Trail took toll on humans, animals

FARSON -The Historic Trails wagon train lines out of Farson today, headed for Simpson's hollow, the site where Mormons burned an Army supply train during the sholt-lived Mormon Wa(of 1857.
This land hasn't changed much since the Great Migration. The area took its toll on the spirits of men, women and children, and it weighed heavily upon the backs of the oxen, or horses pulling the wagons.

Agnes Stewart wrote in 1853:

Well well people talk of being in mud to the eyes but if we have not got dust to our eyes it is a strange thing to me notwithstanding we could not walk for long and could not breath for the smell of dead oxen ... the boys have driven the cattle to an Island where they can get gras, and I have just washed the dust out of my eyes so that I can see to get supper.

Kit Belknap told of efforts to relieve the suffering of the animals:

It:'s very warm; the oxen all have their tongues out panting, George took the wash pan and a bucket of water and let all our team wet their tongues and he washed the dust off their noses; some laughed at him but the oxen seemed very grateful.

And in 1853 Elizabeth Goltra wrote:

This morning our cattle and horses are all sick, we found we had camped on alkali ground, we commenced pouring the lard and vinegar down them and they soon seemed better, drove on to get away from this poisonous place.

Source: Women's Voices from the Oregon Trail, used with permission