Morning fine, but chilly and cold. Wind north. Eric Glines killed an
antelope near the camp which was cut up and distributed. Soon after
breakfast, President Young, Elders Kimball, Woodruff and Benson went on
horseback to look out the best road over the bluffs. They returned at
half past twelve and reported that we can pass through a valley between
and around the bluffs, which will be about four miles across them.
About 5:00 p.m. several buffalo were seen making their way from the
bluffs towards our horses, some of which were very near them. Brother
Eric Glines started out with the intention of driving the buffalo away,
and bringing the horses nearer camp. When he got near, the buffalo did
not seem much disposed to move and he shot at one of them and wounded
him. He moved a little farther and Brother Glines followed him and shot
three times more at him. The buffalo then ran about forty rods, fell,
and soon expired. I went to look at him. He is a large one, judged to
weigh about 700 pounds, and in pretty good order. I left the brethren
skinning him and returned to camp where a meeting had been called at
5:00 p.m., and the brethren addressed by Elders Richards, Markham,
Rockwood and Kimball, chiefly on the subject of obeying counsel, and
Elder Kimball remarked in regard to hunting on the Sabbath. He would
not do it even in case of necessity, but he did not feel disposed to
find fault with the brethren. The laws and regulations for the camp of
April 18th were then read by Brother Bullock and the meeting dismissed.
About noon today Brother Appleton Harmon completed the machinery on
the wagon called a "roadometer" by adding a wheel to revolve once in
ten miles, showing each mile and also each quarter mile we travel, and
then casing the whole over so as to secure it from the weather. We are
now prepared to tell accurately, the distance we travel from day to
day which will supersede the idea of guessing, and be a satisfaction
not only to this camp, but to all who hereafter travel this way. I
have prepared another board to put up here on which the distance from
Winter Quarters is marked at 356¾ miles. I have also written on it that
the last seventy miles are measured, and we shall continue to measure
and put up guide posts as often as circumstances will permit through
the journey. The whole machinery consists of a shaft about 18 inches
long placed on gudgeons, one in the axle tree of the wagon, near which
are six arms placed at equal distances around it, and in which a cog
works which is fastened on the hub of the wagon wheel, turning the
shaft once round at every six revolutions of the wagon wheel. The upper
gudgeon plays in a piece of wood nailed to the wagon box, and near this
gudgeon on the shaft a screw is cut. The shaft lays at an angle of
about forty-five degrees. In this screw, a wheel of sixty cogs works on
an axle fixed in the side of the wagon, and which makes one revolution
each mile. In the shaft on which this wheel runs, four cogs are cut
on the fore part which plays in another wheel of forty cogs which
shows the miles and quarters to ten miles. The whole is cased over and
occupies a space of about 18 inches long, 15 inches high and 3 inches
thick.
After the meeting was dismissed, the cutter was sent to fetch the
meat in, killed by Brother Glines. They soon returned and the meat
was distributed as usual. Presidents Young and Kimball have walked
out together towards the bluffs. After supper Elder Whipple made me
a present of a half a candle made from buffalo tallow, by the light
of which I continue this journal. Although, as may be expected, the
buffalo are generally poorer at this season of the year, yet Brother
Whipple has obtained sufficient to make two candles from his portion
of meat received yesterday morning. The candle burns very clear and
pleasant. The tallow smells sweet and rich. I imagine it has a more
pleasant smell than the tallow of domestic cattle.