Page:Route Across the Rocky Mountains with a Description of Oregon and California.djvu/155

Rh land, from the United States. It will be proper to take a few articles suitable for Indian trade; such as colored shirts and blankets, butcher-knives, awls, tobacco, beads, vermillion, &c.; for the Indians often have things, which the emigrant would be glad to obtain. A very small supply of such things will, however, be sufficient.

If a number of persons would join, or if a single individual wished to be furnished with goods, tools, implements of husbandry, or any thing else, in Oregon, to a considerable amount, they might be had there more certainly, and for a much less price, by purchasing them, or having them purchased, in some of the Eastern Cities, and having them shipped around the Horn.

Every male person who is of sufficient age to bear arms, should be provided with a gun, and a good supply of ammunition. The kind of guns which are preferable for such a trip, are large and strong rifles: their balls should not be less than one fiftieth of a pound, and they would be better if they were larger. The stock, which is very liable to be broken, should be made uncommonly strong at the breech, and all parts of the piece which are liable to wear or break, should be effectually tried before leaving the settlements. This is also a matter which should not be disregarded. It is necessary to be properly armed, to insure safety; those who are not, have no business in an Indian country. Five pounds of powder will be an abundant supply for those who intend to hunt a great deal; for those who do not intend to hunt much, half that quantity will probably be sufficient. The amount of lead, it will be remembered, should be four times that of the powder. Emigrants generally supply themselves over-abundantly with these articles.

It will be impossible for great numbers to travel together in the same company. It is necessary that the companies should be as small as will be consistant with their safety, in order that they may not be so much delayed in traveling, and that the animals of the several companies may be supplied with grass. It will not be difficult for any one to imagine how delays will occur, where a great number of wagons are traveling together. And grass is found in many places, in quantities sufficient for small companies, but not for large ones.

One hundred men well armed, may travel in safety, by conducting themselves properly, through the most dangerous part of the country, that is, the country laying between Big Blue River, one of the main branches of the Kanzas River, and Green River, of the Gulf of California, which is to