Transcript

Transcript for Buckwalter, Henry Shuler, Autobiography, ca. 1906, 9

After purchasing four more yoke of cattle from farmers in the vicinity for ourselves and remaining about four weeks in camp at Winter Quarters preparing for the start; And all things being in readiness with everyone Our Company started out and took up the line of March on the 31st of May 1852 with 89 waggons with from three to four yoke of cattle to each waggon and about 800 persons in the company comprising Americans: English: Scotch: Welsch (sic) and Germans Travelling from 20 to 30 and 35 miles each day over the dreary plains in sunshine and rain; over streches of deep sandy Deserts Fording Rivers; Traveling in the boiling hot sun in deep sand up and down steep sand hills; Standing guard at night to protect ourselves from sudden attacts from the Indians Driving our waggons over steep and dangerous ravines, crossing over steep rough rugged Hills and Mountains And in some instances water scarce And in others not very desirable for use: And for about from three to four hundred miles no wood to burn nothing for the purpose but dry Buffalo or our domestic cattle chips that they have left behind them while grazing on the grasses of the plains which makes a very good and hot fire for the cooking of meals or setting around warming yourselves; After travelling two months and twelve days we arrived in Great Salt Lake City on the 11th day of August; Our Company began breaking up and scattering about almost immediately after our arrival some going to one point of the terr(i)to(r)y and some to another