F593 .T94 „v „ « „ **•_ 40^ >** /iStei', v,** .-i$»% w* .-safe'. ^** /- ' ** ^ VV i* v .-*»• K ' ^ V**^' ,**' ° ^ ^*. a?" 0/ ^. n* »-. ^ ^ ^ 1 -4? f 'i^- * - o. ^ v » ^d« o " o V 4> r P °. "^ •A <. *o . » * &* o. *^. S * A 0* o°"°, V J> . '0^ «5 3< 47 * : » s ^ -J / -111"- *w* [Separate No. I 58] T. Turnbull's Travels from the United States across the Plains to California [From the Proceedings of the State Historical Society of Wisconsin for 1913, pages 151-225] Madison Published for the Society 1914 ' r 'F u, T. Turnbull's Travels from the United States across the Plains to California Edited with introduction and notes by Frederic L. Paxson, and with typo- graphic arrangement by Reuben G. Thwaites Thomas Turnbull, whose journal of a trip from Chicago to Hangtown is now for the first time printed, was born in Chilling- ham, Northumberland, England, about 1812. His parents were of Scotch extraction, and were able to give him a solid educa- tion. In 1834 he emigrated from Berwick-on-Tweed, in com- pany with a brother, William, and William's wife. After a short residence in Canada, they moved to Chicago, but, ac- cording to family tradition, "thought it too poor and unde- sirable a place," 1 and went on to Joliet. Here they worked a lime-kiln until forced away by the ague. In 1838 they bought a quarter-section on the North Shore, in the vicinity of Glen- coe, Illinois, and here they were farming when the gold fever struck the West. It was impracticable for both brothers to emigrate again, because William had a family, but Thomas finally determined to go to California, and left Chicago on April 16, 1852. The journal is detailed, frank, and accurate. Thomas Turn- bull died in Glencoe in 1869, regretting, as he had regretted in 1853, that he had not found time to write up and expand his narrative. He wrote in a small leather-bound notebook (9cm. x 15cm.), covering ninety-seven pages with neat writing 1 The data concerning Thomas Turnbull, and his associates mentioned in the journal, have been placed at my disposal by his grand-nephew, Mr. Alan J. Turnbull, of Glencoe, Illinois, to whom 1 am indebted for knowledge of the journal itself. [151] Wisconsin Historical Society that is at times so minute as to tax the eyesight. He wrote in pencil, with lines that are still visible beneath the ink with which he later reenforced them. The manuscript, and the letter printed with it, have been preserved in the Turnbull family since the death of the writer, and the former has been deposited in the librarj r of the State Historical Society of Wis- consin by its owner, Mr. William J. Turnbull. The Turnbull diary is of interest to students of the overland trails, and to all who are interested in adventurous achieve- ment, because of its fresh originality. It has not been spoilt by later additions as most journals have been. It reveals the writer moving in the summer procession of 1852, touching hundreds of fellow-emigrants, meeting and re-meeting scores o£ old acquaintances, escaping the diseases and dangers of the wilderness, and finding time from camp to camp to record his impressions in the very words that have been preserved. The abbreviations, dashes, and unpunctuated stretches of the man- uscript bear testimony to the conditions under which he wrote. Dr. R. G. Thwaites and Miss A. A. Nunns have transcribed the diary, and made it more easily intelligible by means of type arrangements preserving carefully the ipsissima verba of the original. Few overland journals have been printed in as close adherence to the written form as this. The route taken by Turnbull was unusual in 1852. From Chicago to Kanesville (Council Bluffs, Iowa), he followed well- known roads. West of the Missouri, however, he took the Mormon Trail, instead of the Oregon Trail which followed the south bank of the Platte. As early as 1842 Fremont had found a well-beaten track along the north bank of the Platte. The Mormons had beaten it down still harder, in and after 1847, but few of the gold-seekers had gone this way. Even fewer have left known journals of this route, although there are dozens in print, kept by emigrants on the Oregon Trail. 2 2 Among the printed descriptions or journals covering in whole or in part the trail along the north bank of the Platte, are H. J. Coke, A Ride over the Rocky Mountains to Oregon and California (London, 1852); J. S. Collins, Across the Plains in '64 (Omaha, 1911); M. Crawford, Journal of the Expedition organized for the Protection of Emigrants to Oregon [in 1862], in 37 Cong., 3 sess., Sen. Ex. Docs., p. 17; F. Fry, Fry's [152] Turnbull's Travels From a point opposite to Fort Laramie, on the North Platte, to the Red Buttes, near which the Oregon Trail cut across from the Platte to the Sweetwater, Turnbull's journal is al- most unique. Even the Mormons generally crossed the North Platte near Fort Laramie, and took up the route of the Ore- gon Trail. The north bank of the river here is broken country, with the hills and ravines coming close to the stream. By crossing to the south bank, there was easier going after the emigrants had finished with the Black Hills of Wyoming. Turnbull followed the north bank all the way. The "last crossing of the Platte" was later called North Platte Bridge, and still later became Casper, Wyoming. At this place Turnbull joined the Oregon Trail, and followed the usual route to South Pass, Green River, the City of Rocks, Humboldt Valley, and Carson Pass. He shows, as do many other diarists, a remarkable familiarity with the names of places, rarely misnaming anything. The topographical gossip along the trails was intimate, there were numerous guide- books and maps by 1852, and local itineraries and the spoken word added to the store of information. Only once does Turn- bull refer by name to a source of information, and this source (Pratt and Slater, p. 194 post), has not been Identified by the editor. By word of mouth details were passed along, until it was a careless or a stupid emigrant who missed the way. Turnbull traveled in a company, but he has not made it pos- sible to name its members or its captain, or to estimate its strength. "Mullions' old horse," that was driven into the head of Lake Humboldt, and abandoned there, is better known than any other associate. Old friends or neighbors, from Illi- nois or Canada, were often passed, and a few of them are re- membered in family tradition, by the surviving children of Travelers' Guide, and Descriptive Journal of the Great Northicestern Territories of the United States (Cincinnati, 1865) ; R. H. Hewett, Across the Plains and over the Divide. A Mule Train going from East to West in 1862 (New York, 1906); J. A. MacMurphy, "Thirty-three Years Ago." Journal of a Journey to California in 1853, in Transactions of the Ne- braska State Historical Society, iii, pp. 270-278; S. Parker, Journal of an Exploring Tour beyond the Rocky Mountains (Ithaca, 1838); G. W. Thissell, Crossing the Plains in 'J,9 (Oakland, Cal., 1903). [153 1 Wisconsin Historical Society William Turnbull, who stayed at home. But Turnbull re- mained impersonal in the throng, taking his companions for granted. The journal is so clear that few editorial notes have been needed. These, where used, are designed to show the relation between Turnbull 's route and the great overland roads. The maps have been compiled by the editor from contemporary charts and the topographical sheets of the United States Geo- logical survey. Frederic L. Paxson. T TURNBULLS TRAVELS FROM THE U. STATES ACROSS THE PLAINS TO CALIFORNIA WHILE IN THE COUNTRY. We left Chicago on the 16 th April [1852] came on the Plank road stopt first night 18 mile next day very bad road stopt at Aurora left Aurora next morning 18 th and passed through Little Rock & Big rock and campd all night at J. Devines Tavern called by name Saminak [Somonauk] from S — H — to Sackinack very bad roads stopt their at [154] Turnbull's Travels Noon and fed — and stopt all night at Potters Tavern near Paupa Grove [Pawpaw Gr.] from P — G — we stopt all night in Lee county at S — Fris- bys Tavern — then next day to Sterling campd all night 21 st 12 miles from Dixons Perry on Eock River. Stopt at noon. Union Ville and fed at noon thence to Ful- ton City on the Mississippi camp 'd all night 22 d M0INE5 left next morning at 8 OClock Crossed the MS on the Ferry Boat to Lyons 3 on the other side of the Missis- sippi! camped all night at Dewitt very bad road from Dewitt to Wapsipinicon crossed on the Ferry and went through Toronto and campd in a pice of tim- ber all night Sunday morning 25 th went on crossed Yankie run and camp d all night 10 miles from Jenkins Ferry on Wapsipinicon River left next morning and went on 3 miles beyond Tipton a •From Lyons to Council Bluffs Turnbull followed a wagon road that appears to be indicated on "A Township Map of the State of Iowa," lithographed in Philadelphia, 1851, for Henn, Williams, and Co., of Fairfield, Iowa. 11 [155] Wisconsin Historical Society pretty large Village, the largest from Chicago only [except] Aurora. from Tipton we went on next day on the forenoon to Cedar River crossed by Ferry Boat very wide nearly as wide as the Mississippi it empties into the Iowa River and then both runs into the Mississippi 12 miles * from this Ferry 28 th we went that day within 4 miles of Iowa City about 2000 inhabitants I saw Stebbins 5 standing at a Door in Iowa City — he lives there he went with us to the Ferry about % mile he is going to California in the spring Tom Wellen Huntoon Pratt & the French boys passed through Iowa City 250 miles from the Council Bluffs day before us we came from Iowa City 16 miles and campd all night on the top of a Hill at Douglas old Log House 29 th came on next day 14 miles and took a lunch again on the banks of the Iowa River 6 this is f ordable this is Noon tremenduous bad roads all the way from Naperville until we came to Fulton City on the Mississippi we had some little rain before we got as far as here but very cold cold enough to wear 2 Shirts & coat Deyres 7 Ponies are 4 days ahead of us at Iowa City. Campd last night at Douglas on the Pra- rie 30 th left next morning and came through about 4 miles long of Timber the most timber & best we have seen in Iowa, a distance of about 200 miles from the Bluffs, eat at noon at R Manaths Tavern behind the Barn a very windy day no Hay to be got corn 5 Bits pr Bushel oats 50 cts and hard to get it at that no Hay for a day or two. nothing but old grass on the Prarie Sleughs not so good as they were when 4 Turnbull was in error. The mouth of the Iowa River is more than sixty miles below the place at which he crossed the Cedar River. 8 Stebbins was a former resident and tavern keeper of Gross Point, 111.; Tom Wellen was reported to have been a sailor; Huntoon, Pratt, and the French boys were farmers living near Evanston, 111. — A. J. T. • In the vicinity of Marengo, Iowa County, Iowa. 1 The Widow Dwyer's boys, who reappear frequently in the diary, were farmers living near the present site of Lake Bluff, 111. They had an idea that small "chunks of Canadian ponies" would stand the trip better than the larger native type, and accordingly went into Canada and brought back a number. — A. J. T. [156] Turnbull's Travels I left home, we are just now at noon 18 miles of a Prarie. to cross until we come to timber we crossed it and got their about 6 OClock, and Started a good Log fire and stopped all night and turned our Horses to eat the old grass in a Valley close by the timber very little Ploughing done here yet later than it is at Gross Point the greatest wind and rain I most ever saw all the way across rain and wind right in our face. [May 1 st ] we crossed the handsomest Prarie I have seen on our route from Iowa City fine rolling Prarie and roads as good as Plank road and I think a good deal better only a Sleugh once & a while but bad ones we passed a Town called Newton and camped under a high hill close by a creek we had some thunder and a very cold rain until about 8 OClock Sunday morning it was so cold we could not stop all Sunday May 2 d the next River was a Ferry called Par- kers Ferry 8 miles from camp d over Skunk River the next we came to was Indian Creek & Bridge we could buy corn and Bacon cheaper at Newton 185 miles from the Bluffs than we could 100 miles back. Bacon 8 cts pr lb Corn 40 cts any one coming the route as far as we have come yet can find Corn or Oats mostly at every house not listen to what no man tells you about Hay or Corn being dear because the farther we go we find it the cheaper for we have paid before we came here as much as 5 sh . per bushel all that I have seen in Iowa is 7 Deer as far as I have travelled Yet one Wolf passed Across the road about 20 Rod from & we could not get loaded soon enough we saw two Massausagin Snakes from 5 to 6 ft long on May 1 st . the French boys & Wellen stuck in a Sluegh & we came to it & their was a great many camp' d and they told us that there was boys from G. Point stuck here, so we made a Bridge and got over Sunday evening May 2 d we camp d at 4 OClock in the af- ternoon at the foot of a Hill near to a creek a little from Tom Mitchel on the top of the Hill the most of Iowa, as far as we have come yet is a beautiful rolling Country rather hilly in places but Timber scarce May 3 d . left Tom Mitchels camp ground Lightning Thun- der & rain mostly all night lay behind some bushes with a Blanket John and me. came on next day at noon within y 2 [157] Wisconsin Historical Society mile of Desmois [Des Moines] rained part of the forenoon part pretty bad going on ace 1 , of the rain we crossed the Des- mois River about 3 OClock afternoon the Do [ditto] about the width of Chicago River the Town lies in a valley surrounded by Hills a vast Plain but a poor looking Town no Streets put in any shape the Fort was down at a point of the River but it is all pulled down Corn here 35 cts pr Bushel no more grass than you have where you live no farming much done it is the latest season ever was known here, at the head of the Town we cross Coon [Racoon] River on another Ferry we camp' d on the top of a Hill about one mile from the Ferry NEBRASKA took our Blankets and lay before a black oak fire we came on about 14 miles and turned out in the sleugh to feed grass about 3 inch long first good grass we have to corn 6 s pr Bushel. We crossed before noon North R. 12 miles from Des- mois Elk are here very plenty but we have seen none wild yet a good many tame in Desmois. May 4 th . 12 mile from Winterset county seat about 6 miles from Desmoines the Prarie are all green & pretty good feed in the Sleughs and valleys of 100 s . of Acres, we camp' d all night 6 miles from Winterset under a high hill in a valley, it is first patch of fall wheat fit to be seen over ground was at this camp May 4 th , we left 7 OClock in the morning passed through Winterset 6 miles and noon d 7 miles beyond one hun- [ 158 ] Turnbull's Travels dred and twelve miles from the Bluffs plenty of limestone and stone for building have a fine rolling country but grass not over 2 inches in the Sleughs we passed over 600 Head of cattle for California on waggons aaid driving together before noon May 5 th . no House from "Winterset — the Widow Dewyres boy & Ponies camp' d the night before us at the North River be- tween Desmoine & Winterset I saw his name when he camped wrote on a Tree & 100 s for by [besides] 8 him trav- elled across Prarie 26 miles from House to our encampment all night beside a grove & creek called Alcorns Travellers rest that made 32 miles that day next morning [6 th ] left camp 7 OClock for a 35 mile Pra- rie without house or timber passed one dead Ox & Horse laying by a Sleugh fine rolling Prarie saw day before noon about 300 head of cattle for by [besides] Horse teams I could not tell how many last night rained pretty hard 5 th . 6 th . this days travel. camp. d all night at a creek the worst to cross on each side for mud I ever saw we had to stop pretty near 2 hours and cut brush to get through & some others about 300 head of cattle crossed before us and that finished it we caught some fish, this Prarie is 35 miles from House to House Friday 7 th . May left the Creek at 7 OClock passed a tre- mendous lot of Elk horns on this 35 miles route on the road & saw them lying off on the Prarie we noon' d at the end of the 35 M route from House to House a handsome grove and fine rolling Prarie & a Creek and a good Spring close by the Creek gravel & sand bottom very cold water now we start for the afternoon across the Prarie for 15 Miles to an Indian Settlement May 7 th . grass very good Oats $1 pr B. Corn the same Hay 40 cts pr Hundred we got to this Indian Set- tlement about 5 OClock about 4 Houses in a small grove scattered along the Bank of the River called Indian Creek they have got a Scow here in the time of high water camp ' d on the Bank all night to this from noon is 15 miles from House to House. "Following a Scotch usage, Turnbull often writes "for by" when he means besides. [159] Wisconsin Historical Society Saturday 8 th . left in the morning and crossed Indian Creek about one mile from the Camp a good many Scattering Houses in the grove of timber a pretty hilly country as far as we have come the next Settlement was mount Scott a very fine Grove & some good Farms. Corn 40 cts pr B. crossed the Eichnabotaneich, [Nishnabotna, W. Branch] by Ferry a small creek and camp' d one mile beyond all night next morning 9 th . travelled through Potomatona Village & Crossed Silver Creek by bridge & some handsome Farms it stands on a very handsome plain camp' d about 3 Oclock in the afternoon about 6 miles from Kainsville & 11 from the Bluffs, left in the morning & passed through CottsVille before we got to the Bluffs, Corn at the Bluffs 25 cts . pr B— Corn meal at Kainsville lb 60 cts the Bluffs commences before you get to Kainsville. Cottsville is about a mile long small log House Shingled & covered with mud, Kainsville such a rush of waggons & Horses, Cattle, & Mules, no one never saw in no fare [fair] in the Old country we stopt all night at Kains- ville. 9 and camp' d among the Bluffs. K — stands in a hollow •A ferry had been operated since 1849 from Kanesville, Iowa, to the foot of the bluffs across the Missouri River, where Omaha was founded in 1854. W. D. Brown was using a steam ferryboat here in 1853, but in 1852 there was no important community on the west bank of the Mis- souri. Bellevue, at the lower end of the plateau known as Council Bluffs, some ten miles above the mouth of the Platte, and an equal dis- tance below Omaha, contained a trading post and a mission, and was the centre of white activity in Nebraska. Col. Peter A. Sarpy operated a ferry here, touching on the Iowa side a settlement known as Nebraska in 1849 and Council Bluffs in 1850. In 1853 the name Council Bluffs, formerly applied to several places in the vicinity of the plateau, was appropriated by Kanesville. The original Kanesville was on the eastern side of the Missouri in a gully in the bluffs, through which the Iowa trails reached the bottom lands, at the northern end of the bottom. It was five miles east of the river. The Mormons established the town, which was still an important station on their overland route in 1852. Cf. the Omaha and Vicinity quadrangle of the U. S. Topographical Map; Annals of Ioioa, 3 ser., v, p. 452; Transactions of the Nebraska State Hist. Soc, ii, p. 295; iv, p. 152; xv, p. 22, note 8; xvi, p. 69; 2 ser., ii, p. 37. [160] Turnbull's Travels surrounded by Bluffs, small round hills and pulleys for miles camp' d here on Monday night [also.] 11 th May Boots, shoes, & clothing about the same as they are in Chicago, Corn 25 cts . pr lb. oats 30 cts Bacon 12y 2 cte '. Sales at Auction every hour in the day Flour, $16 pr Barrel on Acct of the Emigration $3.50 their is some of the greatest scoundrels I ever saw here I saw old Pinnerty at Kainsville from K — to the Moussouri Ferry the Upper Lower & Middle we went by the Upper Ferry 10 Miles from Kainsville, to the Missouri the handsomest Bluffs & Valleys I ever saw between Kainsville & Missouri Ferry, a handsome valley on the right & left for about 6 miles to the Ferry, the River is very wide about 600 yds. & Sawyers coming down in every direc- tion enough to capsize a Scow, they have 3 Scows, running all the time since the 20 th . April on the other side the Bluffs are about the height of the Banks at Taylors Pier some old Indian houses by the Ferry no Indians on this side of the River they are all on the other side of the River in their owtn Territory 10 here are the remains of the Old Fort Houses, mostly all pulled down on each side of the River, miserable for people to live in & thoroughfare of Waggons equal to "Whitsunbank, 15 th . May came here on the 11 th . the water or River water is nothing but like the colour of clay & sand mixed the tim- ber around this Valley, near the River is all Cotton wood Tom "Wellen has left the French & has joined Huntoon & Reid we have joined a company here & the French boys are all here & a good many others from Southport & the Mehan Settlement if you want friends you need not look for them here if you knew them ever so well we came to the Ferry on the Missouri on the 11 th . & left it had to wait 4 days be- fore we got across and Ferry across all night for the company "The Potawatomi Indians agreed, by treaty of June, 1846, to cede the lands in western Iowa, given them at Chicago in 1833, and to retire west of the Missouri River. On February 24, 1847, the Iowa legislature created a county in the ceded district, giving it their name. The county was organized the next year, and reduced to its present size In 1851. F. H. Garver, "History of the Establishment of Counties in Iowa," in Iowa Journal, vi, p. 409, and maps x and xi. [161] Wisconsin Historical Society of us but the wind blew so hard that we had to give up about 3 OClock in the morning I was all night Ferrying I had a hard one how the rest was you may guess the wind blew hard all next day so we got over on Sunday night with the last waggon 16 th . May & Camp' d all night on the top of the Bluffs, where the council was held the old houses are the ruins of 4 or 5 logs high a very cold night Indians all naked kept looking at a distance we kept watch all night called Nebraski Territory, PotatWatamies crossed Papaw [Papillon] Creek before stopping all night 11 left next morning and came through a very handsome coun- try & crossed Elk horn by Ferry belonging to the Pawnees, cafmp' d t[w]o miles beyond Ferry, & next morning commenced on the Plains among the Paw- nees watered at Bridge Creek on the Forenoon passed Paw- nee Huts away about i/o mile across, to the left across Loop Fork Camp' d along side off the Piatt River 12 18 th tremenduous cold it has been very cold ever since we left only about 3 days & parts of days Dwyres Boys camp' d all night about 5 Rod from us & about 800 head of cattle cows & Waggons for Ore- gon & California 25 Miles Journey of 18 th on the Banks of the Piatt as wide as the Mississippi in places, Cotton wood plenty on the Banks grass about 6 inches long 19 th . of May nooned about 3 m . from the Piatt pretty low land until noon Villages along on the hills of Indians built with sods before we crossed Shell Creek, before noon 19 th on a Bridge there are houses on the left of the Piatt all along Villages of Sods to be seen on every mountain camp' d all night about y 2 miles from the Piatt on the Prarie ourselves alone 11 An elaborate map of Nebraska and Dakota, summarizing the ob- servations of U. S. exploring parties to 1856, was drawn by Lieut. G. K. Warren of the Topographical Engineers, and printed by the U. S. Sen- ate, 35th Cong., 1st sess. The trails along the Platte River have been described by Albert Watkins in J. S. Morton, Illustrated Hist, of Ne- braska (Lincoln, 1905-13, 3 vols.), i, pp. 73-94. 12 The numerous trails from the Missouri River, across the peninsula between that stream and the Platte, merged into the main trail near Fremont, Dodge County, Nebraska. [162] Tumbull's Travels left on [blank in Ms.] and went about 6 miles until we came to the Ferry called Loup Fork 13 and took our waggons over, on the evening by 2 Scows went down below and took our horses across about x /2 mne deep & verv swift current about 50 yds wide at some places 60 Rod, $2.50 pr waggon & SO^ 3 . pr piece for horses, their is a ford below about 18 miles some went to ford but our company did not go this belongs to the Pawnees but half breeds rent it & has to pay them $1000 for the season so you can see the number of teams the [that] has to cross for about 2 or 3 months to make it pay the man for the use of it. Missouri (about 20 men kept) Loup Fork (about 8 kept) some little timber close by it & a few logs thrown up to shelter them from the wind there was a company attackted here by Indians and they fought 2 days — some killed on both sides 9 Indians they say were killed & 2 white men badly wounded one killed we met some begging but we passed & would not give them any thing some white men gave them a paper & said doiit give them any thing but pass on & not give them any thing on this side are the Sioux on ace* of the River we had to stop here 14 until the 21 st . left in the mornng 9 OClock came on the 18 th . a ter- rible cold rain met a man that lost 6 Horses 40 miles ahead, we passed one grave about 3 ft. long now buried just before we camp' d saw a good many Buffaloe sculls, caimp d all night close by some high hills about 1 mile from Loup Fork had some small willows for fire passed next morning before noon 2 Wolves about 5 Rod from the road 23 miles to day plenty of water & good grass "Wells & Sleughs the River Loup Fork all along for about 2 miles a handsome plain and some places high hills sandy camp' d all night on a handsome plain & Creek all through it Sunday afternoon 23 d 4 Ock good grass plenty 13 The Pawnee made the Loup Fork of the Platte their chief residence, and were a source of constant nervousness to emigrants along the trail. u After crossing the Loup Fork, Turnbull kept close to the south bank of that river for two days, and then returned to the Platte near the head of Grand Island. His route was surveyed by Captain Dickerson in 1856, in pursuance of an act of Congress, February 17, 1855, for the construction of a territorial road from Council Bluffs to New Fort Kearney (sic). It is shown on G. K. Warren's map. [163] Wisconsin Historical Society water [and] wood along the Fork River 1 mile pretty warm day people camp' d all along plenty Buff[alo] tracks going to the River 24 th . passed two dead Horses saw two Antelope some very bad Sleughs road sandy before noon plenty Buffalo tracks as high as a ridge of Corn from 15 to 20 tracks wide a fine looking country 4 miles from Fork, afternoon travelled through sand hills & sand pretty heavy road from Loup Fork Ford road where it comes into the Ferry Road saw a young Buffalo lying forequarters & heads of numbers camp' d all night among the Sand hills grass 4 inches high plenty of holes dug for water & a good stream at the camp 24 th . fore- noon passed 2 graves buried 1849, afternoon crossed Wood River and camp' d 5 miles beyond on a high gravel & black muck banks the handsomest piece of Prarie mostly ever I saw between the River & a large grove of timber running straight along the Prarie about 2 miles wide a beautiful ev- ening & good valley grass 25 th . left next morning 7 OClock, while eating breakfast a large black wolf passed about 20 Rod from us Left at half [164] Turnbull's Travels past 5 OClock forenoon passed on Grave 1851. 2 waggon tires & a great deal of large Iron where we touched the Piatt River, and a good well of water coming out of Gravel & sand the first day that i could call warm since I left left the place where we touched the Piatt about 100 yd s running parallel good clear stream a fork of Piatt is nothing but" sand and mud mixed like the most of the Rivers in the west W. S. W. to day at noon afternoon very hot come along within 2 miles of the Piatt timber for wood Willow Bushes camp' d 5 OClock, first night for Musquitoes 26 th . Left morning at 6 OClock saw I Antelope plenty of ground Hogs & Gulls a handsome plain Dwyers Boy was about two rod from us afternoon we passed one cow with a libel [label] on her [that] any one wants her can have her we touched within about 4 OClock 4 Miles of St. Joe road a great many teams left it & crossed the Piatt opposite us. 15 cool forenoon very hot afternoon. 27 th . left us 6 Oclk crossed a great many different places to cross let down the waggons by holding on a rope behind and pulling them in front same way & Horses plenty of Buffa- loe heads & dung made fire to cook by this morning touched the Piatt River about 12 OClock 28 th [The river is] one mile wide mixed with sand crossed Elm Creek nooned about -one mile below [where] we touched "Fort Kearny, opposite which Turnbull arrived on May 26, was es- tablished for the defense of the Oregon emigrants on the south side of the Platte, near the head of Grand Island, under an act of Congress of May 19, 1846. It was originally named Fort Childs, but soon became known as New Fort Kearny, in distinction from an earlier Fort Kearny, built on Table Creek (later Nebraska City), in 1846, and named for Col. Stephen W. Kearny. The modern spelling of the name is due to an erroneous usage that has become statutory. At or near Fort Kearny the trails from Westport, Independence, and St. Joseph reached the great Oregon Trail, that followed the south bank of the river. Turn- bull uniformly speaks of this as the St. Joe road. Albert Watkins has an excellent "History of Fort Kearny" in Transactions of the Nebraska State Hist. Soc, xvi, pp. 227-267. Fremont had in 1842 recommended Grand Island "as the best point for a military position on the Lower Platte." Report, 78. There is a large map of the Oregon Trail accom- panying F. G. Young, "The Oregon Trail" in Quarterly of the Oregon Hist. Soc, i, p. 339. [165] Wisconsin Historical Society the Piatt grass very scarce low land afternoon left at 2 OClock not very hot, touched the Piatt again about 4 OClk camp d all night on the Banks of the Piatt Buffaloe Heads & horns lying in every direction Waggons, Cattle, & Horses as far as you can see on South side of the Piatt, the St. Joe Road is on the other side a handsome flat country for miles on each side of us & then pretty high mountains on each side banks high Grey Wolves are here at night plenty Satfurday] 29 th . forenoon passed one Grave buried 26 th . 1852. Aged 23, passed a good well about 6 ft. Buffaloe Dung lying as thick as it is in your yard at home & bones laying all over some killed this spring, very smooth road in places other places a little too sandy 16 nooned about one mile from the Piatt, we passed [in the] forenoon over 1000 head of cat- tle for by Horses & Mules the best cattle, & Horses I mostly ever saw, afternoon passed one grave 1851. came through heavy sand about 2 miles among some high hills the rest of the road some sandy 30 th . about 1000 Cattle within 3 miles Horses, & mules, Sun- day forenoon passed along some very high hills of sand road pretty deep & part of it very good we saw 7 Buffaloe on the top of a hill we followed but they ran passed 5 men dig- ging a grave an old Lady died in Cholera a great many are dying on the St Joe Road, we have been in sight for a good many days they are crossing the Piatt in all directions a great many Buffaloe has been killed this spring we nooned about 5 Rod from Carson Creek, very hot all day grass very good Buffaloe grass about the same as the 2 d . Crop of red top about 4 in . long afternoon left at 1 OClock, passed or touched the Piatt about 3 oclock, passed one grave & lots of OX Teams, some Buffaloe new killed by hunters belonging to companies high hills all along of sand on each side of this wide River, camp d Sunday night 5 OClock 31 st . left morning 5% crossed Mud Creek North Fork. 17 18 Fremont passed over this road on his return in 1842, and reported it as good and frequently used. "The St. Joe road followed the South Fork of the Platte, going around O'Fallon's Bluff, then crossed the South Fork, and reached the North Fork at Ash Creek. R. G. Thwaites, Early Western Travels (Cleveland, 1904-07), xxi, note 58; xxx, note 54. [1661 Turnbull's Travels passed one Buffaloe laying dead & a great many others that had been lately killed 3 dead Wolves, came along side of the Piatt, until about 9 OClock, then turned up a valley be- tween high sand hills & then down to the valley i4 m . from the Piatt, afternoon left 1 OClock saw 5 Buffaloe on the top of a sand hill Afternoon travelled through sand & over hills & down valleys of sand to get round a point of the Piatt, where the Banks are very high hills of sand about 1 Hour as bad as the "Widow Traders, we passed across 2 very fine brooks that comes out of the Mountains from Springs stop* about 4 OClock to let our Horses feed took some mush & went on agaiu a little, hot but a good wind, plenty of small willow bushes, after 4 oCLK went through some very high hills passed a Dubuque Co. of 80 "Waggons & camp d . % miles from Kiver. Tuesday June 1. left camp at 6 Oclock left 7 Oclock come through a plain Sandy very good road & plenty of good springs water, Creeks, crossing the road Buffaloe Bones, & dung laying as thick as it can lay nooned about y 2 Mile from the River no timber on the road to Fort Lar- amie for 200 Miles, afternoon left at 1 OClock, on the other side of the River, some high sand hills covered with scrubby trees the St Joe travellers has to go behind these on Ace*, of the Bluffs running down to the edge of the River, the Piatt, & also all these Rivers from the Missourie are all quicksand Bottom & half mud a little Indian meal soon settles it good healthy water Bluff Streams are all clear springs from the Valleys between these mountains, Buffaloe grass good & seems to be as hard feed as tame grass, passed one waggon cut spokes all out for fire wood Buff aloe dung lying in every direction it makes a grand fire part of a Buffaloe taken & the rest left. Bones lying all over, eamp d . about Y2 mile from the River, on a clear Creek running from a Spring 2 d . left 6 Oclock, went, through some high sand hills and passed over some brooks all springs from the sand saw some part of a Buffaloe that had been killed lately passed close [clothes] thrown away on the Road Bed Close, Bags, Saddle, Irons, both heavy & Light of all kinds nooned about mile from the [167] Wisconsin Historical Society Piatt, grass very short on Ace 1 , of so many teams, afternoon left at 2 oClock, passed a great many Fires, Irons of Waggons, Wheels, ground dogs killed by people passing the whole Plains dug up by them camp' d all night on the banks of the Piatt. 5 Oclock passed one grave 1849, from where I could not tell, we eamp' d all night good Buff aloe grass & plenty water Thursday, 4 th . [3d] touched the Piatt, different times and then crossed a Creek from thence camp ?d nooned at Dry Creek 30 ft wide all sand no water afternoon passed 2 other sand creek or dry afternoon went through some very high sand hills some small trees on the tops of them the hand- somest crevices cut by water 40 to 50 ft deep the grandest appearance I mostly ever saw some high pinnacles looks al- most like stone also some very handsome shell rock the sand hills are as hard as iron on the track, after that we passed 2 graves one Woman buried 52. Buried 1851, and 1 young man buried 23, 1852, after that road sandy until ev- ening, about the same as you have got on the ridge by smiths camp ' d about % mile from the Piatt, last night very cold we can see the Chimney Rock & Scotts Bluffs from here to night & a great many other curiosities a large heap of stones just the shape of a Castle a great distance from here the Chimney can be seen 1 day before you get to it & one day after you pass it & so before you have sight of it. Friday morning 4 th . left 7 Oclock road middling sandy some Bluffs touched at the Piatt for water also some sleughs plenty water nooned about % mile from Piatt very short grass middling warm 69 miles from Fort Laramie left at noon 2 Oclock a first rate road some places a little sandy dust very hot camp d aill night on the banks of the Platte about 2 miles from the road by appearance about y 2 mile to Chim- ney Rock on the other side of the Piatt the river is pretty wide or I should have gone over to see it it is covered with names all over from all parts I should think by appea[ra]nce it is not over 14 mile from St. Joe Road they say it is over 10 miles there are many romantic scenes along these Bluffs, beyond these ahead of us we can see, Scotts Bluffs, the Court [168] Turnbull's Travels House, Chimney Rock, 18 all the same ridge of hills pretjty cold last night 5 th . left this morning forenoon touched the Piatt once handsome grass short middling cool, saw one dead Ox. nooned about y 2 mile from Piatt these romantic places are just similar to buildings & fortifications travelled Saturday afternoon until about 4 OCloek camp' d on the Banks of the Piatt opposite to some half breed wigwams on the other side of the Piatt, they buy furs from the Hunters & take them to St. Louis we are still in sight of Chim ne y Rock, these Hills of sand on the St Joe. side appear like rocks they look like buildings & fortifications built with hands. Sunday 6 th . last night it lightned thundered & rain' d until morning very cold packers lying on the bank all night no fire, these are [of] the same range [as] Scotts Bluffs rain be- gan 1 Ock>k and rained until 6 at night very cold rain by Monday morning until 10 Oclock, followed the Bank, passed one dead Ox one Horse left Pole evil taken along by one of the same cop y . road very good nooned on a flat Close by the Piatt, 3 Islands of small Cotton "Wood, grass pretty good afternoon passed one dead Ox. one grave 1851. some large hills of rock limestone & lime slacked as good as burnt drifted hills of sand & handsome hills of grass camp' d all night on the banks of the Piatt, lots of cotton wood all along the Banks & a great many Islands in the River Road very good plenty water grass not very good a great many prickly Pears on these Praries Tuesday 8 th . left at 6 OCloek, passed one Creek passed one trading station made of wigwam on the other side of the Piatt plenty of water Bushes all along on the River & hills rocks and sand plenty drift wood & Buntons 19 road all sandy middling good some pretty large Trees along the Banks of the River nooned about 11 OCloek afternoon passed one grave Marked James B. Cox old graves, road pretty deep 18 There are good photographs of Court House, Chimney Rock, and Scott's Bluff in Morton, Nebraska, i, pp. 82-96. '"Bunton, meaning unknown. Murray gives bunt as a sort of fire- wood; Century Dictionary gives buntons as cut timbers for framing a mine. [169] Wisconsin Historical Society sand from here to Fort Laramie got opposite the Fort about 4 OClock, 20 it stands in a valley surrounded by hills cov- ered by small cedars, the Laramie Fork runs into the Piatt here the St. Joe Koad crosses the Fork & we still go along on this side of the Piatt about 80 Rods here apart we can cross this Ferry if we wish, to go on the St Joe route it is a wild looking River here runs very swift at the opposite side of the Ferry there is a Blacksmith & waggon makers shop the Garrison & Houses are built with Spanish Brick number about 12 Houses the Garrison is about 2 miles from the Ferry Hun- dreds of Ponies, Horses, Oxen, Mules, & "Waggons around here, FQH7 LAKAMiE. TO GKEEN RWEK Ce)w y MING UTAH COLORADO some great mountains make there appeance before you get to the Fork some distance of[f] apparently covered with snow on the top some of the Comp^. went to leave letters at the Fort, lots of Indians camp' d on each side of the Riv- *• Fort Laramie, long a trading post, and bought as a military station under the act of 1846, is on the left bank of the Laramie River about two miles above its mouth. Its location is shown on the Hartville quadrangle of the Topog. Map of the U. S. There is a sketch of the old fort in J. C. Fremont, Report (Washington, 1845), p. 40. A good description is in E. Bryant, What I saw in California (New York, 1849), p. 108. Notes upon the history of the fort are in Thwaites, Early Western Travels, xxx, p. 60, xxi, p. 181; and in H. H. Bancroft, Hist. Nevada, Colorado, and Wyoming (San Francisco, 1890), p. 683. The usual Mormon Trail crossed the Platte here, but Turnbull kept to the left bank. Bancroft, Utah (San Francisco, 1890), p. 254 (map). [170] TurnbuH's Travels ers, Piatt & Laramie Fork, we left about 5 Oclock afternoon & camp' d about 4 miles from the Ferry close by the Piatt handsome valley good grass & plenty dry cottonwood for fire, handsome hills from the smallest to pretty large ones covered with Cedars at the Fort Hard bread $13 pr C. Loaf bread worth 10 cts . in Chicago 60 cts . here Tobaco 6 s pr lb. Vinegar $2 pr Gallon Tea $2 pr lb. every thing very dear wind blows pretty hard all day sun pretty hot nothing extra Wednesday 9 th . pretty cold last night and has been ever since we left Chicago some nights as cold as fall nights the drums beat this morning before we started came along the Banks of the Piatt then crossed the mountains the handsomest I ever saw covered with Pine Trees, Rocks & sand of all shapes & forms, up hill & down hills & round gulleys, 21 passed good wagons, & 'Wheels cut up for no purpose one of our comp 7 . left 1 Set of Harness, trowsers, Coats, Shirts, strewed all along this morning we leave the Piatt for 80 m . passed 3 watering places before 11 OClock forenoon, pretty good grass along these Banks & gulleys very smooth Road but rather Rocky in places but no hills worse than Garlands much afternoon left at 1 OClock passed up & down some very high pitches of hills one treemendous pitch all round stone pretty rough & Hilly until about 4 OClock passed a good many waggons, broke up passed one spring crossed on Creek found a spring about y 2 past 6 Oclock, opposite a very large hill covered by small cedars, hilly all through to day, sandy & pretty good a great many Horses & Cattle are here to night middling warm to day good wind Thursday 10 th . pretty cool last night left camp 7 Oclock & came to a handsome Creek of spring water about 40 Rod from where we stopp' d all night 9 th . after that we came along a very sidling hill & thence up a hill of rolling stone short but steep after that came to a fine rolling Prairie a There are few streams from the north emptying into the Platte be- tween the forks and the Sweetwater. The watershed on this side la close to the river and turns the rainfall to tributaries of the Niobrara, Cheyenne, and Powder rivers. Numerous streams, rising in the Black Hills, as the Laramie Range was often called, flow from the south into the Platte. 12 [ 171 ] Wisconsin Historical Society hills all around next to a Creek about 10 Oclock passed some of the greatest mountains of curiosity all rocks & Scat- tering Pines next we came into a large valley for some ways passed 1 Dead Ox, I tired touched the Piatt 22 about 12 OClock grass very poor a great many teams some Indian Traders, & Indian camp on the banks of the Piatt whiskey 25 pr Dr[ink] went up the River 2 Miles camp' d 4 Oclok after- noon, grass middling good & plenty water very hot to day a middling wind in the afternoon we had a thunderstorm about 5 OClock lasted about 1 Hour fine evening the St Joe Teams are in a constant string on the other side of the Piatt, the large mountains with snow on Top among the Black Hills, on the St Joe side at Fort Laramie seems not to be far from Laramie we have travelled for 2 days over hills & down gulleys & we lay just opposite it to night, pretty cool to night Friday 11 th . left at 6 OClock came to one Creek Spring water through a rolling part touched Piatt, about 10 OClock passed some large hills of rocks & gravel between these lyes a great many curiosity of sand & Clay dug by the water in some season of the year, mounds of sand & rock around & inside of it all shapes good wind not very hot roads mid- dling good sandy no timber near at noon Buff aloes dung plenty afternoon left Camp at 2 OClock followed the Piatt about 1 Hour went down the Piatt & watered thence fol- lowed a glen & passed over some hills black & Freestone & down some very steep ones among loose stone & rock very barren no bushes only on the Banks of the Piatt touched the Piatt again about 4 OClock passed one cow left, killed "The North Platte was crossed at various places between La Prele Creek and the Red Buttes. Following the disastrous Powder River expedition of 1866 Fort Fetterman was established at the La Prele crossing. Fort Casper had already been established at North Platte Bridge. Margaret I. Carrington, Ab-sa-ra-ka Home of the Crows: Be- ing the Experience of an Officers Wife on the Plains (Philadelphia, 1869), (a fifth ed., 1879); Frances C. Carrington, My Army Life and the Fort Phil. Kearney Massacre (Philadelphia, 1910), (in each of these is a useful map of the upper Platte, drawn originally to illus- trate the report of General H. B. Carrington which is printed in 50 Cong., 1 sess., Ben. Ex. Docs., p. 33, serial 2504). [172] Turnbull's Travels one Badger among the rocks, passed some handsome rolling Country grass very poor mostly all sage, we had to travel 5 Hours before we found grass, not very good camp on the Banks of the Piatt the wind blew tremendous crossing these hills for about two Hours so as you could hardly see the Horses for dust, pretty cool last night knats pretty bad, saw some Antelope playing themselves this morning Sat. 12 fine morning, left Camp 7 Oclock, stopt & fed about 10 Oclock, good grass y 2 mile from Piatt, passed 2 Oxen left tired one Buff al ° killed part tatken away road pretty heavy sand stopt and touched the Platte 9 Oclock Stop*, on the top of a very high hill at 12 OClock took the Horses over the Hill, about 1 Mile to the Piatt to the water then began to climb some very high barren hills, & down some very high pitches passed an old Ferry, then ascended some pretty high hills & down some very high pitches, a foot path on the edge of the Piatt passed another Ferry about 1 Hour from that a very heavy sand all day as bad as the sand banks between the Wind Mill & Gross Point & gulley terrible to look at, camp' d 6 Oclock on a bend of the Piatt, pretty middling grass no grass for 4 mile back hardly on Ace*, of "Wild Sage, pretty high wind to day dust enough plenty white wood we come along side of the St Joe Road this af- ternoon we have not seen it for over 100 Miles on Ace*, of high mountains we are about 100 Rod from it they have the Cholera among them & has had for some time back passed about 30 Men, right here bound for the States from Oregon Sunday 13 th . pretty cold last night about 10 OClock hundred of Indians & Ponies, the best drest Indians I have seen since I left Chicago, money in bag fulls they have been over the Mountains killing Buff aloe they are loaded with Buff aloe meat covered with beads & all kinds of rings the or Sioux s 2 full bred pups of the Fox breed came to our camp & stopt all day 100 s of teams are passing on both sides of the River, within speaking of each other 2 first rate waggons are stand- ing here on an Island on the edge of the Platte sage here kills out all the grass, Alkali is here all over the Country a large grove of timber all along the Piatt here, Started from Camp 1 OClock, came over some very high hilLs of sand & [173] Wisconsin Historical Society some of it very deep and hilly grass rather scarce in places camp' d on the Banks of the Piatt last night rained some plenty of fire wood Monday 14 th . left camp 6 Oclock came up 1 pretty long hill & some others middling steep touched the Piatt twice passed 2 flats of good grass before 10 OClock stop 1 , at 11 OClock on a large flat on the Banks of the Piatt, left at 1 OClk. & commenced to climb a very high hill all pretty heavy sand this forenoon, one dead Horse, some cattle left, one dead ox. 2 Graves some pretty deep sand some mid- dling good grass pretty bad, came to the Upper Ferry of the Piatt about 4 Oclock this is where all the St Joe teams cross, called the Upper Ferry 23 , no road on that side any farther they crossed before we come 300 teams & lots more were wait- ing for a chance $5 pr team $1 pr yoke for Cattle $y 2 for a man & Horse they swim the most of their Oxen here they swam some Horses here today & drown' d some men 6 Scows are kept here by French & Negroes there are 2 Roads after you leave the Ferry up a high hill, one straight ahead we kept the River road & camp ' d 4 Miles on the Banks of the Piatt on the opposite side of the River we can look at the Snow on the top of the mountains it is very cold this evening cold enough to wear a thick coat, on the right hand road a lake about 4 Miles, on this road this is the handsomest travelled road & widest i most ever saw a little sand on top limestone & Sand- stone below forenoon 9 Oclock stopt & fed on pretty poor grass, Alkali in all the water along it is said to have killed 100 s of Horses & Cattle a distance of 22y 2 Miles to a place called Willow Springs this mornings travel is rolling & Plain some water here about 8 Miles from Ferry about 10 Oclock come to a spring & Lake called Alkali, or poison spring good grass hear, here we nooned left at 12 Oclock & passed through Alkali springs the ground almost covered with it no good water for about 4 Hours drive until we came to "Willow * Platte Upper Ferry, which became North Platte Bridge, was later an important point because here the Mormon and Oregon trails merged as one. It was a few miles east of the Red Buttes. About 1865 Fort Casper was erected here. [174] Turnbull's Travels Springs 24 , the road touches it at the bottom a valley, if you want to have the pure stuff come up the Hill, this is the best Road & handsomest i ever saw about 60 yds wide this region of the Country is full of Alk[ali] passed 6 Dead Cattle 2 Graves 1 Antelope camp' d 6 oclock, good Buff aloe grass about 1 Mile from the road a Spring Creek running through it fine rolling land to day but barren & Sandy covered by Sage, only in some places, between the Mountains 33 Miles, to day on Ace*, of Poison water & scarcity of grass, pretty cool to night Wednesday [Tuesday] 15 th . morning left 7 oclk come through pretty level ground very heavy sand, passed across one Creek, passed a good many Alkali Ponds Saleratus Lake west of road on each side of the road turned of [f] the road about 4 Mile above the Devils Gate about 2 Miles of the Road went to the Sweet water Banks & Swam our Horses on to an Island good grass & very hot day nooned here for 3 Hours left afternoon 1 OClock, come to Independence Rock 25 these Rocks stand on a level piece of ground a large Valley of grass all round surrounded by mountains of Rocks all shape & Formes that man could think off these Independ- ent Rocks are just the same as built from the surface not a tree on it a terrible hard kind of Rock just about the same as ruff cast Independence Rock on Acct of its peculiar shape & magni- ** Emigrants generally left the Platte after crossing Poison Spider Creek, and followed tributary valleys until they reached the Sweetwater near Independence Rock. Their journals commonly call attention to the extensive deposits of saleratus which covered the ground in this vicinity and poisoned the water. T. T. Geer, Fifty Years in Oregon (New York, 1912), p. 139; Coke, A Ride over the Rocky Mountains, p. 167; K. E. Blood (ed.), Memoirs of a Forty-niner (New Haven, 1907), p. 15. * Independence Rock is almost invariably mentioned as a place where emigrants registered their names on the outcropping rock. It re- sembles, in the words of Wyeth, "a bowl upside down" and had already received its name before he saw it in 1832. It is some eleven miles above the mouth of the Sweetwater River, on its left bank. G. L. Holt, New Map of Wyoming, 1888; J. B. Wyeth, "Oregon" in Early Western Travels, xxi, p. 53. [175] Wisconsin Historical Society tude if nothing else is quite a curiosity. It is entirely bare laying upon the top of the ground in an open plain, near S. W. [Sweetwater] At the southeast corner & the north side it may be easily ascended, & 1000 s no doubt, have been upon its top with- in the last year or 2 Almost this entire stone is covered with dates & the names of visitors painted thereon with red, white black etc. About lat 42° 30' 15" [Situated on] North side of Sweet Water 6 or 700 yds long from 120 to 150 yds wide Hard Granite Sweet Water forms its way through the Dev- ils Gate 400 ft high the best view is from the east end of it into which you can go some distance 20 a little way above we crossed the Sweet Water by Ford 27 , raised the Waggon Boxes about 1 Foot & got through safe there was about 10 logs made into a Crib a man lived there & had a tent & kept Groceries, charged $1 pr Waggon 100 s of Horses, Cattle, & Mules were here & a little ahead af [t]er leaving the Ford we went along above the River, tremendous mountains of Rocks all round the next w T e passed was the Devils Gate where the Sweet Water runs through a small gap, a tremendous height the Rocks seem to be perpendicular at the head of the D G. to the right is a handsome valley of grass through which the Sweet water runs but instead of going to the right on ace*, of Teams as far as your eye could carry you on this vast plain we turned to the left up a creek that runs into the Sweet Water close by the D. G. about 2 m . & found good grass & plenty Buff dung & Sage for fire camp' d 6 Oclock left at 4 Oclk on Thursday morning 17 th . went up round a bend on the flat by the Sweet Water, about 4 m . from the D. Gate high Rocks all along on the one side covered with small Cedars stuck in the crevices good Buff aloe grass valley about 2 m . wide left here 8 Oclock crossed some small Creeks, past one grave left the Sweet 10 OClock to the right hand & Al- kali to the left a few rods Sa'leratus here all over to the left of us Snow lyes on the Mountains not far distant turned of[f] the Road to the right down to the River no grass any * This paragraph on Independence Rock was written on a blank page of the note-book, and is inserted at this point by the editor. 27 From this point to South Pass the trail crossed the Sweetwater several times, and there were numerous optional fords and routes. [176] Turnbulls Travels place else but Sage, this forenoon road pretty heavy sand & gravel nooned, beside a mountain of rock Granite running from D. Gate I dont know how far forenoon middling these Rocks on these mountains are laid like packs of Bags of oats all shaped forms left Afternoon 3 Oclock, feeding close by Stoney Bluff swam our Horses on to an Island afternoon passed 2 Graves 5 dead Cattle touched the River twice crossed some runs heavy sand mostly ' all afternoon left Vader 17 th . saw 4 Elk snow on the mountains to the left. Friday 18 th . left Sweet W. at 6 Oclock in the morning just after starting the "Wind ridge mountains made there appear- ance all covered with Snow About 2 Hours travel we came to the Alkali Swamp we saw some men digging for Ice, it is said that Ice can be found 2 ft under ground, saw one deer plenty ground Dogs. Cattle lying dead on the Road, passed over 1000 head of Cattle, the road the most of the way very heavy Sand & Gravel, came to Sweet Water 12 Oclk lS 1 /^ [miles?] before watering our Horses grass very scarce all sat up on Ace*, of so many Teams, ford good nooned on the Banks of the River, afternoon 2 OClock left & crossed some very high Bluffs of rock & a pretty high Before we came to the S. "Water a handsome & wide valley over 1 mile wide stopt 4 OClock, & good grass, passed 2 Graves this afternoon pretty cold last night on Ace*, of the mountains of Snow to our right. Sat*. 19 th . left 5 OClock left the S. W. at 6 Oc ascended the R ock y M. pretty high & Rocky for 4 m . after this all day good rolling land & good travelling passed one "Waggon left, 1 grave 1 Dead Ox, walked, Snow 60 yds long & 10 ft deep Snow lying in gulleys on every side, passed at the end of 4 m 3 Lakes or marshes as it is now dry some springs some stream Strawbery Creek Aspen Springs Branch of S — W — Willow Creek dry noond 2 Hours poor grass, Wind ridges cov- ered by snow to the right hand of us afternoon started 3 OClock crossed Willow Creek & turned out at the Sweet Wa- ter about one mile to the left of the Ford good grass about 3/2 mile when the handsomest road I ever saw track 100 ft wide or upwards, Snow lying along the banks of the River in dif- ferent places day times here pretty warm a good breese of [177] Wisconsin Historical Society wind all the time very cold at night camp ' d 4 Oclock after- noon plenty Willows & wild Sage for wood Sunday 20 th left Camp 10 Oclock saw one Antelope shot plenty of Crows they build in the rocks Barren Country our Horses shew their ribs pretty plain Reid has the moun- tain Fever pretty warm this morning snow about 20 R from us, crossed the S — Water by Ford good Fording went on 7 miles passed between 2 Mounds V4 mile from the Road good grass from the S — Water to the South Pass from where we left [this] morning it is a Slightly undulating plain between mountains several miles apart the ascent over the pass is so gradual as to be almost imperceptible snow covered moun- tains can be seen in different direction. The Wind River Range lies off to the right passed t[w]o graves forenoon 1 Waggon left good 1 young Antelope fed part of him to the Dog a great many handsome groves of small Pines along these mountains The height of the Pass is 7,000 ft above the Sea Pacific Springs here you strike the 1 st Water of the Pa- cific Ocean this marsh goes along the road about V/4 mile on your right on which is good grass Near the lower end some 40 Rods from the road is one of the best Springs wild sage first rate good roads to day li •> [miles] from here to the Pacific Creek this is a small stream but a little miry there is more" grass & water than the other road to Salt Lake we crossed the Creek below the Pacific Springs w T e followed down the P Creek to its entrance into Green River passed 2 Graves 22 Waggon Tires & Irons of all descriptions as good as new Waggons burnt up camp 3 6 oGlock 2 miles down the P. Creek the scene this evening was equal to any fare in Eng- land with Waggons Cattle Horses Mules & fires of wild sage & B — Dung, good breese of wind to day this road turns to the left after crossing the P. Creek & the other to the right. nday 21 st . left camp 5 OClock & turned of[f] on to the main track again on acct of seeing nobody going that way passed Little Sandy Creek dry almost a good spring a few Rod up the Creek came on to the Junction [of] the road 10 OClock 28 the right hand leading to California & Oregon the ■ West of South Pass the old emigrant road crossed Pacific Creek, Dry Sandy, Little Sandy, and Big Sandy, and descended the right bank [178] Turnbulls Travels left to Salt Lake 12 miles on this S. Lake Road & then turn to the right you will miss the 1 st . Desert killed one sage hen saw 1 drove Antelope passed 3 companies from California at different times to day about 60 Pack & loose Mules left C — a May 5 th one met his brother & turned back again to California noonecl 12 OClock. roads good some grass poor went on afternoon crossed Little Sandy 7% [miles] to Ford from Junction we camp d aibout one mile from the Ford pretty good grass we had a pretty heavy rain for 2 hours & very cold pretty fine this evening good road this afternoon left camp 6 Oclock A. M. from the left hand road west of the Pass to Little Sandy 7% miles to Big Sandy again 17 miles stopped & fed at noon on upland among sage some very good grass amongst it pretty middling good chance for feed all day passed 1 Dead Ox 1 Log Chain 16 feet road sandy not very heavy some gravel & small loose Rock we had very heavy rain this afternoon & a cold one You have now passed out of Oregon T y into Utah Territory formerly Upper Califor- nia at Big Sandy again 17 miles Camp' d at 4 Oclock after noon on a bend of Big Sandy good grass pretty fine even- ing. of the last named to the Green River; thence, following Black's and Ham's forks, it reached Fort Bridger. It continued from Fort Bridger by way of the Muddy Fork of Ham's Fork and finally reached the Bear River at the mouth of Sublette's Creek. Fremont followed this route in part in 1843, and printed a detailed map of Bear River. Report, 132. Turnbull followed this road, except that he crossed the Green at Kinney's Ford, and went west by Slate Creek to the junction of the emigrant road and Sublette's Cut-off. He did not touch Fort Bridger. The Sublette Cut-off branched from the old road at Little Sandy, went west across Big Sandy to the Green, below the mouth of La Barge Creek, and then southwest across Fontenelle and Slate creeks to the Muddy Fork of Ham's Fork, where it rejoined the old trail. In 1857- 58, by act of Congress of February 17, 1857, a new wagon road from South Pass was surveyed by F. W. Lander. This road ran north of the Sandy, crossed Green River at the New Fork, and reached Fort Hall, on the Snake, without touching the Bear River. It followed, in part, trails of the upper Green Valley long known to trappers, who had held their annual rendezvous in this region since the later twenties. The valuable report of F. W. Lander, with a large map of this region, drawn by W. H. Wagner, is in 35 Cong., 2 sess., Sen. Ex. Docs., p. 36, serial 984. [179] Wisconsin Historical Society Tuesday [2]2 d pretty cold last night "Wednesday 23 d left Big Sandy 7 Ocloek A. M. companies differing packing their Horses, leaving "Waggons 1 hour from Camp met about 15 Pack Mules & Ponies & men from Califor- nia carrying Newspapers for sale all the miners names & where they live in C[aliforni]a 50 cts . for Paper just ait the junction of the Salt Lake road & cut off road to miss a Des- ert 41V2 miles no grass nor water only 6 miles round this road good grass & water this separation where the S. Lake road turns to the left is shorter after you leave the last camp- ing on the Big Sandy high clay banks & a large flat just looks as it had been an old Brick yard but large enough for one Dozen crossed a very steep run way about 6 ft deep width of one wheel took the Waggon by hand & hitched the Horses to the tongue it wants a spade to save Waggons touched Green River about 11 Oclk went within one mile of the Ferry & nooned on a bottom good grass to day all along good grass among the Sage road a little heavy forenoon gravel & sand, Saw one Dead Ox. Cotton wood plenty along the Banks of Green River, one thunder shower this cut off on the main C — a road is called 175 miles shorter than the California road leading from the S. Pass to the right [180] Turnbulls Travels hand 29 ' af[t]er about 2 Oelock camp d , on the Banks of Green River on a high Bluff & handsome valley of grass a great, width [of] Eiver in high water overflows acres in width some Salaratus on the bottom upland all Sage to day mixed with bunches of wild Rye, good feed for Horses, about 6 ft . high about 2m from G. River Ferry rested our Horses until Thursday 24 th . 2 Oelock crossed the Ferry, 30 Huntoon Wellen Hepps & Reid came up just as we were taken across our last "Waggon from $5 to $7 per Waggon 50 cta for Cattle & Horses, this G. River is 100 yds wide & tremendous swift the Swiftest we have crossed the Cap- tain of the Ferry, offered me $2 pr day & Board a white man from York State & some half breeds & Indians camp d . he lives 250 miles from here at Utah Valley on California road $2 for 3 months carry me free to the Valley & give me $4 pr day & board as long as I am wanted to Stay, left the Ferry & came on to Slate Creek 3 ft wide but deep 10 mile from Ferry Sage Wild Rye & Blue joint some pretty high pitches this afternoon but short camp 6 Oelock among grass Bunch & wild Rye sage cold last night to watch Horses, some few Indians camp d at little way from us good Ponies Friday, June 25 th . left camp 6 Oelock fine morning came through a pretty flat country part of the forenoon very dusty white Clay & sand other part of it pretty hills & stony on acct of it not being much travelled passed one Creek, came down a pretty long hill ■ mountains of Rock down a Ravine at the bottom of the Hill came to a handsome Spring boiling out be-, low a Rock under a high hill surrounded by Willow Bushes, ascended a pretty long hill about l m . & nooned on the face of it turned our Horses down into a small Creek, some good bunch grass & wild rye, very high red hills here just as if burnt by fire snow mountains all around us afternoon passed a good many of the Snake Indians camp along they have lots of Ponies all colours, flint Guns, Powder & lead, flashy handkerchiefs, Beeds, such as they give Ponies — good " The California road here alluded to, was later Improved as the Lander road. Cf. Note 28. 80 This ferry appears to have been a few miles above the mouth of the Green, near its intersection with the 42d parallel. [181] Wisconsin Historical Society Ponies, Spirits, I was offered a good punchy heavy Ponies for 7 hickory shirts pretty windy to day dust very bad about 3 OClock ascended a high hill about 1 hour sort of shell Rock & fine dust mixed about ancle deep on the sides of these mountains are springs all over & good ones, on the top of this mountain I could look back for 60 miles & ahead for 10 miles to mountains of Snow, not all covered but very large wreathes but before we came to where the two roads meet the one crossing the desert 41i/o miles, & the other from the Pass, by Kains cut off, Pack road made 31 1832 we went up a terri- ble pitch for about 20 Rod & down a tremendous steep hill for over y 2 mile slate rock all mashed up among fine dust ancle deep crossed a small stream called Alkali Springs, where the two roads come together then we went down through a val- ley of good grass & spring water camp' d on the top of a Hill beside poplar Grove, good grass & plenty spring water camp' d 6 oclk about i/> mile above Mountain Creek to the left these mountains of Snow are all covered Avith pine Timber, Saturday 26 th . after leaving camp a few minutes crossed a good many small streams all springs from the Mountains' then came to Poplar Ridge after about 2 Hours travel came to two Roads, one leading to the right & one straight ahead coming both together again in a short distance straight ahead misses a terrible high hill we followed the Poplar ridge straight ahead a good road & plenty of grass stopt & fed 10 oclk some Alkali, along the creeks passed one Buggy left 3 Oxen dead one man wheeling a Wheel Barrow, at 11 Oclk came alongside of Hams Fork, & travelled up a valley along side of the River, bottoms over one mile wide the handsomest and longest grass I have seen on the road enough to feed 1000 3 of Cattle & Horses, this is the place to feed up your teams for 1 week, crossed Hams Fork 12 Oclock & camp d at noon on the other side two roads within a few Rod of each other one going over the mountain Peak & the other round below another hill this misses a good many hills in one ^ Days travel In- dians & Ponies camp here at noon for all our road struck the a Cf. Note 28. The Sublette and Oregon roads met on Crow Creek, a tributary of Muddy Fork of Ham's Fork. [182 1 Turnbuli's Travels Mountain Peak, about the Centre, it is a terrible hill after that we had a road on the top of the Mountains for a long time equal to a turnpike the handsome [st] green mountains I ever saw covered by Pine & poplar & wreaths of Snow here* & there along the tops & Valleys next we came to the Poplar timber Grove S m . from Ford Hams Fork next Balsam fir Grove 3 miles a tremendous high mountains the names of 1000 s marked on the fir Trees here trees 80 to 100 high from 4 ft at the but gradual taper to the top, then went down some frightful mountains from 1 to ll 1 /^™. pretty near straight about knee deep of fine dust worked so by dregging next to Marsh Springs Creek 4 m . here are poison Springs of water up on the side of the road from the Creek about one mile after that we came over some terrible high mountains nearly straight 2 "Wheels dregged fast enough then then next into Bear River valley & camp' d all night grass good water also, passed 8 Graves from 1848 to 50. 3 dead Oxen plenty of grass on these mountains all day musquetoes bad last night before sun down Sunday 27 th . cold last night left camp 7 Oclock passed up & down some small Hills roads very dusty but good next to Bear River Valley, a handsome Valley of grass lengthways as far as your eye can discern & crossways about 3 miles mixed with blue Joint wild rye & wild oats, about 6 m . long next to Bear River Valley Creek d™^ turn to the right before we crossed the Creek at the foot of a terrible high mountain a lit- tle ways the road to Fort Bridger goes right ahead one road turned round to the left across the Creek 5 times in a few rod some sydling holes about up to the Waggon box now it is very low but swift dangerous when deep high it can be avoided by going 4 miles further round road to left before you come here the most of the teams come this way, after Ave crossed the Creek for about % mile the road runs between the Creek & a large mountain of Rocks a tremendous high running in ridges so far apart from Bottom to top Rocks little [like] the peaks of a torn down old Castle this 1-2 miles of a road is horrid up one Rock & down over another & cramp ' d for width on Ace*, of Rocks falling from the tops of the mountain Rocks hang- ing right over above us enough for us to look up, passed num- [183 1 Wisconsin Historical Society erous springs 10 Graves 5 Dead Cattle M r . Neals name "Wau- kegan was wrote by pencil on one of these Grave head boards ahead of us same day we are still going down Bear River about one mile from it some great mountains on each side forenoon & last night the best & most grass I have seen for some time enough to supply 1000 s of stock & this is 1000 s for it nooned & fed 12 Oclock afternoon left 2 oclock, passed 2 dead Oxen came along a handsome valley half way between the River & the handsome green mountains on each side a val- ley of grass enough to support 1000 s of Stock we camped on the top of a hill about *4 m ^ e from the River it runs very rapid here Musquetoes this evening 4 Oclk is terrible bad this is about the 3 d . we have suffered by them since we left Chi- cago roads to day excellent nights too cold for Me. Monday 28 th . came along the Valley of Bear River i should think in some places about 10 ms wide excellent grass next to Thomas s Fork 32 some has to make raft and take their waggons over they have to go up in the mountains 7 or 8 mt to get Timber, but it happened to be very low, we lifted our Boxes up on the front with ropes & put the feed trough on the top of the hind Ox this was high enough to keep all dry about 2 Rod wide it is very dangerous in high water the Indians here have Ponies here to trade with the whites for poor large Horses, the best ponies I ever saw about the size of Tours all colours, followed a valley about 2 mil^s 8 oclock next commenced climbing mountains up & down all forenoon from l~2 mile to 3 m up & down ascending & descending ter- rible to look at it from top or Bottom nooned at the Bottom of the last hill 12 Oclock turned our Horses out among grass wild oats & Rye & grass mixed passed 5 Graves 4 Dead Cat- tle, Musquetoes very bad some wind afternoon came along the B. River 7 m camp' d 3 miles from the Bear about %m from the mountains on the Banks of Tallies Creek it came down raging through these high mountains ford good about 1 foot deep 1 Rod wide grass no bounds to it, wind pretty strong good road, this afternoon 32 This part of the trail is shown in detail on the Montpelier quad- rangle of the Topog. Map of the U. S. [1S4] Turnbull's Travels Tuesday 29 tb . cool last night left 5 Oclock, passed 4 Springs water Creeks, one Willow & one Ashes or Ashlies, plenty of grass passed one dead Ox. Musketoes enough roads very good cool days & cold nights before 12 Oclock passed 6 runs of Mountain streams more ascended some small hills & descended amongst them good grass afternoon left at 2 Oclock some of 1 st . Grey Flies on the Horses pretty rolling road this afternoon crossed Muddy Creek, crossed the Wil- low Spring camp d below some Soda springs 33 the springs are at the North side of a beautiful grove of Cedar the water is good to drink, snow on the tops of the mountains pretty cold nights Wednesday 30 th . left Soda Springs 6 Oclk morning about 1/2 mile from a Snake Village all built with wigwams covered by Buffaloe skins one Log House a Northwest trader or trad- ers French & Americans, every thing mostly for sale Ponies in 100 s all colours & kinds pretty near as good as the Montreal Ponies Blacksmiths shop, Indians here to shew [shoe] their Hunters here, it is a handsome place snow on the mountains all round here, Bear Spring right under the Bank 1 mile from where we camp' d but [better] than any Soda Water you drink the spring is on the Bend of the Kiver where it leaves you & then we came to it pretty near a bend & watered & then drove 16 miles from Bear River Spring or Soda Springs, 4 miles to Sublet cut off one road turns to the right to Oregon & straight ahead for California, good grass the whole 16 mlles the guide says little or no grass small pitches but steep one very long up & down until we come to Water Creek called mountain Willow Creek good road only some places a few Stones passed 3 dead Cattle 1 Grave nooned at M. W. Creek & fed very cold water & scores of teams resting not very hot windy dust bad afternoon we just now commenced to ascend a very long & high hill but somewhat gradual until the top now straight down hills through ravines or gulleys fright- 83 The group of Soda Springs at the great bend of the Bear River -was a well-known landmark. A few miles beyond, the Oregon Trail branched to the north, crossed the ridge and descended the Portneuf River to Fort Hall. Turnbull continued on the California road, some- times known as Hedspeth's road. [185] Wisconsin Historical Society ful to look at on Ace*, of sidling places, Rocks, & deep holes guttered out by wheels & run ways from springs, crossed a stream half breed selling whiskey & trading passed 2 dead Oxen, camp' d about 7 oclock about l m . from next stream be- fore mentioned good grass & plenty of it all afternoon 7 miles since morning ourselves & Horses, holding to Waggon all afternoon down hill July 1 st . last night pretty cool left 6 oclock, pretty windy & cool good road some hills enough to make it good & fast travelling to Valley Marsh Creek, 9 miles good water & plenty of grass wild oats, & rye, all along stopt 1 Hour & fed at the above mentioned Creek all along the same as far as we have come good grass since 10 Oclock we have as- cended a long hill pretty gradual only some places pretty steep, the descent about the same stopt about half way down by a Spring good water surrounded by willow bushes, grass middling but enough the Cedars on these Mountains are just like an old Apple Orchard that had been planted stopt & fed at Spring 1 oclk 8Y2 m . up & down hill since 9 oclock (1 Grave here, 1849.) afternoon left 2 Oclock, crossed 2 Creeks not far apart, one from Spring one running into the other from some other course road very good not to[o] hilly, right amongst Mountains the best grass I mostly ever saw find [fine] Blue joint & met over 20 Packers the fattest & best mules I mostly ever saw passed 2 Graves, crossed the Wil- low Muddy Creek Water not very good 25 miles today camp' d on the side of Willow Creek, good grass Friday 2 d . heavy dew last night & pretty cold left 5 Oclk, & went 8 m . to gravel Creek, the best feed I mostly ever saw between camp & Creek good Road poor grass all around met about 20 Packers 60 or 80 Mules from California] agoing to the states one dead Ox, fed 1 Hour at G. Creek between camp & here wild Tares in places 3 ft high left the Creek at 10 Oclock & entered a ravine & gradually rising some pretty heavy pitches to the summit of a mountain 7 miles, we went down a ravine deep & difficult to the Valley 2 miles it took us from 10 until 2 Oclock no water but plenty wood & grass, saw Kings, Derkins, Coles, names wrote in this ravine passed 17 th . June we July 2 d . passed one dead Ox. dust [186] Turnbull's Travels enough to choke you stopt until 4 Ocloek 14% miles until we got water 9 Ocloek at night 31% [miles] from water to water at night at the summit of the mountains they said there was a spring 27 miles from G. Creek to water but we did not see it & 100 s for by [besides] we good road all after- noon gradual ascending & descending until we came to some springs about one mile from small Stream plenty grass all day the best Saturday 3 d . pretty warm last night left camp 8 Ocloek, crossed small stream 7 miles to [the] 1 st . Springs all through here until noon one from the 7 miles 2 1 /* miles next ^4 mile stopt at the ^4 & fed good roads this forenoon up ravines & small pitches great mountains on each side scattering pine wherever you find these Springs, & good grass passed one waggon left one grave 1850. 3 dead Ox stopt here 3 hours afternoon left 3 Ocloek came down a river a little rolling over hills all afternoon the handsomest roads I ever saw & groves of poplar & Pine mixed every few Rods chains bolts of every Boxes wheels, burnt & unburnt the Spring we stopt at noon is a spring the head water of Raft River then we went down the Ravine, above mentioned next came to Spring about 2 miles the largest I ever saw for some time, next came to Muddy Creek 5y 2 miles, this was called bad to cross & empties into the branch of Raft River we found good bot- tom all gravel below above 2 ft deep on the edge going in & about 6 ft wide if we had kept down to the left we couldl have crossed it & not wet the spokes half plenty of grass all along all day & wild oats ripe & tares mixed camp' d by a Waggon about the strongest & best I mostly ever saw left plenty of wood here all along & sage we burnt the Box for fire wood & somebody else will burn the Wheels &c Wag- gon are burnt all along Log chains all along here to day. [July 4] Stopt Sunday until 5 Ocloek afternoon started and went down to where we cross the Creek east branch R. River camp' d all night wild oats, tares & grass, plenty, passed one grave one dead Ox [July] 5 th . Sunday night very cold left Monday 6 ocloek near this valley it is surrounded with lofty mountains covered with Snow it is about 25 miles to the west side great quan- [187] Wisconsin Historical Society titles of wild Sage, clay soil & very dusty a little down hill 11% miles to Raft River, 9 Oclock 11% miles The River ap- pears to be divided forming an Island which is muddy & Marshy to the west side of it. To the River again 214 Miles passed 3 dead Oxen one Fox eating at one, plenty grass here afternoon to the west Branch of Raft River 2 miles no diffi- culty about crossing after crossing, plenty wood & grass here you strike the road leading from Fort Hall to Salt Lake city which is 180 miles long we followed up the Branch to the Ford 8V2 miles good gravel fording plenty of wood & grass passed one Grave 3 dead Oxen spoke to Henderson to day that used to live at Gifford Ferry G. River Canada where Jones & me stopt when when taken out logs for Grand Island camp' d 6 Oclock at the foot of snow mountains perhaps 7 miles from it. Tuesday 6 th . left camp 1/2 P ast 4 Oclock in the morning, some rain very cold about 2 Hours met 12 Packers for the states 40 Mules plenty grass & water all along, grass a great height after leaving camp ascended a dividing ridge between the water of Raft River, & those of Goose Creek passed 2 Streams before Valley stream 3 dead Oxen, stopt & fed 8 Oclock, pretty cold, terrible mountains on each side rain d pretty near 2 Oclock crossed Valley Stream Another small stream Another large stream, we now commence rising the moun- tains again (not very steep) through a pass leaving to the left over a small ridge to a mountain stream a good ford all gravel grass & plenty of pine on the mountains the stream takes its rise in a cluster of Rocks monuments 34 of all kinds & extend upwards 100 s of feet among them is one called Steeple Rock (it looks like a Steeple) there is a cluster of con- ical Rocks (resembles a City) we now have crossed a num- ber of ridges to day & streams of water not very good, after- noon camp to the junction of Salt Lake road not far beyond the City Rocks passed one dead Mule, camp' d by A small 114 The City of Rocks was the western end of Lander's section of the ■wagon road mentioned in note 28. It is shown on Wagner's map, as well as on F. A. Bishop's "Map of the "Western Division of the Fort Kearney, South Pass, and Honey Lake Road," in 35 Cong., 2 sess., Sen. Ex. Docs., p. 36, serial 984. [188] Turnbulis Travels stream in the centre of a valley 24i/> Miles today thunders & looks like rain, not good grass water good pretty cold some snow on the M S — Wednesday 7 tb . passed 2 Small streams & then ascended Goose Creek range of mountains which are the highest in the region though not very high above the surrounding country whose General level is about 5,000 ft above the Sea. as we ascended the Mountains we found a good spring near the road at your right, passed a small Creek Ave have had a very hilly road for several miles on our descent to Goose Creek, we have descended a very steep hill but safe with care passed another small stream this stream is a tributary of Goose Creek nooned good grass & water met Dobson in Chicago & French Boys Gross Point at the junction of Salt Lake road they went by S. Lake called 80 miles round pretty cold this forenoon mountains handsomely covered with Cedars, Af- ternoon As you enter Goose Creek Valley, you will be de- lighted with its beauty it several tables Bluffs mountain high with their smooth level tops, breaking off square at their edges, then gradually & smoothly sloping down to the level of the Valley, you do not cross Goose Creek but follows on the east side crossed a small Creek & then passed over a small ridge to the River again in all to day 24 Miles, camp' d about one mile up the River plenty of grass, pretty Barren country all sage to left passed 1 Graves 2 dead Oxen pretty cold all day & also last night Thursday 8 th . morning left 6 Oclock pretty warm after sun- rise passed over two pretty bad Creeks one rod wide pretty deep going in & Muddy stopt and fed on the Goose Creek Valley 9 Oclock some alkali on Goose Creek Valley we crossed another Stream a little miry but not over 1 Rod wide Goose Creek forked about 2 miles back the N. Fork bears west among the mountains up this Fork 6 miles gold has been found 35 leaving the head of the Valley you follow up the 36 The alleged discovery of gold on Goose Creek is mentioned by sev- eral emigrants. A. Delano, Life on the Plains and Among the Diggings (New York, 1857), p. 152; W. Kelly, Across the Rocky Mountains, from New York to California (London, 1852), p. 182. [189] Wisconsin Historical Society South fork through a Cut in the mountains very Rocky hard heads laying as thick as hair on a dogs back in places, next to the Ford, we first crossed from the south to the N. side of the stream & after going up some distance crossed over back again to the South side & left it. Both crossings are a little miry after leaving the stream we ascended & de- scended a long hill which is almost entirely covered with small stones up & down the road crooked no water & no grass for 16 miles 4 miles below spring good grass no water much, Creek pretty near dry on entering this valley a little at the right under a ledge of Rock is a spring of good water though a little warm when first taken we passed this spring & went down the Valley 4 miles & found good grass & plenty spring 12 miles from grass on Goose Creek up on the side of the mountains I found plenty good wild Rye &c but every [one] stopt in the valley, passed 3 Graves & passed one man that lived in a rock for 7 days having the Diarrhoer, all alone he is getting better pretty Barren all along yesterday over Creeks & Springs Friday 9 th . camp' d last night 9 oclock left 7 Oclock [this morning] & followed still down the Valley found the Creek from Rock Spring dry but some one dug a hole in the centre of it 3 ft. & plenty of good Rye in the sides of it & large patches of wild wheat about 4 ft long & Rye 3 ft all in milk yet better than mountain Rye, we turned to the right over a small ridge to Hot Spring Valley 2^ miles about 5 miles from Rock Spring before you come to grass good & plenty of it wheat &c mixed down the centre of the Creek & look for a well or wells Al- kali all through this Valley & along the mountains, large patches of wheat & grass once in a while between these bar- ren covered with Sage passed 2 graves stopt and fed at a bend of these rocks where it leaves it for some time after- noon left at 5 Oclk passed 2 dead Horses saw one Antelope camp 6 Oclk a Valley about 2 mile all along afternoon travel about 2 miles from a spring of good water, but used water out of its run 21 miles to day all along this Valley plenty Al- kali still along here on the mountains & on the Valley Saturday 10 th . left this morning 6 Oclock passed the Boil- ing Springs boiling like hot water on the fire full of Alkali [190] Tumbull's Travels passed 2 graves 2 dead Oxen passed a good spring 14 miles these are called Thousand Spring Valley on Acc c of numerous springs one mile from Hot Spring Valley the steam from them can be seen several miles, have appearance of smoke, have a temperature of 180 degrees They are numerous & form quite a Stream after leaving them for 3 miles you con- tinue up the head of the Valley next to a spring of good water 7 miles this spring is situated a little distance from the Val- ley up a ravine, stopt & fed 10 Oclock, passed one grave 2 dead Oxen, passed Californians 46 Mules & some Horses. bound for the States not far from the Valley where we camped for the night this 7 miles spring above mentioned near the Spring the road forks, the right hand turns up the hill out of the ravine & does not come to it again for 30 miles the left hand road passes up the ravine or depression between the mountains grand Valley ascending for 2 miles as you ascend you will find several Springs on your left you pass over the dividing ridge A Small stream 6 miles still further on in a small Valley are a number of Springs of good water 6 miles you then pass over hills, to another Valley 8 miles 30 Miles today Camp' d opposite the Humboldt Moun- tain covered with snow on our left good water & Grass Sunday 11 th . stopt all day good grass wild Rye & good water 1 Grave opposite some dead cattle lying on the Val- ley some thunder showers today, we heard of Lacy and Puller some ways behind us by coining up to a company from Chicago pretty cold night. Monday 12th about y 2 hour from where we camp' d all night the best grass I mostly have seen on the road wild wheat 6 ft high and wild clover in abundance no bounds to feed all along the North side of the mountains some pretty hot fed at 10 Oclock passed 1 dead horse — down the Val- ley to Marys River 36 a creek along side mostly all forenoon 88 As late as 1844 explorers were still hunting for a "reputed" Buena- ventura River that, rising in the great Nevada Basin, pierced the Sierra and gave a route to San Francisco Bay. Fremont's exploration of 1844 proved the non-existence of this river, and on his trip of 1845 he gave the name Humboldt to the river that guided most of the emigrants from the Salt Lake Basin to the foot of the Sierra. This river had [191] Wisconsin Historical Society good water there best feed I ever saw nooned at the ford good ford gravel bottom 16 miles forenoon. Afternoon the Valley about the head of Marys River is a most beautiful Val- ley you will see you can see the Humboldt mountains not far distant on your left covered with everlasting Snows while you are on the Valley below melting under the scorching rays of the sun during the longest days of summer you cross Marys River & continue down the North side of it to the North Humboldt "River to sacramento % \ \ branch of Marys River 21 Miles we passed one dead horse one Grave June 1852 piles of Log chain scattered different places along the road all day the remains of "Waggons of all description camp' d at 5 Oclock about y 2 way on the 21 m . amongst the best grass of every kind I ever saw in the United States some flies this afternoon as for width & length [of been visited by Jedediah Smith and others since 1827, and had re- ceived the names Ogden and Mary, in honor of the fur-trader Peter Skeene Ogden, and Mary, his wife. Thwaites, Early Western Travels, xxviii, note 113; Fremont, Report, p. 196; J. C. Fremont, Memoirs (Chicago, 1887), i, p. 434. 192] Tumbuli's Travels grassland?] I cant say dust flying to day so as we could not see our Horses some of the time some alkali all along the River good Tuesday 13 th . pretty cold last night some Musquetoes passed 2 Graves one 1852 & 1849 fed about 3 miles from the North branch of Mary River 21 miles from the commence- ment of Marys River crossed the north Branch on the east side of this branch are large quantities of Alkali & some Salaratus — the ground as white as snow the crossing is good we continued down the Valley occassionally passing over con- siderable hills you pass a collection of Hot Springs & an In- dian ford ahead The Springs are on the opposite side of the River, afternoon touched the River 3 times passed 2 Gangs of Packers small companies 3 in one & some 6 in the other bound for the States passed one grave one dead Horse we are amongst the Root diggers all along the Humboldt, camp ,d all night on the Valley saw one Root digger to day fishing in Marys River one dead Mule left all the Snow on the mountains this evening behind us mountains some smaller close by the River all day but high backwoods some Mus- quetoes to night grass not to be exceeded pretty warm from 10 Oclock until 2 P. M. "Wednesday 14 th . not so cold last night as usual left camp y 2 past 4 oclock tracking [trekking?] still on the Valley good road only rather dusty not very hot somewhat windy touched the River 3 times since morning good grass all along & plenty for all fed at 8 Oclock some Ducks here Swallows some singing birds 2 Cranes I saw ox teams here & ahead of us in flocks surprising how Cattle stand it some that we have passed & repassed started again at 9 Oclock came to the end of Marys Valley about 11 Oclock A little before reaching the end of the Valley the south branch 37 of Marys 81 J. H. Holeman, Indian agent at Salt Lake City, left that place May 12, 1852, and visited the tribes along the trail to Carson Valley. He traveled with various trains, and found that all the Indian tribes, Digger, Shoshone, and Piute, professed friendship. Returning up the Humboldt he met "upon an average, about three hundred wagons daily from the time 1 left the sink of the Humboldt until I reached the Goose Creek mountains — a distance of upwards of four hundred miles." He [193] Wisconsin Historical Society River comes down from the base of the Humboldt mountains enter [s] the River from an easterly direction At the end of the Valley the road forks, one branch leading up over the mountain which is the one described by Pratt & Slater & the other bearing to the left down the River & crossing it 4 times in less than 10 miles the crossings are not bad in low water, but difficult in high. Between the first & second crossings a Road from Salt Lake comes in across 75 miles of a desert we took the one down & a good many more down the River a small flat in places along the River from 4 to 5 Rods wide middling good grass in places tremendous mountains of Rocks on each side of us crossed the River 3 times & would have wet our provisions but we raised the Box 4 inches and got through well good gravel bottom nooned on good grass pretty large bend of the River, afternoon that makes from the North branch of Marys River to the end of the Valley 55 miles passed a small stream of good water 2y 2 [miles] you follow down this River to the ford 3 mile you now cross a number of ridge & Valleys to a Spring of good water 8% To another 3 miles, the spring is 80 Rod to your left you now pass over the Sumit of the hill or ridge to a spring of good water 1 mile, passed some Springs 1 mile but we took the Road that leads to the crossing of the River 4 times good Road plenty of grass, [Thursday 15 th .] camp' d all night over the bank in a bot- tom close by tlie River good grass passed one dead Horse & 2 dead Oxen people along this days journey should be very careful not to take left hand foot paths it will often lead you 6 miles out of the road the River here is very crooked it turns very short to the North. To Marys River 17 miles This 17 miles should be commenced if possible in the morning at the end of this distance the road forks again? 8 recommended the establishment of military posts at the Mormon Sta- tion in Carson Valley and on the Humboldt "near the mouth of the south fork, some twenty miles below where the road first strikes the river." Annual Rep. Commr. of Indian Aff., 1852, pp. 442, 443, serial 658. 88 Gravelly Ford. Here Turnbull left the usual trail and crossed to the south bank of the Humboldt. Near this place Holeman wished to put his fort [194 1 Turnbull's Travels the left hand road crosses the River & passes down upon the South side of the River to the desert at the end of the Sink. ( The right hand road which is the [one] described in the Guide it goes down the North side & is some 30 miles further but has better grass & avoids crossing the stream there are how- ever several places in the distance where travellers sometimes ford Marys River in low water but in high water they cant ford it passed 5 Springs flowing from Gravel & Rock this forenoon on this 17 miles to Marys River where the Guide says no w r ater pretty road & hilly all the way nooned after crossing the River on the south side about 2 miles good grass staid [till] 3 Oelock, left & went down the River about 6 miles from ford & camp' d 4 Oelock good grass & plenty of it a large Grey Wolve came to a dead Horse about 50 Rod from us good road this afternoon but terrible dusty about i-> leg deep clay soil plenty Buffaloe dung on these Valleys by the River it seems rare to us for we have not seen none for some time Friday 16 th . left camp V 2 past 4 Oelock went over some small Bluffs peaks towards the Valley pretty dusty Clay saw a large bed of Saleratus to the left passed 2 dead Oxen plenty of "Waggon Irons turned out & fed good grass all along this morning fed at 8 oelock one horse passed dead 1 Ox still down the Valley road some rough by being stoney the road in places keeps to the left of the River some 1 or \y 2 miles we followed a road leading to the River & missed some very rough road stopp d at 1 OClock & fed good grass all along saw one very lairge grej* Wolfe Musquetoes plenty Buffaloe dung same afternoon passed 2 Graves about one hour after noon the Valley began to widen, terrible high mountains on each side Barren towards the left of the road & a scenery of grass of all descriptions wild rye, Blue joint Buf- faloe grass, parts of it looks handsome & green being burnt early in Spring the unburnt seems about the same colour as the grass of 111. in October plenty Buffaloe here by the ap- pearance of the dung it is a vast place there are camp roads that lead to the River from the main road we took the 1st one & travelled about iy 2 hours and found plenty of water for our horses & two places we dug down to water & got [195] Wisconsin Historical Society pretty good water for our use this is 1st water we got since 3 Oclock grass out of all bounds camp' d 7 Oclock some Musquetoes nothing to be seen here but willow bushes crows & some birds very large lizards River very low this season some seasons they cant go this way at all on Ace 1 , of high water it overflows a great part of this Valley then they have to go the North side they say it is 30 miles round but if so they have plenty water Sulphur &c not so good for grass they say & part of the road very rough & Stoney this after- noon was about the best road I ever saw as level as plank sandy Clay soil good in dry weather bad in wet we had a pretty heavy thunder Shower this afternoon wind blowed hard to day dust not so bad as some days pretty warm Saturday 17 th . about 3 hours last night middling warm left at 7 Oclock passed one Grave called J. Blackley from III s 1850 touched the river once since morning about 9 Oclock road a good ways from River turned down to a branch about 2 miles from Road on the same direction good road rather dusty water rather muddy pretty warm Vo past 10 Oclock saw some sandhill cranes, very large lizards plenty Buffaloe dung saw here one drove had lay here shortly perhaps 12 hours stopt 2 hours afternoon left 2 Oclock passed one grave 1 dead cow one Hare passed a large drove of Cattle had to turn off towards River this afternoon twice but not much out of the ways Roads turning off to Camp & water all along Camp d 6 Oclock close by the River wind blows pretty fresh Musquetoes does not bite it is something new to hear of it Sunday 18 th . terrible cold last night to wattch Horses, pretty miry in places got 3 mired had to help them out, one man lost 6 head of Cattle & 2 Horses every man must watch his stock or otherwise loose by it it was suppose [d] to be a root digger that had crawled on his hands & feet in amongst the Bushes or Willows bushes & stole these I have never seen none but they say they are very cunning we are about 150 miles from the Sink of the Humbolt to day at 12 oclock, passed a good many log Chains touched a branch & watered about 10 Oclock Stopt at the River 12 Oclock some Buffalo by appe[ar]ance of dung middling good grass but pretty [ 196 ] Tumbull's Travels well cropt a good many teams ahead Musquetoes & Flies plenty [Monday 19 th .] Stopt until Monday morning rested close by the Marys River grass very good & a great many camp' d we washed & mended up all our clothes & Shirts passed one small Lake pretty water & two others before 9 Oclock some Ducks here & Snipe hares & Mountain Sheep plenty Buf- faloe by appearance of the dung good grass cut about 3 ton to Acre. "Wolfes plenty saw one Jackson from Chicago [who] went by Salt Lake & traded Horses for Cattle fed at the foot of a Hill on the edge of the Valley, stopt one hour left 10 Oclock then ascended a small hill but steep & Rocky the same for some ways all mixed with dust then touched the River about 11 Oclock then ascended some high moun- tains up a River the best road I mostly ever saw some high pitches ascending & descending but very short about twice the length of a waggon as good descending good grass a large bend close by Marys River some pieces of Snow lying on the mountains right before us fed here at y 2 past 12 Oclock 300 head of Oxen passed us this forenoon while feed- ing loose & in Waggons not very hot to day pretty windy, Afternoon left two Oclock touched the River 3 times to water some places not very good grass other places excellent and a multitude of it between 2 & 5 Oclock road first rate but rather dusty afternoon travel all along side of the Valley North road came in sight of us at 12 Oclock on the other side of the River Saw 3 Waggons & one drove of Cattle when we camp i/o past 5 good grass & plenty Musquetoes about 20 Rod from River the Peaks of the mountains looks handsome here all covered by green Sage Tuesday 20 th . pretty cold last night touched the River twice since the morning passed some very good grass a lit- tle part of the road rough if the Season is dry from where we started to day to keep near the River is smooth & good among the Sage the sand is deeper but not deep enough to make it bad stopt & fed at 12 Oclock, good grass & plenty of it but rather dry pretty middling warm but a good wind as we have had generally all the time since we left it after- noon left 2 oclock touched the River very good Road along [197] Wisconsin Historical Society the bottom & plenty of grass then we had to leave the bot- tom & had to go up a sand Bluff pretty heavy sand about 20 Rod and then along the top of the Bluff pretty heavy sand for about % mile, down the Bluff on to the bottom good road passed one dead Ox dust very bad camp' d on a large piece of good grass but getting very dry % past 5 Oclock some Sage hens seen to night some Hares pretty near white mountain sheep seems to be very plenty on Ace 1 , of seeing the tracks over the mountains very numerous a drove of 500 head of cattle is just in sight of us, the same man has 1500 head on the road a great many other droves for by [besides] these pretty cold night the North road on the other side of the River is right along side of us to night all our fire wood along the Humboldt is dry "Willow & Sage a great many sick & dying behind us we are some days to[o] late water looks very muddy cold Coffee is the best or Vinegar amongst the water but I have to take it without either Wednesday 21 st . left % P as t 5 morning good travelling for sometime left the bottom & took up a sand Bluff, pretty high & deep & so on for about one mile not so heavy stopt & fed about 9 Oclock good grass, passed one dead Horse 2 Oxen passed 530 head of Cattle for by [besides] Ox teams hauling provisions Pomroys Cop y 1580 head in separate droves a great many other large droves on the road for by [besides] him left after feeding one hour from 9 to 10 followed the Valley about 1 hour good road & plenty grass touched the River & then took up a sand Bluff about 100 yds high of deep sand after that sandy but not very deep met 4 men here about 300 miles or more on the Humboldt Valley putting up sign boards on the sides of the road looking for their wifes & families & Brothers from California — passed one grave 1 dead Horse & 2 Cattle Brandy in water or Cold Tea or Coffee should be used along the Humboldt the water looks more dirty the nearer you get to the Sink stopt & nooned 12 OClock grass middling good but not so wide on this side as it has been in the forenoon, pretty warm to day from 9 to 12 Oclock afternoon left at 2 Oclock we have a cool breeze touched the River twice and watered followed the bottom for awhile then took up a Bluff sand pretty heavy for a lit- [198] Turnbull's Travels tie ways then down the Valley road good for some ways then took up Bluff again for a little ways middling bad sand then along the Valley good road & plenty of grass, this afternoon travelled between 2 & y 2 past 4 Oclock camp' d for all night for fear of [lacking] grass & water ahead good grass to night right by the river Humboldt, plenty of Willow bushes for fire wood nothing but a barren Sage Country on every side of us Musquetoes very plenty until about 9 oclock then cold enough to freeze you with 2 Blankets over you before morning Thursday 23 d . [22 d .] 39 left in the morning at 4 OClock left the River good grass this is the place to stop all night and took up the Bluffs & left the River a stretch of 20 miles without water, all Barren Sage & pretty heavy sand crossed a small desert without a bunch grass (all over with Alkali as White as Snow) there are some roads leading towards the River, in different places about half way & then far enough to the River to go there as to take you to the end of the twenty mile about 3 miles across the desert after you cross you will see roads turning to the left different places but keep straight ahead for the white Clay Banks, of the Humboldt River a pretty barren Spot where they all go to water plenty grass on the other side of the River but too miry & high banks to get Horses across especially when poor, we swam across & cut grass & towed it across with a long rope and had no water but a coffee pot full for 9 of us i went the twenty miles in 5^ Hours with out water but the best way is to cut one or two Bundles of grass, & water about 6 Gall s '. for 4 Horses part of it feed on the road & the rest of it when you get to the River & rest 3 hours and refresh your teams got here the 20 miles about y% past ten Oclock [Friday 23 d ] left at 4 A. M. stopt & rested until 2 Oclock some Packers on Horse back found a man afloat today before we come & his brains smashed clear in & had just buried this is a terrible place for such work on Ace*, of people takes 38 Here Turnbull lost count of his calendar for some days. The jour- nal has been corrected by the American Almanac, 1852, the correct dates being placed in brackets. [199] Wisconsin Historical Society [taking?] men through & using them worse than slaves & has to walk all the way I have seen plenty of it myself then it brings them to quarelling & one or the other shoots plenty of them I have seen shoved out in open Prarie amongst the wild Indians without one Biscuit to eat I would advise every man coming to C — a never to come in [a] company nor join no man nor be taken by him at no price for he will suffer worse than a slave on Ace 1 of little or nothing to eat & walk continually & if you want you can't get it without a great deal of trouble & perhaps the loss of lives if any man has got 2 middling stubbed Horses from 8 to 12 years old & a mid- dling light waggon strong tires bolts every Fellow that has his own provisions at Home & 50 dollars in money can start to California if careful drove they can drive them to the Sink of the Humboldt in good order & then they have only about 300 miles to go afternoon left the River & turned of [f] to left of the river about 1 Hour clay road pretty good then came to the River but little grass & very Barren it looks awful with white Clay banks all along the River to day pretty deep dust until about % past 4 Oclock camp' d for all night a pretty hard days travel grass not so good & plenty as it has been left the road about 2 miles to the River the uppermost piece of grass in view nothing but barren Sage brush camp' d along side of some people from Iowa one night on the Piatt above us & [they] got 6 Cattle & 2 Horses stole by the Root Diggers they are never seen on the moun- tains nor in the Rivers they saw the tracks of a naked man in the morning that had crawled across the road down from the mountains, next morning they followed on pursuit of them & found them but lost one Horse, & got one of their men shot while fishing in the River among some Willow bushes af- ter they had got their oxen & taken them from them five ar- rows shot into one Ox when they found them & he died pretty hot from 10 to 2 oclock & dust together enough sometimes to suffocate us pretty cold at nights Friday 22 d . [Saturday 24 th ] plenty wolves howled all night very large grey fellows instead of coming straight ahead across the 3 mile desert from the River yesterday we took the left hand road coming up the Bluff just as you leave [200] Turnbull's Travels the River, take the left hand road as I said before & you will find a good creek of spring water running from the mountains about 10 miles from the River, & then you will save about one y 2 days travel & then strike the River about as soon & better place for grass grass is only to be found in some places here on ace* of the River being so crooked & the Clay bainks so ter- rible high in places, it is as much as you can do to lead your horses down the Bank alone it wants one to go ahead along here about 4 Oclock so as you can find a place before dark forenoon travelled among dust Clay & Sand mixed about an- kle deep & holes dug about as deep as the Ax every little ways turned of [f] down to the River to get water about 10 oclock watered about 2 miles from the road stopt there un- til 1 Oclock middling good grass but very small bend on Ace 1 of the River being so crooked & Banks so terrible high leaving the bends sometimes more grass on the North side than on the South & sometimes this reversed, afternoon very deep sand and Clay mixed pretty hot all day & dusty little or no wind a case we have not seen for some time stopt about 5 oclock & turned off to the River about one mile & found the best bend of grass we had for some days met 6 men packed from California meeting their friends came to our Camp 2 men also buying Horses & Cattle stock of all kinds poor rests them a few days & then drive them to the Sink a great place for grass until they get strong & then drive them on to California they are Camp d 1 mil[e] from us & has about 40 Horses bought & feeding there it was very hot to day from 10 A. M. until 6 at night enough to suffocate man & Horses the whites had a fight here to day with the root diggers these men were up in the mountains they saw some diggers & shot at them they fired they killed some one white man was shot different places by Arrows — hurt pretty bad we have not seen one yet they keep in the mountains on Acct of so many people being along the River, but they will kill a man if they get a chance at him amongst the mountains by him- self Saturday 24 th . [Sunday 25 tb .] left this morning & travelled through pretty heavy sand touching the River once & watered saw what they call the Sink medows ahead went on and [2011 Wisconsin Historical Society touched along side of it plenty of water this is where the River Humboldt spreads all over until it comes to the Sink where we touched it at 11 Oclock forenoon there is A little grass but all eat up & flag as high as your head & very mirey so that you can hardly walk on in places I cut a few arm fulls for the Horses they eat it well passed a good many Californians trading & meeting their wifes & families where I speak of cutting Flagg stopt their 2 Hours & rested our Horses a great many large long billed fowl here look hand- some dark green black birds Cranes & it has a green appear- ance in such a Barren Country an extensive Valley left 1 OClock afternoon after you water where I watered at 11 Oclock drive a little about y 2 an hour after watering when you come to the Alkali along side of the meadows laying as thick as salt sowed all over the ground come a little ahead of it & you will find a good well dug by a spade about 6 ft deep & grass enough all round for all the Stock on the road, stopt & fed about 1 Hour from watering beyond the dug well about 1 mile the best grass I mostly ever saw & for width I dont know passed one station Camp of Traders from C — a buying up poor Horses & Cattle some from all parts of the States from 4 to 10 years stopt at 5 oclock on a Salt meadow where they cut their grass salt laying all over the ground here, 20 Miles from here to the desert 100 s of people Horses Cattle & Mules here feeding people cutting & carrying out grass to make Hay for the desert 2 small Bun- dles for each Horse the ground is covered with tires & Irons of waggons burnt up as soon as left Bags, Close, Waggon cov- ers, Ox chains & every thing that a man wears only Boots and they are good for nothing all I have seen yet some Horses look poor some middling 4 Horses for 2 men & their provi- sions &c weigh about 500 hundred & a middling light waggon is enough of load from the beginning of the Humboldt to where I am now left after pretty hot to day, Musquetoes plenty & large black flies they are packing from here to go through the desert it is called the best way to cross the des- ert & that looks [like] commencing the desert one dead Horse here laying mired bones plenty all over some Trad- ers besides us one from plainfield named Eddy camp' d all [202] Turnbull's Travels night hundreds of Cattle & Horses we had to tye our Horses to the Waggon on Acct of the being a little mirey we cut them grass the best salt grass I ever saw it is a branchy kind of grass from 4 inches to 14 inches high as thick as hair on a Dogs back Sunday 25 th . [Monday 26 th .] Musquetoes the worst I ever saw we never slept a wink all night stopt here all day & cut our Hay for the desert 2 small Bundles for each horse, this grass scouers our Horses we take in water for the desert go in through amongst the Segs [sedge?] & it is some cooler but not good & worse ahead from here 12 miles to the Sink & 8 to the desert, the water worse all the way along & very hot weather our horses never began to fail much away until about 3 days ago on ace* of the grass & water scouring them there are plenty of them poor enough here now the traders buy all kinds & makes lots of money by them the next morn- ing to see the close, shot Bags, chains Wipple [whiffle] Teas waggons covers, Bags, Trunks, Boxes &c, left strewd all over Sunday night all burnt up for fires what is thrown away one day is burnt up the next Buffaloes come there in droves in spring & fall but not to be seen now on Acct of the Emigra- tion Musquetoes very bad to night cut grass & tied our Horses to the "Waggons all night for fear of getting mired or stole white traders are more apt to steal they say than root diggers they are very numerous but keep in the mountains & watch us coming along but if they catch you on the moun- tains they will kill you the whites does the same if they get their eyes on one they will shoot him & that makes them worse they are cunning they live on roots & acorns, lay up store for winter I saw two yesterday from California along with some traders to watch for them these Traders most of them are called Mountaineers, they live & marry amongst them & trade & steal from Emigrants & blaime the diggers, some of them are hard looking cases with their Re- volvers & knifes stuck by their side & very few of them shaves, Monday 26 th . [Tuesday, 27 th .] camp' d here all night Mus- quetoes very bad left at 4 oclock morning Loaded about 200 weight of grass & some 8 Gallons of water for the Sink some [203 1 Wisconsin Historical Society took 20 Do for 5 Horses 300 or 4 here in a waggon tc cross the Desert & get through quick from 20 to 25 miles pr day is enough for 2 Horses in pretty good order, left at 5 oelock this morning come along a Salt plain for some ways very good road after that some part of it middling heavy Sand some ways & then very good turned off to the right about 1 ± mile turned out our Horses to grass l/o P as ^ 9 oelock & gave them a little of the meadow water it does not taste bad nor salty but warm & shallow the best way is to bring India Rub- ber Bags to hold about 6 gallons each from where we took in water & grass & then you can give your Horses a little of this water & save what you carry until you get to the Sink give yaler [yellow?] Horses some of this Sulphur water & some of Avhat you are carrying this is water enough for 6 or 8 Horses & Coffee for your own use cold plenty Apples & Bis- cuit a gentle breeze of wind this forenoon middling' warm mountains along here on each side of this vast plain not very high but very high in other places from where we fed at 1 -j past 9 came in sight of the Humboldt Lake about here about as good grass as when we fed & that not very great but just at the bend of the Lake, close by the mountains where the road leaves the Valley & goes along side of the mountains on the left & the Lake on the right close by stopt & fed at this bend 12 Oelock it is better to noon a little before you come here on Ace* of the grass being to[o] Salt & the weather pretty hot & so close to the mountains it makes your stock drink to[o] much left old Mullians Horse at this bend he has not been put in harness for pretty near 1000 miles back & seemed not to do any good but followed along until the weather got pretty hot & came to travel amongst the deep sand & dust he was offered $12 for him from a trader on the 24 th . & would not take it but I should have taken it 2 weeks ago he could not live without oats he was good as long as he lasted or had grain he drove him into the Lake Hum- boldt at noon 26 th . & pushed him over so we left him lying but his head still above water about the middle of this bend of the Lake about H way from where we nooned stands a lone tree doubled bodied we came down within 2 miles of the Sink & camp' d all night tolerable grass here & the same about [204] Turnbull's Travels ^2 way along from noon but some eat right opposite the second Island of Kanebreaks tremendous mountains high all along the Lake this Afternoon. Afternoon some part of the road pretty stoney & rough every one mostly waters their animals out of the Lake it wants plenty of Acid to put in the water all through their journey, pretty cool to night some Deer flies to day & plenty large black ones no Musque- toes much to night plenty fish in this Lake very large white Cranes &e I came across a Canoe on the Beach made of rushes or rather flags very neat made, but no Indians to be seen 18 miles to day 2 miles from the Sulphur Spring we rest here until 2 OClock tomorrow afternoon & then by trav- elling a little before we come to the Sulphur Spring our Horses will be more apt to drink good before taking the Desert North & South road comes together at the end of the Sink. left Tuesday [Wednesday?] forenoon about 10 clock on Ace 1 of the Salt grass scouring & Lake water to[o] Salt to quench their thirst moved along about 3 miles over 2 sand Bluffs from the Bottom of the Lake or Sink passed one trading post buying & selling Californians Stopt & fed our Horses here right on the edge of a Sulphur Sleugh here on dry hay that we carried for until 2 Oclock & then start for the desert- here are lots of Traders from all parts selling Brandy $1.50 pr pint Flour from 25 to 35 pr lb £ but [about] here are State officers sent on from California with Flour & every thing a family or single man wants to give them for nothing to carry them to carson Valley & then from the Valley to be supplied & sent through they seem to be fine men & think nothing of money, every man wants liquor of his own with him along here to put in water I spoke to one California miner & he told me every one paid $3 pr Year for this left this station at 2 Oclock P. M. grass about 6 miles from this Station & the same kind of water we had at the Station about 1 mile from the road we did not stop but went ahead & many oth- ers an excellent road for some ways then a little stone then very smooth for some ways stopt & fed about 1C miles & made some Tea 8 Oclock P. M. fed one hour and then went on bright moon light some places [the grass?] a little but [205] Wisconsin Historical Society short & the rest very good came to a fellow by the name of J. Rose that used to live at Liberty Ville once partner with M c Duffy on the OPlain waiting for 3 of his Brothers coming through he is selling water here & has 4 Teams hauling wa- ter night & day & Grass from Carson Valley & buys up tired stock feeds them grass & water for 2 or 3 days & then sends them off to the River at night when cool y 2 way on the desert he is Stationed water 6 s pr gallon he gave me all I could drink & the rest of us for nothing he knew Job Galloway & the Steels 40 when at Home he keeps the Railroad House 27 miles this side of Hangtown their is a water & liquor sta- tion every 2 & 4 miles between him & the end of the desert or Carson River only 7 miles at the last of it without any one stationed without you meet the teams on the road & they will sell you from the 20 miles on if you want a good deal from 75 50 cts to 25 the lowest & 2 Bits pr drink or all kinds of Liquors it is better for a man to buy than to load down his Horses carry only enough to serve himself & stocks the first 20 Miles at the last of it 12 Miles of heavy sand & the greater part of it no track about as heavy as that at trad- ers no track on acct of loose Cattle being drove along [which] fill it up met Robert about IS miles from the River with 2 Mules & 1 Ponie or I know we should have to leave one waggon we had to lead Tom clear through on Ace', of being scoured with the Salt water & grass Wednesday 27 th . [Thursday, 28 th ] we got to the River 41 1 hour after Sunrise & had a very cool night to Carson city huts all made by bushes and Canvass fellows from California Bakers' Butchers Saloons traders of all kinds for the season Robert has been here buying & selling Horses Waggons &c for 3 months so he said 5 or 6 of them make them a Wigwam & "Job Galloway was a farmer from Deerfield, Illinois; the Steel brothers, William, James, and Matthew, were farmers from Lake For- est, and are reputed to have brought back a "small fortune" from Cali- fornia. — A. J. T. 41 From the sink of the Carson River, most of the places on the trail may be identified on the Topog. Map of the U. S., in the following quad- rangles: Carson Sink, Wabuska, Carson, Markleeville (California), Pyramid Peak, and Sacramento. r 206 1 Turnbull's Travels live like Indians 100 s of them follow the same buy poor stock cut grass &c feed them after they get a good many in the fall drive them off to C — a we then drove up the River to where he had his Camp among some large Cotton "Wood & Willow bushes about 14 miles from the end of the desert the desert is a continual string of dead Horses & Cattle likewise on the Lake shore from 10 to 13 lying in a bunch strung along from the very beginning to the end of it up the Valley & all & a way of [f] in the desert for 20 Rod where they have hunted for water & fell right dead, wag- gons & Irons and Kegs, close Ox chains Bags, Buggy Irons strewed as thick as the Cattle some this season but mostly all in 1850 saw 2 graves to day Valley covered at every bend of the River [with] Irons of "Waggons Cattle & all along Thursday [Friday 30 th .] camp' d here all day 4 miles up the River buyers & Traders &c all along I never felt better on the road than I felt in crossing the Desert until the last 4 miles & pretty near walked all the way until the last 4 miles I felt a little tired & sleepy my feet felt good & Boots easy the new ones I had 3 glasses of Brandy that just kept me alive & killed the water I drink got some strong Tea Ap- ples & Biscuits & then lay down amongst the bushes & took a sleep but some suffered crossing & will suffer 1000 s behind us, there will be enough of dead Cattle & Horses one month or less from now a man told me before we met Robert that Lacey & Fuller 42 &e landed in Hangtown 8 days ago very hot this forenoon if we had not got in as soon as we did we would have suffered with heat no shelter from the burning Sun & Hot sand enough to burn Your Boots in the middle of the day we had a few drops of rain to day some Indians here Crows camp' d at 8 OClock stopt & rested our Horses grass short in places but we put them on an island over the C [arson] River good long grass as good as oats to a Horse [Saturday, 31 st .] left Saturday morning 8 OClock pretty cool but very hot while Ave stayed our teams felt well but poor but not much worse than you have seen their a com- pany crossed the Desert Friday that we used to travel with 4 -Lacy was a sailor whose parents lived at Winnetka, Illinois; Fuller was a farmer from Wheeling, Illinois. — A. J. T. [207] Wisconsin Historical Society from Chicago Names Vader, Mahon, his father lives by John Careys, Tho s . Othod John Do, T. Clarke &c There is a gov- ernment Camp here for the relief of them thats in need, if no money or sick a Doctor to attend them paid by the Miners, travelled about 4 miles on the Flatt of the River good road and grass carried water & fed here for one hour then took a 16 mile desert, pretty rough & stoney in places some small pitches turned to the left over a Stoney hill to the River & found grass 3 ft high blue joint & good shade trees to keep us from the sun passed a large body of Salt like a lake to the right hand saw two graves of this bend one from Missourie this is 22 miles today stopt about 4 Oclock passed some "Waggons burnt up on the road Rifle barrels in every direc- tion on the road & in these bends & close of all kinds [Sunday, August 1 st .] stopt all day Sunday wolves here in every direction at night Buffaloe dung in every direction on these bends Cotton woods here from 4 to 6 ft through Monday 1 st . [2 ud .] left 5 Oclock & went along side of the River stopt until about 3 Oclock & rested good grass & good road middling warm to day. left 3 Oclock & crossed a Barren Sandy road called a desert 10 miles to the River again plenty good grass blue joint 3 ft high & good shade trees for you to camp under this country around here looks something like a country for mining passed 2 dead Cattle some Musquetoes last night some knats, "Wolves plenty Tuesday 3 d . rested all day until about 4 Oclock a grand place to recruit Horses &c the best bottoms & largest valleys of grass that I have seen since we left the Piatt travelled to day about 6 miles enough to make the Horses eat good Camp' d about 6 Oclock fine cool day "Wednesday 4 th . people Packing afoot & selling out all they have to the traders pretty cool last night on ace 1 of being near the mountains the white & red clover here is lying in a mass here dead ripe in small patches along this River is the place to fatten stock quick good feed & water some Buf- faloes come here at times plenty "Wolves, Crows, Ducks, & Hares, very large & long ears pretty cool this morning stopt all day very cool to day some little rain about 6 oclock Thursday 5 th . middling cold last night some men come [208] Turnbull's Travels here last night that has run a road through to Sonora a nearer & better route for grass & not so mountainous but deception in people here can not be fathomed stopt all day some men come here from Sonora California & reckoned they had run a road over the mountains some 80 miles nearer to Sacramento it came right out where we are camp' d but Robert said the old road over the Sierrnavado [Sierra Nevada] was bad enough but he was afraid that would be worse, it beats all to see the "Waggons & close even property of all kinds thrown on the ground & left to any one that wishes to pick them up some sells their Horses some there Cattle leaves "Wagons close of every description guns &c lying takes what they have got on their back & puts for the Mountains some packs their Horses & some takes their Waggons instead of that they could rest a few days about 35 Miles from Rag Town up the River where you could put 1000 head on grass & would not be seen Clover about 3 ft long blue joint by resting their teams a few days they could cross the Mountains if they have got provisions & take their property along their is no grass within 80 miles of Hangtown by taken [taking] in stock in good order they would then be fit for Market you can sell Cattle here to Robert & all the miners mostly out here buy- ing Cattle Horses & Waggons, from $50 to 100 pr yoke Horses they would sooner trade Mules for Waggons [Friday] 6 th . lay still Saturday 7 th . lay still Sunday 8 th . Do [ditto] pretty cold night here we can see some snow on the mountains a head part of the Sierra Ne- vada Blue joint grass here will cut 4 Ton to the acre, or more one man died here & was buried this morning thrown into a hole with his closes & some old Buffaloe skins & cov- ered up this is the last of three but one & 5 Horses this is the way a mans property goes they say amongst the large Ox teams behind us they have died in great numbers & are dying more & more every day the last will be apt to suffer we bought of Robert Flour $10 pr Hundred from the E 3 but these Traders wants $25 & 30 also side Bacon from Emigrants 2 Bits pr lb. they cooked some meals for men travelling on Foot & Packing 75 cts . pr meal at the Station they charge [209] Wisconsin Historical Society $1,00 bread Pork & Coffee Apple Sauce take it right of [f] the ground any person or family stopping here to refresh their teams could make by meals a pocket full of money in quick time Small Apple Plate Pies $1 pr piece very cold here at night middling warm through the day but always a good breeze of wind all kinds of liquor here 25 cts pr drink people selling boots shoes & shirts coats & indeed every thing for nothing & more thrown on the ground that [than] sold no man would try to haul nor carry them over the mountains & plenty of Horses some 6 to a waggon & in good grass order as we commonly see them in III s . the time of Harvest scores of people leaving their waggons selling their Cattle & footing it through Dwyres Boys passed us here yesterday Connallen is sick of a fever the rest all well & fat & left this beautiful bend of grass Monday morning at 6 oclock [Monday] 9 th of August this bend is right at the ford of the River new route or S-W route across the Sierra Nevada called nearer & better but we dont know but we will soon here of it we followed all along the River grass not so plenty, nor not so large places or bends but enough hand- some mountains of round stone & Rocks & has the appearance as if being burnt by fire handsome large shade Cotton wood trees all along stopt & turned out 11 oclock and fed mid- dling good road some rough in places followed the River all along this afternoon travelled to day about 16 miles or 18 miles the most of grass is on the other side of the River it appeared to look at the mountains ahead of us & so high on each side of us that we were at the end of all pass but still the road goes ahead along the bottoms of the River once & a while we have to turn of [f] over some short high Bluffs to day terrible dusty sort of black & "White sand ground up by the "Waggon wheels fine enough to blind you we suffered to day without wind ahead all day came to the junction of an- other road that leaves the River some ways back & comes in to the River here again for 26 miles a good many miles nearer but no water nor grass they say — to carry water & grass from the River this Carson River all proceeds from the snow melting from the Sierra Nevada mountains. Tuesday 10 th . camp' d last night 6 Oclock under a large Cot- [210] Turnbull's Travels ton "Wood about 6 ft through & a very large top enough to shade or cover 4 Waggons — took our Horses & oxen across the River & found excellent grass for miles in length a trader stationed here has a great number of Horses & Cattle running here that they have bought of traders all along here pretty cold last night left this morning 6 Oclk passed one mining establishment on the bank of the River they have done a good deal of Ditching & Dyking here also made a claim of 160 Acres on the Valley for the purposes of buying lame & poor stock for fatting & selling or trading they have some hired cutting hay some ditching some Dyking a little way from this about 2 Miles their is another Station or place where they are digging they have got plenty of young birds & chickens & hens here we stopt & fed one large log house made of Cotton wood they keep liquor & things for sale one more log House down near the River another made of shakes & some tents they hire men Cutting Hay & have got a Rail- road from the mountains made of Waggon tires a good place to keep stock & cut Hay — they have a creek close by where they are mining so as they can wash fall & Spring for some time they intend to make a Village here 'from that we as- cended a pretty high coble stone hill for about y 2 mile along from the top of this hill to the right stands another log House in a gulley where some are mining pretty rough road this af- ternoon all cobble ston passed one dead Horse one Ox crossed 10 miles desert passed up a small Bluff of solid slacked lime as sharp as new Slacked clot it seems to be the same all over this desert the mountains along today are all covered with Pine & Cedars, after leaving the desert struck the River here was a Station called the Hosier Ranger on the Sign pole selling liquor &c a little farther ahead another all made of Canvas counter all covered with Canvas &c of all kinds for sale Turnips &c raised over on the Valley at a mor- mon Station ahead of us some ways another a few Rod about one mile from this Camp' (1 along side of the River on a Val- ley of grass over 2 miles wide not very hot to day Wednesday 11 th . pretty cool last night very cold before sunrise we camp' d opposite a road leading over the Sierra Nevada called Yankie Jims route very few went it it is [2111 Wisconsin Historical Society hard to say what kind of a road it is left this morning at 6 Oclock & left the River crossed a barren Sandy road for 6 miles then came to a creek running across the road from the mountains as cold as Ice here is another traders Station here all along this valley is an immense width the lofty Sierra Ne- vada on the right Hand covered with lofty pines mountains running almost perpendicular & their tops spotted with Snow to look ahead you would think their is no outlet nooned close by a Mormon Station 43 one large log house 2 or 3 tents a garden part fenced in some turnips & garden stuff growing they have stalks [stacks] of Hay cut almost 40 ft long & are still cutting they buy poor stock sells goods &c turnip 10 cts . per lb. left at 1 Oclock Afternoon this is a val- ley of grass out of all bounds passed a large patch of wild tares about y 2 grown, passed some very good log houses some 3 or 4 one has a good garden all kinds of vegetables & some corn Barley & oats passed some very handsome Springs boiling out of the ground & some running from the foot of the mountains next came to what they call the Mormon Station or Tavern B — Shop it stands on a handsome bend along side of the lofty Sierra covered by lofty Pines & Pines near his door 4 ft. through Blacksmith Shop here & fresh beef for Sale &c also passed some boiling hot springs close at the foot of the mountains also a pretty large farm here barley ripe, oats, Potatoes in blossom Melons &c. seme pieces of Stony road this afternoon, & some very smooth handsome as any carriage road black flint stone that rolls from the Moun- *» The present town of Genoa, Nevada, is on the site of a Mormon Station that was first established in the upper Carson Valley during 1849 by H. S. Beatie. Robert Lyon declared in 1880 that it was al- ready well known when he stopped there in July, 1850. In 1851 John Reese brought a train of wagons, with food, from Great Salt Lake and reestablished the trading place. Its log cabin may have been the first in Nevada. The prospectors who were already investigating the Car- son River region organized a squatter government here in November, 1851, while in 1852 the first land claim was filed by Reese. Utah or- ganized the region as Carson County in 1854. Myron Angel (ed.), Hist, of Nevada tcith Illustrations and Biographical Sketches (Oak- land, Cal., 1881), pp. 30, 31; Bancroft, Utah, p. 591; Bancroft, Nevada, Colorado, and Wyoming, pp. 66, 69. [212] Turnbull's Travels tains all mashed up small by the "Waggon wheels, John- stones cut off 4 * turns right up a gulley over the top of these lofty Sierras crowded by lofty pines to the Northern mines, a pack road a little track like a foot path camp ?d 6 Oclock at the foot of the lofty Sierra by a spring brook & our stock in grass to the eyes pretty cold here to night. Thursday 12 th . stock scattered all over this Valley by traders & emigrants left camp 6 oclock forenoon passed some very handsome rivulets of Springing water running from the mountains passed a good many trader stations nooned beside a Station log House roofed with pieces of Can- vas, about 20 Rod from the mountains afternoon, travelled about 13 miles to the mouth of the Cannon [canyon] the cross- ing off this Sierra Nevada the road this afternoon is some ways from the Valley through barren sand & sage bush about 2 miles from the Valley & River some middling rough places on Ace 1 , of large rocks you have to drive very slow about 1 mile from the Kanyan you ascend a short [hill] but steep & Rocky to the left before you come to the Kanyan it is a hand- some sight to look at the Valley to the left covered by over grown pines & handsome Valley of grass here & there over among these mountains before entering the Kanyan we camp' d right at the entrance of the Kanyan 45 a romantic scene to see the lofty mountains of rock on each side it is just like en- tering the mouth of a cave & the sounding of the trees and the ** Johnson's Cut-off left the Carson Valley two miles above the Mormon Station, and was one of the routes to Placerville. Fremont entered the Sacramento Valley in 1844 through this pass, or near to it. H. H. Ban- croft, Hist, of California (San Francisco, 1886-90), iv, p. 438; "Report of Committee on Internal Improvements," App. to Cal. Assem. Journal, 1855. 46 The road which Turnbull followed continued up the Carson River, through the Canyon and Hope Valley, and crossed the Sierra by West Carson Pass. It was recommended to the California Assembly in 1855 as perhaps the best route for a road from the Great Salt Lake, although every pass had its advocates and its maligners. In 1849 many of the later emigrants were caught here by failing teams and lack of provi- sions, and were relieved by the efforts of General P. Smith, command- ing in California. Letters on the relief, here and at the other passes, are in 31 Cong., 1 sess., Sen. Docs., p. 52, llOff. [213 1 Wisconsin Historical Society rushing of the river over the high rocks makes a continual noise and constant cold wind waving the lofty pines up in the air above our heads we stopt all night on a valley of good grass at the mouth of the Canyon the Rocks standing perpen- dicular up in the Sky above our heads. Thursday 12 th . [Friday 13 th .] very cold last night traders camp' d all along buying up stock from the Sink & above it 300 miles from California regular thoroughfare coming & going left the mouth 7 Oclock & got through it about 12 after we left about one mile their is a bridge across the River Carson in the middle of the Kanyan built by a man from California & two others ahead he charged $1 for the 3 for one span Horses & Waggon & one Bit for each drove horse or Ox this is the 3 d bridge before you come to it a little & after you cross it surpasses all i ever saw for large rock hardly wide enough for a Waggon & roeks tons weight to scramble over half the height of a waggon no track for the wheels or horses, but just to roll up & down the best way they can a man can stop in the Valley & fatten his team he need not attempt to try it then they are good horses if they take through an empty Waggon it wants 2 Span to take 3 hundred [weight] & then the Waggon is in danger Waggons broke & smashed all along we passed some handsome little flats of grass in the Kanyan, come to a large handsome Valley at the head of the Kanyan 8 miles from the mouth this is 5 hours & over coming 8 miles nooned at the end of 8 miles a large beautiful Valley good feed after you leave the Kanyan the road crosses the River their is a good place to feed your animals the Carson River at present here is not more than from 1 to 2 ft deep & from 1 to 2 Rod wide these bridges are made here on Ace 1 , of these large rocks or it would be dangerous for the animals to go through the River over amongst these rocks on ace 1 , of Slip- ping & killing themselves we have it very cool & shady this forenoon moving up the Kanyan pretty warm in the valley & the mountains covered by large heaps of Snow right above us Afternoon from this crossing of the River after leaving the Kanyan you will find some handsome plains of grass right & left & some very handsome openings of Scattered pines & the lofty tops of the Rocky Sierra Mountains with their lofty tops [214] Turnbull's Travels spotted with Snow on each side of us the road this afternoon was very handsome small gravel some few small rocks Camp' d all night about 6 miles from the crossing of the Car- son Kiver above the Kanyan found good grass, & the River close by pretty cold to night after sun down Friday 13 th . [Saturday 14 th .] i washed a handkerchief this morning after sunrise a little & it froze stiff an hour after that hot enough to wear linen trowsers left morning 6 Oclock & commenced ascending the lofty Sierra mountains at the up- per part of the Valley above mentioned in midst of the lofty pines & cedars, ascending gradual for a while amongst Rocks & small gravel spurred [stirred] up by the feet of the animals & "Waggons shortly after ascending for some time came to a handsome Lake & pretty large some grass has been cut here to feed animals on ace 1 , of it being miry from that we had some middling good road & some terrible Sidling for some ways, then crossed a small run of water — by Springs gushing out of the mountains caused perhaps by the Snow on the top then we commenced what I call ascending terrible to look up to ever conceive how a team could ever Scramble up straight up crooked & all shapes amongst the lofty pines & Rocks from 2 to 6 ft through clefts of Rocks hardly the width of a waggon & solid rock in the centre of the trails in places that a horse or ox can hardly Straddle over over some places narrow enough to roll through with the hubs on the top of the rock other places again one wheel going over a Rock 3 or ft 4 high & the other grinding in a crivis [crevice] below some places turn to the left one step the next step turn to the right one time cracking she goes another time grind & another time hop & another time bounce she goes it is aw- ful to see it the Kanyan is bad but I think its nothing to this at last surmounted the top of the first mountain it was a happy sight the appea[ra]nce at the top looks like as if part of the mountains had sunk one half of it resembles a flat but still rocky in places some little up hill & down & difficult places amongst rocks to get through & some pieces of road very good small gravel passed some small Lakes & ponds after leaving the top & lofty covered Sierra to the left appearing close by us almost covered by Snow & right where [ 215 ] Wisconsin Historical Society we are now grass flowers of all kind & bushes of all kinds mostly in full bloom two weeks ago hardly any grass, the next we came to was a middling ascent some rough & Rocky to a large handsome lake streams of Springs gushing into it on all sides from the lofty Snow mountains Traders buying & selling everything a person wants to eat all over these moun- tains so far apart a handsome valley of grass all around this Lake & plenty of grass all around & also another large Valley to the right of it over a hill about 40 Rod from it enough to feed 100 s of animals their is a constant travel from 40 to 50 Mules & Ponies packing from California to the Valley & Salt Lake also carrying liquors Coffee Sugar Groceries of all kinds all around this Lake grass is just in its bloom & the mountains close by us to the left covered nearly with Snow we have travelled to day & worked ourselves & teams hard from 6 oclock until 12 where we are now by the Lake 10 Miles to day one team of pack Mules about 40 came here last night going to the Sink for the relief of them that wants it [and] has got no money a general along & his wife from California riding on Mules & carrying their blankets camp right on the ground as happy as in a feather bed & more so than any in the States dress they think nothing of money plenty I feel as well lying out now as I did in the States lying in a bed nothing to fret you good health & fine cool nights Saturday 14 th . [Sunday loth.] slept under large wreaths of snow la»st [night] watching our Horses at the foot of the Lofty Sierra nearly by Snow to the left left camp at S oclock late on Ace 1 , of our Horses & Cattle having a hard day yes- terday left this morning at 6 Oclock & made a start for the 2 d , mountain from the beginning for some [distance] crooked & twisted through [and] amongst large heavy pines & cedars not very bad considering what we had yesterday next began to roll down hill for some ways a kind of an opening pretty good grass in places then began to ascend a little by little more & more until we came right below a long wreath of deep Snow where the water from the snow & Springs in every di- rection runs to into the same track where we ascend this is all rolling middling sized stone the water running through it makes the stone Slippery & bad for teams & a pretty long as- [216] Tumbulls Travels cent about y? mile right up to the Snow & amongst these we turned to the left on the face of the mountain for a consider- able long ways amongst huge big rock & some Snow to the Hubs of our waggons this snow in places is from 12 to 18 ft deep in places & the weeds & flowers & grass in full bloom close by below it after this we ascend a place pretty near straight up but not so rocky, then come to a flat for a piece then ascend a small piece but rough in places to the top called 6 Miles in 5 hours then after that pretty rough as bad in places ascending & [as in] descending their is a beautiful Lake to the right on the top of this mountain & another in descending to the right some openings along some little grass & weeds all in full bloom that is all the animals get Mules does well on it nooned at 3 Oclock about 10 Miles from where we started from in the morning this is the last moun- tain or main ridge of Sierra Nevada 4 ' 1 rested our teams about 2 hours on a middling good patch of grass to the left of the road went from where we fed about 4 miles on a pretty rough rocky road a little descending over mountains some pretty little valleys of grass & Aveeds & some good pine & Ce- dar stopt in a small Valley in the middle of the mountains called Union Valley all night grass very short some few Musquetoes Sunday 15 th . [Monday 16 th .] left in the morning at 6 oclock & went about 17 miles before we stopt to feed our teams the road to day was very rough & Rocky in places over the moun- 48 There were four regions in the wall of the Sierra through which most of the direct emigrants to California passed. Before any of these were discovered the land access was either from the Columbia Valley, by way of the Willamette, or else from the Colorado Valley, by way of the extreme southern passes, (a) The Walker Pass, some fifty miles south of Owens Lake, and equally distant, northeast from Tehachapi Pass, through which the railroads now enter the central valley of Cali- fornia, was discovered by Joseph R. Walker in 1834, but was used only occasionally by emigrant parties. Bancroft, California, iii, p. 391; iv, p. 264. (b) There were several possible passages north of Walker Pass, leading to the Merced or the Stanislaus, but the next important region to the north was that of the Carson River, from which West Car- son Pass and Johnson's Cut-off guided many emigrants to Placerville. (c) Further north was the Truckee route, which followed the river [ 217 ] Wisconsin Historical Society tains ascending & descending some steep places but deep gravel & sand mixed along in places saw some beautiful Springs & valleys & water springing out of the rocks these openings & Valleys look beautiful covered with flowers of every description in full bloom & wild Beans about as large as the small white bean every thing in its full bloom & the mountains above them spotted with Snow passed some 3 or 4 Stations of Californians in morning two men on foot from Waukegan took breakfast with us this morning they came with a man by the name of Brown his Horses got poor & he had to stop in the Valley for 2 wks. to let them recruit it wants Horses strong to come from the Kanyan to Hangstown more so than any other part of the route & one empty Wag- gon is common two Horses [per] Waggon is enough for any one Span passed tragedy spring where 3 men were killed by some Indians there are 3 graves covered with large stones & also a Station selling liquors & groceries these men were 3 men that carried the mail to Salt Lake it happened last winter 1851 camp' d about 2 oclock at an opening or valley called leek Springs their are a great many Springs all round here for about 20 Rod one at the bottom of the hill the best & coldest I ever drank off these springs make a pretty large creek a little below in the Valley very good grass but to the right hand of these springs about one mile through heavy pine timber there is good grass from 1 ft & upwards passed through some excellent timber to day pine, White Spruce of this name from the Nevada Desert into the Sierra, and descended tributaries of the Yuba and Bear rivers to Sutter's ranch on the Ameri- can. This pass was discovered in 1844, and became the route of the Central Pacific Railroad. T. H. Hittell, Hist, of California (San Fran- cisco, 1885-97), ii, p. 332; O. Johnson and W. H. Winter, Route Across the Rocky Mountains, with a Description of Oregon and California (Lafayette, Ind., 1846), p. 103. (d) The Feather River Valley, a northern tributary of the Sacramento, was the objective of persons who entered California by the northern passes. To reach this valley the mountains were crossed near Goose Lake or south of it. It was sometimes called Lassen's route because of a ranch owned by one Lassen near its end in California. Maj. D. H. Rucker was distribut- ing aid to emigrants on this route in 1849. 31 Cong., 1 sess., Sen. Docs. y p. 52, 143ff. [2181 Turnbull's Travels from I should Judge 100 to 150 ft high from 4 to 6 ft through stopt here all Sunday afternoon & night on Acet of grass be- ing some scarce since we left the head of the Kanyan, & scarce ahead [of] this place or rather openings to see the animals go down to it [phrase obscure] round the huge rocks & deep guts between the mountains mostly all wild rye & grass & flowers in full bloom Gooseberries very large here but prickly not ripe yet wild beans plenty & Grisly Bear very troublesome 2 years ago amongst stock but the Emigra- tion keeps both them & the Indians back from the road Monday 16 th . [Tuesday 17 th .] left here at 10 Oclock a place where is a Station called Leek Springs on Ace 1 of so many leeks growing below the Springs on the opening or valley one road to the left New cut out to Hangtown called some nearer the old road goes Straight ahead up the moun- tain this is bad enough & I am afraid the other is worse we have ascended & descended mountains all this forenoon some pretty steep pitches over large pine roots & large loose rock laying pretty near as thick as they could lay & intermixed with loose sand & gravel dug up by the dragging of the wheels met one 4 Horse team going to the mountains for Ice from Hangtown perhaps 60 Miles from Hangtown passed through some tremendous large pine timber this forenoon stopt after about 3 hours travel & drove our animals over the face of a mountain down into an opening to feed Tuesday 17 th . [Wednesday 18 th .] passed some 4 Trader Sta- tions passed camp Creek next Cold Springs another Trader from Michigan the next the Traders Station called the Mountain House or Forks of the road we took the left hand down the Valley passed Sly Park Tavern a handsome park all fenced 8 & 10 rails high he charges 25 cts . pr night for each head of Cattle or horse, we eamp' d below the Park good grass as the Park opposite another house or claim built with lumber the same as the Park here their is a Saw mill — over the hills to the left about 1 miles their is some of the handsomest timber here I ever saw rail cuts I counted 8 & 10 from one tree, the same of Saw logs from pine' white & Yellow, some oak here but scrubby, our road to [here] was very rough & rocky, large loose stones intermixed with dust & 15 [219] Wisconsin Historical Society very hot dust & deep it was so at times that we could hardly see the teams, before we came to Sly Park the road is good & smooth only dusty Wernesday 18 th . [Thursday 19 th .] pretty cold last night left this morning 10 Oclock, passed a good many miners cab- ins & places where they are digging, passed a good many Tav- erns, & stores, turu to the left from the Hangtowu road passed some wrench [ranch] or large pieces fenced in on the Valley camp' d in Squaw Hollow close by a mans House from Indiana has a garden we got some good Melons here for nothing as they only sell in Hangtowu for a bit mostly all oak mixed with some pine 5 miles from here to Diamond Springs and you can go from where we are in Squaw Hollow to Hangtown 4T 5 m . good grass along here to the left of this House, but it is getting dry, pea Vine wild oats on the moun- tains here Thursday 19 th . [Friday 20 th .] left after resting myself six days went to seek my fortune but found every Creek & Kanyon, covered with men & Hundreds going round looking for work I thought the country somewhat different to what they rep- resented it to be I hired with a man to blast rock on the south fork Canal [of] American River for $100 per month he broke up in three weeks after I went then I went prospecting over the "Hangtown, or Placerville, was still in 1865 "the first considerable town in California" on the overland route. S. Bowles, Across the Continent (Springfield, Mass., 1868), p. 166. As "Dry Diggings" it had originated in the boom year of 1848. A vigilance committee gave it the name Hangtown, while the California legislature named it Placer- ville in 1850. It is situated on the Hangtown Creek, a branch of Weber Creek, which is a southern tributary of the South Fork of the American. Turnbull had crossed several branches of the Cosumne River between the pass of the Sierra and Squaw Hollow. The daily journal ends at this point, and the later pages were written after an interval. Ban- croft, California, vi, pp. 75, 467; vii, p. 540; J. D. Borthwich, Three Years in California (Edinburgh, 1857), pp. 105, 113; Thissell, Crossing the Plains in '49, p. 173. [220] Tumbull's Travels mountains for 2 "Weeks me & a Scotch man carried our blan- kets on our back some necessaries to eat & lay down wherever night over took us, & carried our dirt in a bag sometimes one mile to find a pool of water to wash it, and then could not get over from 3 to 5 cts . to pan full then what could we do until rain come, only leave it, so then I left & pushed down to Sacramento, intending to go to Benecia, but I hired on a Wrench, or farm as they call them in the Spanish language, at $65 pr month I was only there about 4 weeks until I took sick very sickly in the Val- ley, fever & Ague all over on Ace*, of the marshes & the coun- try overflowing in the rainy season then I came into Town & lay sick not able to help myself for 6 weeks at $16* pr Week for board for by [besides] medi- cine that took all I had mostly, next I went to drive Horses for Miller up in the mountains with goods to Store keepers, until I got some strength, next I went up in the mountains to mine the 1 st . heavy rain we had it rained about one month the most of the time straight down I stood it all the time for about one month, & then left came down to Sacramento, to go to Benecia, to try to find Denton, but unfortunately I took fever & hard one it was I was expected to die every day, but brought me through in about six weeks so as I was able to get out of bed & make my escape to another House for a while where I was taken good care off & then I left & went to Newcastle Secret Diggings & began to pro- spect made a claim & went to mining, mined in Newcastle for some time but could not make any thing on Acc fc . of pay- ing $1 pr inch for water less than 4 inches I could not do any thing and the ground so hard and deep almost from 12 to 20 ft nothing paid but about iy 2 ft at the bottom on the top of the rock, their was a new place struck about 6 miles from there It was called great so my partners got dissatisfied and would sell so to buy them out I did not know which would be best so we all sold out & put for the new diggings but they were not near as good as was represented, but still some were [221] Wisconsin Historical Society making a good strike once & awhile as is the case all over the Mines some are bound to strike & some has a poor chance if ever it is all chance work like all other mining places es- pecially in the late days it is not as it was in 49 & 50 before the country was dug up. I got a start made at these new diggings & could not make very much on Ace*, of water be- ing scarce until fall, but it happened before fall we disagreed & I sold out & left for mere nothing and worst of all I was robbed of my belt & a good many Specimens that I intended to send home for to make finger rings & Ear-rings to what amount I wont say but I expect enough to cover what I wrote I would send you home this blasted my expectations so then I had to push my fortune once more, and then the worst time of the year hot as the Indies & no water without carrying the dirt some distance, I prospected near Dotys Flatts, about 2 miles from where the Simpsons live and struck a middling good place but some, how it was [so] very troublesome to work when water did come & no fall that I did not do as well as I expected & further their was not enough of it, & also the country is all tore up round here & also on Ace 1 , of it being winter I am as well as many others obliged to stay until the winter & rainy season are over if [we] can but make board some has enough to do to make it so I remain here until Spring and then I intend to go to the mountains but what part I dont know, this [journal] ends at the time of M c Glorys leaving for [the] Ufnited] States. [On fly-leaf] It will be hard for you to make this book out right Acct of some mistakes & I had no time to look them over and also I referred back to page in places where by close examination you might find it out take good care of it until I come back friend but be sure dont lend it to dirty or muss it up until I write it of [f] once more I could get $50 for it in Sacramento. Y r . Ty Spanish Ravine [222] Turnbull's Travels Later Reflections Upon California March 29 th 185i3, 48 Brother, (This is the fourth letter that I have wrote you from Cali- fornia, and never received no answer. I have been sick twice & it cost me all I could make and some in debt, I have just now recovered from having an intermitting fever, I took sick in the most cursed hole I ever was in, in all my life I was almost eat alive by lice, and so weak that I could not turn over in bed, a good many has died that I was acquainted with & strangers also, this is a terrible country for a man to be sick in, the people in these boarding houses would not of- fer you a drink of water or victuals if you do not crawl over the bed & take what is going, it was the same the first time I took sick in Millers, they are a cursed set, they charged me $16 pr week, for each & every day of the week did not get the offer nor could not eat one Cup of tea in two days, this about 5 month I have been sick in all and further it takes some time to get strength so as you are able to go to work again, — if it had not been for a Scotchman, that kept Store, on the Mines up the Sacramento river, that took a great lik- ing for me on ace*, of doing some writing for him he is rich his people lives in Canada & has been for 18 years, came right to the boarding house & took me out of it & made me up a bunk in his Store, & paid a man to shoot quail & Rabbits, for me to make soup at that time i could not hear almost any thing I stopt with him for some time, until I Avas able to walk around, then he wanted me to go down to the Bay, at San- iraneisco, where he has got a Farm, & stop there until I got some strength to go to work & he would not charge me any thing. R. Miller was in company with this fellow that kept this boarding house & they had a store also, the old fellow has got a few acres of land near Sacramento, if it was paid for, if it had not been for this Scotchman it would have been the last of me I believe, after he had not took me away ** The only letter written by Thomas Turnbull and now preserved by his family is this, which was written from Newcastle Secret Diggings. [223] Wisconsin Historical Society more than 3 days, then Miller came up & presented a Bill for 4 wks board & attendance to offer a drink of water or a cup of tea once in 3 days $59.75 & I laying not able to hear nor speak the Scotchman got so mad that he kicked him out of the Store & damned him that his house was not fit for a Hog, to lay in for lice & blackguards & told him he would pay it out of his own pocket if I had been used like a human being, they were talking all round among the Boarders, that I would certainly die & if I did where would they get their pay, at the same time I had over $60 in my pocket, I could crawl out of doors at night to do a job for myself, & hardly able to get in again being so weak when I was at the worst I hid my money in the ground it sometimes puzzled me to find it on ace*, of my head being so giddy, to buy medicine that I wanted I had to hide it for fear of the Miners boarding or Miller taking it out of my pocket, as they all do in this Coun- try before a mans breath is out, paid if it had not been for sickness I would have sent you $100 twice over, but this is a hard Country for a man to get work in when first coming in & especially when he has no money & gets sick, some are never subject to sickness much & others are all the time & also a great many have died this season after coming over the Plains from the States 100 ' s payed their passage & turned right home again did not find the country as they expected, it is not the same as when the Steele' 8 came here all the Ra- vines, & Kanyans, & Bars, on all the Rivers, are mostly all worked out & taken up without a man had got money to buy a Claim he has got no chance in some places, he has got to be here one year almost now before he can find out the rascality of miners holding claims all over, after you get acquainted you can find claims everywhere but not the tenth part as good as when Steeles were here only in some places, I have left this Scotchman & gone up to the Mines to a place called New- castle or Secret Diggings, I prospected round some 3 days not very strong boarding with, Phelix Sutherland. I struck a prospect from 10 cts to 50 cts to the pan I went & Staked out 400 ft Square, next day took in 3 partners & put them right on to work green horns from England bought all the tools & started then the next I was able to go to work with them [ 224 ] Turnbull's Travels we did not do much for 3 wks about board & tools, Slice boxes, Yorn, & Riffle Boxes Picks, & Shovels, & Hoes for the water to run in to wash the dirt in the Yom, and we have to buy- water also companies have cut ditches from Creeks & Rivers to bring water all over the dry diggings, and they charge from $6 to $4 for one Tom head that is for water enough to wash your dirt for one day, some are working hard & cant hardly pay board it is all a lottery some will strike a good! place & make their pile right away others the reverse, the tools I bought cost me over $80.00, the 4 of us now are mak- ing from $6 to $8 pr day, for 3 days before I wrote this let- ter, & I expect we shall do better I found one place $1 to the pan if we make any large strike you shall soon know & have some of it, I am getting pretty well now thanks be to you, hoping to find you all the same, Spence & Simpsons are over about 4 Miles from me mining the "Widow Dewyers daugh- ter & boy M c Gloy, Cob. M c Vay, &c Cunningham & Squire M c Guire from Chicago about 4 mile from me mining I heard Cochran was very near deaf & pretty well broke down Sul- livan & the rest are separated all over, if you see the old man M c Cormick tell him Roger is working with Simpsons & says he will send him some money as soon as possible, he has been sick for some time he has never seen nor heard of his brother, since he came, none of them has so much money as the people talk about that I have mentioned the[y] go on to a claim & does a good deal of work on it & it costs something $15 [000] or $20 [000] you may depend I will tell you in the next letter all about coming, I could not send my journal on ace 1 of it being done with pencil I have not had time to take it off but I will have time before long, I remain Your aff fc Brother Thomas Turnbull Direct Newcastle Secret Diggings Placer County Care of Phelix Sutherland [ 225 ] MB -17.8 o " • - 4S * % *+ *K ,4> 0* ,.. -**o ^ ^. 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