The following extracts from a letter written by one of the
emigrants of 1843, will be particularly interesting at this
time, and should be carefully read by those going out this
spring. It will be particularly useful to emigrants who
leave from this part of the country:
FORT VANCOUVER, November 11, 1843.
DEAR SIR: We were six months to-day, from the time we left
home, in getting to this place, though we might have arrived
one month sooner had we not unnecessarily wasted time on the
way. To give you a full description of our travels would
occupy more time than I have to spare. I will, however, give
you and my friends a short sketch. We left Westport on the
27th of May, and crossed the Kansas River near the old
village: thence up the north side of the Kansas, where we
had a great deal of rain and stormy weather to encounter
which made it very disagreeable traveling. We then crossed
over [to] the Platte, about eighty miles above the Pawnee
village; thence up the Platte about fifty miles above the
forks, where we crossed the South Fork. We then struck over
on to the North Fork and traveled up it until we came to
Fort Laramie. We then crossed Laramie's Fork of Platte,
which we found very difficult to pass. We still kept up the
North Fork to within forty miles of the Rocky Mountains,
where we crossed it. We came to a small stream, called
Sweetwater, one of the streams of the northern branch of
Platte; we traveled up this until we passed through the
Rocky Mountains, which we found to be as good as any part of
our road. We then came to the waters of Green River, which
is one of the branches of the Colorado--then to Fort Bridges
[Bridger], which is on the waters of Green River; from there
we next struck Bear River, which empties into the Great Salt
Lake. We traveled several days down this river, then crossed
over on to the Snake River, and arrived at Fort Hall on the
25th day of August. Here I found some of the best beef I
ever saw. From here we traveled down Snake or Lewis River,
crossing and recrossing the same to Fort Bosie [Boisé];
thence to Fort Walla Walla, crossing the Blue Mountains in
our route. We passed them much easier than I expected.
At Walla Walla myself and Reeves, and many others of the
emigrants, exchanged cattle [for cattle] at Vancouver. We
got age for age and sex for sex. Here we found it advisable
to take [to the] water and travel down the great Columbia,
which we did with some difficulty. Those who did not
exchange their stock went to the Methodist mission at the
foot of the Cascade Mountains. Here they carried their
wagons by water and drove their stock through by land. A
large portion of the emigrants have arrived, and the
remainder will be here in a few days. Those who have been to
the Willamette Valley say it is a rich and beautiful
country, but to what extent they know not, as they have not
had sufficient time to examine it. I find any quantity of
provisions can be had here. Doctor McLoughlin, of Vancouver,
has rendered great assistance to the emigrants in loaning
them his boats and furnishing them with provisions to take
back to the companies that are yet behind--at the same time
refusing any compensation for either. We have found the
Hudson Bay Company at all the forts very accommodating. The
road from Independence to Fort Hall is as good a road as I
would wish to travel,--from Fort Hall there is some bad road
and some good. The reason why we did not try to take our
wagons across the Cascade Mountains was that the season had
so far advanced it was thought to be a dangerous undertaking
through so much snow and cold weather. We will prepare a
road across these mountains next summer, so that the next
emigration can bring their wagons through without any
difficulty. Some of us will meet the next emigration at Fort
Hall.
I will now give you a description of the necessary outfit
each person should have to come to this terrestrial
paradise. Your wagons should be light, yet substantial and
strong, and a plenty of good oxen. Though I wrote while on
the Sweetwater that mule teams were preferable, but after
seeing them thoroughly tried I have become convinced that
oxen are more preferable--they are the least trouble and
stand traveling much the best--are worth a great deal more
when here. Load your wagons light and put one third more
team to them than is necessary to pull the load. Bring
nothing with you except provisions and a plenty of clothes
to do you one year from the time you leave. They can all be
had on as good terms here as in Missouri, and even better;
bring but few bedclothes, for they will be worn out when
they arrive here--they can be had here on good terms. Your
oxen will not require shoeing. Bring a plenty of loose
cattle, cows and heifers particularly, as they are but
little trouble and are worth a great deal. Bring mules to
drive your loose stock. Bring a few good American mares, but
use them very tenderly or you will not get them here.
American horses are worth considerable in this country.
Horses can not get here except they are well used, and you
should have two or three pairs of shoes and nails for them
and your mules. You should bring 200 pounds of flour, 100
pounds of bacon, for every member of the family that can
eat, besides other provisions. Make no calculation on
getting buffalo or other wild meat, for you are only wasting
time and killing horses and mules to get it. Have your wagon
beds made in such a manner that they can be used for boats;
you will find them of great service in crossing
streams--have your wagons well covered, so that they will
not leak, or your provisions and clothes will spoil. Have
your tents made water tight; start as early as possible; let
your teams and stock all be in good order. Start as soon as
your stock can get grass enough to travel on, for the grass
will be getting better every day until you arrive at Fort
Hall; after that you will find the grass bad in places until
you get to the Blue Mountains. You will find plenty of grass
from there to the Willamette Valley. Our cattle are in
better order than they were one month ago. Large flintlock
guns are good to traffic with the Snake Indians. Bring a
plenty of cheap cotton shirts to trade to the Indians on
this side of the mountains. You might start with calves and
kill them on the way, before they get poor, for fresh
eating. You will find some beans, rice, and dried fruit of
great use on the road. You should travel in companies of
forty wagons, and continue together the whole route. You
will find some ship biscuit to be of great use at times when
you can not find fuel sufficient to cook with.
Be sure and bring nothing except what will be of material
use to you on your journey, for, depend upon it, if you
overload you will lose your team, wagon, and goods. You will
find good stout young cows to answer in place of oxen, in
case you should not have sufficient; let them be about
middle size; let them be good, sound oxen, that have never
been injured. I am satisfied from the products of the
country that a man can live easier here than he can in any
part of the United States. If he raises any produce he is
sure of getting a good price for it in anything he may call
for, money excepted. There is very little money in this
country, though it is very little use when a man can get
anything he wants without it. The merchants here will sell
their goods cheaper for produce or labor than they will for
cash, because they make a profit on the commodities they
purchase, while there is no profit on cash. In fact,
business is done here altogether by exchanging commodities.
We can purchase anything of the Hudson Bay Company cheaper
by promising wheat next year than we can for cash in hand.
Cows are worth (that is, American,) from $30 to $50;
American horses from $60 to $100; oxen $60 to $80; wheat $1
per bushel; oats, 40 cents; potatoes, 40 cents; peas the
same; beef, 6 cents; pork, 10 cents; butter, 20 cents;
common labor, $1.50; mechanics, $2 to $3.
The next emigration will get their cattle and wagons through
quite easy, if they will start early and travel constantly
though slow; they must not push.
Persons on the north side of the Missouri should rendezvous
on the south side of the river, opposite the Blacksnake
Hills, and go up the Nemaha and strike the Platte near the
Pawnee village; by so doing they will avoid crossing the
Kansas, and avoid some bad roads, and go 100 miles nearer.
We were not troubled with the Indians in the dangerous part
of the country, for this reason, I have no doubt,--we kept a
strong guard in nighttime and a sharp lookout in daytime.
After we passed Green River we abandoned guarding and broke
up into small companies, though advised to the contrary, and
in passing from the Blue Mountains to the valley some of the
emigrants were imposed on, in fact, some of them were
robbed, though it was their own fault for not sticking
together. You should start with some medicine, for you will
have more or less sickness until you get to Fort Hall. Be
sure and take good care not to expose yourself
unnecessarily, for people have to go through a seasoning on
the road, which makes the most of them sick. We are now
eating apples which grew at Vancouver. They are now
gathering their apples, peaches, and grapes, etc.; these are
the only fruits tried as yet; they are fine.
The missionaries here have done more toward Christianizing
the Indians in five years than has been done in the States
in twenty years. Numbers of them who can not speak one word
of English hold regular family worship. They are members of
the Methodist Episcopal church. I am convinced it is in
consequence of not being able to get liquor. The Hudson Bay
Company and missionaries and settlers have taken a bold
stand against the introduction of ardent spirits into this
country, and I am convinced while they continue this
praiseworthy course we all will see more satisfaction and
pleasure, and our little colony will profit thereby.