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

[Roger Welsch]

Yep, the Trailers usually crossed in May when the river had water...and a
lot of quicksand.  It was too shallow to ferry, too deep to ford, which is
why there was virtual war to decide which side of that thing the capital
would be.  Wm Jennings Bryan was called the Boy Orator of the
Platte...allegedly because he was an inch deep and a mile wide at the mouth.


----- Original Message ----- 
From: <DAVIESW739 at aol.com>
To: <at at lists.antique-tractor.com>
Sent: Thursday, July 28, 2005 7:33 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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