The morning cloudy and very cold. In the west could occasionally be
seen streaks of lightning and distant thunder heard. At 8:00 a.m. the
dark clouds having approached nearer, it commenced raining pretty
hard, accompanied by lightning and thunder. The President ordered the
horses got up just before the rain commenced; and after the storm
ceased, we started onward at a quarter past ten. After traveling about
a mile we passed among and around the high bluffs, our course lying
nearly in a north direction for some time, then turning south and
on again approaching the river, nearly southeast. When within about
three quarters of a mile from the river, we stopped to feed at twenty
minutes to two, having traveled six and a quarter miles. We have got
on the level bottom again and are probably not more than three miles
in a direct line from where we started this morning. Presidents Young
and Kimball went forward to point out the route, which is very good to
travel, although considerably uneven. Brother Higbee killed an antelope
and wounded another which made its escape while he was loading his
rifle. We have better feed here than we have had for some time. We had
a little more rain just as we came to a halt. We have not had much wind
this morning but it is now increasing from the north. It is somewhat
warmer than this morning. The atmosphere cloudy and looks as if we
might have more rain. The land between the two forks for about 25 miles
is perfectly flat and very level without timber.
The bluffs there rise suddenly, apparently in a line from fork to
fork. There are many buffalo back in the valleys between the bluffs,
and although there is no sign of the prairie having been burned, it
is evident the buffalo have kept it eaten clean off, but have moved
back and east, probably since the Indians have been hunting them. Some
of the brethren have discovered fresh tracks where the Indians have
gone up this north stream, evidently very lately. But we are satisfied
the Lord hears the prayers of his servants and sends them out of the
way before we come up to them. At three o'clock we proceeded on our
journey, keeping above the lower prairie, which appeared soft and
swampy. Our road was very uneven. We went two and a half miles and
at half past four stopped to learn the report of those gone ahead to
look out the road. There is another high range of bluffs about half
a mile west of us, extending to the river. Elder Kimball went across
the several ranges of bluffs to the west side, and hunted for a road
in various directions, but there did not appear to be any possibility
of finding a road between the bluffs, without going many miles around.
President Young and he concluded it would be best to camp where the
wagons are and in the morning cross right over the bluffs by doubling
teams. Accordingly the encampment was formed about five-thirty, the
train having traveled eight and three quarters miles today. Our course
this afternoon nearly west, wind southeast. The feed for our teams
grows much better, and on one of these high sandy bluffs I saw a large
bed of flowers, not unlike the violet, and very rich. The sand on the
bluffs in some places looks like large drifts of snow, and in other
places seems to have deep chasms as if wasted by heavy rains. The
atmosphere is still cloudy but not so cold as it has been. The hunters
have killed two buffalo, three antelope and one badger during the day,
which will be very acceptable. It was dark when the hunters returned to
give the information. The revenue cutter was sent after the meat which
was reported to be a mile and a half distant. It was late when they
returned. There was an alarm made by the guard in the night supposing
the Indians were near. The camp were aroused to secure their horses,
but we had no further trouble about them.
I discovered that Brother Appleton Harmon is trying to have it
understood that he invented the machinery to tell the distance we
travel, which makes me think less of him than I formerly did. He is not
the inventor of it by a long way, but he has made the machinery, after
being told how to do it. What little souls work.