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Show ' 78 NATIONAL WAGON ROAD GUIDE. take along some water from here ; none bu ~poor, surface water, between this an4 Fort Kearny, if any at all. SAND BLUFFS, . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . · . · . . · · · . . . . .. 15 Yz No wood nor water here. You now cross the bottom lands of the Platte, on a northerly course, direct for the river ; or in a northwesterly direction, to FORT l{EARNY, ..........•.......................... 15 Whole distance fr0m St. Joseph Ferry, two hundred and eighty-eight miles. No wood here for the emigrant; the necessities of the garrison having consumed every· thing like timber obtainable in the vicinity, excepting what grows upon the islands in the Platte river. 'l'he Platte is a shallow stream, from three-fourths of a mile to a mile in width, yet fordable in many places. It has a very regular fall of about six feet to the mile, giving it a rapid current; it is bordered by broad alluviums on both sides, in many places from two to five miles in width. Its waters, like the Missouri. and Little Blue , rivers, are always turbid; there are many timbered islands in the river, but no wood on its southern bank, except a little drift-wood after the spring flood. Emigrauts, two days from Fort J{earny westwardly, will " find a substitute for wood for the purposes of fuel, in dried "buffalo chips," and they ans,ver well, being entirely free from any offensive ordor either before, or on being burned, and burn freely. You no\v follow the Platte bottoms, sometimes near, at others, dis~ant from the river; but the river almost any time can be reached for camping purposes without going very far off your course. From Fort Kearny, however, the road proper does not strike the river till reaching PLATTE RIVER BANKS, ......................... . 19~ Beautiful exhibitions of mirage are often seen along the broad bottoms of the Platte. (For description see page 48.) NATIONAL WAGON ROAD GUIDE. 79 GRASS CREEK,. . . . . . . . . . . . • ..................... 16 A small stream in early summer, sometimes a little miry and bad to cross. It is useless to name camping places along the south bank of the Platte, between this and the South Fork; b.ecause you ·would not, or need not be governed by them if we did ; but turn from the main road to the bank of the river, whenever you wish to camp. It is ahvays well to send a man ahead to look out a good place, before the wagons come· up. About fifty-fiv~ or sixty miles ahead, you will cross several small streams, if the season be not too dry ; but they afford no very good camping ground. You now follow the south bank of the Platte, to SOUTH FORK OF PLATTE RIVER, ................ 85 There are three fords across this fork, all bad, if the river be high, and all good, if lo\v. We prefer the first or lower ford, on account of the road beyond following the bank of the North Fork, where good eatnping can always be found ; whilst the road westwardly from the middle and upper fords have not this advantage. Therefore, with men on horse-back to lead the way, cross at the lower ford, and bear to the right, strike and follow the North Platte for TWENTY-FIVE MILES,. • . . . . . . ................... 25 Here the road leaves the river. CEDAR BLU.FES ' . . • • . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ............... 10 The road now alternates between bluffs and bottom land~ to river again, and on to . LITTLE ASII CREEK ........... , .............. ~ ... 26 No camping here ; but pass on to and through Ash Hollow, to · PLATTE RIVER AGAIN ........................... 4 Some timber in Ash Hollow, a little grass and two or three good springs of water; but hardly enough for an- •• |