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Show VI PREFACE. not less than five years old, nor more than eight. The most desirable age is six or se\en years.Steers of less age than five year~, rarely ~ndure tho fatigues of the trip, nor should any steer be taken that has not been broken, and \vcll inured to labor at home. The chara~ter of the team having been disposed of, a word n1ust be said in relation to the W AGOX. The provisions for NOT MORE than three persons should be hauled in AN~ ONF.: WAG_DN, a~d that should be sueh an one as 1s known 1n W1s· consin as a light hvo-horsc wagon. Tbcre should be no superfluous iron work about it, and the tin1ber, particularly of the " .. heels, should be PER .. FECTLY SEASONED. To SUCh a wagon, loaded only with provisions and a few articles indispensible upon the road, you should attach F01JR YOKE OF CATTI~E. It is desirable in adjusting your load to your tean1, to arrange it so that the labor shall be only that of TRA VELI~G, and not Of IIAT:JLING. You should also be so situated that the loss of one or two steers would oooasion no distress. To ev-ery wagon there should be AT LEAS'r. ONE good grass-fed horse, (a Spanish mule i~ much preferable,) and TWO such animals are better than o~E, in proportion. As the tastes of people differ, so will their itores of provisions; the following list is such an PREFACE. VII one as I should take, had I the journey to 1·e-perform; it is a store sufficient for three men:- 400 lbs. Flour, 100 lbs. Sugar, 75 " Indian ~feal, 50 " Coffee, 200 " Butter Crackers 2 " Tea, 75 " Rice, I 3 gallons Pickles in 250 u Hams and Side Vinegar, Bacon, 1 6 " 1\tiolasses, 75 u Dried Venison, 3 bush. Dried Fruit. ~ bush. Beans. In addition to the above, clothing, .. blankets, arms and amunition, and a sn1all tent, only, should be taken. Shoes and nails for two yoke, if the team consist of four yoke of steers, will probably be needed. Many a valuable ox was left on the road the last season, for the want of a SINGLE SHOE. Six, or at the most, eight wagons are as many as should travel together. Large companies should be a voided, as they occasion much uune .. cessary delay. The fron tier should be left as soon as the grass has sufficiently advanced, and the emigrant should steadily pursue his journey, laying by only in rainy weaLher. The route pursued in the following pages makes Council Bluffs, Io,va, the starting point.This place is much nearer to the North-Western States than any other equally as eligible point of departure. By travt'ling thence on tho north side of the |
