29th. We had some very bad hills to descend to-day. I understand that
the emigrants of last year had to let their wagons down some of them
with ropes. We got down with out accident, by locking our hind wheels.
Reached Bear River about 3 P.M., and drove down the Four Branches or
Smith's River, and camped. At this point the Four Branches enter the
Bear River between two high points or curves of the mountains, and
within one hundred rods from the first to the last. One of them is very
deep and bad to cross; the water coming nearly to the top of the wagon
bed. Bear River is a large stream about 150 yards across, with a deep
swift current, and runs almost directly towards the north at this
place. Its bottoms furnish an abundance of luxuriant nutritious grass,
enough to supply all the stock on the plains, and they resemble the
bottoms on the rivers of Illinois. We find plenty of Indians on this
river, it being the head quarters of the Shoshonees whose lodges may be
seen on the opposite side of the river. They have an abundance of Rocky
Mountain horses, and are learning to talk English very fast; have
learned to beg right smart, as our Missouri friends say, but dog on
'em, if they can't beg, they will steal. They are a little better
looking Indians than the Crows, but I think much more indolent and
filthy.