Page:Oregon Historical Quarterly volume 22.djvu/137



OREGON BOUND 1853 127

Let no emigrant be fooled by the great efforts made at Iowa City and Cedar Rapids to induce him to purchase there his outfit of provisions. They can be obtained as cheap at Kanesville as at those places, and the extra carriage actually costs as much as they are worth. There are times when pro- visions are high here as at this time and for three days now, flour is $10 a barrel, bacon from $10 to $15 a hundred, &c. but even at such prices, nothing is gained by buying at Iowa City or Cedar Rapids.

Every effort that can be is made every where in this route to palm off provisions and forage on the emigrant. He is constantly told that "ahead there is scarcity, corn and oats $1, &c." Such stories are all impositions. This is the farmers' market, and every farmer's interest is to raise such products as it requires. An abundance is produced for it on every road where emigrants go, except within perhaps one hundred miles of Kanesville, where very few people live, and the little that is raised is soon consumed.

We go out with teams in as good condition, perhaps, as any that have left this point. Some fast companies passed us on the road, but we have passed some of them again, and believe we shall pass the remainder. More anon. Yours, &c., in haste,

S. H. TAYLOR.

[Watertoum Chronicle, July 13, 18531

Pawnee Country, June 4. 1853.

Friend Hadley We are now 90 miles up the Platte on the Loup Fork, in company with about 250 wagons, blocked up here, near what was called a ferry before it was flooded, wait- ing for the water to subside. We are in the heart of the ter- ritory of the Pawnees, the most skilful thieves that can be; and some are paying dearly for their misfortune. In this neighborhood they have stolen about 50 head of oxen, and every morning we hear of from two to six oxen being run off. About 200 Pawnees came here three days ago and are lying