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Show 76 NATIONAL WAGON ROAD GUIDE. VERMILION CREEl{, . . . . . . . . . . . . ......... · . . . . . . 6~ Rapid, with· a rough bottom ; but not bad to cross. There are some cat-fish in this stream. SPRING CREEl\:, ..................................... 13 Some t.imber here. BIG BLUE RIVER,... . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 Five rods w·ide, swift current, some fish here ; a variety of timber and good grass. You '\'ill pass the junction of the Independence with the St. Joseph road, before reaching COTTONWOOD CR.EEK, ........................... 13~ First rate camping here. LIT1'LE SANDY, .................................... 22~ Long heavy hills between this and the Little Blue ; roughest country yet neen. BIG SANDY, .......................•................ 14 From three to five miles before reaching Big Sandy, you will see at some distance to the left of the road, a belt of timber ; this is on a branch of the Big Sandy, and being a little off from the road, affords excellent . camping. BASKET CREEl{.,. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9 Uneven, hilly country to LITTLE BLUE RIVER, . . • . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5 Sixty feet wide, from three to five feet deep, contains many fish, and is skirted with a narrow belt of timber on both banks. Its waters are turbid like the Missouri; but to most persons wholesome ; it can be easily rendered clear, by boiling for a few moments and stirring in a very small quantity of corn meal, and allowing it to cool and settle. You do not cross this stream, but pass up its north bank. You should look well to yo'ur camping places between this and the Platte river; for thou~h there is much good camping ground all along the Little Blue, and a most delightful country, the cam- \ NATIONAL WAGON ROAD GUIDE. ping is very poor after leaving the river for the last time till you get a considerable distance above Fort }{carny on the Platte. RIVER BANI{. CAMP .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Road leaves the river here, and you pass over a prairi~ and along the flats, finding no good place to camp till you reach 77 RIVER AGAIN, ................. : ................... 21 ~ First rate camping here; but look to your distances ahead, and if pos~ible make the next point named a camping place, and let the next after that, be the six-teen mile creek, if early in the season, for between thero and Fort l{earny, nearly thirty-one miles, there is neither wood nor water, except possibly a little surface water. SIX MILE CAMP ' . . . . . . • . . . . . • • . . . . . . . . . • . . . . . . . . . . . 6 A beautiful country, and yet without a tree or bush in any direction, except along the river. Here carefully note that ten miles further on, . you leave the river for the last time, and at a point not first rate for obtaining wood. The road too, leaves the river so gradually that you may be deceived; had better therefore, take on the first dr! wood . you can get, and as much as you can convenwntly carry. . LAST OF THE LITTLE BLUE,. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 93i You are now to traverse an elevated prairie country towards the Platte river, nearly destitute of wood and water. You had better take as much dry wood as you can well carry; or you certainly wiil be without any for . three or four days. Many prefer boiling up a lot of be~ns, ham, etc., sufficient to last them for three days, us1ng wood only for making tea and coffee. SIXTEEN MILE CREEK) ..................... : . ..... 16 You \vill probably find sufficient water here, if early in the season, making it a fair camping ground, with the . exception of wood, there being little or none. Better • |