Days on the Road: Crossing the Plains in 1865 — John Shaqi
Days on the Road: Crossing the Plains in 1865Herndon, Sarah Raymond
History
Days on the Road: Crossing the Plains in 1865
Herndon, Sarah Raymond
Overland journeys to the Pacific; West (U.S.) -- Description and travel
The funeral services of the Presbyterian Church were held at two
o’clock this afternoon, a resident minister officiating. Mr. Milburn
was very nicely laid away, and his grave marked and enclosed with a
neat, strong fence before Gus and I left the cemetery. The people have
been so very kind. The funeral was largely attended for a stranger in
a strange place. There is no telegraph office here, so we have had to
write letters instead of sending telegrams.
I believe Gus’s plans are to go on with us to the Missouri River, sell
her outfit, and return home by steamboat down the Missouri River, up
the Mississippi to Canton, where friends will meet her and go with her
to Etna.
* * * * *
Wednesday, May 17.
Another night with Gus. She wakes in the morning to weep. We started
once more on our now sad journey. I have ridden with Gus all day. We
do not hear the sound of song and laughter as we did last week; we all
seem to be under a pall. We came through Redoak this morning, are
camping in a beautiful place, near a pleasant, homelike farmhouse. The
weather is perfect.
* * * * *
Thursday, May 18.
The friends that stayed with us Sunday night told us that the
authorities are not allowing emigrants to take the northern route,
because of the Indian depredations that have been committed on that
route. That if we went to Council Bluffs we would have to come down the
river to Platsmouth to get on the southern route. So we changed our
course accordingly.
We came through Whitecloud, Glenwood and Pacific City to-day. At
Whitecloud I made a few purchases, traded with a little German merchant
who crossed the plains a year ago; he says we have a delightful trip
before us. He expects to go again to the Rocky Mountains, and make his
home there, as soon as he can sell out and settle up his business here.
Just before we came to Glenwood, as the girls passed on their ponies,
Gus said to me, “Sallie, go ride your pony, too; you have not had a
ride for several days. Pardon me if I have been selfish in my great
sorrow.”
“No, Gus, I would rather stay with you than to ride Dick, as long as
you need me.”
“Thank you, dear; your company has been very grateful to me, but now I
would really enjoy seeing you ride through Glenwood.”
To please her, and myself, too, I soon had saddled and mounted Dick and
overtaken the girls. As we were riding through Glenwood a photographer
sent a messenger to request us to “Please stop five minutes and let
him take our picture.” We rode to the position indicated, doffed our
sun-bonnets, and looked as pleasant as we could. We did not wait to see
the proof, and I expect he was disappointed.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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