Page:Oregon Historical Quarterly vol. 2.djvu/207

192 They had one hundred and twenty-one wagons, six hundred and ninetyeight oxen, two hundred and ninety-six horses, nine hundred and seventy-three loose cattle, one thousand nine hundred and sixty-seven being the total amount of stock.

"The following letter," says the Iowa Territorial Gazette, "was received by a gentlemen in this place a few days since, and knowing the deep interest felt my many of our citizens in everything relating to Oregon, we have obtained permission to publish it:"

"The return of a company of mountain traders to the settlements presents an opportunity for writing which I feel much inclined to embrace. We are now some two or three hundred miles west of Independence, on the Blue rivers, tributaries of the Kansas, in good health and spirits. I regret to say that a division has taken place in the company in consequence of the number of cattle driven by some, those having no cattle refusing to stand guard at night over stock belonging to others. The result of all this was, that Captain Burnett resigned the command of the company, and the committee, in accordance with our regulations, ordered a new election and so altered the by-laws that the commander should be called colonel, and also ordered the election of four captains and four orderly sergeants. The cattle party selected myself as their candidate, and those opposed selected Mr. William Martin, an experienced mountaineer. There being a majority opposed to the cattle party, Mr. Martin was elected, and a division of the company ensued. About fifty wagons, with those who had large droves of loose cattle, now left, with a general request that all in favor of traveling with them should fall back. I was particularly solicited to leave Martin's company, but as it would travel very much the fastest, and Colonel Martin was a very clever fellow, I declined. The new company, it is expected, will be commanded by Captain Applegate.

"Our roads, since leaving the settlements, have been very fine, except within the last three days, during which last period they have been almost impassable in consequence of tremendous rains; but they are again improving. We have had no trouble with the Indians, with the exception of horse and cattle stealing, and this business they have carried on pretty lively. I had a very fine mule stolen from me on the Kansas River, and we lost sight, in all, eight or ten head of horses and mules.