"The next day the camp was called together and President Young reproved sharply the hunters for killing more game than was necessary, for detaining the camp, and because of their indifference in helping to pick out the road. He said there were but two men who had manifested any interest in helping to get the pioneers along. Afterward the horsemen went forward to pick out the road instead of hunting, and I did not hear a gun fired during the day."
The spring was well advanced and rain began to take the place of wind. Elder Woodruff in his journal entry of May 19th says: "We encountered today the worst sandhill on the journey; and what made it worse, the rain was pouring down continuously. We had more rain today than during the whole journey. I rode forward during the day, picking out the road. We made eight miles.
"Next morning we made seven miles and nooned near Ash Creek, on the south side of the river where the Oregon road first strikes the north fork of the Platte. Several of the brethren went over in the boat, which we were taking along, to examine the rocky bluffs, roads, creek, etc.
"In the afternoon, we traveled eight and three-quarters miles and camped for the night. We had a very good road most of the day on the bank of the river. There was a good deal of rocky bluff on both sides of the river, and some on the south side was formed into natural terraces, rotundas, squares, etc., from fifty to a hundred feet high and looked like good foundations for fortifications and strong-holds. They resemble the works of art and look something like the old castles of England and Scotland. They were level on the top. There is a beautiful Cedar Island in the river a short distance above Ash Creek which is a good landmark to show travelers where the Oregon road strikes the river."
Near by the nooning place was a cedar tree in the branches of which an Indian child was deposited for burial. Along with it were utensils necessary for its future enjoyment.
On the 21st a large petrified bone was found. It was the leg bone from the knee down. Its length was seventeen and a half inches, greatest width eleven inches, greatest thickness six inches, its weight was twenty-seven pounds.
"Before we left the encampment in the morning, Brother Clayton put up a guide board for the benefit of the next company. 'From Winter Quarters, 409 miles; from the Junction 93 1/4 miles; Cedar Bluff 36 1/2; Ash Creek 8 miles and 133 from Fort Laramie.' When we reached our camping place for the night, two Indians came up from the bluffs, making signs for us to come to them. It was a Sioux Indian and his squaw. They talked by signs and went away.
"Our road on the journey the day following was very straight, but we came over two and a half miles of the worst sand hill that we had passed. The bluffs presented the most singular natural scenery I had ever beheld in all my travels. They had the appearance of the old walls and ruins of the castles of Europe.
"The next day was Sunday the 23rd. In company with Brigham Young and the Twelve, I visited the top of the highest bluff ruins that were opposite our encampment, which were truly a curiosity. We had a fair view of Chimney Rock from where we were. I carried a bleached buffalo's head on the top and we wrote upon it our names and the distance from several places. Orson Pratt took a barometrical observation on the solitary cedar tree on the top of the bluff ruins.
"The camp met at half past eleven in the morning for Sabbath services. Erastus Snow addressed the meeting, followed by President Young who said he was satisfied that the Lord was with us and leading us. He had never seen a company of people more united than the camp had been thus far on the journey, that we should pluck the fruit of the mission through all eternity, that he had many things to teach us but could not do it except in a stake of Zion, but he was well satisfied with his brethren and the Twelve, and the camp at large. One thing he would say to the praise of the company and that was that not one had refused to obey his counsel on the journey. His peace with God was continually like a river, and he felt that the spirit of peace rested upon the whole company. Several others spoke and the meeting was then dismissed.