April 1847

April 7 left winter Quarters with the Pioneers about 4 oclock in the afternoon[.] Came on about a half a mile and camped for the night[.] our family consisted of Six persons Bros [Bryant] Stringham, [….][,] Clarrissa [Decker Young,] Perry and [Lorenzo] Sobieska [Sobieski Young]

Thursday 8^th traveled 6 miles and camped and waited for the rest of the camp to come up[.] Charles [F. Decker] and Vilate [Young Decker] and Lucy and Margaret Pierce came out to see us

Friday 9 staid in camp intil 1 oclock then hiched up and traveled 8 miles and camped for the night

Saturday 10^th started early and traveled all day[.] had a hard days work

Sunday 11^th started and traveled five miles and came to the horn [Elk Horn] and crossed over and camped for the night

Next morning started and traveled 12 miles and camped[.] Bro Brigham [Young] and Heber [C. Kimball] with some others crossed the Horn and returned to Winter Quarters

Teusday 13^th this morning the Brethren commenced setting tire to their waggons[,] remaind in camp[.] Clara [Clarrisa] washed[.] I cleaned my wagon

Wensday 14^th still remained in camp

Thursday 15^th the Brethren returned to camp[.] they took dinner with us

Friday 16^th this morning Bro Brigham organized the camp[,] gave good council[.] traveled 4 miles and camped for the night

Saturday 17^th we had a severe cold night[.] it froze water an inch thick of ice[.] we traveled 7 miles and camped about 1 oclock[.] Bro Brigham finished organizing his camp

Sunday 18 remaind in camp

Monday 17[19]^th started early and traveled 25 miles and camped for night[.] Bro [Jesse Carter] Little and [Orrin] Porter [Rockwell] returned from winter Quarters laden with lettersTuesday 19[20]^th traveled 12 miles and camped for the night

Wensday 20[21]^th passed through the Pawnee settlement[,] traveled 22 miles this day

Thursday 21[22] traveled onto the old missionary stand of the Pawnee Nation[.] I went and viewed the houses where they once dwelt but it looked lonesome and I thought those that were driven from there had suffered something as well as us[.] it is a pleasant location and poeple could live at home if they could be let alone

Friday 22 [23] traveled 5 miles and came to loup fork of Platt[e] River and camped for the night[.] 3 waggons crossed over[.] Bro [Orson] Pratt like to have drowned his horses

Saturday 23 [24] got up early[.] I got on to my horse and went and visited the ruins of the Pawnee village which was a splendid one but it looked desolate[.] I assure you it is beautiful for situation[.] I counted 30 skulls that lay on the ground to bleach beside a number of graves[.] my feelings were peculiar while—walking among the ruins[.] I picked up a skull bone and took to camp and showed it as a curiosity[.] we then commenced crossing the River and about 2 oclock all had crossed over[.] we then camped for the night

Sunday 24 [25] this morning about an hour before day we were alarmed by the guard that Indians were upon us[.] the guard fired up on them and they disappeared

Monday 25 [26] traveled 16 miles and camped this night[.] Doct [Willard] Richards and Bro Little had their horses by the Idians[.] the Brethren pursued them but could get the horses

Teusday 26 [27] traveled 12 miles the cattle and horses suffered very much for drink

Wenday 26 [28] I do not know any thing what transpired

Thursday 2[.] [29] we came in sight of Buffalo there was a great excitement

Friday 28 [30] traveled 20 miles and camped for the night

Saturday 29 [May 1] we see thousands of Buffalo they looked magestic[.] the Brethren pursued them and killed four beside five calves[.] we had a rich repast[.] Bro [Joseph] Hancock killed a Buffalo and laid by it all night[.] in the morning came into camp and got a team to bring in his meat but while absent the wolves had devoured th[e] most of it

Sunday 30 [May 2] staid in camp until five in the afternoon then hiched up and went 2 miles on account of feed for our cattle and horses

Monday May 3 staid in camp all day[.] the Brethren went to hunt Buffalo but discovered a party of Indians in ambush and they returned to the camp[.] fitted up the old cannon[,] fired it off so that they might know we was on hand

Tuesday 4 started and traveled in plattoons on account of the Indian[.] about noon we met a United States Trader and stoped in our waggons and wrote a line back to our friends

Wensday 5 this morning is a beautiful one and the first thing that met our eys was a herd of Buffalo they looked splendid[.] the weather is fine but the feed poor[.] we had to camp in an unpleasant place before night on account of fire

Thursday 6 started before breakfast traveled 4 miles along the Platt River then bated our teams and travled ten milds futher[.] the Buflow tried to git in to our drove of cows and Br Brigham and Br Heeber [Heber] rode after them and had a verry hard chase in which Br B lost his spiglace [spy glass.] we camped on the bank of the river in a bad place[.] th bufalow come neer our camp

Friday morning found a broken exeltree in one of the wagons put in another and started at ten oclock[.] drove 4 milds along the river and found no feed[.] th plains are lined with bufalow[.] I hav no dout but I hav seen to day at one sight more than 2 two thousand at one glance of the eye[.] Porter Rockwell with 2 others went back and found Br Bs glass[.] we camped about 4 o clock in a beautful place found some grass for our teams[.] the bufalow are so tame that we are troubled to keep them a way from ourr catle[.] we had to stop our teams once to let them pas[.] Hariet [Harriet Young] has not injoyed the day[.] she has bin verry sick with the teeth ache[.] I laid hans on her when we stoped and she got beter and the Brotherin all seem in good sperits[.] it has bin a day long to be remembered on the acount of the romantick seens [scenes] that has transpired[.] a s Young Buflow caf came in to cam[p] which seemed determined to stay with us[.] yesterday we found one on the peraria and we left it and before we got out of sigt alarg woolf came upon it and caried it off[.] aperintly with mutch eas but it looked verry cruel[.] Br little is now talking about his family[.] his helth is improving[.] we had to camp where the feed was very short and poor

Sunday 9 this morning traveled 4 miles and camped for the day[.] I was very sick all day in consequence of taking the scent of a dead Bufalo[.] there is a great many dies of poverty[.] Lorenzo [Young] gave me an emetic and I got better[.] It is a lonesome country to me to travel through[,] there is no flowers and little or no timber

Monday 10^th traveled ten miles[.] Bro Phineas [Young] killed a Buffalo and an atntelope and shot a Duck this day but the feed is poor and our cattle cannot travel but little ways in a day[.] we are saving Buffalo wool[.] Bro Luke Johnson was the first one that started it

Teusday 11 the weather is fine we traveled 8 miles and camped about 3 oclock in an unpleasant place for the teams were tired and began to lag

Wensday 12 we have a southeast wind and the dust is troublesom[.] traveled 8 miles and stopped to bate our teams then came on 4 miles and camped for the night

Thursday 13 cold and unpleasant but find better feed for our cattle this morning[.] shot 2 ducks[,] traveled 12 miles and camped for the night[.] made a lively fire of Buffalo chips[,] made a dish of coffee[,] fried some cakes and had a luxurious meal[.] we are at the junction Bluffs of the Platt River

Friday 14 had a thunder shower for the first since we started on our journey[.] started at 11 and traveled 4 miles and stopped to bate them[.] traveled 3 miles and came to mountains of Bluffs that we were obliged to cross[.] we accordingly camped for the night[.]

Saturday 15 cold and rainy this morning crossed the Bluffs which was tedious on account of the sand[.] we are well supplied with a variety of fresh meat such as Buffalo[,] antelope[,] Ducks and geese and so on[.] we have now stopped on account of the rain and a good place to bate[.] we took a bite of refreshment and started on again traveled 4 miles and camped[.] we took the Revenue Cuter and went in piersuit of wood as the Buffolo Chips were rather wet[.] found some by going /2 mile

Sunday 16 we remain in to day baked and we pre pared [for] the weeks travil[.] mrs yoing [Young] is verry sick from fertueg [fatigue.] the bufalow are so tame that they come all most in to camp[.] the boys shot some[.] Br [Eric M.] glinds [Glines] shot one neer the camp[,] he shot him twice the last time the ball went throw stis [its] hart and loged in the case of the hart on the other side but the bufalow ran 20 or 30 rods as tho he was not hurt then he turned round to fight his enemy and it was sport to see glinds run but the bufalow soon fel ded[.] we had ameeting in the afternoon[,] all seemed to fell [feel] well in sperit and wer united in feeling the same intns [intentions] to go ahead[.] the Lord is with us,

Monday we travled twelve milds and ¾ the hunters kiled 4 bufalow and one antelope and Br [Edmund Lovell]E Lsworth [Ellsworth] kiled 3 ducks and gave them to/us and Br [Roswell] Stpens [Stevens] [--] a Young deer and gaave us[.] we camped by onthe praroe[.] hariet has had a very sick day

Sunday 23 this morning is warm and plesant[.] we are camped on A sand rig neer the most romantick bluffs I ever saw[.] the men on tusday last found A larg seed tree which was the furst tree we had found in travling more than one hundred milds[.] they found A n Indian cofin in the top of it[.] by examining it they found the bones of A child [.raped] in scins to secure it from the birds of pray and with the bones A spoon made of horn and a ball and ball, on Friday they found A bone wich moshured 14 inches A cross the end of it[.] on saturd they found A nother neerly as long[.] we found som ratle snakes the furst we hav seen[.] on friday night jst as we camped thare was two sem Indians came to us[.] on Monday Br P H Young saw A wild horse on the perara which had the aprerce of an inglish horse and with him A long dog[.] the harse run of and the dog with him but Friday morning the dog was seen neer the camp[.] he folowed us and is in sight of the camp this morning but is verry shi of us[.] last night Br georg[e] R[obert] grant fetch in A Young black eagle just pinfeathered out but of An ormaus [enormous] sise[.] there is a number of nest in sight bilt in holds in the rocks[.] we are to have A meeting at 11 oclock to day[.] the Lord delivered us last night from A dredful thunder storm[.] it thundred and lightned for 2 ours and the wind blew hard and it looked dismall but to our surprise and joy the clouds seemed to part and the rain and wind went on both sides of us and did not disturb us[.] Hariet was ver but feels some better this morning[.] last Sunday we opned A barrel of flour[.] I hav bin caled to see A Broth [Nathaniel] Fare Banks [Fairbanks] which has just reached the camp bit by A ratle snake cming down the bluf. he is verry sick[.] we laid hands on him[.] he is bit in the cords of his legSunday 23 the weather is fine we are in sight of chimney Rock are in hopes to reach Fort Laramee [Laramie] this weeks[.] I am busily engaged baking bread but my health is poor yet I feel that the Lord has blessed me abundantly[.] I have not had anything of my old disease since I left winter Quarters[.] the air is good and seems to brace up our sistems that are feeble[.] the wind commenced blowing about 5 in the afternoon[,] the atmosphere became dark and gloomy[.] we had a tremendous shower accompanied with thunder and lightning it continued to blow all night tremenduously[.] I was sick did not sleep any[,] felt slim in the morning

Monday 24 cloudy and cold[.] started at 8 traveled 10 miles and stoped to bate in a beautiful place across the River[.] a little to the right of us we could see something that resembled a stately courthouse[.] I presume it was a Rock as we approach Chimney Rock it looks still more majestic[.] we traveled 6 /2 miles and camped for the night[.] we were visited by a party of the S[i]ou[x] Indian[,] their chief was among them[.] they look quite intelegent and appear friendly[.] they staid in camp until morning

Tuesday 25 traveled 2/2 and stoped to bate on account of having poor feed the night before. the weather is fine this morning traveled 9/2 miles and camped for the night[.] Porter Rockwell killed 2 Antelope

Wensday 26 started and traveled 4 miles and stoped to bate found good feed took some refreshment and started on again[.] Porter Rockwel killed 2 antelope today[.] we set a hen and think of trying our luck in raising chickens while traveling[.] started at 2 and traveled 5 miles and camped for the night[.] we are still traveling through a desolate and barren country[,] not a tree or srub to be seen[.] my eyes are weary of seeing a barren prairie[.] I am fond of variety

Thursday 24 [27] the weather is fine[.] traveled 8 miles and stoped to bate[,] found good feed[.] traveled 6 miles and camped for the night[.] killed 3 antelope to day[.] found some pigweed and picked a mess for greens[.] they relished well

Friday 28 remained in camp until 11 then started and traveled 11/2 miles and camped for the night[.] made some poridge brown some coffee and went to bed early on account of the cold

Saturday 29 cold and rainy[.] it was tedious looking out doors for we are scanted for wood as there is no timber and all we get is once in a while a scattering stick that floats down the River[.] our Buffalo chips are of no account when it rains and but little when dry yet I feel no inclination to complain for if ever a poeple was blest on earth it is us our prayers have verily been heard and answered and I feel a spirit of thankfulness all the time[.] we ware all caled to gether about noon and receved some instrution from Br Brigham[.] he chastised the camp verry sharply for their wickedness and told them if they wood not repent of their folly he wood not go with them enny further[.] they seemed willing to [.in] humble themselves and all with one acord[,] convent to serv the Lord and we then started on our jerny and travled 8 milds and camped for the night

Sunday 30 this day fasted and prayed[.] had a prayer meeting in the morning and preaching in the afternoon[,] the twelve had a meeting by themselves[.] I felt sick all day my mind was weighed down and it was a day I shall long remember

Monday 31 started early traveled 16/3 miles had a hard road[.] I was obliged to keep my bed the most of the day

Teusday June 1 the weather is fine and our eyes once more behold a scattering tree and srub[.] Mr Young is quite unwell[.] we traveled 12 miles and found ourselves at Fort Larermee [Laramie.] we camped for the night[.] the scene is romantic[.] opisite to us stands the ruins of the old Fort on the other side of the river and front of us is a large Black walnut tree which I assure you is a rarity[.] a little to the left of us is a tree that has the bones of an Indian child done up very snug in skins

Wensday 2 remained in camp today[.] we spent the day in washing and in fixing up things[.] the Brethren hired a fery boat of the traders and fixed a place to ferry

Thursday 3 got up early and commenced ferrying accross the River[.] it commenced raining about 1 and rained until 3 when they commenced ferrying again[.] the teams did not all get over this day

Friday 4 rose early and got Breakfast[.] Mr Young went and visited the Traders at the fort[.] I baked some bread and pies and fried some cakes[.] started at 12 traveled 8 miles and camped for the night

Saturday 5 traveled 17 miles[.] one of our oxen appeared to be sick[.] towards night we took him out[,] he soon got better[.] we camped in a pleasant place

Sunday 6 remaind in camp until 3 in the afternoon had 2 meetings then started on and traveled 7 miles and camped for the night in the most beautiful place we have found since we started[.] I churned and picked a mess of greens, eat supper and went to bed

Monday 7 traveled over a mountanious country[.] a camp from Mo [Missouri] came up with us but seemed in a hurry to get away from us and we was willing to have them[.] about 4 oclock it commenced raining and we were near a handsome grove of timber and we camped for the night

Teusday 8 traveled over a rough rugged road and camped for the night[.] a company of Traders visited us[,] gave us some intelegence respecting the road

Wensday 9 traveled 19 miles and camped for the night[.] we sent a company on ahead to fix for ferrying across the Platt River

Thursday 10^th the weather is fine traveled 19 miles and camped near a beautiful stream[.] the scenery is ramantic[.] the grass is up a 9 or 10 inches high and yet within six miles there is beds of snow to be seen

Friday 11^th traveled 14 miles and camped near the Platt[e] River where we overtook a company from Mo crossing the river

Saturday 12 started at 8 traveled 7/2 miles and stopped to bate our teams then came on 4 miles and camped[.] it being the place to cross the Platt River

Sunday 13^th had meeting

Monday 14 commenced ferrying across the River[.] they have a tedious job[,] the water is high and the current strong[.] we had a hard shower of rain and hail and a quantity of goods lay exposed

Teusday 15 we are still crossing the River[.] the wind is against us and do not make much head way

Wensday 16 commenced making a raft to carry waggons with a part of their loading

Thursday 17 got our waggons across the river and fitted them up

Friday 18 remained in camp our Brethren ferrying the Mo Companies[.] they took about70 dollars in provisions and other nessaries which was a help to the camp

Saturday 19 started and traveled 20 miles had hard traveling[.] camped at night near the poison spring[.] three of the cattle got into the mire but suffered no material injury

Sunday 20 traveled on account of feed

Monday 21 traveled 19 miles and camped in a beautiful place[.] had good feed

Teusday 22 we have traveled thro the most barren country I ever saw for hundreds of miles[.] we passed the Saleratus Spring and stopped gathered about 25 lb of Saleratus for our own use[.] traveled late[,] found good feed for our cattle

Wensday 23 started at 7[.] Mr Young had sore thumb[.] it paind dreadfully made him sick[.] we fell behind the camp on account of our horses walking faster than other teams and it fretted them[.] we got behind 3/2 of a mile and one of our axletrees broke on the naked prarie without a stick of timber or any one near to help us[.] Mr Young unharnessed one of his horses and started for the camp[.] I was alone felt somewhat lonesome but Bro [William] Henry [Henrie] came back and staid with me[.] we looked round the waggon to see if we could find anything to hold up the wheel[,] we found a piece of timber that was calculated for a whip stock[.] we unloaded the hind part of the waggon[,] raised it up[,] lashed on the timber and was harnessing Bro Hs [Henrie] mare when Mr Young came back[.] he harnessed his horse and we started for the camp[.] we had not proceeded far before we met Bros Brigham[,] [Wilford] Woodruff and [Ezra Taft] Benson and John [Greenleaf] Holman with his team[.] he took the most of our load and came on to the camp[.] the brethren went at it and put in an axeltree so we did not hinder the camp[.] traveled 20/2 miles and camped for the night

Thursday 24 started at 6 drove 14 miles found a quagmire and an ice spring containing sulphur water and a little below the surface ice 1 ½ inches thick[.] the water that oosed out of the ice was good[.] we also passed a spring of alkali and salt[.] we camped on the bank of the Sweet water. Soon after we camped John Holman shot Bro Brighams John horse accidentally[.] he was the best horse in the camp[.] yesterday we came in sight of the Rocky Mountains

Friday 25 started early[,] had a hilly hard rough road[.] traveled 21 miles and camped for the night[.] we are traveling thro the most barren desolate country I ever saw[.] we anticipated seeing timber as we approached the Mountains but in this we were disappointed

Saturday 26 came to the pass in the mountains[.] if I was not permited to look to the right and left I should not guess I was crossing the Rocky Mountains for it is the best road we have found for miles[.] we have traveled in sight of banks of snow for several days[.] today when we stopped to bate at noon we found snow 4 feet deep and good feed by the side of it

Sunday 27 this day came to the waters of the green River[.] are on the summit where the waters flow towards the Atlantic and Pacific[.] traveled 16 miles and camped on little Sandy[.] found poor feed

Monday 28 traveled 13 miles and stopped to bate near Big Sandy[.] I was sick all day yesterday but feel a little better to day[.] this journey is very fatigueing[.] we feel almost wore out[.] this afternoon traveled 7 miles and camped for the night

Teusday 29 traveled 24 miles and camped on big sandy[.] did not get camped until after dark

Wensday 30^th traveled 8 miles and came to green River[.] camped on the bank under the shade of some trees which was a treat[.] I assure you they being the only one we had seen for some hundred miles[.] I went to baking and washing and so on[.] the men went to building a raft

Thursday July 1 comenced crossing the River[.] the Brethren quite a number were atacked with the mountain fever and likewise Clarra[.] she was very sick during the night

Friday 2 our waggons crossed the River this morning[.] Clara is better[.] John [Young] Greene is taken down with the fever[.] Samuel Brannen met us at Green River California

Saturday 3 remained in camp

Sunday 4^th sent back four men to meet the other company[.] 13 of our brethren came up with us they were received with 3 cheers and Hosannas to God and the lamb to think so many had returned in saftyns [safety]

Monday 5^th traveled 20 miles through a sandy desolate country and see nothing but sage

Teusday 6 traveled all day through the hardest kind of a road[.] I shall skip to July 24 on account of my health[,] the fatigue of traveling[,] together with my labor prevented my keeping a daily journal

[July 24] this day we arrived in the valley of the great Salt Lake[.] my feelings were such as I cannot describe[.] every thing looked gloomy and I felt heart sick