on I immediately saw as soon as I started that the cattle did
but little good were slow & in the way we would stop & bgin
to sink I Jumped out of my carriage into the water up
to my waist about 10 men came to my assistance with a
drag roap & hitched to the oxen & assisted me in getting
across the first stream but with great difficulty I
stoped on a sand bar out of water my Horses & waggon im-
mediately began to sink & by treading the ground a little it
would become a perfect quagmire. but though we were
sinking in it the men had to leave the waggon whare it
was for oO pratt in trying to cross the second stream had
sunk into a bed of quick sand and all men had to go to his
relief to get his Horses & waggon out the Horses were taken
from the waggons the load taken out & carried to shore by
hand & the waggon drawn out by by the help of men
I took off a part of my load or most of it in a boat
& went through the second stream empty & got out two
other waggons done in the same way but it was so terri-
fic the rest of the camp would not follow suit, so their
were 6 men of us in all to spend the night together without
horses & waggons to guard against the whole Pawnee band that
were camped below us on the same side of the river should they
feel disposed to come upon us, there numbers were not known
but it was supposed they numbered over 600 warriors. we
divided our company which made ownly three of us on guard
at a time. Br Pack O. Pratt & myself went on guard the
fore part of the night although I had been in the water
during the afternoon I stood guard in my wet clothing one
half the night & slept in them the other half, we had not more
than got our position for the night untill we were joined by
5 men who crossed the river in a boat were sent over by
President Young to assist us which made eleven men
instead of 6 so we divided our force accordingly. the
night past off in peace & no disturbance. distance from the
Missionary station to the ford 4 miles 4 miles

April 24, 1847 ~ Saturday

24^th A Plesant morning Professor Pratt took an observation
on the south bank of the fording place on the loup fork
4 miles from the Missionary station, took a meridian
observation of the sun for the Lattitude found to be
to cross the ^41° 22' 37".^ The camp now wer busiy in concocking plans
to cross the river the[y] drew together timber & rails to build
two rafts & began to put it together but some of the Breth-
ren made another trial to cross with waggons by putting
on several Hors & mule teame they went a little Hier up
than we did & got over with much less difficulty & the
more the ground was trod in the water the smother & Harder
it grew, so the whole encampment turned there waggons
back to the ford & abandoned the raft & by unloading one
half of there baggage could cross in safety & the whole
encampment came over in that way by doubling teams
& going back & forth untill all were over each captain
with his ten assisted each other over, & so in this
way all Israel who were present went over (not Jordan)
but the Loup fork of the Platt river in safety without
damaged to man or beast & we felt thankful in our Hearts

on I immediately saw as soon as I started that the cattle did but little good were slow & in the way we would stop & bgin to sink I Jumped out of my carriage into the water up to my waist about 10 men came to my assistance with a drag roap & hitched to the oxen & assisted me in getting across the first stream but with great difficulty I stoped on a sand bar out of water my horses & waggon immediately began to sink & by treading the ground a little it would become a perfect quagmire. but though we were sinking in it the men had to leave the waggon whare it was for O Pratt in trying to cross the second stream had sunk into a bed of quick sand and all men had to go to his relief to get his horses & waggon out the horses were taken from the waggons the load taken out & carried to shore by hand & the waggon drawn out by by the help of men I took off a part of my load or most of it in a boat & went through the second stream empty & got out two other waggons done in the same way but it was so terrific the rest of the camp would not follow suit. so their were 6 men of us in all to spend the night to gether without horses & waggons to guard against the whole Pawnee band that were camped below us on the same side of the river should they feel disposed to come upon us, there numbers were not known but it was supposed they numbered over 600 warriors, we divided our company which made ownly three of us on guard at a time Br Pack O. Pratt & myself went on guard the fore part of the night although I had been in the water during the afternoon I stood guard in my wet clothing one half the night & slept in them the other half, we had not more than got our position for the night untill we were joined by 5 men who crossed the river in a boat were sent over by President Young to assist us which made eleven men instead of 6 so we divided our force accordingly. the night past off in peace & no disturbance. distance from the Missionary station to the ford 4 miles 4 miles

April 24, 1847 ~ Saturday

24th A plesant morning Professor Pratt took an observation on the south bank of the fording place on the loup fork 4 miles from the Missionary station, took a meridian observation of the sun for the Lattitude found to be 41° 22' 37". The camp now wer busy in concocking plans to cross the river they drew together timber & rails to build two rafts & began to put it together but some of the Brethren made another trial to cross with waggons by putting on several hors & mule teame they went a little hier up than we did & got over with much less difficulty & the more the ground was trod in the water the smother & harder it grew, so the whole encampment turned there waggons back to the ford & abandoned the raft & by unloading one half of there baggage could cross in safety & the whole encampment came over in that way by doubling teams & going back & forth untill all were over each captain with his ten assisted each other over, & so in this way all Israel who were present went over (not Jordan) but the Loup fork of the Platt river in safety without damage to man or beast & we felt thankful in our hearts