Collection of Nebraska pioneer reminiscences . raft going down the Wisconsin and Mississippirivers to St. Louis, getting one dollar a day and board. He re-turned north on a steamer, stopping at Burlington, Iowa, wherehis sister resided. In 1854, when he was nineteen years of age, Mr. Roper start-ed west. His sister walked to the edge of the town with himas he led his one-homed cow, which was to furnish milk forcoffee on the camp-out trip, which was to last three months,enroute to the Pacific coast. There were three outfits — a horse train, mule train, and oxtrain. Mr. Roper traveled in an ox t
Collection of Nebraska pioneer reminiscences . raft going down the Wisconsin and Mississippirivers to St. Louis, getting one dollar a day and board. He re-turned north on a steamer, stopping at Burlington, Iowa, wherehis sister resided. In 1854, when he was nineteen years of age, Mr. Roper start-ed west. His sister walked to the edge of the town with himas he led his one-homed cow, which was to furnish milk forcoffee on the camp-out trip, which was to last three months,enroute to the Pacific coast. There were three outfits — a horse train, mule train, and oxtrain. Mr. Roper traveled in an ox train of twenty-five travelers elected officers from among those who had madethe trip before, and military discipline prevailed. At nights the men took turns at guard duty in relays — fromdark to midnight and from midnight to dawn, when the herderwas called to turn the cattle out to browse. One man herdedthem until breakfast was ready, and another man herded themuntil time to yoke up. This overland train was never molested 268 I. Oregon Trail Monument, two miles north op Hebron Erected by the citizens of Hebron and Thayer county, and Oregon TrailChapter, Daughters of the American Revohition, dedicated May 24, 1915. Cost $400 FRED E. ROPER, PIONEER 269 by the Indians, although, one night some spying Cheyennes weremade prisoners under guard over night until the oxen wereyoked up and ready to start. The prospectors crossed the Missouri river at Omaha, whichat that time had no residences or business buildings. Enrouteto Salt Lake City, the South Platte route was followed, aver-aging about twenty miles a day. Enough provisions were car-ried to last through the journey and as they had some provisionsleft when they reached Salt Lake City, they were sold to thehaK-starved Mormons at big prices. Some perplexing difficulties were encountered on the one point in the mountains, beyond Salt Lake City, the trailwas so narrow that the oxen were unhitched and led single
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Keywords: ., bookcentury1900, bookdecade1910, booksubjectfrontierandpioneerli
