This morning we have had two pleasant showers accompanied by pretty
loud thunder. At 8:45, we proceeded onward, passing through a narrow
ravine between very high mountains. After traveling one and a quarter
miles passed a deep ravine, where most of the teams had to double to
get up. One-half mile farther, crossed the creek and found the crossing
place very bad. Harvey Pierce broke his wagon reach and bolster. The
wagon had to be unloaded, but with little delay was soon repaired,
during which time a number of the brethren fixed a new place to cross
the creek. After passing this place, following the course of the
creek, the mountains seem to increase in height, and come so near
together in some places as to leave merely room enough for a crooked
road. At half past twelve we halted to feed, having traveled six and
three-quarters miles and are yet surrounded by high mountains. As we
halted, O. P. Rockwell came up from Elder Pratt's company. He
reports that it is about twenty-five or thirty miles to the canyon.
They have found the road leading over the mountains to avoid the canyon
and expect to be on top today at noon. The day is pleasant with a nice
breeze. Grass plentiful and pretty high, but no timber yet, except
small cedar on the sides of the mountains. Numerous springs of clear
water all along the base of the mountains. During the halt two of the
brethren went to the top of the mountain on the north of the camp. They
looked like babes in size. At 1:40, we proceeded onward and found the
pass between the mountains growing narrower, until it seemed strange
that a road could ever have been made through. We crossed creek a
number of times, and in several places found the crossing difficult.
After proceeding a few miles, we saw patches of oak shrubbery though
small in size. In the same place and for several miles there are many
patches or groves of the wild currant, hop vines, alder and black
birch. Willows are abundant and high. The currants are yet green and
taste most like a gooseberry, thick rind and rather bitter. The hops
are in blossom and seem likely to yield a good crop. The elder-berries,
which are not very plentiful, are in bloom. In some places we had to
pass close to the foot of high, perpendicular red mountains of rock
supposed to be from six hundred to a thousand feet high. At a quarter
to seven we formed our encampment, having traveled this afternoon nine
and a half miles, and during the day sixteen and a quarter. We are yet
enclosed by high mountains on each side, and this is the first good
camping place we have seen since noon, not for lack of grass or water,
but on account of the narrow gap between the mountains. Grass is pretty
plentiful most of the distance and seems to grow higher the farther we
go west. At this place the grass is about six feet high, and on the
creek eight or ten feet high. There is one kind of grass which bears
a head almost like wheat and grows pretty high, some of it six feet.
There is a very singular echo in this ravine, the rattling of wagons
resembles carpenters hammering at boards inside the highest rocks. The
report of a rifle resembles a sharp crack of thunder and echoes from
rock to rock for some time. The lowing of cattle and braying of mules
seem to be answered beyond the mountains. Music, especially brass
instruments, have a very pleasing effect and resemble a person standing
inside the rock imitating every note. The echo, the high rocks on the
north, high mountains on the south with the narrow ravine for a road,
form a scenery at once romantic and more interesting than I have ever
witnessed. Soon after we camped, I walked up the highest mountain on
the south. The ascent is so steep that there is scarce a place to be
found to place the foot flat and firm, and the visitor is every moment,
if he makes the least slip or stumbles, in danger of being precipitated
down to the bottom and once overbalanced, there is no possibility of
stopping himself till he gets to the bottom, in which case he would
doubtless be dashed to pieces. After resting about half a dozen times I
arrived at the top and found the ascent equally steep all the way up.
In many places I had to go on my hands and feet to keep from falling
backwards. From this mountain I could see the fork of Weber River about
a mile west of the camp; looking back I could see the road we had come
for several miles, but in every other direction nothing but ranges of
mountains still as much higher than the one I was on as it is above the
creek. The scenery is truly wild and melancholy. After surveying the
face of the country a little while, I began to descend and found the
task much more difficult than ascending, but by using great care and
taking time, I got down without accident a little before dark. Solomon
Chamberlain broke his forward axle tree about two miles back. A wagon
was unloaded and sent back to fetch him up. He is yet very sick.