Morning fine though cool. At half past seven we proceeded on our
journey crossing the Horseshoe creek, which is about a rod wide. We
traveled two and a quarter miles, winding around the foot of high
bluffs and then began to ascend them. We found this ascent the worst
we have ever had, being three quarters of a mile up, and having in
that distance seven very steep rises. On most of them the teams had to
double. We saw a buffalo about a half a mile to the south which is the
first we have seen since about the 21st of May. Two and a half miles
from the east foot of the last bluff we passed over a small creek,
nearly dry, and then ascended another high bluff but not nearly so
bad a rise as the other one. At 11:45 we halted for noon near a very
small creek with but little water in it, having traveled six and three
quarters miles over hills and valleys, the roads being very crooked.
About half an hour before we halted, Harriet Crow got run over with one
of their wagons. The teams had stopped near the descent from the bluffs
and she stepped on the wagon tongue to get a drink. The cattle started
suddenly, threw her under the wheel which passed over her leg below the
knee and downwards, passing over her foot above the toes. She screamed
and appeared in great agony. We thought her leg was broken, but were
soon satisfied to the contrary. Her foot was badly bruised but I think
there was nothing broken. One of the women washed it with camphor. She
was then put into a wagon and we proceeded on. Latitude 42° 29' 58".
At 1:40 we proceeded. After traveling a little over a mile and a
half we passed another small creek, and again ascended a high bluff.
We found this ridge more uneven than the other, it being a perfect
succession of hills and hollows for five miles. The road was good
and hard. While traveling on the top the wind blew very strong from
the west and it was so cold that we suffered some. The road over was
indeed very crooked but mostly bending to the north. We could see a
long distance from the top. The country to the north looks more even
but south and southwest very hilly and broken. At five miles we began
to descend gradually, and while watching the roadometer I discovered
it did not work right which made me pay more attention to it. At ten
minutes past six we crossed a stream about thirty feet wide and nearly
two feet deep with a very swift current. It is named on Fremont's map
as La Bonte river. We formed our encampment on the west bank in the
timber having traveled this afternoon 8¾ miles and during the day 15½.
The evening is very cold and much appearance of rain. Porter Rockwell
has killed a deer and someone else an antelope. Porter says he has been
on the Platte which is about four miles from here following the La
Bonte. Soon after we stopped, the men came into camp who were expected
to carry a letter. They are camped about a mile west of us. I finished
my letter to my family by candle light, as it is contemplated to start
in the morning before breakfast and go a few miles to better feed.