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Show SOME REMINISCENCES. Salt Lake City, Jan. 4, 1879. Editois Herald: Haviog noticed briefly tbe other compHoieB ol emigrants io 163G, let me now return to the fifth and laat baud curt company, and tell a little more about it. In passing along the railroads through the stales tbe company was treated usually with civility and more or less courtesy. Toledo wag the place where the railroad employed were the meat discourteous, uncivil, and harsh in conduct towards the company. Scarcely had the train arrived at the depot there, when the energetic but vulgar ualutation was hurled at the emigrants "Why the h 1 don't you get out of those cars?" Tboee employes must have belonged to that peculiar clasa of people who are never tired of boasting that they live not in a despot io empire nor in an efiete monarchy, but in a democratic ! republio, a free couDtry, a land of liberty, where one man is as good as ' another, and a great deal better if he ' haB more cheek and impudence and leas principle, which perbaps sufficiently suffi-ciently ejplaius the rationale of such coame expletive salutations being oflered to travelers ot any clasa. I believe I might safely wager that in no eflete monarchy nor despotic empire in Europe would any kind of railway passengers be eo rudely treated. On one occasion, in the early part of the journey, I believe in Iowa, one man of the company took pity on a woman (she was a few pounds heavier tban a woman at that time) and essayed to carry her over a elough, hut in his impulsive kindness he had over-estimated his own Btrength, or under-estimated her specific gravity, and be soon lound that he had undertaken under-taken a more ditiicuit task tban he at first supposed. However, he acconi-plisbed acconi-plisbed the feat at three times trying firat, he carried her into the slough and stt her down in the mud; second, be picked her up again and carried her out of the slrugb, but minus ber shoes, which were left sticking iu the mud; third, he went back into the slough and (etched out her Bhoes. On the other side of the Missouri, one of the men drew on. his cart his wilu's sister, who was sick of a fever, 150 miies, and then, on this side of tbe Missouri hia wife was confined of a son, and he drew her 150 miles, his wife's father meantime takiDg the sister along in his cart till she was able to walk, it being much easier and lees jolting for the sick to ride in the handcarts than in the os or mule wagons. Toe same husband also drew his two-year-old daughter much of the journey up to the last crossing of tbe Platte, The poor little thing j died at Green river otdysentery, cold, insufficient nourishment and un avoidable lack of needed attention. The two Bisters did pretty well afterwards, after-wards, though neither of them was a Btronir woman. They now are mothers ot large families, and the infant, who was very puny uunug mo jaurnby, ih now the father of a family. All tbe above, who survive, are residents of this territory. In the lower Platte valley, near Fort Kearney, an old man pulled his cart until be fell out of tho shafts. He died in a few minutes after. About opposite Ash Hollow, another an-other man, who had had diarrhoea and dysentery nearly all the way from Iowa city, walked fifteen miles one day, fell into a creek while crossing it, and died the next day. Poor fel low, he waB confident almoit to the last that he should reach "the valley," and his chief Eolicitude was for bis wife, who, he feared, would not be able to endure the journey. But Bhe did endure it. She endured it bravely, although it made her a eorrowing widow. She has livsd a life of usefulness use-fulness to the present time, yet still a widow, for Bbe could never believe there was a man loft in the world equal to her husband. She is healthy and vigorous now, considering bur advanced age. In fact, taking into account tbe natural weakness and frequent constitutional ailmentH of women, it is a wonder they endured the journey so well as they did. But aome ol them stood it better than many of the men, and pulled at the handcarts as long also. The men, however, had much guarding to do, particularly in the- early- part of the journey, becausa of the large cattle herd that started with the company, and also because of tbe uncommon predatory disposition ol the Indians that year. All this ol course the women were spared. Partial Par-tial indemnification was had for the extra guarding by eating many ol the cattle in the course of the journey. One eldefly man, named Stone, who had been much, weakened by diarrheal, weut over tbe Platte bridge to avoid fording the river. Hy started up tbe northwest side of the river to meet and rejoin tbe company alter it had crossed at tbe ford, about five miles further up. Weary and weak, ue may have eat down to rest on tiie' way, and have become benumbed with cold, or frozen to death. Be tii at as it may, he-was never seen again, but a portion of what was supposed to have been his body was aiterwards found and brought into camp. I may here say that tne evidence is strong th.U tho last crossing cros-sing of the Platte was effected on the l'J;h of October, instead ol the 20th, wbich would make it both the day and tbe month on which the great Napoleon derided to vacato Russia and commence his disastrous retreat, forty' four years previously, which was then just twice the distance in time that this handcart expedition is now lrom us. That day, too, was the beginning of tiie most serious disasters disas-ters of this handcart company. In a termer letter I itated that at Deer creek the baggage ol the company com-pany was reduced to ten pounds per bead, betiding included. Tue allow ance previously was seventeen p'n;jdj per bead. Htre the altiiuie was nearly 4,900 feet above Bea levtl. 1 have said that the first camp ot ! the company, alt;r leaving the Xorth ! PUtte, was at Rocky aver.ue. The second was at Willow springs; the third at Greasewood creek; tbe fourth ' at Cweetwaler bridge; lh filto at Devil's Gate fort, a snort distance west of Devil's G.ite, the eixtb at Martin's i ravine. Alter receiving an (xtraranoncf flour one ni;:it, one fami.y, havinc j made up tlieir hrc-ad, lni.d that'll p rose mort prcmi-my. Ine g;ca j tK-usewife, or ttntwile, was in mgo -pirns ocfT it, anticipating a batch o! ' ' iTcad th-.t c -.i.d co. be Ilui.J fau'.t t iv.::i, r.r tx.:;:i:-..J in caiiip. U nrc 1 bnkt,!, u wtis the hi.tut and waiter j bread they bad made on the entire journey. Oh. it was mOEt bcsuitifu1 bread. But when they came to eat it, the il-i vi r was extraordinary. Tney h.d uevir ti-t-d an)toiDg like it before, and this is tbe way it came to liappen so. b'orceh.wor other, about hall a pound of soap had fallen unnoticed of! the bind part of the wagon bottom into the camp kettle and bad frozen tbere. At night, when the kettle was rinsed oui. Hie soap remained fast ai tbe bo foni, still um oticed in the dark. Tne kettle, with water in it, andthesoip also, was sc-t on the fire to get hot. With moel of this soapy water the bre.id was made, and very soapy was tbe taste thereof, but the family could not afford to go without a day's rations and throw the bread away. Thry were far too hungry for that. So it was eaten, every bit, with more or lers wry face over it. Yet if it proved unhealthy the eaters never louud it out. Contrary to the book that Jcinu ttie Revelator eat, ibis bread was bitter in tbe mouth, but sweet in tbe belly. Then tbe emigrants emi-grants bad been using snow wator with a strong sage-brush flavor for culinary and drinking purposes, and had becomo accustomed to bitterness of taste. Now I thiuk of it, hero is a useful bint lor housewives who are troubled with heavy bread. If they would put half a pound of lively, energetic eoap into a baking, tbe bread would be much improved as to lightness, but whether the flavor would be considered con-sidered improved proportionately ! would depend upon the taste of the eaters. To the palates of some people peo-ple probably it would not be pleasant, though sanitarily it might benefit their internal economy. This soap-rising soap-rising made lighter and whiter bread than tbe orthodox American salt-rising, salt-rising, or than the standard yeast of the emigrants a piece ol Bour dough with a pinch of saleratus or soda or baking powder. Anybody is welcome to this valuable recipe, thus accidentally acci-dentally discovered, like many other u-jeful and happy devices and inventions. inven-tions. It is saddled with no restrictive restrict-ive and cbu'jxiu'. 8 and tribute-squeezing pi teat, and I charge nothing for makin2 it known, as my life is largely devoted to the benefit and happiness of my fellow-man. If the flavor of soap-rising bread shcu'd prove too strong for very delicate palates, various practicable methods of agreeably disguisiugthe peculiar flavor might be safely left to the ingenuity ol the lady breadmakers. Several otber discoveries were made on tbe journey. The way to have a warm sleeping place was tbia sweep away the ashes ol the camp fira and lay your bed on tbe spot where the fire was built. You would be sure to sleep warm there, if anywhere. In the morning the same spot was found to be the most available for a graver use it was the easiest place in which to dig a grave to bury tbe night's dead. No pun is here intended. The subject is too eerious. Besides, the punning propensity is detestable. ThuB, in this severe winter traveling and camping economy, the hearthB served three separate, distinct, and important purposes. In the beginning of the journey, the company paid more or less regard to the observance of Sunday, but in the latter part, es tbe hardships in creased, there did not seem to bo any Sundays. I can recollect none, excepting ex-cepting that on which tbe company arrived in this city. In the early part of the journey and until tbe relief party was met, tbe camps were made in open situations, situa-tions, as a rule, with a special view to avoid, as much as possible, being surprised sur-prised or ambushed by Indians. Alter ward, sheltered spots wero chosen, with a view to make the company com-pany as comfortable as possible in camp. V; Worn down by tho labors aud fatigues of the journey, and pinched hv hnncpr and cnld. th man inpsa nf tall, healthy, strong men would gradually grad-ually disappear, until they would grow fretful, pevish, chiidiah, and puerile, aoting eometimes as if they were scarcely accountable bcint,e. In the progress of tha journey it was not difficult to tell who was going to die within tw6 or threa weeks. The gaunt form, hollow eyes, and sunken countenance, discolored to ft weather-beaten weather-beaten sallow, with tbe gradual weakening weak-ening of the mental faculties, plainly fore bod t?d the coming and not far distant dissolution, though the limbs aud faces of some were Bwelled or bloated. Many, whose lives were saved by their arrival in this valley, would have died as Bure as fate if they had been subjected to two or turee weess more oi exposure, fatigue and privation. Nothing could have saved them. However, as a general thing, those came tnrough in best condition who bad strength and ppirit to bo moat persistently per-sistently activo, for to sit down supinely su-pinely and do nothing waB to sit down and freeze and die. To givo a better idea of the nature of tbo latter half of the journey, 1 may aty that the altitude of tbe Salt Lake above sea level is abont 4,200 feet, that of tho Temple block in this city about 100 feet higher, and that of Fort Laramie is about 100 feet lower. It may also be recollected thai tbe whole of the winter part of this journey performed at a much grciiter altitude, beginning at about 5,000 feet at tbe Noitb. Platte camp, where the relief express found the company, and never eir.King so low again until in Emitnuion Cfifion, near this city, but rising until at Dtvil'a Cite it was 6 000, near 'he three cri.-iugs of the Sweetwater about 7,000, at tbe South pass a little higher, from Green river to Bridger from about 0,200 to about G.700, on Bear river about G.800, in Echo Ciifnn about G.COO, on the Big mountain moun-tain abeut 7 ,24 5, with different ridges and summits which were passed ovrr varying from over 7,000 to nearly 3,000. A few more no'es will conclude this strange eventful history. J. J. |