Transcript

Transcript for Haight, Isaac Chauncey, Journal 1842 June-1850 Apr

June 13 th leave Winter Quarters and Start for the West[.] in good health[.] We travelled about five miles and camped by a small point of timber

14th Start forward travel about twenty miles and camped on the Elk Horn River two miles below the Ferry

15th crossed the River on a float made of cottonwood logs, found many of the Breathrin waiting for the whole company to come up[.] comenced Organizing the first hundred Daniel Spencer Captain. Ira Eldredge Captain of the Second fifty and myself captain of the first Ten of Second fifty

17th 18. our fifty left the Elk Horn[.] I broke the first waggon track to the Platt[e] about fifteen miles[.] camped on a beautiful prarie near the River

18th 19th Staid in camp this day[.] erected a Liberty Pole. Many came up and camped

19th 20 held meeting[.] Elders P.P. Pratt and J. Taylor gave us good instruction

20 21stwaited all day for the cannon to come[.] the cannon came but John Scott that had the charge of them did not come

22nd the weather being fine we started on our journey over a wide Spreading Prarie[.] the ground good for roads[.] we travelled five waggons abrest amounting to five hundred and sixty seven waggons. all in good health and Spirits for the Wilderness[.] <travel 12 miles>

24th finding it in convenient to travel so many abrest, the first Hundred Started on two abrest[.] the rest follow[.] came about sixteen miles[.] camp by a slew[.] the next camp on a creek four miles back

25th move on about eight miles[.] camp by the river till all came up[.] a council was held to Settle some difficulty among the Captains which was done satisfactorally

26th Came about 16 miles over a level prarie[.] the road good[.] the grass very short and dry mostly of the Buffalo grass, the wind blew hard[.] the dust flew in clouds almost enough to suffocate us[.] camped on the Loup Fork

27th came about 16 miles[.] crossed Looking Glass creek and camped on Be[a]ver creek

28th Elders Pratt and Taylor went to look for a ford over this River but found none[.] in the Evening crossed Be[a]ver creek[.] did some repairs to waggons[.] the superintendant of the Pawnee Farmers visited us

29th Start about 3 oclock P.M. in the rear of all the companies[.] travel about 6 miles

30th pass the Pawnee Station cross Willow and Ceder [Cedar] creeks[.] passed a Pawnee Villedg [village] that had been deserted[.] the Sioux Indians having drove them off[.] came about 6 miles[.] camped on the river

July 1st had very rough road over deep ravines and hollows[.] came 10 miles[.] camped on the river[.] the whole camp together[.] examine the river for a ford

2nd Cross the river without any accident the bed of the River is quick Sand[.] camped on the Bank of the River[.] So we pass over Rivers hills and plains as though all was a smothe [smooth] plain

3rd Start forward again over a hilly Sandy country[.] had a thunder Shower towards Evening[.] came 18 miles[.] camped without wood or water

4th crossed a creek[.] saw some antelopes for the first [time.] camped on Wood river[.] came 18 miles[.] we formed our waggons in a circle in which we put our cattle nights and guarded them from

5th had Meeting[.] had good instruction from Elder Pratt[.] travelled 14 miles over one of the most Beautiful plains I ever saw[.] camped on the Platt[e] River at the camp of the Pioneers 217 miles from Winter qua[r]ters

6th Came about sixteen miles

7th Came about 18 miles[.] came passed Several Villedges [villages] inhabited <by> dogs a little larger than the Squirrel[.] some were killed[.] they are good to eat

8th travel about twelve miles[.] all well

9th saw Some Buffalo for the first time[.] got none of them[.] Weather very warm[.] came about 12 miles

10th came about 6 miles[.] camped before noon to make repairs to our waggons

11th there were several Buffaloes killed to day[.] the meat is very good[.] got my foot scalled [scalded] very bad this evening.

12th Captain Eldredge upset his waggon[.] came very near killing his little Boy but escaped unhurt[.] camped by the River

13th Came 16 miles[.] camped on the Prarie campground

14th came about 5 miles[.] camped on North Fork[.] went to hunt Buffalo[.] Saw a herd gave chase[.] just as I came up my horse fell and throwed me and I lost the chase

15th Weather very warm[.] cattle suffered much[.] Came to some Cold Springs the best I ever saw[.] came about 12 miles

16th Saw numerous herds of Buffaloes[.] came about 10 miles weather warm

17th had heavy winds last night[.] Cool today[.] a Boy killed large Buffalo[.] came 14 miles

18th crossed the river to hunt cattle[.] got news from the pioneers

19 Captain Grants cattle broke of[f] his gard[.] went to hunt them but did not find them[.] killed two Buffaloes[.] the Lord gave us plenty of meat

20th travelled 10 miles[.] roads good

21st the roads most of the way Sandy and hilly

22nd about one hundred Indians came to our camp[.] all friendly[.] came 10 miles

23rd wait for Captain Grants company to come up[.] in the after noon the Indians come again to our camp[.] have a dance[.] fire the cannon twice

25th in the morning some of the Pioneers meet us[.] had a meeting[.] letters were read from the Pioneers[.] after meeting came three miles.

26th as liberty was given for every fifty to travel by themselves we started as soon as we could in the morning[.] heavy sand hills to cross came 12 miles

27th passed another band of the Sioux Indians[.] came eighteen miles

28th crossed some sand hills[.] camped near ruin Bluffs[.] had a shower with high winds[.] after the rain went upon some of the Bluffs in the form of a pyramid composed of red clay capt [capped] with Lime Rock

29th came 20 miles[.] camped near chimney Rock

30th passed chinney [chimney] Rock[.] came 15 miles

31st our cattles feet and necks are getting sore[.] came 18 miles[.] camped near Scotts Bluffs

August 1st went to the top of Scotts Bluffs[.] camp lay still

2nd came 20 miles[.] camped late[.] feed poor[.] let our cattle run at large for the first time

3rd start late[.] have sandy roads[.] camp early[.] Some of the Soldiers came to us from Calafornia [California.] came 12 miles[.] had but little wood for 250 miles

4th came 16 miles[.] roads heavy[.] camped near Ft. Laramie

5th crossed the Platt[e.] came 7 miles[.] put up a coal pit

6th 7th repair waggons[.] shoe some of our Oxen[.] came 13 miles

8th Father's waggons upset but little damage done[.] heavy shower of Hail and rain[.] came 17 miles[.] camped by Cold Springs[.] Some feed

9th came 16 miles over a barren hilly country[.] camped by some springs[.] good feed and wood

10th hilly road[.] came 16 miles[.] camped on creek Labonta[.] good feed

11 came 12 miles[.] camped on a dry creek but found water[.] poor feed for cattle

12th many of our cattle gone[.] found them several miles off[.] started late[.] came 8 miles[.] camped on a creek[.] feed good and wood[.] killed Buffalo<es>

13th came 9 miles[.] camped on a creek[.] feed good

14th came 9 miles[.] camped on Deer creek

15th Met Elder Benson from Salt Lake[.] came 15 miles[.] found good feed

16th came 14 miles to the upper ferry on the Platt[e.] So we got over the Black Hills safe

17th made repairs[.] found some of the Breathern

18th remained in the same place[.] went hunting

19th Crossed the Platt[e] in the afternoon[.] came 6 miles[.] camped without feed, wood or water

20th came 9 miles before Breakfast then 13 miles[.] camped with but little feed

21st came 9 miles[.] found good feed and water

22nd Came 16ten [sixteen] miles[.] Sandy[.] camped on Sweet Water by Rock Independance[.] visited the saleratus lakes[.] got some saleratus

23rd came 17 miles[.] crossed several creeks[.] camped on Sweet Water near a range of mountains of Solid Rock[.] road sandy

24th came 11 miles[.] camped by High Bluffs

25th cool this morning[.] came 8 miles

26th frosty it froze ice[.] came 9 miles[.] good feed

27th cold came 17 miles[.] good feed and water

28th came 11 miles[.] met some of the Pioneers

29th came 13 miles[.] passed over a high rocky ridge[.] camped on large creek poor feed

30th came 8 miles[.] camped on Sweet Water[.] met some of the pioneers

31st camp lay still[.] I went to trade with the Indians[.] bought some skins

September 1st came 14 miles through South Pass of the mountains the tops of which are covered with Eternal Snow[.] camped at Pacific Springs[.] bought a poney of[f] the Indians[.] they state know of Br Eldredge horses

2nd came 22 miles[.] camped on Big Sandy creek

3rd came 10 miles[.] camped on Big Sandy[.] President Young and Pioneers came to us[.] we felt to thank the Lord to see them again in the evening[.] had a meeting got some instructions

4th parted with the pioneers[.] came 17 miles[.] camped on Big Sandy creek, night cold

5th quite cold this morning[.] ice half inch thick[.] crosed Green River[.] camped two miles below the ford[.] found plenty of Berries[.] came 3 miles

6th high winds and clouds of dust[.] came 30 miles[.] camped on Muddy creek [Blacks Fork]

7th got up in the morning[.] found it snowing[.] then turned to rain about 10 oclock[.] cleared off[.] came 4 miles[.] camped on Hams Fork

8th repair waggons[.] part of the company leave us[.] gather some Berries

9th cross 3 creeks[.] Sandy Roads[.] came 17 miles

10th came 15 miles[.] camped at Fort Bridgers

11th came 14 miles[.] hilly roads and verry dusty[.] some injury done to waggons

12th made 9 miles[.] new road came 18 miles[.] camped at the cold Springs near tar Springs[.] Some of the company gathered Some of the tar

13th came 11 mile[.] crossed Bear River

14th the first part of the road dusty almost to Suffocation[.] came 12 miles

15th passed through the Kanian [Canyon] of Red Fork[.] it is verry narrow[.] only room for the road on one Side[.] the Rocks Several hundred feet high in some places overhanging the road[.] came 14 miles

16th had to hunt cattle[.] crossed the Wever [Weber] River[.] came 9 miles

17th made some new road[.] Br Eldredge Broke his waggon

18th mended his waggon[.] started late[.] had bad roads[.] travelled till after dark[.] Broke my waggon[.] camped behind the company[.] came 6 miles

19th had to mend it[.] Started late[.] had to come over a mountain road difficult[.] came 8 miles[.] camped after dark

20th came 4 miles[.] camped at the foot of another mountain[.] took some waggon up

21st came over the mountain 8 miles to the Border of the Great Valley and had the pleasure to gaze on the place that is destined to be the future home for the Saints, and a resting place from the face of our enemies

22nd arrived safe at the Fort[.] our cattle worn out and all of us tired of travelling