4th Thermometer stands at 33° this morning I feel
some better than I did last night we started on
our journey this morning 5 waggons a breast which made
5 roads this was to be in readiness in case of an attack from
the Indians we travled 3 miles & saw some waggons on the
opposite side of the river. going down the soon one of the
men waded the Platt & came to us, to see who we were. He info-
rmed us they were traders from he had been
there 3 years had not tasted bread for 2 years, was 16 days from
Laramee the grass was green & good on the south side to that
fort but burnt of on the North side He waided the Platt to
come to us a mile across it & did not go but little above his
knees He would take letters to us to who lived near
so the campe stoped & wrote 52 letters to
our familys I was ahead of the company with taking
observations & did not know untill the time was nearly up
I then in great haste scribbled a few lines to my An epistle
was written to the Church &c. Three Brethren accompanied the
Frenchman accross the Platt to the other men was 9 in all
had not seen an Indian since they left Laramee, stated their
was a ferry at the fort &c agreed to take our letters safe
we drove on 3 miles more & bated our teams untill the Brethren
returned they made a report to the camp of what was
said to them a Council of the whole camp was then called
to deside whether we would cross the Platt or continue up
