The morning fine and very pleasant. At seven o'clock the President called the captains of tens to his wagons and gave them a pretty severe lecture. He referred to some who had left meat on the ground and would not use it because it was not hind quarter. Some would murmur because a fore quarter of meat was alloted to them, etc., which is not right, for God has given us a commandment that we should not waste meat, nor take life unless it is needful, but he can see a disposition in this camp to slaughter everything before them, yea if all the buffalo and game there is on our route were brought together to the camp, there are some who would never cease until they had destroyed the whole. Some men will shoot as much as thirty times at a rabbit if they did not kill it, and are continually wasting their ammunition, but when they have used all they have got, they may have the pleasure of carrying their empty guns to the mountains and back, for he will not furnish them. We have now meat enough to last some time if we will take proper care of it. As to the horsemen, there are none with the exception of Brothers Kimball, Woodruff and Benson, that ever take the trouble to look out a good road for the wagons but all they seem to care about is to wait till their breakfast is cooked for them, and when they have eaten it, they mount their horses and scatter away, and if an antelope comes across the track, the whole of us must be stopped perhaps half an hour while they try to creep up near enough to kill it, but when we come to a bad place on the route, all the interest they have is to get across the best they can and leave myself and one or two others to pick out a crossing place and guide the camp all the time. Such things are not right, and he wants them to cease and all take an interest in the welfare of the camp, be united, and receive the meat as a blessing from God and not as a stink offering from the devil. It is not necessary to preach to the elders in this camp, they know what is right as well as he does, and he will not preach to them all the time. Let the captains do the best they know how and teach their men to do likewise. The meeting dispersed, the meat was taken care of and at a quarter past eight we started out again, and traveled three and a quarter miles nearly a west course over a very hard prairie and good traveling and then arrived at a nice stream, Rattlesnake creek, about twenty or twenty-five feet wide, a foot or 18 inches deep and a very strong current. This stream must take its rise some distance back in the bluffs or else is supplied from many strong springs, for there is much water comes down it. We traveled on from this near the bank of the river about a northwest course over tolerably rough land till 11:10 and then stopped to feed having come six and a half miles this morning, the weather very hot. Opposite the stream last mentioned on the south side the river, are several pine groves, or rather cedar groves. There is some little pine wood, such as knots and dead branches that can be picked up on the banks of the river. It has floated from above. This, with a little buffalo chips, makes a good fire for cooking. Latitude noon 41° 3' 44". Rattlesnake creek was so named from the following incident: President Young, as he rode up to the banks of the creek discovered that his horse stepped within a foot of a very large rattlesnake. He turned his horse away without harming it. Soon afterward, one of the brethren came up on foot and stepped within two feet and a half of it. It immediately coiled up and sprang at him and would have struck him (as it sprang 2½ feet) had he not jumped to one side. He took his rifle and shot the snake dead.
The head of Cedar Bluffs, as named by Fremont, is three miles west of where we camped last night. At 1:05 p.m. we continued our journey. Our route lay near the banks of the river which seems narrower here. After traveling three and a half miles, we crossed a stream about six feet wide, and three quarters of a mile farther another stream of tolerably deep, clear water about five feet wide. This stream is very crooked and seems to run from the bluffs to the river in a perfect serpentine or zig zag direction. Soon after starting this afternoon, we discovered some dog towns, the grass eaten perfectly bare all around. The feed is growing worse again, evidently eaten up by the buffalo. At noon, a heavy black cloud arose in the west and we had a little rain, accompanied by lightning and distant thunder. After passing the last mentioned creek about a mile, we had to change our course to nearly northwest on account of a bend in the river. We traveled till 5:30 and formed our encampment on the west bank of a running stream about eight feet wide and one foot deep which is five miles from the crooked creek, making our afternoon's travel nine and a quarter miles and the day's travel fifteen and three quarters. The bluffs and the river here are about a quarter of a mile apart, the river very wide, feed poor, plenty of float wood, pine and cedar, for fuel. The weather calm and warm, though cloudy. After encampment was formed, went with Elder Orson Pratt to Dr. Richards' wagon to enter into arrangements for making a map of our route. The doctor wants me to do it, assisted by Elder Pratt's observations. He handed me Fremont's map, and I retired to my wagon to commence operations, but soon found that the map does not agree with my scale nor Elder Pratt's calculations. I then proposed to Elder Pratt to wait until we get through the journey and take all the necessary data and then make a new one instead of making our route on Fremont's. The subject is left here till morning. After supper I took my candle and finished this day's journal. At dark Colonel Markham called the camp together to tell the brethren their duty in regard to traveling, guarding teams, and standing guard at nights. The old laws of April 18th were talked over and additional by-laws added, but not being present I did not hear them, neither can I learn anything from those who were present, for they all say that there were so many little matters touched upon, and so many resolutions passed that they remembered only one--and that is, when any man goes out of the sound of the horn to fetch in his team, and sees another man's horse or mule or ox, a little beyond or near his, he shall drive it also to camp, and if he neglect to do so, he shall be sent back to do it even if it requires an escort to make him. About seven o'clock the wind shifted around to the north and blew strong and cold.
Wednesday, May 19
It has rained a little most of the night and still looks gloomy, cloudy and like for a rainy day. Inasmuch as the feed is not good here, it was thought best to move on before breakfast a few miles and seek better feed. We started out at 5:05, the second division having the right to lead, but a part of the first division being ready a little before all the second were ready, they rushed on their teams, drove fast and those of the second division behind had to leave the track and run their teams to take their places. We traveled two and three quarters miles, our course eleven and one fourth degrees north of west, and then crossed a stream three feet wide, and one quarter of a mile farther crossed another four feet wide. Our route lay within about one quarter of a mile from the bluffs and a mile from the river which takes a bend south from where we camped last night and runs close to the bluffs on the south side. We then turned our course to a little west of northwest as the river bends again to the bluffs on this side, and traveled a quarter of a mile farther and halted for breakfast at 6:20, having traveled three and a quarter miles. The main body of the camp have stopped a quarter of a mile back, being three miles from where we started this morning. The road is mostly sandy, tall grass of last year's growth. The two streams we passed seem to form many ponds of clear water extending at short distances from each other from the bluffs to the river. Elder Kimball has been ahead over the bluffs to look out the road. It continues to rain a little occasionally with light north wind. Elder Kimball found that the bluffs project entirely to the river and are very sandy, but we can cross them without going out of our course. At twenty minutes to nine, we proceeded onward a little and then waited till the rest of the wagons came up. At the distance of nearly a mile and a half, we crossed a stream about twenty feet wide, not very deep, neither very good to cross, and exactly at the distance of a mile and a half, we arrived at the foot of the bluffs and began to ascend without doubling teams. Some of the teams stuck by, but by the assistance of the extra men, they all got up. The bluffs are very high, sandy and rough, and the sand cuts down considerably, making it heavy on teams. These bluffs are three quarters of a mile from the east foot to the west foot following our trail which is nearly straight. About 200 yards from the west foot of the bluffs, we crossed another stream five feet wide. It has rained heavily all the time since we started after breakfast and continues. Consequently at half past ten the camp formed into platoons and then halted to wait for more favorable weather, having traveled six miles today over the worst road we have had from Winter Quarters, rendered worse, doubtless, by the heavy rains. About half past two the weather looked a little more favorable and orders were given to move on. We started at five minutes to three, about which time it again rained heavily. We traveled two miles and then formed our encampment in a semi-circle on the banks of the river, having traveled two miles and through the day, eight miles. The first mile this evening was over very soft prairie, the last hard and good. The rain still continues to pour down heavily and this has been the most uncomfortable day we have had and the hardest on our teams. The brethren, however, feel well and cheerful. The ox teams are improving in their condition, but the horses do not stand it as well. The stream at the east foot of the last mentioned bluffs was named Wolf creek from the following circumstance: When Elder Kimball went ahead this morning to search out a road, he went up the creek about a mile and around over the bluffs to find, if possible, a better road than the one close to the river. While he was searching, about a mile north from the river he went down into a deep hollow surrounded by high bluffs and as he was riding along at the bottom, he turned his head to the left and saw two very large wolves at about five rods distance gazing at him. One of them he said was nearly as large as a two year old steer. When he saw these he looked around on the other side and saw several others about the same distance from him, very large ones, and all gazing fiercely at him. This startled him considerably, and more especially when he reflected that he had no arms. He made a noise to try to scare them away but they still stood, and he concluded to move away as soon as he could. They did not follow him and he saw a dead carcass near, which satisfied him that he had interrupted their repast. On mentioning this circumstance to President Young, they named the creek "Wolf Creek." He traveled back and forth over ten miles searching out a road before breakfast. He also went out again afterwards and got badly wet. He then concluded to change his clothing and remain in his wagon. The evening is very cool and cloudy with wind from the northeast. The rain had ceased about six o'clock, but it still looks stormy.
Thursday, May 20
The morning fair, but cloudy, light wind from northwest and cold. At 7:45 we started out again but had not traveled over a quarter of a mile before the roadometer gave way on account of the rain yesterday having caused the wood to swell and stick fast. One of the cogs in the small wheel broke. We stopped about a half an hour and Appleton Harmon took it to pieces and put it up again without the small wheel. I had to count each mile after this. Three quarters of a mile from where we camped, we crossed a creek eight feet wide and two and a half feet deep. We then changed our course to about southwest a mile or so following the banks of the river, as the ground was wet and swampy nearer the bluffs. The river then winds around about three miles in a bend and then strikes a little north of west. The bluffs on the north appear to be about two miles from the river. We traveled till 11:15 and then halted to feed, having traveled seven and three quarters miles over tolerably good road, though at the commencement somewhat soft. On the opposite side the river, the bluffs project near its banks. They are rocky and almost perpendicular, beautified for miles by groves of cedar. Opposite to where we are halted, we can see a ravine running up the bluffs and at the foot, a flat bottom of about fifteen acres. At the farther side of this bottom is a grove of trees not yet in leaf. Brother Brown thinks they are ash and that the place is what is called Ash Hollow and on Fremont's map, Ash Creek. We all felt anxious to ascertain the fact whether this is Ash Hollow or not, for if it is, the Oregon trail strikes the river at this place, and if it can be ascertained that such is the fact, we then have a better privilege of testing Fremont's distances to Laramie. We have already discovered that his map is not altogether correct in several respects, and particularly in showing the windings of the river and the distance of the bluffs from it. I suggested the propriety of some persons going over in the boat and Brother John Brown suggested it to President Young. The boat was soon hauled by the brethren to the river, and Orson Pratt, Amasa Lyman, Luke Johnson and John Brown started to row over, but the current was so exceedingly strong the oars had no effect. John Brown then jumped into the river which was about two and a half feet deep and dragged the boat over, the others assisting with the oars. After some hard labor they arrived on the opposite shore and went to the hollow. They soon found the Oregon trail and ascertained that this is Ash Hollow, Brother Brown having traveled on that road to near Laramie last season with the Mississippi company and knew the place perfectly well. They gathered some branches of wild cherry in full bloom, rambled over the place a little while and then returned to camp. About the same time the camp prepared to pursue their journey. The brethren arrived and made their report, and at 1:45 p.m. we proceeded onward. From the appearance of the bluffs ahead, our course this afternoon will be west and northwest. A light breeze from northwest. Soon after we started, one of the brethren killed a large rattlesnake within a rod of the road made by the wagons and on the side where the cows travel. He killed it to prevent its injuring the cows and threw it away from the road. In the river one and a quarter miles above Ash Hollow, there are several small islands on which grow many trees of cedar. One of these islands is perfectly green over with cedar and looks beautiful. The bluffs also on the south side the river continue to be lined with cedar apparently for two miles yet and are very high and almost perpendicular, running pretty close to the river. On this side the river, the bluffs seem to bear farther to the north, being apparently about three miles from the river, and a few miles farther west they are as much as five miles from the river. After traveling three and a quarter miles from the noon stop, we crossed a tributary stream running into the Platte, in a very crooked direction, being from four to eight rods wide and two and a half feet deep most of the way across, the bottom quick sand, current rapid and water of sandy color like the Platte. Some had to double teams to get over, but all got over safely. We proceeded on about four miles farther and found that the river bends considerably to the north. The bluffs also bend to the south, so that the low bluffs in front almost reach the banks only barely leaving room for a road. We went a little farther and camped for the night at half past five, having traveled this afternoon eight miles, making fifteen and three quarters miles during the day. Elder Kimball and several others went forward on horses to pick out our road as usual. I have seen several kinds of herbs growing today which appear new to me. One looks like penny royal, smells almost like it, but tastes hot and like the oil of cloves. Elder Kimball and others saw a very large wolf about half a mile west, and he appeared to be following them to camp. They turned and rode up to him and round him, struck their pistols at him, but they did not go off, being damp. He finally made his escape. The large stream we crossed this afternoon is named Castle Creek from the bluffs on the opposite side which much resemble the rock on which Lancaster Castle is built. The bluffs are named Castle Bluffs. We had a light shower this afternoon, but the evening is fine though very cool.
Friday, May 21
The morning very fine and pleasant though tolerably cold. I put up a guide board at this place with the following inscriptions on it: "From Winter Quarters 409 miles. From the junction of the North and South Forks, 93¼ miles. From Cedar Bluffs, south side the river, 36½ miles. Ash Hollow, south side the river, 8 miles. Camp of Pioneers May 21, 1847. According to Fremont, this place is 132 miles from Laramie. N. B. The bluffs opposite are named Castle Bluffs." At 7:35 we continued our journey. We found the prairie tolerably wet, many ponds of water standing which must have been caused by a heavy fall of rain, much more heavy than we had back. However, it was not very bad traveling. We made a pretty straight road this morning at about the distance of a mile from the river. The bluffs on the north appear to be five miles or over from our road. At 11:15 we halted for dinner, having traveled nearly seven and three quarters miles, course north of northwest, very warm and no wind. Presidents Young and Kimball rode forward to pick the road, and near this place they saw a nest of wolves, caught and killed two with sticks. Four or five others escaped to their hole. At half past one we proceeded onward and found the prairie wet, and grass high of last year's growth. After traveling four and three quarters miles we arrived at a range of low bluffs projecting to the river, which at this place bends to the north. There is, however, bottom of about a rod wide between the bluffs and the river, but as it is wet and soft, it was preferred to cross over the bluffs by bending a little more to the north. We traveled on the bluffs a little over a quarter of a mile and then turned on the bottom again. The bluffs are low and almost as level as the bottom. After we crossed the bluffs we found the road better. We saw about a mile this side of the foot of the bluffs, a very large bone almost petrified into stone. Most of the brethren believe it to be the shoulder bone of a mammoth, and is very large indeed. About this time a badger was brought to the wagons which Brother Woodruff had killed. As I was walking along and looking over the river, I heard a rattlesnake, and looking down saw that I had stepped within a foot of it. It rattled hard but seemed to make away. We threw it away from the track without killing it. At five o'clock Elder Kimball rode up and stopped the forward teams till the last ones got nearer saying that some Indians had come down from the bluffs to the brethren ahead. When the rest of the wagons came up we moved on a quarter of a mile farther and at half past five formed our encampment in a circle with the wagons close together as possible, having traveled seven and three quarters miles this afternoon, making fifteen and a half through the day. As the camp was forming the two Indians came nearer, being a man and his squaw. They represented by signs that they were Sioux and that a party of them are now on the bluffs north of us and not far distant. By the aid of glasses we could see several on the bluffs with their ponies, evidently watching our movements. This man was hunting when first seen and appeared afraid when he saw the brethren. The squaw fled for the bluffs as fast as her horse could go, but by signs made to them they gathered courage and came up. President Young gave orders not to bring them into camp, and they soon rode off to the bluffs. The man has got a good cloth coat on and appears well dressed. The horses they rode are said to be work horses which makes us suspect they have stolen them from travelers. The day has been very warm and some of the teams gave out. We can see some timber on the bluffs on the other side of the river some miles ahead which is the first timber we have seen for more than a week, except some small cedar and the timber in Ash Hollow, all on the south side the river. We are nearly a mile from water and the brethren have to dig wells to obtain a supply for cooking. The feed here is very poor, not much but old grass. Our course this afternoon has been a little north of west. Lorenzo Young shot two very large ducks with one ball and brought them to camp. Elder Kimball proposed tonight that I should leave a number of pages for so much of his journal as I am behind in copying and start from the present and keep it up daily. He furnished me a candle and I wrote the journal of this day's travel by candle light in his journal, leaving fifty-six pages blank. The evening was very fine and pleasant. The latitude at noon halt 41° 24' 5".
Saturday, May 22
Morning beautiful, no wind and warm. We have not been disturbed by the Indians; all is peace in the camp. At eight o'clock we continued our journey, making a more crooked road than usual, having to bend south to near the banks of the river. The prairie somewhat soft and a little uneven. After traveling five and a half miles we crossed a very shoal creek about twenty feet wide. The bluffs and river about a mile apart, but on the other side, the bluffs recede two miles back from the river and have lost their craggy and steep appearance, the ascent being gradual, while on this side they begin to be rocky, cragged and almost perpendicular though not very high. We traveled till half past eleven and then halted for noon, having traveled seven and a quarter miles, the road on this side the creek being better. Our course about west of northwest with a light breeze from the east. Elder Kimball and others ahead as usual. The creek above mentioned was named Crab Creek because some of the brethren saw a very large crab in it. A mile east of this creek is a dry creek, down which, from appearances, a heavy stream runs at some seasons of the year, perhaps during heavy storms. The water running from the bluffs swells it to a considerable height and it is certain there are tremendous storms here. A while after we halted, Porter Rockwell came in and said he had been on the high bluff about a mile northwest of us and had seen the rock called Chimney Rock which appeared a long distance off. We have been in hopes to come in sight of it today and feel anxious in order to ascertain more certainly the correctness of Fremont's distance. In order to satisfy myself, although my feet were blistered and very sore, I determined to take my telescope and go on the bluff to ascertain for myself whether the noted rock could be seen or not. At half past twelve I started out alone. I found the distance to the foot of the bluff a good mile, the ascent gradual. From the foot the bluff looks very high and rough, many huge rocks having broken from the summit from time to time and rolled down a long distance. I found the ascent very steep and lengthy in comparison to its appearance from camp. When I arrived on the top I found a nice slightly arched surface of about a quarter of an acre in extent, but barren and very little grass on it. Huge comparatively smooth rocks peeped through the surface on one of which I wrote with red chalk: "Wm. Clayton. May 22, 1847." On the highest point I sat down and took a view of the surrounding country which is magnificent indeed. On the south at the distance of two miles from the river, there is a range of cedar trees on the bluffs which very much resemble some of the parks and seats of gentry in England. East I could see where we camped last night, the high grass still burning. Northeast, north, and northwest, alternately, appeared high swelling bluffs and valleys as far as the eye could see or the glass magnify. West, the course of the Platte for ten or fifteen miles and at about four or five miles distance, a large bend to the north brings it in contact with the bluffs on this side. At the distance, I should judge of about twenty miles, I could see Chimney Rock very plainly with the naked eye, which from here very much resembles the large factory chimneys in England, although I could not see the form of its base. The rock lay about due west from here. After gratifying my curiosity, and seeing the men collecting their teams for a march, I descended on the west side of the bluff. The descent at this point looks more alarming than on the other. The side being very steep and all along huge rocks standing so critically, that to all appearance, a waft of wind would precipitate them to the prairie below with tremendous force. In one place in particular, a ponderous mass of rock appears to hang from the edge of the bluff without any visible means of being retained in its position, and by gazing at it a little while, it is easy to imagine you can see it move and ready to overwhelm you instantly. At a little distance from the base of the bluff, I turned to gaze on the romantic scenery above and was struck at the appearance of a large rock projecting from one corner, which very much resembled a frog's head of immense size with its mouth part open. The thought was, those bluffs ought to be named and what name more appropriate than Frog's Head Bluffs. After this reflection, I walked on to where I thought the wagons would come which started out at half past one. After traveling three and a quarter miles we crossed a dry creek about six rods wide, and a quarter of a mile farther, another about five feet wide and a half a mile farther, still another about six rods wide on an average. These all appear to be the sources of heavy streams of water at some seasons of the year. Soon as we crossed this last one, I saw Elder Kimball wave his hat for the wagons to turn off to the north in order to cross the bluffs which struck the river a little farther. But a little to the west was a very high ridge and I concluded to walk on to it. Found it to be a perfect ridge of gravel, very high and rounding on the top, not more than four or five feet wide and from north to south about 150 feet long. Elder Pratt names this Cobble Hills, the gravel or cobbles varying in size of from fifty pounds in weight to the smallest pebble. At the north foot of this hill is what might be named a clay bank, being composed of a light colored kind of sandy clay and forms a kind of large table. A little distance farther, we crossed another dry creek about eight rods wide and then ascended the bluffs. The ascent is pretty steep for nearly half a mile, but hard and not difficult to travel. The wagon had to wind about some to keep around the foot of the bluffs, crossing the dry creek three times before we emerged from the bluffs to the banks of the river. We crossed another dry creek pretty steep on each side and then found ourselves once more on the prairie bottom. The bluffs are two and a quarter miles from the east to the west foot following our trail. The wind has blown from the southeast all day until lately, when a dead calm has succeeded. In the west a heavy thunder cloud has been gathering for two hours and vivid streaks of lightning observed in the distance. At twenty minutes to five the wind struck suddenly from the northwest, the blackest part of the cloud then lying in that direction. We had a few drops of rain only. Then it seemed to turn off to the east. The scenery after this was indeed sublime, the sun peering out from under the heavy clouds reflecting long rays upwards which were imitated in the east. The romantic bluffs on the north and the lightning playing in the southeast all tended to fill my mind with pleasant reflections, on the goodness and majesty of the Creator and Governor of the universe, and the beauty of the works of his hands. At 5:45 we formed our encampment in a circle within a quarter of a mile of the banks of the river, having traveled this afternoon, eight and a quarter miles and through the day fifteen and a half, making the distance from Winter Quarters 440 miles in five weeks and three and a half days. The feed on the lower bench of the prairie is tolerably good, while the higher land is quite bare. We have noticed today a great many petrified bones, some very large. All are turned into solid, hard stone, which proves that the atmosphere is pure and the country would doubtless be healthy, but is not adapted for farming purposes on account of the poor sandy soil and no timber at all on this side the river. I have noticed a variety of shrubs, plants and flowers all new to me today, many of which have a very pleasant smell and in some places the air appears impregnated with the rich odors arising from them. Among the rest are numerous beds of the southern wood. There are also vast beds of flinty pebbles of various colors, some as white as alabaster. About 6:30 I observed a group of brethren standing together inside the camp. I went up and saw a young eagle which had been taken out of its nest on one of these high bluffs by George R. Grant and Orson Whitney. Although it is very young and its feathers have scarcely commenced growing, it measures from the tips of its wings when stretched, forty-six inches. Its head is nearly the size of my fist and looks very ferocious. After this I went with John Pack and Horace Whitney to the bluffs. On our way we saw a large wolf about as large as the largest dog in camp. He was within a quarter of a mile from camp. After traveling about a mile we arrived at the foot of a stupendous mass of rocks almost perpendicular, with only one place where it was possible to ascend. We went up with difficulty and by using our hands and knees, gained the top. We had to walk over a little space which was only about three feet wide and on the east side a perpendicular fall of about sixty feet. Although from the camp this peak looks only large enough for a man to stand upon we found it large enough to seat comfortably about twenty persons. The top is composed of large rocks and very uneven. The prairie below looks a long distance under foot from this peak. Descending we viewed the surrounding scenery which looks more like the ruins of an ancient city with its castles, towers, fortifications, etc., on all sides, and a dry stream coming through the center. We proceeded to the next high rock and found it very difficult of ascent. The top is nearly level and very pleasant. We discovered several other varieties of shrubbery, all smelling pleasant and strong. We saw that a horse has sometime stood on the top, but how he got there, we could not easily determine. At the east end there is a cedar tree flat on the top and on the underside almost looks like an umbrella. We made a calculation of the height of this bluff as well as we could and concluded it must be at least 200 feet higher than the river. The surrounding country can be seen for many miles from its summit, and Chimney Rock shows very plainly. We descended at the east end and arrived in camp at dark well satisfied with our journey. Some of the brethren have discovered a cave in one of these bluffs, and one went into it a little distance, but it being very dark and having no torch, he did not venture far. Elder Pratt reports that he saw on the top of one of the bluffs, a hole in a rock 15 inches in diameter and a foot deep with five inches of very cold good water in it. He supposed it to be a spring. Between the bluffs they also discovered a spring of pure cold water of a very good taste. Dr. Richards names these bluffs "Bluff Ruins" from their appearance being that of the ruins of castles, cities, etc. A little to the left is a small perpendicular rock much resembling Chimney Rock but smaller. The whole of the scenery around is one of romantic beauty which cannot be described with either pen or tongue. Last night a large black dog, half wolf, supposed to belong to the Indians, came to the camp. He has kept within two hundred yards of the wagons all day, and has followed us to this place. There have been many rattlesnakes seen today and six or seven killed. In fact, this place seems to abound with them. The evening was spent very joyfully by most of the brethren, it being very pleasant and moonlight. A number danced till the bugle sounded for bed time at nine o'clock. A mock trial was also prosecuted in the case of the camp vs. James Davenport for blockading the highway and turning ladies out of their course. Jackson Redding acted as the presiding judge. Elder Whipple attorney for defendant and Luke Johnson attorney for the people. We have many such trials in the camp which are amusing enough and tend among other things to pass away the time cheerfully during leisure moments. It was remarked this evening that we have one man in camp who is entitled to the credit of being more even tempered than any of the others, and that is Father Chamberlain. He is invariably cross and quarrelsome, but the brethren all take it as a joke and he makes considerable amusement for the camp. Opposite the encampment there are quite a number of small islands, but no timber on any of them.