Page:Oregon Historical Quarterly volume 15.djvu/223



LETTER 211

I promised to say something in my next letter about our trip across the Plains. Do not suppose that I can give anything like a satisfactory account of it in a letter; to do justice to the subject, it would require a volume. I would like above all things to see you once more in propria persona, spend a few quiet evenings with you as of old, and then over our cigars I could give you a more satisfactory account than I possibly can in a letter. But as I must not hope for so great a pleasure for a long time to come, I must, in the meanwhile, content myself with saying something about it, however brief, meagre, and un- interesting it may be.

We crossed the Missouri River on the 4th day of May last, and then commenced our long solitary journey through the Indian Territory. Our company consisted of 18 wagons, about 150 head of cattle, 8 women with their children, and 40 men fit for duty. In my wagon there were 4 yoke of oxen, and 1 yoke of cows. My messmates were Dr. Eggers, a lawyer from Western, Mo., by the name of Hardin, and our Dutch driver, Shadel. Mr. Cartwright and I purchased a horse in partner- ship, intending to use him jointly. Soon after we had started, however, Mr. C.'s feet became sore by walking, and he wished me to part with my interest in the horse so that he might ride all the time. To accommodate Mr. C. I let him have the horse, expecting to be able to get one on the route from the Indians or traders; in this, however, I was disappointed, and was compelled to take it on foot to Green River, a distance of 1200 miles.

The first river we came to was the Big Blue ; this we found so swollen that it was impossible to ford it. To work we all went, cutting down trees and digging out canoes, and in two days we got safely across, taking our wagons and provisions in two canoes lashed together, and swimming our horses and cattle.

Soon after we crossed this river we had a terrible stampede. A stampede is a sudden and unaccountable panic taken by the cattle and horses, in which they become unmanageable and run away. The 12th of May last was a delightful day on the Plains.