Transcript

. . . crossed the [Missouri] River on the 10th of june. We remained in Winter Quarters fiting out & waiting on others until the 27 when we moved out about 6 miles that is the first fifty of A[masa] Lyman’s division had not yet Started[.] James M[adison]. Flake was Captain of hundred[,] B[arnabas]. L[athrop]. Adams of the first fifty and F[ranklin] D Richards of the second fifty, I was captain of the 4th ten in the first fifty[.] On the 2^nd of July the first fifty crosed the Elk Horn River[.] we forded it[.] here we waited for the second fifty which came up & camped with us on the 6^th[.] on the next morning we all moved on[.] brother Lyman traveling with the first fifty & Doctor Richards with the Second [,] the Second fifty traved ahead the first week

At the Loup fork near the old mission we came across a band of the Omahaws [Omahas.] they were friendly[.] we crossed the Loup fork & the Mouth of Cedar Creek[.] found a good ford crossed without any trouble[.] before we reached this place an effert was made to divide the company equal but to no effect[.] Adams had 60 & Richards only 41 men[.] Between Prairie Creek & Wood River, Brothers Lyman & Flake were hunting Antelope[.] they let their horses get away from them when they were a great ways from water[,] the day being very warm they had liked to have pearished with heat & thirst[.] Brother Lyman did not recover for Sevel [several] days[.] At the head of Grand Island another attemp was made to divide the company equal but to no effect[.] we tried one whole day & wen we found this could not be done we concluded to consolidate the company & all travel together & make one carell [corral] for the present[.] here we met a returning company[.] Some of them were from the valley & some from the forward companies[.] they brought good news

We all traveld together a few days but we soon got tired of it the company was to large & unwealdly[.] Not being able to divide equally into two divisions it was thought best to make three companies[.] Acordingly Captain Adams took charge of four tens[,] Richards three[,] and another company of three tens were put under Captain [Andrew] Cun[n]ingham[.] I was stil under Adams[,] Richards was put ahead[,] Cuningham next & Adams behind[.] Cuningham passed Richards in a few days & kept ahead all the way through[.] Richards & Adams were close together all the way through We met several companies returning from the valley[.] they brought good news generally[,] they reported good crops although some of it was destroyed by the crickets

We got along finely lost nothing of any consequence until we reached the black hills where we found little or no feed & ou[r] cattle began to die[.] Within a few miles of the A La Prela [Prele] River my ox waggon broke down where it remained all night[.] Next morning being the 29^th of August we had a son born on the banks of the A La Prela[.] I called his name John Crosby & went back & brought up my waggon[.] the axletree being broken I remained here two days with my ten & repaired waggons[.] the ballance of the camp went on to the Platt[e] & there waited until I came up

We lost a great deal of stock on this part of the rout[.] I lost one ox & a calf[.] All the Indians we saw were very friendly

We killed a great deal of wild meat on the way[,] had good weather most of the time[.] At Pacific Creek we had quite a storm of Sleet At Bri[d]ger[.] we had quite a rain Storm[.] here we met some teams from the vally set to assist Doctor Richards[.] At Bear River we had quite a Snow Storm covering the ground severl inches but it soon gon[.] In crossing Bear River Brother Crosby had a wagon broke down in consequence of which my ten had to sto[p] a day[.] We soon came up again[.] Brother Lyman[,] Captain Flake & John Holladay left us at Bear River & went on horseback to the valley to send up some fresh cattle to help us over the mountains[.] at the Weber they met us with Some help[.] On the 11^th of October we camped in the valley at the mouth of emigration Canyon