Morning fine but cold. The ox teams started at five minutes to eight
and the remainder shortly after. We soon met eight of the Oregon men
on their way back having over twenty horses and mules with them mostly
laden with packs of robes, skins, etc. Several of the brethren sent
letters back by them. At two and three-quarters miles, arrived at the
dividing ridge where Elder Pratt took a barometrical observation and
found the altitude 7,085 feet above the level of the sea. This spot
is 278½ miles from Fort John and is supposed to divide the Oregon
and Indian Territory by a line running north and south. At two miles
farther we arrived at where Elder Pratt camped last night on the head
waters of the Green River and although the stream is small, we have
the satisfaction of seeing the current run west instead of east. The
face of the country west looks level except far in the distance where
a range of mountains peers up, their surface white with snow. There
is good grass here but no timber nor in fact any in sight except on
the mountains. Since leaving the pass we have descended considerably,
winding around and between high bluffs or hills, but the road is good.
One of the Oregon men is returning with us today and then intends to
wait for the next companies, etc., and act as a pilot for them. His
name is Harris and he appears to be extensively known in Oregon and
the subject of much dispute on account of his having found out a new
route to Oregon much south of the old one. He appears to be a man of
intelligence and well acquainted with the western country. He presented
a file of the Oregon papers commencing with February 11, 1847, and five
following numbers for our perusal during the day. He also presented
a number of the California Star published at Yerba Buena by Samuel
Brannan and edited by E. P. Jones. I had the privilege of perusing
several of these papers during the day but found little interesting
news. Mr. Harris says he is well acquainted with the Bear River valley
and the region around the salt lake. From his description, which is
very discouraging, we have little chance to hope for even a moderately
good country anywhere in those regions. He speaks of the whole region
as being sandy and destitute of timber and vegetation except the wild
sage. He gives the most favorable account of a small region under the
Bear River mountains called the Cache Valley where they have practiced
caching their robes, etc., to hide them from the Indians. He represents
this as being a fine place to winter cattle. After halting some time
we proceeded onward and crossed the stream which is about three feet
wide, then halted on its banks at twelve o'clock, having traveled six
and a quarter miles, the day warm. The latitude at this halt was 42°
18' 58". At 2:25 we started again and proceeded over gently rolling
land and good hard road till 6:40 when we formed our encampment on the
west banks of the Dry Sandy, having traveled this afternoon nine miles
and during the day fifteen and a quarter. The country west for many
miles appears destitute of timber and the view is very extensive. There
is very little grass to be seen anywhere and not much near this creek.
There is but little water in the creek at first sight, but by digging
and tramping on the quick sand, sufficient can easily be obtained to
supply a large company. Elder Kimball has been on the road nearly two
miles farther but discovered no chance for a camping ground better
than this. Mr. Harris has described a valley forty miles above the
mouth of the Bear River, and thirty miles below the Bear Springs which
might answer our purpose pretty well if the report is true. It is about
thirty miles long and fifteen miles wide and tolerably well timbered.
We generally feel that we shall know best by going ourselves for the
reports of travelers are so contradictory it is impossible to know
which is the truth without going to prove it. It is three years today
since our brethren Joseph and Hyrum were taken from us and it was the
general feeling to spend the day in fasting and prayer but the gentile
companies being close in our rear and feed scarce, it was considered
necessary to keep ahead of them for the benefit of our teams, but many
minds have reverted back to the scenes at Carthage jail, and it is a
gratification that we have so far prospered in our endeavors to get
from under the grasp of our enemies.