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
“We expected to reach camp by ten o’clock P. M., but I gave completely
out, and we were obliged to lie down and rest when about five miles
from camp. I slept until awakened this morning before it was light by
Mr. Curry, who was so anxious to be on the way I wondered that he let
me sleep so long.
“We came over the foot-hills, instead of by the road, and saved about
a mile in distance. We saw Hill riding away from camp and felt sure he
was starting to try and find us. Mr. Curry fired his gun to attract his
attention, and you know the rest.”
He turned over and went to sleep again, and slept until we stopped for
noon. We made a long drive to-day and are camping at the foot of Bear
River mountain.
We had a hard rain and hail storm this afternoon. It was very violent
while it lasted, and we halted by the roadside until it was over. It
was over in half an hour.
Mr. Curry has suffered with a severe headache and high fever all day,
the result of that hearty breakfast this morning after fasting so long.
BEAR RIVER MOUNTAIN.
Friday, at noon, August 18.
I am on the summit of Bear River Mountain, in the border of a beautiful
grove of pine and quaking-asp, near a spring of the most delicious
ice-cold water. I must be some miles ahead of the wagons that I left
toiling up the steep mountain side. Yet I do not feel that I am alone.
Oh, no. I feel that God is here in his might, majesty, power and glory.
I feel His nearness now, and as I gaze from these dizzy heights upon
the country spread out beneath my feet, I am lost in admiration, the
scene is so grand, so magnificent, that I forget my own vanity and
nothingness. I feel that I am standing upon an altar raised by Nature’s
grateful hand up to Nature’s God, and that I could offer myself a
willing sacrifice.
This is emphatically one of the high and sacred spots of earth. How
manifold, how wonderful are the works of Nature: Everywhere something
worthy of our highest admiration is presented to view; everywhere do
we see the manifestation of an invisible and omnipotent Creator. The
terrific storm, the broad prairies, the majestic forest, excite within
our bosoms emotions of awe and admiration, yet there are no places on
earth that I have seen which have a tendency to inspire me with such
tender feelings, such elevated, pure, holy thoughts as mountains.
Oh, it seems that one could never sin, or have an evil thought, in
such a place as this. Behold the mountains as they stand upon their
broad bases, contemplate them as they rear their snowy tops in awful,
majestic grandeur above the clouds, view them as you will, and they
ever present the same untiring pleasure to the mind.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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