same place. I have 
 often tried the experiment, and invariably found, that, so 
 soon as I went where the antelope could not see me, he 
 moved off. Their sense of hearing, as well as vision, is 
 very acute, which renders it difficult to stalk them. By 
 taking advantage of the cover afforded in broken ground, 
 the hunter may, by moving slowly and cautiously over 
 the crests of the irregularities in the surface, sometimes 
 approach within rifle-range. 
 
 The antelope possesses a greater degree of curiosity than 
 any other animal I know of, and will often approach very 
 near a strange object.* The experienced hunter, taking 
 advantage of this peculiarity, lies down and secretes him 
 self in the grass, after which he raises his handkerchief, 
 hand, or foot, so as to attract the attention of the animal, 
 and thus often succeeds in beguiling him within shooting 
 distance. 
 
 In some valleys near the Rocky Mountains, where the 
 pasturage is good during the winter season, they collect in 
 immense herds. The Indians are in the habit of surround 
 ing them in such localities and running them with their 
 horses until they tire them out, when they slay large 
 numbers. 
 
 The antelope makes a track much shorter than the deer, 
 
 * Curiosity is a faiblcsse with many species of wild animals. A 
 red flag hoisted high will cause a hippopotamus to raise his head 
 out of water, for a full minute. ED. 
 
172 PRAIRIE TRAVELER. 
 
 very broad and round at the heel, and quite sharp at the 
 toe ; a little experience renders it easy to distinguish 
 them. 
 
 THE BEAR 
 
 Besides the common black bear of the Eastern States, 
 several others are found in the mountains of California, 
 Oregon, Utah, and New Mexico, viz., the grizzly, brown, 
 and cinnamon varieties ; all have nearly the same habits, 
 and are hunted in the same manner. 
 
 From all I had heard of the grizzly bear, I was induced 
 to believe him one of the most formidable and savage 
 animals in the universe, and that the man who would 
 deliberately encounter and kill one of these beasts had per 
 formed a signal feat of courage which entitled him to a 
 lofty position among the votaries of Nimrod. So firmly 
 had I become impressed with this conviction, that I should 
 have been very reluctant to fire upon one had I met him 
 when alone and on foot. The grizzly bear is assuredly the 
 monarch of the American forests, and, so far as physical 
 strength is concerned, he is perhaps without a rival in the 
 world ; but, after some experience in hunting, my opinions 
 regarding his courage and his willingness to attack men 
 have very materially changed. 
 
 In passing over the elevated table-lands lying between 
 the two forks of the Platte River in 1858, I encountered 
 a full-grown female grizzly bear with two cubs, very 
 quietly reposing upon the open prairie, several miles dis 
 tant from any timber. This being the first opportunity 
 that had ever occurred to me for an encounter with the 
 ursine monster, and being imbued with the most exalted 
 notions of the beast s proclivities for offensive warfare, 
 especially when in the presence of her offspring, it may 
 very justly be imagined that I was rather more excited 
 than usual. I, however, determined to make the assault. 
 I felt the utmost confidence in my horse, as she was afraid 
 of nothing ; and, after arranging everything about my 
 saddle and arms in good order, I advanced to within 
 
THE BEAR 173 
 
 about eighty yards before I was discovered by the bear, 
 when she raised upon her haunches and gave me a scruti 
 nizing examination. I seized this opportune moment to 
 fire, but missed my aim, and she started off, followed by 
 her cubs at their utmost speed. After reloading my rifle, 
 I pursued, and, on coming again within range, delivered 
 another shot, which struck the large bear in the fleshy 
 part of the thigh, whereupon she set up a most distressing 
 howl and accelerated her pace, leaving her cubs behind. 
 After loading again I gave the spurs to my horse and 
 resumed the chase, soon passing the cubs, who were 
 making the most plaintive cries of distress. They were 
 heard by the dam ; but she gave no other heed to them 
 than occasionally to halt for an instant, turn around, 
 sit up on her posteriors, and give a hasty look back ; but, 
 as soon as she saw me following her, she invariably turned 
 again and redoubled her speed. I pursued about four miles 
 and fired four balls into her before I succeeded in bring 
 ing her to the ground ; and, from the time I first saw her 
 until her death- wound, notwithstanding I was very often 
 close upon her heels, she never came to bay or made the 
 slightest demonstration of resistance. Her sole purpose 
 seemed to be to make her escape, leaving her cubs in the 
 most cowardly manner. 
 
 Upon three other different occasions I met the mountain 
 bears, and once the cinnamon species, which is called the 
 most formidable of all ; and, in none of these instances, did 
 they exhibit the slightest indication of anger or resistance, 
 but invariably ran from me. Such is my experience with this 
 formidable monarch of the mountains. It is possible that 
 if a man came suddenly upon the beast in a thicket, where 
 it could have no previous warning, he might be attacked ; 
 but, it is my opinion, that if the bear gets the wind or sight 
 of a man at any considerable distance, it will endeavor to 
 get away as soon as possible. I am so fully impressed with 
 this idea that I shall hereafter hunt bear with a feeling of 
 as much security as I would have in hunting the buffalo.* 
 
 * It is not tile experience of Europe and Asia. The bear hunter 
 
174 PRAIRIE TRAVELER. 
 
 The grizzly, like the black bear, hybernates in winter, 
 and makes his appearance in the spring with his claws 
 grown out long and very soft and tender ; he is then poor, 
 and unfit for food. 
 
 I have heard a very curious fact stated by several old 
 mountaineers regarding the mountain bears, which, of 
 course, I cannot vouch for ; but it is given by them with 
 great apparent sincerity and candor. They assert that no 
 instance has ever been known of a female bear having been 
 killed in a state of pregnancy. This singular fact in the 
 history of the animal seems most inexplicable to me, unless 
 she remain concealed in her brumal slumber until after she 
 has been delivered of her cubs. 
 
 I was told by an old Delaware Indian that when the 
 bear has been traveling against the wind and wishes to lie 
 down, he always turns in an opposite direction, and goes 
 some distance away from his first track before making his 
 bed. If an enemy then comes upon his trail, his keen 
 sense of smell will apprise him. of the danger. The same 
 Indian mentioned, that when a bear had been pursued and 
 sought shelter in a cave, he had often endeavoured to eject 
 him with smoke, but that the bear would advance to the 
 mouth of the cave, where the fire was burning, and put it 
 out with his paws, then retreat into the cave again.* 
 This would indicate that Bruin, is endowed with some 
 glimpses of reason beyond the ordinary instincts of the 
 brute creation in general, and, indeed, is capable of dis 
 cerning the connection between cause and effect. Not 
 withstanding the extraordinary intelligence which this 
 quadruped exhibits upon some occasions, upon others he 
 shows himself to be one of the most stupid brutes imagin 
 able. For example, when he has taken possession of a 
 
 of the Pyrenees seldom passes through life unscathed ; and there 
 are probably more hair-breadth escapes from the bear of the Hima 
 layas than from the tiger of the plains. ED. 
 
 * All bear countries have some superstition about the beast. Per 
 sians will gravely assure you, that to compass the traveller s de 
 struction, " Ephraim " will bind round his head a turbaii of grass, 
 and mount an ass like a Mullah. ED. 
 
THE BIG-HORN. 175 
 
 cavern, and the courageous hunter enters with a torch and 
 rifle, it is said he will, instead of forcibly ejecting the in 
 truder, raise himself upon his haunches and cover his eyes 
 with his paws, so as to exclude the light, apparently 
 thinking that in this situation he cannot be seen. The 
 hunter can then approach as close as he pleases, and shoot 
 him down. 
 
 THE BIG-HORN. 
 
 The big-horn or mountain sheep, which has a body like 
 the deer, with the head of a sheep, surmounted by an enor 
 mous pair of short, heavy horns, is found throughout the 
 Rocky Mountains, and resorts to the most inaccessible 
 peaks, and to the wildest and least frequented glens. It 
 clambers over almost perpendicular cliffs with the greatest 
 ease and celerity, and skips from rock to rock, cropping 
 the tender herbage that grows upon them. 
 
 It has been supposed by some, that this animal leaps 
 down from crag to crag, lighting upon its horns, as an 
 evidence of which, it has been advanced that the front 
 part of the horns is often much battered. This, I believe, 
 to be erroneous, as it is very common to see horns that 
 have no bruises upon them. 
 
 The old mountaineers say they have often seen the 
 bucks engaged in desperate encounters with their huge 
 horns, which, in striking together, made loud reports. 
 This will account for the marks sometimes seen upon 
 them. 
 
 The flesh of the big-horn, when fat, is more tender, 
 juicy, and delicious, than that of any other animal I know 
 of, but it is a bonne bouche which will not grace the tables 
 of our city epicures until a railroad to the Rocky Moun 
 tains affords the means of transporting it to a market a 
 thousand miles distant from its haunts. 
 
 In its habits, the mountain sheep greatly resembles the 
 chamois of Switzerland, and it is hunted in the same 
 manner. The hunter traverses the most inaccessible and 
 broken localities, moving along with great caution, as the 
 
176 PRAIRIE TRAVELER 
 
 least unusual noise causes them to flit away like a phan 
 tom, and they will be seen no more. The animal is gre 
 garious, but it is seldom that more than eight or ten are 
 found in a flock. When not grazing, they seek the 
 sheltered sides of the mountains, and repose among the 
 rocks. 
 
ITINERARIES. 
 
LIST OF ITINERARIES : 
 
 SHOWING THE DISTANCES BETWEEN CAMPING- PLACES, THE CHARACTER OF 
 THE BOARDS, AND THE FACILITIES FOR OBTAINING WOOD, WATER, AND 
 GRASS ON THE PRINCIPAL ROUTES BETWEEN THE MISSISSIPI RIVER AND 
 THE PACIFIC OCEAN. 
 
 No. Page 
 
 I. From Fort Smith, Arkansas, to Santa Fe and Albuquerque, 
 
 New Mexico. By Captain K. B. Marey, U. S. A. . .181 
 
 II. From Fort Leavenworth to Santa Fe, by the way of the 
 
 upper ferry of the Kansas River and the Cunarron . . 183 
 
 III. Camping-places upon a road discovered and marked out 
 
 from Fort Smith, Arkansas, to Doiia Ana and El Paso, 
 New Mexico, in 1849. By Captain K. B. Marcy, U. S. A. 186 
 
 IV. From St. Joseph, Missouri, to Great Salt Lake City . 189 
 V. From Salt Lake City to Sacramento and Benicia, California 197 
 
 VI. From Great Salt Lake City to Los Angeles and San Fran 
 cisco, California 200 
 
 VII. From Great Salt Lake City to San Francisco . . .202 
 
 VIII. Captain J. H. Simpson s Wagon Road from Camp Floyd to 
 Genoa, Carson Valley, U.T. Explored by direction of 
 General A. G. Johnston, commanding the Department of 
 Utah between the 2nd May arid 12th June, 1859 . . 205 
 
 IX. From Fort Bridger to the " City of Rocks." From Captain 
 
 Handcock s Journal 208 
 
 X. From Soda Springs to the City of Rocks, known as Hud- 
 
 speth s Cut-off .211 
 
 XI. Sublet s Cut-off, from the junction of the Salt Lake and 
 
 Fort Hall Roads 211 
 
 XII. From Lawson s Meadows, on the Humboldt River, to Fort 
 Reading, via Rogue River Valley, Fort Lane, Oregon 
 Territory, Yreka, and Fort Jones 212 
 
 XIII. From Soda Springs to Fort Wallah Wallah and Oregon 
 
 City, Oregon, via Fort Hall ..... 213 
 
 XIV. Route for pack-trains from John Day s River to Oregon City 216 
 XV. From Indianola and Powder-horn to San Antonia, Texas . 316 
 
180 LIST OF ITINERARIES. 
 
 No. Page. 
 
 XVI. Wagon-road from San Antonia, Texas, to El Paso, N. M., 
 
 and Fort Yuma, California 217 
 
 XVII. From Fort Yuma to San Diego, California. . . .219 
 
 XVIII. From El Paso, New Mexico, to Fort Yuma, California, via 
 
 Santa Cruz 220 
 
 XIX. From Westport, Missouri, to the gold diggings at Pike s 
 
 Peak and " Cherry Creek," N.T., via the Arkansas River 222 
 
 XX. From St. Paul s, Min, to Fort Wallah Wallah, Oregon . 225 
 
 XXL Lieutenant E. F. Beale s route from Albuquerque to the 
 
 Colorado River . 230 
 
 XXII. Captain Whipple s route from Albuquerque, Mew Mexico, 
 
 to San Pedro, California . . . . . .231 
 
 XXIII, From Fort Yuma to Benicia, California. From Lieu 
 
 tenant R. S. Williamson s Report 234 
 
 XXIV. A new route from Fort Bridger to Camp Floyd, opened 
 
 by Captain J, H. Simpson, U. S. A., in 1858 , 236 
 
 XXV. From Fort Thome, New Mexico, to Fort Yuma, Calfornia 237 
 
 XXVI, Lieutenant Bryan s Route from the Laramie Crossing of 
 
 the South Platte to Fort Bridger, via Bridger s Pass , 239 
 
 XXVII. Wagon-route from Denver City, at the mouth of Cherry 
 
 Creek, to Fort Bridger, Utah 24 1 
 
 XXVIII. From Nebraska City, on the Missouri, to Fort Kearney . 243 
 
 XXIX. From Camp Floyd, Utah, to Fort Union, New Mexico. 
 
 By Col. W. W. Loring, U. S. A 244 
 
 XXX. Wagon-route from Guaymas, Mexico, to Tubac, Arizona. 
 
 From Captain Stone s Journal 249 
 
 XXXI. From Fort Hope, Fraser River, to Fort Colvile on the 
 
 Columbia. According to Lieutenant Palmer, R.E. . 250 
 
FORT SMITH TO ALBUQUERQUE. 181 
 
 I. From Fort Smith, Arkansas, to Santa Fe and Albu 
 querque, New Mexico. By Captain R. 13. MARCY, 
 IT. S. A. 
 
 Miles. 
 
 From Fort Smith to 
 
 15. Strickland s Farm. The road crosses the Poteau River at Fort 
 Smith, where there is a ferry ; it then follows the Poteau 
 bottom for ten miles. This part of the road is very muddy 
 after heavy rains.. At 14 miles, it passes the Choctaw Agency, 
 where there are several stores. There is the greatest abun 
 dance of wood, water, and grass at all camps for the first 200 
 miles. Where any of these are wanting it will be specially 
 mentioned. The road passes through the Choctaw settle 
 ments for about 150 miles, and corn and supplies can be pur 
 chased from these Indians at reasonable rates. 
 
 11. Camp Creek. Road crosses a prairie of three miles in length, 
 
 then enters a heavy forest. The camp is on a small branch, 
 with grass plenty in a small prairie about 400 yards to the 
 left of the road. 
 
 12. Coon Creek. Road passes through the timber, and is muddy in 
 
 a rainy season. 
 
 12. Sans Bois Creek. Prairie near ; some Choctaw houses at the 
 crossing. 
 
 14. Bend of Sans Bois Creek. Indian farm. 
 
 15. South Fork of Canadian, or "Gain s Creek." Road traverses a 
 
 very rough and hilly region. There is a ford and a ferry upon 
 the creek. Indian farm on the west bank. 
 12. First ford of Coal Creek. Road crosses over a rolling prairie, 
 
 and at four miles the Fort Washita road turns to the left. 
 Second ford of Coal Creek. Indian Farm. 
 
 4. Little Cedar Mountain. Very rough, mountainous road. 
 6. Stony Point. Very rough, mountainous road. 
 
 5. Shawnee Village. Several Indian houses. 
 
 14. Shawnee Town. Road passes several small prairies. Indian 
 settlement ; store on opposite bank of Canadian River, near 
 the camp. 
 
 21. Delaware Mountain. Road passes over a very beautiful country, 
 with small streams of good water frequent, and good camps. 
 It crosses small prairies and groves of timber. 
 5. Boggy River. Road passes a country similar to that mentioned 
 
 above. 
 
 3. Clea.r Creek. Road turns to the right near a prominent round 
 mound. Beautiful country, diversified with prairies and 
 timbered lands. 
 
 7. Branch of Topof ki Creek. Beautiful country and fine roads. 
 9. Cane Creek. Excellent camp. 
 
182 FORT SMITH TO < ALBUQUERQUE. 
 
 Miles. 
 
 5. Small Branch. Road passes about two miles from the old 
 " Camp Arbuckle," built by Captain Marcy in 1853, since oc 
 cupied by Black Beaver and several Delaware families. 
 
 11|. Mustang Creek. Road runs on the dividing ridge between the 
 waters of the Washita and Canadian, on a high prairie. 
 
 17^. Choteau s Creek. Road passes on the high prairie opposite 
 Choteau s old trading-house, and leaves the outer limits of 
 the Indian settlements. Excellent road, and good camps at 
 short distances. 
 
 llf . Choteau s Creek. Road runs up the creek ; is smooth and 
 good. 
 
 12|. Head of Choteau s Creek. Road runs up the creek, and is 
 good . 
 
 17. Branch of Washita River. Road runs over an elevated prairie 
 country, and passes a small branch at six miles from last 
 camp. 
 
 of. Branch of "Spring Creek." Good camp. 
 
 16. Head of " Spring Creek." Road traverses a high prairie coun 
 try, is smooth and firm. 
 13. Red Mounds. Road runs over a high rolling prairie country, 
 
 and is excellent. 
 5. Branch of Washita River. Good road. 
 
 15|. Branch of Canadian. Road continues on the ridge dividing 
 the Washita and Canadian Rivers; is smooth and firm. 
 
 17|. Branch of Washita River. Road continues on the "divide." 
 
 18. Branch of Canadian. Road continues on the divide from one 
 
 to four miles from the Canadian. 
 
 19. On Canadian River. Good Road. 
 
 16. Little Washita River. Good road ; timber becoming scarce. 
 
 13. Branch of Canadian. Good road. 
 
 17i. Antelope Buttes. Road runs along the Canadian bottom and 
 in places is sandy. 
 
 14. Rush Lake. Small pond on the prairie. No wood within half 
 
 a mile ; some buffalo chips ; poor w r ater. 
 
 16. Branch of Washita River. Good road on the divide. 
 
 10^. Dry River. Road descends a very long hill, and crosses the 
 dry river near the Canadian. Water can be found by digging 
 about a foot in the sand of the creek. Good grass on the 
 west bank. 
 
 17. Branch of Canadian. Road winds up a very long and abrupt 
 
 hill, but is smooth and firm. 
 22. Timbered Creek. Road passes over a very elevated prairie 
 
 country, and descends by a long hill into the beautiful valley 
 
 of Timbered Creek. 
 11J. Spring Branch. Good camp. 
 14. Spring Branch. Good camp. 
 17|. Branch of Canadian. Road passes a small branch 31 miles 
 
 from the last camp. 
 
FORT LEAVENWORTH TO SANTA FE. 183 
 
 18. Branch of Canadian. Road passes a small branch of the Ca 
 nadian at 8 miles from the last camp. 
 
 17$. Spring Branch. Good road. 
 9>. Branch of Canadian. Good road and camp. 
 
 18. Branch of the Canadian. Good road and camp. 
 
 10. Pools of Water. Good camp. 
 10. Large Pond. Good camp. 
 
 25. Pools of Water. No wood ; water brackish. The road passes 
 over a very elevated and dry country, without wood or water. 
 
 18. Head of Branch. At 13^ miles the road crosses a branch of 
 the Canadian. 
 
 19J. Laguria Colorado. Road here falls into an old Mexican cart- 
 road. Good springs on the left up the creek, with wood and 
 grass abundant. 
 7. Pools of Water. Road runs through cedars. 
 
 lOf . Pajarito Creek. Grass begins to be rather short in places, but 
 is abundant on the creek. 
 
 13j Gallenas Creek. Good camp. 
 15. 2d Gallenas Creek. Good road. 
 
 16$. Pecos River at Anton Chico. This is the first settlement after 
 leaving Camp Arbuckle. Corn and vegetables can be pur 
 chased here. Grass is generally short here. 
 
 15. Pecos River opposite Questa. Road runs through the cedar, 
 and is firm and good. Camp is in sight of the town of 
 Questa, upon a very elevated bluff . 
 
 21 f. Laguna Colorado. Road passes through a wooded country for 
 a portion of the distance, but leaves it before reaching camp, 
 where there is no wood, but water generally sufficient for 
 trains. In very dry seasons, it has been known to fail. The 
 road forks here, the right leading to Santa Fe via Galistio 
 (45 miles), and the left to Albuquerque. 
 
 22$. San Antonio. Good road. 
 
 18f. Albuquerque. Good road. 
 
 Total distance from Fort Smith to Albuquerque, 814| miles. 
 Total distance from Fort Smith to Santa Fe, 819 miles. 
 
 IT. From Fort Leavenworth to Santa Fe by the way of the 
 vpper ferry of the Kansas River and the Cimarron. 
 
 [In this table, the distances, taken by an odometer, are given in miles and hundredths of 
 a mile. The measured distances between the crossing of the Arkansas and Santa Fe" are 
 from Major Kendrick s published table. Wood, water, and grass are found at all points 
 where the absence of them is not stated.] 
 
 From Fort Leavenworth to 
 2-88. Salt Creek. 
 9-59. Stranger s Creek. 
 
184 FORT LEAVEN WORTH TO SANTA FE. 
 
 Miles. 
 
 13-54. Stranger s Creek. 
 
 9-60. Grasshopper Creek. 
 
 6-50. 
 
 2-86. 
 
 2-60. 
 
 4-54. Soldier s Creek. 
 
 2-45. Upper Ferry, Kansas River. 
 
 7-41. Pottawatomie Settlement. 
 
 575. Pottawatomie Creek. 
 
 3-89. White Wakarussi Creek. 
 
 7-78. 
 
 6-27. 
 
 O73. Road from Independence No place to encamp. 
 
 5-72. White Wakarussi Creek. 
 
 2-51. 
 
 2-82. 142-mile Creek. 
 
 7-80. Bluff Creek. 
 
 5-77. Rock Creek. 
 
 5-08. Big John Spring. 
 
 2-29. Council Grove. 
 
 7-97. Elm Creek. Water generally. 
 
 8*06. Diamond Spring. 
 
 1-42. Diamond Creek. 
 15-46. Lost Spring. No wood. 
 
 9-25. Mud Creek. Water uncertain ; no wood. 
 
 7-76. Cottonwood Creek. 
 
 6" 16. Water Holes. Water generally ; no wood. 
 12-44. Big Turkey Creek No water. 
 
 7 83. Little Turkey Creek. Water uncertain ; no wood. 
 18-19. Little Arkansas River. 
 
 10-60. Owl Creek. Water generally in holes above and below 
 crossing. 
 
 6 39. Little Cow Creek. Water only occasionally. 
 
 2-93. Big Cow Creek. Water holes, 10 miles (estimated). Water 
 
 uncertain ; no wood. 
 18*24. Bend of the Arkansas. 
 
 6-66. Walnut Creek. 
 
 16-35. Pawnee Rock. Teams sometimes camp near here and drive 
 stock to the Arkansas to water. No wood. 
 
 5-28. Ash Creek. Water above and below crossing, uncertain. 
 
 6 65. Pawnee Fork. Best grass some distance above crossing. 
 
 From Pawnee Fork to the lower crossing of the Arkansas, a 
 distance of 98.} miles, convenient camping-places can be 
 found along the Arkansas ; the most prominent localities 
 are therefore only mentioned. A supply of fuel should be 
 laid in at Pawnee Fork to last till you pass Fort Mann, 
 though it may be obtained, but inconveniently, from the 
 
FORT LEAVENWORTH TO SANTA FE. 185 
 
 Miles. 
 
 opposite side of the Arkansas. Dry Route branches off at 
 3i miles (estimated). This route joins the main one again 
 10 miles this side of Fort Mann. It is said to be a good 
 one, but deficient in water, and without wood. 
 
 11-43. Coon Creek. 
 
 46 58. Jackson s Island. 
 5-01. Dry Route comes in. 
 
 10-05. Fort Mann. 
 
 23-34. Lower Crossing of the Arkansas. The Bent s Fort Route 
 branches oft at this point. For the distances upon this 
 route, see next table. A supply of wood should be got 
 from this vicinity, to last till you reach Cedar Creek, 
 
 15-68. Water-hole. Water uncertain ; no wood. 
 
 30 02. Two Water-holes. Water uncertain ; no wood. 
 
 14*14. Lower Cimarron Springs. No wood. 
 
 20-00. Pools of Water. Water uncertain ; no wood. 
 
 19-02. Middle Springs of the Cimarron. No wood. 
 
 12 93. Little Crossing of the Cimarron. No wood. 
 
 14"10. Upper Cimarron Springs. No wood. Pools of water, 7 
 miles (estimated). No wood. 
 
 19-05. Cold Spring. A tree here and there in the vicinity. Pools of 
 water, 11 miles (estimated). Water uncertain ; no wood. 
 
 16-13. Cedar Creek. M Nees Creek, 10 miles (estimated). Water 
 indifferent and uncertain ; scant pasture; no wood. Arroyo 
 del la Sena, 2* miles (estimated). No water. 
 
 21-99. Cotton wood Creek. No water. Arroyo del Burro, 5 miles 
 (estimated). 
 
 15-17. Rabbit-ear Creek. 10 miles (estimated), springs. Round 
 Mound, 8 miles (estimated). No water ; no wood ; no 
 camping-place. Rock Greek, 10 miles (estimated). Graz 
 ing scant ; no wood. 
 
 26 40. Whetstone Creek. Spring ; no wood. Arroyo Don Carlos, 
 10 miles (estimated). Water, etc., to the left of the road. 
 
 14-13. Point of Rocks. Water and grass up the canon, just after 
 crossing the point ; scattering shrub cedars on the neigh 
 boring heights. 
 
 16-62. Sandy Arroyo. Water uncertain ; no wood. Crossing of 
 Canadian River, 4| miles (estimated). Grazing above the 
 crossing; willows. 
 
 10-05. Rio Ocate. Wood ^ of a mile to right of road ; grass in the 
 canon. Pond of water, 13| miles (estimated). No wood. 
 
 19 65. Wagon Mound. Santa Clara Springs. Wood brought from 
 the Rio Ocat6. Rio del Perro (Rock Creek), 17 miles 
 (estimated). 
 
 21-62. Caiion del Lobo. Rio Moro, 3J miles (estimated) Rio 
 Sapillo, 1 mile (estimated). The Bent s Fort Route comes 
 in here. 
 
186 FORT SMITH TO DONA ANA AND EL PASO. 
 
 Miles. 
 
 18-00. Las Vegas. Forage purchasable. 
 
 13-05. Tacolote. Forage purchasable. Ojo Vernal, 5 miles (esti 
 mated). No grass to speak of. 
 
 14-00. San Miguel. Forage purchasable ; no grass. 
 
 21-18. Euins of Pecos. Grazing very scant. Cottonwood Creek, 4 
 miles (estimated). Water uncertain ; no grass. 
 
 13*41. Stone Corral. No grass. 
 
 10-80. Santa Fe. Forage purchasable ; no grazing. 
 
 III. Camping -places upon a road discovered and marked out 
 from Fort Smith, Arkansas, to Dona Ana and El Paso, 
 New Mexico, in 1849. By Captain R.B. MARCY, U.S.A. 
 
 Miles. 
 
 Fort Smith to 
 
 65. South Fork of the Canadian. The road from Fort Smith to 
 the South Fork of the Canadian follows the same track as 
 the road to Albuquerque and Santa Fe, and by reference to 
 the tables of distances for that road the intermediate 
 camps will be found. 
 
 15. Prior s Store. Grass, wood, and water near. 
 172. Little Boggy. Good camp. Wherever there are not the 
 requisites of wood, water, and grass for encamping, it will 
 be specially noted ; when they are not mentioned they 
 will always bo found. 
 
 13. Little Boggy. Good camp. 
 15s. Boggy Depot. Store and blacksmith s shop. 
 
 12f. Blue River. The road passes over a flat section, which is 
 muddy after rains. 
 
 83. Fort Washita. Good camp half a mile before reaching the 
 fort. The road forks at the Indian village on the Boggy, 
 the left being the most direct. There are settlers along 
 the road, who will give all necessary information to 
 strangers. Corn plenty. 
 
 22. Preston Texas, on Red River. The road from Fort Washita 
 runs through the Indian settlements, passing many places 
 where good camps may be found, and crosses the Red 
 River at Preston. There is a ferry here ; also stores and a 
 blacksmith s shop. 
 
 20. M Carty s. Road runs through a heavy-timbered country, 
 
 crossing several streams where there are good camps. 
 
 14|. Elm Fork of the Trinity, at Gainesville. Road passes over a 
 
 section diversified by prairies and groves of timber. 
 
FORT SMITH TO DONA ANA AND EL PASO. 187 
 
 Miles. 
 
 1-2. Elm Fork of Trinity. Good Camp. 
 
 11. Elm Fork of Trinity. Excellent camps. Road passes over 
 
 a beautiful country rapidly settling up with farmers, who 
 cultivate and sell grain at low rates. 
 9. Turkey Creek. Tributary of Red River. Road emerges from 
 
 the upper " Cross Timbers " two miles from camp. 
 26f. Buffalo Springs. Springs of good water, but of limited 
 amount, in a ravine. 
 
 12. On a Ravine. Pools of good water and a small running 
 
 stream, not reliable. 
 13.i. On a Ravine. Pools of water. 
 17^. On a Ravine. Pools of water. 
 17. Running branch of Cottonwood Spring. Branch about two 
 
 feet wide, good water ; wood about half a mile distant. 
 14. Fort Belknap. Good road through post-oak timber. County 
 
 seat and town at Fort Belknap. Good camp on the west 
 
 side of the Brazos, whioh is always fordable except in very 
 
 high water. 
 
 14. Small Branch. Water in holes. 
 18. Water-holes. Pools of water. Road passes over prairie and 
 
 timbered lands, is very smooth and level. 
 7%. Steam s Farm, on Clear Fork of the Brazos River. Good 
 
 road; excellent camp, with abundance of wood, water, and 
 
 grass. Indian reservation here. 
 
 13. Elm Creek, or Qua-qua-ho-no. Good road over rolling 
 
 prairie and mesquite lands. 
 
 17. Ravine. Pools of standing water. Good road. 
 
 18. Ravine Pools of standing water. Good road. 
 
 27. Small Creek. Tributary of the Brazos. Good road. 
 
 6. Pools of water. Good camp. 
 8|. Small Branch. Good water. 
 
 20^. Tributary of the Colorado. Brackish water. 
 
 3j. Rio Colorado. Brackish water. Road very excellent. 
 
 2^. Spring on the Road. Good water. 
 
 2fg. Big spring to the left of the road, affording a great amount of 
 water, which runs off in a small stream. 
 
 23. Laguna Colorado. Water somewhat sulphurous; fuel, ines- 
 quite roots ; grass abundant. 
 
 35. Mustang Pond. This pond is north of the road about two 
 miles, and was found in 1849, but emigrants and others have 
 not been able to find it since. For this reason, 1 would 
 advise travelers to fill their water-kegs at the Laguna 
 Colorado, as in a very dry season, they might not be able to 
 get any water until they reached the Sand Hills. The road 
 is excellent over the " Llano Estacado," or Staked Plain. 
 
 4. Sand Hills. Water in holes. The water is good here, and can 
 always be relied on as permanent. The road through the 
 
188 FORT SMITH TO DONA ANA AND EL PASO. 
 
 Miles. 
 
 Sand Hills is very heavy ; and I would advise travelers with 
 loaded wagons to make half loads. 
 
 31. Laguno near the Pecos River. Road passes through the hills, 
 and descends the high prairie to the valley of the Pecos. 
 Laguna on the left. 
 
 15f. Crossing of Pecos. Water deep and not fordable ; river forty- 
 two yards wide. A road leads up the eastern bank of the 
 Pecos to a ford with rock bottom. Good camps can be had 
 at almost any point on the Pecos. The water is brackish, 
 but can be used without harm. 
 54j. Pecos River. Point of the river where the road turns off 
 
 toward Delaware Creek. 
 
 9. Delaware Creek. Good road after leaving the Pecos River. 
 The road on the Pecos is good in the bottom in very dry 
 weather, but after heavy rains it is submerged, and very 
 muddy. Travelers should then turn off to the bluffs. The 
 water in Delaware Creek is brackish, 
 llf. Ojo de San Martin. Fine spring of fresh water, also mineral 
 
 spring. Good road up Delaware Creek. 
 15 T 3 S Independence Spring. Large spring of excellent water. Look 
 
 out for Indians. 
 5 ^. Ojo del Gamins. Good spring in the pine timber at the base 
 
 of the mountain. 
 4. Peak of the Guadalupe. Spring at the foot of the mountain. 
 
 Road descends the mountain, and is very steep. 
 23g> Ojo del Cuerbo. Road descends through a very rough and 
 sinuous ravine, and crosses a long prairie to camp at a pond 
 of standing water. No wood. 
 26. Cornudas (Wells). Well in the rocks ; plenty of water for 
 
 small parties. Road good. 
 
 8|. Sierra del Alamo. Road good ; water limited in quantity. 
 There is a small spring upon the side of the mountain. No 
 wood except a few mesquite roots. 
 
 22-}. Waco Tanks. Good water in a large reservoir in the rocks. 
 The road here branches, the left leading to El Paso and the 
 right to Dona Ana. 
 
 28. El Paso, on the Rio del Norte. Road good, with some sand ; 
 no water upon it. 
 
 The distance from the "Waco Tanks " to Dona Ana is sixty- 
 three miles, but forty miles of the road is over heavy 
 sand, and no water until reaching the mountain, twenty- 
 five miles from Dona Ana. I would recommend travelers 
 to take the El Paso road in preference. 
 
 Total distance from Fort Smith to El Paso, 860 miles. 
 
189 
 
 IY. From St. Joseph, Missouri, to Great Salt Lake City. 
 EMIGRANTS 1 ITINERARY, 
 
 Showing the distances between camping-places, the several mail-stations 
 where mules are changed, the hours of travel, the character of the 
 roads, and the facilities for obtaining water, wood, and grass on the 
 route along the southern bank of the Platte River, from St. Joseph Mo. 
 via Great Salt Lake City, to Carron Valley. From a Diary kept 
 by Richard F. Burton between the 7th August and the 19th October, 
 I860. 
 
 No. of 
 Mail. 
 
 , 
 
 Miles 
 
 Start. 
 
 Arrival. 
 
 Date. 
 
 1. 
 
 Leave St. Joseph, Missouri, in N. lat. 39 40 , 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 and W. long. 94 50 . Cross Missouri River 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 by steam ferry. Five miles of bottom land, 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 bend in river and settlements. Over rolling 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 prairie 2000 feet above sea-level. After 6 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 miles, Troy, capital of Doniphan Co. Kansas 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 T. about a dozen shanties. Dine and ehange 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 nudes at Cold Spring good water and 
 
 20 
 
 A.M. 
 
 P.M. 
 
 
 
 grass. 
 
 24 
 
 9.30 
 
 3 
 
 Aug. 7 
 
 
 Road from Fort Leavenworth (N. lat. 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 39 21 14", and W. long. 94 44 ) falls in at 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 Cold Spring, distant 1 5 miles. 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 From St. Joseph to Cold Spring there are 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 two routes, one Iving north of the other, 
 
 
 
 
 
 the former 20, the latter 24 miles in length. 
 
 
 
 
 
 2. After 10 miles, Valley HOM e, a white-washed 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 shanty. At Small Branch on Wolf River, 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 12 miles from Cold Spring, is a fiumara on 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 north of road, with water, wood, and grass. 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 Here the road from Fort Atchinson falls in. 
 
 
 P.M. 
 
 P.M. 
 
 
 
 Kennekuk station, 44 miles from St. Joseph. 
 
 22 
 
 4 
 
 8 
 
 Aug. 7 
 
 
 Sup and ehange mules. 
 
 23 
 
 
 
 
 3. 
 
 Two miles beyond Kennekuk is the first of 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 the three Grasshopper Creeks, flowing after 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 rain to the Kansas River. Road rough and 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 stony, water, wood, and grass. Four miles 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 beyond the First Grasshopper is Whitchead, 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 a young settlement on Big Grasshopper, 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 water in pools, wood, and grass. Five and 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 a half miles beyond is Walnut Creek, in 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 Kikapoo Co. pass over Corduroy bridge, 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 roadside dotted with shanties. Thence to 
 
 
 P.M. 
 
 A.M. 
 
 
 
 Locknan s, or Big Muddy Station. 
 
 25 
 
 9 
 
 1 
 
 Aug. 7, 8 
 
190 FROM ST. JOSEPH, MISSOURI, TO GREAT SALT LAKE CITY. 
 
 No. of 
 Mail. 
 
 
 Miles Start, j 
 
 Arrival. 
 
 Date. 
 
 4. 
 
 Seventeen miles beyond Walnut Creek, the 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 Third Grasshopper, also falling into the 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 Kansas River. Good camping-ground. Ten 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 miles beyond lies Richland, deserted site. 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 Thence to Seneca, capital of Nemehaw Co. 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 A few shanties on N. bank of Big Nemehaw 
 
 
 
 
 
 Creek, a tributary of the Missouri River, 
 
 A.M. 
 
 A.M. 
 
 
 
 which affords water, wood, and grass. 
 
 18 
 
 3 
 
 6 
 
 Aug. 8 
 
 5. 
 
 Cross Wildcat Creek and other nullahs. Seven 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 miles beyond Seneca lies Ashpoint, a few 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 wooden huts, thence to " Uncle John s Gro 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 cery," where liquor and stores are procur 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 able. Eleven miles from Big Nemehaw, 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 water, wood, and grass are found at certain 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 seasons near the head of a ravine. Thence 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 to Vermilion Creek, which heads to the N.E. 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 and enters the Big Blue 20 miles above its 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 mouth. The ford is miry after rain, and 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 the banks are thickly wooded. Water is 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 found in wells 40 43 ft. deep. Guittard s 
 
 
 A.M 
 
 XOON. 
 
 
 
 Station. 
 
 20 
 
 8 
 
 12 
 
 Aug. 8 
 
 6. 
 
 Fourteen miles from Guittard s, Marysville, 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 capital of Washington Co. affords supplies 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 and a blacksmith. Then ford the Big Blue, 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 tributary to Kansas River, clear and swift 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 stream. Twelve miles W. of Marysville is 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 frontier line between Kansas and Nebraska. 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 Thence to Cottonwood Creek, fields in hol 
 
 
 P.M. 
 
 P.M. 
 
 
 
 low near the stream. 
 
 25 
 
 1 
 
 6 
 
 Aug. 8 
 
 7. 
 
 Store at the crossing very dirty and disorderly. 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 good water in spriug 400 yards N. of the 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 road, wood and grass abundant. Seventeen 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 and a half miles from the Big Blue is Wal 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 nut Creek, where emigrants encamp. Thence 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 to West Turkey or Rock Creek in Nebraska 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 T. a branch of the Big Blue : its approxi 
 
 
 P.M. 
 
 P.M. 
 
 
 
 mate altitude is 1485 feet. 
 
 26 
 
 6 
 
 11 
 
 Aug. 8 
 
 8. 
 
 After nineteen miles of rough road and mos- 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 quitos, cross Little Sandy, five miles E. of 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 Big Sandy, water and trees plentiful. There 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 Big Sandy deep and heavy bed. Big Sandy 
 
 
 P.M. 
 
 A.M. 
 
 
 
 Station. 
 
 23 
 
 12 
 
 4 
 
 Aug. 9 
 
 9. 
 
 Cross hills forming divide of Little Blue River 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 ascending valley sixty miles long. Little 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 Blue fine stream of clear water falling into 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 Kansas River, everywhere good supplies and 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 good camping-ground. Along left bank to 
 
 
 A.M. 
 
 A.M. 
 
 
 
 Kiowa. 
 
 19 
 
 6 
 
 10 
 
 Aug. 9 
 
 10. 
 
 Rough roads of spurs and gullies runs up 
 
 
 
 
 
FROM ST. JOSEPH, MISSOURI, TO GREAT SALT LAKE CITY. 191 
 
 N T o.of 
 Mail. 
 
 
 Miles 
 
 Start. 
 
 Arrival. 
 
 Date. 
 
 
 valley 2 miles wide. Well wooded chiefly 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 with cotton wood and grass abundant. Ranch 
 
 
 A.M. 
 
 P.M. 
 
 
 
 at Liberty Farm on the Little Blue. 
 
 25 
 
 11 
 
 3 
 
 Aug. 9 
 
 11. 
 
 Cross divide between Little Blue and Platte 
 
 ( 
 
 
 
 
 
 River, rough road, mosquitos troublesome. 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 Approximate altitude of dividing ridge 2025 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 feet. Station at Thirty-two Mile-Creek, a 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 small wooded and winding stream flowing 
 
 
 P,M. 
 
 P.M. 
 
 
 
 into the Little Blue. 
 
 24 
 
 4 
 
 9 
 
 Aug. 9 
 
 12. 
 
 After twenty-seven miles strike valley of the 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 Platte, along southern bank" of river, over 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 level ground, good for camping, fodder abun 
 dant. After seven miles Fort Kearny in N. 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 hit. 40 38 45", and W long. 98 58 11": 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 approximate altitude 2350 feet above the 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 sea level. Grocery, cloths, provisions, and 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 supplies of all kinds are to be procured from 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 the sutler s store. Beyond Kearny a rough 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 and bad road leads to " Seventeen- Mile- 
 
 
 P.M. 
 
 A.M. 
 
 
 
 Station." 
 
 34 
 
 10.30 
 
 8 
 
 Aug. 10 
 
 13. 
 
 Along south bank of Platte. Buffalo chips 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 used for fuel. Sign of Buffalo appears. Plum 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 Creek Station on a stream where there is a 
 
 
 A.M. 
 
 P.M. 
 
 
 
 bad crossing in wet weather. 
 
 2i 
 
 9.30 
 
 1.15 
 
 Aug. 10 
 
 14. 
 
 Beyond Plum Creek, Willow Island Ranch, 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 where supplies are procurable. Road along 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 Platte, wood scarce, grass plentiful, buffalo 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 abounds; after twenty miles "Cold Water 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 Ranch." Halt and change at Midway Sta 
 
 
 P.M. 
 
 P.M. 
 
 
 
 tion. 
 
 25 
 
 2.30 
 
 8 
 
 Aug. 10 
 
 15. 
 
 Along Valley of Platte, road muddy after 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 rain, fuel scarce, grass abundant, camp traces 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 everywhere. Ranch at Cottonwood Station, 
 
 
 P.M. 
 
 A.M. 
 
 
 
 at this season the western limit of buffalo. 
 
 27 
 
 9 
 
 1.45 
 
 Aug. 11 
 
 16. 
 
 Up Valley of Platte. No wood, buffalo chips 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 for fuel. Good camping-ground, grass on 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 small branch of Platte. To Junction House 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 Ranch and thence to station at Fremont 
 
 
 A.M. 
 
 A.M. 
 
 
 
 Springs. 
 
 30 
 
 6.15 
 
 11 
 
 Aug. 1 1 
 
 17. 
 
 Road passes O Fallon s Bluffs. "Half-way 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 House" a store and ranch, distant 120 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 miles from Fort Kearny, 400 from St. 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 Joseph, forty from the lower crossing, and 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 sixty-eight from the upper crossing of the 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 South Fork (Platte River). The station is 
 
 
 NOON. 
 
 P.M. 
 
 
 
 called Alkali Lake. 
 
 25 
 
 12 
 
 5 
 
 Aug. 1 1 
 
 18. 
 
 Road along river, no timber, grass, buffalo 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 chips, and mosquitos. Station at Diamond 
 
 
 P.M. 
 
 P.M. 
 
 
 
 Springs near Lower Crossing. 
 
 25 
 
 6 
 
 10 15 
 
 Aug. 1 1 
 
192 FROM ST. JOSEPH, MISSOURI, TO GREAT SALT LAKE CITY. 
 
 No.of 
 Mail. 
 
 
 Miles 
 
 Start. 
 
 Arrival. 
 
 Date. 
 
 19. 
 
 Road along river. Last four miles very heavy 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 sand, avoided by Lower Crossing. Poor 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 accommodation at Upper Ford or Crossing 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 on the eastern bank, where the mail passes 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 the stream en route to Gt. S. L. City, and the 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 road branches to Denver City and Pike s 
 
 
 P.M. 
 
 A.M. 
 
 
 
 Peak. 
 
 25 
 
 11 
 
 3-15 
 
 Aug. 12 
 
 20. 
 
 Ford Platte 600 yards wide, 2 50 ft. deep, bed 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 gravelly and solid, easy ford in dry season. 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 Cross divide between North and South Forks 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 along bank of Lodge Pole Creek. Land arid, 
 
 
 AM . 
 
 P.M. 
 
 
 
 wild sage for fuel. Lodge Pole Station. 
 
 35 
 
 6.30 
 
 12-45 
 
 Aug. 1 1 
 
 21. 
 
 Up Lodge Pole Creek over spur of table-land, 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 then striking over the prairie finishes the 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 high divide between the Forks. Approximate 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 altitude 3600 feet. On the right is Ash- 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 Hollow, where there is plenty of wood and 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 a small spring. Station is mud springs, a 
 
 
 P.M. 
 
 P.M. 
 
 
 
 poor ranch. 
 
 25 
 
 3 
 
 5-45 
 
 Aug. 12 
 
 22. 
 
 Route lies over rolling divide between the 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 Forks, crossing Omoha, Lawrence, and 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 other creeks where water and grass are pro 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 curable. Cedar is still found in hill-gullies. 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 About half a mile north of Chimney Rock 
 
 
 A. M. 
 
 P. M. 
 
 
 
 is a ranch where the cattle are changed. 
 
 25 
 
 8 
 
 12-30 
 
 Aug. 13 
 
 23. 
 
 Road along south bank of North Fork of 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 Platte River. Wild sage only fuel in valley; 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 small spring on top of first hill. Rugged 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 labyrinth of paths abreast cf Scott s Bluffs, 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 which lie 5 miles S. of river in N. lat. 41 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 48 26", and W. long, 103 45 02". Water 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 found in first ravine of Scott s Bluffs 200 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 yards below the road, cedars on heights. To 
 
 
 P. M. 
 
 P. M. 
 
 
 
 Station. 
 
 24 
 
 1 -30 
 
 5-30 
 
 Aug. 13 
 
 24. 
 
 Road along river, crosses Little Kiowa Creek, 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 a tributary to Horse Creek, which flows into 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 the Platte. Ford Horse Creek, a clear 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 shallow stream with a sandy bottom. No 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 wood below the hills. 
 
 16 
 
 P. M 
 
 P. M. 
 
 
 25. 
 
 Route over sandy and heavy river bottom and 
 
 
 6-3 
 
 830 
 
 Aug. 13 
 
 
 rolling ground, leaving the Platte on the 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 right: cottonwood and willows on the banks. 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 Ranch at Laramie City kept by M. Badeau, 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 a Canadian, \\ ho sells spirits, Indian goods, 
 
 
 A. M. 
 
 P. M. 
 
 
 
 and outfit. 
 
 26 
 
 6 
 
 10-20 
 
 Aug. 14 
 
 26. 
 
 After 9 miles of rough road cross Laramie 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 Fork and enter Fort Laramie, N. lat. 420 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 12 38", and W. long, 104 31 26". Alt. 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 4519 feet. Military post with post-office, 
 
 
 
 
 
FROM ST. JOSEPH, MISSOURI, TO GREAT SALT LAKE CITY. 193 
 
 No. of 
 Mail. 
 
 
 Miles 
 
 Start. 
 
 Arrival, 
 
 Date. 
 
 
 sutler s stores, and other conveniences. 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 Thence to Ward s Station on the Central 
 
 
 P. M. 
 
 P. M. 
 
 
 
 Star, small ranch and store. 
 
 18 
 
 12- 
 
 4 
 
 Aug. 14 
 
 27. 
 
 Rough and bad road. After 14 miles, cross 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 Bitter Cotton wood Creek, water rarely flows 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 after rain 10 feet wide and 6 inches deep, 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 grass and fuel abundant. Pass Indian shop 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 and store. At Bitter Creek branch of 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 Cottonwood the road to Salt Lake City 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 forks. Emigrants follow Upper or South 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 road over spurs of Black Hills, some way 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 south of river to avoid kanyons and to find 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 grass. The station is called Horseshoe 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 Creek. Residence of road agent, Mr. Slade, 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 one of the worst places on the line. 
 
 25 
 
 P. M. 
 
 P. M. 
 
 
 28. 
 
 Road forks, one line follows Platte, the other 
 
 
 5 
 
 9-30 
 
 Aug. 14 
 
 
 turns to the left, over "cut off; highly un 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 dulating ridges crooked and deeply dented 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 with dry beds of rivers; land desolate and 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 desert. No wood nor water till end of stage. 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 La Borne River and Station, unfinished 
 
 
 A. M. 
 
 A. M. 
 
 
 
 ranch in Valley, water and grass. 
 
 25 
 
 10-45 
 
 2 45 
 
 Aug. 15 
 
 29. 
 
 Road runs 6 miles (wheels often locked), 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 on rugged red land, crosses several dry beds 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 of creeks, and springs with water after 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 * melting of snow and frosts in dry season, 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 thence into Valley of Platte. After 17 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 miles, it crosses the La Prele (Rush River), 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 a stream 16 feet wide, where water and 
 
 
 
 
 
 J wood abound. At Hox-Elder Cnvk SM- 
 
 
 
 
 
 n , JHP good ranch and comfortable camping- 
 
 
 P.M. 
 
 P.M. 
 
 
 VU^^Band. 
 
 25 
 
 4 
 
 9 
 
 Aug. 15 
 
 . Along the Platte River now slirunk to 100 
 
 
 
 
 
 ^^ds. After 10 miles, M. Bisonnette, at 
 
 
 
 
 
 B: Creek, a post office, blacksmith s shop, 
 
 
 
 
 
 1 and store near Indian Agency. Thence a 
 
 
 
 
 
 ^fste of wild sage to Little muddy, a creek 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 with water. No accommodation nor pro- 
 
 
 A.M 
 
 NOON. 
 
 
 
 visiijp at station. 
 
 20 
 
 8-3. 
 
 12 
 
 Aug. 16 
 
 31. 
 
 After 8 miles cross vile bridge over Snow 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 Creek. Thence up river valley along S. 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 bank of Platte to lower ferry. To Lower 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 Bridge, old station of troops. To Upper 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 Bridge, where ferry has now been done 
 
 
 P.M. 
 
 P. M. 
 
 
 
 away with. 
 
 18 
 
 riff. 
 
 4-15 
 
 Aug. 16 
 
 32. 
 
 Road ascends hill 7 miles long, land rough. 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 barren, and sandy in dry season. After 10 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 miles, red spring near the Red Buttes, old 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 trading-place and post office. Road then 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
194 FROM ST. JOSEPH, MISSOURI, TO GREAT SALT LAKE CITY. 
 
 N"o.o 
 Mail 
 
 
 Miles 
 
 Start. 
 
 Arrival 
 
 Date. 
 
 
 leaves Platte River and strikes over high, 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 rolling, and barren prairie. After 18 miles 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 "Devil s Backbone." Station at Willow 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 Springs, wood, water, and grass, good place 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 for encampment, but no accommodation nor 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 provisions. On this stage mineral and 
 
 
 A. M. 
 
 P.M. 
 
 
 33. 
 
 alkaline waters dangerous to cattle abound. 
 After 3 miles, Green Creek, not to be depen 
 
 28 
 
 6 30 
 
 1250 
 
 Aug. 17 
 
 
 ded upon, and Prospect Hill, a good look 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 out. Then, at intervals of 3 miles, Harper s, 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 Woodwork s, and Greasewood Creeks, fol 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 lowed by heavy sand. At 17 miles " Saler- 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 atus Lake" on west of road. Four miles 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 beyond is "Independence Rock," Ford 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 Sweetwater, leaving " Devil s Gate " on 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 right. Pass blacksmith s shop. Sage only 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 fuel. Plante or Muddy Station, family of 
 
 
 P.M. 
 
 P.M. 
 
 
 
 Canadians, no conveniences. 
 
 33 
 
 2 30 
 
 9-15 
 
 Auo- 17 
 
 34. 
 
 Along winding banks of Sweetwater. After 
 
 
 
 
 ^*-"S * 
 
 
 4 miles, " Alkali Lake," S. of road. Land 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 dry and stony, stunted cedars in hills. After 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 1-2 miles, J Devil s Post-Office," singular bluff 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 on left of road, and opposite ranch kept bv 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 Canadian. Mail Station " Three Crossings," 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 at Ford No. 3, excellent water, wood, grass, 
 
 
 A.M. 
 
 A,M. 
 
 
 
 game, and wild currants. 
 
 25 
 
 7 
 
 11 
 
 Aug. 18 
 
 35. 
 
 Up kanyon of Sweetwater. Ford river 5 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 times, making total of 8. After 16 miles, 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 " Ice Springs," in swampy valley, and one 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 quarter of a mile beyond " Warm Springs." 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 Then rough descent and waterless stretch. 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 Descend by "Lander s cut-off" into fertile 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 bottom. " Rocky Ridge Station," at Musk- 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 rat Creek good cold spring, grass, and sage 
 
 
 A.M. 
 
 P.M. 
 
 
 
 fuel. 
 
 35 
 
 5 45 
 
 12-45 
 
 Aug. 19 
 
 36. 
 
 Up bed of creek, and ascending long hills leave 
 Sweetwater. After 4 miles, 3 alkaline ponds 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 S. of road. Rough path. After 7 miles, 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 | Strawberry Creek," 6ft. Avide, good camp 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 ing ground, willows and poplars. One mile 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 beyond is Quaking Asp Creek, often dry. 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 Three miles- beyond lies M Achran s branch, 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 33 x 2. Then " Willow Creek," 10 X 2, 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 good camping-ground. At Ford No. 9, Ca 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 nadian ranch and store. Long table-land 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 leads to " South Pass," dividing trip between 
 Atlantic and Pacific, and thence 2 miles to 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 station at "Pacific Springs," water, toler 
 
 
 A.M. 
 
 P.M. 
 
 
 
 able grass, sage fuel, and mos^uitos. 
 
 35 
 
 7-45 
 
 3 
 
 Aug. 20 
 
 i 
 
 
 
 
 
 
FROM ST. JOSEPH, MISSOURI, TO GREAT SALT LAKE CITY. 195 
 
 No.of 
 Mail 
 
 
 Miles 
 
 Start. 
 
 Arrival. 
 
 Date. 
 
 37. 
 
 Cross Miry Creek. Road down Pacific Creek, 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 water scarce for 20 miles. After 11 miles, 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 " Dry Sandy Creek," water scarce and too 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 brackish to drink, grass little, sage and 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 greasewood plentiful. After 16 miles, Sub- 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 leit s cut-off," or the "Dry Drive," turns N. 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 westward to Soda Springs and Fort Hall: 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 the left fork leads to Fort Bridger and Gt. 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 St. L. City. Four miles beyond junction 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 is " Little Sandy Creek," 20 25 X 2, grass, 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 timber, and good camping-ground. F ght 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 miles beyond is "Big Sandy Creek," clear, 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 swift, and with good crossing 110 X 2. 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 Southern route best, along old road, no 
 
 
 A.M. 
 
 P.M. 
 
 
 
 water for 49 miles. Big Sandy Creek Station. 
 
 33 
 
 8 
 
 12-50 
 
 Aug. 21 
 
 38. 
 
 Desolate road cuts off bend of river, no grass 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 nor water. After 12 miles " Simpson s Hol 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 low." Fall into Valley of Green River 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 half a mile wide, water 110 yards broad. 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 After 20,i miles, Upper Ford, Lower Ford 7 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 miles below Upper. Good camping-ground 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 on bottom ; at station in Green River gro 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 cery, stores, and ferry-boat when there is 
 
 
 P.M. 
 
 P.M. 
 
 
 
 high water. 
 
 32 
 
 1-45 
 
 6 30 
 
 Aug. 21 
 
 39. 
 
 Diagonal ford over Green River, good camp 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 ing-ground in bottom. Follow valley for 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 4 miles, grass, and fuel. Michel Martin s 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 store and grocery. Road leaves river and 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 crosses waterless, divide to Black s Fork 100 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 X 2, grass and fuel. Wretched station at 
 
 
 A.M. 
 
 NOON. 
 
 
 
 Ham s Fork. 
 
 24 
 
 8 
 
 12 
 
 Aug. 22 
 
 
 Ford Ham s Fork. After 12 miles road forks 
 
 
 
 
 O 
 
 
 at the 2nd striking of Ham s Fork, both 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 branches leading to Fort Bridger. Mail 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 takes left-hand path. Then Black s fork 20 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 X 2, clear and pretty valley, with grass and 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 fuel, cottonwood, and yellow currants. Cross 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 stream 3 times. After 12 miles, "Church 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 Butte." Ford Smith s Fork 30ft. wide, and 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 shallow, tributary of Black s Fork. Station 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 at Millersville on Smith s Fork, large store, 
 
 
 P.M. 
 
 P.M. 
 
 
 
 and good accommodation. 
 
 20 
 
 2 
 
 5-15 
 
 Aug22. 
 
 41. 
 
 Road runs up valley of Black s Fork. After 1 2 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 miles, Fort Bridger in N. lat. 4 1 18 12", and 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 W. long. 1 10 32 23", on Black s Fork of 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 Green River. Commands Indian trade, fuel, 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 corn, little grass. Post-office, sutler s store, 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 grocery, and other conveniences. Thence 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 rough and rolling ground to Muddy Creek 
 
 
 
 
 
196 FROM ST. JOSEPH, MISSOURI, TO GREAT SALT LAKE CITY. 
 
 No. o 
 Mail. 
 
 
 Miles. Start. Arrival. 
 
 Date. 
 
 
 Hill, steep and stony descent. Over fertile 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 bottom to Big Muddy and Little Muddy 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 Creek, which empties into Black s Fork 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 below Fort Bridger. At Creek Station is 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 a Canadian, provisions, excellent milk, no 
 
 
 A.M. 
 
 P.M. 
 
 
 
 stores. 
 
 25 
 
 8.30 
 
 12-15 
 
 Ail" 1 . 23 
 
 42. 
 
 Rough country. Road winds along ridge to 
 
 
 
 
 O* 
 
 
 Quaking Asp Hill 7,900 (8,400?) feet above 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 sea-level. Steep descent, rough and broken 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 ground. After eighteen miles, Sulphur Creek 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 Valley, stagnant stream, flowing after rain, 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 ford bad and muddy. Station in fertile 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 valley of Bear River, which turns northAvard 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 and flows into E. side of Lake, wood, grass, 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 and water. Poor accommodations at Bear 
 
 
 NOON. 
 
 P.M. 
 
 
 
 River Station. 
 
 20 
 
 12 
 
 5-30 
 
 Aug. 23 
 
 43. 
 
 Road runs by Needle Rocks, falls into Valley 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 of Egan s Creek. "Cache Cave "on right 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 hand. Three Miles below Cave is Red Fork 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 in Echo Kanyon, unfinished station at 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 entrance. Rough road, steep ascents and 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 descents along Red Creek Station, on Weber 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 River, which falls into Salt Lake south of 
 
 
 A.M. 
 
 P.M. 
 
 
 
 Bear River. 
 
 36 
 
 8-15 
 
 2 30 
 
 Aug. 24 
 
 44. 
 
 Road runs down Valley of Weber. Ford river. 
 After 5 miles is a salt spring where the road 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 leaves the river, to avoid a deep kanyon, and 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 turns left into a valley with rough paths, 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 trying to wheels; then crosses mountain, 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 and ascending long hill descends to Bau- 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 chemin s Creek, tributary to Weber River. 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 Creek eighteen feet wide, swift, pebbly bed, 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 good ford, grass and fuel abundant. Station 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 called Carson s House; accommodations of 
 
 
 P.M. 
 
 P.M. 
 
 
 
 the worst. 
 
 22 
 
 4 30 
 
 7.4.5 
 
 Anf 94 
 
 45. 
 
 Ford Bauchemin s Creek thirteen times in 
 
 
 
 
 rVUg. ^4 
 
 
 eight miles. After two miles along a small 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 watercourse ascend Big Mountain, whence 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 first vieV of Great Salt Lake City, twelve 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 miles distant. After fourteen miles Big 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 Kanyon Creek. Six miles further, road 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 leaves Big Kanyon Creek, and after steep 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 ascent and descent makes Emigration Creek. 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 Cross Little Mountain, two miles beyond 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 Big Mountain, road rough and dangerous. 
 Five Miles from Emigration Kanyon to Great 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 Salt Lake City. Road through " Big Field " 
 
 
 A.M. 
 
 P.M. 
 
 
 
 six miles square. 
 
 29 
 
 7 7-15 Aug. 28 
 
SALT LAKE TO SACRAMENTO AND BENICIA. 197 
 
 GREAT SALT LAKE CITY N. lat. 40 46 08" 
 
 W. long. 112 06 08" (g.) 
 Altitude 4300 feet. 
 
 The variation of compass at Temple Block in 1849 was 15 47 23", and 
 in I860 it was 15 64 , a slow progress towards the east. (In the Wind River 
 Mountains, as laid down by Col. Fremont in 1842 was E. 18.) In Fill- 
 more Valley it is now 18 15 , and three years ago was about 17 east, the 
 rapid progression to the east is accompanied with extreme irregularity, 
 which the people attribute to the metallic constituents of the soil. 
 
 Total of days between St. Jo. and Great Salt Lake City . 19 
 
 Total Stages 45 
 
 Distance in statute miles 1136 
 
 From Fort Lea vcn worth to Great Salt Lake City . . 1168 
 
 Y. From Salt Lake City to Sacramento and Benicia, 
 California. 
 
 Miles. 
 
 From Salt Lake City to 
 18. Halt s Ranch, Good road, and grass abundant until Bear 
 
 River is crossed. 
 17^. Ford on Weber River. Good road, and grass abundant. 
 
 lo. Point of Mountain. Spring water warm hut pure. 
 12J. Box Elder Creek. Excellent water; grass and fuel abundant 
 
 in the canons. 
 23. Ferry on Bear River. Four miles above the usual crossing. 
 
 Excellent grass. 
 
 f . West Bank. Grass not good on the west bank. 
 6. Small Spring. Cross Bear River below the mouth of the 
 
 Mallade. 
 
 17. Blue Springs. Water and grass scarce, and of poor quality. 
 21 J. Deep Creek Heavy sage, but good grass on the right of the 
 
 road, near sink. 
 20J. Cedar Springs. Good grass on the hills, with fine water and 
 
 wood ; rolling country. 
 10. Rock Creek. Plenty of grass to the left of the* road ; good 
 
 camping-place. 
 
 14 J. Raft River. Good camp. 
 
 22. Goose Creek Mountains. Grass, wood, and water abundant ; 
 rough a nd mountainous country. Road from Fort Bridger 
 comes in here via Soda Springs. 
 17J. On Goose Creek. Rough, broken country, with a good road, 
 
 which runs along the creek for several miles. 
 28 j. Head of 1000 Spring Valley. Road runs over a rolling, barren 
 
198 SALT LAKE TO SACRAMENTO AND BENICIA. 
 
 Miles. 
 
 section, with but little water except on the river far to the right. 
 25f . 1000 Spring Valley. Meadow grass ; good fuel scarce. Canips 
 
 can be found at short intervals along the road. 
 14. Head of Humboldt River. Fine camping-places, and road 
 
 generally good, running over a rolling country. 
 23. Slough of the Humboldt. Extensive bottoms of good grass. 
 20. Humboldt River. Along the entire course of the Humboldt 
 good grass is found in the bottoms. The road, which follows 
 the bottom, is hard and smooth, but cannot be traveled in 
 seasons of very high water, as the bottom overflows. It is 
 then necessary to take the road on the bluffs, where the 
 grass is scarce. The river, when not above a fording stage, 
 can be forded at almost any point, and good camps can be 
 found at short intervals. There are spots along the river 
 bottom where alkaline ponds are frequent. These are poison 
 ous to cattle, and should be avoided by travelers. It is well 
 along this river not to allow animals to drink any water 
 except from the river where it is running. 
 20. Humboldt River. The foregoing remarks apply for every camp 
 
 on the Humboldt River. 
 
 22. Humboldt River. Good camps along the Humboldt Valley. 
 23. Humboldt River. 
 13J. 
 16* 
 25. 
 13f. 
 24. 
 
 18*. 
 
 13*. 
 
 18 J. Lawson s Meadows. The road here forks, the left going by the 
 Carson Valley and Sacramento route, and the right via Goose, 
 Cleer, and Rhett lakes, Applegat s Pass of the Cascade Moun 
 tains, into Rogue River Valley, Fort Law, Oregon Territory, 
 Yreka, Fort Jones, Fort Reading, and Sacramento River. 
 
 33. On Humboldt River. Grass and water poor all the distance to 
 the Sink of the Humboldt. 
 
 19. Sink of Humboldt River. The water at the Sink is strongly 
 impregnated with alkali ; the road generally is good. 
 Travelers should not allow their stock to drink too freely of 
 this water. 
 
 26. Head Sink of Humboldt. Road good. 
 
 45. Carson River. Road crosses the desert, where there is no water 
 for stock, but there is a well where travelers can purchase 
 water for drinking. This part of the road should be traveled 
 in the cool of the day and at night. Grass good, also the 
 water. 
 
SALT LAKE TO SACRAMENTO AND BENICIA. 199 
 
 Miles. 
 
 2. Carson River. Good bunch-grass near the road. 
 30. Carson River. 26 miles of desert ; poor grass. 
 
 14. Eagle Ranch. Good grass and water. 
 13. Reese s Ranch. Good grass and water. 
 
 12. Williams Ranch. Very good water and grass. 
 
 15. Hope Valley. Road rough and rocky. 
 
 3. Near Sierra. Good camp, with water and grass. 
 
 7. First Summit. Road rough and rocky ; good water ; grass 
 
 scarce. 
 2. Second Summit. Road mountainous and very steep; snow 
 
 nearly all the year. 
 10. Lakes. Good carnp. 
 12. Leek Springs. Good grass near the road. 
 10. Traders Creek. Grass and fuel scarce. 
 12. Sly Park. Grass and fuel near the road. 
 
 Forty Mile House. Water plenty; grass scarce. 
 Sacramento Valley. Water plenty ; purchase forage. 
 Sacramento City. Water plenty ; purchase forage. 
 
 Total distance from Salt Lake City to Benicia, 973 miles. 
 
 At the Big Meadows, 23 miles from the Sink of the Humboldt, 
 travelers should make a halt of a day or two to rest and recruit 
 their animals, and to cut grass for crossing the desert, as this is the 
 last good camping-place until reaching Carson River. The ground 
 near this place is boggy, and animals should be watered with buckets. 
 The camping-ground here is on the right bank of the river, and 
 about half a mile to the left of the main road. The water is in a 
 slough, near its head, where will be found some springs which run 
 off a short distance, but soon sink. 
 
 The road across the desert is very sandy, especially toward the 
 western extremity. Twenty miles from the Sink of the Humboldt 
 there are four wells. About half a mile east of the mail station, the 
 road leading to the wells turns to the right, where water can be 
 purchased for from one to two shillings for each man and beast. 
 
 At 9^ miles beyond the mail station, on the desert, a road turns 
 off from the main trace toward a very high sandy ridge, and directly 
 upon the top of this ridge is the crater of an extinct volcano, at 
 the bottom of which is a salt lake. Upon the extreme north end of 
 this lake will be found a large spring of fresh water, sufficient for 
 1000 animals. From thence to " Ragtown," on Carson River, is 
 three miles. 
 
 I would advise travelers, when their animals become exhausted 
 before reaching this water, to take them out of harness and drive 
 them to this place to recruit. There is some grass around the lake, 
 his desert has always been the most difficult part of the journey 
 
200 GREAT SALT LAKE CITY TO LOS ANGELOS. 
 
 to California, and more animals have probably been lost here than 
 at any other place. The parts of wagons that are continually met 
 with here shows this most incontestabl. 
 
 VI. From Great Salt Lake City to Los Angelas and San 
 Francisco, California. 
 
 Miles. 
 
 Salt Lake City to 
 23f . Willow Creek. Good Grass. 
 
 14. American Creek. Good Grass. 
 11|. Provo City. Town. 
 ?{. Hobble Creek. Good camp. 
 6. Spanish Fork. Good camp. 
 5. Peteetneet. Good camp. 
 
 25. Salt Creek. Several small streams between. Good camp. 
 18|. Toola Creek. Ford. No wood; grass good. 
 G|. Sevier River Road is sandy, passing over a high ridge. Good 
 
 camp. 
 25 . Cedar Creek. Road rather mountainous and sandy. Good 
 
 grass and wood. 
 17. Creek. This is the fourth stream south of Sevier River. Road 
 
 crosses two streams. Good camp. 
 
 3f . Willow Flats. The water sinks a little east of the road. 
 25. Spring. Good grass and water. 
 22. Sage Creek. Grass poor ; wood and water. 
 Beaver Creek. Good wood, water, and grass. 
 North Canon Creek. In Little Salt Lake Valley. Good grass; 
 
 no wood. The road is rough and steep for six miles. 
 Creek. Good wood, water, and grass. 
 Creek. Good wood, water, and grass. 
 Cottonwood Creek. Good grass and water. 
 9. Cedar Springs. Good camp. 
 
 23. Pynte Creek. Good grass one mile up the canon. 
 9. Road Springs. Road is rough ; good camp. 
 16. Santa Clara. Road descending and rough ; poor grass. From 
 
 this point to Cahoon Pass look out for Indians. 
 17. Camp Springs. Two miles before reaching the springs the 
 
 road leaves the Santa Clara. Good grass. 
 22 . Rio Virgin. Road crosses over the summit of a mountain. 
 
 Good road ; grass poor. 
 39f . Rio Virgin. Road runs down the Rio Virgin, crossing it ten 
 
 times. Grass good down the river. 
 
 19f. Muddy Creek. Road for half a mile is very steep and sandy. 
 Good camp. 
 
GREAT SALT LAKE CITY TO LOS ANGELOS. 201 
 
 Miles. 
 
 52^. Las Vagas. Water is sometimes found 2^ miles west of the 
 road in holes 23 miles from the Muddy, and some grass about 
 a mile from the road. Good camp. 
 
 5. On Vagas. Road runs up the river. Good grass. 
 17. Cotton wood Spring. Poor grass. 
 
 29|. Cotton wood Grove. No grass. Water and grass can be found 
 four miles west by following the old Spanish trail to a ravine, 
 and thence to the left in the ravine one mile. 
 21-f . Resting Springs. Good grass and water. Animals should be 
 
 rested here before entering the desert. 
 
 7. Spring. The spring is on the left of the road, and flows into 
 Saleratus Creek. Animals must not be allowed to drink the 
 Saleratus water. 
 
 14. Salt Springs. Poor grass and no fresh water. 
 38f . Bitter Springs. Good road ; poor grass. 
 30f. Mohave River. Good road and good grass. 
 51 . On the Mohave. Last ford. Good grass all the way up the 
 
 Mohave. 
 
 17. Cahoon Pass. At the summit. 
 10. Camp. Road bad down the canon. 
 1 1 . Coco Mongo Ranch. 
 
 10 Del Chino Ranch. Williams 
 19f . San Gabriel River. 
 
 6. San Gabriel Mission. 
 8$. Puebla de los Angelos. 
 
 65|. Santa Clara River. On the Coast Route. Good camps to San 
 
 Jos6\ 
 7. Buena Ventura Mission and River. Road here strikes the 
 
 Pacific shore. 
 
 26. Santa Barbara. Town. 
 45|. San Yenness River. At the Mission. 
 78^. Santa Margareta. Old Mission. 
 28|. San Miguel. Old Mission. 
 24|. San Antonio River. 
 26J. Rio del Monterey. 
 
 15f. Solida Mission. At the ford of Rio del Monterey. 
 37. San Juan Mission. 
 33. San Jose Pueblo. 
 75. San Francisco. 
 
GREAT SALT LAKE CITY TO SAN FRAXCISCO. 
 
 YII. From Great Salt Lake City to San Francisco. 
 
 ^o.of 
 Mail. 
 
 
 Miles 
 
 Start. 
 
 Arrival. 
 
 Date. 
 
 1. 
 
 3,oad through south of City, due south along 
 
 
 
 
 
 and 
 
 right bank of Jordan. Crosses many creeks, 
 
 
 
 
 
 2. 
 
 viz., Kanyon Creek, 4 miles, Mill Creek, 2^ 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 First or Great Cottonwood Creek, 2. Second 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 ditto, 4. Fork of road, l. Dry Creek, 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 Si Willow Creek, 2f . 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 After 22 -23 miles, hot and cold springs, 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 and halfway house, the brewery under Point 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 of the Mountain. Road across Ash Hollow 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 or Jordan Kanyon, 2 miles. Fords river, 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 knee deep, ascends a rough divide between 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 Utah Valley and Cedar Valley 10 miles 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 from camp, and finally reaches Cedar Creek 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 and Camp Floyd. 
 
 44 
 
 10-30 9-30 
 
 Sept. 20 
 
 3. 
 
 Leaves Camp Floyd, 7 miles to divide of Ce 
 
 
 
 
 
 dar Valley. Crosses divide into Rush 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 Valley, after total of 18 2 miles reaches 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 Meadow Creek, good grass and water. Rush 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 Valley Mail Station 1 mile beyond, food 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 and accommodation. 
 
 20 
 
 10-30 
 
 9-30 
 
 Sept. 27 
 
 4. 
 
 Crosses remains of Rush Valley 7 miles. Up 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 rough divide called Genl. Johnston s Pass. 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 Spring often dry, 200 yards on right of road. 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 At Point Look-Out leaves Simpson s Road, 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 which runs south. Cross Skull Valley, bad 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 road. To bench on eastern flank of desert. 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 Station called Egan s Springs, Simpson s 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 Springs, or Lost Springs, grass plentiful, 
 
 
 A. M. 
 
 
 
 
 water good. 
 
 27 
 
 9-30 
 
 4-30 
 
 Sept. 28 
 
 5. 
 
 New station, road forks to S.-E. and leads 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 after 5 miles to grass and water. After 8 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 miles River Bottom, 1 mile broad. Long 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 line over desert to Express Station, called 
 
 
 
 P. M. 
 
 
 
 Dugway, no grass, and no water. 
 
 20 
 
 12 
 
 5-30 
 
 Sept. 29 
 
 6. 
 
 Steep road 2 miles to summit of Dugway 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 Pass. Descend by rough incline, 8 miles 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 beyond road forks to Devil s Hole, 90 miles 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 from Camp Floyd on Simpson s route, and 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 6 miles S. of Fish Springs. Eight miles 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 beyond Fork is Mountain Point, road winds 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 S. and W. and then N. to avoid swamp, 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 and crosses three sloughs. Beyond last is 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 Fish Spring Station on bench, poor place, 
 
 
 
 
 
GREAT SALT LAKE CITY TO SAN FRANCISCO. 
 
 203 
 
 No.of 
 Mail. 
 
 
 Miles 
 
 Start. 
 
 Arrival. 
 
 Date. 
 
 
 water plentiful but bad. Cattle here drink 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 for first time after Lost Springs, distant 48 
 
 
 P. M. 
 
 A.M. 
 
 
 
 miles. 
 
 28 
 
 6-30 
 
 3 30 
 
 Sept. 29 
 
 y 
 
 Road passes many pools, Halfway forks S. to 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 Pleasant Valley (Simpson s line). Road 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 again rounds swamp, crossing S. end of Salt 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 Plain. After 21 miles, "Willow Creek," 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 water rather brackish. Station " Willow 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 Springs " on bench below hills at W. end of 
 
 
 A. M. 
 
 
 
 
 Desert, grass and hay plentiful. 
 
 22 
 
 10 
 
 3-30 
 
 Sept. 30 
 
 8. 
 
 Road ascending bench turns N. to find Pass. 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 After 6 miles Mountain Springs, good water, 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 grass, and fuel. Six miles beyond is Deep 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 Creek Kanyon, dangerous ravine 9 miles 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 long. Then descends into fertile and well 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 watered valley, and after 7 miles enters Deep 
 
 
 A.M. 
 
 P. M. 
 
 
 
 Creek Mail Station. Indian farm. 
 
 28 
 
 8 
 
 4 
 
 Oct. 1 
 
 9. 
 
 Along W. Creek. After 8 miles, "Eight 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 Miles Springs," water, grass, and sage fuel. 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 Kanyon after 2- miles, 500 yards long and 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 easy. Then 19 miles through Antelope 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 Valley to station of same name, burnt in 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 June 1860 by Indians. Simpson s route 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 from Pleasant Valley, distant 12 5 miles, 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 falls into E. end of Antelope Valley, from 
 
 
 A. M. 
 
 P. M. 
 
 
 
 Camp Floyd 151 miles. 
 
 30 
 
 8 
 
 4 
 
 Oct. 3, 4 
 
 10. 
 
 Road over valley for 2 miles to mouth of Shell 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 Creek Kanyon, 6 miles long. Rough road, 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 fuel plentiful. Descends into Spring Valley, 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 and then passes over other divides into 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 Shell Creek, where there is a mail station; 
 
 
 A. M. 
 
 P. M. 
 
 
 
 water, grass, and fuel abundant. 
 
 18 
 
 6 
 
 11 
 
 Oct. 5 
 
 11. 
 
 Descends rough road. Crosses Steptoe 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 Valley and bridged creek. Road heavy, 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 sand or mud. After 16 miles Egan s Kan 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 yon, dangerous for Indians. Station at W. 
 
 
 P. M. 
 
 P. M. 
 
 
 
 mouth, burned by Indians in Oct. 1860. 
 
 18 
 
 2 
 
 6 
 
 Oct. 5 
 
 12. 
 
 Pass divide, fall into Butte Valley, and cross 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 its N. end. Bottom very cold. Mail Sta 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 tion half way up hill, very small spring, 
 
 
 P. M. 
 
 A. M. 
 
 
 
 grass on N. side of hill. Butte Station. 
 
 18 
 
 8 
 
 3 
 
 Oct. 6 
 
 13. 
 
 Ascend long divide. 2 steep hills and falls. 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 Cross N. end of Long Valley, all barren. 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 Ascend divide and descend into Ruby Val 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 ley, road excellent, water, grass, and bot 
 
 
 A. M. 
 
 P. M. 
 
 
 
 tom, fuel distant. Good Mail Station. 
 
 22 
 
 8 
 
 1-45 
 
 Oct. 7 
 
 14. 
 
 Long divide, fuel plenty, no grass or water. 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 After 10 miles road branches, right hand to 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 Gravelly Ford of Humboldt River. Cross 
 
 
 
 
 
204 
 
 GHEAT SALT LAKE CITY TO SAX FRANCISCO. 
 
 No.of 
 Mails 
 
 Miles Start. Arrival. 
 
 Date. 
 
 
 dry bottom. Cross Smith s Fork of Hum- 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 boldt Kiver in Huntingdon Valley, little 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 stream, bunch-grass and sage fuel on W. 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 end. Ascend Chokop s Pass, Dugway and 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 hard hill, descend into Moonshine Valley. 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 Station at Diamond Springs; warm water 
 
 
 A. M. 
 
 P. M. 
 
 
 
 but ^rood. 
 
 23 
 
 8 
 
 1-45 
 
 Oct. 8 9 
 
 15. 
 
 Cross Moonshine Valley. After 7 miles, sul 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 phurous spring and grass. Twelve miles 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 beyond, ascend divide, no water, fuel and 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 bunch -grass plentiful. Then long divide. 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 After 9 miles, station on Robert s Creek at 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 E. end of Sheawit, or Roberts Springs 
 
 
 A. M. 
 
 P. M. 
 
 
 
 Valley. 
 
 28 
 
 8 
 
 1 45 
 
 Oct. 10 
 
 16. 
 
 Down Valley to west, good road, sage small, 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 no fuel After 12 miles, willows and water- 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 holes, S miles beyond are alkaline wells. 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 Station on bench, water below in dry creek, 
 
 
 A. M. 
 
 P. M. 
 
 
 
 grass must be brought from 15 miles. 
 
 35 
 
 6 30 
 
 12-30 
 
 Oct. 11 
 
 17. 
 
 Cross long rough divide to Smoky Valley. 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 At northern end creek called " Wana- 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 honop," or " Netwood," i. e. trap. Thence 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 long rough kanyon to Simpson s Park, 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 grass plentiful, water in wells 10 feet deep. 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 Simpson s Park in Shoshone country, and, 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 according to Simpson s Itinerary, 348 miles 
 from Camp Floyd. 
 
 25 
 
 A. M. 
 
 8-15 
 
 P. M. 
 
 2-25 
 
 Oct. 12 
 
 18. 
 
 Cross Simpson s Park. Ascend Simpson s 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 Pass, a long kanyon, with sweet, " Sage 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 Springs," on summit, bunch-grass plentiful. 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 Descend to fork of road, right-hand to 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 lower, left-hand to upper, ford of Reese s 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 River. Water perennial and good, food 
 
 
 A.M. 
 
 P. M 
 
 
 
 poor. 
 
 15 
 
 10 
 
 2 
 
 Oct. 13 
 
 19. 
 
 Through remainder of Reese s River Valley. 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 After long divide Valley of Smith s Creek, 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 sale rat us, no water nor grass. At last, sta 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 tion near kanyon, and hidden from view. 
 
 
 A. M. 
 
 P. M. 
 
 
 
 Land belongs to Pa Yutas. 
 
 28 
 
 7-20 
 
 2-45 
 
 Oct. 14 
 
 20. 
 
 Ascend rough kanyon, and descend to barren 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 and saleratus plain. Towards south of 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 valley over bench-land, rough with rock 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 and pitch-hole. " Cold Springs Station " 
 
 
 A.M. 
 
 P.M. 
 
 
 
 half built, near stream, fuel scarce. 
 
 25 
 
 8-15 
 
 4-15 
 
 Oct. 15 
 
 21. 
 
 At west gate two miles from station, good 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 grass. After eight miles, water. Two miles 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 beyond is middle gate, water in fiumara, 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 and grass near. Beyond gate two basins, 
 
 
 
 
 
CAMP FLOYD TO GENOA, CARSON VALLEY. 
 
 205 
 
 Xo.of 
 Mail. 
 
 
 Miles 
 
 Start. 
 
 Arrival. 
 
 Date. 
 
 
 long divides, winding road, to "Sand 
 
 
 A.M. 
 
 r.M. 
 
 
 
 Springs Valley," bad water, little grass. 
 
 35 
 
 9-50 
 
 2-30 
 
 Oct. 16 
 
 22. 
 
 Cross valley, ten miles to summit, over slongh 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 inundations, and bad road. Summit shifting 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 sand. Descend five miles to Carson Lake, 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 water tolerable, ttilc abundant. Round S. 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 side of lake to t-ink of Carson River Station, 
 
 
 A.M. 
 
 P.M. 
 
 
 
 no provisions, pasture good, fuel scarce. 
 
 25 
 
 11 
 
 9 
 
 Oct. 17 
 
 23. 
 
 Cross long plain. Ascend very steep divide, 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 and sight Sierra filty miles distant. De 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 scend to Carson River. Fort Churchill 
 
 
 A.M. 
 
 P.M. 
 
 
 
 newly built. Sutler s stores, &c. 
 
 25 
 
 9-30 
 
 7-15 
 
 Oct. 18 
 
 
 
 
 A.M. 
 
 P.M. 
 
 
 24. 
 
 Carson City. 
 
 35 
 
 11 
 
 10-30 
 
 Oct. 19 
 
 
 Carson City lies on the eastern foot of the 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 Sierra Nevada, distant 552 statute miles, 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 according to Captain Simpson, from Camp 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 Floyd. The present itinerary reduces it to 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 544*, and, adding 44 miles, to a total of 588 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 from Gt. S. L. City. 
 
 
 
 
 
 VIII. Capt. J. H. SIMPSON S Wagon Road from Camp Floyd to Genoa, 
 Carson Valley, U. T. Explored by direction of General A. G. JOHN 
 STON, commanding the Department of Utah between the 2nd May, 
 and 12th June, 1859. 
 
 
 lg 
 
 T3 to 
 
 5 A. 
 
 ii 
 
 
 
 
 . 
 
 Places 
 
 
 S-H-2 
 
 ^^2. 
 
 
 1 
 
 .2 
 
 a 
 
 
 |r 
 
 JS3 
 
 n s 
 
 &6 
 
 
 
 
 O 
 
 Camp Floyd, wood and grass in } 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 w 
 
 
 vicinity S 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 18-2 
 
 18 2 
 
 18-2 
 
 1 
 
 
 
 
 Cross Meadow Creek (Rush Valley), | 
 
 1 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 mail station mile j 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 Spring $ mile to right of Gen. John-N 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 ston s Pass, just after passing sum 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 mit. This spring furnishes but I 
 little water, even in the spring, and / 
 
 8-9 
 
 9 9 
 
 28 1 
 
 2 
 
 W 
 
 w 
 
 G 
 
 in the slimmer would be most pro- j 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 bably dry . . . . 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
206 
 
 CAMP FLOYD TO GENOA, CARSOX VALLEY. 
 
 
 . 
 
 o . 
 
 st 
 
 
 
 
 
 Places. 
 
 Intermed 
 Distanc 
 Miles, 
 
 &S.2 
 
 gas 
 
 If 
 
 %3 
 
 I 
 
 1 
 
 i 
 
 o 
 
 Simpson s Springs, Mail Station . 
 
 16-2 
 
 16-2 
 
 44-3 
 
 3 
 
 W 
 
 W 
 
 G 
 
 Summit, Short-cut Pass 
 
 21-6 
 
 
 
 
 Wil 
 
 
 
 1 6 miles below summit . , 
 
 T6 
 
 23-2 
 
 67-5 
 
 4 
 
 low 
 Sage 
 
 { 
 
 very 
 little 
 
 Tolerable grass skirting low range of ( 
 
 7.0 
 
 
 
 
 
 I 
 
 grs. 
 
 rocks on right of road . . J 
 
 / o 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 G 
 
 A little grass, sage in valley 
 
 4-8 
 
 
 
 
 s 
 
 
 G 
 
 Devil s Hole, water slightly brackish . 
 
 67 
 
 
 
 
 
 W 
 
 
 Fish Springs, mail station . 
 
 5-4 
 
 247 
 
 92-2 
 
 5 
 
 Ctw 
 
 W 
 
 "G 
 
 Warm Springs 
 
 3 4 
 
 
 
 
 GW 
 
 W 
 
 G 
 
 Grass in considerable quantity of) 
 good character J 
 
 26-4 
 
 297 
 
 12-19 
 
 6 
 
 
 
 G 
 
 Alkaline spring to right of road, wa- ) 
 
 1 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 ter not drinkable j 
 
 I 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 Sulphur springs, water abundant and ) 
 palatable \ 
 
 1-5 
 
 2-5 
 
 125- 
 
 7 
 
 W.S 
 
 W 
 
 G 
 
 Spring, Pleasant Valley, mail station . 
 
 13-4 
 
 13-4 
 
 138-4 
 
 8 
 
 W 
 
 W 
 
 G 
 
 East side Antelope Valley . 
 
 
 12-5 
 
 150-9 
 
 9 
 
 W 
 
 W 
 
 G 
 
 Spring Valley, good grass on west ) 
 bench and slopes 
 
 
 19- 
 
 169-9 
 
 10 
 
 GW 
 
 W 
 
 G 
 
 Cross Marsh, road takes up a fine } 
 
 o.c 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 stream, grass all along . . $ 
 
 O 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 Leave Creek 
 
 3-5 
 
 
 
 
 W 
 
 W 
 
 G 
 
 Spring, copious, grass fine . 
 
 2-8 
 
 
 
 
 W 
 
 W 
 
 G 
 
 East side, Steptoe Valley, mail station 
 
 1-3 
 
 11-1 
 
 181-0 
 
 11 
 
 W 
 
 W 
 
 G 
 
 Step toe Creek ; dry in summer . 
 
 6-5 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 Mouth Egan Canon . 
 
 6 8 
 
 13-3 
 
 194-3 
 
 12 
 
 W 
 
 W 
 
 [G 
 
 Spring, source of Egan Creek 
 
 1-8 
 
 
 
 
 W 
 
 W 
 
 G 
 
 West side of Butte Valley. Mail sta-\ 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 tion. A very small spring, barely / 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 sufficient for cooking purposes, near > 
 
 16-2 
 
 18-1 
 
 212-4 
 
 13 
 
 W 
 
 W 
 
 G 
 
 top of hill; grass- on N. side ofl 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 same hill J 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 Spring 1 mile west side of summit ) 
 of range j 
 
 12- 
 
 12- 
 
 224-4 
 
 14 
 
 W 
 
 W 
 
 G 
 
 Ruby Valley, mail station . 
 Smith s Fork, Humboldt R. Hunting- | 
 
 9 2 
 
 1 4-*4 
 
 9-2 
 
 233-6 
 
 15 
 
 GW 
 
 W 
 
 G 
 
 don s Creek / 
 
 IT- rt 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 Small mountain stream 
 
 3-3 
 
 17-6 
 
 251-2 
 
 16 
 
 GW 
 
 W 
 
 G 
 
 Spring left of road .... 
 Near west foot of Cho-kupe Pass 
 
 1-2 
 
 5 8 
 
 7-1 
 
 258-3 
 
 17 
 
 GW 
 GW 
 
 W 
 W 
 
 G 
 G 
 
 Spring in Pah-hun-nupe Valley . 
 
 7 8 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 Do. west side of Pah-hun-nupe Valley . 
 
 5-6 
 
 13-3 
 
 271 6 
 
 18 
 
 S,W 
 
 trW 
 
 W 
 
 G 
 
 She-a-wi-te (Willow) Creek 
 
 14-9 
 
 14-9 
 
 286-5 
 
 19 
 
 s.vv 
 
 W 
 
 G 
 
CAMP FLOYD TO GENOA, CARSON VALLEY. 
 
 
 H ! 
 
 
 g? 
 
 
 
 
 
 Places. 
 
 o> . 
 
 Ill 
 
 a|jj 
 
 -2" 
 
 8 A 
 
 1 
 
 1 
 
 i 
 
 
 JJ5* 
 
 |35 
 
 if 
 
 ll 
 
 
 * 
 
 u 
 
 o 
 
 Bed of Nash R. water in pools, pro- ) 
 
 11*6 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 bably not constant j 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 Small spring, grass on mountain side, [ 
 2 miles off j 
 
 5-9 
 
 17-5 
 
 304 
 
 20 
 
 S.W 
 
 w 
 
 G 
 
 Wons-in-dam-me, or Antelope Creek , 
 
 7- 
 
 7- 
 
 311- 
 
 21 
 
 w 
 
 w 
 
 G 
 
 Creek 
 
 4-3 
 
 
 
 
 s.w 
 
 w 
 
 G 
 
 Creek west side of Valley . 
 
 9-5 
 
 13-7 
 
 324-7 
 
 22 
 
 s.w 
 
 w 
 
 G 
 
 Wan-a-ho-mo-pe (Netwood trap) Creek 
 
 13-6 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 Do. do. do. 
 
 4-6 
 
 18-2 
 
 342-9 
 
 23 
 
 s.w 
 
 w 
 
 G 
 
 Simpson s Park, according totopogra- "^ 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 phers, Lt. Putnam and guide, Col. > 
 
 4-9 
 
 4-9 
 
 347-8 
 
 24 
 
 s.w 
 
 w 
 
 G 
 
 Reese J 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 Small spring in Simpson s Pass (same I 
 
 3* 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 authority) .... 5 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 Ford of Reese s River .... 
 
 8-2 
 
 
 
 
 
 w 
 
 G 
 
 Reese s River 
 
 2-6 
 
 13-8 
 
 361-6 
 
 25 
 
 
 w 
 
 G 
 
 Leave Reese s River .... 
 
 3-4 
 
 
 
 
 
 w 
 
 G 
 
 Small spring to left of road just before J 
 
 10- 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 reaching summit of Pass . . $ 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 Lt. J. L. Kirby Smith s Creek . 
 
 7-8 
 
 21-2 
 
 382-8 
 
 26 
 
 GW 
 
 w 
 
 G 
 
 Englcmanns 
 
 16 
 
 
 
 
 
 w 
 
 
 Lt. Putnam s 
 
 8-6 
 
 10-2 
 
 393- 
 
 27 
 
 S.W 
 
 w 
 
 G 
 
 Do. South Fork 
 
 2-7 
 
 
 
 
 w 
 
 w 
 
 G 
 
 Rock Creek 
 
 3- 
 
 
 
 
 w 
 
 w 
 
 G 
 
 Do 
 
 3-1 
 
 8-7 
 
 401-7 
 
 28 
 
 w 
 
 w 
 
 G 
 
 Do. Sinks 
 
 l"7 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 Spring-water kegsshould be filled for ^ 
 2 days. Camp from this in alkaline > 
 
 5-4 
 
 
 
 
 
 w 
 
 
 flat ) 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 Gibraltar Gate 
 
 0-6 
 
 
 
 
 
 w 
 
 
 Creek joins Gibraltar Creek 
 
 4-2 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 Middle Gate Spring .... 
 
 3-2 
 
 14-7 
 
 416-4 
 
 29 
 
 s.w 
 
 w 
 
 G 
 
 West Gate 
 
 3 5 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 Dry wells, alkaline valley, very poor 1 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 camp, water and grass alkalineY 
 and little of either. Rabbit bush f 
 
 21-0 
 
 24-5 
 
 440 9 
 
 30 
 
 Rab. 
 bush 
 
 w 
 
 G 
 
 fuel ) 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 Creek connecting the two lakes of\ 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 Carson. Road can be shortened 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 some eight or ten miles by striking 
 across head of Alkaline Valley after 
 getting about nine miles from camp 
 
 
 16-6 
 
 457-5 
 
 31 
 
 Dry 
 
 rusli 
 
 w 
 
 R,G 
 
 30, and then proceeding directly to 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 shore of Carson Lake. It is not 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 necessary to go so far north as the 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 connecting creek referred to . . / 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
208 
 
 FORT BRIDGER TO THE CITY OF ROCKS. 
 
 
 .2 
 
 s^ 
 
 
 
 
 Places. 
 
 S 
 
 III 
 
 fjl ill 
 
 3! I 
 
 li 
 
 $ 
 
 $ 
 
 1 1 
 o 
 
 
 go 
 
 
 *6 
 
 
 
 
 
 Leave Carson Lake .... 
 
 9-7 
 
 
 
 
 W R.G 
 
 Walker s River 
 
 21-5 
 
 31-2 
 
 488-7 
 
 32 
 
 W 
 
 W 
 
 G 
 
 Do. do 
 
 
 10- 
 
 498-7 
 
 33 
 
 W 
 
 W 
 
 G 
 
 Do. North bend . 
 
 
 6-3 
 
 505 
 
 34 
 
 W 
 
 W 
 
 G 
 
 Small spring, not sufficient for large ) 
 command, grass half mile south ) 
 
 14-1 
 
 
 
 
 s.w 
 
 W 
 
 G 
 
 Carson River 
 
 1-9 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 Do. do 
 
 3-0 
 
 19-0 
 
 524 
 
 35 
 
 W 
 
 W 
 
 G 
 
 Pleasant Grove, cross Carson River ^ 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 and get into Old Emigrant Road. > 
 
 9-0 
 
 9-0 
 
 533" 
 
 36 
 
 W 
 
 W 
 
 G 
 
 Mail Station } 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 China town. Gold diggings 
 
 7-4 
 
 
 
 
 
 W 
 
 
 Carson city. E. foot of Sierra Nevada 
 
 11-6 
 
 19-0 
 
 552 
 
 37 
 
 
 W 
 
 G 
 
 Genoa do. do. do. . 
 
 12-9 
 
 12-9 
 
 564-9 
 
 38 W 
 
 W 
 
 G 
 
 To Brevet-Major F. J. Porter, 
 Assist.- Adj.-Genl. 
 Dept. Utah, Camp Floyd. 
 
 (Signed) J. H. Simpson, 
 
 Capt. Top Engineers. 
 
 IX. From Fort Bridger to the " City of Rocks." 
 From Captain HANDCOCK S Journal. 
 
 Miles. 
 
 Fort Bridger to 
 
 9. Little Muddy Creek. Water brackish in pools along the creek ; 
 tall bunch grass ; sage for fuel. Road runs over a barren 
 section, is rough, and passes one steep hill. 
 
 12^. Big Muddy Creek. The road, with the exception of two or 
 three bad gullies, is good for ten miles ; it then follows the 
 Big Muddy Bottom, which is flat and boggy. The camp is 
 three miles above the crossing. Some grass ; sage for 
 fuel. 
 
 14|. Small Branch of the Muddy Creek. Cross the River in three 
 miles at a bad ford. A mile above camp the grass is good. 
 Road generally good. 
 
 19$. On Small Creek. Road continues up the Muddy 9-J- miles to 
 its head. It then ascends to the divide between Bear and 
 
FORT BRIDGER TO THE CITY OF ROCKS. 209 
 
 Miles. 
 
 Green Rivers, probably 800 feet in If miles. The descent on 
 the other side is about the sarne. The road passes many 
 fine springs. At one and two miles back it passes points of 
 hi] Is, where it is very rough. Good grass and sage at 
 camp. 
 
 8 T 9 . Bear Kiver. Bad Creek to cross near the camp; thence to 
 Bear Eiver Valley the road is good. It then follows down 
 the River, crossing Willow Creek. Good camp, with a large 
 fine spring. 
 
 17. Bear River. Good road along the river; plenty of wood, 
 
 water, aud grass at all points. 
 
 Foot of Grant s Mountain. Road runs along Bear River ; at 
 2 miles strikes Smith s Fork, a rapid trout stream. The 
 road crosses the lower ford. A few miles farther on is a 
 bad slough, which can be avoided by taking a round on 
 the hills. Cross Thomas s Fork on a bridge, also a slough 
 near it; toll $2-00 for each team and wagon. The road 
 then leaves Bear River Valley, and turns over a very steep 
 hill. Good grass, wood, and water. 
 
 12. Bear River. Road ascends Grant s Mountain 1,200 feet in 1 
 miles (double teams), then descends again into Bear River 
 Valley at 4| miles. Good wood, water, and grass. 
 17|. Indian Creek. Road crosses eight fine spring branches; camp 
 is on a beautiful trout stream. Good wood, water, and 
 grass. 
 
 11. Spring near Bear River. Road is hilly, crossing two spring 
 branches. Good wood, water, and grass. The camp is on 
 the left, and near the road. 
 
 11. Bear River. At 6^ miles the road strikes a large group of 
 springs, called " Soda Springs," and here crosses Pine Creek, 
 on the left bank of which is a saleratus lake. Soon after, 
 it strikes the main springs, and, after crossing another creek, 
 the "Steamboat spring, may be seen in the bed of the 
 river. 
 
 15. "PortNeuf," or Rock Creek. At 2-^ miles the road leaves 
 Bear River near where it runs through a canon with high 
 bluffs on each side. At this point, the California and Fort 
 Hall roads separate. The California road (called Hudspeth s 
 Cut-oft ) then crosses a valley between the Bear River and 
 Port Neuf River Mountains, 9 miles. No water from camp 
 to camp. Good camp. 
 
 15. Marsh Creek. About two miles above the main road, the creek 
 can be forded ; a road leads to it from the descent into the 
 valley. Road good ; water and grass plenty ; no wood. 
 161. Paunack Creek. First part of the road is hilly ; the remainder 
 .good. Good camp. 
 
 7^. Mallade River. At 7| miles the road crosses the Mallade 
 
210 FORT BRIDGER TO THE CITY OF ROCKS. 
 
 Miles. 
 
 River. Good camp 140 miles from Salt Lake City. Good 
 Road. 
 
 22^j. Small Creek. The road ascends a ridge through a canon, and 
 descends to a valley on the other side. From the Camp to 
 the summit of the ridge is 6| miles ; the descent is 3-/ 
 miles. It then crosses a valley 8 miles wide, and strikes a 
 canon which leads to the top of a hill over a rough road. 
 Plenty of wood, water, and grass at camp, but no water 
 between this and the last camp. 
 
 9|. Small Creek. Road after five miles strikes a canon with a long 
 but gentle ascent. Two miles from the entrance of this 
 canon is a spring branch. There is wood and some grass 
 and water at this place. 
 
 11. Spring Branch. The road passes through a canon, and at 5 
 miles strikes the head of a spring branch, which it follows 
 down 5 miles to the junction with a larger branch which is 
 bridged. At nine-tenths of a mile, another fork enters. 
 Grass very fine here. Road follows down this across the 
 main branch, and the camp is 2 miles below. Good camp. 
 13.}. Decassure Creek, or Raft River. Road continues down the creek 
 2-$) miles, and crosses, then ascends by a steep hill to an 
 elevated sage plain, leaving the creek at 11| miles, and passes 
 a slough with water. Good camp. 
 
 17-^. Spring Branch. The road crosses the creek near the last 
 camp, and follows up a valley, crossing in five miles several 
 spring branches. At 2-^ miles it crosses the creek again, 
 and follows up the valley 2 miles further, then crosses a 
 high sage plain 8^ miles long, when it strikes a spring 150 
 yards to the left of the road, where there is an excellent 
 camp in a beautiful valley. 
 
 ] 0. Junction of Salt Lake City Road. Road passes several small 
 branches in 3 miles, then commences ascending through a 
 canon, which, in 2 miles, leads to the entrance to the " City 
 of Rocks," and passes through these for three miles. It 
 then crosses a ridge, leaving the City of Rocks, and, at ten 
 miles from last camp intersects the road from Salt Lake 
 City. At 1| miles beyond this, a road leads off to the right 
 to a spring branch 3 miles, where there is a good camp, near 
 the foot of Goose Creek Mountain. From this point Cali- 
 fornian travelers can refer to the itinerary of the route from 
 Salt Lake City to Sacramento. 
 
SUBLET S CUT-OFF. 211 
 
 X. From Soda Springs to the City of Rocks, known as 
 Hudspetlis Cut-off. 
 
 Mies. 
 
 Soda Springs to 
 20. Bear River. The road runs down Bear River, [crossing some 
 
 small streams. Good camp. 
 10. Portner Creek. Camp at the head of the creek. Good wood, 
 
 water, and grass. 
 
 12. Fork of Portner Creek. Good camp. 
 
 15. Pauack Creek. Road crosses a summit. Good road and camp. 
 12. Snake Spring. Good camp. 
 12. Utha Spring. Good camp. 
 15. Decassure Creek. Road crosses a small stream ; rather bad 
 
 crossing. Good camp. 
 18. City of Rocks. Junction of Salt lake road. Good camp. 
 
 XI. Sublet s Cut-off, from the junction of the Salt Lake 
 and Fort Hall Roads. 
 
 Miles. 
 
 Junction to 
 7. Big Sandy. 
 
 44. Green River. From the Big Sandy to Green River (upper 
 road) there is an abundance of grass in places along the road, 
 but no water. 
 
 6. Small Creek. The road runs up the creek. Good grass. 
 4. On the Creek. Good grass and water. 
 12. Small Spring. The spring is on the left of the road. Good 
 
 grass. 
 
 9. Ham s Fork. Good wood, water, and grass. 
 6. Spring. On the summit of a mountain. Good grass. 
 6. Muddy Creek. Wood, water, and grass. 
 10. Spring. In Bear River Valley. Good wood, water, and grass. 
 
 6. Smith s Fork. In Bear River Valley. Good wood, water, and 
 
 grass. 
 
 10. Tomaus Fork. Road runs down Bear River. Good wood, 
 water, and grass. 
 
 7. Spring Creek. Wood, water, and grass. 
 
 7. Smith s Ford. Road crosses over a spur of the mountain ; long 
 
 and gradual ascent ; descent rather abrupt. Good wood, 
 water, and grass. 
 
 8. Telleck s Fork. Road runs down Bear River. Good camp. 
 4. Small Creek. Good camp. 
 
 4. Small Creek. Good camp. 
 
212 LAWSON S MEADOWS TO FORT READING. 
 
 Miles. 
 
 7. Small Creek. Good camp. 
 
 12. Soda Springs. Left side of the road, among some cedars, is a 
 good camp. 
 
 Here take the left-hand road to California, called Hudspetfts 
 Cut-off. 
 
 XII. From Lawsoris Meadows, on the Humboldt River, to 
 Fort Reading, via Rouge River Valley, Fort Lane, 
 Oregon Territory, Yreka, and Fort Jones. 
 
 Miles. 
 
 Lawson s Meadows to 
 
 18^. Mountain Spring. Road leaves the Humboldt, and takes a 
 north-westerly course 12 miles to a spring of good water. 
 Good bunch-grass to the left of the road, and a small spring 
 at the camp. The road is plain on leaving the river ; but, 
 after a few days, it becomes faint. Road from this point 
 passes over a desert country for about 60 miles, without good 
 water or much grass. 
 
 3S. Black Rock Spring. Road level and hard, with little veget 
 ation. In 14 miles pass springs, but the water is not good. 
 In 16 miles, the road passes a slough which is difficult to 
 cross ; water not good, but can be [given, to cattle in small 
 quantities. In five miles from this, the road passes Black 
 Rock, mentioned by Colonel Fremont in his trip from Colum 
 bia River in 1843-4. Three miles further, pass boiling springs, 
 very hot, but good cooled. Grass pretty good. 
 
 20J. Mountain Rill. Water good; bunch-grass in the vicinity. In 
 8 miles travel the road passes a beautiful creek of pure 
 water, with good grass. 
 5|. Lake (Marshy). 
 
 10. High Rock Canon. This canon is 25 miles long, with wild and 
 curious scenery. Road crosses the creek frequently, and the 
 mud is bad. In the autumn the road is good. 
 
 14^. High Rock Canon. 
 
 Small Creek. Beautiful country, with the greatest abundance 
 of water and grass ; also fuel. 
 
 25. Pine Grove Creek. Road passes over an interesting country, 
 well supplied with wood, water, and grass, and passes around 
 the south end of a salt lake. 
 
 185. West Slope of Sierra. Road passes over the mountain, which 
 is steep but not rocky, then descends to a small creek of good 
 water which runs into Goose Lake. Good grass and fuel. 
 
SODA SPRINGS TO FORT WALLAH WALLAH. 213 
 
 Miles. 
 
 Look out for the Indians, as they are warlike and treacherous 
 
 here. 
 
 7f . East shore of Goose Lake. Excellent camp. 
 16. West shore of Goose Lake. This is a beautiful sheet of fresh 
 
 water ; great quantities of water-fowl resort to this lake. 
 16|. Slough Springs. The road passes over a very rocky divide, 
 
 covered with loose volcanic debris, very hard for animals, and 
 
 wearing to their feet. They should be well shod before 
 
 attempting the passage. 
 
 18i. Marshy Lake. Koad difficult for wagons. 
 15. Clear Lake. Beautiful lake of pure water, with good grass 
 
 around its shore. 
 2o|. East shore of Bhett s Lake. Road tolerable over a rolling, 
 
 rocky country, between lakes. The road crosses Lost River 
 
 over a natural bridge, on a solid smooth ledge of rock. 
 
 19. West shore of Rhett s Lake. Plenty of wood, water, and grass 
 
 along this road. 
 21. Klamath River. Road leaves Rhett s Lake, and enters the 
 
 forest and mountains ; tolerably good. Good camp. 
 15|. Cascade Mountains, The road passes over high mountains, 
 through lofty pine trees. Camp is at Summit Meadows. 
 Good water and grass ; also fuel. 
 
 14J. Western slope of Cascade Mountains. Rough roads. 
 19|. Rogue River Valley. Road descends into the settlements in 
 six miles, where there is a lovely fertile valley, well settled 
 with farmers. 
 23f. Fort Lane. Near "Table Rock," on Rogue River, eight miles 
 
 from Jacksonville. Dragoon post. 
 22-f . Rogue River Valley. Good camp. 
 18. Siskiyou Mountains. Road crosses the Siskiyou Mountains, 
 
 and is difficult for wagons. 
 18. Yreka. Flourishing mining city. 
 18. Fort Jones. Infantry post, in Scott s Valley. 
 
 20. Scott s Mountain, Good camp at the foot of the mountain. 
 
 Road passes over the mountains ; but is impassable for 
 wagons. 
 
 90. Shasta City. Good grass, wood, and water. 
 1 80. Sacramento City. 
 
 XIII. From Soda Springs to Fort Wallah Wallah and 
 Oregon City, Oregon, via Fort Hall. 
 
 Miles. 
 
 Soda Springs to 
 25. Portner Creek. Good camp. Take the right-hand road. 
 
214 SODA SPRINGS TO FORT WALLAH WALLAH. 
 
 Miles. 
 
 10. Ross s Creek. Good camp. 
 
 10. Fort Hall Valley. Good camp. Road runs down the creek. 
 
 8. Snake River. Good camp. Road crosses the river bottom. 
 
 5. Fort Hall. 
 
 15. Small Branch. Camp is three miles below the crossing of Port 
 
 Neuf River, which is fordable. Good wood, water, and grass. 
 10. American Falls. Good camp. 
 13. Raft River. Road rough and rocky. Sage for fuel ; grass 
 
 scarce. 
 
 17. Bend of Swamp Creek. Grass scarce. 
 20. On Snake River. Road crosses Swamp and Goose Creeks. 
 
 Wood on the hills ; grass short. 
 
 25. Rock Creek. Road crosses one small creek, and is very rough 
 
 and rocky for several miles, when it enters a sandy region, 
 where the grass is scarce ; sage plenty, and willows on the 
 creek. 
 
 24. Snake River. Road crosses several small branches. There is 
 but little grass, except in narrow patches along the river 
 bottom. 
 
 26. Fishing Falls. Road very crooked and rough, crossing two 
 
 small streams. 
 
 29. Snake River. Road crosses several small creeks, but leaves the 
 main river to the north, and runs upon an elevated plateau. 
 Good grass at camp. 
 
 16. Snake River (ford). Road tortuous ; ford good in low water. 
 
 19. Small Branch Road crosses Snake River, and follows up a small 
 
 branch, leaving the river to the left ; good grass. Road as 
 cends to a high plateau, which it keeps during the whole 
 distance. 
 
 26. River "Aux Rochers." Road passes Hot Springs, and is rough. 
 Wood, water, and grass plenty. 
 
 22. Small Creek. Road crosses two small branches, and is very 
 
 rocky, but, at camp, grass, wood, and water are abundant. 
 
 23. Rio Boise\ Road crosses one small creek, and follows along the 
 
 Bois& River. Good wood, water, and grass. 
 
 26. Fort Boise. Road follows the south bank of Boise River to the 
 
 fort. 
 
 2. Fort Boise. Road crosses Bois River. Good ford at ordinary 
 stages. Grass good in the river bottom. 
 
 20. River "Aux Matthews." Good road; grass abundant, but 
 
 coarse ; wood and water plenty. 
 
 27. Snake River. Road passes over a rough country. Grass scarce, 
 
 and of a poor quality. 
 
 20. Burnt River. Road leaves Snake River, and takes across Burnt 
 River, following up the north side of this to the camp. It is 
 mountainous and rough, but the grass is good, and there is 
 wood along the river. 
 
SODA SPRINGS TO FORT WALLAH WALLAH. 215 
 
 Miles. 
 
 22. Burnt River. Road continues up the river, and is still rough. 
 
 and mountainous. Grass and wood plenty. 
 26. Small branch. Road passes over a divide to " Powder River." 
 
 It is still rough, but getting better. The grass is good. 
 13. Powder River. Good road ; grass plenty. 
 21. Creek. Road passes a divide, crossing several small streams, 
 
 and is smooth, with plenty of grass and fuel. 
 
 20. Creek. Road crosses one small branch, and is rather rough. 
 
 The grass and fuel are good and abundant. 
 
 21. Creek. Road follows down the creek for ten miles, then turns 
 
 up a small branch, and is good. There is plenty of grass and 
 fuel. 
 12. Branch. Road crosses a divide and strikes another branch. 
 
 5. Small branch of the Umatilah River. Good road, with plenty of 
 
 wood and grass. 
 
 16. Branch of Wallah Wallah River. Wood, water, and grass. 
 18. Wallah Wallah River. Wood, water, and grass. 
 18. Wallah Wallah River. Wood, water, and grass. 
 
 Columbia River at Fort Wallah. Wood water, and grass. 
 10. Butler Creek. Good camp. 
 
 18. Well s Spring. Good camp. 
 
 12. Willow Creek. Good. camp. 
 
 13. Cedar Spring. Good camp. 
 
 6. John Day s River. Good camp. 
 
 5. Forks of Road. No camping. Left-hand road for wagons, and 
 
 right-hand for pack-trains. This itinerary takes the left. 
 10. Ouley s Camp. Good camp. 
 
 19. Soot s River. Good camp. 
 
 6. Fall River. Good camp. 
 10. Utah s River. Good camp. 
 18. Soot s River. Good camp. 
 
 6. Soot s River. Good camp. Road follows up the river, crossing 
 it several times. 
 
 1 6. Sand River Fork. Good grass a mile and a half to the left of 
 
 the road. 
 8. Good Camp. 
 15. Royal Hill Camp. Good camp. 
 
 17. Sandy River. But little grass. 
 
 45. Down the River. Good camps all the distance. 
 25. Oregon City. Good camps all the distance. 
 75. Salem. Good camps all the distance. 
 
216 INDIANOLA TO SAN ANTONIO. 
 
 XIY. Route for pack trains from John Day s River to 
 Oregon City. 
 
 Miles. 
 
 John Day s River to 
 17. Columbia River. From John Day s River to the forks of the 
 
 road, and thence by the right-hand fork to the Columbia. 
 
 Good camp. 
 
 2-1. Soot s River Ferry. Good camp. 
 15. Dalles. Good camp. 
 25. Dog River. Good camp. 
 15. Cascade Mountains. One bad place. 
 9. Ouley s Rock. Good camp. 
 20. Image Plain Ferry. Good camp. 
 15. Portland. Good camp. 
 12. Oregon City. Good camp. 
 
 XY. From Indianola and Powder-horn to San Antonio, 
 
 Texas. 
 
 Miles. 
 
 Powder-horn to 
 4. Indianola, Texas. Steamers run from New Orleans five times 
 
 a week to Powder-horn. 
 
 14. Chocolate Creek. Good grass and water ; fuel scarce. Road 
 passes over a low flat country, which in wet weather is heavy 
 and muddy. 
 
 12. Grove. Grove of oak ; good water and grass. The road 
 passes over a hog-wallow prairie, which is very muddy, and 
 almost impassable for loaded teams after rains. The grass is 
 abundant everywhere in this section. 
 
 12|. Victoria. The road is good, passing along near the east bank 
 of the Guadalupe River. The country is thickly settled with 
 farmers, who sell grain at reasonable rates. Grass abundant, 
 also fuel. 
 
 34. "X orktown. Road crosses the Guadalupe River on a bridge ; 
 
 toll one dollar for a six-mule team. It then crosses a low 
 bottom for three miles ; from thence the road is good, over a 
 rolling country, with plenty of wood, water, and grass. 
 33. Cibello River. Good road ; wood, water, and grass plenty. 
 
 35. San Antonio. Good road, with plenty of wood, water, and grass 
 
 along the road. The Cibello is fordable at ordinary stages. 
 The traveler can procure anything he may need at Victoria 
 and at San Antonio. 
 
SAN ANTONIO TO FORT YUM A. 217 
 
 XYL Wagon-road from San Antonio, Texas, to El Paso, 
 N.M., and Fort Yuma, Cal. 
 
 [Distances in miles and huudredtbs of a mile.] 
 Miles, 
 
 San Antonio to 
 641. Leona. 
 18-12. Castro ville. 
 11-00. Hondo. 
 14-28. Rio Seco. 
 12-50. Sabinal. 
 13-46. Rio Frio. 
 15-12. Neuces. 
 10-27. Turkey Creek. 
 
 15-33. Elm Creek. All good camps, with abundance of wood, water, 
 
 and grass. Country mostly settled, and the road very 
 
 good, except in wet weather, from San Antonio to Elm 
 
 Creek. 
 
 7*00. Fort Clarke. Good grass, wood, and water. Road level and 
 
 good. 
 
 7 00. Piedra Pinta. Good grass, wood, and water. 
 8 86. Maverick s Creek. Good grass, wood, and water. 
 12-61. San Felipe". Good grass, wood and water. 
 10-22. Devil s River. First crossing. Good wood, water, and grass. 
 18 27. California Springs. Grass and water poor. 
 18*39. Devil s River. Second crossing. Grass poor. 
 19-50. Devil s River. Good camp. The only water between Devil s 
 River and Live Oak Creek is at Howard s Springs. The 
 road is very rough in places. 
 44-00. Howard s Springs. Grass scarce; water plenty in winter; 
 
 wood plenty. 
 30*44. Live Oak Creek. Good water and grass. The road passes 
 
 within 1| miles of Fort Lancaster. 
 7-29. Crossing of Pecos River. Bad water and bad camp. The 
 
 water of the Pecos can be used. 
 5 47. Las Moras. Good water, grass, and wood. The road is rough 
 
 on the Pecos. 
 
 32-85. Camp on the Pecos River. Wood and grass scarce. 
 16-26. Escondido Creek. At the crossing. Water good ; little grass 
 
 or wood. 
 
 8-76. Escondido Spring. Grass and water good ; little grass. 
 19-40. Comanche Creek. Grass and water good ; little grass. 
 
 8 88. Leon Springs. Grass and water good; no wood. 
 33 86. Barela Spring. Grass and water good ; wood plenty. 
 28 00. Fort Davis. Good camp. From Fort Davis to Eagle Springs 
 
 there is an ascent, and one of the very best of roads. 
 18-42. Barrel Springs. Water good ; grass and wood fair. 
 
218 SAN ANTONIO TO FORT YUM A. 
 
 Miles. 
 
 13-58. Dead Man s Hole. Good wood and water ; grass scarce. 
 32-83. Van Home s Wells. No grass or wood ; but they will be 
 
 found two miles back. 
 1974. Eagle Springs. Grass and wood poor ; water about half a 
 
 mile from camp in a narrow canon. 
 32-03. Mouth of Canon "de los Camenos." The road is rather 
 
 rough. From here to Fort Bliss, opposite El Paso, the road 
 
 runs near the river, and camps may be made anywhere. 
 
 The wood, water, and grass are good at all points. 
 61 13. San Eluzario. Mexican town. 
 9" 25. Socorro. Mexican town. 
 15-00. Fort Bliss, at El Paso. United States military post and 
 
 Mexican town. 
 Total distance from San Antonio to El Paso, 654-27 miles. 
 
 Miles. 
 
 El Paso to 
 
 22. Cottonwood. From El Paso to Messilla Valley, in the Gadsden 
 Purchase, the road runs up the east bank of the Rio Grande 
 to Fort Fillmore (N.M.), where it crosses the river into the 
 Messilla Valley. 
 
 22. Fort Fillmore. 
 6. La Messilla. 
 
 65. Cook s Spring. From Messilla Valley to Tucson the road is 
 remarkably good, with good grass and water. The streams on 
 this section are the Mimhres and San Pedro, both fordable, 
 and crossed with little trouble. The Apache Indians are 
 generally met with in this country. There is a flour-mill 
 two miles below El Paso, where flour can be purchased at 
 very reasonable prices. 
 
 18. Rio Mimbres. 
 
 17. Ojo la Vaca. 
 10. Ojo de Ynez. 
 34. Peloncilla. 
 
 18. San Domingo. 
 
 23. Apache Springs. 
 9. Cabesas Springs. 
 
 26. Dragon Springs. 
 
 18. Quercos Canon. Bunch-grass will be found sufficient for 
 traveling purposes along this section of the road between El 
 Paso and Tucson. 
 6. San Pedro Crossing. 
 20. Cienega. 
 13. Cienega Creek. 
 20. Mission of San Xavier. 
 8. Tucson. Total distance from El Paso to Tucson, 305 miles. 
 
FORT YUMA TO SAN DIEGO. 219 
 
 Miles. 
 5. Pico Chico Mountain. 
 
 35. First Camp on Gila River. 
 
 29. Maricopa Wells. The Maricopa Wells are at the western ex 
 tremity of a fertile valley occupied by Pincos Indians, who 
 cultivate corn and other grain. 
 
 40. Tezotal. Across Jornada. There is but little grass here ; but, in 
 the season, the mesquite leaves are a good substitute. 
 
 10. Ten Mile Camp. 
 
 15. Oatman s Flat. First crossing of the Gila River. 
 
 25. Second crossing of the Gila. The traveler can generally find 
 
 sufficient grass in the hills along the valley of the Gila. 
 32. Peterman s Station. 
 20. Antelope Peak. 
 24. Little Corral. 
 
 16. Fort Yuma. 
 
 The distance from El Paso to Fort Yuma is 644 miles. 
 
 XVII. From Fort Yuma to San Diego, California. 
 
 [Distances in miles and huudredths of a mile.J 
 
 Fort Yuma to 
 
 10*00. Los Algodones. Along the Colorado. 
 10-00. Cook s Wells. Here commences the great desert; water 
 
 nowhere good or reliable, until ariving at Carizo Creek. 
 
 The points named are where deep wells have been dug. 
 
 " New River," though usually set down, is a dry arroyo. 
 
 The surface of the desert for seven miles on the eastern 
 
 side is drifting sand and heavy for wagons. Then comes a 
 
 section in the centre of the desert that is hard and level. 
 
 On the west side there is about three miles of a mud flat. 
 21-90. Alamo Rancho. 
 16-40. Little Laguna. 
 4 - 50. New River. 
 5-80. Big Laguna. 
 26-40. Carizo Creek. Water good ; cane and brush for fuel, and 
 
 they afford some forage for the animals ; no grass. 
 16 60. Vallecito. Grass poor ; wood and water sufficient. 
 17 80. San Felipe. Grass poor ; wood scarce ; water good. 
 15-80. Warner s Ranch. The road passes through a beautiful oak 
 
 grove, where there is an abundance of grass and water. 
 
 This is the summit of the mountain. At the Ranch the 
 
 grass is poor, and no wood. The water is good. The oak 
 
 grove terminates six miles from Warner s. 
 
220 EL PASO TO FORT ?UMA. 
 
 Miles. 
 
 10*30. Santa Isabel. Good grass, wood, and water. This was an 
 old Spanish mission, but is now occupied by some Ameri 
 cans and Indians. 
 
 11-40. Laguna. Two miles from last camp, is a good camping-place. 
 The road passes over some steep hills, not high. This is 
 the best camp on the road. 
 
 12-00. San Pasquel. For the first nine miles, the road is level and 
 good to the top of the mountain, where there is a good 
 camping-place, with wood, water, and grass ; thence the 
 road descends a very steep hill. The camp is on the east 
 side of the brook, near Soto s house. 
 
 18-80. Parrasquitas. The road passes a good camp three miles from 
 
 San Pasqual. Wood, water, and grass at Parrasquitas. 
 8-00, Fisher s House. The road passes over several hills ; and, at 
 four miles, is a good camping-place. Wood, water, and 
 grass at camp. 
 
 San Diego, California. When animals are to be kept a con 
 siderable time at San Diego, they should be taken four or 
 five miles up the river, as the grass is poor near the town. 
 Total distance from Fort Yuma to San Diego, 217 miles. 
 
 XVIII. From El Paso, New Mexico, to Fort Yuma, 
 California, via Santa Cruz. 
 
 [Distances in miles and hundredths of a mile.] 
 
 From El Paso to 
 
 26-10. Samalayuca. Spring, with grass and wood. 
 
 38-00. Salado. Bad water, with little grass and wood. 
 
 24 75. Santa Maria. Good grass, wood, and water. 
 
 27*50. Mines of San Pedro. Bad water ; little grass or water. 
 
 19 20. Correlitos. Good water, grass, and wood. 
 
 20 00. Janos. Good water, grass, and wood. 
 
 12*00. Pelatudo. Good water, grass, and wood. 
 
 30-00. San Francisco. Water half-a-mile south of the road. 
 
 18 00. San Louis. Good water, grass, and wood. 
 
 35 00. San Bernardino. Good water, grass, and wood. 
 
 30-00. Ash Creek. Grass, wood and water. 
 
 37*00. Head of San Pedro. Grass and water. 
 
 24*00. Santa Cruz. Good grass, wood, and water. 
 
 31*00. Cocospe. Much grass ; ten or twelve miles without water. 
 Leave Santa Cruz River at old Rancho San Lazaro. No 
 water till reaching the head of San Ignacio, except at nine 
 miles ; a spring, one mile west of the road. 
 
EL PASO TO FORT YUMA. 22 1 
 
 Miles. 
 
 26 00. Hemores. From Cocospe to Santa Anna, follow down the 
 
 San Ignacio ; and in many places there is wood and grass. 
 
 Grass is much better at three miles from the river. At 
 
 the foot of the hills there is abundance of grama-grass. 
 5-00. Terrenati. 
 4-00. San Ignacio. 
 5-20. Madina. 
 5*20. San Lorenzo. 
 2-60. Santa Marta. 
 5*20. Santa Anna. 
 26*00. Alamita. Plenty of grass. Leave the river ten or twelve 
 
 miles from Santa Anna, and no water thence to Alamita, 
 
 which is a small rancho. 
 31*20. Altar. No water ; grass abundant. 
 13*00. Laguna. Small water-hole ; grass scanty and poor. 
 52*00. Sonia. Sometimes water is found 25 miles from the Laguna, 
 
 south of the road. There is a well at Sonia in the town, 
 
 and sometimes water in a hole 300 yards south of the town, 
 
 100 yards west of the road. 
 10-40. El Paso. Well at El Paso supplying 100 animals ; water 
 
 muddy and brackish ; grass poor. 
 52 - 00. Sonorita. No water on the road ; at Sonorita are several 
 
 brackish springs. Grass poor ; bad campaigning place ; 
 
 saltpeter at the springs. 
 Quita Oaquita. No water on the road. Saline spring at 
 
 camp, better than at Sonorita, but the grass is not so good. 
 10*40. Agua Salado. Water uncertain ; grass poor. 
 23*40. Los Pleyes. Water only in the rainy season, one mile west 
 
 of the road, hidden by bushes, and difficult to find ; grass 
 
 pretty good. 
 28*60. Cabeza Prieta. Natural tenajas in a ravine two miles from 
 
 the road ; follow a wagon-track up this ravine between a 
 
 black and a red mountain. The water is good and abun 
 dant ; grass tolerable. 
 31*00. Poso. No water on the road until reaching Poso. Here it is 
 
 abundant on the east side of the road; grass good one 
 
 mile west. 
 
 13-00. Kio Gila. But little good grass. 
 26*00. Fort Yuma, at the crossing of the Colorado River. But little 
 
 good grass for several miles. 
 
 Total Distance from El Paso to Fort Yuma, 756 miles 
 
222 
 
 XIX. From Westport f Missouri, to the gold diggings at 
 Pikes Peak and " Cherry Creek," N.T., via the Arkansas 
 River. 
 
 Miles. 
 
 Westport to 
 
 4|. Indian Creek. The road rims over a beautiful country. Indian 
 Creek is a small wooded stream, with abundance of grass and 
 water. 
 
 8|. Cedar Creek. The road passes over a fine country, and there 
 is a good camping-place at Cedar Creek. 
 
 83. Bull Creek. The road is smooth and level, with less wood 
 than before. Camping good. 
 
 9. Willow Springs. At nine miles, the road passes "Black Jack 
 Creek," where there is a good camping-place. The road has 
 but little wood upon it at firs ; but it increases towards the 
 end of the march. The road is level for some distance, but 
 becomes more rolling, and the country is covered with the 
 finest grass. Good camp at one mile from the main road. 
 20i. 110-Mile Creek. The road traverses the same character of 
 country as yesterday, but with less woodland, is very 
 smooth, and at nine and twelve miles passes "Rock Creeks," 
 which have no running water in a dry season. Good camp. 
 22. Prairie Chicken Creek. At eight miles the road crosses 
 Dwissler Creek, which is a fine little stream ; four mil^s 
 further First Dragoon Creek, and at one mile further the 
 Second Dragoon Creek, both fine streams, well wooded, and 
 good camping places. Good camp. 
 
 20. "Big Rock Creek." At one mile the road crosses a small 
 wooded branch. Three miles beyond, it crosses " Elm Creek," 
 where a good camping-place may be found. At seven miles, it 
 crosses 142-Mile Creek, and at thirteen miles it crosses Bluff 
 Creek, where there is a good camping-place. Good camp. 
 
 20. " Council Grove," on "Elm Creek." Road passes "Big John 
 Spring " at thirteen miles, and is smooth and good. A fine 
 camp is found three-fourths of a mile beyond the -< Grove, 
 on Elm Creek, with abundance of wood, water, and grass. 
 
 16. Diamond Spring. At eight miles the road crosses Elm Creek, 
 "and passes over a section similar to that east of Council 
 Grove. It is fine in dry weather, but muddy after heavy 
 rains. Good camp at Diamond Spring. 
 
 16. Lost Spring. One mile from camp, the road passes a wooded 
 creek. From thence there is no more wood or permanent 
 water until arriving at camp. Take wood here for cooking, 
 as there is not a tree or a bush in sight from Lost Spring. 
 The country becomes more level, with grass everywhere. 
 The road is muddy in wet weather. 
 
WESTPORT TO PIKE S PEAK. 223 
 
 Miles. 
 
 15f. Cotton wood Creek. Road continues over a prairie country, 
 sensibly rising arid improving. Wood, water, and grass at 
 camp. 
 
 22. Turkey Creek. The road is good, and at eighteen miles passes 
 
 Little Turkey Creek. No wood, and the water poor at camp ; 
 grass good. 
 
 23. Little Arkansas River. The road runs over a level prairie, and 
 
 at 3 miles passes "Big Turkey Cr,eek," with the Arkansas 
 River Valley in sight all day. After rains, there are frequent 
 pools of water along the road. Good camp. 
 
 20. "Big Cow" Creek. The road passes for ten miles over a level 
 prairie to Charez Creek, which is a bushy gully; thence six 
 miles to Little Cow Creek, which is a brushy stream, with 
 here and there a tree. Good camp here to the left of the 
 road, near a clump of trees. " Prairie-dog towns " commence 
 to be seen. Road very level. Buffalo-grass here. 
 
 20. Big Bend of the Arkansas. The road, at twelve miles, strikes 
 
 the sand-hills of the Arkansas River. They are soon passed, 
 however, and the level river bottom is reached. The river 
 has a rapid current flowing over a quicksand bed. The road 
 is generally good from the last camp. Wood, water, and 
 grass at camp. 
 
 7. Walnut Creek. The road is good. Cool springs at this camp ; 
 good grass and wood. 
 
 21. Head of Coon Creek. At five miles, the road forks, one follow 
 
 ing the river, the other a " short-cut " " dry route " to Fort 
 Atkinson, where they unite on the river. The country rises 
 for ten miles on the dry route, then descends to the river, 
 and is covered with the short buffalo-grass. No wood at camp. 
 
 18. Arkansas River. The road passes over an undulating and un 
 
 interesting prairie, with but little vegetation. The water in 
 dry weather is in pools. 
 
 19. Arkansas River, at Fort Atkinson. The road runs over a 
 
 similar country to that of yesterday, with no wood near ; 
 
 plenty of buffalo-chips for cooking, and good grass. 
 18|. Arkansas River. At 4^ miles the road ascends a bluff covered 
 
 with thick buffalo grass. On the river is heavy bottom grass. 
 
 At seventeen miles pass a ford. Grass good at camp. 
 ] 9. Arkansas River. The road is sandy for fourteen miles, but not 
 
 deep, except in places ; thence to c#,mp it is good. Good 
 
 camp. 
 
 22. Arkansas River. Country prairie, covered with short buffalo- 
 
 grass ; good camp. 
 
 22. Arkansas River. The road is fine, crossing several dry beds of 
 creeks, along which are seen a few scattering trees. Good 
 camp on a dry creek near the river. 
 
 24. Arkansas River. The road runs over a barren plain at the 
 
224 WESTPORT TO 
 
 Miles. 
 
 foot of the main plateau, and crosses two dry creeks near the 
 
 camp, on which are cottonwood-trees. Plenty of wood at 
 
 camp. 
 21. Arkansas River. The road follows the base of the hills at from 
 
 one to three miles from the river ; good camp. 
 20. Arkansas River. At seven miles, the road strikes the " Big 
 
 Timbers," where there is a large body of cotton wood ; thence 
 
 for three miles the road is heavy sand ; good camps along 
 
 here. 
 13. Arkansas River. At one mile, the road passes some old houses 
 
 formerly used as a trading-post. Here terminates the "Big 
 
 Timbers." Coarse grass at the camp. 
 15. Arkansas River. At three miles, the road passes the mouth of 
 
 Purgatoire Creek. Camp is below Bent s Fort. Good grass 
 
 here. 
 24. Arkansas River. Pass Bent s Fort. The grass is excellent in 
 
 the vicinity of the fort, but after this it is not so good. The 
 
 road runs over a high and considerably broken country; 
 
 good camp. 
 
 11. Arkansas River. Opposite the mouth of the Apishpa Creek ; 
 
 good camp. The Huerfano Mountains and Spanish Peaks are 
 insight from the camp. The "Cherokee Trail" comes in 
 from Arkansas, near Bent s Fort, and leads to the gold dig 
 gings at Cherry Creek. 
 
 9. Arkansas River. Opposite the mouth of the Huerfano Creek. 
 Good camp, and a ford opposite Charles Aude bee s House. 
 
 12. Arkansas River. At this point the Cherokee trail bears to the 
 
 right and leaves the river. The left-hand, or river road, runs 
 up to the old pueblo at the mouth of the Fontaine qui Bouille 
 Creek. The right-hand road leads to the gold diggings. 
 
 15|. Fontaine qui Bouille. The road strikes in a north-west course 
 over the rolling country, and comes upon the creek at a most 
 beautiful camp, where there is a great abundance of good 
 wood, water, and grass, The wood, water, and grass are good 
 at all points on the Fontaine qui Bouille, and travelers can 
 camp anywhere upon this stream. 
 
 17 . Fontaine qui Bouille. Here the road forks, one running up the 
 river, and the other striking directly across to the divide of 
 the Arkansas and Platte. I prefer the left-hand road, as 
 it has more water and better grass upon it. 
 
 6. Forks of the " Fontaine qui Bouille." The road to Cherry 
 Creek here leaves the " Fontaine qui Bouille " and bears to 
 the right. There is a large Indian trail which crosses the 
 main creek, and takes a north-west course toward " Pike s 
 Peak." By going up this trail about two miles, a mineral 
 spring will be found, which gives the spring its name of " The 
 Fountain that Boils." This spring, or rather these springs, 
 
225 
 
 Miles. 
 
 as there are two, both of which boil up out of solid rock, are 
 among the greatest natural curiosities that I have ever seen. 
 The water is strongly impregnated with salts, but is delight 
 ful to the taste, and somewhat similar to the Congress-water. 
 It will well compensate anyone for the trouble of visiting 
 it. 
 
 17.2- Black Squirrel Creek. This creek is near the crest of the high 
 divide between the Arkansas and Platte Rivers. It is a small 
 running branch, but always affords good water. There is 
 pine timber here, and the grass is good on the prairies to the 
 east. This is a locality which is very subject to severe 
 storms, and it was here that 1 encountered the most severe 
 snow-storm that I have ever known, on the 1st day of May, 1858. 
 I would advise travelers to hasten past this spot as rapidly 
 as possible during the winter and spring months, as a storm 
 might prove very serious here. 
 
 14. Near the head of Cherry Creek. The road crosses one small 
 branch at four miles from Black Squirrel Creek ; it then takes 
 up to an elevated plateau, which in a rainy season is very 
 muddy. The camp is at the first timber that is found, near 
 the road, to the left. There is plenty of wood, water, and 
 grass here. There is also a good camping-place at the small 
 branch that is mentioned. 
 
 10. On Cherry Creek. There is good grass, wood and water 
 
 throughout the valley of Cherry Creek. The mountains are 
 from five to ten miles distant, on the left or west of the road, 
 and when I passed there was a great abundance of elk, deer, 
 antelope, bear, and turkeys throughout this section. 
 7. On Cherry Creek. Good camp. 
 
 11. On Cherry Creek. Good camp. 
 
 17. Mouth of Cherry Creek, at the South Platte. Good camp, and 
 a town built up since 1 passed, called Denver City. 
 
 Total distance from Westport to the gold diggings, 
 miles. 
 
 XX. From St. Paul s, Min., to Fort Wallah Wallah, 
 Oregon. 
 
 Miles. 
 
 St. Paul s to 
 17. Small Brook. The wood, water, and grass are abundant as far 
 
 as the "Bois des Sioux" River. 
 
 20|-, Cow Creek. This stream is crossed on a bridge. 
 284. Small Lake. North of the road. The road passes over a rolling 
 
 prairie, and crosses Elk River on a bridge. 
 Q 
 
226 ST. PAUL S TO FORT WALLAH WALLAH. 
 
 Miles. 
 
 17. Near Sank Rapids.--The road crosses Elk River twice on bridges; 
 
 Mississippi River near. 
 
 18. Russel s. Ferry across the Mississippi River, then follow the 
 
 Red River trail. Camp is on a cold spring brook. 
 
 6. Cold Spring Brook. Cross Sauk River, 300 feet wide, 4 feet 
 
 deep. 
 
 19. Lake Henry. Road good. 
 ISf. Lightning Lake. Cross Cow River in a ferry-boat; water 4| 
 
 feet deep. 
 
 IT?. Lake. One mile from Red River trail. Pass White Bean Lake. 
 9. Pike Lake. Pass the South Branch of the Chippeway River. 
 
 Road runs over rolling prairie, and crosses a small branch. 
 19J. Small Lake. Cross Chippeway River in a boat. Road passes 
 
 numerous lakes, and the best grass. 
 9|. Small Lake. Road passes rolling prairies, and crosses Rabbit 
 
 River. 
 
 27. fa Bois des Sioux " River. Cross Bois des Sioux Prairie ; rolling 
 ground. 
 
 11. Wild Rice River. Cross "Bois des Sioux" River, 70 feet wide, 
 
 and 4 to 7 feet deep, muddy bottom and banks. Wood, water, 
 and grass at all camps between this and Maple River. 
 4?r. Small Creek. Cross Wild Rice River on a bridge. 
 26^. Sheyene River. Smooth prairie road. 
 16. Maple River. Cross Sheyene River on a bridge, and several 
 
 small branches. 
 
 20. Small Creek. Smooth road ; no wood. 
 
 20. Pond. Wet and marshy ; numerous ponds in sight ; no wood. 
 15. Pond. No wood; approaching Sheyene River. 
 13. Sheyene River. Prairie more rolling; camp in the river bot 
 tom. Wood, water, and grass abundant. 
 
 7. Slough. Cross Sheyene River, 50 feet wide, 3 feet deep. No 
 
 wood. 
 10. Lake. Rolling prairie, with many marshes. Wood, water, and 
 
 grass. 
 
 IQi. Pond. Low, wet prairie ; no wood ; plenty of grass and water. 
 18. Marsh. Smooth prairie, generally dry. 
 20. "Riviere a Jaques." Smooth prairie, with marshes. Road 
 
 crosses the river several times. Wood, water, and grass. 
 21s. Pond. Hilly and marshy prairie, with small ponds, and no wood. 
 
 12. Small Branch. Marshy prairie, filled with ponds, with a thin, 
 
 short grass, and no wood. 
 19. Lake. On a high knoll. Road crosses the South Fork of 
 
 Sheyene River ; good crossing ; thence rolling prairie, passing 
 
 "Balto de Morale," also a narrow lake 4 miles long. 
 16 . Pond. Marshy prairie, ponds, and knolls ; cross a small branch 
 
 at 7f miles. No wood. 
 17|. Pond. Rolling prairie. Cross Wintering River, a deep muddy 
 
ST. PAUL S TO FORT WALLAH WALLAH. 227 
 
 Miles. 
 
 stream 100 feet wide, also marshy prairies and ponds. .No 
 
 wood. 
 16. Small branch. Tributary of Mouse River. Road skirts the 
 
 valley of Mouse River, crossing the ravines near their heads. 
 15. Pond. Undulating prairie with occasional marshes; the road 
 
 then turns up the high ridge called " Grand Coteau." No 
 
 wood. 
 
 20J. Lake. Hilly road approaching Grand Coteau. No wood. 
 20. Lake. Rolling prairie ; smooth, good road ; no wood. 
 15J. Pond. Road passes Grand Coteau at 11 miles, and runs between 
 
 two lakes. No wood, but plenty of " bois de vache " for fuel. 
 19^. Branch of White Earth River. Country rolling and hilly. Road 
 
 passes wood at eight miles from camp. 
 23\. Pond. For two miles the road passes over a low, flat country, 
 
 after which the country is hilly. No wood. 
 23. Pond. Rolling and hilly country, with rocky knobs. At 18 
 
 miles cross branch of Muddy Creek 15 feet wide. Wood in 
 
 ravines near this stream. No wood at camp. 
 20. Pond. Rolling country. At 11 miles there is water in a ravine. 
 
 To the left there is more water, but the country is rough. 
 
 No wood. 
 16{. Fort Union Road descends a hill to the fort; before this it 
 
 passes over high, firm prairie. Good grass near in the 
 
 hills. 
 63-. Pond. No wood ; good grass. 
 
 6. Little Muddy River. Good camp. 
 15. Creek. Two good camps between this and the last. Wood, 
 
 water, and grass. 
 
 10. Big Muddy River. Drift-wood for fuel. 
 
 11. Marsh near Missouri. Good camp. 
 
 18. Poplar River. Good camp. One or two good camps between 
 
 this and the last camp. 
 23. Creek near Missouri. Good camp. 
 
 15. Slough near Missouri. Good camp. 
 
 17. Milk River. One good camp between this and the last camp. 
 
 13*. Milk River. Several good camps passed. 
 
 174. Milk River. Good camp. 
 
 192. Milk River. Several good camps passed. 
 
 17f . Milk River. At the crossing. The road follows a trail on the 
 
 bluffs, and descends again to the river. 
 7. Lake. No wood; grass and water plenty. 
 12^. Milk River. Second crossing. Good camp. 
 
 12. Milk River. Good camp. 
 
 15^. Milk River. Good camps between this and the last camp 
 lOf. Milk River. Good camp. 
 20. Milk River. Good camp. 
 
 16. Milk River. Good camp. 
 
228 ST. PAUL S TO FORT WALLAH WALLAH. 
 
 Miles. 
 
 18. Milk River. At the third crossing. Good camp. 
 7. Branch of Milk River. Good camp. 
 17. Branch of Milk River. Several good camps between this and 
 
 the last camp. 
 
 6. Branch of Milk River. Good camp. 
 19|. Prairie Spring. No wood; water and grass plenty. 
 13|. Teton River. Road crosses "Marias River." 
 8f . Teton River, at Fort Benton. A trading-post. 
 2. Small Creek. Good wood, water, and grass. 
 18|. Missouri River. Good camp. 
 20. Missouri River. Above the falls. Road much broken into 
 
 ravines. Wood, water, and grass. 
 
 16|. Missouri River Road crosses first tributary above Fort Ben- 
 ton at ten miles. 
 17. Missouri River. The road becomes very bad after fourteen 
 
 miles, but is better on the north side of the Missouri. 
 6. Missouri River. The road is exceedingly rough and broken ; 
 
 crosses the river. Good wood, water, and grass. 
 11. Tributary of the Missouri. The most difficult part of the road 
 
 is passed, but the country is still hilly. 
 
 18. Tributary of the Missouri. The road follows up the last-men 
 tioned stream to near its head. Good camps. 
 15. Near the summit of Little Blackfoot pass, on a broad Indian 
 
 trail ; excellent road. 
 
 14|. Little Blackfoot River. Road crosses the summit of the Rocky 
 Mountains. Good road for wagons, with many camping- 
 places. 
 17 Little Blackfoot River. Road good, descending along the river. 
 
 Near the camp a large fork comes in. 
 28^ Little Blackfoot River. Good road, which follows the broad 
 
 open valley for fourteen miles. Good camps. 
 
 19s. Little Blackfoot River. The valley contracts, so that wagons 
 will be forced to take the bed of the river in some places. 
 The river is fordable, and the trail crosses it five times during 
 the day. 
 
 22*. Blackfoot River. Sixteen miles from the last camp " Black- 
 foot " and " Hell Gate " Rive/rs enter, and about one mile of 
 this distance is impassable for wagons ; they would have to 
 cross the river, which is fordable. Good camps. 
 27. Fort Owen. Road runs up the St. Mary s River to Fort Owen 
 
 over a broad, good trail in the valley. 
 
 40. St. Mary s River. The south Nez Perces trail leaves the main 
 trail, which ascends the St. Mary s Valley to the Forks, and 
 follows the south-west fork to its source. To the Forks, the 
 valley of the St. Mary s is open, and admits wagons. 
 24. South-west Fork of St. Mary s River. The road follows a nar 
 row trail, crossing the river frequently, and is not passable 
 for wagons. The valley is narrow and shut in by hills. 
 
ST. PAUL S TO FORT WALLAH WALLAH. 229 
 
 Miles. 
 
 5. Kooskooskia Kiver. Road leaves the St. Mary s River, pass 
 ing over a high ridge to the Kooskooskia River. 
 10. Branch. Road runs over wooded hills. 
 
 14. Creek. Road runs over wooded hills. 
 
 9. Small Creek. This is the best camp between the St. Mary s 
 River and the Nez Perces country. 
 
 15. Small Creek. Road passes over wooded hills. 
 
 9. Small Branch. Road passes over wooded hills, is very rough 
 
 and difficult. Poor camp. 
 
 14. Small Creek. Ten miles from last camp, the road passes a high 
 divide, ascending rapidly, though not difficult. Good grass 
 on the summit, but no water. 
 13. Small Creek. Good camp where the trail emerges from the 
 
 woods on to the high plateau. 
 7. Clear Water River. Large tributary. Road runs over high 
 
 table-land, and descends to the valley of the river. 
 43. Lapwai River. The road follows a broad trail down the river 
 six miles, when it leaves the river bottom and ascends the 
 plateau, which extends to Craig s house, on the Lapwai, fif 
 teen miles from the river. 
 
 23. Tributary Snake River. The trail runs over high ground from 
 Craig s to Lapwai River, fifteen miles. This river is 450 feet 
 wide. No wood. Indians are generally found here, who 
 ferry over travelers. The trail follows Snake River for 
 several miles. 
 
 26^. Tchannon River. The trail passes 5 miles up the bottom of a 
 
 small creek ; then runs over a steep hill to another small 
 
 creek, 8 miles ; then along the valley of this stream 10 miles ; 
 
 thence over a high hill to camp on Tchannon River, 3 miles. 
 
 11 J. Touchet River. The trail crosses the Tchannon River, and 
 
 ascends to a high plain, which continues to camp. 
 32^. Touchet River. Road follows a good trail along the valley, 
 where good camps are found anywhere, with wood, water, and 
 grass. 
 
 19i. Fort Wallah Wallah. Leaving Touchet River, the trail passes 
 over again to the plains, where there is neither wood, water, 
 or grass to Fort Wallah Wallah. 
 
 Total distance from St. Paul s to Fort Union 712^ miles. 
 
 Fort Union to Fort Benton 377 
 
 Fort Benton to Fort Owen 255 
 
 Fort Owen to Fort Wallah Wallah 340| 
 
 Total distance from St. Paul s, Min., to Fort Wallah 
 
 Wallah, Oregon 1685| ,, 
 
230 
 
 XXI, Lieutenant^. F. BEALE S route from Albuquerque to 
 the Colorado River. 
 
 [Distances in miles and hundredths of a mile.] 
 Miles. 
 
 Albuquerque to 
 ). Atrisco. W( 
 
 2-10. Atrisco. Wood, water, and grass. 
 2O63. Rio Puerco. Water in pools ; wood and grass. 
 19 41. Near Puta. Abundance of wood, water, and grass. 
 13-12. Covera. Water and grass abundant ; wood scarce. 
 13 06. Hay Camp. Wood, water, and grass plenty. 
 25 37. Agua Frio. Wood, water, and grass plenty. 
 16 28. Inscription Rock. Small spring ; grass and wood plenty. 
 16 32. Ojo del Pescado. Water and grass plenty ; wood for camp. 
 15-13. Zuni. Grass and water plenty ; wood scarce. 
 
 6 19. Indian Well. Wood, water, and grass. 
 14-43. No. 1. Wood and grass ; no water. 
 11 93. Jacob s Well. Wood, water, and grass. 
 
 6 57. No. 2, Navajo Spring, Wood, water, and grass. 
 13-62. Noon Halt. Water by digging; grass and wood scarce. 
 
 6 13. No. 3. Grass abundant. 
 
 7 75. Noon Halt. Water, wood, and grass abundant. 
 
 7 25. No. 4. Water in holes ; grass and fuel plenty. 
 
 3-60. Three Lakes. Wood, water, and grass. 
 
 1-75. Crossing Puerco. Wood, water, and grass abundant as far as 
 
 Leroux Spring. 
 11-25. No. 5. 
 18-50. No. 6. 
 10-17. No. 7. 
 13-25. No. 8. 
 19-35. Canon Diablo. 
 14-75. No. 10. 
 
 13 50. Near Cosnino (Colinino) Caves. 
 17-32. San Francisco Spring. 
 
 9-06. Leroux Spring. 
 
 8 48. No. 13. Wood and grass, but no water. 
 1T13. Breckenridge Spring. Wood, water, and grass abundant. 
 
 8 07. No. 14. Wood, water and grass abundant. 
 
 6-50. Cedar Spring. Wood, water, and grass abundant. 
 10 50. No. 15. Wood, w r ater, and grass abundant. 
 19 75. Alexander s Canon. Wood and grass plenty ; not much 
 water. 
 
 8 05. Smith s Spring. Wood, water, and grass abundant. 
 
 8 75. Pass Dornin. Wood and grass abundant ; no water. 
 13 50. No. 19. Wood and grass abundant ; no water. 
 16 35. No. 20. Water two miles from camp ; wood and grass plenty. 
 
 4 06. Hemphill s Spring. Wood, water, and grass abundant. 
 
ALBUQUERQUE TO SAN PEDRO. 231 
 
 Miles. 
 
 21-25. No. 21. Wood, water, and grass abundant. 
 
 9 75. No. 22. Wood and grass ; spring one mile distant. 
 
 5*50. No. 23. Wood and grass plenty ; no water. 
 
 8 45. No. 24. Wood and grass ; spring three miles off. 
 16-75. No. 25. Wood and grass ; no water. 
 
 7-25. Sabadras Spring. Wood, water, and grass. 
 13 25. No. 26. Wood ; no grass or water. 
 
 8 75. Spring. Wood, water, and grass. 
 
 1-25. No. 27. Wood, water, and grass. 
 
 3-17. No. 28. Wood, water, and grass. 
 
 1*25. No. 29. Wood, water, and grass. 
 
 3-11. No. 30. Wood, water, and grass. 
 
 2-25. No. 31. East bank of Colorado River ; wood. 
 
 No. 32. West bank ; water and Grass abundant. 
 
 XXII. Captain WHIPPLE S Route from Albuquerque, New 
 Mexico, to San Pedro, California. 
 
 [Distances iu Miles and hundred ths of a mile.] 
 Miles. 
 
 Albuquerque to 
 
 - 88. Atrisco. Permanent running water. 
 12 16. Isleta. Permanent running water. 
 22-78. Rio Puerco. Water in holes. 
 18-30. Rio Rita. Permanent running water. 
 13-17. Covera. 
 
 14-66. Hay Camp. 
 
 17-71. Sierra Madre. No Water. 
 
 8-06. Agua Frio. Permanent running water. 
 17-49 Inscription Rock. El Moro. Permanent springs. 
 14 23. Ojo del Pescado. Permanent springs. 
 11 74. Zuni. Permanent running water. 
 
 8-83. Arch Spring. Permanent spring. 
 
 10-77 No water. 
 
 19-69. Jacob s Well. Permanent water-hole. 
 
 7 04. Navajo Spring. Permanent Springs. 
 12-13. Willow Creek. Rio de la Jara. Water in holes. 
 10-87. Rio Puerco of the West. Water in holes. 
 11-59. Lithodendron Creek. Permanent running water. 
 11-99. Colorado Chiquito. 
 
 14-42. 
 
 8-63. 
 
 4-Q4 
 
 * "* )> 
 
 1-35. 
 
232 ALBUQUERQUE TO SAN PEDRO. 
 
 Miles. 
 
 4 90. Colorado Chiquito. Permanent running water. 
 10-99. 
 
 15*88. 
 
 4-44. 
 
 1-51. 
 
 29-72. Colinino (Cosnino) Caves. Permanent water-holes. 
 
 11-81. Near San Francisco Spring. No water; water 4 miles from 
 
 camp. 
 10-46. Leroux s Spring. Permanent water. 
 
 8-23 No water. 
 
 6-17 No water. 
 
 8 54. New Year s Spring. Permanent spring. 
 
 9-77. Lava Creek. Water in hole. 
 
 9-89. Cedar Creek. Water in holes. 
 13-26. Partridge Creek. Water in holes. 
 
 3-89. 
 15-52. 
 
 0-87. Picacho Creek. 
 
 7*45 No water. 
 
 8-69. Turkey Creek. Permanent running water. 
 
 5-71. Pueblo Creek. 
 
 6*67. water in holes. 
 
 5-98. 
 
 5-80. Can on Creek. 
 
 12-16. 
 
 0-30. Water in holes. 
 
 11-29. 
 
 9 - 64. Cactus Pass. Permanent running water. 
 
 7-97. White Cliff Creek. Permanent running water. 
 11 60. Big Horn Springs. Permanent spring. 
 12 83. Mouth of Canon Creek. Permanent running water. 
 
 9-21. "Big Sandy" Creek. 
 
 4-35. 
 
 6-21. 
 
 4-08. 
 
 6-10. 
 
 5 5 6. , 
 
 4-64. Mouth of Big Sandy Creek. Permanent running water as far 
 as the Colorado River. 
 
 6-52. Rio Santa Maria (Bill Williams Creek). 
 
 8 97 
 
 6-85. 
 
 7-22. 
 
 3-90. 
 
 8-69. 
 
 4-33. Mouth of Rio Santa Maria. 
 
 4-74. On Colorado River. 
 
ALBUQUERQUE TO SAN PEDRO. 233 
 
 Miles. 
 
 5 02. On Colorado River. 
 9 06. 
 
 11-39. 
 
 29-87. 
 
 1-02. Mojave Villages. 
 9-46. Crossing of the Colorado River. 
 0-33. On Colorado River. 
 2-78, On Colorado River. 
 
 29-71 The road, on leaving the Colorado, runs up over a 
 
 gravelly ridge to a barren niesa, and descends the bed of 
 the Mojave 4 or 5 miles above its mouth, and at 9 miles it 
 passes springs near the point where the road turns around 
 the western base of a mountain. There is no water at the 
 camp, but grass in an arroyo. 
 
 9 00. Pai-Ute-Creek. This is a fine stream, with good water and 
 grass. 
 
 13 00. Arroyo. Grass and wood ; water is found by digging. 
 7"00. Fine Spring. Good water and grass. The wagon-road passes 
 around the hills, but an Indian trail leads through the 
 ravine where the spring is. 
 
 19 00. Marl Spring. This is a small but constant spring ; excellent 
 grass, and greasewood for fuel. 
 
 30-00. Lake. The road follows a ridge for some distance, then 
 descends to an arroyo, and in a few miles emerges into a 
 sandy plain, where there is the dry bed of a lake, which is 
 firm, and makes a smooth, good road. The camp is at 
 some marshy pools of water. Good grass, and greasewood 
 for fuel. 
 
 12 00. Mojave River. Road passes through a valley of drifted sand, 
 and at the camp strikes the river, which is here a beautiful 
 stream of fresh water, 10 to 12 feet wide and a foot deep, 
 with a hard, gravelly bottom. Grass in the hills near. 
 
 13 00. Mojave River. The road ascends the river, the banks of 
 which are covered with fine grass and mesquite wood. 
 Good camps along here. 
 
 20 - 00. Mojave River. The road leads up the river for a short dis 
 tance, when it turns into an arroyo, and ascends to a low 
 mesa, and continues along the border of a level prairie 
 covered with fine bunch-grass. It then enters the river 
 bottom again, which is here several miles wide, and well 
 wooded. Grass good. 
 
 20 00. Mojave River. Six miles from camp, the road strikes the 
 Mormon road, and crosses the stream near a Mormon 
 camping-place. The trail runs along the river, which gets 
 larger and has more timber on its bank as it is ascended. 
 Good grass, wood, and water. 
 
 22-00. Mojave River. A short distance from camp the valley con- 
 
234 FORT YUM A TO BENICIA. 
 
 Miles. 
 
 tracts, but the road is good. It leaves the valley and 
 crosses a gravelly ridge, but enters it again. Good grass, 
 wood, and water. 
 
 15-00. Mojave River. Road continues along the right bank of the 
 river, in a south-west course, and crosses the river at camp. 
 Good wood, water, and grass. 
 
 29-50. Cajou Creek. The road leaves the river at the crossing, and 
 runs toward a break in the San Bernadino Mountains ; it 
 ascends a sharp hill and enters a cedar thicket ; it then 
 ascends to the summit of the Cajou Pass ; thence over a 
 spur of the mountains into an arroyo or creek in a ravine ; 
 thence along the dry channel of the Cajou Creek for two 
 miles, where the water begins to run, and from thence the 
 road is rough to camp. 
 
 7 00. Cajou Creek. Road continues along the creek to camp, and 
 is rough. Wood, water, and grass at camp. 
 
 20-00. Cocomouga s Ranch. On a pretty stream of running water. 
 The road runs for six miles down the Cajou Creek, along 
 its steep and rocky bed. It is here a good-sized stream. 
 Captain Whipple s road here leaves the San Bernadino 
 road, and turns to the west along the base of the mountains 
 towards Los Angeles ; it then crosses a prairie, and strikes 
 the ranch of Cocomouga. Wood, water, and grass. 
 
 24-00. Town of El Monte. The road runs upon the northern border 
 of a basin which is watered by many small streams, and is 
 settled. The camp on the pretty stream of San Gabriel, 
 where there is a good camping-place. 
 
 14-25. City of Los Angelos. The road passes the Mission of San 
 Gabriel, then enters a ravine among hills and broken 
 ground ; it then descends and crosses the river which 
 waters the valley, and enters the city. There is a good 
 camp upon the point of a ridge on the left bank of the river. 
 
 23-00. San Pedro. Good camp. 
 
 XXIII. From Fort Yuma to Benicia, California. 
 From Lientenant R. S. WILLIAMSON S Report, 
 
 [Distances in miles and hundredths of a mile.] 
 Miles. 
 
 Fort Yuma, on Rio Colorado, to 
 6-61. Pilot Knob. 
 5 06. Algodones. 
 11-18. Cook s Wells. 
 21-11. Alamo Mocho. 
 14-16. Little Laguna. 
 
FORT YUMA TO BENICIA. 235 
 
 Miles. 
 
 10-29. BigLaguna. 
 
 12-92. Forks of Road. The left-hand road leads to Sail Diego, 139 94 
 
 miles ; the right-hand to San Francisco. 
 17-62. Salt Creek. 
 
 28-94. Water in the Desert. Below point of rocks. 
 12-60. Cohuilla Village. 
 15-82. Deep Well. 
 10-62. Hot Spring. 
 
 7-36. East base of San Gorgonio Pass. 
 18-29. Summit of Pass. 
 27" 10. San Bernadino. Mormon town. 
 17-60. Sycamore Grove. 
 14-00. Qui-qual-mun-go Ranch. 
 26-60. San Gabriel River. At crossing. 
 
 6*70. Mission of San Gabriel. 
 
 9-00. Los Angelos. 
 10-20. Cahuengo Ranch. At the crossing of a branch of Los Angelos 
 
 River. 
 10-70. Mission of San Fernando. 
 
 5 90. Summit of San Fernando Pass. 
 
 7 15. Santa Clara River, south-east fork. 
 15*80. Summit of Coast Range. In San Francisquito Pass. 
 18-00. Eastern base of Sierra Nevada. 
 
 6-70. Summit of Tejon Pass. 
 13-10. Depot Camp in the Tejon. 
 3 TOO. Kern River. At the crossing. 
 10-80. Depot Camp on Pose Creek, or " 0-co-ya." 
 24-30. White Creek. 
 14-90. More s Creek. 
 
 5-10. Tule River. 
 
 22-00. Deep Creek. Deep Creek is the first of four creeks, crossed 
 by the wagon-road into which the " Pi-pi-yu-na " divides 
 itself after emerging from the Sierra. These streams are 
 commonly known as the " Four Creeks." 
 
 0-29. Cameron Creek. The second of the " Four Creeks." 
 
 3-30. Kah-wee-ya River. The third and principal one of the "Four 
 Creeks." 
 
 0-89. St. John s Creek. The last of the " Four Creeks." At the 
 
 crossing. 
 
 28-13. Pool s Ferry. On King s River. 
 J2-32. Slough of King s River. 
 
 25*73. Fort Miller. On San Joaquin River, in the foot-hills of the 
 Sierra Nevada. 
 
 9-40. Cottonwood Creek. 
 
 7 72. Fresno River. 
 
 12-15. Chowchilla River. Sometimes known as "Big Mariposa." 
 10-39. Mariposa River. 
 
236 FORT BRIDGER TO CAMP FLOYD. 
 
 Miles. 
 
 6-03. Bear Creek. 
 18-33. Merced River. 
 18-87. Davis Ferry Tuolumne River. 
 28 85. Grayson. A ferry on the San Joaquin River. 
 27*54. Elk Horn. The distance is by the wagon-road, and is 
 circuitous. 
 
 6 90. Summit of Livermore Pass. 
 
 7 20. Egress from Livermore Pass. 
 
 40-42. Martinez. On the Straits of Carquives, opposite Benicia, 
 California. 
 
 Total distance from Fort Yuma to Benicia, 800.45 miles. 
 
 XXIV. A new route from Fort Bridger to Camp Floyd, 
 opened by Captain J. H. SIMPSON, U.S.A., in 1858. 
 
 Miles. 
 
 Fort Bridger to 
 
 6. Branch of Black s Fork. Wood water, and grass. 
 7^. Cedar on Bluffs of Muddy. Grass and wood all the way up the 
 
 ravine from the Muddy, and water at intervals. 
 65. Last water in ravine after leaving the Muddy. Wood, water, 
 
 and grass. 
 
 5|. East Branch of Sulphur Creek. Wood, water, and grass. Junc 
 tion of Fort Supply Road. 
 
 I*. Middle Branch of Sulphur Creek. Sage, water, and grass. 
 3. West Branch of Sulphur Creek. Willow, water, and grass; 
 
 spring a mile below. 
 5^. East Branch of Bear River. Wood; water, and grass. 
 
 {. Middle Branch of Bear River. Wood, water, and grass. 
 2|. Main Branch of Bear River. Wood, water, and grass. 
 9|. First Camp on White Clay Creek. Wood, water, and grass. 
 5\. White Clay Creek. Wood, water, and grass. 
 15. White Clay Creek. Good camps all along the valley of White 
 
 Clay Creek. 
 
 f. Commencement of Canon. Wood, water, and grass. 
 . White Clay Creek. Good camps all along the valley of White 
 
 Clay Creek to the end of the lower Canon. 
 12. Weber River. Wood, water, and grass. 
 6. Parley s Park Road. Wood, water, and grass. Pass over the 
 
 divide. 
 
 3f . Silver Creek. Willows, water, and grass. 
 6. Timpanogos Creek. Wood, water, and grass. Cross over the 
 
 divide. 
 1. Commencement of Canon. Wood, water, and grass. 
 
FORT TIIORNE TO FORT YUMA. 237 
 
 Miles. 
 
 24. Cascade in Canon. Good camps at short intervals all along 
 
 Timpanogos Canon. 
 
 4.}. Mouth of Canon. Wood and water. 
 6-}. Battle Creek Settlement. Purchase forage. 
 3. American Fork Settlement. Purchase forage. 
 
 3. Lehi (town). Purchase forage. Grass near. 
 2f . Bridge over Jordan. Grass and water ; wood in the hills 1 5 
 
 miles distant. 
 14. Camp Floyd. Wood, water, and grass. 
 
 Total distance from Fort Bridger to Camp Floyd, 155 miles. 
 
 NOTE. -Captain Simpson says this wagon-route is far superior to 
 the old one in respect to the grade, wood, water, and grass, and in 
 distance about the same. 
 
 XXV. From Fort Thome, New Mexico, to Fort Yuma, 
 California. 
 
 [Distances in miles and hundredths of a mile.] 
 Miles. 
 
 Fort Thorne, N. M., to 
 
 14-30 Water Holes. One mile west of hole in rock. Water uncer 
 tain ; no wood. 
 9 - 19. Mule Creek. Water at all seasons a little up the creek; wood 
 
 plenty. 
 12-00. Cook s Spring. Water sufficient for camping; mesquite 
 
 bushes on the hills. 
 
 19-50. Rio Mimbres. Water and wood abundant. 
 16-30. Ojo de la Vaca. Water and wood. 
 12 00. Spring Constant small streams two miles up the cation ; 
 
 water at the road uncertain. 
 44-40. Rancho. Pond of brackish water one mile to the right, four 
 
 miles before reaching here. 
 13 90. Rio St. Simon. Constant water a few miles up, and mesquite 
 
 wood. 
 18 40. Pass in the Mountains. Water on the left about two miles 
 
 after entering the Pass. 
 6 40. Arroyo. Wood one mile up ; water uncertain ; small stream 
 
 crossing the road 1$ miles from last camp. 
 26 30. Nugent s Spring. Large Spring. Excellent water one mile 
 
 south, at Playa St. Domingo. 
 17-20. Canon. To the left of the road. Water li miles up the 
 
 canon, two miles from the road. 
 17-00. Rio San Pedro. Water and wood abundant. 
 16-30. San Pedro. Water abundant ; wood distant. 
 
238 FORT THORNE TO FORT YUMA. 
 
 Miles. 
 
 20 80. Cieneqnilla. Water and wood abundant. 
 7 30. Along Cienequilla. Water and wood abundant; road rough. 
 
 21-80. Mission of San Xavier. Large mesquite, and water plenty in 
 
 Santa Cruz River. 
 
 8*00. Tucson. Village on Santa Cruz River. Tucson is the last 
 green spot on the Santa Cruz River. The best camping- 
 ground is two miles beyond the village, where the valley 
 widens, and good grass and water are abundant. 
 7 20. Mud Holes. The road passes over arroyas, but is rather 
 level. 
 
 65*00. Agua Hermal. Road passes over a desert section, and is 
 hard and level. Water is found in most seasons, except in 
 early summer, in natural reservoirs on an isolated mountain 
 about midway, called " Picapo ;" poor water, and tall coarse 
 grass at the mud-holes. Road here strikes the Rio Gila. 
 
 15-10. Los Pimos. Road follows the river bottom. Lagoon of bad 
 water near camp, Grass good ; plenty of cottonwood and 
 mesquite. 
 
 13-20. Los Maricopas. Road takes the river bottom, and passes 
 through cultivated fields ; soil and grass good. The Indian 
 village is on a gravelly hill. The road is good. 
 
 40*00. El Tezotal. The road leaves the river and crosses the desert. 
 No water between this and the last camp at the Maricopas 
 village. Road is good. The calita abounds here, and the 
 mules are fond of it. 
 
 10-50. Pega del Rio. Road runs in the river bottom, and is level. 
 
 Rincon de Vega. Road runs in the river bottom, and is 
 level. Good grass. 
 
 10"50. Mai Pais. Road continues near the river, but over low gravel- 
 hills and through a short canon of deep sand. 
 9 50. Mil Flores. Pass over a very steep precipice to an elevated 
 plateau, thence over gravel-hills 4g miles to camp, where 
 there is excellent grass and wood. 
 
 13 70. Santado. Road keeps the river bottom until within four 
 miles of camp, when it turns over the plateau. Good grass. 
 
 1 6 70. Las Lonas. Road follows the river bottom. Scattered bunch- 
 grass on the hills. 
 
 11-40. Vegas. Road follows along the river bottom. Grass poor. 
 
 16-80. Metate. Road runs along at the foot of a rugged mountain. 
 Excellent grass at the camp. 
 
 14*70. El Horral. Road ascends to the plateau, which it follows for 
 seven miles over a level country, then descends over 
 gravelly hills to the river. Camp on the river bank near 
 the desert. Wood plenty. 
 
 20-80. Los Algodones. Road runs along at the foot of the hills or 
 spurs of the desert ; small rugged hills, vegetation, dwarf 
 mesquit, cacti, etc. Good grass at camp. 
 
LARAMIE CROSSING TO FORT BRIDGER. 239 
 
 Miles. 
 
 7-40. Fort Yuma, on the Rio Colorado. 
 
 Total distance from Port Thome, N.M., to Fort Yuma, 571 
 miles. 
 
 XXVI. Lieutenant BRYAN S Route from the Laramie Cross 
 ing of the South Platte to Fort Bridger, via Bridgers 
 Pass. 
 
 Miles. 
 
 Lararnie crossing to 
 14. Bryan s Crossing. Road runs on the south side of the Platte. 
 
 Good grass and water. 
 
 12. First Crossing of Pole Creek. Pole Creek is a rapid stream, 
 sandy bed, 15 feet wide, and 2 feet deep. Good grass on the 
 creek, and wood three miles off on the bluffs. 
 37. Second Crossing of Pole Creek. Road runs along the creek. 
 
 Good grass and good camps at any point. Good road. 
 17i. Third Crossing of Pole Creek. Good camp. Wood on the 
 
 bluffs. 
 20^. Fourth Crossing of Pole Creek. Creek dry for three miles. 
 
 Good grass. 
 20. Bluffs covered with dead pines. Creek is crossed several times. 
 
 Road runs over a rough broken country. Good grass. 
 14^. Road from Fort Laramie to New Mexico. Road rather rough. 
 
 The valley opens out into a wide plain. Plenty of grass. 
 10. On Pole Creek. Good road ; good camp. 
 
 20. On Pole Creek. Road crosses several ravines, most of which 
 
 can be avoided by keeping on the bluffs ; the valley is narrow 
 
 Grass is not very good. 
 17s. Cheyenne Pass. Road passes over a rolling country. Good 
 
 grass ; willows for fuel. Military post established here. 
 4. Summit of Black Hills. Source of Pole Creek. Grass poor. 
 I O^. East Fork of Laramie River. Good camp. 
 16. West Fork of Laramie River. Good camp. Cherokee trail 
 
 comes in here. 
 
 14. Cooper s Creek. Wood and grass. 
 lO.j. East Fork of Medicine Bow Creek. Wood and grass as far as 
 
 Pass Creek. 
 
 21. Small Creek. 
 6. Birch Creek. 
 
 5 j. West Fork of Medicine Bow Creek. 
 2. Flint s Creek. 
 
240 LARAMIE CROSSING TO FORT BRIDGER. 
 
 Miles. 
 
 3. Elm Creek. 
 
 7. Battle snake Creek. 
 5. Pass Creek. 
 
 14. North Fork of the Platte. Good road over high prairie. Five 
 miles before reaching the river, the Cherokee trail turns to 
 the left, and crosses three miles above. Good camps on the 
 river. 
 
 3. First Crossing of Sage Creek. Good road. Grass not plenty. 
 10. Second Crossing of Sage Creek. Road runs through Sage 
 Creek Valley ; hilly, broken, and sterile country, covered with 
 sage-brush. Grass not abundant. Cherokee trail leaves 
 three miles back. 
 
 4. Third Crossing of Sage Creek. Eoad continues through sage 
 
 brush. Grass gets better. 
 
 3. Fourth Crossing of Sage Creek. Good grass, wood, and water. 
 9. Bridger s Pass. Road runs over a hilly country, crossing 
 
 several small branches, with a little grass upon their banks ; 
 country covered with sage. 
 
 3. Muddy Creek. The valley of the "Muddy" is deep and narrow 
 at first, and afterward opens out. The crossings of this creek 
 were either bridged or paved by the troops in 1858. But 
 little grass in this valley. 
 
 20^. Near Muddy Creek. Very little grass ; poor camp. 
 
 16i. Bridger s Fork of the Muddy Creek. The road for thirteen 
 miles runs over a rolling country, then over a rough, broken 
 country,. with deep ravines. No water in this fork in a dry 
 season ; small springs of brackish water near the crossing. 
 Grass poor. 
 
 4. Small Spring. Water bad ; grass poor. 
 
 2i. Small Spring. In the bluff. Water bad ; grass poor. 
 1. Haystack. Clay Butte. Spring in the dry bed of the creek. 
 
 Bunch-grass. 
 5|. Small Springs. In bluffs on the right of the road. Grass poor 
 
 and water bad. 
 7^. Springs. There is a fine spring at the foot of a steep hill on the 
 
 south side of the road. Very little grass ; rushes on the 
 
 creek. 
 
 3^. South Fork of Bitter Creek. Good grass and water. 
 14f . On Bitter Creek. Country hilly, and intersected with deep 
 
 ravines. South Fork is a fine stream of good water. 
 16. Sulphur Springs. Road very hilly, crossing many deep ravines. 
 
 Grass arid sage plenty. 
 9. Bitter Creek Crossing. No grass at the crossing. Water 
 
 bitter when the creek is down, but tolerable in high water. 
 
 Road rough, with numerous ravines. 
 18^. North Fork of Bitter Creek. Cherokee trail enters near the 
 
 crossing. Road good, but little grass except in spots. Sage 
 
 for fuel. 
 
DENVER CITY TO FORT BRIDGER. 241 
 
 Miles. 
 
 4. Bluffs. Springs of good water in the elevated bluffs on the 
 right of the road in the cottonwood groves. Grass good and 
 abundant at the base of the bluffs. 
 
 11|. Green River. Road is very rough and hilly, and winds along 
 the valley of the creek. Good camp on the river, with plenty 
 of wood and grass. 
 
 15|. Crossing of Black s Fork. Road runs up through Rabbit Hol 
 low, which is steep and sandy; it then passes over rolling 
 prairie to Black s Fork. Bunch-grass on the hills, and good 
 camp at the crossing. 
 llj. Fort Laramie Road. Rolling country; good road through sage 
 
 bushes. Good camps along the creek. 
 5|. Ham s Fork. Good camp on either side of the creek. United 
 
 States bridge here ; good road. 
 
 . Black s Fork crossing. Good ford except in high water, when 
 the right-hand road on the north bank of the creek is gene 
 rally traveled. 
 14^. Fourth Crossing of Black s Fork. Good road; fine camp; 
 
 plenty of wood, water, and grass. 
 
 2f . Fifth Crossing of Black s Fork. Good camp ; good road. 
 2. Smith s Fork. Good carnp; good road, 
 llf. Fort Bridger. Good camp near; good road. 
 
 Total distance from the Laramie Crossing of the South Platte 
 to Fort Bridger, 520^ miles. By the Fort Laramie road the 
 distance is 569 miles. 
 
 XXVII. Wagon-route from Denver City, at the Mouth of, 
 Cheiry Creek, to Fort Bridger, Utah. 
 
 Miles. 
 
 Denver City to 
 
 5. Vasquez Fork. Good road, and fine camp. 
 
 19^. Thompson s Fork. Road crosses three creeks about five miles 
 apart, is good, and the camp is well supplied with water and 
 grass, but wood is scarce. 
 16^. Bent s Fork Road crosses two streams about five miles apart; 
 
 no wood on the first. Good camp. 
 
 26. Cashe la Poudre River. Excellent road crossing two streams 
 at ten and twenty- three miles from the last camp ; good camps 
 on both. Cashe la Poudre is a fine large stream which issues 
 from the mountains near the road, and is difficult to cross in 
 high water. It has a firm bottom. Good camps along this 
 stream, with plenty of wood and grass. 
 R 
 
242 DENVER CITY TO FORT BRIDGER. 
 
 Miles. 
 
 16. Beaver Creek. Road turns to the left and enters the hills, as 
 
 cending very gradually between two lines of bluffs, and is 
 good except in wet weather. Good camp. 
 
 19. Small Branch. Road crosses Beaver Creek three times, afford 
 ing good camps. Road is hilly, but not very rough, passing 
 for a portion of the distance through a timbered region. Elk 
 and mountain sheep are abundant in this section. The camp 
 is near the summit of the divide. Grass short. 
 
 17|. Tributary of Laramie River. Good road on the divide. Grass 
 and water plenty, but wood not abundant. 
 
 ISg. Tributary of Laramie River. Road passes Laramie Fork three 
 
 miles from the last camp. Good camp. 
 
 21. Tributary of Laramie River. Road crosses a small creek at 14 
 miles from the last camp. Fine camp. 
 
 17. Medicine Bow Creek. At twelve miles the road crosses Sulphur 
 
 Spring Creek, and at the West Fork of the Laramie, Lieute 
 nant Bryan s road enters. At ten miles from the last camp 
 there are two roads one, Bryan s, leading north of the Medi 
 cine Bow Butte, and the other to the south of it. The former 
 is the best. Good camp. 
 
 17^. Prairie Creek. Fine Camp. A portion of the road is very 
 rough. It crosses several small branches, upon which good 
 camps may be had. Fine game section, with bear, elk, etc., in 
 great abundance. 
 
 12^. North Fork of the Platte. Excellent camp. Leaving Bryan s 
 road, four miles back, taking the left, which is altogether the 
 best of the two. The crossing of the Platte is good except in 
 high water, when it is very rapid. A flat-boat was left here 
 by Colonel Loring s command in 1858. 
 
 12|. Clear Creek. Sage for fuel; grass short. 
 
 23. Dry Creek. Road leaves Bryan s trail to Bridger s Pass, and 
 bears to the right, passing over a smooth country covered 
 with sage, and poorly watered ; passes a pond of milky water 
 at thirteen miles. There is water in Dry Creek, except in a 
 very dry season. Two miles from the creek, on the old trail, 
 there is a fine spring on the left of the road, which runs 
 down into the road, and here is the best grass after leaving 
 the Platte, with plenty of fuel. 
 
 10.^. Muddy Creek. Road leaves the old Cherokee trail at Dry Creek, 
 and bears to the left. Good camp for a limited number of 
 animals; fine grass along near the bank of the creek. Bad 
 crossing. Buffalo seen here. 
 
 19|. Lake. Old trail enters near this camp. Road passes a brackish 
 spring four miles back. The road may be shortened by bear 
 ing to the left, and skirting the hills for about six miles before 
 reaching the lake. The water in the lake is not good, but 
 drinkable, and will be abundant, except in the very dryest 
 
NEBRASKA CITY TO FORT KEARNEY. 243 
 
 Mi!es. 
 
 part of the summer. Grass is good on the hills. The road 
 from Dry Creek is shorter than the old road by 30 miles. 
 24*. Red Lakes. Road is good, but traverses a very dry and sterile 
 region. The water is not good in the lakes, but drinkable, and 
 may go dry in midsummer. Grass tolerable. 
 
 22. Seminoes Spring. After passing the flats at the Red Lakes, the 
 road is smooth and good, and there is a good camp at Semi- 
 noes Spring. 
 
 12.J. Bitter Creek. New road to the left, cutting off ten or twelve 
 miles. Good camp ; water a little saline, but drinkable. 
 
 25. Sulphur Spring. Road runs along the valley of Bitter Creek, 
 where there is but little grass until reaching camp. Animals 
 should be driven across the creek into the hills, where the 
 best grass is found. 
 
 17. Green River. Road leaves Bitter Creek at Sulphur spring, and 
 passes near some high bluffs, where there are small springs 
 and good grass. Excellent camp at Green River. From here 
 the road runs over the same track as Bryan s road to Fort 
 Bridger. From all the information I have been able to obtain 
 regarding Lieutenant Bryan s road from Sage Creek through 
 Bridger s Pass, and thence down the Muddy Creek, I am in 
 clined to believe that the road we traveled is much the best. 
 It is said that Lieutenant Bryan s route from Bridger s Pass 
 to Green River has a scarcity of grass. The water is brackish, 
 and the supply limited, and may fail altogether in a dry sea 
 son. The road passes through deep valleys and canons, 
 crossing muddy creeks and deep ravines. The creeks have 
 been bridged, and the ravines cut down so as to form a prac 
 ticable road ; but freshets will probably occur in the spring, 
 which will destroy a great deal of the work, and may render 
 the road impassable. Lieutenant Duane s Notes. 
 The other road is for the greater part of the distance smooth, 
 and has a sufficiency of grass in places, and may become 
 scarce in a very dry season. 
 
 XXVIIL From Nebraska City, on the Missouri, to Fort 
 Kearney. 
 
 Nebraska City, on the Missouri River, is a point from which a 
 large amount of the supplies for the army in Utah are sent, and one 
 of the contractors Mr. Alexander Majors, speaks of this route in 
 the following terms : "The military road from Fort Leavenworth 
 crosses very many tributaries of the Kansas River, the Soldier, the 
 Grasshopper, etc., etc., which are at all times difficult of passage. 
 
244 CAMP FLOYD TO FORT UNION. 
 
 There are no bridges, or but few, and those of but little service. 
 From Nebraska City to Fort Kearney, which is a fixed point for the 
 junction of all roads passing up the Platte, we have but one stream 
 of any moment to cross. That one is Salt Creek, a stream which is 
 now paved at a shallow ford with solid rock. 
 
 " There is no other stream which, even in a high freshet, would 
 stop a train a single day. Again, upon this route we have an abun 
 dance of good grazing every foot of the way to Fort Kearney. The 
 route from Nebraska City is about 100 miles shorter to Fort Kear 
 ney than that from Fort Leavenworth, the former being less than 
 200 miles, and the latter about 300 miles." 
 
 From Nebraska City to Salt Creek is . . .40 miles. 
 Salt Creek to Elm Creek is . . . . 60 
 Elm Creek to Fort Kearney is . . .100 
 
 Upon the entire route there is an abundance of wood, water, and 
 grass, and camping-places frequent. 
 
 XXIX. From Camp Floyd, Utah, to Fort Union, New 
 Mexico. By Colonel W. W. LORING, U.S.A. 
 
 Miles. 
 
 Camp Floyd to 
 
 23. Goshen. The road runs through Cedar Valley ; is level and 
 good for 11 miles, to where the road forks. The left runs 
 near the lake, and has good camps upon it. Thence to a fine 
 spring, where there is a good camp, is 3 miles. Grass con 
 tinues good to the camp near Goshen. Wood, water, and 
 grass abundant. 
 
 14. Salt Creek. Hoad runs over a mountain in direct course to a 
 fine spring branch, which runs into Salt Creek at 3- miles, 
 where is a good camp ; thence through a meadow to a small 
 branch 3 miles, striking the old Mormon road again opposite 
 a mud fort, where there is a fine spring and good camp ; 
 thence into the valley of Salt Creek, where there are good 
 camps. 
 
 18. Pleasant Creek. Near the last camp the road forks, one run 
 ning to Nephi, a small Mormon village, the other to Salt 
 Creek Canon, which is the one to be taken. The road runs 
 up the baiion 5 miles ; thence up its small right-hand fork to 
 a spring, 3 miles ; thence to camp. Good camps can be found 
 anywhere after crossing Salt Creek, with abundance of wood, 
 water, and grass. 
 
 19}. Willow Creek. Road at 65 miles passes a fine spring ; half a 
 mile farther is another spring, where the road forks. Take the 
 
CAMP FLOYD TO FORT UNION. 245 
 
 Miles. 
 
 right through a meadow ; it is 3 or 4 miles shorter. To the 
 crossing is 3 miles ; thence to the main road again 3 miles ; 
 to the village of Ephraim a miles. Good camp. 
 
 12. Lediniquint Creek. At 6 miles pass Manti ; thence to Salt 
 and Sulphur Springs is 3 miles. Good camp with a fine 
 spring, wood, and grass. 
 
 15. Lediniquint Creek. Road passes over a rugged country for 4 
 miles, to a creek ; thence 1 mile it crosses another creek ; 
 thence *2i miles up the creek, where there is a good camp. 
 The road improves, and for 8 or 9 miles camps can be found 
 by leaving the creek a short distance. The creek on which 
 the camp is is muddy, with narrow channel. 
 
 18. Onapah Creek, or Salt Creek. Road is good over a barren 
 country to the pointed red hills near the entrance to Wasatch 
 Pass, 7 miles. From the red hills across Salt Creek 3 times 
 in 4 miles ; grass fair at 2nd crossing ; very good at 3rd cross 
 ing, and a good camp. Road rough for 3 miles after leaving 
 the creek. The road then enters a fine valley, with plenty of 
 blue and bunch grass. Road is level to within a mile of the 
 camp. Wood, water, and grass abundant at camp. 
 
 7.}. Head of Branch of Salt Creek. Road runs over a ridge at 2 
 miles, thence 1 mile to a small brarich. Grass abundant. 
 Road runs along the branch 3 miles ; in places very rough, 
 with some sand ; ascends the entire distance, and the camp 
 is very elevated. Good spring at camp. 
 
 5. Salt Creek. Road passes over a ridge 2 miles to a spring. 
 Good camp at this spring. Colonel Loring worked the road 
 at this place. It crosses the creek 6 times within 5f miles. 
 Good camp, with abundance of wood, water, and grass. 
 
 G.^. Silver Creek. Road traverses a rolling section, is good, passes 
 several springs, where there are good camps, and crosses 
 several trails which lead from California to New Mexico. 
 172. Media Creek. At 2 miles the road passes the dividing ridge 
 between the waters of Salt Lake and Green River ; thence 2 
 miles descent to Shipley Creek, where is a good camp. For 
 about a mile the road is rough, but then descends into an 
 open plain, where the road is good. The ground is rough 
 about the camp, and covered with sage and grease wood. Two 
 miles up the creek, near the canon, is some grass, but it is 
 not abundant here. 
 
 19JJ-. St. Raphael Creek. Road passes a rolling section for 5 miles; 
 thence l mile to Garamboyer Creek, where there is a good 
 camp ; thence, with the exception of a short distance, the 
 road is good to the Knobs, 9 miles, when it is broken for 
 44 miles. Good camp. 
 
 11|. San Matio Creek. For 3 miles the road is over a rolling sec 
 tion, with steep hills, to a creek, where is a good camp ; 
 
246 CAMP FLOYD TO FORT UNION. 
 
 Miles. 
 
 thence for 3 miles along the creek, soft soil and heavy road; 
 thence 5 miles to another creek, some grass, but not plenty ; 
 thence to camp the road is rough in places. Good camp. 
 
 14J. In the Hills. Road runs over a rolling country 2.^ miles to 
 San Marcos, or Tanoje Creek, where there is good grass and 
 water, with sage. Two miles farther over a gravelly road, 
 then a good plain road for 9f miles to camp. Good wood, 
 water, and grass. 
 
 23. Spring. Road for the first 10 miles is rocky, when it strikes 
 a spring, where there is a good camp ; thence 2 miles to 
 water in a tank, not permanent ; thence the road is on a 
 ridge for 6 miles, and is good ; thence 3 miles the road is 
 sandy. The spring at camp is large, with plenty of wood, 
 but the grass is scarce. Down the creek it is more abun 
 dant. 
 
 18. Green River. For 5 miles the road is sandy ; thence the road 
 is good for the remainder of the distance to camp, where 
 there is plenty of wood, water, and grass. 
 
 13. 13-Mile Spring. Green River can be forded at ordinary stages. 
 Road runs among several arroyas for a few miles, and is 
 then straight and good to camp. Good grass a mile to the 
 east of camp. 
 
 An Arroya. Road runs between two rocky buttes, and strikes 
 the Mormon trail, which leaves Green River at the same 
 place, but is very tortuous. Water not permanent here ; 
 good grass three-fourths of a mile from camp. 
 
 20j. Cottonwood Creek. Road passes over a broken country to a 
 water-hole, 9 miles ; grass abundant ; thence there is sand 
 in places ; crosses several arroyas. Camp is between two 
 mountains. Water, wood, and grass abundant. 
 
 12. Grand River. Road is over a rolling country ; in places light 
 
 sand and heavy for wagons. Good camp. 
 
 13. Grand River. Road is rolling and sandy. The Mormon road 
 
 runs nearer the mountains, and Colonel Loring thinks it is 
 better than the one he traveled. Good camp. 
 
 16f. l;j mile from Grand River. The first three miles is level, then 
 the road passes over a very elevated ridge, and descends 
 into the valley. Grand River runs through a canon, and 
 cannot be reached with the animals. Road in places sandy. 
 Camp good. 
 
 9j. Grand River. At 2 miles strike Salt Creek, where the Mormon 
 road passes up a dry creek toward Gray Mountain. Road 
 skirts the mountains along Grand River, and is rough in 
 places, passing over abrupt hills. Good camp. 
 
 16f. Grand River. Road runs over a level and firm section, with 
 good camps at any point along the river. Cross the Mormon 
 and other trails. Good ford at the crossing, except in high 
 water. Good camp. 
 
CAMP FLOYD TO FORT UNION. 247 
 
 Miles. 
 
 18|. On an Arroya Road runs over an undulating surface, cross 
 ing several small streams issuing from Elk Mountain, affording 
 good camps at almost any place, and strikes Marcy s and Gun- 
 nison s trails. Good camp. 
 
 15. Grand River. Rolling country ; high ridges with abrupt slopes 
 for Q\ miles; thence into a plain for 7j miles to Double 
 Creek. Good camps. 
 
 1:2. Oncompagre River. Good ford, except in high water. At 6 
 miles cross a dry creek ; thence 3 miles over a high, level, 
 and firm road ; strike a large trail ; descend a hill with gen 
 tle slope into the Valley of Oncompagre, where there are 
 fine camps. Winter resort for Ute Indians. 
 
 14^. Oncompagre River. Road runs along the valley of the On 
 compagre, is good, and camp may be found at any point, 
 with plenty of wood, water, and grass. 
 
 13. Cedar Creek. Road leaves the Oncompagre, and bears to the 
 east up Cedar Creek to the gap in the mountain, 6 miles ; 
 thence up the valley of Cedar Creek to camp, where are wood, 
 water, and grass. The Gap is the first opening in the moun 
 tains above the mouth of the Oncompagre. 
 
 Sf. Devil s Creek. Road runs to the head of Cedar Creek, over 
 the divide, into the valley of Devil s Creek, and is rough, with 
 a steep descent. Camp is near a narrow canon, called Devil s 
 Gate, with high perpendicular bluffs. Good camp. 
 3. North Fork of Devil s Creek. Road very rocky, and worked 
 by Colonel Loring. Marcy s and Gunnison s trails pass here. 
 Good camp. 
 
 7 4 . Cebola Creek. Road passes over abrupt hills covered with pine. 
 Good Camp. 
 
 5 . Ruidos Creek. Road rough, with abrupt ascents and descents. 
 Fine creek 5 feet wide, and good camp. 
 
 13. Grand River. Road rather smooth for the first 3 miles, then 
 rough and rocky, crossing several creeks, and descending into 
 the valley of the Grand or Eagle-tail River, where is a good 
 Camp. Plenty of brook trout in all the streams in this 
 section. 
 
 14*-. GrandRiver. Road crosses theriver three times; bottom wide; 
 grass and wood abundant. Cross several beautiful streams, 
 upon which are good camps. Some sand, and rough places, 
 but generally good road. Game and brook trout abundant in 
 this region. Indians resort to this section a great deal. 
 
 18. Cutebetope Creek. At about 5 miles the Cutebetope Creek 
 enters, forming at the confluence a beautiful valley, which 
 the road crosses, and strikes the creek near the Point of 
 Rocks, where the valley is only 40 yards wide, but after 
 passing the Point it opens again. The course of the creek is 
 nearly north. Good camps. 
 
248 CAMP FLOYD TO FORT UNION. 
 
 Miles. 
 
 20. Spring near Beaver Creek. Road crosses several small creeks, 
 where are several good camping-places. Camp good. 
 
 16|. Sawatch Creek. Road runs over a very rough and mountain 
 ous section for 14 miles, to the summit of the Rocky Moun 
 tains, Chochetope Pass; thence it descends to camp, where 
 grass, wood, and water are abundant. 
 
 21 . Sawatch Creek. Road rough and rocky in places ; strikes the 
 main Sawatch Creek at 9.3 miles ; crosses numerous small 
 branches, where are grass, wood, and good water in abun 
 dance. 
 
 25. Carnero Creek. Road for 7 miles, to Sawatch Buttes, is good ; 
 thence 1 mile to the last crossing of the Sawatch, where is 
 a good camping-place. Good camp at Camero Creek. 
 3J. Garita Creek. Good road and good camp. 
 
 1C 2. Rio Grande. Road level and good. Good camps along the river 
 
 at almost any point. 
 6. Rio Grande. Good road and camp. 
 
 17a. Fort Garland, Hay Camp. Road continues down the river, 
 and is good. For 6 miles there is timber ; but, after this, 
 willow is the only wood to camp. Good road. Hay is cut at 
 this place for Forts Massachusetts and Garland. 
 16. Culebra Creek. At 4* miles cross Trinchera Creek, where is 
 a good camp. Road rather sandy. Good camps any where 
 on Culebra Creek. 
 
 24|. Latos Creek. Road tolerable to Costilla Creek, lOf miles. 
 
 Camp good. 
 
 14. Ascequia, near Lama Creek. Road crosses several small 
 branches. At 9 miles strike Red River. Grass at camp 
 good, but not abundant. 
 
 19f. Meadow, near Indian Pueblo. At 6 miles the road crosses the 
 San Christobal ; thence over another ridge into the valley of 
 the Rio Hondo. Camp 2 miles from Taos. 
 2. Taos, New Mexico. Good road. At Taos are several stores, 
 
 where goods of all descriptions can be had at fair prices. 
 13. Taos Creek Canon. Road passes through the settlement, where 
 grain and vegetables can be obtained. It then enters the Taos 
 Canon at 3 miles, and crosses the Caiiou Creek frequently to 
 camp. Good camp. 
 
 29. Gaudelapepita. At 5 miles the road ascends to the dividing 
 ridge, and is tolerable ; thence in 4 miles cross the mountain, 
 and reach a fine spring branch, where is a fine camp. Thence 
 the road passes short ridges for 9 miles to Black Lake. Good 
 camp. 
 
 Fort Union. Road follows Coyote Canon 3 miles ; thence 1 
 mile to Mexican settlement ; thence 19 i miles over the prairie 
 to the fort. 
 
GUAYMAS TO TUBAC. 249 
 
 Colonel Loving came .over the route from Camp Floyd to Fort 
 Union with a large train of wagons. He, however, found the road 
 in many places upon the mountains very rough, and it will require 
 working before it will be suitable for general travel with loaded 
 wagons. It is an excellent route for summer travel with pack-trains, 
 and is well supplied with the requisites for encamping. 
 
 From Fort Union to Fort Garland, the road passes through a 
 settled country, where supplies of grain and vegetables can, at all 
 times, be purchased at reasonable prices ; and there are small towns 
 met with during almost every day s march, where small shops sup 
 ply such articles of merchandise as the traveler needs. 
 
 XXX. Wagon-route from Guaymas, Province of Sonora, 
 Mexico, to Tubac, Arizona. From Captain STONE S 
 Journal. 
 
 Miles. 
 
 Guaymas to 
 
 IQi. Kancho del Cavallo. Good wood, water, and grass. 
 9. Rancho de la Noche Buena. Good wood and grass, but no 
 
 water for animals in May and June. , 
 
 19f. Rancho de la Cuneguinta. Good wood, water, and grass the 
 
 year round ; water in tanks and wells. 
 
 15-J. Eancho del Posito. Good wood and grass the year round ; 
 water for men at all times, and for animals except in the 
 months of May and June. 
 
 8. Rancho de la Palma. Wood, water, and grass at all times. 
 16|. Rancho de la Paza. Good wood, water, and grass at all seasons. 
 16. Hermosillo. This is a town of J 0,000 inhabitants, on Sonora 
 
 River, where all supplies may be procured. 
 13. Hacienda de Alamita. Plenty of running water, wood, grass, 
 
 and grain. 
 8. Hacienda de la Labor. Plenty of running water, grass, and 
 
 grain. 
 
 28. Rancho de Tabique. Roughest part of the road, but not diffi- 
 for wagons. Wood, water, and grass. From Hermosillo to 
 this place there is water at short intervals along the road. 
 36. Rancho Querebabi. Wood and grass ; water in tanks. 
 
 12. Barajita. Small mining village. Bad water; good wood and 
 
 grass. 
 
 13. Santa Ana. Village on the River San Ignacio. Plenty of wood, 
 
 water, and grass. 
 12. La Magdalena. Thriving town where all supplies can be 
 
 procured. 
 
 5. San Ignacio. Village on the river. Good wood, water, a.nd 
 grass. 
 
250 FORT HOPE, FRASER RIVER, TO FORT COLVILLE. 
 
 Miles. 
 
 6. Imuris. Village on the river. Wood, water, and grass. 
 11 5. Los Alisos Rancho. Wood, water, and grass. 
 
 3*. La Casita. Wood, water, and grass. 
 
 3i. Cibuta. Wood, water, and grass. 
 Hi. Agua Zarca. Wood, water, and grass. 
 23}. Rancho cle las Calabasas. Wood, water, and grass. 
 
 13. Tubac. Silver mines at this place. 
 
 Total distance from Guaymas to Tubac, 295 miles. 
 
 NOTE. During ths months of July, August, and September, water 
 will be found at almost any part of the road from La Casita to Her- 
 mosillo. There is no lack of wood or grass on any part of the road 
 from Guaymas to the frontier. The only difficulty in encamping at 
 almost any point upon the road is that of obtaining water in the 
 dry season, i. e., from February to the first of July. The remarks for 
 each place apply to the most unfavorable seasons. 
 
 XXXI. From Fort Hope, Fraser River, to Fort Colville on 
 the Columbia. According to Lieutenant PALMER, E.E. 
 (Contributed by Mr. EAVENSTEIN, F.E.G.S.). 
 
 (Fort Hope is situated under 49 22 N. lat., 121 25 W. Jong. 
 85 miles above New Westminster, the capital of British Columbia 
 Communication between the two places is kept up by steamers 
 during the season). 
 
 Miles. 
 
 From Fort Hope (140 feet above the level of the sea) to 
 15. Mason s Mountain (1890 feet). Road ascends the level and 
 lightly timbered Coquahalla valley. Steep and difficult 
 ascent, between two spurs of the Mason s Range, begins after 
 9 miles. At camp wood and water plentiful, but no grass. 
 19. Camp du Chevreuil (3,640 feet). After 1^ hours travelling 
 reach summit of pass by a steep and rocky zig-zag trail, in 
 many places encumbered with mud. (Mason s Pass is im 
 practicable for seven months in the year. Snow falls to the 
 depth of 25 to 30 feet, and travelling before the 1st of June 
 or after the 1st of October is dangerous). After a steep and 
 dangerous descent of 1,100 feet on western slope reach a 
 muddy bottom, densely wooded, follow trail through forest 
 for 5 miles, ford a tributary of the Coquahalla, climb steep 
 slope on opposite bank to camp, near mountain Stuchd-a- 
 choire. Wood and water abundant ; grass sufficient for 
 horses. Deer scarce, but ptarmigans abound. 
 15. Camp on bend of Tulameen (3,260 feet). Strike head-waters 
 of Tulameen 3 miles from last camp, and 800 feet below 
 
FORT HOPE, FRASER RIVER, TO FORT COLVILLE. 251 
 
 Miles. 
 
 summit of range, follow its left bank for 12 miles ford the 
 river to camp. Road easy. Wood and water plentiful. Very 
 little grass. 
 
 12. Camp on Tulameen Range (about 4,*200 feet). Leave river and 
 ascend for 4 miles through a steep and narrow defile to an 
 undulating plateau, slightly timbered, and covered with 
 yellow furze and heath. High grass near the numerous ponds 
 and marshes. Camp near small circular lake. Wood in 
 plenty ; little grass. 
 
 12. Campement des Femmes (2,170 feet). Descend to Tulameen, 
 and ford opposite camp. Country lightly timbered and grassy 
 on uplands, heavily timbered in valleys ; at camp, wood, water 
 and grass plentiful and good. 
 
 59. Big Bend of Similkameen (775 feet). Along left bank of Tula 
 meen and Similkameen. Fine prairie country. Timber near 
 river and at foot of mountains. Water and excellent bunch- 
 grass plentiful. 
 
 18. Osoyoos Lake (630 feet). Leave Similkameen and cross divide 
 
 to Osoyoos lake ; follow its western shore to where it con 
 tracts and is fordable. Brush and grass plentiful ; timber 
 scarce. Water-fowl abound. 
 
 10. Divide, Colville Range (2,390 feet). Ford lake and follow its 
 eastern shore for 5 miles, then along small stream up divide. 
 Road good, ascent gradual. Wood, water, and grass abundant. 
 
 19. Siyakin Forks (1,570 feet). Summit of divide, 2850 feet. 
 
 Descend to head waters of Siyakiu, follow its left bank, and 
 camp at Forks with N-whoy-al-pit-kwu (Colville River). Road 
 easy. Slopes gradual. Excellent bunch-grass, wood and 
 water abundant. 
 
 56. Grande Prairie (1,360 feet). Along Colville River, which has to 
 be forded at several places. Park-like country. First-rate 
 camping places abundant. Wood, water and grass plentiful. 
 Wild fowl. 
 
 47. On the Columbia, opposite Fort Colville (48 38 N., 118 4 
 W., of Greenwich, Altitude 830 feet). Continue down narrow 
 valley of the Colville, which has to be forded repeatedly. 
 Dense forests of fir cover mountain slopes. Water and grass 
 generally abundant. 
 
 (An excellent waggon-road has been constructed by the American 
 Government between Colville and Walla-Walla. Distance about 
 235 miles. The road as far as the Spokan (60 miles), leads through 
 a magnificent forest of Pines. It then crosses the Columbian Desert 
 to the Snake River, about 10 miles from Walla- Walla. In this 
 desert the soil is loose sand, and there is a very scarce growth of 
 bunch-grass. Water is found at long intervals only). 
 
 THE END. 
 
August, 1882. 
 
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