The emigrants' guide to California : containing every point of information for the emigrant -- including routes, distances, water, grass, timber, crossing of rivers, passes, altitudes, with a large map of routes, and profile of country, &c., with full directions for testing and assaying gold and other ores

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24 A LA PRELE RIVER; it is narrow, but swift. The road from here to the upper platte ferry, 45 miles, is gen­erally bad, being full of hills and vallies. FOURCHE BOIS RIVER, 8 miles further, has steep banks, water good, some timber and plenty of grass.­You next reach the PLATTE; timber can be found on the point, grass rather scarce, traveling heavy, distance 4 miles; grass and timber can be found on the point of the bend in the r1ver. DEER CREEK is 5 miles further, and a splendid plac~ to camp, timber plenty, fish abundant, coal about 1-4 mile up the east side ; 7 miles from here is another good camp­ing spot ; after cros~ing a number_ of creeks, gulfs and ra .. vines, you come to the UPPER PLATTE FERRY. Feed is plenty; timber on both sides of the river. If you conclude to ford, the best place is a little below the bend of the river. Seven miles ahead, the road turns South ; road rather bad.­l~ i ve miles further b~ings you to a mineral lake and spring. Ten miles more will bring you to;} piece of swampy ground, strongly charged with alkali. It is closed in with high bluffs; avoid it as a camping ground; : do not allow your cattle to partake of the water. ...,.. .'.D O the north west, a short distance, you will find good ~er. WILLOW SPRING js a noble spring of cool, pure water ; it is a good camping place. Fifteen miles travel brings you to a creek on the left side of the road. The road runs parallel to this for half a mile. At this stage of our directions we would take occasion to remark that it has been the practice of most emigrants to drive cows _along with them, for their milk, (they are frequently the1r o:nly dependence for drink when cross­ing arrid deserts on their route.) The pra:tice is a good 25 one, but attendant with danger in particular stages of the route. After crossing the upper Platte Ford, 1he coun­try, for over fifty miles, is volcanic in its character.­Water is sufficiently plenty, but it is so strongly impreg­nated with poisonous matter as to be dangerous for drink­ing purposes. Using this water, and eating the partially poisoned herbage of this district, together with the heat-· - ed, feverish state, induced by constant travel in the hot sun, renders the milk of such cows unfit for use. If you would avoid much sickness, camp fever, &c., abandon its use. " We now resume our route. Eight miles from the creek you find a series of springs and lakes, highly alkalic in their nature. Grass is thin ; no fuel but wild sage, (ar­ti missia.) Some supply themselves here with salarretus (carbonate of soda.) SWhET WATER is four miles further; current swift, with grass and water good; roads rather henvy. Your chief dependence for fuel for a great distance onward, will be on wild sage and willows. If you cannot ford this river opposite Independence Rock, go a mile higher up. INDEPENDENCE ROCI{ is well worthy the atten· tion of the traveller . DEVILS GATE, five miles above the Rock, is a sin.. • gular fissure through which the Sweet Water fo.rces its way. The walls are vertical, four hundred feeth~gh, and composed of granite. The road run~ near the r1ver _for ten miles from this point. In the distance of ten miles from thi~, the road crosses several creeks ; grass abun­dant. After this, the road ]Paves the river, and is rough and heavy. Twelve miles from this place t~ere is so~e timber. The road here again leaves the river for s1x mil~s when it returas to the river again. You can avoid '