Transcript

June

In the afternoon with bro [William S.] Godbe & F. W. Cox to Wyoming in a Buggy[.] found bro Holman. & the saints there, Stopped some little time & then returned to town with bro Shearman & others and on Monday [June 19th.] started with Godbe & Shearman by stage for the west, arrived at Fort Kearney

on Tuesday [June 20] & had to stay the night there being no stage & no probabelety of one, but one of the line agents happening to wanting to go forward they started us next morning in a Coach with one side & the top off, for which we were quite thankful as other passengers had had to stay 9 days the & only got off the day before.

We reached Denver, Colorado Ter[ritory], on the following Saturday Morning [June 24] and put up at the Planter House[.] Our journey thus far having but few vicisitudes, and no accidents[,] an Indian Scare or two being all the trouble, we were escorted by U. S. Caveley (generally re-inlisted Southerners) all the way from Kearney to Denver.

Owing to the great cry about Indian Troubles in front, and scarcity of annimals through their thefts, we were unable on any terms to get a satisfactory reply as to when we could continue our journey by stage, at any rate we were given to understand we should have to wait a week at least, so bro Godbe determined to get an outfit of his own, & trusting in the Lords protecting care & our own vigilence start by ourselves for our home in Deseret, We accordingly purchased a light wagon, 2 Horses[,] Feed for the animals, and Flour[,] Bread, Crackers[,] Dried Beef, Bacon[,] Preserves, Cand. [canned] oysters & lobsters, jam[,] Molasses &c. we started the same evening, Camping about 10 miles out, we continued our journey next day and at night camped near some hills & larietted [lariated] the animals out[.] when one of them not being used to the rope hurt its foot, we consequently traded them it off at Little Laramie for 2 mules, fine conditioned animals who took us safely through.

The night we camped a little west of Little Laramie 25 head of Horses were carried away by the Indians just after we rolled out, in fact we had Indians Troubles arround us all the time, but by the protection of our Heavenly father we got through safe without a hair of our heads being injured

Our plan was generally to rise shortly before day break, harness up, drive for 3 or 4 hours, breakfast from about 8 or 9, staying 2 hours, then drive on again till about 1 stay 2 hours, on again till near Sun Down, stay for 1 or 2 hours and then drive on for three or four hours stopping shortly before midnight. In this way we evaded indian attacks, stopping suddenly & lighting no fire, picketing out the animals & retiring quietly to bed & being off again before sun rise. in this plan enabled us to average above 60 miles above a day.

The evening we camped a little beyond [beyond] Virginia Dale[.] I fancied I saw Indians in the brush a short distance from us, this was our most restless night as both men & mules were loth to rest, about 2 a m I was wake awakened by one of the mules (they being hitched to the back of the wagon & our bed being at the side) kicking at my head. I felt so uneasy that I got up to prospect & got <went> on the top of the highest hill near, but could see nothing, on my returning I found my companions hitching up & off we went that early being all sensitive of some danger.

When we reached fort Halleck we were allowed to go no further without the stage & its escort, so we waited till next morning & then travelled on arriving at the Platt[e] in the afternoon[.] crossed the same evening and passed over Bridgers Pass & arrived the same <next> morning at Sulphur Springs keeping up with the stage all the way, at one time during the night getting about 1 mile behind the rest[.] the brethren say <we> were chased by Indians, but I was in the bottom of the wagon sick with a head ache through being jolted for so many hours. This was the nearest time of us in any b way being interfeared with by the Red Men, but the brethren seeing their position,—the mules also appearing aware of the danger,—drove on more rapidly & distanced their persuers.

On Sunday (2 July) we reached Green River &

on Tuesday evening [July 3] reached some settlement on the Weber.

On Wednesday [July 4] we started over the Weber Range, but the recent spring rains had washed away the road. We labored for several hours making fresh road way, up to our middle in Water, but at last had to give it up, when & leave the wagon behind, as the rain which was then descending was causing the streems to rise rapidly[.] this was about 28(?) miles from the City. W[illiam]. S. G[odbe]. then went on on one Mule for Assistance, & w I & Shearman packed the trunks on the other & followed after. we left the Mule & Luggage at Hoopers Ranch, I being real greatly fatigued & we walked, climbed & forded until we reached the Big Mountain when it was with the greatest difficulty I reached the summet at Sun down. half way down the other side we found the glaring of a wagon with a spring board across waiting for us.

On this we sat until we reached G.S.L. City about 11 p.m. on the 5th July