Page:Oregon Historical Quarterly vol. 3.djvu/430

420 plan was for the wagons behind to drive around him, and leave him until he waked up, when he would come driving up, looking- rather sheepish. Emigrants should start as early as possible in ordinary seasons; by first of May at furthest: even as early as first of April would do. For those emigrants coming from the Platte country, it is thought that they had better cross the Missouri River at McPherson's Ferry, in Hatt County, and take up the ridge between Platte and Kanzas rivers; but I can not determine that question. Companies of from forty to fifty wagons are large enough. Americans are prone to differ in opinion, and large companies become unwieldy, and the stock become more troublesome. In driving stock to this country about one in ten is lost; not more. Having started, the best way to save the teams is to drive a reasonable distance every day, and stop about an hour before sundown. This gives time for arranging the camp, and for the teams to rest and eat before it is dark. About eight hours' drive in long days—resting one hour at noon—I think is enough. Never drive irregularly, if you can avoid it. On Platte River, Bear River, and Boise" River, and in many other places, you can camp at any point you please; but at other places on the way you will be compelled to drive hard some days to get water and range. When you reach the country of buffalo, never stop your wagons to hunt, as you will eat up more provisions than you will save. It is true you can kill buffalo, but they are always far from camp, and the weather is too warm to save much of it. When you reach the country of game, those who have good horses can keep the company in fresh meat. If an individual wishes to have great amusement hunting the buffalo, he had better have an extra horse, and not use him until he reaches the buffalo region. Buffalo hunting is very hard upon horses, and emigrants had better be cautious how they unnecessarily break down their horses. A prudent care should be taken of horses, teams, and provisions, from the start. Nothing should be wasted or thrown away that can be eaten. If a prudent course is taken, the trip can be made, in ordinary seasons, in four months. It took us longer; but we lost a great deal of time on the road, and had the way to break. Other routes than the one traveled by us, and better routes, may be found. Captain Gant, our pilot, was decidedly of the opinion that to keep up the South Fork of the Platte, and cross it just above a stream running into it, called the Kashlapood, and thence up the latter stream, passing between the Black Hills on your right and peaks of the Rocky Mountains on your left, and striking our route at Green River, would be a better and nearer route more plentifully supplied with game than the one we came. He had traveled both routes, and brought us the route he did because he had been informed that large bands of the Sioux Indians were hunting upon the southern route.

The trip to Oregon is not a costly or expensive one. An individual