Morning cool, weather fine. Brother Appleton Harmon has completed the
machinery on the wagon so far that I shall only have to count the
number of miles, instead of the revolution of the wagon wheel. We
started at 9:10, the first mile pretty soft, the rest tolerably hard
and very good traveling. We have passed over vast beds of salt, or
rather dust with a salt taste. It looks something like dirty flour.
Traveled eight miles in four hours and two minutes, and stopped at
12:48 to feed, nearly opposite two small islands. The feed tolerably
good. Our course northwest. Considerable strong wind from southeast
covering everything in the wagons with dust and sand. No timber on the
bank of the river and but little on the islands. The hunters report
that they have seen many dead buffalo between here and the bluff with
the hides off and tongues taken out, a strong proof that Indians have
been here very recently, as the flesh looks fresh and lately killed.
The range of bluffs on each side the river extend much farther apart,
and near the foot of the south range can be seen timber scattering
along, which is an evidence that the south fork ranges in that
direction, although some are sanguine that we have not yet arrived at
the junction.
At half past three we moved on again and traveled four miles, camped
at a quarter to six near a bunch of small islands, and a kind of bayou
projecting from the river. Our course this afternoon a little south of
west, having come around a considerable bend in the river. The land
good and good traveling. Wind southeast. Several of the brethren caught
a number of small fish in the bayou or lake. The feed here is rather
scanty. Heavy clouds are rising in the west and northwest, and a fair
prospect for some rain which is much needed. It is now certain that we
are about fourteen and a half miles above the junction of the north and
south forks of the Platte, and although we have to make a new road all
the way, we find no obstacles so far. Brother Woodruff reports that he
has been beyond the bluffs north of the camp and saw upwards of 200
wickeups where the Indians have camped very recently.
He found a cured buffalo skin and some pieces of other skins also. The
hunters killed a two year old buffalo and brought it to camp. Brother
Orson Pratt reports that when we were five and a half miles back, we
were in latitude 41° 9' 44".