| Miles. | Fort Smith to |
| 65. | South Fork of the Canadian.—The road from Fort Smith to the South Fork of the Canadian follows the same track as the road to Albuquerque and Santa Fé, and by reference to the tables of distances for that road the intermediate camps will be found. |
| 15. | Prior's Store.—Grass, wood, and water near. |
| 17-1/2. | Little Boggy.—Good camp. Wherever there are not the requisites of wood, water, and grass for encamping, it will be specially noted; when they are not mentioned they will always be found. |
| 13. | Little Boggy.—Good camp. |
| 15-1/2. | Boggy Depôt.—Store and blacksmith's shop. |
| 12-3/5. | Blue River.—The road passes over a flat section, which is muddy after rains. |
| 8-1/2. | Fort Washita.—Good camp half a mile before reaching the fort. The road forks at the Indian village on the Boggy, the left being the most direct. There are settlers along the road, who will give all necessary information to strangers. Corn plenty. |
| 22. | Preston Texas, on Red River.—The road from Fort Washita runs through the Indian settlements, passing many places where good camps may be found, and crosses the Red River at Preston. There is a ferry here; also stores and a blacksmith's shop. |
| 20. | M'Carty's.—Road runs through a heavy-timbered country, crossing several streams where there are good camps. |
| 14-2/5. | Elm Fork of the Trinity, at Gainesville.—Road passes over a section diversified by prairies and groves of timber. |
| 12. | Elm Fork of Trinity.—Good camp. |
| 11. | Elm Fork of Trinity.—Excellent camps. Road passes over a beautiful country rapidly settling up with farmers, who cultivate and sell grain at low rates. |
| 9. | Turkey Creek.—Tributary of Red River. Road emerges from the upper "Cross Timbers" two miles from camp. |
| 26-3/4. | Buffalo Springs.—Springs of good water, but of limited amount, in a ravine. |
| 12. | On a Ravine.—Pools of good water and a small running stream, not reliable. |
| 13-1/2. | On a Ravine.—Pools of water. |
| 17-1/4. | On a Ravine.—Pools of water. |
| 17-1/4. | Running branch of Cottonwood Spring.—Branch about two feet wide, good water; wood about half a mile distant. |
| 14. | Fort Belknap.—Good road through post-oak timber. County seat and town at Fort Belknap. Good camp on the west side of the Brazos, which is always fordable except in very high water. |
| 14. | Small Branch.—Water in holes. |
| 18. | Water-holes.—Pools of water. Road passes over prairie and timbered lands, is very smooth and level. |
| 7-1/2. | Stem's Farm, on Clear Fork of the Brazos River.—Good road; excellent camp, with abundance of wood, water, and grass. Indian reservation here. |
| 13. | Elm Creek, or Qua-qua-ho-no.—Good road over rolling prairie and mesquite lands. |
| 17. | Ravine.—Pools of standing water. Good road. |
| 18. | Ravine.—Pools of standing water. Good road. |
| 27. | Small Creek.—Tributary of the Brazos. Good road. |
| 6. | Pools of Water.—Good camp. |
| 8-1/2. | Small Branch.—Good water. |
| 20-1/2. | Tributary of the Colorado.—Brackish water. |
| 3-1/4. | Rio Colorado.—Brackish water. Road very excellent. |
| 12-1/10. | Spring on the Road.—Good water. |
| 22-9/10. | Big spring to the left of the road, affording a great amount of water, which runs off in a small stream. |
| 23. | Laguna Colorado.—Water somewhat sulphurous; fuel mesquite roots; grass abundant. |
| 35. | Mustang Pond.—This pond is north of the road about two miles, and was found in 1849, but emigrants and others have not been able to find it since. For this reason I would advise travelers to fill their water-kegs at the Laguna Colorado, as in a very dry season they might not be able to get any water until they reach the Sand Hills. The road is excellent over the "Llano Estacado," or Staked Plain. |
| 34-1/2. | Sand Hills.—Water in holes. The water is good here, and can always be relied on as permanent. The road through the Sand Hills is very heavy, and I would advise travelers with loaded wagons to make half loads. |
| 31-1/2. | Laguna near the Pecos River.—Road passes through the hills, and descends the high prairie to the valley of the Pecos. Laguna on the left. |
| 15-5/8. | Crossing of Pecos.—Water deep and not fordable; river 42 yards wide. A road leads up the eastern bank of the Pecos to a ford with rock bottom. Good camps can be had at almost any point on the Pecos. The water is brackish, but can be used without harm. |
| 54-1/2. | Pecos River.—Point of the river where the road turns off toward Delaware Creek. |
| 9-1/8. | Delaware Creek.—Good road after leaving the Pecos River. The road on the Pecos is good in the bottom in very dry weather, but after heavy rains it is submerged and very muddy. Travelers should then turn off to the bluffs. The water in Delaware Creek is brackish. |
| 11-7/8. | Ojo de San Martin.—Fine spring of fresh water, also mineral spring. Good road up Delaware Creek. |
| 15-3/10. | Independence Spring.—Large spring of excellent water. Look out for Indians. |
| 5-1/10. | Ojo del Camins.—Good spring in the pine timber at the base of the mountain. |
| 4-1/2. | Peak of the Guadalupe.—Spring at the foot of the mountain. Road descends the mountain, and is very steep. |
| 23-7/8. | Ojo del Cuerbo.—Road descends through a very rough and sinuous ravine, and crosses a long prairie to camp at a pond of standing water. No wood. |
| 26. | Cornudas (Wells).—Well in the rocks; plenty of water for small parties. Road good. |
| 8-3/4. | Sierra del Alamo.—Road good; water limited in quantity. There is a small spring upon the side of the mountain. No wood except a few mesquite roots. |
| 22-1/4. | Waco Tanks.—Good water in a large reservoir in the rocks. The road here branches, the left leading to El Paso and the right to Doña Aña. |
| 28. | El Paso, on the Rio del Norte.—Road good, with some sand; no water upon it. |
| The distance from the "Waco Tanks" to Doña Aña is 63 miles, but 40 miles of the road is over heavy sand, and no water until reaching the mountain, 25 miles from Doña Aña. I would recommend travelers to take the El Paso road in preference. |
Total distance from Fort Smith to El Paso, 860 miles.
IV.—From Leavenworth City to Great Salt Lake City.
| Miles. | Leavenworth City to |
| 3. | Salt Creek.—Good camp; wood, water, and grass. |
| 12. | Cold Spring.—To the right of the road, in a deep ravine, plenty of wood, water, and grass. |
| 12. | Small Branch.—To the north of the road, in an arroya, good wood, water, and grass. Here enters the road from Atcheson, 6 miles distant. |
| 16-2/3. | Grasshopper Creek.—Good wood, water, and grass. |
| 9-1/2. | Walnut Creek.—Road passes a town called Whitehead, 4 miles from last camp. Water in pools, but 3/4 of a mile below is a fine spring; plenty of wood, water, and grass. |
| 17. | Grasshopper Creek.—Good camp, with wood, water, and grass. |
| 12-1/2. | Big Nemehaw, two miles above Richland.—Good wood, water, and grass near the creek. |
| 11. | Water-holes.—On the ridge, at the head of a ravine, are wood, water, and grass, but in a dry time there would be but little water. |
| 10-3/4. | Vermilion Creek.—Water in the creek not good, but there is a good well of cold water near the road. Wood and grass good. |
| 21-1/2. | Big Blue River.—Upper crossing, good ford; plenty of wood, water, and grass. Fine clear stream, 60 yards wide. |
| 17-1/2. | Branch of the Big Blue.—Camp half a mile north of the road; good wood, water, and grass. |
| 15. | Turkey, or Rock Creek.—Good spring 400 yards to the north of the road. Store at the crossing. Good wood, water, and grass. |
| 19. | Big Sandy.—Wood, water, and grass good. |
| 19. | Little Blue River.—Road runs across the hills without water until reaching camp. Good wood, water, and grass. |
| 18-3/4. | Little Blue River.—Camp is at the point where the road turns off from the creek. Good camps may be found any where on the Little Blue, with excellent wood, water, and grass. Fine running stream. |
| 15. | Little Blue River.—Road strikes the creek again, and keeps it to the camp. Good wood, water, and grass. |
| 19. | Elm Creek.—Road leaves the Little Blue, and runs along a divide to the head of Elm Creek, where we found water in holes, with some few trees; grass good. |
| 20. | Platte River.—Road crosses one small branch, where there is water except in a dry season. Good camp on the Platte, with wood, water, and grass. |
| 15. | Fort Kearney.—Good camp about two miles from the fort, upon the Platte, either above or below; grass, wood, and water abundant. |
| 17. | Platte River—Road runs along the river, where there is plenty of grass, and occasionally a few cottonwood-trees. Here the buffalo generally begin to be seen, and the traveler can always get a plenty of buffalo-chips along in this section. |
| 16-3/4. | On Plum Creek.—Road runs along the Platte to Plum Creek, where there is a little wood, with good grass and water. Mail station at the crossing of Plum Creek. |
| 22-1/3. | On Platte River.—Road runs along the Platte bottom after crossing Plum Creek, and is good except in wet weather. The road occasionally comes near the Platte, and, although the timber becomes thin, yet places are found where fuel can be obtained. Grass is plenty at all points. |
| 23. | On Platte River.—Road continues along the river valley over a flat country where the water stands in ponds, and is boggy in wet weather. Camps occasionally on the river, but little fuel. Grass and water good. |
| 14. | On Platte River.—Road continues along the valley, with the same character as before, but more timber. Camp opposite Brady's Island. Plenty of wood, water, and grass. |
| 17-1/4. | Slough.—On the Prairie. Road runs from one to three miles from the river. No wood all day; plenty of grass, and buffalo-chips for cooking. |
| 15-1/4. | Platte River.—Road crosses O'Fallon's Bluffs, where there is a good camping-place on the right of the road. Plenty of wood, water, and grass on a small stream, which is part of the Platte. Mail station here. |
| 16-1/2. | South Platte River.—Road runs along the Platte, with no timber. Good grass and water at any point, with buffalo-chips for fuel. |
| 17. | South Platte River.—No timber all day. Good water and grass at all points, with buffalo-chips. |
| 8. | South Platte Crossing.—No wood all day. Good water and grass, with buffalo-chips. The river is about 600 yards wide, rapid, with quicksand bottom, but can be forded when not above a medium stage. It is best to send a footman ahead to ascertain the depth of water before crossing the wagons and animals. |
| 19. | Ash Hollow, at North Platte River.—Road leaves the South Fork of the Platte, and strikes over the high prairie for 16 miles, when it descends the high bluffs bordering the valley of the North Platte, and enters Ash Hollow, where there is a plenty of wood and a small spring of water. Half a mile beyond this the road reaches the river. Mail station and a small grocery here. |
| 16-3/4. | North Platte.—Very sandy road; no wood; grass and water plenty at all points; buffalo-chips sufficient for cooking. |
| 17. | North Platte.—Road sandy in places; no wood; good grass and water; some buffalo-chips. |
| 16-1/2. | North Platte.—Road good; no wood; good grass and water; cattle-chips in places. |
| 18-3/4. | North Platte.—No wood. Camp opposite "Chimney Rock," which is a very peculiar formation on the south of the road, and resembles a chimney. Grass good. Road muddy after rains. |
CHIMNEY ROCK.
| 17-1/2. | North Platte.—No wood; grass and water good. |
| 16. | "Horse Creek," branch of the North Platte.—In seven miles the road passes through Scott's Bluffs, where there is generally water in the first ravine about 200 yards below the road. The road then descends the mountain, at the foot of which is the Platte and a mail station. A little wood can be obtained at Scott's Bluffs; there is none on Horse Creek. |
| 14-1/4. | North Platte.—Road follows the river bottom all day. Wood, water, and grass on the river. |
| 12. | Fort Laramie.—Road rough and rocky in places. There are wood and water plenty, and before many trains have passed the grass is good above the fort. Mail station and post-office here, with a sutler's store well stocked with such articles as the traveler wants. |
| 10. | North Platte.—Road good, but hilly in places. Camp is in the river bottom, with plenty of wood, water, and grass. Hot spring two miles above here. |
| 14. | Bitter Creek.—There are two roads, both of which lead to Salt Lake. The upper or south road is best in the spring or in wet weather. I traveled the lower road. Wood, water, and grass are good. |
| 17-3/4. | Horse-shoe Creek.—Fine camp, with excellent wood, water, and grass. The road here forks, one passing to the left over the hills, and the other running nearer the Platte. |
| 20-1/2. | North Platte River.—Good road along near the river. Good wood, water, and grass. Road crosses the river at 12-1/2 miles. |
| 20-1/4. | North Platte River.—Road crosses the river again, and the camp is two miles above the mouth of La Prell Creek. Good wood, water, and grass. |
| 19. | North Platte River.—Road runs along the river, and is smooth and good. The camp is two miles above the crossing of Deer Creek, where there is a blacksmith's shop and store. Good grass, wood, and water. |
| 16. | North Platte River.—Good road, with wood, water, and grass at camp. |
| 13. | North Platte River.—Good road passing the bridge, where there is a blacksmith's shop and store, also a military station and a mail station. At two miles from camp the road crosses the river on a good ford with rocky bottom. The wood, water, and grass are abundant. |
| 23. | Red Buttes, on the North Platte.—Road is very hilly, and in some places sandy; passes Willow Spring, where there is grass and a little wood. Good wood, water, and grass at camp. Mail station here. |
| 11. | Sweet Water Creek.—Road leaves the river at the Red Buttes, and strikes over the high rolling prairie. Good grass and water, but little wood at camp. |
| 15. | On Sweet Water Creek.—Road passes a blacksmith's shop and store at the bridge six miles from camp, and at 2-1/2 miles from the camp it passes the "Devil's Gate" and a mail station. The Sweet Water here runs between two perpendicular cliffs, presenting a most singular and striking appearance. Take wood at the Gate for camp. Good grass and water at all places on Sweet Water Creek. |
THE DEVIL'S GATE.