I will now give you a description of the necessary outfit each person should have to come to this terrestrial paradise. Your wagons should be light, yet substantial and strong, and a plenty of good oxen. Though I wrote while on the Sweetwater that mule teams were preferable, but after seeing them thoroughly tried I have become convinced that oxen are more preferable—they are the least trouble and stand traveling much the best—are worth a great deal more when here. Load your wagons light and put one third more team to them than is necessary to pull the load. Bring nothing with you except provisions and a plenty of clothes to do you one year from the time you leave. They can all be had on as good terms here as in Missouri, and even better; bring but few bedclothes, for they will be worn out when they arrive here—they can be had here on good terms. Your oxen will not require shoeing. Bring a plenty of loose cattle, cows and heifers particularly, as they are but little trouble and are worth a great deal. Bring mules to drive your loose stock. Bring a few good American mares, but use them very tenderly or you will not get them here. American horses are worth considerable in this country. Horses can not get here except they are well used, and you should have two or three pairs of shoes and nails for them and your mules. You should bring 200 pounds of flour, 100 pounds of bacon, for every member of the family that can eat, besides other provisions. Make no calculation on getting buffalo or other wild meat, for you are only wasting time and killing horses and mules to get it. Have your wagon beds made in such a manner that they can be used for boats; you will find them of great service in crossing streams—have your wagons well covered, so that they will not leak, or your provisions and clothes will spoil. Have your tents made water tight; start as early as possible; let your teams and stock all be in good order. Start as soon as your stock can get grass enough to travel on, for the grass will be getting better every day until you arrive at Fort Hall; after that you will find the grass bad in places until you get to the Blue Mountains. You will find plenty of grass from there to the Willamette Valley. Our cattle are in better order than they were one month ago. Large flintlock guns are good to traffic with the Snake Indians. Bring a plenty of cheap cotton shirts to trade to the Indians on this side of the mountains. You might start with calves and kill them on the way, before they get poor, for fresh eating. You will find some beans, rice, and dried fruit of great use on the road. You should travel in companies of forty wagons, and continue together the whole route. You will find some ship biscuit to be of great use at times when you can not find fuel sufficient to cook with.
Be sure and bring nothing except what will be of material use to you on your journey, for, depend upon it, if you overload you will lose your team, wagon, and goods. You will find good stout young cows to answer in place of oxen, in case you should not have sufficient; let them be about middle size; let them be good, sound oxen, that have never been injured. I am satisfied from the products of the country that a man can live easier here than he can in any part of the United States. If he raises any produce he is sure of getting a good price for it in anything he may call for, money excepted. There is very little money in this country, though it is very little use when a man can get anything he wants without it. The merchants here will sell their goods cheaper for produce or labor than they will for cash, because they make a profit on the commodities they purchase, while there is no profit on cash. In fact, business is done here altogether by exchanging commodities. We can purchase anything of the Hudson Bay Company cheaper by promising wheat next year than we can for cash in hand. Cows are worth (that is, American,) from $30 to $50; American horses from $60 to $100; oxen $60 to $80; wheat $1 per bushel; oats, 40 cents; potatoes, 40 cents; peas the same; beef, 6 cents; pork, 10 cents; butter, 20 cents; common labor, $1.50; mechanics, $2 to $3.
The next emigration will get their cattle and wagons through quite easy, if they will start early and travel constantly though slow; they must not push.
Persons on the north side of the Missouri should rendezvous on the south side of the river, opposite the Blacksnake Hills, and go up the Nemaha and strike the Platte near the Pawnee village; by so doing they will avoid crossing the Kansas, and avoid some bad roads, and go 100 miles nearer.
We were not troubled with the Indians in the dangerous part of the country, for this reason, I have no doubt,—we kept a strong guard in nighttime and a sharp lookout in daytime. After we passed Green River we abandoned guarding and broke up into small companies, though advised to the contrary, and in passing from the Blue Mountains to the valley some of the emigrants were imposed on, in fact, some of them were robbed, though it was their own fault for not sticking together. You should start with some medicine, for you will have more or less sickness until you get to Fort Hall. Be sure and take good care not to expose yourself unnecessarily, for people have to go through a seasoning on the road, which makes the most of them sick. We are now eating apples which grew at Vancouver. They are now gathering their apples, peaches, and grapes, etc.; these are the only fruits tried as yet; they are fine.
The missionaries here have done more toward Christianizing the Indians in five years than has been done in the States in twenty years. Numbers of them who can not speak one word of English hold regular family worship. They are members of the Methodist Episcopal church. I am convinced it is in consequence of not being able to get liquor. The Hudson Bay Company and missionaries and settlers have taken a bold stand against the introduction of ardent spirits into this country, and I am convinced while they continue this praiseworthy course we all will see more satisfaction and pleasure, and our little colony will profit thereby.
S. M. GILMORE.
From Weston Journal, April 5, 1845.
CORRESPONDENCE.