Morning fine but cool. It was calculated to make an early start so as
to pass the two companies of the Missourians and get the best chance
for feed at night, but they started out a half an hour before we were
ready. We proceeded onward at 6:15 and a little over a mile from where
we camped, found the river again bending northwest while the road
continues near a west course and soon rises a high bluff. On the top of
this, we appear to have a level road for many miles. After traveling
five miles from morning, we arrived at a level strip of land on the
north side of the road where there is plenty of grass and apparently
swampy and soft. It extends in the same direction with the road a
mile and a half and appears to terminate where the road crosses the
lower land although the grass and hollow continue southward for some
distance. Just above where the road crosses at the west end there is
some water standing around a small, circular, swampy spot of land
probably about a half an acre. Near the edge at the northwest corner is
a hole dug which is called the Ice Spring. The water in the hole smells
strong of sulphur or alkali and is not pleasant tasting, but under the
water which is over a foot deep there is as clear ice as I ever saw and
good tasting. Some of the brethren had broken some pieces off which
floated and I ate some of it which tasted sweet and pleasant. The ice
is said to be four inches thick. The water is very cold although the
weather is warm. A quarter of a mile farther than the spring, there is
a small lake or spring of alkali on the left of the road and a little
farther, still another lake. The latter is more pleasant tasting than
the other, not being so strong of sulphur. It tastes very much like
lye water mixed with salt. The ground around these lakes is white with
alkali or saleratus and a number of the brethren picked up their pails
full but we have learned that it ought to be used with care, it being
so much stronger than common saleratus, if the same quantity is used
it makes the bread quite green. After traveling from the ice spring
ten and a quarter miles over a very uneven road, we descended a very
steep bluff close in the rear of one of the Missourian companies. The
other had halted a few miles ahead and we passed by them. While winding
around and descending from this bluff we came in sight of the river
again and about the same time. Elder Kimball picked up an Indian arrow
point made of flint stone and nearly perfect. It was almost as white
as alabaster. At 3:30 we tarried a little south from the road and
formed our encampment in a line so as to enclose a bend in the river,
having traveled seventeen and three quarters miles without halting on
account of there being no water fit for cattle to drink. The feed here
is very good and plenty of willow bushes for fuel. The river is about
three rods wide and clearer and very cool. The last five or six miles
of the road were not so sandy but hard and good traveling. One of the
Missourian companies have gone on, but the other camped a piece down
the river at the fording place. A while before dark when the brethren
were fetching up their teams, John Holman, while bringing up President
Young's best horse, having his loaded rifle in his hand, the horse
undertook to run back past him and to prevent his running back, he
jammed his gun at him. The cock caught in his clothes, the gun went off
lodging the ball in the animal's body. It entered a little forward of
the nigh hind leg on the under side of his belly making quite a large
hole. The horse walked to camp but it is the opinion of many he cannot
survive long. He appears to be in great pain, the sweat falling from
his forehead in large drops. President Young is evidently filled with
deep sorrow on account of this accident but attaches no blame to John
who seems grieved very much. The brethren generally feel sorrowful,
this being the second horse shot by accident on this mission.