Wednesday, August 25
We traveled today twenty-three miles and camped on Green River. We found several places where the road is shortened some, but it is yet about sixteen miles from water to water.
Thursday, August 26
Started at eight o'clock and went on to the Big Sandy and before the majority of the company arrived, E. T. Benson and escort came up with letters from the companies. They say there are nine companies between here and the Platte with 566 wagons and about 5,000 head of stock. They report the companies well and getting along tolerably fast, some they expect we shall meet within three days. After eating they proceeded on. After sundown a large party of mounted Indians came up, and camped on the opposite side the river. They have been on the Sweet Water hunting and are said to be of the Shoshone tribe.
Friday, August 27
Many of the brethren traded sugar, powder, lead, etc., to the Indians for robes and skins and meat. We started soon after seven and traveled to the crossing of the Big Sandy. Then after halting an hour, continued to the Little Sandy, making twenty-five and a quarter miles today, but it was nine o'clock before some of the wagons arrived. The feed is mostly eaten up on the creeks near the road and there is none except on the banks of streams. Bailey Jacobs killed a large antelope which is a matter of rejoicing as we are nearly out of bread stuff and had little meat for several days. We started back from the valley with 8 lbs. of flour, 9 lbs. of meal and a few beans each, and we have to depend on getting meat on the road for the rest. I was told there were 25 lbs. of flour put up for me, but I find it is not so.
Saturday, August 28
Started at eight o'clock and traveled till half past three before halting when we arrived at the crossing of the Pacific creek and halted to camp for the night having traveled twenty-three miles. There is no grass from Little Sandy to this place except a very little on Dry Sandy but the water there has some taste of alkali and teams do not like it. Here there is considerable grass along the creek and very good water but no wood except wild sage. We had a heavy thunder shower about four o'clock and considerable hail. It was dark before the ox teams arrived. Some of the men had killed a buffalo a few miles back, but it is very poor.
Sunday, August 29
It was decided to remain here today to rest the teams, but our ten obtained leave to go on to Sweet Water, expecting to meet the company, and after reading the letter of instructions from the council to this camp, my wagon proceeded on slowly. At the Springs, we saw an aged Indian squaw near the road dwelling in a shelter composed merely of wild sage and apparently dependent on passing emigrants for subsistence. She is doubtless left to perish on account of age and infirmity, but it is likely she will live some time on what she receives from those who pass by. When we arrived near the summit of the dividing ridge or south pass, two Indians rode towards us and motioned for us to stop. Not seeing the other wagons coming after, we stopped to wait for the wagons and the Indians soon arrived. They made signs that a large party of them were over the mountain north and they wanted to "swap." While they were conversing a number more rode over the ridge and soon after a still larger number. About this time the wagons came in sight and when the brethren saw so many Indians they were alarmed. John Pack rode back to the main camp to get some of the brethren to come up, but J. R. said he would not budge a foot. The brethren behind were much alarmed, some expecting to be scalped and one W. Carr ran and hid himself in the sage bushes. No one returned with John Pack but Norman Taylor and the wagons proceeded towards us. In the meantime, after learning the object for which the Indians sought us, that none of them were armed except two, and by a certificate that the first visitor was a Shoshone chief, Brother Lamb and myself signified that we would trade with them and soon some of them returned with antelope, buck and elk skins and robes to trade. I traded some balls and a little powder for one robe, one elk skin, two buckskins and nine antelope skins and a pair of moccasins. Lamb bought five antelope skins. While we were trading, the other wagons arrived and also commenced trading. The Indians, about sixty in number, about twenty of them boys, all mounted, seemed highly pleased to trade with us which we did mostly through the chief. By request of the chief, I gave him a certificate stating that he appeared friendly and wanted to trade with the whites, etc. The chief gave us a very strong invitation to go to their camp to trade and made signs that they would feed us well and we should sleep with them. I answered him by signs that we should camp when we arrived where the road crossed the Sweet Water but they were very anxious to have us then turn off the road and camp. After we started, the chief came up and wanted to swap a good mule for my spy glass but I refused. I had let him look through it and he seemed very wishful to try it. When they saw we were determined to go on, they left us and returned to their camp while we pursued our journey to the first crossing of Sweet Water where we arrived and camped at six o'clock, having traveled fourteen miles.