Continued from the diary of James Field:
Frid. 27. - Yesterday morning a horse was missing from our company, and three others from Capt. English's, who encamped near us that night. Two men were left behind to hunt ours, and they report that it is their belief she was taken off by Indians, as they found moccasin tracks near the place they lost the trail. We camped last evening near Martin's company, which detained us again this morning dividing out cattle. We however traveled about 14 miles, all three companies camping on a small creek, near each other again. In the afternoon, met a company of trappers, with mules and ponies packed with furs, going from Fort Bridger, near the Southwest Pass, to the States, and the wildest-looking crew they were of any we have met with yet, some of them having their squaws and children with them. We saw buffalo to-day, killing one. We have seen none before, since we were about 60 miles below Fort Larimie.
Sat. 28. - The country, for the past few days, is not so full of timber as it was near Fort Larimie. It is broken with high hills, some of them rising into little mountains, the naked sides of which are the perfect image of desolation itself. The water-courses are sandy, and present the phenomenon of sinking and rising again from the sand, which makes the country appear scarcer of water than it really is, as in crossing one you may see nothing but a hot, dry bed of loose sand, whilst by following it up or down you may find a fine running stream of water, pure as crystal, rising, running a short distance, then sinking into it again. The water is of an excellent quality, as by this constant filtration through the sand it is cleansed of all impurities, if any originally exist. We lay in camp to-day, in order to get clear of the other companies, as our cattle were mixing every night, causing considerable work separating them every morning. Three fine deer were killed, also two beaver. The latter animals appear very thick along the creek, it being dammed by them at every short interval, and the banks strewn with trees cut ready for transportation to their dams. These trees were young cottonwoods, from two to six inches in diameter and eight to twelve feet long, being cut at both ends as well as an Indian would do it with his hatchet, leaving only the tooth-print to detect the laborer by. The two that were killed were shaped like a coon, excepting the hind foot and tail, the foot being webbed like a duck's, and the tail, which was covered with a hard skin looking like fine scales, was precisely the shape of a trowel. The color was brown, and in size it was double that of the coon. The tail is considered a great delicacy by the trapper and hunter. I had an opportunity to-day of testing the comparative quality of deer and buffalo meat. Both were of excellent quality, but the deer has a decided preference, being of a finer grain and more juicy and tender.
Sun. 29. - On driving up our stock this morning three oxen were missing, and, although the owners could go along without them, they declared they would not move for ten days unless they were found; so, after yoking up and standing in line more than half the day, we turned out, and camped upon the same spot again. It had been the practice of the company, when a few cattle were missing, to send back a party to hunt them, and let the others move on, but when men get mulish, they sometimes make asses of themselves, and here are to-night, with Tethero's company of 30 wagons and 300 head of cattle jammed in upon us, thus losing two days' travel to get clear of Martin's comany, and then getting mixed with one twice its size, whilst Stewart's company passed noon with 22 wagons.
Mon. 30. - Saw trees along the creek this morning from 20 inches to two feet in diameter, which had been cut down by beavers. Divided our cattle and got under way about 9 o'clock. Traveled 18 miles, camping on a creek close to the river again. About eight miles from our last camp, at the crossing of a creek, found a paper nailed to a piece of board informing us that the three missing oxen are ahead in English's company. We struck the river bottom about five miles from here; a smooth, level road was quite a luxury after four or five days' travel among the Black Hills.
Tues., July 1. - Traveled about 17 miles, most of the way up the river bottom, camping again on the river. Much of the distance is lost in heading ravines, and we cannot be more than ten miles higher up the river than last evening. This has been the case all the way this side of Fort Larimie, and a map of our road would show many serpentine windings.
Wed., 2. - Went 12 miles further up the North Fork, crossed it, and camped, feeling as though one good job was done, now that all the main forks of the Platte were left behind. This fork at the crossing is about 80 yards wide, current rapid as a mill-race, and so deep as to render it necessary to block up some of the lowest wagon beds. The bottom is hard and pebbly, and in crossing it is necessary to turn first down stream, then up.
Thurs., 3. - One accident occurred yesterday, which I omitted mentioning. In crossing a ravine, a wagon was overturned, it being the first of the kind that has yet occurred. But one person was in the wagon, and he received no injury. We were moving again in 20 minutes. Traveled about 23 miles to-day, giving the Platte the good-bye, and camping upon a small stream running from springs among the sand-hills. On leaving the Platte we struck the dreariest country we have yet traveled, it being barren, sandy hills and plains, with not a tree or shrub in view except the eternal wild sage which abounds everywhere this side of Larimie. It is a species of wormwood resembling garden wormwood more than it does sage. In places from three to eight miles apart we come to little valleys of clay ground from two to five or six rods wide, having a little water and some short, fine grass in them, and there are the camping places. For fuel, buffalo chips again come into play, and where the wormwood is large enough, we use it, lighting the camp nicely at night. There is also a small bush resembling cedar, the leaves of which have an acid taste. The water in the deepest of these valleys is very brackish, the clay where it comes in contact with it turning black, and it tastes strongly of salt, sulphur, etc., and I think of iron rust. The higher springs are very good.
Frid. 27. - Yesterday morning a horse was missing from our company, and three others from Capt. English's, who encamped near us that night. Two men were left behind to hunt ours, and they report that it is their belief she was taken off by Indians, as they found moccasin tracks near the place they lost the trail. We camped last evening near Martin's company, which detained us again this morning dividing out cattle. We however traveled about 14 miles, all three companies camping on a small creek, near each other again. In the afternoon, met a company of trappers, with mules and ponies packed with furs, going from Fort Bridger, near the Southwest Pass, to the States, and the wildest-looking crew they were of any we have met with yet, some of them having their squaws and children with them. We saw buffalo to-day, killing one. We have seen none before, since we were about 60 miles below Fort Larimie.
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| A trapper loaded with supplies and furs. Image from http://www.unco.edu/hewit/doing-history/trappers-traders/trappers/trappers-work-tools.aspx. |
Sat. 28. - The country, for the past few days, is not so full of timber as it was near Fort Larimie. It is broken with high hills, some of them rising into little mountains, the naked sides of which are the perfect image of desolation itself. The water-courses are sandy, and present the phenomenon of sinking and rising again from the sand, which makes the country appear scarcer of water than it really is, as in crossing one you may see nothing but a hot, dry bed of loose sand, whilst by following it up or down you may find a fine running stream of water, pure as crystal, rising, running a short distance, then sinking into it again. The water is of an excellent quality, as by this constant filtration through the sand it is cleansed of all impurities, if any originally exist. We lay in camp to-day, in order to get clear of the other companies, as our cattle were mixing every night, causing considerable work separating them every morning. Three fine deer were killed, also two beaver. The latter animals appear very thick along the creek, it being dammed by them at every short interval, and the banks strewn with trees cut ready for transportation to their dams. These trees were young cottonwoods, from two to six inches in diameter and eight to twelve feet long, being cut at both ends as well as an Indian would do it with his hatchet, leaving only the tooth-print to detect the laborer by. The two that were killed were shaped like a coon, excepting the hind foot and tail, the foot being webbed like a duck's, and the tail, which was covered with a hard skin looking like fine scales, was precisely the shape of a trowel. The color was brown, and in size it was double that of the coon. The tail is considered a great delicacy by the trapper and hunter. I had an opportunity to-day of testing the comparative quality of deer and buffalo meat. Both were of excellent quality, but the deer has a decided preference, being of a finer grain and more juicy and tender.
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| American Beaver, Image from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Beaver |
Sun. 29. - On driving up our stock this morning three oxen were missing, and, although the owners could go along without them, they declared they would not move for ten days unless they were found; so, after yoking up and standing in line more than half the day, we turned out, and camped upon the same spot again. It had been the practice of the company, when a few cattle were missing, to send back a party to hunt them, and let the others move on, but when men get mulish, they sometimes make asses of themselves, and here are to-night, with Tethero's company of 30 wagons and 300 head of cattle jammed in upon us, thus losing two days' travel to get clear of Martin's comany, and then getting mixed with one twice its size, whilst Stewart's company passed noon with 22 wagons.
Mon. 30. - Saw trees along the creek this morning from 20 inches to two feet in diameter, which had been cut down by beavers. Divided our cattle and got under way about 9 o'clock. Traveled 18 miles, camping on a creek close to the river again. About eight miles from our last camp, at the crossing of a creek, found a paper nailed to a piece of board informing us that the three missing oxen are ahead in English's company. We struck the river bottom about five miles from here; a smooth, level road was quite a luxury after four or five days' travel among the Black Hills.
Tues., July 1. - Traveled about 17 miles, most of the way up the river bottom, camping again on the river. Much of the distance is lost in heading ravines, and we cannot be more than ten miles higher up the river than last evening. This has been the case all the way this side of Fort Larimie, and a map of our road would show many serpentine windings.
Wed., 2. - Went 12 miles further up the North Fork, crossed it, and camped, feeling as though one good job was done, now that all the main forks of the Platte were left behind. This fork at the crossing is about 80 yards wide, current rapid as a mill-race, and so deep as to render it necessary to block up some of the lowest wagon beds. The bottom is hard and pebbly, and in crossing it is necessary to turn first down stream, then up.
Thurs., 3. - One accident occurred yesterday, which I omitted mentioning. In crossing a ravine, a wagon was overturned, it being the first of the kind that has yet occurred. But one person was in the wagon, and he received no injury. We were moving again in 20 minutes. Traveled about 23 miles to-day, giving the Platte the good-bye, and camping upon a small stream running from springs among the sand-hills. On leaving the Platte we struck the dreariest country we have yet traveled, it being barren, sandy hills and plains, with not a tree or shrub in view except the eternal wild sage which abounds everywhere this side of Larimie. It is a species of wormwood resembling garden wormwood more than it does sage. In places from three to eight miles apart we come to little valleys of clay ground from two to five or six rods wide, having a little water and some short, fine grass in them, and there are the camping places. For fuel, buffalo chips again come into play, and where the wormwood is large enough, we use it, lighting the camp nicely at night. There is also a small bush resembling cedar, the leaves of which have an acid taste. The water in the deepest of these valleys is very brackish, the clay where it comes in contact with it turning black, and it tastes strongly of salt, sulphur, etc., and I think of iron rust. The higher springs are very good.
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| Image of Big Sagebrush from http://fwp.mt.gov/mtoutdoors/HTML/articles/portraits/bigsagebrush.htm#.WvYdY6Qvz3g |
From “The Diary of James Field” Willamette Farmer (Portland, OR, Fridays: April 18 – August 1, 1879).
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