EI.DORADO 25 



time was fringed with trees, to one of which the rope 

 was attached, and by the use of our wagon beds for 

 our effects, and swimming our stock, we crossed with- 

 out accident or loss. From here we commenced our 

 long journey tip the north bank of the Platte. The 

 Loup fork and other tributaries being difficult to ford 

 on account of the treacherous quicksand bottoms, com- 

 pelled us to go several miles out of our course to find 

 safe crossings. The distance from the Missouri to 

 Fort Laramie, the first government post, was 700 

 miles ; to the South l*ass of the Rocky Mountains, 

 1000. Indians were occasionally seen, but proved 

 friendly. Five days out from the Elkhorn we were 

 joined by a chief, who presented to our captain a 

 "recommend" written by some trader or immigrant, 

 stating that he was a good Indian, and if anything 

 was stolen he would recover and return it. 



In some cases the "recommend" would read : "This 

 is a bad Indian ; he will steal anything he can lay his 

 liands on. Look out for him" Of course he was 

 never the wiser for what it contained. This particu- 

 lar chief wore a discarded black coat and a tall, bat- 

 tered, plug hat, relics, no doubt, of a dead or "busted" 

 '49er. 



In the first rush to the gold mines of California the 

 previous year, many died from cholera and other 

 causes, and much clothing- and other property were 

 thrown away and appropirated by the Indians. This 

 chief traveled with us two days and was useful in 

 various ways, helping to select suitable camp grounds, 

 gathering dried buffalo chips, etc. It was our first 

 knowledge and experience in that kind of fuel for 

 cooking purposes. That, with willow twigs and sage 



