Transcript
Transcript for Dinwoodey, Henry, Autobiographical sketch, 1887, 5-6
I started on my journey in May for Salt Lake City, Utah taking a passage for myself and wife on board a steamboat to Atchkinson [Atchison], landing there in a few days. This was one of the first boats that had landed there. I halted here for two or three weeks in order to purchase a wagon and cattle for the rest of my journey which I made in the Independent Company then starting under command of Captain John Hindley. I also hired space in other wagons to bring in dry goods and other articles that I wished to bring into the country.
We had a good and pleasant journey across the plains with the exception of being detained three weeks at the Platte River on account of Indian troubles. Those of the Indians we met or came in contact with we treated kindly, giving them food and passed on unmolested.
Buffaloes were very numerous on the plains, often encountering vast herds of them. We were obliged to send men a good distance to drive them off for fear they should stampede our own cattle. We killed some buffaloes which gave us a good supply of meat and tallow, occasionally some of our men would go. We had a general good time, having a good and orderly company and relieving our daily exertions by singing and dancing at our various halting places.
After a journey of between four and five months, we arrived in Salt Lake City about the middle of September.