Grand Teton National Park (Wyo.); Jackson Hole (Wyo.)
On October 11, the expedition moved out from Fort Ellis and
south-eastward toward the valley of the Yellowstone, reached that stream
the following day and thence up that “wild and winding” river toward the
“Mammoth Springs.” The wagon bearing supplies was drawn by 8 mules, 2
others carried the boat material, each man was mounted except the
teamster, an extra horse was led for him. All went smoothly until the
third day, when, not far from the northern boundary of the Park, the
... wagon came to grief, an unruly wheeler failed to pull at the right
time, and the heavy vehicle cramped and went over crushing a hind
wheel and reducing the body to something resembling kindling wood.
As a result of this not unexpected mishap, the wagon was abandoned, the
load, comparatively undamaged, was made into packs, and after a 2-day
delay to rest the animals and arrange the loads, the party proceeded. In
his entry of October 16, Doane enumerates the equipment carried by his
party.
Our outfit was an arctic one, omitting the stereotyped religious
literature. We had buffalo coats and moccasins, rubber boots and
overshoes, heavy underclothing, and plenty of robes and blankets. The
detachment carried carbines only. Pistols are worthless in the
mountains. In fact they are worthless anywhere in the field. I carried
a 12-pound Sharpes Buffalo Rifle, with globe sight on the stock and
chambered for long range cartridges. Our provisions did not include
pemmican, Biltongue, limejuice or any other of the orthodox food
preparations, but consisted of plain American rations, with some added
commissaries, and an abundance of tea and tobacco. Matches were packed
on every animal, and each individual carried several boxes constantly.
Each man had a good hunting knife, not the crossed hilted and
murderous looking kind but a short one intended for cutting up game.
Our cooking apparatus included two fry pans, two Dutch ovens, four
camp kettles, and some mess pans. We had plenty of axes and each man
carried a hatchet on his saddle. To put together the boat required
only a saw, a screw driver and a Gimlet, and we had a sack of oakum,
with which to calk the seams. Before starting, there had been no
solemnites, but each man’s personal outfit was complete, arranged with
a view to meet all possible contingencies without delay. I had
duplicate notebooks, one of which Sergeant Server carried and from
his, the only one left, I take my notes for this report. Of
instruments, I carried a prismatic compass, Aneroid Barometer, max and
min thermometers, and a long tape measure. None of these were provided
by a generous government, but all were purchased by myself—as usual in
such cases.
On October 17, the party lost the first of the pack animals.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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