Morning fine, mosquitoes very bad. Two more oxen found almost buried
in the mud and all hands appeared wishful to leave this place and
at a quarter past five o'clock we moved out. The first mile was bad
traveling, there being several steep pitches in the road making it
dangerous for axletrees. A number of the brethren went ahead with picks
and spades and improved the road somewhat. After traveling three and
three quarters miles we halted for breakfast at seven o'clock beside a
small clear stream of spring water about a foot wide, but plenty for
camping purposes. The feed on its banks good and plentiful but no wood
yet. Elder Kimball states that when he and Elder Benson were riding
ahead last evening to look out a camping ground they came within a
quarter of a mile of this place but were not near enough to discover
the water. A while before they arrived here, as they were riding
slowly along, they saw six men suddenly spring up from the grass to
the left of the road. The men were clothed in blankets some white and
some blue and had every appearance of being Indians and the brethren
thought they were Indians. The six mounted their horses and started on
in a direction parallel with the road. The brethren also kept on their
course. In a little while one of the supposed Indians left the rest
and rode towards the brethren and motioned with his hand for them to
go back. They, however, kept on and paid no attention to his motion.
When he saw them still coming, he wheeled round and joined the others
who all put spurs to their horses and were soon out of sight behind a
higher piece of land. Soon as they were out of sight Elder Kimball and
Benson spurred their horses and rode to the ridge and as they arrived
there they discovered a camp of the Missourians about a quarter of a
mile to the left of the road and the six Indians were just entering
the camp. The brethren were now satisfied that these Indians were
Missourians and had taken this plan to keep us back from this good camp
ground. It is considered as an old Missouri trick and an insult to
the camp, and if they undertake to play Indian again, it is more than
likely they will meet with Indian treatment. Their camp left here a
little before we arrived this morning and it is now President Young's
intention to press on a little faster and crowd them up a little. We
have learned from one of the emigrants a few miles in our rear that
Andrew Gibbons tarried with their camp over night. When he returned to
the spring and found our camp gone and the Missourians' camp there, he
told them of the dead buffalo killed by Norton. They went and fetched
what meat they wanted and feasted on it, he joining with them and
faring well. At a quarter past nine we proceeded on our journey. After
traveling three miles, we arrived at the Willow spring and halted a
little while to get water. This spring is about two feet wide and the
water ten inches deep, perfectly clear, cold as ice water, and very
good tasting. There is a willow grove extending for some distance
above and below it which will answer very well for firing purposes.
The grass is good and plentiful and it is one of the loveliest camping
spots I have seen on the journey, though the land where the stream runs
below the spring is soft and some danger of cattle miring. The spring
is situated between two very high hills and is about three rods west
of the road and shielded from the sun by a bank about eight feet high
and the willow grove. A little piece before we arrived at the spring
there are two very deep ravines to cross, which requires some care
on the part of the teamsters to prevent accidents. At a quarter of a
mile beyond the spring we began to ascend a very high hill which was
one mile from the foot to the top and the ascent pretty steep. The
summit of this hill is nicely rounding and considered to be much the
highest we have traveled over. From the top can be seen a vast extent
of country to the south, west, and north. For about twenty or thirty
miles to the south there appears to be a tolerably level bottom over
which our future road runs. Beyond this there are vast ranges of high
hills whose summits are spotted with snow. In the distance to the
southwest can be seen a small body of water which we suppose to be a
part of the Sweet Water river. To the west the ridges of rocks or hills
appear nearer. They are probably not over fifteen miles from us. On the
north we can see hills a long distance. The one opposite Red Buttes,
near the spring where we halted yesterday noon, appears only a few
miles distance. The view from this hill is one of romantic beauty which
cannot easily be surpassed and as President Young remarked, would be a
splendid place for a summer mansion to keep tavern. We then descended
on the southwest corner of the hill and found it to be just one mile
farther to the foot. At the distance of three quarters of a mile
farther we found a good place for feed, being plenty of grass, but no
water nor wood. At a mile and a quarter still farther we crossed a very
bad slough which is about a rod across and following the road, nearly
three feet deep in water and stiff mud. Most of the wagons crossed a
little to the right of the road and found it not so difficult to cross,
yet very soft. There is also plenty of good grass at this spot. A mile
beyond this slough we ascended a very steep bluff though not very high
and the descent on the southwest is also very steep. At 2:45 we halted
to feed in a ravine where there is plenty of grass and a good stream
of water about three hundred yards south from the road but destitute
of wood. We have traveled this forenoon nine miles over barren, sandy
land being no grass only in the spots above mentioned. During the halt
it was decided that President Young take the lead with his wagon and
try to proceed a little faster. At five o'clock we again proceeded, the
President's wagon going first; all the others keeping their places.
I will here remark that it is the order of our traveling for each
company of ten to go forward in their turn. The first ten in the first
division taking the lead one day, then on the second day it falls in
the rear of the first division, the second ten takes the lead and this
continues till each company of ten have taken the lead one day a piece.
Then the first division falls in the rear of the second division which
also begins by companies of ten to take the lead of the road as stated
above and when each ten have had their day, the second division again
falls in the rear of the first which continues in the same order. Thus
every man has his equal privilege of traveling one with another. After
traveling two and a half miles we descended to the bottom land again
and saw a small stream a little to the left of the road where there
is plenty of grass. One and three quarters miles farther we crossed a
creek of tolerably clear water about six feet wide and one foot deep,
but neither grass nor timber on its banks. After traveling seven miles
this afternoon we turned off from the road to the left and at 8:20
formed our encampment on a ridge near the last mentioned creek where
there is good feed, having traveled this afternoon seven and a quarter
miles, exclusive of allowance for turning from the road, and during the
day twenty miles. We had been in hopes of reaching the Sweet Water but
it appears we are yet some miles from it. The whole country around is
entirely destitute of timber, not a tree to be seen, nor a shrub larger
than the wild sage which abounds in all this region of country and will
answer for cooking when nothing else can be found. Some anxiety is
felt on account of the absence of Elder Woodruff and John Brown. They
started ahead this morning with instructions to go on about fifteen
miles and if they found a good place to camp, to stay. They have not
been seen or heard of since. It is supposed they have fallen in with
some of the companies either forward or back and have concluded to
tarry with them over night.