Page:Oregon Historical Quarterly volume 25.djvu/22

 12 AMOS WILLIAM HARTMAN the march during the day through dust half-leg deep, for we had now struck a soil that was so light and spongy as to make it dangerous sometimes when riding over it." 58 Crossing Sublette's Cut-Off, Delano thus describes the last ten miles. "For about ten miles before reaching the river, the country became broken, and we passed several hard hills. There had been no rain here; consequently the dust was ankle deep. The wind blew a gale, and the impalpable powder filled our eyes and nostrils, our faces, hair, and clothes looked as if we had been rolling in a heap of dry ashes. Even respiration was difficult." 54 Usually there was a strong wind blowing from the west along the Humboldt and the emigrants had to literally eat, drink and breathe the dust which the wagons made by cutting up the parched earth. 55 Describing conditions near South Pass, Meeker draws the following picture: "The dust has been spoken of as intolerable. The word hardly expresses the situation, the English language contains no words to properly express it. Here was a moving mass of humanity and dumb brutes, at times in inextricable confusion, a hundred feet wide or more. Sometimes two columns of wagons trav- eling on parallel lines and near each other would serve as a barrier to prevent loose stock from crossing; but usually there would be a confused mass of cows, young cattle, horses, and footmen moving along the outskirts. Here and there would be the drivers of loose stock, some on foot and some on horseback .... Over all, in calm weather at times, the dust would settle so thick that the lead team of oxen could not be seen from the wagon—like a London fog, so thick one might almost cut it. Then, again, that steady flow of wind up to and through the South Pass would hurl the dust and sand in one's face 5i Op. cit., p. 122.
 * Ibid, p . 192.
 * Ibid., p. 166.