02/15/07

REQUIREMENTS OF EACH FAMILY OF FIVE FOR THE JOURNEY ACROSS THE PLAINS

 

●One thousand pounds of flour or other bread stuff and good sacks to put it in.

●One bushel of beans.

●One hundred pounds of sugar.

●One good musket or rifle to each man.

●One pound of powder and three lbs. lead (or perhaps more). Two lbs. tea, 5 lbs. coffee.

●Twenty-five pounds of salt.

●A few pounds of dried beef, or bacon, as they choose.

●A good tent and furniture to each two families.

●From ten to fifty pounds of seed to a family.

●And from twenty-five to one hundred pounds of farming or other tools.

●Clothing and bedding to each family of five persons not to exceed five hundred pounds.

●One or more sets of saw and gristmill irons to each company of one hundred families.

●Cooking utensils to consist of a bake-kettle, frying-pan, coffee pot, tin cups, plates, and forks, spoons, pans, etc., etc., as few as will do.

●A few goods to trade with the Indians.

●A little iron and steel, a few pounds of nails.

●Each wagon supposed to be loaded on the start with one ton with-out the persons or twenty-eight hundred including them.

●If going to the coast it is not necessary to carry seed wheat, oats or grass. Nor are cattle and sheep absolutely necessary except to live on while upon the journey, as the country abounds in both cattle and sheep. A few horses will be necessary for each company. Also a few cannon and ammunition for the same. The journey to the coast will require some four or five months, being upwards of two thousand miles.

●There was also added two sets of pulley blocks and rope for crossing rivers to each company.

●Two ferry boats to each company.

●One keg of alcohol of five gallons for each two families.

●Ten pounds of dried apples for each family.

●Five pounds of dried peaches.

●Twenty pounds of dried pumpkin.

●Two pounds of black pepper.

●One pound of cayenne.

●One-half pound mustard.

●Twelve nutmegs. One fish seine for each company. Hooks and lines for each family.' "