Inasmuch as we were not near timber we concluded to travel on till we found some. We started at eight o'clock and traveled till two, being about nine miles, when we came to a little grove of timber and just beyond a bad bottom of prairies. I concluded to pass this and camp on the adjoining ridge. I drove the cows all day on foot. My feet were sore and blistered. The day was very fine. Sometime after we arrived Father John Smith came and camped just below us.
Monday, June 8
The weather fine. Traveled about ten miles, the roads being very hilly and uneven. We camped on a bottom near timber. I went fishing and had good success. I drove the cows till noon then rode with family.
Tuesday, June 9
Weather fine and hot. Went fishing at daybreak with James and had good luck. At nine we went on. I rode again. Afternoon three Indians overtook us and begged some bread. We camped on a bottom beside Coleman and others, having traveled about twelve miles. Two Indians are here and we have learned their camp is only three miles from us. President Young left word to go in companies from here to avoid being plundered by the Indians. We had our cattle tied up and a guard over them through the night.
Wednesday, June 10
Went fishing at daybreak and caught thirty-six. Weather hot. We started about nine o'clock and found the roads good but over hills and ravines all the day. At six o'clock we camped in sight of the Pottawattamie Indian village. When about two miles from it they discovered us coming and we soon saw a number of them riding towards us. Some had bells on their horses which frightened our horses and cattle. James and I took the horses and let the others take the oxen the best way they could. Some of the Indians followed our wagons and inquired often for whiskey. We had to pass some timber and a river before we arrived at their village which is situated on a very beautiful ridge skirted by timber and beautiful rolling prairie. Before we arrived at the timber it seemed that the whole village had turned out, men, women, and children, some on horses and many on foot. Their musicians came and played while we passed them. They seemed to escort our wagons and asked if we were Mormons. When we told them we were they seemed highly pleased. It took us some time to cross the bridge over the river and then we were perfectly surrounded by Indians apparently from curiosity and friendship. They watched us cross the bridge and others followed on with us. The boys seemed to learn the words our teamsters used to drive the cattle and would run and in their way help to drive. They manifested every feeling of friendship and nothing unkind or unfriendly transpired. Soon after we passed the bridge we were met by Jas. W. Cummings and the brethren from Shariton Ford with John L. Butler to bring Emmet's company to meet us. The cattle have been with Emmet's company from the time they left Nauvoo. The road leads within about two hundred yards of the Indians and I wanted to go about two miles farther to save the necessity of having a guard but soon after we left the village we had to ford a stream which was deep and bad to cross. I then concluded to camp on the ridge above the ford and in sight of the village, being about a half or three quarters of a mile from them. Many of them followed us, men, women and children and watched all our movements but about dark all departed in peace. They seemed well pleased with their visit. They certainly showed every mark of friendship and kindness imaginable and treated us as brothers. We learned that the chief's daughter was buried today. We have traveled about fifteen miles. From Cummings we learned that Emmet had left his things belonging to the company with him. Part of the company has crossed at St. Louis and are now on the line here. The agent of the U. S. refuses to let them pass. The other part of the company are thirty miles below the bluffs expecting us to cross there.
Thursday, June 11
Many of the Indians again came to the camp with the same friendly feeling. Some squaws came to trade. We started soon after nine, the weather being very hot. We traveled over about five miles of very uneven road. The rest was good. We had to travel till late before we came to water. We camped on a small creek where Coleman and Tanner were camped, having traveled about fourteen miles.