n army. Horses, picketed tents, with the
star spangled banners flying, wagons standing around, while lying by
the side of logs and trees are brawny, sun-burnt men, sunning
themselves, and taking their ease. Within thirty minutes after we
camped there were 21 wagons camped. Since then they have been coming in
and camping continually. How many there are at this time, would be
difficult to say, and still they come. But this is but a foretaste of
what we shall see at St. Joseph, which we expect to reach by Tuesday
night, it being 44 miles from this place, we are told. On the opposite
side of the river, and half a mile from here, is Gentryville, the
county seat of Gentry county. It is a right smart place, as they say
out this way. It has a saw and grist mill, two taverns, with a fair
sprinkling of stores and workshops. I should think the water power very
good for this country, and capable of supplying power for much more
machinery than now in use.

10 miles.

29th. Left Grand river and crossed the Great Prairie, passed some teams
camped that had lost 22 horses, (but found 20 of them and were hunting
for the other two.) Got in with a large train which hindered us so much
that we ran by, and made 34 miles for the purpose of keeping ahead of
them. Country good, but too much prairie. Passed Platte river, and the
village of Rochester. Good mills on the Little Platte river at this
village.

34 miles.

30th. Left our camping ground and traveled 14 miles to St. Joseph.
Weather very cold and windy--no grass nor hay. We have traveled 200
miles without grass or hay, but have cut dry prairie grass where we
could find it. Camped in a ravine half a mile north of St. Joseph. St.
Joseph is quite a village, and doing a great deal of business at this
time. But the way they fleece California emigrants is worth noticing. I
should advise all going the overland route to take every thing along
with them that they can of small weight, as every little thing costs
three or four times as much here as at home. The markets are filled
with broken down horses jockeyed up for the occasion, and unbroken
mules, which they assure you are handy as sheep. It is the greatest
place for gambling, and all other rascality that I was ever in. We have
to stand guard over our horses as much as if we were in the Indian
country. It is said that one or two men have been shot by the emigrants
while in the act of stealing horses. Here let me before leaving the
Sta