[AT] OOOPS - Do as I say not as I do - now rambling off topic

[Steve W.]

Walt,
  Is this an available book? Or a personal family item that hasn't been
printed?
Sounds like a real interesting read.

----- Original Message ----- 
From: <DAVIESW739 at aol.com>
To: <at at lists.antique-tractor.com>
Sent: Thursday, July 28, 2005 8:33 PM
Subject: Re: [AT] OOOPS - Do as I say not as I do - now rambling off
topic


> Roger this is from my 3rd Gt. Aunt Charlotte's  book about crossing on
the
> Oregon Trail.
> ----------------------------------------------------------------------
--------
> -----
> We  had followed the Platte River for a long ways before we came to a
big
> cottonwood  grove, where we made our camp. Our guide, Capt. Gantt,
told us  that
> we must cross the river at  that place. We had been in the buffalo
country
> for several weeks and our hunters had saved the  green hides to be
ready for
> the crossing of the Platte, when we came to it. So the wagons  were
all taken
> apart and the wet rawhides were drawn over the big wagon  boxes and
nailed,
> then they  were placed in the sun till the hides were  drawn as tight
as drum
> heads. Broken or thin places  were rubbed well with  pitch till the
improvised
> boats were adjudged fully "sea worthy" and were   launched to be
loaded with
> our stuff and the running gear and wheels. The  cargoes were then
topped off
> with the women and children and the men who  could not swim.
>
> The Platte is a broad river, too broad to be  spanned by ropes in
order that
> the rude boats  might be reeled in by men or  oxen on the opposite
bank. So
> short ropes were attached to the  fronts and  the sides of the boats
and eight
> men, two in front and three at each side,  holding the  ropes in their
teeth,
> swam and towed the wobbly, tilting  barges to the opposite bank. The
men  on
> either side served to keep our  barges steady and on an "even keel."
They were
> to us what  outriggers are  to a surf boat. The two men in front
probably
> supplied the greater part of the  motive power, so the going was very
slow.
>
> When one boat had  crossed, the swimmers went back to help the next in
turn.
> Back and  forth  they went. My Father and two of my brothers spent the
greater
> part of the two  weeks in the  water, for it took that long to ferry
everyone
>  across.
>
> I remember sitting there all tucked up, very comfortable  and
contented,
> watching the  ripples of the water watching it wash and  splash across
my Father's
> big broad shoulders. They  looked as white as  milk and his arms
seemed so
> long and muscular as they drove him against   the strong current of
the Platte.
> Oh! but I was mighty proud of him.
>
> On the way across one of our swimmers fainted and would have gone
down, if
> Father had not  caught him and helped to put him in the boat. So  we
made the
> trip with only seven helpers. Now  and then our boat would rock  and
tilt as
> the strong currents caught and attempted to sport with  it.  Then
Father would
> steady it with one hand while he swam along side of us with  the
other.
>
> Some of the men who had extra tender skins and had made  many trips
across
> and back again,  were many a long day getting rid of the  blisters. My
brother
> Adam, was blistered so badly that he was quite sick and had  a high
fever.
> Mother doctored him with flour and cream.
>
> We  crossed on the fourth day of July and Peter H. Burnett who was
later the
> first  Governor of  California crossed a few minutes later. I remember
that
> because aunt Rachel, who had gone  over some days before, had a big
dinner  all
> cooked and ready for us. Someone had killed a  buffalo and aunt had a
great
> pan of juicy steaks all broiled and piping hot. We were terribly
hungry and
> after the steaks were eaten, we found that they had been broiled over
buffalo
>  "chips". Mrs. Burnett was not altogether happy about it. She even
said that
> she would have  "starved before shewould have eaten anything  cooked
on them
> if she had known it". I guess that was not altogether  true,  for a
few
> mornings later, the Hon. Peter H. was surprised when he had gone out
about daylight
> to gather a good supply before other people were up. The boys  said he
was
> gathering  them in a big white table cloth.
>
> Dry fuel of any kind was very scarce, so even the finicky ones were
compelled
> to  use  them, and after a time, used them in preference, when other
fuel was
>  plentiful. They were good  tinder and made beautiful coals that held
the
> heat for a long time.
>
>
>
> Walt Davies
> Cooper Hollow  Farm
> Monmouth, OR 97361
> 503 623-0460
>
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