Started this morning at eight o'clock, weather warm with tolerably
high wind. After traveling three and a half miles we passed a small
copperas spring at the foot of a mountain a little to the left of
the road. The water is very clear but tastes very strong of copperas
and alum and has a somewhat singular effect on the mouth. It runs a
little distance over the red sand which abounds in this region and
where it is saturated with water almost looks like blood at a little
distance. After passing this spring the road winds around the foot of
mountains gradually ascending for some distance till finally arriving
on the summit of a high ridge. Here Elder Pratt took a barometrical
observation and found the height to be 7,315 feet above the level of
the sea. On arriving at the west side of the ridge two and a half miles
from the last mentioned spring we found a very steep, rough place to
descend and found it necessary to halt and fix the road. About half
way down there is a place over huge rocks, leaving barely enough room
for a wagon to get down, but by labor it was soon made passable. A
little farther, the brethren had to dig a place considerably to make a
pass between the mountains. President Young and Kimball labored hard
with a number of others and in about a half an hour made a good road.
At twenty miles from Fort Bridger, passed another spring and a little
farther after arriving on the bottom land, the road turns nearly south
through a beautiful low bottom filled with grass. At 1:45 we halted
for noon, having traveled nine miles. Latitude 41° 14' 21". After
halting an hour and a half we proceeded again and after traveling
three and a half miles began to ascend the dividing ridge between the
Colorado waters and the great basin. This mountain is very high and
the ascent steep, rendering it necessary to make a crooked road to
gain the summit. The height is 7,700 feet according to Elder Pratt's
observations. The surface at the top is narrow. Here three bears were
seen to run over a still higher mountain on the left. The descent was
very steep, having to lock the wagons for half a mile. We then descend
and travel on the bottom a few miles between high rugged mountains
till the road seems suddenly to be shut up by a high mountain ahead.
The road here turns suddenly to the left and goes east about 200 yards
then winds again southwest. After ascending and descending another high
ridge, we crossed a small creek about ten feet wide and at 7:45 formed
our encampment on the southwest banks, having traveled this afternoon
nine miles and during the day eighteen over the most mountainous course
we have yet seen. After camping, Mr. Miles Goodyear came into camp. He
is the man who is making a farm in the Bear River valley. He says it
is yet seventy-five miles to his place, although we are now within two
miles of Bear River. His report of the valley is more favorable than
some we have heard but we have an idea he is anxious to have us make
a road to his place through selfish motives. Elder Pratt has found a
beautiful spring of clear, sweet, cold water about a hundred yards
southwest from the camp. Water excellent.