Introduction

Index

Nebr. Map
Wyo. Map
Utah Map
Cal-Nev Map

Trail Links

Home
Previous Next

Journal of Western Travel

by John McTurk Gibson
edited by Weldon Hoppe
Gibson
May 18th, 1859 -- A few hours after starting this morning I concluded to trade off one of my wagons, or rather give it away, for a trifling amount of provisions we stood in need of, accordingly I struck a trade, and Ben Owens got rid of his carpenter tools for a gun and a keg of butter. And thus by our delay got entangled in a large California train. By noon we again sighted the bottom lands of the Platte, the prettiest piece of country that lays out of doors, as far as the eye can reach, the view is still the same, and the road as level as a house floor. Tonight a gentlemen from above Fort Kearney stayed with us, he had lost 7 horses and one mule strayed or stolen and he was hunting for them. We are now ahead of the large train, and mean to keep so if we can.

Powell
Travelled seventeen miles. We arrived on the Platt Bottom to day at twelve o'clock. We travelled up at seven miles crossed Elem Creek, it is quite a small stream. We swaped one wagon for provisions in order to get more team on the other. This bottom is delightful, it is about twelve miles wide, the weather is fine. I had considerable of sport at Elem Creek with an old drunkard. He claimed five cents for every team that crossed a small bridge there, it is being built by the Emigrants.

Copyright © 1997 Weldon Hoppe
Previous Next
.