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JOURNAL OF TRAVELS FROM ST. JOSEPHS TO OREGON,
JOURNAL OF TRAVELS FROM ST. JOSEPHS TO OREGON,
WITH OBSERVATIONS OF THAT COUNTRY, TOGETHER WITH SOME DESCRIPTION OF CALIFORNIA , ITS AGRICULTURAL INTERESTS, AND A Full Description OF ITS GOLD MINES. BY RILEY ROOT. GALESBURG: GAZETTEER AND INTELLIGENCER PRINTS. 1850. BY RILEY ROOT. GALESBURG: GAZETTEER AND INTELLIGENCER PRINTS. 1850....
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EXPLANATORY NOTE.
EXPLANATORY NOTE.
The Author of the present work has adopted a new method of punctuation, and, in certain cases, of spelling. He discards entirely the colon and the semi-colon. Modern readers passing along with great rapidity, and the principal use of these points being to mark the length of time the voice is to be suspended, the Author is of opinion that they may with propriety disappear from our language. Accordingly he has adjusted the following work to suit those views, and as the reader advances, his attenti
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ADVERTISEMENT.
ADVERTISEMENT.
As the advantages for knowing the pronunciation of some of the words that occur in the following work are limited amongst most eastern readers, it may not be improper here to give some explanation by way of change in their orthography. The name of the Willamette, a river in the west valley of Oregon, is changd to Will-am-et, with the accent on the second syllable. A tributary of the Willamet river, with the several names of Quality, Tualiton, and Troliton, is more familiarly calld Twality. Also
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CHAPTER I.
CHAPTER I.
Journey from home—Trip down the Mississippi and up the Missouri River to St. Josephs. I left home in Knox county, Illinois, the 3d day of April, 1848, for Woodstock in Fulton county, a distance of about 20 miles, where I staid one day with my eldest daughter. I then started for the Mississippi river, to Nauvoo, a Mormon town, by the way of La Harp, a distance of fifty miles, over which route most of the way to La Harp is as handsome prairie as I have seen in the State. I visited the Temple at Na
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CHAPTER II.
CHAPTER II.
St. Josephs—The Indian country lying west of the River—Formation of the Prairie—Scouring material of the Soil—Its general appearance as far west as the South Pass, or dividing ridge. St. Josephs is a new town on the Missouri river, in latitude of about 34 deg. 45 min. north, with about 1800 inhabitants, which five years ago was a field of hemp. The town has 18 stores, 3 drug stores, 9 groceries, 6 tailor shops, 8 blacksmith shops, 2 tin shops, 3 taverns, 3 boarding houses, 1 steam and 1 water fl
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CHAPTER III.
CHAPTER III.
The Indians east of the Rocky Mountains, their migratory habits, &c.—The American Fur Company and its shipments—Fort Larimie and location—Saline quality in the earth and the waters of Platt and its tributaries—Independence rock—Daring deed of one of our company. Twenty-five miles west of St. Josephs, on the emigrant route, is a school for Indians, calld Iowa and Sack Mission Boarding School. It is conducted by a Mr. S. M. Ervin and H. W. Hamilton. During our stay of two or three days at
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THE INDIANS OF DESHUTES.
THE INDIANS OF DESHUTES.
“That Indian, whose untutord mind Sees God in the clouds, or hears him in the wind— Whose soul, proud science never taught to stray” Far as the glittring sun, or other orbs of day, Lives far retird—a kanion deep, a solitary dell, A gloomy shade—’tis there he deigns to dwell. What is his food, when naught but rocks around Are seen? No fields of plenty there do clothe the ground. His raiment, also scant, to shield his naked form, No robes of beasts, nor pelts, nor furs, to guard him from the storm
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CHAPTER V.
CHAPTER V.
Necessary outfits for emigrants to Oregon or California, taken from Palmer’s Journal of Travels to Oregon—Additional advice by the Author. For burthen wagons, light four-horse or heavy two-horse wagons are the size commonly usd. They should be made of the best material, well seasond, and should in all cases have falling tongues. The tire should not be less than one and three fourths inches wide, but may be advantageously usd three inches; two inches, however, is the most common width. In fasteni
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CHAPTER VI.
CHAPTER VI.
South Pass—Wind River Mountains—Oregon, its three grand divisions. Having accomplishd my journal of distances from St. Josephs to Oregon city, I begin my history of Oregon with the South Pass and Wind River mountains. From descriptions formerly given by some writers of the South Pass, the reader may be led to suppose that the traveler is to pass through a tremendous gap of the Rocky mountains, walld in with huge rocks on its sides, passable only by traversing the bottoms of a stream of water, wh
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CHAPTER VII.
CHAPTER VII.
The Divisions are separately considerd—The Climate—Rivers and Agricultural Resources—Mineral and Geological Character. The first or eastern division of Oregon can at present be considerd worth little else than to hold the world together. It, however, furnishes a tolerably good conveyance towards the ocean for some of the waters of Oregon, that take their rise in the Rocky mountains and elsewhere along the western declivity of the continent near to the dividing ridge. The surface of this division
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CHAPTER VIII.
CHAPTER VIII.
Forests and Animals of Oregon. Between the South pass and the Blue mountains, across the Eastern division of Oregon, no forests encostume the earth, to emit their fragrant odors to cheer and exhilarate the weary and thirsty traveler, except on the Bear River mountains, a few isolated peaks scatterd over that barren region. Along the streams occasionally, however, are seen an inferior growth of timber and shrubbery of various kinds. The Blue mountains afford some dense clusters of timber of yello
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CHAPTER IX.
CHAPTER IX.
Magnetic Poles of the Earth—Variation of the Magnetic Needle—Phenomena of the Northern Lights. Captain Ross, an English navigator, left England about twenty years ago, in pursuit of the north magnetical pole. He followd the magnetical needle, directing its course westwardly till he arrivd at Baffin’s bay in America, where he left his ship and traveld about two hundred miles still farther west, at which place he determind to be the north magnetic pole. This point being several hundred miles south
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CHAPTER X.
CHAPTER X.
Curiosities of Oregon. It is difficult to tell, in making out a history of a country, what would be a curiosity and what would not, to readers that are familiar with descriptions of country scenery. I have selected a few that are considered by some as curiosities, as follows. Mount Hood and its glacial sisters. Bear Lake of Bear River. Soda Springs. Hot Springs. Cascade Falls. Mount Hood is one of the glacial peaks of the Cascade range of mountains. It is situated about 50 miles a little south o
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CHAPTER XI.
CHAPTER XI.
Their Customs, Habits and Character. The Indians of Oregon, notwithstanding the exertions that have been made to improve their condition, are still a degraded race of semi-human beings, rapidly approaching to total extinction. Such is the proneness of the human race to indolence and vice, that it requires the whole of a short life to make any considerable advances towards an improvement in his natural or mental condition, even amongst the most favord portions of the human family. The Indian does
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CHAPTER XII.
CHAPTER XII.
Account of the murder of Dr. Whitman, as given by Rev. H. H. Spalding. In this communication I will commence the history of the bloody tragedy of the 29th of November at Waiilatpu. In all such massacres there is usually one or more escapes to tell the dreadful tale. It would seem God rescued me from the murderer’s hand, to perform this painful office. May kind Heaven grant that it may never again be my painful duty to record a like tragedy. May the friends of missions never again be calld upon t
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CHAPTER XIII.
CHAPTER XIII.
Same subject continud. 25th. To-day, Mr. Jackson, Mr. Rogers and myself left for Walla-walla. Encampd with the Walla-walla chief, Piyu-piyu Maks-maks, (Yellow Swan, often calld Yellow Bird, or Yellow Serpent.) We had a pleasant interview. He said the Catholics had often urgd him to leave the Protestants, and join them, but he should never join them, as it was too much like their old religion, worshipping men, women, clothes, swords,—&c. They had frequently requestd of him a place for a s
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CHAPTER XIV.
CHAPTER XIV.
Same subject continud. The Utilla is about 20 miles from Waiilatpu, prairie country, as is the whole of the middle district of Oregon, with the exception of one or two mountains, at intervals of one and two hundred miles. The night was dark, and the rain and wind beat furiously upon us. But our interview was sweet. We little thought it was to be our last. With feelings of deepest emotion, we calld to mind, that eleven years before, we crossd this trail the day before we reachd Walla-walla, the e
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CHAPTER XV.
CHAPTER XV.
The same subject continud. As Francis passd by his mangled, gasping brother, he stoopd and took the woollen tippet from the gash in the throat, when John attempted to speak, but immediately expired. Upon this Francis turnd to his sisters, and said, “I shall soon follow my brother.” The children were kept in this indescribably painful attitude for some time. My daughter Eliza was among them and understood every word of the Indians, who having finishd their terrible work without, were filling the
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CHAPTER XVI.
CHAPTER XVI.
Arrival of Gov. Lane—Description of Port Astoria and vicinity—Narrow escape from Shipwreck. March 8th, 1849. —I am quietly stowd away in a private family in Oregon city, after having roamd up and down the valley, in pursuit of information. All is commotion here. Gov. Lane, from Indiana, arrivd in town the first of this month, bringing the new government with him in his pocket up the Willamet river in a skiff, over the Clackamas rapids. As to whether he got out and helpd to pull the boat over the
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GOLD MANIA, Or Yellow Fever, as some call it.
GOLD MANIA, Or Yellow Fever, as some call it.
Excitement in Oregon, relative to the discovery of Gold in California. The discovery of the Gold District in California, has producd the greatest excitement of any thing of a similar nature in modern days. The first commencement of the excitement in Oregon was about the middle of August, 1848, and within one month’s time, nearly 2000 persons left Oregon for that place. The district is said to be the richest ever known. Though it is questionable whether the gold obtaind by Solomon was not found e
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GOLD MINES OF CALIFORNIA.
GOLD MINES OF CALIFORNIA.
In our paper of August 16, we devoted considerable space to the subject of the gold mines, stating some facts in regard to their discovery, and the manner in which the ore was collected. So well was the article receivd by the public—then on the qui vive for information about the mines—and consequently so great the demand for our paper, that in a few hours after publication the entire edition was disposd of. Since then we have receivd many and urgent demands for that number of the Californian, an
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CHAPTER XVIII.
CHAPTER XVIII.
Geography of the Gold District of Alta California. From recent searches for gold in Northern California, it appears that the present gold district is comprisd, nearly all of it, within the following boundary. It lies on the western declivity of the Sierra Neveda range of mountains, and gold is sought for along the tributaries of the great Sacramento river in the northern, and the St. Waukeen river in the southern part of Northern or Upper California. The names of the tributaries of the St. Wauke
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CHAPTER XIX.
CHAPTER XIX.
The Geology of the Gold District of California, with the probable cause of the production of Gold to the surface of the earth. The rocks of Golden California, in common with the whole western declivity of the Sierra Neveda mountains, are principally composd of primary, stratified, slate rocks. Some of these rocks are talcose slate. Others are more silicious, approaching even to coarsish sandstone slate, of various colors. Before confining the reader expressly to the gold district, a few remarks
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FIRST VARIETY.
FIRST VARIETY.
The first variety of Gold may be considerd as that which is in dry ravines, or between hills, where there is no running water, except in the time of showers, or the melting of snows.—This variety is calld dry ravine or angular gold, from the fact that whatever be its form, whether in plates or heavy solid masses, or in thin scales,—the edges are all sharp and angular, as nature formd it, having never been rounded off by attrition among moving pebbles or sand, in violent streams of water. The age
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SECOND VARIETY
SECOND VARIETY
The second variety of gold is that which is creek-washd,—the corners and edges of which are rounded off by attrition among moving pebbles and sand of the tertiary deposits of creeks, during the time of freshets. This gold, whether found in plates, or rounded masses, is most of it too heavy to float in running water, being carrid onward to its place of rest, by the united agency of gravitation, moving water, and the tertiary sediment. The creeks and large rivers receive their gold from the mouths
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THIRD VARIETY.
THIRD VARIETY.
The third variety of gold is that which may be denominated bar, scale, or floating gold. This gold is found in the tertiary deposits, commonly calld bars of the large streams flowing down from the Neveda range of mountains. Hence the name of bar gold. Its form is that of very thin scales, which causes it to float in waters that are highly agitated. Hence also, the names of scale, and floating gold. This gold is seldom found in pieces worth more than a dollar, and is rounded off by attrition, the
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Mode of Searching for the First Variety.
Mode of Searching for the First Variety.
The miner, in prospecting for the first variety, or dry ravine gold, selects a situation where, judging from the appearance of the hills, or the slope of the ravine likely to contain gold, it may be found most abundant. He commences his excavation at the center of the ravine, by digging downward till he arrives in most cases at the rock on which the deposit was made, which varies from 2 to 10 or 15 feet in depth. He then prospects outward toward the hills till he arrives at the line of deposit,
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Mode of Searching for the Second Variety.
Mode of Searching for the Second Variety.
It is more difficult to point out a successful mode of searching for gold of the second variety than either of the other two. Yet notwithstanding the difficulties attending it, some hints may be given, useful to the miner, who has previously become in some degree acquainted with the philosophy of running water and the nature of tertiary deposits. Those creeks of intermediate size between dry ravines, and the large rivers flowing down from the mountains, though dry or nearly so at some seasons of
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Mode of searching for the Third Variety.
Mode of searching for the Third Variety.
To obtain a knowledge of prospecting for bar gold, requires also a knowledge of the philosophy of running waters—yet gold is prospected with less difficulty in the bars of large rivers than creek-gold. As the bar gold is very light and thin, it is subject to the various freaks of running water, in which it is mechanically suspended, during times of freshets. In prospecting therefore, for gold along the bars of rivers, the principal thing to be attended to, is the formation of eddies along those
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CHAPTER XXII.
CHAPTER XXII.
Cost of transporting Goods from the several embarkadaries to the mines—Price of Merchandize in the mines—Cost of Provisions—Price of Medical Services—Administration of Justice—Manner of spending the Sabbath. From the two principal embarkadaries upon the St. Waukeen and Sacramento rivers of California, provisions and mining implements are transported to the seat of mining operations at exorbitant costs. On passing up to the mines from a place calld Stocton, upon the St. Waukeen, our company hird
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CHAPTER XXIII.
CHAPTER XXIII.
Alta or Upper California With respect to Agriculture—Climate and Health of Alta California—Navigation of its two principal Rivers—Some of the principal Towns of Alta California—Its Bays and Harbors. It can hardly be imagind, how the business of agriculture can be carrid on successfully in a country circumstancd like Upper California. In the mountainous portions, grain can not do well without resort to irrigation, and this, from extreme cost, can not well be done on an extensive scale. The low co
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CHAPTER XXIV.
CHAPTER XXIV.
Scenes on the Pacific Ocean.—Difficulty of reaching the harbor of Panama, by sail ships.—Arrival at Panama.—The town of Panama, and its inhabitants.—Passage across the isthmus, to Chagres. After a stay in California of a little more than five months, I took my departure for home by way of the ocean, on board a sail ship bound for Panama, the 21st day of October, 1849. As there is often a difficulty in getting out of the bay of San Francisco into the ocean, with sail ships, on account of a strong
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CHAPTER XXV.
CHAPTER XXV.
Town of Chagres—Its inhabitants—Trip to New Orleans—Thence up the Mississippi to St. Louis—Arrival home. Chagres is a town of some over 150 houses, situated on the South American side, at the mouth of the Chagres river. The houses are like those of Gorgona and Cruses, many of which appear to be of considerably ancient date. The ground upon which the town stands, is of but little elevation above the waters of the river, and it seems that it must inevitably become inundated, should a strong wind c
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