This morning is fine but cold. Ice about half an inch thick. Sometime
in the night a buffalo and calf came within a short distance of the
wagons. The guard discovered them and shot at the calf, wounding it
in the hind leg. They caught it alive and tied it up near the wagons
but concluded finally to kill and dress it. About six o'clock we
were gladdened to see Joseph Hancock come into camp with a piece of
buffalo meat. He reported that he killed a buffalo yesterday back on
the bluffs, and there being no one with him he concluded to stay by it
over night. He made a fire and scattered a little powder around his
buffalo to keep off the wolves. Some visited him during the night, but
were awed by the fire. After he had told his story and taken breakfast,
Brother Hancock started in company with four or five other brethren to
fetch in the meat on horseback, as no wagons could get over the bluffs
to it. They found that the wolves had devoured much of it, but the
balance they brought along with them. They also killed two antelope and
brought them into camp. The total number of buffalo now caught is five
large ones and seven calves. Edmund Ellsworth killed one of the prairie
dogs, and brought it to camp. It looks much like a squirrel, only the
body is thicker and the tail short and no bush on it. The day grew
pleasant till about noon, when it became cloudy and cold. President
Young, Kimball and others started out to look out a camp ground where
better feed can be obtained for our stock. They returned a little after
two and gave orders to go on a few miles. There have been a number of
buffalo seen in different directions, one grazing within three quarters
of a mile from camp, but orders were not to hunt or shoot today. At
three-fifteen the camp started and traveled two miles over dog towns
as yesterday. At a little after four p.m. we camped beside a long lake
of shoal, clear water near the banks of the Platte. This lake is about
three rods wide and connects with the river. The Platte appears about
two miles wide at this place but very shoal and muddy. There is no
timber but plenty of grass, mostly last year's growth. The weather is
more temperate and the wind ceased. President Young, Kimball and others
went on to look out a crossing place over this lake, etc. On their way,
they fell in with a buffalo cow and calf and chased them some to get
a view of them but not to kill. On their return they said we should
tarry here tomorrow and have some blacksmith work done and probably
hunt some. Half of the hide off the bull's face was brought into camp.
On examination I found the mark where Porter shot at his head. The ball
made a small hole, barely cutting through the outer surface or grain
of the hide which was near an inch thick. The hair near the top of the
head is about a foot long.