THE OVERLAND ROUTE ACROSS THE PLAINS IN 1850-51***


E-text prepared by the Project Gutenberg Online Distributed Proofreading
Team (http://www.pgdp.net) from digital material generously made available
by Internet Archive/American Libraries
(http://www.archive.org/details/americana)



Note: Images of the original pages are available through
      Internet Archive/American Libraries. See
      http://www.archive.org/details/journaloftriptoc00ingarich


Transcriber's note:

      Minor typographical errors have been corrected without
      note. Dialect spellings and punctuation have been retained.





JOURNAL OF A TRIP TO CALIFORNIA BY THE
OVERLAND ROUTE ACROSS THE PLAINS IN 1850-51

by

E. S. INGALLS.







Waukegan:
Tobey & Co., Printers
1852




PREFACE.


In offering this Journal to the public, the publishers believe that a
benefit will be conferred on many who are desirous of visiting the
Eldorado of the nineteenth century. This is one object we have in
publishing it; but our principal object is to gratify the numerous
friends of Judge Ingalls by furnishing them with his journal in a form
easily transmitted through the mails to the different parts of the
country. Without claiming any merit as a literary production, the
author has simply given us a plain statement of incidents as he saw
them. Without further remark, we present his work to the public.

PUBLISHERS.




JOURNAL.


In offering this journal to the public, the writer makes no pretensions
to authorship, but believes that, although it be written in plain,
off-hand style, nevertheless, some portions of it may be interesting to
the public, and that if any who may chance to read it are about to
start for "Eldorado," they may derive some benefit from it, whether
they go over the Plains, or by water. The writer will only attempt to
describe objects and incidents as he saw them.

We commenced our journey from Lake county, Ill., on the 27th day of
March, (or rather I did, the team not being ready, and I having some
business to transact at Rock River.)

_March_, 28--I left Hainesville, and traveled to Franklinville, McHenry
Co., at night a distance of 30 miles.

29th. Reached Belvidere about noon, and spent the remainder of the day
with John S. Curtis, Esq. Belvidere is a thriving village in Boon co.,
situated in the midst of a fertile and beautiful country.

18 miles.


30th.--Left Belvidere about noon, after having made a very agreeable
visit with Mr. Curtis, and traveled as far as Rockford, on Rock river,
where I found E. Ford, one of our company, and several others from Lake
county. I found Ford taking care of a California emigrant from
Wisconsin, by the name of Maynard, who was very sick at the Rockford
House.

12 miles.


31st. I remained at Rockford, it being Sunday. Rockford is one of the
most active and prosperous villages on the Rock River, and when the
contemplated railroad from Chicago to Galena shall be completed, it
will double its size and population. The water power furnished by
damming the Rock River is unequaled. It is used now to some extent, but
is capable of driving six times the machinery which it now does.

_April_ 1st. Remained at Rockford. Maynard died this night about 11
o'clock. He had the satisfaction of seeing his wife before he died, she
having been sent for by the landlord of the Rockford House. How many
will be cut down by disease on this crusade to California. How many
will die where they can have no friendly hand to alleviate their
sufferings, time only will tell.

2d. Started down the Rock River--travelled thirty miles through a very
good country, and stopped over night at the house of an old townsman
and friend, L. Scott, Esq.

30 miles.


3d. Stormy and cold; went over to Mr. J. R. Merrill's, another old
townsman, and spend the day.

4th. Remained at Merrill's--visited Grand de Tour, a thriving village
on the Rock River, about four miles from the house of my friend.

5th. Remaining still with Merrill. Disagreeable, stormy weather.--This
evening J. and I. B. Ingalls came up with team which left Hainesville,
April 2d.

6th. Bought a horse of Merrill to-day. Bade Mr. M.'s family adieu, and
felt like leaving home again, so agreeably had the time passed in the
society of my friend and his accomplished family. Found one of our
horses lame with a sprained ankle; got the materials and made some
liniment (by directions of Mr. Merrill,) and I must say it proved the
most effectual remedy for sprains, galls, and other injuries to horses,
that I ever saw used, and we had good reason to be thankful to Mr.
Merrill for imparting the knowledge of making it to us, before we got
through with our trip. We traveled this day 24 miles down Rock
river--weather pleasant, and roads good.

24 miles.


7th. Sunday--traveled about 25 miles, pleasant weather, but some bad
roads.

25 miles.


8th. Traveled about 25 miles to Rock Island. Pleasant weather;
beginning to get into the track of California teams. Took in some hard
bread, visited Rock Island Lodge, of I.O.O.F., where I found a cordial
welcome as befitted brothers.

25 miles.


_April_ 9th. Crossed the Mississippi to Davenport, Iowa; took in 25
bushels of corn--paid for shelled corn 38 cts. per bushel, in the ear
30 cts. Purchased also most of our other necessaries, excepting meat
and flour. I was surprised to find Davenport and Rock Island such large
places.--They lie opposite each other on the Mississippi, and about
three miles above the mouth of Rock river. They are surrounded by a
country of fertile soil on each side