Stagecoach Rate of Travel
"The rate of travel on an average is five miles an hour; six is good; between seven and eight is the maximum, which sinks in hilly countries to three or four. I have…
Arkansas Tooth-Pick
"The prairie traveler is not particular about toilet: the easiest dress is a dark flannel shirt, worn over the normal article ; no braces—I say it, despite Mr. Galton—but broad leather belt…
Prairie Medicine
"Captain Marcy outfits his prairie traveler with a 'little blue mass, quinine, opium, and some cathartic medicine put up in doses for adults.' I limited myself to the opium, which is invaluable when…
Mountain Grasses
"The mountain region westward of the sage and saleratus desert, extending between the 105th and 111th meridian (G.) a little more than 400 miles will in time become sparsely peopled. Though in many…
Old Isis Bargee
"At Saint Joseph (Mo.), better known by the somewhat irreverent abbreviation of St. Jo, I was introduced to Mr. Alexander Majors, formerly one of the contractors for supplying the army in Utah a…
Indian Botheration
"But sagely thus reflecting that 'dangers which loom large from afar generally lose size as one draws near;' that rumors of wars might have arisen, as they are wont to do, from…
Mormon Assassins
"'Mormon' had in fact become a word of fear; the Gentiles looked upon the Latter-Day Saints much as our crusading ancestors regarded the 'Hashshashiyun,' [Hashshashin, Order of Assassins]whose name, indeed, was almost enough…
Climateric
"The commerce of the world, the Occidental Press had assured me, is undergoing its grand climacteric: the resources of India and the nearer orient are now well-nigh cleared of 'loot,' and our sons,…
Desipere in Loco
"Unaccustomed, of late years at least, to deal with tales of twice-told travel, I can not but feel, especially when, as in the present case, so much detail has been expended upon…
Army Discharge Description of Slade
"Said Joseph A. Slade was born in Clinton Co in the State of Illinois, is 18 years of age, 5 feet 6 inches high, dark complexion, black eyes, light hair,…
Mark Twain Meets Jack Slade
"The exact time of their [Mark Twain and Jack Slade] meeting has been pinpointed to the morning of August 2, 1861, at Rocky Ridge–two stations east of South Pass."
Territories
"In the space of twenty years, 1848-1868, twelve huge territories were created, and, as the process went on, each territory was changed, divided, and subdivided ad infinitum. . . .…
Adjusting to the West
"It was the end of August, and the skies were cloudless and the weather superb. In two or three weeks I had grown wonderfully fascinated with the curious new country, and concluded to…
A Real Desert by Daylight
"And it was pleasant also to reflect that this was not an obscure, back country desert, but a very celebrated one, the metropolis itself, as you may say. All this was very…
A Downgrade, a Flying Coach
"And it was comfort in those succeeding days to sit up and contemplate the majestic panorama of mountains and valleys spread out below us and eat ham and hard boiled while our spiritual…