[page covered] [Basin] for a settlement than Major Harris did, that it was his [page torn]
& if this people settled in it he wanted to settle with them, there [page torn]
but one thing that could operate against it becoming a great gra[in] [page torn]
country & that would be frost. He did not know but the frost would
effect the corn. He said there was a spring at the end of the Salt lake
that produced both hot & cold fresh water, & hot & cold salt water
out of the same hole or spring, & formed a large body of verdegreece
below which the Indians get to paint skins, arrors &c. He informed
us whare to find a mine of silver & lead ore on big timber Creek we
conversed about a great variety of things. He said he was ashamed of
the Maps of Freemont for he knew nothing about the country
ownly the plain travled road, that he could correct all the maps that
had been put out about the western world. He said if we wanted
any of his services to let him know, the American fir Company had
paid him $2000 dollars per year while in their employ. He spent the
time conversing untill 10 oclok, we then retired to bed several of
the brethren bought dressed deer skin shirts & pants of [him] then they
would swap an outside dress for one Hickory or Checked shirt.
We had good grass & water & plenty of musketoes to night dis15 1/2
~ Tuesday
29th we parted this morning with Mr Bridger who remarked that
it would not be prudent to bring a great population into the bason untill we ascertained whether grain would grow or not
we travled on to big Sandy 8 miles & nooned it was a vary hot
day, these streams are now up but during Summer they become
entirely dry, we nooned two hours & then drove onto the bank
of the Big Sandy 15 3/4 miles & camped for the night this campground
is the last time we meet with Big Sandy 8 miles east of the ferry
on green River the road to day, as has been the case through a
great portion of this country has been over a hot sandy desert with
scearsly any green thing except the various species of the wild sage
from 6 inches to 8 feet high with stocks from 1/4 of an inch to 4 inches
in diameter we have to use it for firewood & it makes quite a good
substitute. O. P. Rockwell & myself went forward to pick out a camp
ground we was ahead about 6 miles of the camp when we found
one which was the first place we could get grass for 15 miles
from whare we nooned, it made the longest days journey
we had made on the whole route. I returned to meet the c[amp] [page covered]
about 4 miles & was informed that Br Fowler was vary sick
& in my carriage I went back & met him & found him in great
distress in his head, back, & bones through out. He complained bitt
rly of the jar of the waggon. And finally was out of his head &
became wild. I did not get into camp untill near 9 oclok, I then
commenced doctoring him with composition, tea, pills &c & he
soon began to get better & had a comfortable nights rest distance of the day 23 3/4
~ Wednesday
30th Br Fowler was some better this morning seemed to be threatned
with the ague kept his bed & rode in the waggon, we travled
8 miles & camped upon the bank of the green river at the ferry & the
afternoon was spent in building a raft as the river was high it
could not be crossed ownly upon rafts or boats. It was 235 1/2 miles
from the fort Laramie to the South pass of the rocky mountains
During the afternoon the arival of Elder Samuel S Brannan from
the bay of San Francisco was anounced in camp, we were truly glad [to] [page covered]
meet with him that we might hear from him & the Saints who w[ere] [page covered]
with him. He gave us an account of there landing their travels & t[he] [page covered]
present settlement which was 200 miles up the river from the b[ay] [page covered]
page covered Basin for a settlement than Major Harris did, that it was his page torn
& if this people settled in it he wanted to settle with them, there page torn
but one thing that could operate against it becoming a great grain page torn
country & that would be frost. He did not know but the frost would
effect the corn. He said there was a spring at the end of the Salt lake
that produced both hot & cold fresh water, & hot & cold salt water
out of the same hole or spring, & formed a large body of verdegreece
below which the Indians get to paint skins, arrors &c. He informed
us whare to find a mine of silver & lead ore on big timber Creek we
conversed about a great variety of things. He said he was ashamed of
the Maps of Freemont for he knew nothing about the country
ownly the plain travled road, that he could correct all the maps that
had been put out about the western world. He said if we wanted
any of his services to let him know, the American fir Company had
paid him $2000 dollars per year while in their employ. He spent the
time conversing untill 10 oclok, we then retired to bed several of
the brethren bought dressed deer skin shirts & pants of him then they
would swap an outside dress for one Hickory or Checked shirt.
We had good grass & water & plenty of musketoes to night dis15 1/2
~ Tuesday
29th we parted this morning with Mr Bridger who remarked that
it would not be prudent to bring a great population into the
bason untill we ascertained whether grain would grow or not
we travled on to big Sandy 8 miles & nooned it was a vary hot
day, these streams are now up but during Summer they become
entirely dry, we nooned two hours & then drove onto the bank
of the Big Sandy 15 3/4 miles & camped for the night this campground
is the last time we meet with Big Sandy 8 miles east of the ferry
on green River the road to day, as has been the case through a
great portion of this country has been over a hot sandy desert with
scearsly any green thing except the various species of the wild sage
from 6 inches to 8 feet high with stocks from 1/4 of an inch to 4 inches
in diameter we have to use it for firewood & it makes quite a good
substitute. O. P. Rockwell & myself went forward to pick out a camp
ground we was ahead about 6 miles of the camp when we found
one which was the first place we could get grass for 15 miles
from whare we nooned, it made the longest days journey
we had made on the whole route. I returned to meet the camp page covered
about 4 miles & was informed that Br Fowler was vary sick
& in my carriage I went back & met him & found him in great
distress in his head, back, & bones through out. He complained bitt
rly of the jar of the waggon. And finally was out of his head &
became wild. I did not get into camp untill near 9 oclok, I then
commenced doctoring him with composition, tea, pills &c & he
soon began to get better & had a comfortable nights rest distance of the day 23 3/4
~ Wednesday
30th Br Fowler was some better this morning seemed to be threatned
with the ague kept his bed & rode in the waggon, we travled
8 miles & camped upon the bank of the green river at the ferry & the
afternoon was spent in building a raft as the river was high it
could not be crossed ownly upon rafts or boats. It was 235 1/2 miles
from the fort Laramie to the South pass of the rocky mountains
During the afternoon the arival of Elder Samuel S Brannan from
the bay of San Francisco was anounced in camp, we were truly glad to page covered
meet with him that we might hear from him & the Saints who were page covered
with him. He gave us an account of there landing their travels & the page covered
present settlement which was 200 miles up the river from the bay page covered
"Journal (January 1, 1847 – December 31, 1853)," June 29, 1847 - June 30, 1847, The Wilford Woodruff Papers, accessed March 29, 2024, https://wilfordwoodruffpapers.org/p/Nk6v