Transcript

June 25, 1850

Camp of Israel, near New Fort Carnie

Dear Parents, Brothers and Sisters, you will see by this that I am on my way West. Our camp has stopped today to wash and I improve this opportunity to write. It has been near 5 weeks since I left Ft. Des Moines. We have come about 400 miles. We shall make better progress in the future. I expect to be near 3 months yet.

There are 55 wagons in our company. We corral (drive in a circle) atnight, travel all day, watch Indians and wolves by night--fine fun. We are camped at an old deserted Indian village on the Platte River.We have been pulling their old lodges down for wood. There is great scarcity of timber in this country, only a little along the water courses. We have been traveling up the Platte bottoms for several days.

Plenty of buffalo on every side and elk, deer and antelope. There are so many people traveling that they frighten the buffalo away from the road. They are very abundant here in winter and feed on the rushes. 

I have but a few moments at a time to write and that in the wind by the side of the wagon. I have to get wood and water, tend baby and write. And you will excuse any imperfections you may discover.

I have 2 wagons, 3 yoke of oxen, 2 yoke of cows, one set of smith tools, clothes for two years, provisions for three months. We have a few cases of cholera in camp, 3 deaths.

We had a mess of peas and onions today. They grow spontaneous here. The peas resemble the June peas and tastes like them. Would like to send you some seed of the wild flowers that grow here.”

[The rest of the letter was written in pencil and all is not legible now.]

 

28- The mail so near by going to the states from the [illegible] valley, and I must write going along. We are all well. I received your last in due season [illegible] . Will write again soon. Maybe from post [illegible] . I am driving team and writing. Write if you can  [illegible] .

William H. Bishop

 

You may write to me by way of Council Bluffs, direct to valley of Salt Lake by the way of Council Bluffs, Iowa. Write next winter so I will get it by the spring mail.“