Transcript

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

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

15^th 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

17^th 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

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

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

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

22^nd 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>

24^th 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

25^th 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

26^th 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

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

28^th 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

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

30^th 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 1^st 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

2^nd 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

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

4^th 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

5^th 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

6^th Came about sixteen miles

7^th 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

8^th travel about twelve miles[.] all well

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

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

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

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

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

14^th 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

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

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

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

18^th 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

20^th travelled 10 miles[.] roads good

21^st the roads most of the way Sandy and hilly

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

23^rd 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

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

26^th 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

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

28^th 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

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

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

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

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

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

3^rd 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

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

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

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

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

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

10^th 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

12^th 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>

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

25^th cool this morning[.] came 8 miles

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

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

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

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

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

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

September 1^st 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

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

3^rd 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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

12^th 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

13^th came 11 mile[.] crossed Bear River

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

15^th 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

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

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

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

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

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

21^st 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

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