Bennett, Emerson - Prairie Flower 01

by The Prairie Flower (lit)

HUT HOSPITAi TY IN SIGHT OF THE SA CRAMENTO ARRIVAL AT SUTTER's.

  ON the following morning, we found our limbs so stiff and sore, as scarcely to be able to move about With great difficulty we gained the rivei, and bathed ourselves in its cool, refreshing waters, as on the eve ning previous. The result of this seemed rery beneficial ; but still we suffered too much from our recent almost superhuman exertions, to think of leaving our present locality for a day or two at least.

  Looking back over the desert which had nearly cost us our lives, we could barely perceive the shadowy outline of some of the highest peaks of the Bear River and Wahsatch Mountains ; but not a trace of that ridge whereon we had stood before entering this unexplored territory, from whence we had beheld distant oases and streams, none of which, save the first, had been found on our route. How this could be, was a matter of serious speculation, until Huntly suggested the fact of our hav ing looked more to the southward than westward. His observation struck me quite forcibly ; for I now remembered hav ing examined our compass, shortly after leaving the Indians, and of altering our course to the right, although previously I remembered, too, feeling somewhat sur prised at the time, that we had become so turned, but had afterward forgotten the trifling circumstance at least what then appeared trifling though, as events prov ed finally, a circumstance of life and death.

  This then solved the mystery ! We had come clue west, instead of west by south, and consequently had missed the very points we thought before us, and which would have saved the lives of our poor beasts.

  For two days we remained on the bank of the stream, which we not inappropri ately named Providence Creek, without venturing away the listance of thirty rods

  during the whole time. On the morning of the third day, we found our limbs so pliable, and our strength so far recruited, a$ to think ourselves justified in resuming our travels, or at all events in making an exploration of the ridge above us.

  Accordingly, ascending to the summit of the hill which was densely covered with a wood somewhat resembling ash, though not so large we made out the up lands here to cover an area of five miles in breadth by twenty in length, running almost due north and south, and composed of two parallel ridges, full of springs of fine water, some of which ran outward and formed the stream we had first gained, and others inward, forming another in the valley between, both ot which, taking a southerly course, united on the way, and entered at last into a beautiful lake, bare ly visible from the highest point, and which also appeared the grand reservoir of the surrounding country.

  Our present locality was a rich and beautiful desert island, and had our horses been here, they would have fared sumptu ously on the green, luxuriant grass of the valley. To the best of our judgment, this spot had never before been visited by human being, as no signs indicative there of could be found. The only game we could discover, were a few grbund animals resembling the rabbit, and some gay plum ed birds. We killed a few of each, and on dressing and cooking them, found their flavor, especially the former, very delicious and nutritive.

  In this manner we spent a week on Mount Hope, as we termed the ridge, mak ing explorations, killing game, &c., and at the end of this time found our wonted health and spirits nearly restored. We knew not what was before us, it is true ; but as kind Providence had almost mirac ulously preserved us through so many dangers, we no longer had dread of our journey, nor fears of our safely reaching the valley of the Sacramento, at which point we aimed.

  One thing in our rambles struck us quite forcibly that in the beds of nearly all the streams we examined, we found a fine yellow substance, mixed with the dirt and sands, which had every appearance of gold. As we had no means of testing

  THE PRAIR/E FLOWER; OR,

  this, we resolved l.o take some along as a specimen, and should we escape, and our surmises regarding it be confirmed, either return ourselves, or put some hardy Ad venturer in possession of the secret. If this were indeed gold, it must of course have its source in some mine in the vicin ity ; and this important discovery alone, we felt, would amply compensate us for all we had dared and suffered in venturing hither.

  The next morning, like each of the pre ceding, being clear and serene, we resolv ed to depart, and again try our fortunes. Looking toward the west, we beheld in the distance another camping ground ; and hastening down the western slope of the hills, we made our way directly toward it, over a slightly undulating country, less sterile in its appearance than the desert we had crossed the previous week. We were not able to reach it till after night fall, and suffered more or less through the day for want of water. Here we again found a rich soil, wooded with what I be lieve is termed the sage tree, and wa- -tered by several delightful springs and streams, in some of which we bathed, and of which we drank, much to our relief.

  To follow up our progress in detail, would be to take up more space than can now be spared for the purpose, and, in a great measure, to repeat, with trifling va riations, what I have already given.

  Suffice it, therefore, that our journey was continued day after day sometimes over sandy deserts of two days' travel, which blistered our feet, and where we again suffered all the horrors of burning- thirst sometimes over rough, dangerous

  . ,

  and volcanic grounds, along side of giddy precipices, and yawning chasms, and adown steep declivities, where a single misstep would have been fatal sometimes across streams too deep to ford, and which we were obliged to swim subsisting, a .part of the way, on roots and such game us we could kill, (our supply of jerk hav ing given out,) and sleeping at night on the sands, in the open air, or perhaps un der the shelter of some overhanging rock occasionally drenched with a storm of cold rain, without a lire to dry our wet gar ments, and suffering more or less from hunger, and drought, and weariness, and violent rheumatic pains.

  Such was our pilgrimage, over an unex plored country ; and yet through all our sufferings, save the first, when we lost our horses, our spirits were almost ever buoy ant, and we experienced a rapturous de light known only to the adventuitr.

  Some six weeks from our leaving the Wahsatch range, we came in sight of "he lofty peaks of the Sierra Nev ida, which we hailed with a shout of joy, similar to that of a sailor discovering land after a long, tedious voyage, and which awoke echoes in a wilderness never before dis turbed by the human voice. Five hundred miles of an unknown region had been passed, almost the whole distance on foot, and now we stood in full view of our long looked for desideratum. During this timo we had not seen a human being always excepting our unfortunate friends, the Diggers which led us to the inference, that the larger portion of this Great In terior Basin was uninhabited or, at all events, very thinly peopled.

  From this point to the Sierra Nevada, our course now lay over a rough, moun tainous country, well watered and timber' ed; and on the second day, we cairvi upon one or two miserable, dilapidated huts which, from all appearance, had long been untenanted and a mile or two far ther on, saw a small party of savages, who, on discovering our approach, lied precipitately to the highlands we proba bly being the first white human beings they had ever beheld.

  About noon of the third day we came to a beautiful lake, and going round it, reached the foot of the mountain chain, bounding the Great Basin on the west, just as the sun, taking his diurnal farewell of the snowy peaks above us, seemingly transformed them, by his soft, crimson light, into huge pillars of burnished gold. We now considered ourselves compara tively safe, though by no means out of dan ger ; for our route, over these mighty erections of nature, we were well aware, must be one of extreme peril. Unlike the desert, we might not suffer for want of wa ter but, unlike the desert, too, we might with cold, snows, storms, and from hostile savages.

  On the succeeding day we began oui ascent. Up, up, up we toiled through

  ADVENTURES IN THE FAR WEST.

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  «l«:nse thickets of dwarfish, shrubby trues through creeping vines, full of brambles, ihat lacerated our ankles and feet, (we had 'ong been shoeless,) up, up, up the
steep iLountain sides we struo-o-led over rocks

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  which sometimes formed precipices that only yielded us here and there a danger ous foot-hold occasionally leaping across canons, in which the torrent of the moun tain rolled murmuring over its rocky bed a thousand feet below us on, on, up and on we pressed eagerly sometimes suffer ing with fatigue, and with cold, and with hunger up and on we bent our steps, for two, long, wearisome days, ere we reached the regions of eternal snow.

  At last we stood upon the very back bone of the Sierra Nevada, ten thousa nd feet above the sea, surrounded by a few cedars, loaded with snow and ice, the for mer underneath us to the depth of many fcet and gazed downward, far, far below us upon the broad, barren plains, fertile uplands, lovely valleys, and bright, silver streams and lakes with feelings that are indescribable.

  A mile or two farther on, we came to a pleasant valley, through which rolled a beautiful stream. Here, collecting a sup- pi/ of drift-wood, we kindled a bright fire, and disposing ourselves around it, toasted our already swollen and frost-bitten feet, made our supper of a few roots and ber- rits which we had collected on the way, and occupied most of the night in con- stiucting some rude moccasins out of a quarter buffalo robe which we fortunately had brought with us.

  Thus for several days did we continue our perilous journey passing through scenes of danger and hardship, that, if detailed, would fill a volume sustained, in all our trials, by a holy Being, to whom we daily and nightly gave the sincere orisons of grateful hearts.

  Once, during our mountain journey, we came very nigh being buried in a furious snowstorm ; and but for the providential shelter of an Indian hut, ere durkness set tled around us, this narrative in all proba bility had never been written. The hut m question, stood on the side of the moun tain, and was constructed of sticks, wil lows and rushes, well braided together, in shape not unlike a modern beehive. The

  tenants were an Indian, his squaw, and two half-grown children, all miserable, and filthy in their appearance. Our sudden entry (for we did not stop for etiquette) alarmed them terribly, and they screeched and drew back, and huddled themselves in the farther corner. However, on mak ing them friendly signs, and intimating we only sought protection from the storm, they became reassured, and offered us some nuts of a pleasant flavor, peculiar to the country, and which, as I learned, formed their principal food. We spent the night with them, aud were treated with hospitality.

  On leaving I presented the host with a pocket-knife, which he received with an ejaculation of delight, and examined curi ously. On opening 'it, and showing him its uses, his joy increased to such a degree, that, by signs, he immediately volunteered to act as guide, and was accepted by us without hesitation. He proved of great service, in showing us the shortest and best route over the mountains, and as a kind of bodyguard against other savages, whom we now occasional!) met, but whom he restrained from approaching us with any undue familiarity.

  On arriving in sight of Sutler's settle ment: situated near the junction of the Rio Sacramento and Rio de los America nos, or River of the Americans we gave a wild shout of joy, and our guide made signs that he would go no farther. As he had been with us several days, and had proved so faithful, we could not bear he should part from us without a further tes timonial of our generosity and gratitude. Accordingly, drawing from my belt a sil ver-mounted pistol, I discharged it, show ed him how to load and fire it, and then presented it to him, together with a belt- knil'e and a good sivpply of powder and ball ; and he went back with all the pride of an emperor marching from the conquest 17 another kingdom.

  Hurrying forward, with feelings which are indescribable, we passed throuo-h a beautiful valley, green with blade and briy-ht with flowers through an Indian village, where every person appeared neat and comfortable, and well disposed toward us and at last, ascending a slight emi nence, just as day was closing, beheld

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  THE PRAIRIE FLOWER; OR,

  before us, not half a mile distant, an American fortress, though in a Mexican country, and garrisoned by Indians.

  In fifteen minutes more we had passed the dusky sentinel at the gate, and entered an asylum of- rest from our long pilgrim age. We were received by Captain Sutter himself, who, gathering only a brief out line of our adventures and sufferings, ex pressed surprise to see us here alive, shook our hands with all the warm-heartedness of an American friend, and gave us a most cordial invitation to make his citadel our home, so long as we might feel dis posed to remain in the country.

  CHAPTER XXV.

  OUR APPEARANCE SUTTER AND FORT

  LEAVE IN THE SPRING REFLECTIONS A

  TEAR PASSED OVER ON OUR RETURN

  THE ANTELOPE CHASE LOSS OF MY

  FRIEND TERRIBLE FEARS DESPAIR

  FEARFUL RESULTS, ETC.

  WORN-OUT ar A starved-out our gar ments all in Batters our frames emaciated our faces long, thin and sallow with sunken eyes and a beard of some two months' growth r we presented anything but an attractive appearance on our first arrival at Sutler's. But with the aid of soap and water a keen razor new rai ment, and a couple of weeks'- rest we began once more to resemble civilized be ings, and feel like ourselves.

  Captain Sutter we found to possess all the retined qualities of a hospitable Amer ican gentleman. He had emigrated to this country, from the western part of Missouri, a year or two previous to our arrival, and had already succeeded in es tablishing a fort, on a large grant of land obtained from the Mexican government.

  He had succeeded, too, in subduing and making good citizens the surrounding In dians, many of whom were already in his employ some as soldiers, to guard his fortress some as husbandmen to till his soil and some as vaqueros, or cow- herds, lo tend upon his kine and cattle ; so that everything around gave indications of an industrious, wealthy, and prosperous set tler.

  The fort itself was a large, quadrangu lar adobe structure, capable of being gar risoned by a thousand men though at the time of which I speak, the "whole force consisted of some thirty or forty Indians, (in uniform) and some twenty-five Amer ican, French, and German employes. It mounted some ten or twelve pieces of ord nance, and was well supplied with other munitions of war, most of which, together with a large number of stock, agricultural and other stores, Sutter had purchased from a neighboring Russian establishment, prior to its being withdrawn from the country. Its internal appearance its ar rangement of carpenter and blacksmith shops, store-rooms, offices, &c. so closely resembled Fort Laramie, as to make fur ther description unnecessary.

  Here we remained through the winter, amusing ourselves in various ways some times in hunting among the mountains, exploring the country, and fishing in th# streams and at others, in making our selves masters of the Spanish tongue, which was spoken by many of the Indiani 1 and all of the natives. This last, how ever, was more for our benefit than amuse* ment as we had determined on a visit to the seaport places in the lower latitudes of Mexico, so soon as the annual sprijg rains, being over, should leave the ground in a good condition for traveling.

  It was some time between the first a^d middle of May, that, mounted upon a couple of fiery horses which, decked otf with all the showy trappings of two com plete Spanish saddle equipments, had beei pressed upon us as a present by our gen erous host we bade adieu to the noble- hearted Captain Sutter and family, and srt out upon our southern journey.

  As we rode along, it was with feelings of pleasant sadness we looked back over the eventful past, and remembered that about this time a year ago, two gay youths, fresh from college, were leaving friends and home for the first time, to ven ture they scarce knew whither. And what of those friends now ? Were they alive, and well, and ) in prosperity ? Had their thoughts been much on the wanderers? Had they looked for our return? Had they wept in secret for our absence, an«3 prayed daily for our preservation ? Ah I

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  ys, we well knew all this had been done ; and the thought that we were still keep ing them in su
spense that we were still venturing farther and farther away could not but make us sad. But, withal, as I said before, it was a pleasant sadness ,- for we secretly felt a delight in going over new scenes beholding new objects. More over, we were now in good health ; our constitutions felt vigorous ; and this tended to raise our spirits.

  What an eventful year had the past one been ! Through what scenes of trial, privation, suffering, and peril had we not passed ! And yet, amid all, how had we been sustained by the hand of Omnipo tence ! How had we been lifted up and borne forward over the quicksands of despair ! And when all appeared an end less, rayless night, how had our trembling souls been rejoiced by the sudden light of hope beaming upon our pathway, and showing us a haven of rest !

  But where would another year find us ? In what quarter of the habitable globe, aud under what circumstances? Should we be among the living, or the dead? The dead ! What a solemn thought, to think that our bones might be reposing in the soil of the stranger thousands of miles from all we loved, and from all that loved us ! What a startling idea ! And vet, in our journeyings, how indifferent, how careless had we been of life ! With what fooihardiness had we even dared death to meet us ! And still, with all the frightful warnings of the past before us, how recklessly were we plunging on to new scenes of danger ! Why did we not turn now, and bend our steps homeward ? Had we not seen enough, suffered enough, to satisfy the craving desires of youth ?

  Hume ! wha t a blessed word of a thou sand joys ! With what pleasing emotions the thought would steal upon our senses ! What a world of affection was centered there ! What happy faces the thought re called, and how we longed to behold them ! Longfed, ytt took the very course to put vime and distance between us and them ! A.nd this to gratify what our sober reason told us what was only a foolish, boyish passion a craving love of adventure !