We will find better grass as we proceed farther on. His business is to Fort Laramie. His traders have gone there with robes, skins, etc., to fill a contract, but having started later than they intended the men at Laramie have taken advantage of the delay and he is going to see to the business himself. There is no blacksmith shop at his fort at present. There was one but it was destroyed. There have been nearly a hundred wagons gone on the Hastings route through Weber's Fork. They cross the Blacks Fork and go a little south of west from his place and pass below the mountains which cross Green river. The Green river runs over an extent of country of 400 miles. It is impossible for wagons to follow down Green river, neither can it be followed with boats. Some have gone down with canoes, but had great difficulty getting back on account of the rapid current and rough channel. Cannot pass the mountains close to the river even with horses. For some distance beyond this chain of mountains, the country is level and beyond that it is hard black rock which looks as if it were glazed when the sun shines on it, and so hard and sharp it will cut a horse's feet to pieces. When we get below the mountains, the Green River falls into a level country for some distance after which it winds through a mountainous country perfectly barren to the Gulf of California. From Bridger's fort to the salt lake, Hastings said was about one hundred miles. He has been through fifty times but can form no correct idea of the distance. Mr. Hastings' route leaves the Oregon route at his place. We can pass the mountains farther south, but in some places we would meet with heavy bodies of timber and would have to cut our way through. In the Bear River valley there is oak timber, sugar trees, cottonwood, pine and maple. There is not an abundance of sugar maple but plenty of as splendid pine as he ever saw. There is no timber on the Utah Lake only on the streams which empty into it. In the outlet of the Utah Lake which runs into the salt lake there is an abundance of blue grass and red and white clover. The outlet of the Utah Lake does not form a large river, neither a rapid current but the water is muddy and low banks. Some of his men have been around the salt lake in canoes. They went out hunting and had their horses stolen by the Indians. They then went around the lake in canoes hunting beaver and were three months going around it. They said it was 550 miles around it. The Utah tribe of Indians inhabit the region around the Utah Lake and are a bad people. If they catch a man alone they are sure to rob and abuse him if they don't kill him, but parties of men are in no danger. They are mostly armed with guns. There was a man opened a farm in the Bear River valley. The soil is good and likely to produce corn were it not for the excessive cold nights which he thinks would prevent the growth of corn. There is a good country south of the Utah Lake or southeast of the great basin. There are three large rivers which enter into the Sevier Lake unknown to travelers. There is also a splendid range of country on the north side of the California mountains calculated to produce every kind of grain and fruit and there are several places where a man might pass from it over the mountains to the California settlements in one day. There is a vast abundance of timber and plenty of coal. There is also plenty of coal in this region near the mountains. North of the California mountains there is walnut, oak, ash, hickory, and various kinds of good timber on and in the neighborhood of the mountains and streams southeast of the great basin. There can be a wagon road made through to it and no lack of water. The great desert extends from the salt lake to the Gulf of California which is perfectly barren. He supposes it to have been an arm of the sea. The three rivers before mentioned are southwest of the desert. There is a tribe of Indians in that country who are unknown to either travelers or geographers. They make farms and raise abundance of grain of various kinds. He can buy any quantity of the very best of wheat there. This country lies southeast of the salt lake. There is one mountain in that region and the country adjoining in which he considers if ever there was a promised land, that must be it. There is a kind of cedar grows on it which bears fruit something like juniper berries of a yellow color about the size of an ordinary plum. The Indians grind the fruit and it makes the best kind of meal. He could easily gather a hundred bushels off one tree. He has lived on this fruit and used to pick his hat full in a very short time. There are a great many little streams head in this mountain and many good springs. It is about twenty days' travel with horses from the salt lake, but the country to it is bad to get through and over a great part of it, nothing for animals to subsist on. He supposes there might be access to it from Texas. On one of the rivers there is a splendid copper mine, a whole mountain of it. It also abounds in gold, silver and has a good quick silver mine. There is iron, coal, etc. The land is good; the soil rich. All the valleys abound with persimmons and grapes which will make the best kind of wines. He never saw any grapes on the Utah Lake, but there are plenty of cherries and berries of several kinds. He thinks the Utah Lake is the best country in the vicinity of the Salt Lake and the country is still better the farther south we go until we meet the desert which is upwards of 200 miles south from the Utah Lake. There is plenty of timber on all the streams and mountains and abundance of fish in the streams. There is timber all around the Utah Lake and plenty of good grass; not much of the wild sage only in small patches. Wild flax grows in most of the valleys and they are the richest lands. He passed through that country a year ago last summer in the month of July, and they generally had one or two showers every day, sometimes a very heavy thunder shower but not accompanied by strong wind. By following under the mountain south of the Utah Lake we find another river which enters into another lake about fifty miles south of the Utah Lake. We shall find plenty of water from here to Bridger's Fort except after we cross Green River and travel five miles beyond it where we shall have to travel eighteen or twenty miles without water, but there is plenty of grass. After crossing Green River we follow down it four or five miles to the old station then cross over to a stream which heads in the mountains west. The station is more than half way from here to his place. We shall have no streams to ferry between here and the fort except Green River. The Indians south of the Utah Lake and this side the desert raise corn, wheat and other kinds of grain and produce in abundance. The Utah's abound more on the west of the mountains near the salt lake than on the east side, ten to one, but we have no need to fear them for we can drive the whole of them in twenty-four hours but he would not kill them, he would make slaves of them. The Indians south of the Utah Lake raise as good corn, wheat, and pumpkins as were ever raised in old Kentucky. He knows of a lead mine between the mountains and Laramie on a timbered creek near the Horseshoe creek. He has found lead there and thinks there is considerable silver in it. It can be found in a cave on the side of the mountain not far from the road.
Such was the information we obtained from Mr. Bridger, but we shall know more about things and have a better understanding when we have seen the country ourselves. Supper had been provided for Mr. Bridger and his men and the latter having eaten, the council dismissed, Mr. Bridger going with President Young to supper, the remainder retiring to their wagons conversing over the subject touched upon. The evening was very fine but mosquitoes numerous.
Tuesday, June 29
Morning very pleasant till the sun got up a little, then it was very hot. We started at 7:40 and traveled over very good roads through barren land till 10:45 then halted for noon on the banks of the Big Sandy, having traveled six and three-quarters miles. The second division have passed over the river but the first division halted on the north side. This stream appears to be about seven rods wide at this place and about two feet deep in the channel, but it is not generally so wide, but deeper. There is some timber on its banks and plenty of grass in places for teams. At 1:30 we again proceeded, President Young and some others going ahead in the cutter wagon to look out a camp ground for the night. Our course still lies about southwest, the road generally good over gently rolling, hard, sandy land and in some places the surface is covered with loose fragments of hard rock. After traveling nine and a half miles President Young rode up and reported that we would have to go at least six miles farther before we could get feed. It was then a quarter after six, but the teamsters spurred up in order to get through. Most of the road after this for four miles was very hilly and uneven and in places the loose fragments of rocks made it very bad traveling, but many were thrown from the road by the spare men. The weather grew cooler towards evening, some large clouds rising in the west which favored the teams considerably. At 9:05 we found ourselves on the lowlands on the banks of the river again and formed our encampment, having traveled since noon seventeen miles and during the day twenty-three and three-quarters, which is the greatest day's journey we have made since leaving Winter Quarters. The camp was formed by moonlight. There seems to be plenty of feed for teams but no wood for fuel. Many of the brethren have gone down sick within the past three days and a number more this evening. They generally begin with headache, succeeded by violent fever, and some go delirious for a while. Brother Fowler was seized this afternoon and this evening is raving. It is supposed by some that this sickness is caused by the use of the mineral saleratus or alkali picked up on the lakes and surface of the land and it is considered poisonous. Some consider also that we inhale the effluvium arising from it, which has the like effect. It appears to be an article which ought to be used with great care if used at all. There has been no case considered dangerous yet, nor any of long duration.
Wednesday, June 30
Morning hot. We resumed our journey at 8:15, several others of the brethren being reported sick. President Young, Kimball and others rode ahead again. We found the roads very good but sandy and filling the wagons with dust. At 11:30 we arrived on the banks of Green River, having traveled eight miles and formed our encampment in a line under the shade of the cottonwood timber. This river is about sixteen to eighteen rods wide and altogether too deep to be forded. Its banks are well lined with cottonwood but none large enough to make a canoe. There are also many patches of wild apple trees, and rose bushes abound bearing pretty roses. This river is 338½ miles from Fort John or Laramie. There is a narrow strip of land which might answer for farming on each bank of the river. The grass grows good and plentiful but still not so much as has been represented. After dinner the brethren commenced making two rafts, one for each division, and a while afterwards Elder Samuel Brannan arrived, having come from the Pacific to meet us, obtain council, etc. He is accompanied by Smith of the firm of Jackson Heaton & Bonney, bogus snakers of Nauvoo. There is another young man in company with them. They have come by way of Fort Hall and brought with them several files of the California Star. They had eleven deaths on board their ship during their voyage over, the others I understand are doing well, raising grain, etc. Towards evening a storm blew up from the west and although we had no rain we had tremendous wind. The first division finished their raft before dark. There is a slough a little down the river where some of the brethren have caught some very nice fish, but the mosquitoes are so very troublesome it is difficult abiding out of doors.
July 1847
Thursday, July 1
This morning found myself laboring under a severe attack of the fever, accompanied with violent aching in my head and limbs. The brethren commenced ferrying but got only fourteen wagons over on account of the very high wind.