November 1849

November 1, Thursday.  Today I visited Captain Hubbard's camp which is about one mile from the crossing.  He kindly invited me and my son, Henry to remain with him until our company came down which invitation we accepted.  Yankee John returned back on the road to meet Captain Robert's and the train.           

November 2, Friday.  There are a great many Indians around this place.  The men wear nothing but breech cloths.  The women get strips of cotton wood bark and tying a piece around their loins they fasten strips to it that hang down all around them nearly to their knees and that is their full dress.            

This tribe is at war with the Maricopas and the Pimas.  They are an impudent Indian.  Before the soldiers came here which was about six weeks ago, the immigrants had much trouble with them.  They killed two immigrants in a battle and the immigrants killed eight of them.  They went, a few days ago, to the lieutenant and told him that he must go from here that it was their ground.  But he told them he would not go but if he wanted a fight he would whip the whole tribe.  They appear friendly but it is only from fear.  They have the poorest excuse for a habitation imaginable.  A little brush thrown together which neither keeps out the sun or the wind or rain.  They raise a few pumpkins and melons and beans, corn, but very little.  They will sell it at about five cents an ear.  They have the best horses I have seen since I left the States.  There is a considerable strip of land here that might be cultivated by irrigation, but altogether this is one of the poorest countries you can find.  At Captain Hubbard's camp one mile south of the crossing.          

November 3, Saturday.  Mr. Hubbard's company move to the River and cross over.  Nothing interesting occurs. 

Cover    Preface
April    May    June    July    August
September     October    November
Final Note    Appendix