A DESCRIPTION OF THE
DIFFERENT ROUTES.

In all there are eight distinct routes to [Oregon and California], six of which lie through the different passes mentioned upon a former page. One of the remaining two is that by the way of New Orleans, Vera Cruz, the City of Mexico, and Matzatlan; and the other is the route by sea, by the way of Cape Horn. There are but five of the above routes which are worthy of a particular notice; all of which, I will now proceed briefly, to describe. The most northern of them is that lying through the great gap, between Brown’s and Hooker’s Peakes [sic], through which the Canadian emigrants¹ and the fur traders of the Hudson’s Bay Company, annually pass, in their journeying from Canada, to the lower settlements in Oregon. As this route is very seldom, if ever, traveled by citizens of the United States, it is not deemed important to enlarge in its description. I shall therefore proceed to the description of that lying through the great southern pass, near latitude 42 degrees north. Upon this route, the emigrant sets out from Independence, Mo., and travels thence,² five or six days, in a direction about west by north to the Kansas or Caw river, crossing which he proceeds thence northwest, about five days, to the Platte river. Thence continuing up the Platte upon the south side, to the junction of its north and south forks, thence up the south fork, on the south side, one day, to the usual ford; where crossing the river, and continuing thence, in a direction about northwest by north, three days to the north fork; thence up the north fork about four days, to Fort Larimie [sic], and Fort John. Leaving these forts, the emigrant pursues a course, about west by north, over the Black hills, seven days, to Sweet-water, near Independence rock; thence up Sweet-water, nine days, to Little Sandy; thence west by north four days, to Green river, or the Colorado of the west. Crossing Green river, and continuing thence, down it three days; thence west one day, to Ham’s fork, which is a branch of Green river; thence up Ham’s fork, three days; thence west by north, one day, to Muddy river, which is a branch of Bear river; thence down Muddy and Bear three days, to the soda springs; thence north northwest up the two days; and thence west over the high lands one day, to Fort Hall. From this fort, those who go to Oregon continue down Lewis’ river, fifteen days, to Fort Wallawalla; and thence down the Columbia, ten days, to the lower settlement in Oregon. Those who go to California travel from Fort Hall, west southwest about fifteen days to the northern pass, in the California mountains; thence, three days, to the Sacramento; and thence, seven days, down the Sacramento, to the bay of St. Francisco, in California. The former part of this route is but one vast concatenation³ of plains and prairies, of almost unbounded extent. The entire country, from Independence to Fort Larimie [sic] is a vast plain entirely destitute⁴ of timber, with the exception of the small portions occasionally found upon, and in the immediate vicinity of, the streams. The principal timber found upon all this portion of the route, is found upon the Kansas or Caw river and its tributaries; besides which there is very little found even upon the streams. No scarcity of timber for fuel is experienced until you arrive upon the Platte; when for the first time are you are reduced to the necessity of substituting the excrement⁵ of the buffalo for fuel, which you are under the necessity of doing the greater part of the distance this side of the mountains and for considerable distance after crossing the mountains. From Independence to Fort Larimie [sic], no serious obstructions are found; as upon all this part of the route you cross neither mountains, nor unfordable⁶ streams. The Kansas and the south fork of the Platte are the only streams of any importance which are crossed upon this portion of the route; and they are always very readily forded at the season of the year at which emigrants pass through that region. The buffalo are usually seen upon this portion of the route, about fifteen days’ drive from the States; but they are also found, some seasons, within ten days’ drive from the States; while, at other seasons, they are not found within twenty days’ drive. This, however, depends much upon the forwardness or backwardness of the season, and the fact of their having been hunted by the Indians who inhabit that region. If the season is backward, they will not have migrated from the south as early as the season at which emigrants pass through that country; and if they have come out upon their northern migratory tour in time for the emigrants, it frequently happens that the Indians of that section hunt them to such an extent that they are completely dispersed from all that region. The buffalo are also generally found upon all portions of this route, from the Platte to the Rocky mountains, and even for several hundred miles west of the Rocky mountains, both in Oregon and California; and wherever they are found, they are always seen in the greatest abundance, and are killed with the greatest facility.⁷

THE EQUIPMENT, SUPPLIES, AND THE METHOD OF TRAVELING.

In treating of the equipment, supplies, and the method of traveling, I shall confine my remarks entirely to the over land route, which lies through the great southern pass; as the chief emigration to those countries is at this time by that route which from present indications is destined to become the great thoroughfare between the States and both Oregon and California. All persons designing to travel by this route should invariably equip themselves with a good gun; at least five pounds of powder, and twenty pounds of lead; in addition to which it might be advisable also for each to provide himself with a holster of good pistols, which would always be found of very great service, yet they are not indispensable. If pistols are taken, an additional supply of ammunition should also be taken; for it almost necessarily follows that the more firearms you have, the more ammunition you will require, whether assailed⁸ by the Indians or assailing the buffalo. If you come in contact with the latter, you will find the pistols of the greatest importance; for you may gollop [sic] your horse side by side with them, and having pistols, you may shoot them down at your pleasure; but should you come in mortal conflict with the former, the rifle will be found to be much more effective, and terrific; the very presence of which always affords ample security. Being provided with arms and ammunition as above suggested, the emigrant may consider himself, as far as his equipment is concerned, prepared for any warlike emergency, especially if nature has also equipped him with the requisite energy and courage.

In procuring supplies for this journey, the emigrant should provide himself with at least two hundred pounds of flour, or meal; one hundred and fifty pounds of bacon; ten pounds of coffee; twenty pounds of sugar; and ten pounds of salt, with such other provisions as he may prefer and can conveniently take; yet the provisions above enumerated⁹ are considered ample both as to quantity and variety. It would, perhaps, be advisable for emigrants not to encumber themselves with any other than those just enumerated; as it is impracticable for them to take all the luxuries to which they have been accustomed; and as it is found by experience that, when upon this kind of expedition, they are not desired even by the most devoted epicurean¹⁰ [sic]. The above remarks in reference to the quantity of provisions are designed to apply only to adults; but taking the above as the data, parents will find no difficulty in determining as to the necessary quantum for children; in doing which, however, it should always be observed that children as well as adults require about twice the quantity of provisions which they would at home for the same length of time. This is attributable to their being deprived of vegetables and other sauce, and their being confined to meat and bread alone; as well as the fact of their being subjected to continued and regular exercise in the open air which gives additional vigor and strength which greatly improves the health and therefore, gives an additional demand for food. I am aware that an opinion prevails among many that when arriving in that region in which the buffalo abound, meat can be very readily obtained, and hence,¹¹ much less meat need be taken; but this is an error which unless cautiously guarded against, will be very apt to prove fatal:¹² for to be found in that wild and remote region depending upon the buffalo for meat would, in nine cases out of ten, result in immediate or ultimate starvation especially if there should be a large body of persons together. It is true that immense herds of buffalo are found in that region; but it would be impossible to kill them in sufficient numbers to sustain a large party, unless many persons should devote their entire attention to the business of hunting; and even then it could not be done, unless the company should delay for that purpose, which would in all probability produce consequences equally as fatal as starvation; for, unless you pass over the mountains early in the fall, you are very liable to be detained by impassable mountains of snow until the next spring or perhaps forever. Then it would seem that although the buffalo are vastly numerous, they cannot be relied upon; yet to avoid encumbering himself with the very large quantities of meat which his family would require, the emigrant can drive cattle, which will afford him a very good substitute not only for the beef of the buffalo but also for bacon; and what is more important is that they can be relied upon under all circumstances.

Very few cooking utensils should be taken as they very much increase the load, to avoid which is always a consideration of paramount importance. A baking-kettle, frying-pan, tea-kettle, tea-pot, and coffee-pot are all the furniture of this kind that is essential, which together with tin plates, tin cups, ordinary knives, forks, spoons, and a coffee-mill, should constitute the entire kitchen apparatus. Bedding should consist of nothing more than blankets, sheets, coverlets, and pillows, which, being spread upon a buffalo robe, an oiled cloth, or some other impervious¹³ substance, should constitute the beds, which are found much preferable because of their being much less bulky and weighty. Feather-beds are sometimes taken by the families, but in many instances they find them not only burthensome [sic] and inconvenient, but entirely useless, consequently, they leave them by the way and pursue the course above suggested. Our common horses are preferable for the saddle, but it becomes necessary to take such numbers of them that they may be occasionally changed; for it is found by experience that no American horse can be taken entirely through being daily used either under the saddle or in the harness. Many prefer mules for the saddle, but they are objectionable because of their extreme intractability,¹⁴ and their inflexible inertness, in which they appear to indulge, to a much greater extent than usual, upon this kind of expedition. For the harness, mules are preferable to horses; for, notwithstanding their extreme inertness and slowness, they are found to endure the fatigue and to subsist upon vegetation alone much better than horses; but oxen are considered preferable to either. . . . Oxen endure the fatigue and heat much better than either horses or mules; and they also subsist much better upon vegetation alone, as all herds are of course required to do upon all portions of the route. There is no instance within my knowledge of any emigrants being required to leave his oxen by the way because of excessive fatigue or extreme poverty; for, as a general thing, they continue to thrive during the entire journey.