Morning very cold and considerable ice froze in the water pails during
the night. At 7:40 we crossed the creek and pursued our journey. At one
mile we passed a small creek which rises from springs a little south
of the road where there is a small grove of small timber. Elder Pratt
has gone ahead with the barometer to try to find the culminating point
or highest dividing ridge of the South Pass as we are evidently at the
east foot of the pass. Fremont represents that he did not discover the
highest point on account of the ascent being so gradual that they were
beyond it before they were aware of it, although in company with a man
who has traveled it back and forth for seventeen years. At two and
three-quarters miles beyond the last small creek, we crossed the branch
of the Sweet Water about two rods wide and two feet deep, the water
clear and cold. This would be a good camp ground were it not so cold,
as it must be from the fact that large deep banks of snow are now lying
on its banks both above and below the road. Where the snow doesn't lie,
there is good grass and plenty of willow groves for fuel. Two and a
quarter miles beyond this branch we crossed another stream about eight
feet wide on an average, though where the ford is, it is nearly three
rods wide and two feet deep. This water is also very clear and the
banks well lined with willows and grass. It is considered a superior
camping ground to the one back. There seem to be a great many antelope
at the foot of the mountains which is about all the game to be seen.
After crossing the last stream, we climb another high range of hills
over a good road, gently rolling. From the top of this is a pleasant
view of the surrounding country but all entirely destitute of timber
except on and at the base of the mountains many miles distance from the
road. We have also a good view of Table Rock to the southwest as well
as the high, broken, white capped chain of the Wind River mountains on
the north. At 12:40 we halted on the main branch of the Sweet Water
having traveled eleven miles. The river here is about three rods wide,
three feet deep and current very swift. The water is clear and cold as
the snow which lies on its banks in places six or eight feet deep. This
is a lovely place for a camp ground, there being abundance of good,
rich grass about eight inches high and plenty of willows for fuel.
Some of the boys and girls amused themselves by snowballing each other
on one of the large snow banks a few rods below the camp. Soon after
we halted Eric Glines came up, having left the brethren at the upper
ferry on the Platte River on Wednesday morning. He camped one night
alone, the other nights he camped with Missourians. He does not assign
any reason why he followed us, but evidently considering to repent and
obey council than to continue obstinate and rebellious. The weather is
now warm and pleasant and but little wind. At 2:20 we moved onward,
ascending again on pretty high land where we found good traveling. The
latitude at our noon halt was 42° 22' 42". After traveling seven miles
this afternoon we arrived on a level spot of lower land and some grass,
and inasmuch as we have found no stream as laid down on Fremont's map
since leaving the Sweet Water, neither is there much appearance of any
for some miles farther, the wagons halted while President Young and
some others went over the ridge to the north to look for a camp ground
as some of the brethren said the Sweet Water was close by. President
Young soon sent a message for the camp to proceed, leaving the road
and taking a northwest course. At 6:45 we formed our encampment on the
banks of the Sweet Water, at the distance of a little over a quarter
of a mile from the road, having traveled this afternoon seven and a
quarter miles, and during the day eighteen and a quarter. This is a
good place to camp, there being plenty of grass and willows. There
are many small pebbles of hard flint rock on the flat land a little
back and some almost as clear as glass. Elders Kimball, Pratt and
some others are some miles ahead and not having returned at dark, a
number of the brethren were sent to meet them. They soon returned in
company with Elder Kimball who reported that he had been on as much as
six miles to where the head waters of the Atlantic divide from those
of the Pacific--that Elder Pratt was camped there with a small
party of men direct from Oregon and bound for the U. S. It is now
a certainty that we are yet two miles short of the dividing ridge of
the South Pass by the road. This ridge divides the headwaters of the
Atlantic from those of the Pacific and although not the highest land
we have traveled over, it may with propriety be said to be the summit
of the South Pass. The Wind River mountains appear very high from this
place but on the south there is very little appearance of mountains,
Table Rock itself appearing but a little elevated.