Gold Rush Era Letters

Coran brought a mountain sheep in camp this evening which proves to be the finest meat which we have yet had.

20th today we commenced crossing at 1 P. M. we were delayd [delayed] by some ox trains who were much troubled in getting their oxen to minn [mind]. Just as we were about half done the goverment [government] train came up under the command of Major Simondson and vio= lently thrust us aside leaving part of our train on one side of the river and part on the other. This officer who was sent out to protect & assist the emigrants instead of doing so has been guilty of a most mean & contemptible action coming up and dispossing [disposing] the rights of others leaving women & children to wait till he had passed not only that but he attempted to smuggle a train of wagons from Pittsburgh in ahead of them also because I suppose they had a supply of liquor on board. Heaven save us from our friends if you call such men friends we got our other wagons over after dark and drove 2 miles up the river to camp all pretty well tired down

21 -- We started at 6 A.M. across to the sweet water distant 60 miles over a sandy desert covered with the wild sage as far as the eye can see giving it a most desolate appearance we did not find water for 16 miles except Alkalic springs unfit for man or beast. after we rose upon the bluff I had splendid view of the Wind river mountains distas coverd [covered] with snow looking like vast bank of white cloud, distant about 1.75 miles. Weather very warm & roads very dusty grass poor. Campd [Camped] at 6 P.M. opposite the Red Buttes & near a mountain which was once evidently a volcano but upon which there is now growing large pine trees. 25 miles.

22 -- This morning we got off at 5 1/2 oclock [o'clock] Our route laying through the same desolate country the rocky mountains in full sight all around us. Good water is very scarce in this part of our route we are begining [beginning] to find dead cattle very frequent. Distance 26 miles.

23d -- started at 5 1/2 A. M. from our camp where were very much trou= bled with musquitoes [mosquitoes] which seem to be of the largest size and of the ravenous ferocity. We gathered saleratus today from a lake containing a thousand barrels or upwards of the most excellent quality. We reached the sweet water [Sweetwater] at 9 A.M. and noond [nooned] Half a mile west of Independence Rock. A vast mass of granite rising out of a perfectly level plain it covers about 160 acres, about 800 yards long 100 wide & 40 High there is a vast number of names of former travellers [travelers] painted on its sides. We camped near Devils Gate which is five miles above the Rock this is a fissure or gap in the Rattle Snake [Rattlesnake] Mountains through which the river finds its way it is about 30 feet wide & 300 hundred long. The walls are 400 feet high composed of granite & trap rock. We encamped at 3 oclock [o'clock] on fine grass. The valley of the sweet water [Sweetwater River]. I think could be cultivated to advantage by irrigation of which it is entirely susceptible. Distance 20 miles.