Journal of a Trip to California: Across the Continent from Weston, Mo., to Weber Creek, Cal., in the Summer of 1850 — John Shaqi
Journal of a Trip to California: Across the Continent from Weston, Mo., to Weber Creek, Cal., in the Summer of 1850Smith, Charles W.
History
Journal of a Trip to California: Across the Continent from Weston, Mo., to Weber Creek, Cal., in the Summer of 1850
Smith, Charles W.
Overland journeys to the Pacific; Smith, Charles W.
Our arrangements are completed, and we intend to cross the river
tomorrow and join a company as soon as possible. The weather is becoming
a little more pleasant, as the Spring is late. We will take with us what
grain we can carry for our cattle. I am now enjoying good health and
feel myself hardening to our present rude mode of life. All that now
remains to be done is to put our cattle to the wagon and be off.
APRIL 23.
Weston Ferry, April 23. As we found several parties before us at the
ferry this morning, we are compelled to wait several hours till our
turn. All we expect today is to cross the river, and go out two or three
miles in the country, where we expect to join a company. Several hundred
wagons are already on the opposite shore, waiting for the season to
bring forth grass, etc. I can now see the smoke ascending from the camp
fires behind the bluff upon the other side. Everybody is impatient to be
on the trail, fearing that others will reach the diggings before him.
Two of our party are quite feverish just now, and I have consented to
start immediately, though I think it is too early.
The ferry boats here are very poor and make slow passages. Common flat
boats are used, propelled with oars; they have to tow them up the shore
a quarter of a mile before crossing, to prevent landing below their mark
on the other side. They carry about two wagons each time, beside several
head of cattle or horses. We are now to cross.
APRIL 25.
We started early this morning from our encampment one mile west of the
Missouri, and went to within about one mile of a stream called
Soldiers' Creek. We have not yet joined a company. Today we made some 18
miles. About noon we stopped at the cabin of an old Indian, of whom we
purchased an additional supply of corn at $1.00 per barrel. The country
through which we came today is a high, rolling prairie.
APRIL 26.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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