[E. L. Barnard, Letter, Deseret News, April 30, 1853]

 

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For the Deseret News.

G. S. L. CITY, April 18, 1853.

            The mail left Sacramento on the 15th of March for this place -- was taken to Hangtown same day by stage; left next morning on a pack animal for the head of the South Fork. About 40 miles from Hangtown the snow became so deep that our mule had to be sent back, when it became necessary to put the bags on our backs from thence to Carson Valley, (70 miles distant) over the summit of the Sierra Nevada, through snow banks of 20 and 40 feet in depth. With untiring effort and almost superhuman endurance we reached our post in Carson on the 21st.

            On the 23rd our party, (consisting of eight), all well mounted and equipped, commenced our journey for this point.

            At the Desert we met a band of Indians; bargained with two of them to accompany the mail; one came with this party, the other is to come with the next; also made arrangements with a whole family of Indians (who were to leave the next day for our trading post) to live with us to herd our stock and make themselves generally useful; we in return to feed and clothe them and make presents to their friends.

            We saw a great many Indians on the road and had talks with them all.  We bestowed small presents and gave them food.  They were mostly all naked. We promised them presents on our return.  They appeared much pleased, and are anxious to be on good terms with the whites.  At one time we were in a company of some 200 of these poor beings, all of whom appeared perfectly friendly.  The upper tribes, when they found that we had an Indian with us, were overjoyed; we could never give them sufficient time to finish their talk.  Nothing but a pacific course towards these Indians is necessary to secure their friendship.  Such is to be our policy.

            The waters of the Humbolt [sic] were never higher; all the tributaries are swimming.  The Indians' horses have mostly all perished in the snows.  All the mountains are covered with snow; consequently the waters will keep up for a long time.  We not only had to swim every stream, but wade through extensive bottoms for miles up to our knees, and often our armpits in mud and water.

            Mr. Ferguson and myself left our party on Goose Creek to hasten in with the mail.  We found but little snow on the mountains.  Teams can go as far as Goose Creek now, but no further for a month to come.  Grass good all the way.

            It is the determination of the mail contractors to spare no pains, trouble or expense, in forwarding the United States mail to and from California.  They have made such arrangements and adopted such measures that success is inevitable.

            On my return to Carson Valley we shall start out a company to explore a new route, whereby 300 miles travel can be saved, which will so shorten the distance that a failure of this mail cannot happen

                        Respectfully yurs [sic],

E. L. BARNARD.

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