"We accepted Captain Smith's proposal, and went on with him to spend the night in his camp; but instead of journeying only a miles or so, he continued on mile after mile, finding neither feed nor water, excepting salt and alkaline ponds until we struck the Sweet Water at Independence Rock, so noted already in Fremont's journal, and by other travelers. This was twelve miles from the creek before spoken of.
"The Sweet Waters were sweet indeed, both to man and beast, after traveling through so much alkali country, and there was good feed for the stock.
"After a good supper of bacon, buffalo meat, corn bread, coffee, milk, etc., I lay down in the tent with the Missourians, but did not rest well. I found that there was a great difference between these Missouri emigrants and our own, where there was no such thing as cursing, swearing, quarreling, contending with other companies, etc., allowed or practiced.
"But to return to our pioneer company. At a late hour they came up to the creek which we had left twelve miles back, and grass being poor continued on four miles west of the creek, and camped for the night. Not finding me at the creek, nor hearing from me at all, they felt somewhat alarmed lest I was lost, or had got into trouble with the Indians. They blew the bugle and watched for me till midnight, and finally fired the cannon, while I was camped ten miles from them, not thinking that I was giving them any trouble. I traveled this day a distance of thirty miles and our pioneer company twenty.
"I arose early this morning, June 21, took breakfast, and in company with Brother Brown rode around Independence Rock. We examined the many names and lists of names of the trappers, traders, travelers, and emigrants, nearly all in black, red, and yellow paint. Some had been washed out or otherwise defaced. The greatest number was put on during recent years, but we found some of thirty years standing. Nearly all the companies who pass put their names on it.
"After going around and examining it, we staked our horses and mounted it. I went forward and gained the high point on the south end of the Rock which contains the names. I then went to the north end, which is the highest point of Independence Rock. There is an opening or cavern that would contain thirty or forty persons and a rock standing upon the highest peak of about three tons weight.
"Upon this rock we climbed to the highest point and offered up our prayers according to the order of the priesthood, praying earnestly for the blessing of God to rest upon President Young and his brethren the Twelve and all the Pioneer Camp, the whole Camp and House of Israel in the wilderness, our wives, children, and relatives, the Mormon Battalion, and the churches abroad. While offering up our prayers the spirit of the Lord descended upon us. I was the first Latter-day Saint on Independence Rock.
"We had a view of our camp from the rock, and expected they would noon there, so we mounted our horses and concluded to examine the country around. We rode five miles to the northeast, went on the top of the high bluff and saw our camp in motion. We then rode to the foot of the mountain and traced the way to the Devil's Gate, through which the Sweet Water runs. Here we spent but a few moments, and then hurried back to Independence Rock. As our camp had come up, before we could get to them, and camped half a mile east of it, I saw President Young going up to Independence Rock, and I related to him my travels since I left the company. He asked me to go back with him, so I turned out my horse, having ridden him twenty miles during the forenoon, and returned with President Young, Willard Richards, George A. Smith, and others. We spent half an hour on the Rock and then returned to our camp, mounted our horses and rode to the Devil's Gate, five miles from Independence Rock. We rode as far as we could into the Gate, hitched our horses, and walked into about the centre of the cavern.
"The Devil's Gate is about four hundred feet high, one hundred and twenty feet wide, and fifty rods long, and the water rushes through it with a roar. The rocks are coarse, gray granite with a vein of black trap rock running through them. We spent about half an hour here, and then had to back our horses out, after which we rode around it on the south side. Some of the footmen walked over the top of it. We camped for the night about one mile west of the Devil's Gate, on the bank of the Sweet Water.
"A guide board was put up at Devil's Gate, stating that it was one hundred and seventy-five and one-fourth miles from Fort Laramie, and fifty and one-fourth from our ferry on the Platte River.