Then Colonel Russell came back to where we were waiting anxiously andsaid he saw a narrow trail winding directly up over those enormouscliffs. When he pointed it out to the other men, we girls overheardwhat he said, and I could not repress a cry of fear, for surely it didnot seem as if any member of our company could climb to such a height,over so narrow a path, let alone trying to drive the oxen with theheavy carts.
A DANGEROUS TRAIL
However, there was nothing to be done save attempt the dangerouspassage, unless, indeed, we were willing to turn our faces toward FortBridger, admitting we had been beaten.
My heart was literally in my mouth when we began that terrible climbamong loose rocks, over a path so narrow that it seemed, if the wheelsof the wagon slipped ever so little, we would be hurled to the bottomof the canyon, which is another word for a deep valley or a rift in therocks.
The ascent was so steep that when we started no less than twelve yokeof oxen were needed to each wagon, and there was a steady, upwardscrambling climb of fully two miles; therefore you can well understandhow many hours we spent in making that short portion of the journey.
Only one wagon was sent up the trail at a time, lest through someaccident it should run backward and crush whatever might be in itspath.
Until we were upon the side of the mountain where the trail pitcheddownward into the valley, I kept my eyes tightly closed, not daringto look at that dreadful depth into which the slightest mishap mightplunge us.
When the panting oxen were brought to a standstill, the fearful laborhaving been performed, Ellen said that she had been so frightened shewas actually exhausted, and indeed the perspiration, caused no doubtby fear, was streaming down her face when I ventured to open my eyes inorder to look around.
I can conceive of nothing more horrifying than that journey, shortthough it was in point of distance, yet so long while one was in astate of terror as to seem almost endless.
In going down on the other side, but one yoke of cattle was hitched toeach wagon, and kept there only in order to hold the tongue steady andthus steer the huge cart, while the hind wheels were chained, so that,not being able to turn, they might act as a drag to prevent us fromsliding swiftly to destruction.
Father said we had traveled no more than seven miles when we hadcrossed that terrible mountain. There we found ourselves in a valleygreen with grass, where ran a small brook which was most pleasing tolook upon, since it told us that we would have water in abundance.Coming upon such a spot after so much horror, caused it to appear allthe more beautiful.
SUNFLOWER SEEDS AND ANTELOPE STEW
Without knowing it at the moment of halting, we made camp near twoIndian lodges, where lived ten or twelve of the Utah tribe; havinggained so favorable an impression of those savages when some of themembers had visited our camp, Ellen and I, with Eben Jordan, went amongthem, finding that they had set themselves up for traders, countingupon the settlers bound for the land of California, as customers. Thewomen showed us a store of powder made from sunflower seeds, which hadbeen parched and then pulverized; this they offered in exchange forfood, or for ammunition. Ellen gave a loaf of corn bread for perhaps aquart of the stuff, and found it most agreeable to the taste.
That evening one of the men brought in a fat antelope, and mother madeour portion into as savory a stew as I had eaten since we left PikeCounty. After that delicious meal and with the pleasing knowledge thatwe had come in safety over so terrible a road, I slept that night assoundly as I should have slept in my own bed at home.
It was decided that we would remain in that place, which mothercalled the Happy Valley, for a day, in order to give the cattle a longrest before they did more mountain climbing, and the housewives tookadvantage of the opportunity to wash clothing, bake bread, and do upsuch small chores as were necessary.
Consequently all the young people were busily engaged keeping the firesgoing, churning, or performing such other tasks as were required, sothat we gave little heed to what was going on around us until, whenthe forenoon was about half spent, Eben Jordan excitedly called ourattention to a huge column of smoke which was rising from the mountainsto the westward.
A FOREST FIRE
At first I gave little heed to the matter, thinking it might betokenthe location of some Indian village; but within another hour, so strongwas the wind, the fire had been driven up over the summit of the hugemountain at the foot of which we were encamped, when straightway wehad over our heads, as it were, a canopy of flame and smoke which shutout the light of day, causing it to appear as if night had come and theclouds were ablaze.
Half-burned leaves and ashes were scattered upon us until we wereliterally powdered as if with dust, and the men found it necessary tokeep sharp watch over the coverings of the wagons, lest an ember shoulddrop upon them.
During all the remainder of the day and until nearly morning, thefire raged with greatest fury; but, fortunately, the flames did notcome down into the valley. When we set off next day, the cattle, muchrefreshed, went on at a swift pace; but the air was yet so full ofsmoke that my eyes ached, while the tears ran down my cheeks in tinystreams.
Our way now lay along the foot of the range of mountains which slopeddown to the marshy plains bordering that vast inland sea, which hasalways seemed so mysterious to me because of being salt.
THE GREAT SALT LAKE
It was about noon when we had our first view of the Great Salt Lake,and although I had never then seen an ocean, I could not believe theexistence of anything more wondrous than that huge body of salt wateramong the mountains.
Father says the lake is probably a full hundred miles long, and at itswidest part no less than sixty miles; but this he knows only from thatwhich he heard from the hunters or trappers, therefore I am not settingit down as positive information. It seems to me I remember having readin one of my schoolbooks that it is no more than seventy-five mileslong and thirty miles wide.
However, this much which father says is true: that the lake has nooutlet, and four barrels of its water being evaporated, will producenearly a barrel of salt; therefore you can understand how much moresalty it is than a real ocean.
No fish can live in it, and Eben Jordan declared that one of thetrappers at Fort Bridger told him a man could not sink beneath thesurface, so buoyant is the water.
The shore of this great inland sea was white with a crust of soda orsalt, and the odor which came from the stagnant water in the marsheswas so unpleasant as to cause me to feel really ill.
EBEN AS A FISHERMAN
It was on this night, when we had our first view of the Great SaltLake, that Eben Jordan gave us a most pleasing surprise. We hadhalted quite early in the afternoon, and even before camp was made hedisappeared; but I gave no heed to the matter when I heard his motherinquiring after him, for I thought the boy had gone off to try hisskill as a hunter again.
Two or three hours later, however, it appeared that, instead of chasingdeer or bears, he had turned fisherman for the time being, and whenhe came into camp just before we began to get supper, he had with himseventeen of the most beautiful trout you could imagine, which he hadcaught in one of the mountain streams.
They were so large that he literally staggered under the weight, andthe single fish which he gave mother made an ample meal for all ourfamily. It surely was delicious, and while eating it I made a mentalresolve never again to speak impatiently or angrily to Eben, whateverhe might do, for many times since our journey began he had been verykind to us all.
It really began to seem as if, after we had turned into the Californiatrail, we were to come across everything which was strange andwonderful, for next day, after our train had rounded the base of oneof the mountains, we came upon six or seven springs of water which wasactually hot to the touch, as if on the point of boiling, and whichsmelled so strongly of sulphur that one would have been in danger ofsuffocation had the fumes b
een inhaled.
Those odd springs seemingly came up out of the solid rock, and mother,whose curiosity was so far aroused as to induce her to taste of thewater, said it was bitter and most disagreeable; but she had no doubtit might be well for us all to take fairly strong doses by way ofmedicine.
GRASSHOPPER JAM
We were yet within sight of the Great Salt Lake when, one evening,three Indian men and two squaws, miserably clad and very ugly, cameinto camp bringing for sale or barter something that looked much likepreserves.
Even though these people were so wretchedly dirty, I was hoping mothermight be induced to buy some of their wares, so keenly did I hungerfor something sweet; but I speedily lost all desire for anything ofthe kind, when one of the men in the company explained what it was theIndians had for sale.
It seems impossible human beings could eat such things, and yet thisman told me it was true that the Indians gathered a fruit calledservice berries, crushed them into jam and mixed the pulp withgrasshoppers that had been dried over the fire and then pounded to apowder.
He called the stuff "Indian fruit cake," and, much to my disgust, notonly bought a generous portion, paying for it with needles, powder, andbullets, but actually ate the mixture. I could not bring myself even tolook upon it, after knowing what it really was.
Once more we came upon the mountains after leaving the shores of GreatSalt Lake, and again we climbed up the steep ascents, with all the oxentoiling at a single wagon, and then slipped down on the opposite side,until it seemed certain some terrible accident must befall.
A DESERTED VILLAGE
One night we came to another place much like the one we had called theHappy Valley, and there we found an Indian village of fifteen or twentylodges, every one deserted, although we knew the people could not befar away, for fires were burning brightly in front of the dwellings,dogs were barking, and many willow baskets filled with service berrieswere standing about.
It was a beautiful spot for a home, and I could almost have wishedfather would settle there, rather than continue on over a trail whichwas as dangerous as the one spread out before us.
There were in the valley poplar and pine trees with many willows, andhere and there a patch of sunflowers shining out from the surroundinggreen with a golden glory.
I had supposed our people would camp there; but instead of doing sothey continued on, planning to spend the night on the higher land.When we were halfway up the ridge which led out from the valley, theIndians, whom we had evidently frightened, came out from their hidingplaces, whooping and shouting as if to scare us, although I saw notoken that they were bent on doing us mischief.
We camped on a slope of the ridge, down which ran a small brook, andthose who had tents set them up in a grove of cedar trees where theylooked most inviting. When, however, Ellen and I strolled that way wefound the mosquitoes and midges so thick that it seemed as if we had aveil in front of our faces.
That night the men of our company gathered apart from the women andchildren, seemingly to discuss some important matter; my curiositywas so far aroused that when I saw Eben Jordan I called upon him foran explanation, and he told me that we had come to the most dangerouspart of our journey, where we must encounter perils so great that thosewhich had already been overcome would seem as nothing.
THE GREAT SALT DESERT
We were near what is known as the Great Salt Desert; in fact, wereto cross it on the morrow, and when Eben Jordan led me some distancefarther up the ridge, I could see it at my feet.
The desert is covered with salt like sand, and on it grows nothingexcept wild sage, while from where we were then camped, until it wouldbe possible again to find water, is no less than sixty miles, as Ebensaid.
Sixty miles over a soft surface where the animals would oftentimes sinkfetlock-deep, and the wheels of the wagons plow into the salt sanduntil the progress must be woefully slow. In addition, all the whilewe would plod along knowing that no water was to be had, save what wecarried with us, until the train gained the opposite side.
We were camped on the side of a mountain which seemed to be made upalmost wholly of rock; this place had been decided upon because therecould be found a small spring, yielding barely enough water to satisfythe desires of ourselves and the animals.
It was the last spring or stream of fresh water we should come uponuntil we had traveled across that desert, which, from the distance,looked like a great sea of milk. Once we had started upon the journey,it would be necessary to continue on, heeding not those who might fallby the way, so I heard father and Colonel Russell say, for the lives ofour people depended upon our going steadily forward.
PREPARING FOR A DANGEROUS JOURNEY
Orders were given by the leaders of the party that our mothers cookno pemmican nor any salted food, lest it increase our thirst, and weate bread with as much milk as could be had from the cows; within afew hours, for we were to set off again at midnight, another meal,consisting wholly of bread made from corn meal, would be served.
The water of the spring was so salty as to be almost undrinkable.During the evening the women and girls were busily engaged makingcoffee, for in such form the water was a trifle more palatable, andwe were advised to fill with the coffee every vessel that would holdliquid.
As for the cattle, they would be forced to make the march of sixtymiles with nothing to drink save what could be carried in two caskswhich had been bought at Fort Bridger for that especial purpose.
When I asked father how it would be possible for us to give the animalsdrink even once, from no more than sixty gallons of water, he saidthey were not intending to allow the poor creatures to have what theywanted. The supply of water would be used simply to moisten the mouthsof those that were suffering most severely. There could be no questionwhatsoever but that the live stock would be in great misery, and if itso chanced that we people escaped dire distress, then indeed we shouldhold ourselves fortunate.
BREAD AND COFFEE MAKING
Fortunately Ellen and I had little time in which to borrow troubleconcerning the future, for every woman and girl found plenty withwhich to occupy her hands, as we prepared for the most dangerous anddisagreeable portion of all the journey.
We made corn bread in abundance, cooking no less than three timesas much as we could eat, for Colonel Russell suggested that it waspossible we might abate the thirst of the animals by giving them breadin small quantities during the march, and so we filled every availableplace in the wagon with this food.
Mother made coffee enough to provide us with a supply on that night,as well as for breakfast, and, in addition, we had filled to the brimevery vessel which was water-tight, until I should think we must havehad no less than three gallons, while every other wagon was equallywell supplied.
The men and boys were not idle while we baked the corn bread and madecoffee. They had enough and plenty with which to occupy their time,for every piece of harness, every yoke bow, wheel, or other portion ofthe outfit which might give way, was looked after carefully, lest therebe a delay, because a halt on the desert, so we had been told at FortBridger, might mean death to us all.
That night the animals were corralled inside our circle of wagonsin order that they might be ready when the hour came for us to setoff, and for the first time since I had known Eben Jordan I saw anexpression of anxiety upon the lad's face.
Wherever one looked among our people he could see gloomy faces, andthere was no more singing of "Joe Bowers," no whistling and jokingamong the lads, as was usually the case during an evening in camp.
BREAKING CAMP AT MIDNIGHT
When midnight came, I had a very good idea that there was more dangerto be met in crossing the desert than I had been willing to believe,for we were awakened and told that the march would be begun in half anhour.
Father urged mother and us girls to eat and drink heartily while wemight. When I asked him why we were to set off at such an unusual hour,he re
plied in a serious manner that from the moment we started untilthe desert had been crossed, there would be no halt made unless someof the oxen fell by the wayside and we were forced to delay in order tounyoke them.
When Ellen asked him how long a time the crossing would take, he saidhe hoped no more than twenty or twenty-four hours. He also told usit had been agreed that if one of the wagons should break down, orany accident happen, the unfortunate ones were to be left behind, theremainder of the company continuing on without making any effort to aidthem.
Then, perhaps for the first time, I began to realize how much dangerlay before us. Surely if our fathers had agreed that during the comingmarch they would make no halt for any reason, there must be grave causefor fear.
The men made ready for the march by the light of the moon, and therewere yet no signs of the coming day when we set off; and then we werea mournful party indeed, the drivers urging their beasts to the utmost,as if they realized that every moment was precious.
THE APPROACH TO THE SALT DESERT
There was nothing very dreadful to be seen on the first six miles ofthe march, for then we were winding our way up the ridge, on the sideof which we had been encamped, and save for the fact that Ellen and Iwere suffering from the cold, the journey was much the same as we hadalready known.