Transcript

We appointed Elisha Evrett [Averett] Capt. of ten active young men to go ahead as pioneers and they acted very faithful. So we passed on seeing many ups and downs and crossing many rivers[,] a distance of about 600 miles until we came to the Sacramento river. here a number of our men stopped and found the first gold. thus the mines were opened by the Mormon boys. About one hundred of us went on for Salt Lake over the high mountains. where the perpetual snow was plenty, 140 miles and came to the sink of St. Mary's river. up that river near to the rise, thence to Fort Hall from thence 210 miles to Salt Lake