. Ox-team days on the Oregon Trail /by Ezra Meeker ; revised and edited by Howard R. Driggs. ed over by the Indians to the military author-ities at Fort Steilacoom. I never think of those people but with sadness. Theirstruggle, doubtless the supreme effort of theu lives, wasonly to go to their death. I had pointed out to them whereto go to get good claims, and they had lost no time,but had gone straight to the locality recommended and hadset immediately to work preparing shelter for the winter. Are you going out on those plains alone? Mrs. Jonesasked me anxiously. When I told her that I would
. Ox-team days on the Oregon Trail /by Ezra Meeker ; revised and edited by Howard R. Driggs. ed over by the Indians to the military author-ities at Fort Steilacoom. I never think of those people but with sadness. Theirstruggle, doubtless the supreme effort of theu lives, wasonly to go to their death. I had pointed out to them whereto go to get good claims, and they had lost no time,but had gone straight to the locality recommended and hadset immediately to work preparing shelter for the winter. Are you going out on those plains alone? Mrs. Jonesasked me anxiously. When I told her that I would have the pony with me,she insisted, Well, I dont think it is safe. Mr. Jones explained that his wife was thinking of thedanger from the ravenous wolves that infested the opencountry. The party had lost weakened stock from theirforages right close to the camp. He advised me not to campnear the watering places, but to go up on the high ridge. Ifollowed his advice with the result, as we shall see, of miss-ing my road and losing considerable time, which meant nota little trouble and To dig under was the only way to pass the obstruction. CHAPTER SEVENTEEN FINDING MY PEOPLE On leaving my newly found friends I faced a discouragingprospect. The start for the high, arid table-lands borderingthe Yakima valley cut me loose from all more immigrants were met until I reached the main-traveled route beyond the Columbia River, The road lay through a forbidding sage plain, or ratheran undulating country, covered by shifting sands and deadgrass of comparatively scant growth. As the sun rose, theheat became intolerable. The dust, in places, brought vividmemories of the trip across the Plains. Strive against it as I might, my eyes would strain at thehorizon to catch a glimpse of the expected train. Thenan intolerable thirst seized upon me and compelled meto leave the road and descend into the valley forwater. I dared not linger off the trail and talce chances of miss-ing
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Keywords: ., bookcentury1900, bookdecade1920, booksubjectoverlan, bookyear1922
