Journal of a Mountain Man

by Win Blevins

  11th A cool Pleasant morning no wood but a few dry willows and Quite small made 18 miles up the south side of the River over a level Prarie no timber except a few cotton wood Trees & them all confined to the Islands in the river which are numerous but generally small the Prairie ponds are wells[t]ored with wild ducks [these] with a few antelope constuite all the game yet seen & but feew of them precured a rapid shower of rain about sun down This river Platt has a channel not much less than three miles wide and the intervale from Bluff to Bluff as much as 12 miles wide the bank from 2 to 4 feet high above the water whare it is 4 feet high it is remarkable dry ana hard formed of a fine pale tenacious clay and fine dead sand remarkabel hard and smoothe

  12th A clear morning and a fine day but verry warm the same Level country the want of wood and water except the river and the long grass on the lowlands made 20 miles and encamped near some low willow Islands from which we obtained dry willows sufficiant to make fire for the night Several antelope ware killed to day and a number of wild ducks seen— had a fair view of our camp traveling as seen from the Bluffs abut a mile distant they made Quite a picturesque [appearance] First came a few stragling foot & horse men ahead & on the left flank the right being on the river next a thick squad of horsmen in front followeed by a long string of white looking wagon covers flanked with gentlemen & Ladies occasionally in the rear a long string of Loose cattle horses and mules the tout assemble being rather uneque

  13 A Fair day started early & made about 20 miles over a level Planies & a heard smoothe road To day the sand hill which have lain to our left disappeared and ware succeeded by dry clay Bluff cut into deep narrow ravenis which do not reach far back into the (the) country as no streame that brings any running water has yet been seen the high level country South of the ravines are Beautifull Beyond discription handsomely roling and thickly set with fine Buffalo grass and Blue stem almost as soft as a bed and luxuriously covered with wild sun flowers and several other speces of yallow Blossoms which are now in full Bloom and scent the air to a considerable distance with a verry fine perfume as plasant as a flower garden

  “no place…looks more lonesome and discouraging than the wide Prairies of this region”

  Sunday

  14th It rained a light Shower last night & a thick cloudy morning Mr Hinman who [went] south into the Bluffs to shoot antelope did not return turned [out the] men this morning to hunt for him no place in the world looks more lonesome and discourageing than the wide Prairies of this region neither tree bush shrub rock nor water to cherish or shelter him and such a perfect sameness with a alusive ridge all around you meeting the Horozon in all directions you Suppose your course to lie over some one of those horizontal ridges when after several hours anxious fatigue you suppose you are about to assend the highest pinacle and some Known Land mark what is your diapoimtmint to find ridge rise beyond ridge to the utmost extant of human vision

  15 Rold. out unusually early found the road quite sloppy The weather close and warm and the mosquetoes thicker than I ever saw in any place to continue for a whole day as they (as they) did here until dark when they eased off & we had a fair nights rest the course of the river nearly due west [down] the valy [to] the extensive level plain Timber still more scarce and for miles nothing seen but now and then a Junt of shrubby Cottonwood or a dwarf willow made 20 miles recent Tracks of Buffaloe seen in Quanties but the animal himself Kept out of Sight rode out south onto the Bluffs and saw an undiscribeable country of hills Bluffs and deep cut ravines through a pale yallow clay soil some of which are 100 feet perpendicular the great reservoirs of mud which lie here in reserve for the next rain

  16 A clear morning all though it thundred and Lighned in all directions Throughout the night all the companis of Oregon Emigrants mountaineers & califoronians &c &c ahead of us had had buffaloe for several days & being anxious my self to get amess I laid my couse S.W. over the cut Bluffs nearly perpendicular and passed main rang[e] the country became more regual and level found the Buffalo in great Quantities Killed one verry fine one loaded my mule and started for camp had hard riding to pass the cut Bluffs & obtain the open plain through which the river passes before sundown But here commenced our Toils the camp having made 18 miles at 12 of which we had to ride after night the moketoes with uncommon Blood thirsty appetite commenced & ware Litterly so thick that with all our exertions we could hardly breath

  17 La[s]t night we passed Mr Gilhams company & they repassed us again in this morning we have now arived at the dry & thirsty clay soil which is always hard or if soft melts & runs with the water so thick that you can not see aparticle of the whitest matter the ½ of an inch below its surface Made 12 miles & passed the Junction of the S & N Branchs of Platte which Junction is in a verry low wet country & only a fieu inches above the surfac of the water Several Hunters ware out to day all returned Brot Quantities of meat some verry fine & all good I am sorry to Say that I was mistaken about the Hunters all returning 4 men did not return and great anxiety is [felt] on account of them 3 with families & 2 of the women driving the Teams for 2 days past arived at our supposed ford and making preperations to cross over

  18 It rained a light shower last night after which the (the) wind changed to the N. & we had afine coll night & a pleasant fair morning. Cooked our Supper last night with Buffaloe dung called chips in a modest way Such an article as wood (being) not being found 18 [miles] Crossed the S. Fork of the Platte river without the least difficulty over a loose sandy shallow ford and encamped on the smoothe level Prairie about 2 miles form our last nights encampment the bluffs in the contigous contry in many Places shew a fine loose limestone which gives it a white appearanc at a distance Soil dry and hard bearing the fine Buffaloe grass but no timber had a pleasant cool day for July the [valley] narrowed down to about 4 or 5 miles in width but level as heretofore

  19 A cool clear morning all it Thundred and Lightned in several Directions last night our 4 lost hunters returned after wandring 3 days & 2 nights over the boundless Prairies and allthough the summer is far advanced our prosspects wore a bette[r] face for crossing the mountains before winter made 5 miles and encamped on accoun of one of the Ladies being to sick to travel Rode out on the hills deviding the N. & S. Forks (which in appearance are nearly the same vollume of water) Found the ridges dry & hard composed mostly of rounded granite gravel undelaid with strato of soft marly Limestone several male Buffaloe ware see[n] from camp and one large herd containing Several hundreds on the opposite Side of the river nothing in the character of a spring or Brook of running water has been seen since we came on the platte

  20 A Beautifull (clear) clear cool morning the finest we have yet seen a Light west wind and clear atmophere imence heards of Buffalo seen from the hills near camp on the plains Beyond the river 4 days since we overtook Mr Gilhams company of Oregon Emigrants & yesterday an arangement was entered into for the traveling in the neare vicinity of each other & encamping no further apart than necessary for the good of our stock so that our entire company makes 96 Teams wagons & occupies with loose stock & all more than two miles of tolerable close collumn 16 [miles]

  no preceveable alteration in soil or river or apeareance of country except the uplands are dryer & harder & on the Bottoms a fair appeareance of salt mixed with several other mineral substances

  Sunday

  21 A Slight Shower of rain fell about sundown yestarday evening & several others during the night a clear morning cole & pleasant made 14 miles up the N. Side of the S. Fork of Platte over dry Prairie intervale as fine a road as any in the union or even the world great Quntitees of Buffaloe seen a few miles from the trail but verry few imediately on the rout owing to several small companies of malcontents going ahead and driveing them away But our Hunters have been able to keep our camp well supplied with the finest kind all Ladies Gentleme[n] Children and all with the greatest uninimity agree that this is the finest richest sweetest living of any they have ever experienced and all hope that they may last far long & broad without stint or diminution


  22 a warm evening last and a warm morning this the mosquetoes verry troublesome the first time we have been much troubled in camp allthough they cover a single individual horse and all in a few minuits of evenings & mornings for the last 10 days if he happen to be out alone Quantities of Buffalo in sight all day to day made 7 miles to the point whare we leave the S. Fork & cross over the ridge to the N. Fork a verry warm day without scarcely a breath of air to keep down the flies & Moketoes country the same except that their has been a Tremendious Shower rain not long since which has flooded all the ravines & given life & vigor to all Fly & Moketoe tribe & the warm weather has given them keen appetites.

  23 Contrary to all the k[n]own rules of Traveling in this country a number of horses & mules run loosse last night & Likewise acording to a well known Phraze 15 or 20 came up missing this morning a fine cool day for crossing the interminable Prairies rolled out early nearly a north course found by good luck and unexpectedly several ponds of water about noon Likewise passed an extensive prairie dog village containing 3 or 400 acres of Land thickly settled with an active population living remote forom every thing but grass & weeds which constitutes their entire subsistance made 22 miles & encamped at dark on (on) the South bank of the N Fork in excelent grazing which is verry extensive the intervales being 6 or 8 miles wide not a stick of Standing timber in sight in any direction The Bluff down the river formed of Lime stone

  24 The coolest morning we have experianced with a brisk N wind all pleasan & animated on account of our late good roads & rapid traviling did not travel to day an odd Butle [Bustle?] of washing shaveing cleaning & repairing it being the first since the 4th when we left Fossil Bluffs to the east risis steep Limes[t]one cliffs all most perpendicular near 100 feet high worn into all manner of Shapes by the action of the wind This stream is a Counterpart of Stream we left at our last encampment Except that it is not so muddy being more than a mile in width generally shallow & running rapidly over loose floating sand no place more than 5 feet deep Quantities of Saline Substances making their appearance on the surface in Evenings of clear days the opposite side of the river shew high rounded sand hills

  25th Fair with a light east wind and plesanly cool moved of at an Early hour Singular as it may seem this Stream like the last has no tributarys falling into it from either side the Loup or wolf fork falling in below drains all the immence Sand plains N. to the Shianne which is the first stream nothe that takes its waters from the highlands or mountains made about 18 miles partly loose Sand & partly a Tenacious light coloured clay verry fine & close & in places white as pipe clay the Limestone ledge nearly dissap[ear]ed Toward evening and was succeeded with clay and Sand bluffs but not near so high in the evening passed the Broad channel of a brook with a little shallow water rippling over the sand the first water we have seen running into the Main Platt or its Branches since we struck that river no Buffalo seen on the N Fork

  26 A light shower of rain fell about dusk last night a clear warm morning Pased one mud hole the first on the Platte made 17 miles over the usual level Prairie one or 2 Shrubby hackberry trees seen through the day and passed some scattering clumps of pine to the South of our track theat at the distance shew rough uneven and rocky the Bluffs shew close to the water on the oposite side of the river in many places the day clar and warm throughout and the evening Remarkably light and pleasant with a bright moon the (the) chimny rock was said to be visable but I did not see it allthough I watched close No Buffaloe seen since we left the S Fork

  “the noted chimney rock”

  27th A clear cool morning the Ladies pleasant animated and in fine Spirits which make a fine contrer part to the morning Early we came in sight of the noted chimney rock at the supposed distance of 30 miles it rises perpendicular and alone and looked like an old dry stub not larger in appearance than your finger 4 or 5 miles from our nooning raises a bank of clay & rock having all the appearanc of some old castle of circular shape the spire having been Blown down the main walls and dome roof in a good state of preservation and still shewing the even range work of rubble rock of which the structure was formed made 20 miles over the level intirmenable Prairie But not so tiresome as their was Quite a veriety in sight the chimney rock changed its appearance & Shewed like a large conicle fort with a Tremendeous large & high flag staff & top taken off with out towers and (&) various fixtures of defence

  28 Sunday Fine and dry not a drop of dew fell last night which circumstance is not uncommon in the region of country we are now approaching all our sick of old cronic disorder begin to ware a healthy appearance & active elastick movement nooned opposite the chimny rock Scotts Bluffs in full vieu ahead on the whole the vieu in all directions Singular and Picturesque emmence level plains east the river a mile wide meandring along but your eye can not tell at a short distance which way the water runs the chimny rock with rugged Bluff from which it has sometimme or other been parted south Scotts Bluffs like a walled and fortified city with immenc out works west a ruged chain of Spercely pine timbred hill in the back ground the river a broad vally & a distant chain of Barren hills to the North made 22 miles

  “distant view of the Black Hills”

  29 My Page being entirely full yestarday I had not room to say That A light shower of rain fell in the afternoon which collected & commenced falling not more than ½ a mile ahead of our camp Keen claps of thunder with a profusion of Electrick fluid playin in all directions in a dry clear sky set the dry grass on fire in several places in sight of our traveling caravan which was soon extinguished by the rain Just mentioned Left the River and struck S. of W. 14 miles and encamped in the midtst of Scotts blufs By a cool spring in a romantic & picturisque vally surounded except to the E. by high & allmost impassably steep clay cliffs of all immagenary shapes & forms supped on a most dlecious piece of venison from the loin of a fat Black taild Buck and I must not omit to mention that I took my rifle and (and) walked out in the deep ravin to guard a Beautifull covey of young Ladies & misses while they gathered wild currants & choke chirries which grow in great perfusion in this region and of the finerst kind

  30 Roled out over the last ridge of Scotts Bluffs which is a ridge or connetion of highland commencing on the river & running Southwardly as far as visably rising in many places from 600 to 1000 feet high formed of clay & a verry fine dead sand & occasionly a thin layer of Soft Limestone which last mentioned layers protects the Softer parts from the ravages of Storms of wind & rain The whole range apears to have been once the common level of the country but owing to solible Qualities of the earth the main Bulk now forming the low grounds have been carried away with the water which opperation is still in active opperation these hills are finely stored with game Such as Black tailed deer antelope mountain Sheep & some times Buffaloe Elk & grisled Bear I must not omit to mention a singularity on a vally we pased yestarday which was covered in all parts with Quantities of dry logs & wood the only reasonable conjecture with me was that the vally some 10 or 12 miles in [l]ength & 8 or 10 wide has no channel for the discharge of the water from the surrounding hills [which] occasionally in winter become deeply frozen considerable snow falling which goes off with a sudden thaw all the mountain torrents come rapidly down charged with drift the water filling the wally diposits its drift on the Shores & Islans of the newly formed lake which soon finds a pasage through the sandy soil on which it rests we had a destinct & clear but distant view of the Black hills from the hights this morning made 14 miles & encamped on the river crossed horse creek about noon

  Fort Laramie and Fort Platte

  31 A fine clear cool morning a dry camp clear cool water and fine grazing the moon Shone clear as day allmost during the whole nigt about one third of our company remaind to recruit their lame Stock the Prairies ware on fire in Several directions last night and all the uplands look dry and parched made 14 miles over dry & verry dusty road We have been following A recent lodge Trail of moveing Indians for some days But have not been able to overtake them several persons went ahead to day to await
us at the fort supposed to not be more than 20 or 30 miles considerable Quantities of cottonwood made it[s] appearance on Bottoms & islands to day as Likewise drift pine along the Shores Several flocks of wild [fowl] seen to day on the dry bars of the river the mountains do not change their appearance

  Thursday the 1st of August Dry clear warm day cool Beautifully fine nights with Scarcely any dew or moisture to dampen a blanket of those that sleep out in the open air Soil a fine whiteish clay mixed with sand usually verry fine but sometimes moderately coarse about 4 oclock in the afternoon we hove in sight of the white Battlments of Fort Larrimie and Fort Platte whose white walls surrounded by a few Sioux Indian Lodges shewed us that Human life was not extinct this being the first we have seen since we left the Kaws the various Emigrants Excepted crossed the Larrimie river a clear fine Streean about 80 yards wide only about half of the channel filled with water 2 feet deep Several persons getting scant of Flour Some to be had here (at) Superfine at 40 dollars a barrel Spannish at 30

  2nd Clear cool nights & mornings verry warm days Remained in camp to day trading and waiting for Blacksmith and other repairs went down to the fort after writeing to my Friend Starr of the Milwaukie Sentinell and found no prospect of his receiving my communication verry soon but I left the letter hoping that he m[a]y recieve it Soon I tried to trade some but found even the products of the country verry high I puchased a dressed deer skin for 2.50 cents and returned to camp satisfied that money was allmost useless while all kinds of grocerys & Liquors ware exorbitantly high for instance sugar 1.50 cents per pint or cupfull and other things in proportion Flour Superfine 1.00 dollars per pint or 40 dollars per Barrel Spannish 30 no dried Buffaloe meat could be had at any price so our stores of provision did not increase