The road after this is considerably crooked and uneven. About a mile and a quarter farther we descended again on the same gravelly channel and traveled up it a piece and at 11:35 halted for noon opposite a very large spring noticed by Fremont. The water of this spring is very clear and soft, but considerably warmer than the river water. We have traveled this morning six and a half miles. Just as we halted, two men came down from the other road on mules to water. They are in company with eleven wagons and bound for west of the mountains. They say the other road from Laramie is only ten miles to the spring while our road has been 14¾ miles. About a half an hour after we stopped, we had a nice shower. The 1st division halted about a quarter of a mile back from here. Latitude at the warm springs 42° 15' 6". While we were halting, the company above referred to passed down the bluffs and went ahead of us. They have got many cows, etc., with them. At 1:40 p.m. we resumed our journey. After traveling a mile we turned in a narrow pass to the northwest between two high bluffs and traveled a quarter of a mile farther, then came to where the road rises a very high, steep bluff. At the foot is a short sudden pitch and then a rugged ascent for a quarter of a mile. The bluff is rocky and many large cobble stones lay in the road which made it hard on teams. Appleton Harmon took one of his yoke of cattle and assisted George Billings to the top and Brother Johnson took Appleton's steers and put them forward of his and brought up his wagon. Appleton and Johnson then took the three yoke of oxen and fetched up Appleton's wagon which threw us nearly in the rear of all the wagons, none of the rest doubling teams. After arriving on the top the road was good but still rising for a quarter of a mile farther. We traveled on this high land five and a quarter miles which was very good traveling although it was considerably rolling. Four and a half miles from the top of the last mentioned bluff, we passed a large lone rock, standing far away from any other. At five and a quarter miles we descended again from the bluff, the descent being steep and lengthy but sandy and good to travel. At the foot of the bluff we again crossed the gravelly channel and traveled on and alongside about a mile, then descended a little to the bottom prairie again. At 6:30 we formed our encampment on the west bank of a small stream and near a very good spring of cold water, having traveled this afternoon 10½ miles and during the day seventeen.
I have put up two guide boards today. One at 10 and the other at 20 miles from Fort John or Laramie, but the former name is on the guide boards. The bluffs we have passed today are mostly very high, rocky and broken, with pine growing on most or nearly all of them. We have pretty good feed here and plenty of wood and good water. The gentile camp is a little east of us. They say that there were two more companies arrived at Fort Laramie this morning as they left, and three other companies within twenty miles of Laramie. They left this morning. They left Independence on the 22nd of April. They are expecting the mail soon on mules, but they anticipate keeping ahead of all the companies. We find the road very crooked, but not bad traveling. About dark it rained some, accompanied by lightning and thunder. The camp was notified that tomorrow will be a day for fasting and prayer as last Sunday.
Sunday, June 6
Morning cloudy, cool, and like for rain. At eight o'clock the eleven wagons passed us again. At nine the brethren assembled for prayer meeting a little from the camp, but many kept about their wagons, some washing and some at other things. At eleven o'clock, four Missourians came up mounted, being part of a company a little behind. Some of these are recognized by the brethren and they seem a little afraid and not fond of our company. They say the old settlers have all fled from Shariton, Missouri, except two tavern keepers, and I feel to wish that their fears may follow them even to Oregon. At half past eleven just as the brethren again assembled for meeting it commenced raining hard, accompanied by lightning and heavy thunder which caused the meeting to break up abruptly. During the storm, the Missouri company passed by us, having nineteen wagons and two carriages. Most of their wagons have five yoke of cattle to each, and few less than four. They have many cows, horses and young cattle with them. They have a guide with them who lives on the St. Mary's River at the Columbia. He says we shall find water again about six miles from here and then no more for fifteen miles farther. It was then considered wise to move on this afternoon as we cannot well reach the second watering place in one day. Soon after twelve o'clock the weather cleared off, the sun shone and looks like for being fine. The wind blows strong from the west. At half past 2:00 p.m. the camp began to move forward. About three quarters of a mile we crossed the same small stream again, and two miles further arrived at a sudden bend in the road to the south about two hundred yards and then as sudden to the north the same distance occasioned by the water having washed a deep gulf where the road ought to run. A mile beyond this the wagons came to a halt in a body of timber and brushwood at four o'clock, and halted while the brethren on horseback, viz. Elder Young, Kimball and Woodruff, went ahead to look for a camping ground. They returned at 4:40 and the camp proceeded on. Having proceeded a quarter of a mile we passed the camp of the nineteen wagons close by the timber a little south of the road. Several of the men came to look at the roadometer, having heard from some of the brethren that we had one. They expressed a wish to each other to see inside and looked upon it as a curiosity. I paid no attention to them inasmuch as they did not address themselves to me. At a quarter past 5:00 p.m. we formed our encampment in an oblong circle, at the foot of a low bluff on the west and close by water, having traveled five miles. The feed here is very good and plentiful. Wind strong from the west. Road very crooked, mostly a southwest and west course. There is plenty of timber all along and the soil looks good on the low lands. One of the men in the company of the nineteen wagons told G. A. Smith that he had broken his carriage spring and seemed much troubled to know what to do to get along. He asked George if there was any man in our company who could fix it. George told him there was. After we were camped, Burr Frost set up his forge and welded the spring ready to put on before dark.
Monday, June 7
Morning fine. Elder Pratt gave me some instructions on the use of the sextant and showed me how to take an observation. He has promised to teach me to take observations and calculate latitude and longitude and I intend to improve the opportunity. At 6:30 the Missouri company passed through again. And at ten minutes past seven we commenced our onward course. Dr. Richards left a letter in a guide board 30¼ miles to Fort John. I walked about five miles mostly in company with Elder Pratt conversing on astronomy and philosophical subjects. Elder Kimball then let me have his horse to ride. We traveled till eleven o'clock and then halted to feed on the west bank of a small stream and spring of clear water, having traveled 7¾ miles, mostly a north of northwest course. The road more even and good traveling. Soon after we halted, another company of Missourians passed us, having thirteen wagons and mostly four yoke of oxen to each. They say they are from Andrew County, Missouri. At 12:35 we moved forward. At a quarter of a mile began to ascend a bluff which was a quarter of a mile from the bottom to the top, the ascent gradual and tolerably steep. From the top of this hill we had as pleasant a view of the surrounding country as I have ever witnessed. Laramie peak appears only a few miles to the southwest, and from that around to the west, north, and northeast, a very extensive view of a beautiful country for many miles, indeed, as far as the eye could survey. From a fair view of the peak I am satisfied that the Black Hills, of which this is a prominent part, are so named from the vast forests of pine trees covering their surface and being of a dark green color within a few miles of them. The pine grows in the most rocky places and abounds on the highest hills, while on the lower bluffs it is sparsely scattered and in the bottom land, which looks rich and good, there are none. We have passed many noble trees and there is no lack of good pine timber in this region. The peak is very high, and very broken and craggy, the snow still lying on its summit and plainly visible with the naked eye. The ridge over which we passed was a half a mile over from the southeast to the northwest foot. At that distance we began to descend and had to lock the wagons in several places. The descent was rendered unpleasant by the many large cobble stones scattered in the road. Many of the brethren threw them out of the road as we went along and the road is much improved. They have also dug down some places and leveled others, which will make the road much better for other companies. At half past three we arrived at Horse Creek and formed our encampment on the bottom land near the timber or rather in the midst of a grove of ash, cottonwood, etc., having traveled five and a quarter miles this afternoon over crooked road and during the day, thirteen miles. On this camp ground is one of the clearest and largest springs of water I have seen for a long time. Elder Kimball having discovered it, he calls it his spring or Heber's spring. The creek is also clear and said to have trout in it. The feed is much better and more plentiful than we have ever met with on this journey. There is abundance of wild mint and sage growing here; the mint seems to perfume the air. The sage grows in abundance on all this sandy land. There are also many wild currant bushes in full bloom and prickley pears all along the road. The other companies were all within two miles when we arrived here, but mostly going on a few miles farther. A little before we stopped, we had a thunder storm which lasted upwards of an hour. During the latter part of it, it rained very heavily accompanied by hail and thunder and lightning. Our hunters have killed a long-tailed deer and an antelope, which were distributed as usual. Brother Crow's hunter also killed a deer, but they are unwilling to conform to the rules of the camp in dividing and reserve it all to themselves. Brother Crow observed that if they got more than they could use they would be willing to let the camp have some. Some of the other companies killed an antelope, took off the quarters and left the balance on the ground. Brother Pack picked it up and brought it along. After we stopped Brother Crow came near meeting with an accident while endeavoring to yoke up a pair of wild steers. It took a number of men to hold them, having lariats on their saddle-horns. They got the lariats entangled round their legs and Brother Crow also, throwing one of the steers down and he fast with it. They cut the rope and he was liberated without injury. Myers, the hunter, roasts the young antlers of the deer and eats them. In regard to Brother Crow's meat, etc., I afterwards learned that the whole family had to depend on Myers for what they eat, having no bread stuff, nor anything only what he kills, and the little flour and meal paid to him for a part of the ferryage, he having a small claim on Bordeau. After supper, walked out with Elder Kimball and was joined by George A. Smith. Brother Smith told me of a good opportunity of sending a letter to my family by some traders who are expected down every day and I feel to improve the opportunity. We had a very strong wind at night, so much that I could not write.
Tuesday, June 8
Morning fine though cool. At half past seven we proceeded on our journey crossing the Horseshoe creek, which is about a rod wide. We traveled two and a quarter miles, winding around the foot of high bluffs and then began to ascend them. We found this ascent the worst we have ever had, being three quarters of a mile up, and having in that distance seven very steep rises. On most of them the teams had to double. We saw a buffalo about a half a mile to the south which is the first we have seen since about the 21st of May. Two and a half miles from the east foot of the last bluff we passed over a small creek, nearly dry, and then ascended another high bluff but not nearly so bad a rise as the other one. At 11:45 we halted for noon near a very small creek with but little water in it, having traveled six and three quarters miles over hills and valleys, the roads being very crooked. About half an hour before we halted, Harriet Crow got run over with one of their wagons. The teams had stopped near the descent from the bluffs and she stepped on the wagon tongue to get a drink. The cattle started suddenly, threw her under the wheel which passed over her leg below the knee and downwards, passing over her foot above the toes. She screamed and appeared in great agony. We thought her leg was broken, but were soon satisfied to the contrary. Her foot was badly bruised but I think there was nothing broken. One of the women washed it with camphor. She was then put into a wagon and we proceeded on. Latitude 42° 29' 58".
At 1:40 we proceeded. After traveling a little over a mile and a half we passed another small creek, and again ascended a high bluff. We found this ridge more uneven than the other, it being a perfect succession of hills and hollows for five miles. The road was good and hard. While traveling on the top the wind blew very strong from the west and it was so cold that we suffered some. The road over was indeed very crooked but mostly bending to the north. We could see a long distance from the top. The country to the north looks more even but south and southwest very hilly and broken. At five miles we began to descend gradually, and while watching the roadometer I discovered it did not work right which made me pay more attention to it. At ten minutes past six we crossed a stream about thirty feet wide and nearly two feet deep with a very swift current. It is named on Fremont's map as La Bonte river. We formed our encampment on the west bank in the timber having traveled this afternoon 8¾ miles and during the day 15½. The evening is very cold and much appearance of rain. Porter Rockwell has killed a deer and someone else an antelope. Porter says he has been on the Platte which is about four miles from here following the La Bonte. Soon after we stopped, the men came into camp who were expected to carry a letter. They are camped about a mile west of us. I finished my letter to my family by candle light, as it is contemplated to start in the morning before breakfast and go a few miles to better feed.