Journal (January 1, 1847 – December 31, 1853)

WILFORD
WOODRUFF
6
JAN. 1 1847
TO
DEC. 31 1853

1847 to 1853. 6 years
472 Pages
^Wilford Woodruff^

6

January 1^st 1847,
to
December 31^st 1853.

I looked over my Journals commencing with AD 1834 ending
with AD 1846 Making thirteen (13) years during which time
I have travled sixty one thousand six hundred & ninety two miles
crossed the Atlantic Ocean four times travled through England
Scotland & Wales and on six Islands of the sea through (61.6.92)
twenty of the United States several times and the Canidas
Held one thousand sixty nine meetings. (1069) Held eighty six
(86) conferences. One hundred & twenty three councils (123)
Baptized six hundred & thirty four (634) persons And assisted
in the baptism of hundreds of others. was baptized for thirty
six Dead friends (36). Confirmed eight hundred & thirteen
(813). Ordained two pPatriarchs (2) Nine Bishops (9) Three
High Priest 3. Three Seventies 3. One hundred fifty six
Elders (156) One hundred forty two Priests (142) sixty three Teachers
(63) And thirteen Deacons. (13) I have Administered by anoi-
nting and laying on of hands unto three hundred and sixty
four sick persons (364) many of which were healed. I Blessed
(194) one hundred and ninety four children. I Married seven
couple (7) I planted fifty one churches (51) esstablished
seventy seven preaching places (77). Had ten mobs rise against
me 10. I recorded thirty of the Prophet Joseph's sermons
(30) And twenty five of the quorum of the Twelve Apostles (25)
I wrote one thousand and forty Letters (1040) Recieved six hundred
& ninety nine letter^s (699) I collected for the building of the
Temples of the Lord in kirtland & Nauvoo one thousand six
hundred seventy four dollars ($1674) Also five thousand dollars
for Assisting in the printing of the works of the Latter Day Saints
($5000) I procured two hundred & five subscribers for the
periodicals published by the Saints (205) I printed the
Times and Seasons And Neighbor in co with Elder Taylor two
years. I printed twenty five hundred copies of the Millenum
Star at Liverpool (2,500) And Published three thousand copies
of the Book of Doctrins & Covenants (3000) And secured the
copy wright at Stationeres Hall London. I printed three
thousand Hymn Books (3000) and twenty thousand of
the Proclamation called the proclamation of the
Twelve Apostles. (20,000) During the Above period
I was ordained to the office of Teacher, Priest, Elder
member of the second quorum of Seventies the first quorm
of seventies And one of the Twelve Apostles Recieved
my Anointing sealing & endowments from under the
Hands of the Apostles Brigham Young & Heber C. Kimball
by order of Joseph the prophet

[4 lines blank]

I assisted the Twelve in ordaining about two hundred 200
Elders & seventies at one time in Nauvoo which was not
recorded in my Journal & not named in the above number

WILFORD WOODRUFF^S
JOURNAL
FOR
1847

January 1, 1847 ~ Friday

^friday^ JAN 1^st 1847 I spent the day aranging my Journals I spent
the evening with Mrs Woodruff and sister Taylor At a feast
prepared by Br and sister Smoot I administered to 2 that were sick

January 2, 1847 ~ Saturday

2nd I spent the day at home Father Woodruff was sick

January 3, 1847 ~ Sunday

3rd Sunday I preached At Br Vancotts House to that ward
I laid hands upon one sick person and blessed one child

January 4, 1847 ~ Monday

4^th I spent the day at home, and evening at Br A. O. Smoo[t]

January 5, 1847 ~ Tuesday

5^th I spent this day halling Hay I sent 3 bushels of Meal
in a large salt sack to Br Mercer in the upper Herd
I attended council with the Twelve in the evening

January 6, 1847 ~ Wednesday

6^th The coldest day we have had this year in the
morning the Thermometer stood 2 degrees below
zero I spent the day at home Attended meeting in the
evening And ordained A. O. Smoot A Bishop And then
Preached at Sister Taylors

January 7, 1847 ~ Thursday

7^th It was colder to day than yesterday it was 8 degrees below zer[o]
I spent the day at home And attended the High council
in the evening. Retired to Bed And dreamed I was with
the Saints Among the Indians. in Peace but suddenly
one came at me in a hostile manner to kill me they shot
at us but no one killed And I awoke & it was a dream

January 8, 1847 ~ Friday

8^th It was 20 degrees warmer to day but still vary cold I run
my stove pipe through the roof & put some turf upon the House
Br Fowler returned home this evening being gone 20 da[ys]
Had putty good luck, considering all things He brought
Home 40 gal Honey, 900 lbs pork 40 lb lard 20 lbs Butte[r]
one yoke Beef cattle and sundry other articles

January 9, 1847 ~ Saturday

9^th Mercury fell 10 degrees below zero we sold one ox
to Br Rockwood at 2 1/2 cts per lb his meat wait was 893 ^lb
Amounting to $22.32 1/2 during the evening I took a walk with
Elders Young, Kimball, H Stout & others conversed upon a
variety of subjects.

I went to bed; fell asleep
And dreamed some Indians came in to my house with Axes
with the intent to kill me I got away from them went
into the street And there two men one an Indian stabed me
with knives in the side I Hollowed murder and some
came to my assistance And I awoke. these dreams mean
sumthing some person or persons are plotting against my
life And I am warned against the plots of my enemies

January 10, 1847 ~ Sunday

10^th Sunday I met the Saints in our ward O Pratt addr
essed them with an interesting discourse and I followed
we had a good meeting. I again attended meeting in the
evening And preached to the people and had the spirit of
God several of the brethren spoke. I spoke some upon
the resurrection

January 11, 1847 ~ Monday

11^th I met in council with the Twelve at Br Bensons and
spent the day we had a good time. we spoke upon the
principle of our lives being threatend by our enemies &
prayed that we might ever be deliverd from there hands

January 12, 1847 ~ Tuesday

12^th I spent the day butchering a fat ox we me met in
council with the Twelve

January 13, 1847 ~ Wednesday

13^th I cupt up Beef and pork today Attended to the duties of the
family I attended a meeting in the evening at Br Ensigns

January 14, 1847 ~ Thursday

14^th I attended a council of the Twelve at Elder Kimballs
we had an interesting meeting. A Revelation was
given concerning the organization of the camp of
Israel which will be written on another page of this journal

January 15, 1847 ~ Friday

15^th I met in council with the Twelve at Br Bensons And
conversed about the organizing of the camp of Israel
the time has now come when the camp of Israel must be
organized according to the order and law of God for there
peace, safety, and salvation. There are many things of Interest
transpire in the councils of the Twelve Apostles which I do
not write in this Journal As Elder Willard Richards is
presant at the councils, And is the recorder And Historian of
the Church And writes all these things which will appear in
the general Church History. There was A severe snow storm
this day. Ant night I went into the Council House with President
Young & several Bishops And made doors and plastered up
the House And worked untill near midnight

January 16, 1847 ~ Saturday

16^th A cold day yet the sun shines pleasent I drew two loads
of Hay And went into council at night with the Twelve
and the Presidents of the seventies And we had much
interesting teaching from President Young. The revelation
And word of the Lord recieved on the 14^th was this
day presented before the High council and accepted
it was presented to night before presidents of the seventies
And accepted by them. The question was asked
president Young if the quorums of seventies should
not be filled up while He said not while there was men
enough belonging to the quorum in good standing alive on
the earth their places should not be filled by others
while treating upon the principle of Adoption He said some
men were afraid they would loose some glory if they
were sealed to one of the Twelve And did not stand
alone And have others sealed to them President
Young said there kingdom consisted of their own
posterity And it did not diminish that at all but
by being sealed to one of the Twelve but ownly
bound them by that perfect chain according to the
law of God and order of Heaven that will bind
the righteous from Adam to the last Saint And
Adam will claim us all as members of his kingdom
we doing [being] his children

He gave some interesting teaching concerning the rights
of men & the dealings of men with there wives and
children, the raising of posterity, purity, Holiness &c
that if A wise and proper course was taken in the
begeting and raising of children that they would
soon become pure & Holy And be administered
to by Angels &c And many other things did
the Apostle teach

January 17, 1847 ~ Sunday

17^th Sunday A cold day I preached to A congregation in
Bishops Everetts ward I Attended council in the
Evening with the Twelve, High council & Bishops And
Had an interesting time two peaces was read from
Col Cane published in the Pennsylvania Papers, concerning
His stay among us

January 18, 1847 ~ Monday

178^th [FIGURE] Monday The Thermometer stood this day
16 1/2 degrees below 0 zero I think as cold weath[er]
As I ever experienced But As cold weather As it was
In company with several others I dug earth out of
the bank And coverd the roof of my house up
This was An important day in the History of this Churc[h]
in one respect President Brigham Young met with
his company or family organisation or those who
had been adopeted unto him or were to be, & organized
then into A company out of which may grow a people
that may yet be called the tribe of Brigham. His
teaching to his company was much unto edifycation
I cannot now write but few of the words which He spake
He said no man should come into his company to work
iniquity they should break of from all there sins And
they did enter into a covenant with uplifted Hands to
Heaven with President Young And each other to walk
in all the ordinances & commandments of the Lord
our God. President Young said that He new that any
man who would put his money to usury in the cause
of God would recieve an hundred fold And many things
of Interest was spoken President Young company numb[ered]
about 300 men

January 19, 1847 ~ Tuesday

189^th [FIGURE] {The tribe of Wilford Woodruff was organized this day}

President Heber C Kimball organized
His family company this night At the
Council House consisting of about 200 persons
I, Wilford Woodruff organized my family company
this night At my own House consisting of 40 Men mostly
Head men of families. Those that Joined me entered into
a covenant with uplifted Hands to Heaven to keep all the
commandments & statutes of the Lord our God And
to sustain me in my office the following are the nam[es]
of those who were present with me in this organization
Wilford Woodruff, Aphek Woodruff, John Fowler,
Abraham O Smoot, William C. A. Smoot, John Grierson,
Chancy W. Porter, John Benbow, Simeon Blanchard,
Jacob Burnham, Little John Utley Samuel Turnbow
Eligah F. Sheets, Jacob F Secrist, Benjamin Abers,

Andrew J Allen, Ezra Clark, Edward Stephvenson,
Zerah Pulsipher, John M Wolley Albert Dewey
Wm Stewart, Thomas Clark, Hezekiah Peck,
being 24 persons in all that were present, the remainder
were Absent on business. we dismissed and parted in good
spirits & feelings I went to bed and fell asleep And dreamed
[FIGURE] that I was {[big] with child and} ready to {be delivered} which was A singular dream

January 20, 1847 ~ Wednesday

Jan 1920^th I met in council with the Twelve at Br Kimball^s
A part of the time was spent in Appointing officers in the
organization of Presidents Youngs company. towards evening
Br Harrison Burgess Arived from Nauvoo with the Mail
And all other business was laid aside to search for news
we recieved several Bundles of news papers from nearly all
parts of the U. S. A. & many letters from friends Abroad And
3 No^s of the Stars from Liverpool Edited by Elder O. Hyde
And we had quite A treat

January 21, 1847 ~ Thursday

201^st I spent this day in council with the Twelve And search-
ing out the news of the day. I attended the High council in
the evening with the Twelve & Bishops But was quite unwell
with cold and sore throat

21^st
The following is A true copy of A Revelation given dated
Winter Quarters camp of Israel Jan 14^th 1847 [Doctrine and Covenants 136:1-10]

The word and will of the Lord concerning the camp of Israel
In their journeyings to the west

Let all the people of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter day
Saints, and those who journey with them, be organized into companies
with a covenant and promise to keep all the commandments and
statutes of the Lord our God: Let the companies be organized
with Captains of Hundreds, Captains of Fifties, and Captains of Tens
with A President & his two councillors at their head, under
the direction of the Twelve Apostles: And this shall be our covenant
that we will walk in all the ordinances of the Lord.

Let each company provide themselves with all the Teams, waggons
provisions, clothing, and other necessaries for the journey that they
can. When the companies are organized let them go to with
their might to prepare for those who are to tarry.

Let each company with their Captains, And Presidents, decide
how many can go next spring; then choose out a sufficient
number of able bodied and expert men, to take teams, seeds,
and Farming utensils, to go as Pioneers, to prepare for puting
in spring crops.

Let each company bear an equal
proportion, according to the dividend of their property, in taking
the poor, the widows, the Fatherless, and the families of those
who have gone into the Armey, that the cries of the widow
and the Fatherless come not up into the ears of the Lord against
this people.

Let each company prepare houses, and fields
for raising grain, for those who are to remain behind this season,
and this is the will of the Lord concerning his people; Let every
man use all his influence and property, to remove this people
to the place whare the Lord shall locate a stake of Zion;

And if ye do this with a pure heart in all faithfulness, ye shall
be blessed, you shall be blessed in your flocks, and in your
herds, and in your fields, and in your houses, and in your famili[es]
Let my servants Ezra T. Benson and Erastus Snow organize a
company, and let my servants Orson Pratt and Wilford Woodr[uff]
organize A company: Also let my servants Amasa Lyman and
George A Smith organize a company and Appoint Presidents
and Captains of hundreds and of fifties and of tens:
And let my servants that have been Appointed go and teach
this my will to the Saints, that they may be ready to go to
a land of peace. [Doctrine and Covenants 136:11-16]

Go thy way and do as I have told you; and fear not thine
enemies; for they shall not have power to stop my work.
Zion shall be redeemed in mine own due time time, and if any
man shall seek to build up himself and seeketh not my council
he shall have no power, and his folley shall be made manifes[t]
seek ye and keep all your pledges one with another and covet
not that which is thy brothers. Keep yourselves from evi[l]
to take ^not^ the name of thy God in vane; for I am the Lord your
God, even the God of your Fathers, the God of Abraham,
and of Isaac and of Jacob. I am he who led the children
of Israel out of the Land of Egypt and my arm is streched
out in the last days to save my people Israel cease to contend
one with another. Cease to speak evil one of another.
Cease drunkenness, and let your words tend to edeyfing one
another. If thou borrowest of thy neighbor, thou shalt
restore that which thou hast borrowed, and if theyou canst
not repay, then go straitway, and tell thy neighbor lest he
condemn thee. If thou shalt find that which thy neighbor
has lost, thou shalt make diligent search, till thou shalt
deliver it to him again. Thou shall be diligent in preserving
what thou hast, that thou mayest be a wise steward; for
it is the free gift of the Lord thy God, and thou art his steward
If thou art merry, praise the Lord, with singing,
with music, with dancing and with a prayer of
praise and thanksgiving. If thou art sorrowful call on
the Lord thy God with supplication, that your souls may
be joyful. Fear not thine enemies for they are in mine
hands and I will do my pleasure with them. My people
must be tried in all things, that they may be prepared to
recieve the glory that I have for them, even the glory of Zion.
And he that will not bear chastizment, is not worthy of
my Kingdom; Let him that is ignorant, learn wisdom
by humbling himself, and calling upon the Lord his God, that
his eyes may be opened that he may see, and his ears opened
that He may hear, for my spirit is sent forth into the worl[d]
to enlighten the humble And contrite, and to the condemna[t]ion
of the ungodly.

Thy brethren have rejected you and
your testimony, even the Nation that has driven you out; and
now cometh the day of their calamity, even the days of
sorrow like a woman that is taken in travel [travail]; and their
sorrow shall be great, unless they spedily repent! ^yea vary spedily^ for they
killed the prophets, and they that were sent unto them,
And they have shed innocent Blood, which crieth from

the ground against them; Therefore marvel not at these
things, for ye are not yet pure: thou canst not yet bear
my glory, But thou shalt behold it, if ye are faithful
in keeping all my words that I have given you from the
days of Abraham Adam to Abraham; from Abraham
to Moses, from Moses to Jesus and the Apostles and
from Jesus and his Apostles to Joseph Smith, whom
I did call upon by mine Angels, my ministering servants
and by mine own voice out of the Heavens, to bring forth
my work; which foundation he dayid lay, and was faithful
and I took him to myself. Many have marvelled becaus
of his death, but it was needful that He should seal his tes-
timony with his blood, that he might be honored and
the wicked might be condemned.

Have I not deliverd you from your enemies, ownly in that
I have left a witness of my name? Now, therefore, harken,
O ye people of my Church; and ye Elders, listen together
you have received my kingdom, be diligent in keeping
all my commandments, lest judgment come upon you,
and your faith fail you, and your enemies triumph over
you. [Doctrine and Covenants 136:36-42]

So no more at present Amen and Amen.

January 22, 1847 ~ Friday

212^nd Friday I met in council with the Twelve

January 23, 1847 ~ Saturday

223rd I spent the day at home But attended the council of
the seventies in the evening with the Twelve & the
quorum of the Twelve with President Young at the Head
set for going forth in the dance the persons that took
the floor to set the pattern were as follows Brigham Young
Heber C. Kimball Wilford Woodruff & Ezra T Benson of
the Twelve, & Joseph Young & O. P. Rockwood of the
Seventies. After we were aranged on the floor President Young
Bowed before the Lord with his Brethren And dedicated
ourselves & the House & the meeting unto the Lord which
was set as A pattern we then went forth in the
dance And spent a few moments together had plesant
music we then dismissed & return home

January 24, 1847 ~ Sunday

234th Sunday I preached in our own ward Administered
to 3 that were sick during the evening I Attended the
Marriage cerimony under the hands of president Young
Between Elijah F. Sheets & Margarett Hutchingson. I attended
the High council in the evening & Had an interview with
Bishop Miller

January 25, 1847 ~ Monday

245^th I met in council with the Twelve & it was decided
that O Pratt go to Pisgah & Garden grove & E. T. Benson
go to Punkas to organize the saints And I act as
treasurer for Br Pratt while He is gone. Mrs Woodruff
and myself watched with Sister Sheets And I wrote
25^th A letter During the time to Br Albert Stratton

January 26, 1847 ~ Tuesday

26^th I spent the day at home & night at Br Pulsipher
& had a plesent time in conversing about times in past
days

January 27, 1847 ~ Wednesday

267^th I spent the day at home & in the evening I attended
meeting with our ward & Br Taylors word together Br
Phelps Addressed the meeting And I followed him & we
had a good time

January 28, 1847 ~ Thursday

278^th This was A vary busy day I let Br Burgess have
my team to go to Hunsakers ferry I Also fitted
out Br Luce with two teams to go after corn I paid
him $11 to buy corn with. we had a snow storm
during the night After Aranging my business, in company
with Mrs Woodruff & Sisters Taylor & Smoot I went to
the Council House in company with the quorum
of the Twelve & Seventies, we spent the day in the
worship of God by prayer, singing Music & going forth
in the dance together before the Lord we were merry
and rejoiced before the Lord. The High council met
at 6 oclok at 8 oclok The Twelve with their families
again met & went forth in the dance untill 2 oclok in
the morning & had a good time. {Joseph [Herring] who had threatened my life was there}

January 29, 1847 ~ Friday

289^th I was unwell this morning George Miller started
this morning for Punka {Joseph [Herring] is threatening my life} to {[day] [illegible shorthand]}
I spent the day at home. During the evening I met
with some of the Twelve & with the singers & joined
29^th In the singing, music & dancing and we felt to praise
the Lord in our hearts.

January 30, 1847 ~ Saturday

2930^th I spent the day at home

January 31, 1847 ~ Sunday

301^st Sunday I Preached in the morning to a congregation
in our own ward No 14^th in the afternoon at the Council
House to President Youngs ward & others And had
liberty of speech. I Attended council in the evening
with the High council & Bishop's. I watched with Sister
Sheets in the latter part of the night and she died at
31^st Monday 30 minutes past 3 oclock

February 1, 1847 ~ Monday

31^st ^Feb 1^st^ Monday I spent a part of the day at Br Sheets

February 2, 1847 ~ Tuesday

Feb 2^nd I met in council with the Twelve at President
Youngs. He was quite out of health we recieved a mail
to day of many papers and letters I attended the
M. T. S. funeral of Sister Sheets. It was A cold day

February 3, 1847 ~ Wednesday

3rd I spent the day at home and evening with Dr
Richards, Bishop Smoot, & others & at sundry places

February 4, 1847 ~ Thursday

34^th I spent the day at home. In the evening I
called my company together And organized them according
5^thto the pattern given. I appointed with the voice of the
people A. O. Smoot capt of 100 Zera Pulsipher capt of 50
And John Benbow, E. F Sheets, C. W. Porter, John ^M^ Wooley,
Thomas Clark, David Evans, Robert C Petty and Andrew J.
Stewart captains of Tens. we had a good meeting I then
visited the meeting of the High council Herd President Young
deliver an address to the High council and Beef committee

February 5, 1847 ~ Friday

Feb 5^th Friday
This was an interesting day to the camp of Israel
at an early hour the band of music entered my
carriage and rode through the city of winter
quarters playing so sweetly that it rend the air. the
quorum of Twelve set in council the fore part of the
day at 2 oclock AM [PM] The silver grays met at the Council
House, the company of silver grays consisted of all
the old men in the camp of Israel over 50 years
of age they were divided into 2 companies as the house
could not hold them all in one day, the quorum of
the Twelve met with them at the opening of the
meeting. Remarks were made by president Young
A Hymn was sung And Prayer by the Patriarch
John Smith After which they feasted together and
then they went forth in the dance praising God in their
hearts. It was truly an interesting sight to see the old
men and women some nearly a hundred years old go forth
and dance together in fulfillment of the ancient prophets
the quorum of the twelve spent the Afternoon and
evening with them. Father and Mother Woodruff was
among the number. I spent the time plesantly

February 6, 1847 ~ Saturday

6^th I spent this day at home was quite unwell A part of
the evening with Dr Richards reading the news of the
day returned home and spent the night I got a letter
for Father Woodruff from [blank]

February 7, 1847 ~ Sunday

7^th Sunday I spent the day at home & met in council in
the evening with the twelve

February 8, 1847 ~ Monday

8^th I spent the day aranging affairs about the House

February 9, 1847 ~ Tuesday

9^th Br Fowler left for Mo to day

February 10, 1847 ~ Wednesday

10^th I spent the Afternoon & evening at the Council
House in company with Mr[s] Woodruff at the Bishops
meeting social recreation &c

February 11, 1847 ~ Thursday

11^th I spent A part of the day with the Twelve in council
we decided to send up 20 or 30 men to Lathrops Herd

February 12, 1847 ~ Friday

12. I spent the day in assisting the company for in making
preperations to go to the Herd

February 13, 1847 ~ Saturday

13 The company for going to the Herd consisted of about
30 men with 3 Baggage waggons left the city about night
for their journey. the object of this journey was to go
to the Herd & visit the camp of the Soux Indians
and make a demand of them of some 20 Horses which
they had stolen from our Herdsman

February 14, 1847 ~ Sunday

14^th Sunday I attended meeting in the morning with Elder
G. A. Smith at Bishops Hunters ward Br Smith preached I
followed had a good time. At 1 oclok I met with Bishop
Spencers ward & preached to them; at early candlelight
I met with my own ward or Bishop Smoots & preache [page torn]
to them & had a good time

February 15, 1847 ~ Monday

15^th I met in council with the President & council
captains of Hundreds, fifties, and tens, to further
the organization of the camp of Israel I recieved an
appointment to go to Kegg Creek with Br Smoot to
organize the people ther one of the chiefs of the Otoes
was present this morning. In the evening I met with
the quorum of the Twelve & others to learn to take the
proper steps in dancing

February 16, 1847 ~ Tuesday

16^th I have A vary severe cold & horseness this was one of
the most interesting days of my life I attended the family
meeting of President Brigham Young And he addressed
the meeting at great length during the day and evening
upon many interesting principles. There were present of
the quorum of the Twelve B Young H. C. Kimball
O. pratt W. Richards W. Woodruff G A. Smith A Lyman &
E. T. Benson. After singing and prayer by President Young
He Arose to address the meeting & remarked that He
Had invited the Twelve to be present though they
were not of his family, yet I wish them to act free and
speak such things as the Lord shall give them.

Let me state a principle by which you may contemplate
much. For the want of understanding many have suffered
jealeousies to arise which afflicted theire minds with [borrow[ed]]
troubles and uneasiness fearing the Lord loved some others
more than themselves, this I have sinceeen in the Church
ever since its rise. it was manifest in Kirtland when the
first Bishop was ordained this jealeous feeling was manifest
some wondered if the Lord would think enough of them
to ordain them a Bishop Father Morley and others that were
present can bare record of this fact. And when the Twelve
were chosen the same feelings exhisted & in fact I will not
except all of them for some of them manifested the same
feelings when the Bishops were ordained. this spirit has been
the overthrow of many in this Church And in fact upon
this principle thousands have fallen in all ages. The Lord
gives to everry man all the power influence and authority
that He can wield in righteousness and all that his goodnes
& faithfulness merits then why should jealousies arise or
what benefit can arise by suffering such feelings to exhist
none at all, but those that cherish such feelings commence
trying to pull down every one that is prospering or gaining
influence as Cain did instead of building up & nourishing
every promising tree & thereby prove himself worthy & show
to his brethren & to God that He loves the cause & by his
passive spirit that He is not ownly willing that others should
should prosper & gain influence & that he actually loves to
see them prosper for then He does all that he can through hims[e]-
lf, he helps advance it through others although they recieve
the honor of it and he still be aware of it such a man will
never be forgotten and to his honor glory and exhaltation there
shall be no end.

There is another principlye that has caused
considerable uneasiness and trouble. ie the Idea of some mens having
more wives than one, such tremendious fears take hold of some
that they hardly know how to live still they cant die, Begin to

whisper and talk around am actually afraid to go on a mission for
fear some man will be sealed to my wife, & when they return
home some will be babbing about, you dont know but what you
have got another mans wife, are afraid to speak to a young
woman for fear that she belongs to somebody els or for fear some
body els wants her. (others deny the faith as they think but they
never had much) and say that it is all of the devil &c such foolish-
nish ought not to be cherished among a wise & prudent people. Admitting
the Lord created the same number of women as men at the begining
and were commanded to multiply & replenish the earth & to fill
up the measure of there creation in righteousness; the question is
did they do it answer No, they soon disobeyed every commandme-
nt & plunged themselves into wickedness and rendered themselves
unworthy to raise up seed unto the Lord & in fact used every means
in there power to cut of[f] life & hinder woman answering the end for
which they were created; nine tenth of them would rebel against the
vary thing he was created to do. Hence you see the propriety of the
Lord'^s calling upon men who bears the priesthood to take to themselves
wives from among the daughters of men & raise up a righteous seed unto
him that he might fill up the measure of there creation and hasten
the consumation of his purposes in righteousness in this dispensation
according to his words previously spoken through his servents the
prophets. But those who suffer fears & jealouses to aris in there bosoms
either back right out or get to be mighty Righteous & for fear that
they are sleeping with other mens wife—they kick up a dust or
broil at home & perhaps abuse there own companion through jealousy
then go off to some woman that does not understand what is right
or wrong & tell her that he has she cannot be saved without a man
and he has almighty power & can exhalt & save her & likely tell that
there is no harm for them to sleep together before they are sealed then
go to some doe head of an Elder & get him to say the ceremony, all
done without the knowledge of the Authority of this Church.
this is not right, & will not be suffered. The God I serve will reward
every ^man^ openly without his being under the necessity of going secretly
& privately palming himself on the credulity of innocent ignorant
females. Such jealeousies do exhist & were I to say to the Elders
you now have the liberty to build up your kingdoms one half of
them would lie, swear, steal, & fight like the vary devil, to get men
& women sealed to them they would even try to pass right
by me & go to Joseph thinking to get between him & the Twelve
some have already tryed to used an influence against me. but such
jealeousies & selfishness shall be stoped & if the brethren do not
stop it I will blow it to the four winds by making them all come
& be sealed to me & I to my Father & He and all this Church to
Joseph. when I go asstray & give wrong council & lead this people
astray, then is time enough to pull me down & then God will
remove me as he has done all others who has turned from
the faith. But to return, I have gatherd a number of families
around me by the law of adoption & seal of the covenant
according to the order of Adoption the priesthood and others
have done likewise it being the means of salvation left to bring
us back to God. but had the keys of the priesthood been retained
& handed down from father to son throughout all generations
up to the present time then there would have been no necessity
of the law of Adoption for we would have all been included
in the covenant without it & would have been legal heirs

instead of being heirs according to promise. the pristhood is
eternal without the begining of days or end of life as the Apostle
has expressed it [Hebrews 7:1-3] but man through Aposticy which is entire disobedi-
ance has lost or suffered the keys & privileges of the Priesthood
to be taken away from them & they left to wander in darkness
and practice all manner of wickedness untill thousands became the
vessals of wrath & were doomed to destruction for as long as men
are without the Priesthood they continue to wander from God
& never retrace their steps untill it is done by the priesthood, & the
Idea of the Saints being led by fals Prophets is just a notion accor-
ding to the light in which they view them all the fals prophets we
have are men who have turned aside from the truth.

The man is the head & God of the woman, but let him act like a
God in virteous principles & God like conversation, walk and
deportment & such men will continue to gain influence & power
and advance in Glory to all eternity. But should they use there
power in wickedness as a tyrant they soon will be called to
render an account of their stewardship. if not found worthy
they will be hurled down to perdition & their family & kingdom
be given to another that is more worthy. Some say that a
woman cannot be saved without a man, neither can a man
without a woman. Br Joseph said he had taught the Twelve
all that he knew concerning the order of the kingdom but the
difficulty was they could not remember it as he told them, but
when it was necessary they would not be at a loss for under-
standing; & I bear record to the truth of his word before God
this day that I always had an understanding & evry thing
was brought to my mind just as he taught them to us. All the
ordinances of the Temple & building of the Alter &c. came to me just
right when they were to be attended to & could we now know
Br Hyde, Pratt & Taylor'^s feelings you would say that they could
read a man through as soon as they cast there eyes upon him.
The Apostle Paul while speaking of the Fathers & the Ancients
said that thay without us could not be made perfect [Hebrews 11:40] there
was a lack in his day & still will be to all eternity untill the
chain of that Priesthood is restored & evry spirit take a taber-
nacle that was foreordained according to the dispensation of the
will of God. I am entitled to the keys of the Priesthood
according to linage & Blood, so is Brother H. C. Kimball & many others
Have taken kingly power & grades of the Priesthood. this we
would have taught in the Temple if time had permitted.
Joseph Smith was entitled to the keys of the Priesthood according
to Blood still He was the fourth son. But when we get anoter
Temple built then we will teach you concerning these things
suffice it to say that I will extend the chain of the Prist-
hood back through the Apostolic dispensation to Father Adam
just as soon as I can get a temple built. Jesus could have
restored the order of the Pristhood in his day & brought in
the Millenium if the people would have harkened to his inst-
ructions but they rebelled & would not, & it was for this
cause that Jesus told them that all the Blood that had Been
shed from Righteous Abel down to Zechariah the Prophet should
be required at there hands. [Matthew 23:35-36]

I have a request to make of my family & that is that they
(esspecially old people) omit calling me their Father. Call
me Brother Brigham. I shall feel better when you do

for I do not consider that I am worthy of that Appelation
Father in the Priesthood implies the great head, the term
would be proper to Father Adam. Jesus had refference
to the same thing when He told his deciples not to call any
man Father on earth for their Father was in heaven. [Matthew 23:9]
The seal of the covenant that I have been speaking off
to day was what the Apostle saw previous to the destruction
of the wicked when the Angel was commanded not to fear pour
out the vials of wrath on the wicked untill the saints were sealed
in thereir forehead & when this was done they all became Father
Adams family. Those that are Adopted into my family & take me
for their councellor if I continue faithful I will preside over
them throughout all Eternity. I will stand at thereir head, and
Joseph will stand at the head of this Church & will be there
President Prophet & God to the People in this dispensation. when
we Locate I will settle my family down in the order & teach them
there duty they will then have to provide temporal Blessings for
me instead of my boarding from 40 to 50 persons as I now
do. I will administer in spiritual Blessings to them. I expect to
live in the House of the Lord & recieve & administer ordinan-
ces to my Brethren & for the dead all the year round.

President H. C. Kimball arose & addressed the meeting at some
moments. Bore testimony that what President Young had
said was true & rejoiced to meet with them &c.

Br O. Pratt also addressd the meeting a few moments
bore testimony to the truth & also rejoiced to meet with
them. There was then an intermission untill after supper
The table was well furnished & supplyed. 40 persons could
be seated at the Table at a time. the men were seated to the
right with there companion oposite them, commencing with the
Twelve President Young at there head, then in order the adopted
children begining with the 1^st that was adopted. the Band
& choir kept their seats, & continued there sweet strains of music
while the guest were partaking of the rich festival. While at the
table Brother Thomas Wolsay & John ^H.^ Tippets entered the
House they came direct fromt the from the Mormon Battalion
280 miles south of Santa fe on the River Riogrand on the 10^th
of Nov 1847^6^. they piloted 56 sick men to Fort Purbolo whare
Capt Brown esstablishment were stationed from there
came in on Pack Mules were 50 days on the way. were taken
prisoners twice by the Indians, once was sentenceed to death
by the Pawnees were 30 days without bread & 5 days witho
ut much of any thing to eat. Brought a package of 137 letters
Brought good account from fort Purbulow but rather
unfavorable from the Battalion their faces were coverd with
hair & there persons resembled a mountaineer. it was a
miracle that the lives of the men were saved from the
Indians & cold. They were seated to the table in the
guardb [garb] they arived in. their arival produced no small stir
through the camp. men & women came in all directions
to enquire after there friends in the Armey. After the men
were refreshed we went into council with them & they rehears
ed the situation of the Battallion that they had been on
half rations for three weeks when they left them & no pro[sp]-
ects of more than half rations should they attempt to cross [page torn]
mountains this winter. However report reached sSant[a fe] [page torn]

they arived that the Battalion had taken the Alpasio a strong
hold between the Riogrand and the Mountains without the
fireing of a gun. if this report is true the Bat[talion] will have an
abundance of support & likely take up winter quarters
many other remarks were made & President Young said that
if they had harkened to his council not a man of them would
have fallen but would have returned to their friends in
perfect safety.

At 7 oclok we returned to the Council
House. found the Saints rejoicing in what had heard through
the day. Elder Isaac Morley said that his soul was filled
with rejoicing to see the beauty & Harmony of the family
connexioncting links of the Priesthood that had been taught
this day: And when I look at the family connexion
I cannot but acknowledge him my leader in all things
& He looking to Joseph the Martered Prophet who has gone
to prepare the way for us, and can do more for us than
He could do if He was here. This Pristhood spoken off
if from all Eternity & will lead to eternity & will exhalt
the Saints to be Gods through faithfulness.

President Young arose & continued his remarks upon the
law of adoption granted the Brethren the privilege of asking
questions when they did not fully comprehend his meaning
The Lord introduced the law of adoption for the benefit of the
children of men as a school master to bring them back into the
covenant of the Priesthood. This Principle I am aware is
not clearly understood by many of the Elders in this Church
at the present time as it will Here after be: And I confess that
I have had ownly a smattering of those things but when it
is necessary I will attain to more knowledge ofn the subject
& consequently will be enabled to teach & practice more and
will in the mean time glorify God the bountiful giver.
I have heard Elders say they were not dependant upon any
man, I then considerd & do now that it was saying more
than I can say, for I consider that we are all dependant
one upon another for our exhaltation & that our interest
is inseperably connected. (for example) what can my family
do without me supposing they were to all turn away from me
I hold the Keys over them through which they are to receive
there exhaltation. would they would not be like sheep without
a shepherd & would be devoured by the wolves, they certainly
would. then let us change the position, & say that I would
cut off all my family, then what glory would I have with no
body to rule over but my own dear little self. To tell you my feelings
I would rather be annihilated than to be in that situation. This
is another strong proof of the Apostles saying when they declaired
that they without us could not be made perfect. Neither can
you without me nor I without you be made perfect [Doctrine and Covenants 128:15] ie if we
are faithful & without faithfulness there is no perfection on any
consideration. This rule applyes to the whole Human family.
This is the torment & misery of the disobedient spirits that they
cannot be made perfect, unless some scheme should hereafter
be introduced for their redemption. they are now without tabernacles
to dwell in ownly such as they have taken possession off unlawfully
[page torn] usurped power over. it being a part of their agency that was
[page torn] [bes]towed them which they used to the consumation of there unhappy
[page torn] [w]retched estate, it being the reward & fruits of there doings

having been given over to all manner of wickedness perm-
itted to afflict the handy work of the Lord untill they
fill up the cup of their iniquity & the Lord sayeth unto
them thou wicked & disobedient spirit thou shalt not have
power any longer to afflict my people or destroy the
works of my hands, you have forfeited your agency &
wrought thy fulness, depart Hence to the pit that I have
prepared for thee, & this is there torment, that thereir power
& agency is taken away. they are left to regret that it was
through their own disobediance that they cut the thread of
there own salvation: the reflections of which ownly serve to
torture & increase there torment & that would be the situation
of my family should they cut themselves off from me. I use
my family for an exhaample, not that I have the least fears
of their ever doing so, for I have none. I feel happy this
night because we are of one mind. still should I believe that we
were perfect & could not advance any further I should not be Happy
but to the honor power & glory of the faithful there is no end.
For your satisfaction I will show you a rule by which you may
comprehend the exhaltation of the faithful. I will use myself
as A figure, & say that I am ruling over 10 sons or subjects
[page torn] [o]wnly & soon each one of them would have 10 men sealed
to them & they would be ruler over them & that would
make me ruler over 10 Presidents or Kings whareas I was
[page torn] [r]uler over 10 subjects ownly or in other words I ruled
over one Kingdom but now I rule over 10. then let each
one get 10 more then I would be ruler over 100 Kingdoms
& so on continued to all eternity & the more honor & glory that
I could bestow upon my sons the more it would add to my
exhaltations. but to clip the thread of your exhaltation then
whare would be your your glory: it would be like the fallen
angels or devils that kept not their first esstate but were reserved
in everlasting chains of darkness unto the judgment of the great
day others fell from heaven were thrust down to hell;
But if wyou wish to advance hold up the hands of your file
leader & boast him a head. should you have ten legions of
trains following on after you, you should say to your file
leader push ahead for I am coming with my train boosting
him up at the same time instead of trying to pass by him
this would stimulate him & he would say come on my
boys I will travel as fast as you can & on we would go in
one solid train to all Eternity. Before I close I will answer
on[e] question that has been asked me repetedly. Should I
[page covered] h[av]e A father Dead that has never herd this gospel, would
it [page covered] [b]e required of me to redeem him & have him adopted
to some mans family And I be adopted unto my Father
answer No. If we have to attend the ordinances of rede-
[page torn] [m]ption for our dead relatives we then become their saviors
[page torn] were we to wait to redeem our dead relatives before we
[page torn] c[o]uld link the chain of the Priesthood we would never
[page torn] [a]ccomplish it. Many other remarks were made & while
[page torn] [a]ddressing the females said sisters if you expect to call me
Br Brigham I want you to be cleanly keep your faces, hands
[page torn] [&] skin clean from head to foot your clothes dishes & Houses
[page torn] [cl]ean also your children & teach them manners, & when
[page torn] [y]ou mix up Bread dont have a dozen flyies in your tray

I know that the women generally rule there Husbands
& the children their Mothers. But when a woman under-
takes to rule me I want Her to be so secret about it that I
cannot catch Her at it. Now I do not want the Brethren
from my remarks to abuse thereir wives, but treat them
kindly: do there Heavy luging but dont wash there dishes
as some men do. At the close of the remarks there was a
little exercise by music & dancing & the meeting was dismised

February 17, 1847 ~ Wednesday

17^th The family meeting of President Young met again to
day But Br Young himself spent an exceding sick day
was taken in the night & suffered much. Speaches were
made in the meeting through the day by Br Kimball & others
of the Twelve & in the evening Elder W. Richards addressed
the assembly & was followed by W. Woodruff G. A. Smith &
A. Lyman atll of which spoke there minds in plainness
upon a variety of subjects esspecilally the necessit of union
at the close of the addresses there was some music & dancing

February 18, 1847 ~ Thursday

18^th I left winter Quarters in company with Br Smoot to go on
a mission to Kegg Creek Br Fowler returned the day before
with my team & I took it to go the journey we rode the first
day to Council Point Br James Alread was president of the
Branch & on orur arival we found them assembled for a
meeting we attended with them. After it was opened I addre
ssed the meeting was followed with By Br Smoot & others I r[ead] [page torn]
the revelation & took a vote on it. I spent the night at [page torn]
Br Hiydes distance of the day 20 [miles]

February 19, 1847 ~ Friday

19^th I travled to day NSouth of Musketoe Creek & spent the
night with Br Robert Petty distance of the day 15 m

February 20, 1847 ~ Saturday

20^th this day witnessed a vary disagreeable & tedious snow
storm I visited the Branch of the Church in the place & organ-
ized it according to the form or pattern Br Petty was
capt of 100 mostly made up in that place. we then drove
our teem to Cegg Creek through the snow storm & spent
the night at Br A. J. Stewarts our Horses suffered in the
storm distance of the day 12 [miles]

February 21, 1847 ~ Sunday

21 Sunday I met with the Branch on Cegg Creek & addres[sed] [page torn]
them in much plainness & was followed by Elder A. O.
Smoot & we rebuked & reproved some fals spirits that
was present we organized or took there names for organ-
ization & rode back to Br Pettys & spent the night w [page torn]
had about 2 feet of snow on a level to travel through
1 [page torn]

February 22, 1847 ~ Monday

22nd It was a cold morning yet we returned home to
winter Quarters through the snow 30 mile
I spent the evening in the Council House

February 23, 1847 ~ Tuesday

23 I spent the day in council with the Twelve

February 24, 1847 ~ Wednesday

24^th I spent this day writing in my Journal

February 25, 1847 ~ Thursday

25^th I spent this day writing & Held a council in the
evening with the Presidency of the 1^st Division & captain
of the 5^th hundred

February 26, 1847 ~ Friday

26^th I spent the day in aranging the papers of A. O. Smoot
Hundred And in the evening I met in council with
the Twelve whare a number of subjects was spoken
of And we recieved a visit from A man from New orleans
formerly He professed to be an Indian most of persons
believed him to be a descendant of Ham Br Hyde
Baptized him in Nauvoo he was an eccentric charact-
er He was the most perfect natural musician I ever
saw on a flute, fife, sauce pan, ratler, swhistle &c He was
invited into the council spent a few moments &
returned to Br Youngs. He married Br Stanton'^s daugh-
ter for a wife He went to Br Bensons to spend the
night we went to hear him make some music but
he was some disappointed angry & sullen & would not
make any music. His name was W^m Carey

February 27, 1847 ~ Saturday

27^th I called upon Br Young & soon the fluiter Br Carey
came in & felt much Better than last night & made
the most music on several instruments of any man I
ever herd afterwards I met in council with the
1^st division captains of Hundreds & 50^s & much Business
was done in the evening I met with my company or
there captains & had an excellent meeting. I had the
spirit of the Lord resting upon me & I addressed the
captains upon principle & their duty & had a good
time. I spent A part of the evening with Sister
Sheen & her family & herd much teaching from
Elder Kimball which was interesting

February 28, 1847 ~ Sunday

28^th Sunday I met with our ward & held a meeting
with the Saints. I spent the evening with the Saints
& writing letters

March 1, 1847 ~ Monday

March 1^st 1847 This is my Birth day I
am 40 years old this day

I wrote 5 letters this day
sent by J. M. Grant to New
York to the following Persons Ezra Carter sen
Ilus F Carter, Freedom Moulton, Sarah B Foss
& Br Enion of Rock Ferry & Joseph A Stratton
of St Louis making & one to Br Cottom of St Joseph
making 7 letters in all. I recieved one letter from
Br Cottam containing $1. I sold 10 bushels of corn
for 40 cts

March 2, 1847 ~ Tuesday

[page torn] [2]nd I spent the day at Home

March 3, 1847 ~ Wednesday to March 4, 1847 ~ Thursday

[page torn] [3]rd & 4^th I spent the most of the time preparing things
for my Journey

March 5, 1847 ~ Friday

[page torn] [5]^th I met in council with the first division speaches
were made by several of the Brethren concerning our
location here our Journey westward President Young
said he should go as he was directed by the Lord &c
[page torn] [H]e requested the saints to be ready to start on nex the 15

March 6, 1847 ~ Saturday

[page torn] [5] & 6 was spent in council & labour

March 7, 1847 ~ Sunday

7^th Sunday I met with the Saints in our ward
Bishop Smoot addressed the people concerning the
I followed him And requested the people that had
means to carry sumthing to the Bishop to the poor
to carry flour, meal, meat, coffee shugar &c & I promised
I would do the same we dismissed the meeting &
I called in to hear Br Kimball speak A few moments
I then went home & carried the Bishop 30 lbs flour
half bushel meal 4 lbs shugar 2 lb coffee & others
took him some things. Br Smoot & myself took some
of the things brought in & went to visit the sick we
called upon Br Bundy & Sister Cox both of which
were sick Also Job Smith we anointed them with
oil lade hands upon them & prayed for them & left
them some provisions. I then visited Sister Harris
& administerred to Her with Br Phelps I spent the
night at Br Smoots untill bed time.

March 8, 1847 ~ Monday

8^th I met in council with the first division

March 9, 1847 ~ Tuesday

9^th I met in council with the Twelve & spent the
day together. while in council Brs McCray & Lumero
Arived from Nauvoo Br McCray had been in prision
& many of the Brethren were imprisioned & others Hung
untill they were nearly dead, this was done by the mob
I spent the evening at Br Smoots & read a portion of
my Journal

March 10, 1847 ~ Wednesday

10^th I spent the day at home & met in council with the
Twelve at night

March 11, 1847 ~ Thursday

11^th I met in council with the Twelve & assisted Br
Richards to eat a Potatoe pie

March 12, 1847 ~ Friday

12^th I spent the day in preparing my carriage to go in
the pioneer company. In the evening I met at the
Council House with the Twelve & others & went forth
in the dance

March 13, 1847 ~ Saturday

13^th I spent the day in council with the Twelve
& captains of Hundreds for adopting measures for
the government of the people after we have left

March 14, 1847 ~ Sunday

14^th Sunday I met with our ward & spoke to the
people & was followed by Elders Pulsipher, Clapp &
Smoot. I called upon Br G. A. Smith several of
his family was quite sick & in a few moments
after we left, his mother in law Sister Bigler Died
in the evening I met in council with the Twelve
& High council President young preached loud to the
High council after giving a decision upon the head of
Bishop John Murdock. He prayed that God would let him
live to see the day when the High council would pass a righte[ous] [page torn]
decision & have light & understand things

March 15, 1847 ~ Monday

15^th Monday night I met in council with the Twelve &
captains of Hundreds the meeting was addressed by
quite a number of elders President Young & others

March 16, 1847 ~ Tuesday

16^th Tuesday I spent the day at home preparing to start
on my Journey

March 17, 1847 ~ Wednesday

17^th I spent the day putting on my carriage top

March 18, 1847 ~ Thursday

18^th I was quite unwell I spent the day at home but went
to the Council House in the evening to a musical consort
but was so unwell I had to return home & go to bed

March 19, 1847 ~ Friday

19^th I spent the day choreing in the evening I Attended a
council of the Twelve & High council Br Brigham reproved & rebuked in the power of God

March 20, 1847 ~ Saturday

20^th I am some better to day are still preparing to go
on the Pioneer Journey. I attended the funeral of
Sister Phebe Traine who died yesterday there is now
much sickness & death in the camp

March 21, 1847 ~ Sunday

201 Sunday the camp of Israel met in A general meeting on the public
square President Young addressed the meeting & spoke upon a variety of
subjects. He said while speaking upon the spirits that we should prepare
our hearts to recieve the spirit of the Lord & we ought to recieve
any spirit that comes to us into our hearts enough to prove whether it
be good or bad then we should recieve the good & refuse the evil. He
reproved the people sharply for their stealing & other wickedness
for complaining & many things of interest was spoken unto us. I
met in council with the Twelve at 4 oclok & spent a little
season in speaking upon the celestial law of the kingdom of God &
our souls were made glad & we rejoiced before the Lord. we also
called into Br Bensons & spent a social hour, we then met with
the High council But not much business was done. we had a
severe snow storm during the night

March 22, 1847 ~ Monday

22nd It was cold this morning there was A meeting of the
Presidency & captains of companys & resolved to stockade the
city of winter quarters & for the Twelve to go foreward to pick
out a resting place for the Saints. In the evening I attended a
council of the Bishops & Twelve remarks were made upon a
variety of subjects Brother B. Young spoke upon the subject
of Patriarchal Blessings & the Blessing of children said that any
father who held the Priesthood was A Patriarch to his own family
& when He blessed his children it was a patriarchal Blessing
If a man wrote the Blessing of his children & could get the
Historian to write it it was well enough but the Historian
could not write all the children Blessings in the Church

March 23, 1847 ~ Tuesday

^ ^ 23rd The Presidency & Bishops met to decide whare the lines
of the city should be I spent the day at work & writing
I recieved a letter from Br Ilus Carter

March 24, 1847 ~ Wednesday

24^th I spent the day at home

March 25, 1847 ~ Thursday

25 I spent the day at work

March 26, 1847 ~ Friday

26^th The camp of Israel Held A public meeting to day & I
attended with the quorum of the Twelve much instruction
[page covered] teaching was given. In the evening I met with my company
[page covered] expressed my feelings to them concerning labouring together
[page covered] [f]or the season in raising grain & taking care of the families of
those who went in the pioner compny the spirit of union
prevailed among them. Atter this I met with the quorum of the
Twelve and W^m McCary the coolord man met with them
showed his dody [body] to the company to see if he dhad not a rib gone &c

March 27, 1847 ~ Saturday

267^th I Attended the funeral of sister Burnham & took the
family to the grave after the return Br G. A. Smith had
my team to go to the grave to Bury one of his family
during the evening I took a ride out with my family &
friends around the city & down the river Bank I wet
my feet & returned home

March 28, 1847 ~ Sunday

28^th Sunday A fine day the camp met at the public stand
& was Addressed in the morning by Brs Young, Kimball
Pratt, & Benson. in the Afternoon we partook of the sacram[en]t
& was Addressed by Brs. Woodruff, Smith, Lyman, Richards
Phelps & B. Young, the first time the sacrament had been
administered to the Saints in a general assembly in winter
quarters. we had a good time of it. In the evening I
visited the sick And administered to 5 persons among
whom was Br McCaslin & Sister Porter both vary sick. I
attended the council in the evening with the High council
& twelve & Bishops. I then returned home & spent the night

March 29, 1847 ~ Monday

29^th I met this morning with the Presidency, captains
of Hundreds & Pioneer company to prepare for starting
it was finally agreeed that all that were ready start for
the Horn tomorrow morning. it is fine good weather I maid
a dbed this morning for sowing salit. two mules were hitc[he]d
to a Blacksmith shop & puled it down the timbers fell upon
several at work in the shop. A large stick fell upon the
head of Br Little John Utley & was a wonder that it had
not broke his head & neck both, it injured him severely
He was carried into the House several of us laid hands upon
him & I prayed with him.

March 30, 1847 ~ Tuesday

30^th I spent the day at home & I was in council in the evening

March 31, 1847 ~ Wednesday

31^st I spent the day writing I met in the evening in council
with the presidency & captains of Hundreds expressed my
feelings with many others upon the subject of Blockading this
city & uniting together in there labour in cultivating the earth
President Young also made some remarks upon the same subjet
at the close of this council the quorum of the Twelve met
in council & resolved that Br W. W. Phelps go to the east &
procure A printing Press & type & recieved recommendations
to that effect

April 1, 1847 ~ Thursday

Aprail 1^st I set for A portrait to be taken by Major to be put in
a work with others of the Twelve. In the Afternoon I met in
council with the Twelve Elder J. A. Stratton was present had
just arived from St Louis gave an account of his procedings
there which was satisfactory we herd all the names read in the
St Louis Branch. We recieved A mail of papers containing the war
News &c. which we read with interest we had a council in the eve[nin]g

April 2, 1847 ~ Friday

2nd A portion of the pioneers commenced removing the out House
into a line in the city I spent A part of the day at the office reading
the News & A part of the day in Journal writing. I also wrote
an Epistle to My family & the captains of my company giving
an account of my affairs which I leave behind

April 3, 1847 ~ Saturday

3rd It was A busy day with me preparing to start on the journey
we are now about to start on the pioneer Journey
to go to the mountains of Israel to find a location as
a resting place for the saints while the Judgments
of God are poured out upon the earth & the burthen
& cares of the churches & my family rest with great
wait upon my mind. I have never felt more wait
upon my mind at any time while leaving my family
to go on a mission than now. My prayer to God is
that He will sustain myself & family to meet again
on the earth as he hath done in the many mishoions I
have taken on the earth in the vineyard of the Lord
I assisted Br Richards in the evening to pack up his
waggon

April 4, 1847 ~ Sunday

4^th Sunday I went to the river in the morning &
Baptized 3 persons ofmembers of Br Deweys family
I also confirmed them. I did not attend
meeting in the morning But attended in the after
noon Br young addressed the meeting also Lorenzo
Young & A Lymy good instructions were given
I spent the evening picking up things for starting

April 5, 1847 ~ Monday

5^th A Hard rainy morning we were intending to start
this morning but shall not in consequence of the rain

April 6, 1847 ~ Tuesday

6^th April 1847 we met in public conference this morning
in winter quarters not much business was done the sun
shone bright, the Heavens smiled upon us our hearts were
made glad President Young spoke to the peo[p]le good doctr-
in, the conference voted to sustain the quorum of the
Twelve in their place, the Presidents of the Seventies of, the
Seventies Bishops &c. I spent the afternoon in preparing to
start As I expect toit will be the last day I shall spend at home
for the presient

April 7, 1847 ~ Wednesday

7^th. I took my leave of my family & friends & started
with my company of Pioneer waggons 8 in all & left
winter quarters for the Journey. when we were
on the top of the ridge west of the city I took a
view of the place & looked at my wife & children
through my glass I then led the company to the
old camp ground from thence on the Punkaw
road about 7 miles & camped for the night about
10 miles from winter quarters we had excellent
stables for our Horses in a valley near a small stream of
water we had not been camped long before Br
Pratt & his company arived & vary soon President
Young & his company so we all camped together about
25 waggons. It was A vary windy night 10 m[iles]

April 8, 1847 ~ Thursday

8^th In the morning we arose & took Breakfast. A squirrel
was killed it being the first game killed in the camp of the
Pioneers I moved that as it was the first fruits of the
game that it be offered to the Priest. It was presented
to President Young for his Breakfast. President Young
in company with Father Morley & others went to the old
^camp Ground^

to pick them out a place for A farm. I with several
others spent the day Hunting & caught nothing but
weary limbs & weat feet. we saw 7 or 8 deer, & geese
ducks cranes &c but could not get any. As I returned
in the evening I understood tha P. P. Pratt had arived in
winter quarters from his mission in England & tha Presiden
Young O. Pratt & others had gone back to the city to see
him. distance of the day 12 m

April 9, 1847 ~ Friday

9^th I monted my horse in the morning & started back
to winter quarters to see Br Parley the Twelve My
family &c. Mrs Woodruff was at our camp yesterday while
I was out Hunting & left a letter for me In answer to
one I wrote her the day before. Before I got to the
city I met the Twelve I was within half a mile of home
yet I turned about with them & came on to the camp
Harnessed up our Horses & drove untill dark towards
the Horn, & camped for the night distance 10 m
Br Young & Kimball camped several miles behind us

April 10, 1847 ~ Saturday

10^th we started early in the morning & drove to the
horn & crossed it with all our teams on A raft before sun
set. it is about 12 rods across the stream whare we rafted
it is in sight of the Plat. distance of the day 25 miles

April 11, 1847 ~ Sunday

11^th Sunday we crossed over about 20 waggons in the
morning & then President Young & Kimball arived with
there companies & we continued to cross them untill
they were over. There was one brother quite sick in
the night Br Benson & myself lade hands upon him &
prayed with him & he recoverd, we moved down our
encampment 2 miles & spent the night

April 12, 1847 ~ Monday

12^th The encampment moved up the platt 14 miles. the quorum
of the Twelve & others crossed the Horn & returned to the
city of Winter quarters on the Missouri River. 4 of us
followed an Indian trail & cut off about 15 miles it
was about 20 miles the way we went & 35 in the way the
waggons went. I again met with my family & spent the
night the distance of the day 20 miles
I attended a meeting in the evening with my company
the Twelve held a council but I was not present

April 13, 1847 ~ Tuesday

13^th I was vary busy this day I painted one waggon to take
away to sell. I got another Horse to take with me
on the journey. I was in council with the quorum of
the Twelve untill midnight Elder John Taylor was
with us He arived in the city in the evening on his
returned from England we were all glad to meet
with him once more. He Brought the following instru-
ments fioor our use on this pioneer Journey two sextons
two Byrometers, two artificial Horison, one circle of
Reflection one telescope [blank] all of which
where exhibited to us in the evening & Boxed up so that we
could take them along. I spent the remainder of the night
at home the last night I shall spend at winter quarters for
a long time

April 14, 1847 ~ Wednesday

14^th After getting all things in readiness to leave I called
my family together & Blessed my wife & childrens
And left them in the hands of the Lord. I bid farew
ell to father Woodruff & family and all around me
& took my leave of winter quarters & in company
with Elders O Pratt, Lyman G. A. Smith E. Snow & others
we again took the indian trail & rode through the
prairie to the Elk Horn & went over on a raft & camped
two miles below the ferry, & we had a splendid
supper composed of fried, cat fish, pork, beans, short
cake, Honey comb, coffee, milk &c &c we all eat vary
Harty, Had prayers & retired to bed 25 miles

April 15, 1847 ~ Thursday

15^th
Professor Pratt took an observation this morning
for the correct time. we had a good Breakfast
soon Br's Young, Kimball, Benson, Whitney & many
others came & crossed the ferry & we all moved up
to the general camp ion the Platt River 109 miles
we found the camp vary busy in Blacksmith work &
getting ready to continue the Journey. we spent the
night at this place. during the evening Br Little arived from
the eastern states in our midst. When He arived at winter
quarters findeding we he had left He followed us post haste
& leaving all things behingd him he over took us this
evening. He gave us news of the eastern churches spoke
of many friends Among wholm was our friend col
Kane who had remembered the qQuorum of the Twelve
& others by forwarding A varieyty of Presents to us. He for-
warded to us me A Patent Life Preserver & stop compass
Br Little spent the night in camp

April 16, 1847 ~ Friday

16^th Brother Little, P. Rockwell & J. Readeing returned
to winter quarters the camp continued up the Platt
4 miles & camped & turned their Horses upon
an Island of cottonwood & Rushesh. the wind
Blew exceding hard during the night. Before we left
this morning the camp came together, And was
organized for Journeying as a military body into tens
50 & 100^s. Col Markham & A. P Rockwood was appoin-
ted captains over A Hundred & 4 captains of fifties
& captains of tens. I was Appointed capt of ten
the following are the names of the persons belonging
to my ten W. Woodruff J. S Fowler J. Burnham,
O. Pratt, Joseph Egbert, John M. Freeman, Marcus B
Thorp, G. A. Smith, George Wardle. Being 9 in all
the camp consisted of 73 waggons & 143 men
3 women & 2 children making 148 souls in all

April 17, 1847 ~ Saturday

17^th we travled 8 miles & camped in the edge of a grove
of cottonwoods to spend the sabbath in the Afternoon
the organization of the camp was finished in the follow
ing order B Young Lieutenant General. Stephen
Markham Colonel. John Pack 1^st Major. Shedrich
Rounday 2nd Major

The Rigment be divided into tens under the folloing
Captains
Wilford Woodruff capt of 1^st company
Ezra T. Benson 2nd [company]
Phineas H Young 3rd [company]
Luke Johnson 4^th [company]
Stephen H Godard 5^th [company]
Charles Shumway 6 [company]
James Case 7 [company]
Seth Taph 8 [company]
Howard Egan 9 [company]
Appleton Harmon 10 [company]
John Higby 11 [company]
Norton Jacobs 12 [company]
John Brown 13 [company]
Joseph Matthews 14^th [company]

Orders from Gen Young was for the whole
regment to Journey in a copacked body as we
were in an indian country for evry man to carry
his gun loaded for the cap locks to be shut onto a
peace of Buck skin with cap Handy to slip on in
an instant in case of an attacked. for flint locks
with cotton or tow in the pan, & A powder flask handy
to prime quick, the object of this caution is to prevent
accidents And for every man to walk beside his
waggon & not leave it except He is sent away.
Strict rules & disipline are necessary while travling
through A Hostile indian country, some traiders
came down from the Pawnees & camped with us
over night, they had a plenty of Boffaloo meet
dried & gave us what we wished. they informed
us we were within two days drive of the whole dody [body]
of the pawnees, we camped here in a line for the
sabbath

April 18, 1847 ~ Sunday

18^th Sunday I wrote A letter Home to Mrs
Woodruff By Br Eames who wished to return back
I perused several papers to day, but did not find
much news. Br O Pratt took an observation of his Barom-
eter. President Young called the captains together &
gave them instruction to travel in the morning two
abrest & let all who were not driving teams carry
their guns & walk by the side of the waggons let
no man go away hunting to get of sight of the camp
The Bugle was to be blown at half past 8 oclok at
night when all was to go to prayers in their several
waggons & retire to bed by 9 oclok. The Bugle
will Blow at 5 oclok in the morning to arise & pray
& two hours will be allotted the camp to dress pray
cook eat feed Horses Harness &c & start at the blowing
of the Bugle at 7 oclok this is the order of
the camp Travellers have freequently spoken
of the Platt River in relation to it I will

It is the most singular river I ever beheld. it is from
a quarter to half a mile wide & its shores & bed one universall
body of quick sand it is a rapid stream yet many places
A person can wade across it frequently nearly the whole
bed of the river is coverd with but few inches of water
& at other places it is deep & rapid not withstanding
it is quick sand Horses & cattle can walk down to edge
of the river & drink like walking on the edge of a smooth
sea Beach & some times while walking on the apparent
hard beach or bed of the river A man or Horse will sudd-
enly sink into the quick sand & the more he struggles
to get out the more He will sink & will soon perish of [if]
assistance is not near, whare many Horses & men have
been lost in this way on the Platt. whare we have
spent the Sabbath A man could nearly wade across
the river. we do not travel on Sunday but pitch
our tents Saturday night or encamp in the waggons
& we do not move untill monday morning this is the
order of the camp

April 19, 1847 ~ Monday

19^th It was quite cool in the morning. the Bugle Blew
at 5 for prayers & 7 for starting we travled two
abrest men walked by the side of their wagons. we
bore a no[r]therly direction untill about noon when we reac
hed the north Bend of the Platt. Prosfessor Pratt look an
observation & found it to be in, Lat. 41 27 5. the crossing
place of the Horn was in Lat. 41 16 24 making the
North Bend of the Platt 10 1/2 miles north of the ford
we formed into a circle at noon & bated while nooning
Elder Little arived with P Rockwell & two others they brought
the mail I recieved two Letters one from L Hardy of Mass who
informed me that Milton Holmes father & Mother was cut off
from the ^Church^ & He with them turned Strangites And that Aphia
his wife was a great apostate O, Milton Holmes how hast thou
fallen. the other letter was from Mrs Woodruff, which I read
with interest. Br Little brought many things that the Colonel
Kane sent as presents to the 12 & others I recieved A stop Box
Marriners compass small enough to carry in the pocket it
was A splendid present. May the blessings of God be
upon the head of Col Cane for his good feelings towards
the servants of God. during thi we camped at night
near a grove of timber on the bank of the Platt
we formed a circle from edge to edge of the bank
of the river the river on one side was our defence
we drove the tongues of our waggons out ward &
fore wheel of each waggon was placed against the
hind wheel of the waggon before it and all the
Horses & cattle taken inside the circle so that we were
secure against the Indians. the river was about one
mile wide whare we camped & on the north side joinin-
g our encampment it was deep & rapid, the face of
the country during to days travel was on the south
side of the river High Bluffs runing precepitately to the
river on the north side which we travled A level prairie
without any bluffs about 2 miles from the river a rise
of table land about 10 feet & continues of a level
no timber except patches on the river soil sandy 22 mi

April 20, 1847 ~ Tuesday

20^th A Hard wind through the night, this morning fair
but strong SW wind it covers our waggons with sand
& dust while journeying the soil is universally
sandy on the banks of the Platt the grass is now
about 4 inch high scattering not half feed. their are
many waterfowls about the Platt such as ducks geese
Brant but the most numerous of all are the sand Hill cranes which
flye in large flocks on evry side of us. 25 minutes past 7 we
started on our Journey, 2 1/2 miles came to another grove of small
& large cottonwoods covering about 40 acres, it was about
5 miles to the table land which was now rising into a bluff. Here
the road runs 20 degrees south of west bending to S by W, one mile
in which distance we passed 3 Islands in the Platt coverd with
timber the largest about 10 acres & their continues a chain of
Islands for miles on the river & some timber on the south
side of the Platt. we came to shell creek 3 miles from our
encampment 1 1/2 miles to the right of shell creek is A prairie
dog village covering about 6 acres of ground. this creek is timbered
ownly by a few scattering willows the river runs about
parallel with the river its general Barings are about east &
west after crossing the shell creek bridge the road runs
about S.W by W 60 degres west of south for about 15 miles
the Platt is skirted with timber. Professer Pratt & myself
went forward of the company to take observation we traveled
about 13 miles & stoped bated Horses took observations &c
while on the road we freequently see gopher Hills from
one to 6 feet in circumference diamiter & from 3 inch to
2 feet in highth some resembling a potatoe patch which
makes it rough waggoning over them with the exception
of this it is the best road on the north side of the Platt
river I ever travled being a level dry hard road. our
standard Thermometer stood to day at 1 oclok 94°. the
company approached us & we continued on 5 mile & the
whole encampment came up & we encamped for the night
in a circle, cut down cotton wood trees to feeds the
Horses on the bark they will knaw off the bark from
brouse limbs & sticks 10 inches through as readily as they
would eat corn we have had to feed upon cotton wood
all the way thus far we give each Horse also about 2 quarts
of corn per day. Our fishermen drew a net this afternoon
& broat into camp 213 fish Buffalo & carp which was
divided in the camp we had A Buffalo would weigh 10 lbs
a carp 2 lbs & had a good supper. The Platt was a mile
wide whare we camped including an Island opposite of
us with timber the distance of the day 18 miles

April 21, 1847 ~ Wednesday

21^st Cloudy with a light sprinkle of rain wind
in the east our road runs west to begin with
the ox teams started at 7 oclok the Horse teams
at 8, 15 minutes to 9 An Indian appeared on a
mound mounted on a poney about 5 miles fro
us He went out of sight & again appeared
He then approached the camp full speed was
met by the brethren & shook hands was son
followed by others were 8 in all they went

through the encampment & then returned
with us the road runs 20 degrees south of
west 7 miles then turned 10 d[e]gress North
of west at half past 12 we came in sight of
70 Indian Horses & Mules soon we came in
sight of a large Pawnee Indian village on the
north side of the lou fork & also a large one on
the south side of it. we drove on by the villages
& they soon began to sally out to come to us. we
camped in a half moon the bank of the river
forming A parallel line in front the indians to the
number of about 200 on the south side of
the river came down to the shore some waided
over about 75 came into camp including the
grand chief of the Nation with many war chiefs
we met them Before we left the ground & made
them presents of about 4 lbs of tobacco 15 lbs lead
powder fish Hooks beads flour salt &c but still
they were not satisfied considering our num
bers they thought they ought to have had
more & when we left the ground they appeared vary
dissatisfied we however Harnessed up our teams & drove on
to looking glass creek & camped at its mouth for the night
upon the bank of the loop fork after our Horses were turned
out we were called together & in consequence of the dissat
isfaction of the Indians A guard of 100 men was called
for the quorum of the Twelve with nearly the whole
camp volunteered to stand guard one half the fore part
of the night & the other the latter part we had A picket
guard also of 5 men & mules at a time I with my mule
was on picket guard. we had hard wind & rain in the
Afternoon which continued A part of the time while I
was on guard I rolled myself up oin my buffalo & let the wind
& rain beat onto me we were releaved at about 1 oclok
& went to rest. But no Indians appeared during the
night

April 22, 1847 ~ Thursday

22 we crossed the looking glass 15 minutes to 9, & then
continued a westerly course there were A good many auter
on the looking glass. we arived at Beaver Creek at 12 oclok there
are some Beaver on this creek ^about one mile above its mouth^ Professor Pratt took the meridian
observation of the sun by the sextant for the Lat which was
found to be 41° 25' 13". Also found the magnetic needle
to vary about 12 degrees east. And found the Barometer at half
past 12, 28.711, the attached Thermometer standing at
68° And the detached thermometer at 67° & Also took an obser
vation of the sun for the ^true^ time in the morning it is 10 miles
between the two creeks which we travled this forenoon. we
crossed Beaver creek at half past 2 oclok, the road runs about
south west. the water was about to the deds [beds] of our wagg-
ons it was a rough steep bank to come out of about 12
men hitched a hook & roap to the tongue of each waggon
& puled them up; Beaver Creek is lined with scattering
timber cottonwood & willows. we travled 7 miles &
came to the Pawnee Mishionary station & camped for
the night the road was Bluff was skirted with some

oaks on the North side of the road in the Hills, we kept
out a gard through the night as we were in danger
of the Sioux on one side, and the Pawnees on the other
President Young addressed the camp, & told them
when they left in the morning not to take away any
thing ownly what they brought with them unless it was
sold them by Brother Case who had had charge of the
station for a long time & the goverment was owing
him a good deal & if He felt disposed to sell any thing
that He had in his possession & report to Goverment
He could do so. diuring the evening Professer Pratt
took made some observation at 15 m pas 7 oclok the
Barometer stood at 28.7 inches attached Thermometer
64° detached Thermometer 60° North wind & fair
the same Also at 8 oclok 52 m found the double altitude
of the pole star to be 80° 20' 35" from which the
lattitude was deduced viz. O. Pratt. Also took the angular
distance of sun & moon for the Longitude at Beaver kCreek ford also
the altitude of the moon for the tru time

April 23, 1847 ~ Friday

23rd At 6 oclok O Pratt made A Barometrical observation
mercury standing at 28.697 inch Attached Thermometer
36° detached thermometer 34° vary little wind from
west fair. Also took an altitude of the sun for the time, and
also A Meridan Altitude of the sun for the latitude found it
to be 41° 24' 29". While wattering the Horses
at a creek at the station last evening Brother G. A. Smiths Horse
mired & pitched foreward & Jumped onto him trod upon his
feet & breast & held him fast in the mud untill I caught
him by the bit & backed him off I was fearful He was badly
injured but at last found that He was but little hurt

[FIGURE] This was A day of Advenurtures to the pioner camp in
the morning 12 of us started on Horsback to search
out a ford across the dangerous difficult & troublesom loup
fork of the Patt river we went down the stream some
distance & several men waided across the stream & found
the water so deep & so much quick sand we concluded
to drive Hier up to the old Pawnee village so we returned
to the camp Harnessed up our Horses, my gray Horse named
Titus had the belly ake or bots yet I started out with him
& the camp drove up with some little difficulty to the
old Indian village or a little below it & men commenced
searching out a ford & found the whole bed of the river
one universal dody [body] of quick sand which if a Horse or
waggon stoped it would begin to sink down we
had two channels of water to cross with a sand bar in
in the middle the deepest water was from 3 to 4 feet deedp &
vary rapid & about 300 ^yards^ strait across some places of quick
sand was found so soft as to sink man or beast instantly in
& the more He strugled to get out the more He would sink
but we calculated to avoid such places as much as possible
As I was forward with my 10 or the first ten it fell to me to
to make the trial professor Pratt having a strong pair of Horses
went forward and I followed him I had towo yoke of
cattle & my horses on my carriage with about 10 hundred

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

to our God for his mercies unto us & that we were on
the south side of the river. we all loaded up our waggons
& drove 4 miles & camped for the Sabbath on the
bank of the stream After our waggons were placed
the Twelve took a walk on the High table land to
make observations with our glasses of the sourrounding
country. Professor Pratt made a Barometrical observation
at this place at 15 m past 7. Barometer stood at 28.56 inch
Attached Thermometer 564° detached Thermometer 61°.5

April 25, 1847 ~ Sunday

25^th Sunday A plesant morning. The order of the camp
is thereat there be no fishing, Hunting or labour of any kind
on Sunday except such as is actually necessary. 4 Antelope
appeared before us on the plain on the opposide side of
the river we could see them with the naked eye
but far more clearly through our spy glasses, there
sides & belly were white & backs brown these were the
first Antelope I ever saw. about 10 oclok also 4 Elk appeared
on the opposite side of the river which we looked at with our
glasses these were the first Elk also I ever saw. the day was
mostly spent in resting man & beast untill 4 oclok, the camp
gatherd together for a meeting & were addressed by a number of
the Brethren Among whome was G. A. Smith & B. Young
who spoke upon principle upon Breaking off the yoke from
the saints some pretended to say that the Twelve were
oppressing the People but is it so no, But if most men that
are on the earth those in the Church not excepted should
rule & lead this Church they would have many yokes
put upon them that we are all the while trying to take
off their shouldiers. many other good things were said
the guards were placed out as usual to guard the camp
during the evening A company of Hunters were appointed to go
foreward of the camp to ketch game there were 7 Hors-
eman & 10 footman the quorum of the Twelve also had the
privilege of Joining the Hunters when they please. ^A^ Meriardian
Alt of the sun gave for the Lat 41° 20' 31".

April 26, 1847 ~ Monday

26^th Early in the morning before the break of day 2 Indians
crept upon their Hands & knees Approaching the camp to
steal some Horses they got within 3 rods of the guard before
they were discoverd. they first thought them to be wolves
& snaped ^at^ them they rose up & run & two of the guard fired
at them & 4 others rose up out of the grass making 6 in
all the bugle was sounded And all arose up to arms not know-
ing but there was A large party nearby but we saw
no more. I started out in the morning with the Hunters
we saw 8 deer 4 Antelope but caught nothing we
travled 8 miles & camped for noon, on the opposite
side of the river we saw through our glasses the
relicks of an old Indian town. we saw 8 trails
leading to it with 6 & 8 abrest each in the afternoon
we travled we travled 7 miles & camped on clear
creek with a hard gravel bottom the first one
of the kind we had met with on the road. we
killed one wild goose & saw fresh Buffalo signs

whare we camped this was the first signs of the kind
we had seen on the road. the travels to day was like
a level desert except except the dividing ridge between
the two rivers the grass was dry & sandy mostly level
& nearly without water we travled to day from 10 to 20 degrees
west of south we camped under a High Bluff in a half moon Brs
Young, Kimball, Richard's, & myself went on to a high Bluff to view
the country yust [just] at dusk A tremendious alarm was given thro-
ugh the camp that Indians had cralled up & taken Porter
Rockwell & his horse & made off with him many men mou-
nted there Horses & made off with ^after^ him with all speed but
it was soon discoverd that Rockwell was in the camp but
two Horses were gone Dr Richards & Br Littles [and] about 20
men mounted & armed went in search of the Horses But found
them not it was believed the Indians took off the Horses 15 miles
distance of the day. Lat of this place is 41° 17' 21"
Barometer 28.445 inch Attached Ther[mometer] 85° detached Ther 87° S.S.W. wind fair

April 27, 1847 ~ Tuesday

27^th O. P. Rockwell & 3 others went again in search of the lost
Horses & were gone all day we continued our Journey
A south course to try to get on the platt river, we
came on to some beautiful green grass & saw a great
quantity of Buffaloo sign but found no wood or water
travled 12 miles & bated our Horses in a green valley
Just as we were starting in the Afternoon we rose
a small Bluff & saw two Antelope before us in the valley
Br^s. Young Kimball & myself were together Br Brown & another
Brother was on another side of the Hill & saw him allso Br
Brown first fired upon him another man & myself fired
also we all Hit him with our Balls but He did not fall
we rode up to him & cut his Throat to Bleed him
& He run about 10 rods & fell this was the first Antilope
we have killed He was dressed & put on board of the
waggons & we continued on in a short time we
saw 3 more at the top of a mound looking at us Br
Brown & myself went after them But they went onto
the flats & we could not get to them so we left them
turned about 10 degreeds east of south went to a creek
& camped our cattle & Horses were vary dry not finding
any water through the day, we had A Heavy storm of
Thunder lightning wind & some little rain which lasted
about an hour. A rifle went off in Br Brown waggon
by accident the Ball went through a bag of cloths
(set it on fire) through the waggon) & Broke A leg of
a fine Horse which broke up one team. in the edge of the
evening O. P. Rockwell & the Brethren with him returned
& reported that the Indians Had stolen the two
Horses & they were attacked by 15 Indians who were
in Ambush in the grass they came upon them determined
to take their Horses from them they kept them off
by their rifles & Pistles the Indians were armed
with guns & Bows & when they found they could not
skare the Brethren they then professed friendship to get
to them But the Brethren were resolute & determined
not to move but to fight first though ownly 4 to 15 men
the Indians finally rushed upon them to ketch the
Horses by the bit & the Brethren drew their pistols upon

[page torn] [t]hem determined to fire & do their best & the Indians
seeing their determination broke & run but fired their
guns upon the Brethren & the Balls whisled around them
but no one injured they did not fire upon the Indians
not wishing to kill them if they could Help it. distance of the day 20 m
16 miles sw of from our last station, about half way between the
loup fork & Platt rivers. the meridian Alt. of the sun gave for
the Lat 41° 9' 26". 0^h 30^m Bar. stood at 28.053
Attached Ther 87° detached Ther 88° S.S.W. wind fair

April 28, 1847 ~ Wednesday

28^th at 6 1/2 At 6 1/2 A.M. Bar. stood at 27.968. Attached Ther.
59°.5 detached Ther. 60° wind N.N.E. fair A Plesant
morning 160 miles from the Patt River on Plain kreek we travled
to grand Island & camped on its banks for nooning I went
out with the Hunters caught Nothing but one wolf & a goose
in the Afternoon we travled 6 miles & camped on wood
creek formed a circle put our Horses inside & had good defense
we saw many deer in the afternoon run across on the Island
President Young thought it not prudent to travel up the
Island Hunting lest we get into an Indian Ambush 15 m[iles]

April 29, 1847 ~ Thursday

29^th A cool morning the camp started at 5 oclok without
feeding, drove 3 miles stoped & Bated & Breakfasted the Hunters
went up the Island. Grand Island is well supplyed
with rushes & cotton wood; wood creek is Heavily wooded
for this country we are begining to get a good bide of
grass for our Horses & cattle. Professor Pratt at 7^h 30^m AM
took a Bar. observation on wood creek at our camping place
Mercury in the Bar. standing at 27 ^inch 27.979 inch
Attached Ther. 61°.5 detached Ther. 60°.2. S. wind fair
We travled 8 miles & nooned. Travled in the afternoon
10 miles & camped on the Borders of grand Island, the
Island at this place was thickly coverd with rushes upon
which we fed our Horses I went out with the Hunters
we saw about 30 Antelope & 8 deer the Antelope
would play around on the large plains & keep out of our
way so we should not shoot them they mostly went
towards wood creek which we had forded in the morn[i]ng
& left to our right the ford was good. we shot 4 geese
I shot two of them & one deer but did not get the deer
we find places on the main land bordering upon grand
Island coverd with white substance resembling salt
& taste quite saltish. we camped for the night
distance of the day 20 m

April 30, 1847 ~ Friday

30^th O Pratt took observations on the north Bank of
the Platt River 17 miles from the last station
at 6 1/2 A.M. of the Barrometer mercury stood at
27.716 Attached Ther. 50° detached Ther. 48°
S.E. wind fair. At noon Lat 40° 42' 37". At 6 1/2 PM
17 miles west of morning station Bar. 27.933 Inch &
Att[ached]. Ther 43°.5 deta[ched] Ther. 41°.5 North wind fair
we travled to day 16 miles & camped without wood
or water the wind Blew Hard in the evening. the
Ther stood at 41°. the grass was short affording but
little feed 16 [miles]

May 1, 1847 ~ Saturday

May 1^st 1847 [FIGURE] This was ian interesting day
to the Hunters of the camp of
Israel. It was vary cold Ther stood
at 30° with strong North wind
the Hunters put out & the camp
started on the Journey. Before Breakfast travled 6 miles
& camped on the Prairie in sight of A Herd of Buffalo of
200 feeding on the Bluff to our right. three ownly of the
Hunters started out after them. they rode near them &
left their Horses & cralled upon them to get a shot but they
frightend the Herd & they run away. A little previous to the
main Herds being seen 3 Bulls were discoverd on the
Bluff O. P. Rockwell & two others went after them &
wounded two but got neither of them we had not
travled more than 2 miles before we discoverd Another
large Herd of about 200. 5 miles Ahead of us the Hunters
got together held a council & waited untill the camp all
came up we were determined to get some of the Buffalo
if possible we travled together untill we were within one mile
of the Buffalo we then made A Halt, & 15 Hunters started out
Amasa Lyman & myself of the Twelve made two of the Numb
ber we all travled together on to the Bluffs within A few rods
of them & there divided out into companies Br Grover &
Luke Johnson went together into the Bluffs O. P. Rockwell
& Br Brown took the entire left & so we divided into compa-
nies on the right left & center I was in a company in the
centre of the Herd & we all made A charge upon them from
the Bluffs & rushed on to the Plain, the Herd run vary fast
down the ruff Bluffs into the plain but when we came up to
the plain we soon came on to them each company singled
out his game we made choice of cows generally then rushed
up by the side of them & fired upon them with our Pistols
such as Horse Pistols Rifle Pistols &c which are much better
to carry than rifles as they are vary cumberson in runing the first
that we gave chase to was A Buffaloo cow with her calf I
rode by the side of her & fired two Balls from my pistols
into her. the other Brethren with me also fired into her
untill we killed we cut her throat I then run my
Horse to the Assistance of another Party who had wounded
one & that one was also soon dispatched. I then saw
O. P. Rockwell had 3 Bulls at bay on the Prairie Br Pack &
myself run our Horses to his assistance & Br Kimball came up at
the same time we surrounded them & commenced firing
upon them they bolted ahead I put spirs to my horse
& run in ahead of them was in about one rod of them
they all Pitched at ^me^ & gave me chase for fight & I had to
be quick to get out of their way but soon cleared them
two of them Broke for the Bluff Br Brown Put for them
Rockwell, Kimball, Pack & myself stuck to the old Bull I
fired 2 Balls into him, Br Kimball one, Br Pack one & He fell
dead, & we cut his throat, & also shot a clalf that was
with him, the two that had left us that Brown was
after was in the Bluffs more than a mile from us Br
Kimball & myself gave chase to them & as we got in
about 20 rods of the Bluff we saw two come out &
run for the main Herd we gave chase for a while
but they were fresh & my Horse had run near 10 miles

in the chase so we gave up the Persuit I returned to Br Brown
in the Bluffs & fountd that one of the Bulls He dhad given chase to
was near dead had lain deaddown But Br Brown Had no more
Powder or Ball But Before I arived He Had got up & run
into the Herd on the Bluff, so we all returned on our chase
ground to gather up the meat, we had killed in all 3 cows one
Bull & 5 calves making 11 in all. Br Solomon Hancock went
out in the morning on to the Bluffs to kill Buffalo on foot
He did not come in at night we felt concerned about him
early in the morning He came in, Had killed a 3 year old cow
& watched it over night to keep the volves from eating it
3 wolves came upon him He shot one the rest run
away this made 12 Buffalo in all that the Hunters
killed to day which we considerd was doing vary well
considering that we were nearly all strangers to that mode
of Hunting as but vary few of us ever saw a wild
Buffalo Before in our lives we dressed out meat & waggons
came from camp to take it in. A Part of this chase was
through one of the largest Prairie dog towns nearly ever
seen it was nearly ten miles long & 2 wide & full of
Burrows nearly evry rod & great danger of a Horse steping
into them & falling, there was no accident Happened
at all to any one which was truly a blessing my Horse stumbl[ed] [page covered]
on[c]e & come nigh falling but no harm done this was
the first Buffalo Hunt I ever took part in or saw
we travled to day with the camp 18 miles
we discovered Indian fires on the south & west of us

May 2, 1847 ~ Sunday

2nd Suunday All were Busy cooking & saving there meat
in the Afternoon we moved up 3 miles for Better feed &
camped by the side of a large slew of water our camping
place last night & this morning was at the Head of Grand Island
Professor Pratt took an observation for the Lattitude & found
it to be 40° 41' 42" this agrees with Freemonts observation
within 2 miles & his was on the south side of the river which
was 2 miles south of our camping place we came through another
large dog town to day. soon After we camped A herd of
Buffalo came from the Bluffs to the river to drink
within about 2 miles of us & then returned to the Bluffs
some were Anxious to go after them, but as it was
Sunday Br Young thought it best to let them be
untill tomorrow the Indians set fire to the Prairie
before us which burnt rapedly over a large region of
country Br^s Young Kimball & several others went
several miles in the evening on our road to examine
the fire & other things distance 3 miles

May 3, 1847 ~ Monday

3rd The Hunters were called together in the morning
20 in number to go into the Bluffs for a still Hunt for
Bluffs Buffalo & other game we started out with
two waggons to Bring in the game I had taken a
severe cold & setled in my side whare I was Hurt
last fall & it made me sick & I was not able
to go out yet I started with the company as I
was among the Hunters I Had Jar[r]ed myself

badly in my hard Buffalo chase on Saturday & I now
was feeling its effects at the same time the Hunters
started. Another company was formed to go & explore out
the rout & see if we could get grass for our Horses as the
Indians had been Burning it up for several days. We went
into the Bluffs & seperated into two Parties 10 in each
& we travled some 10 miles Back & & forth over the Hills
& saw no game except Antelope & wolvesNo I felt so
unwell I concluded to go back to camp. A Lyman &
3 others were with me. we set down upon the edge
of the Bluff in sight of the camp to rest ourselves & we
saw a company of ^20^ Horsman Approaching ^us^ from the
camp in haste bearing A red flag when they got within
half a mile of us we trailed our arms & went down
to meet them. they informed us that the party that
went up the river had come upon an encampment
of about 400 Indian warriors. A party of about 100
had followed them down A ravene to cut off their
retreat probably with the Intention of rob[b]ing them
of their Horses & clothing & would take life if they could
not do it with out & this company of Horsman
Had come to us to call in the Hunters to camp so
we went in the Hunters in coming in with the
Horsman came across A Herd of Buffalo & Brought
into camp 3 calfs & 4 Antelope they kept out a good
guard during the night & we had no disturbance the
cannon was fired twice early in the morning to let
the Indians know we were awake. I had a vary
severe night with my side was in much pain we
had some ^a great^ dew & frost during the night 12 [miles]

May 4, 1847 ~ Tuesday

4^th Thermometer stands at 33° this morning I feel
some better than I did last night we started on
our journey this morning 5 waggons abreast 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 Platt soon one of the
men waded the Platt & came to us, to see who we were. He info-
rmed us they were traders from fort Laramee 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 Sarpee who lived near
winter Quarters so the campe stoped & wrote 52 letters to
our familys I was ahead of the company with O Pratt taking
observations & did not know untill the time was nearly up
I then in great haste scribbled a few lines to my wife 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

the North side of it we were convinced that it wood
be better for us as a company to cross the river or take the
old travled road to Laramee as their was good grass on
the way on that side while the Indians were burning
it all off on the North side of the river where we were
travling but when we took into consideration the
situation of the next company & thousands that would
follow after & as we were the Pioneers & had not our
wives & children with us we thought it best to keep on
the north side of the river & brave the difficulties of
Burning Prairies & make A road that should stand as
a permanant rout for the Saints indipendant of the
old emigration rout & let the river seperate the emigrating
companies that they need not quarrel for wood grass
or water & when our next company came along the grass
would be much better for them than it would on the
south side as it would grow up by the time they would get
along. A vote was called & it was unanimous to go on
the north side of the river. So the camp again moved
on, but during the nooning Col Markham drilled the men
in a military capacity, they unshiped the cannon & carried
it on wheels. the Frenchman informed us that He never
saw so many Buffalo ogn on the rout this year they had to
stop several times to let the Herd pass so they could get
along, we saw many deer & Antelope to day & also wolves
And a few Buffalo one large Bull came across the
river to us, we rode onto the bank before him & He run
clear back again upon a loap & again crossed below us
we camped at night at a gravel creek or slew A large
Herd of Buffalo lay but a short distance before us
we travled in all to day 9 m 9 miles

May 5, 1847 ~ Wednesay

5^th I was quite sick with the diaree the change from
salt to fresh meat is affecting a number in camp
The 400 Indian warriors that was supposed to be seen
on the 3rd proved to be fals the man was frightend
at a herd of Antelope & supposed them to be Indians
we had to keep a guard out this morning to keep
a herd of buffalo from mixing up with our cattle
we have had vary strong south wind for 2 days,
two Buffalo Bulls at noon were approaching the
Herd of cows & men went out & drove them off
we rode up within 3 rods of one that was asleep &
stoped & looked at him for some minutes He awoke &
shook himself & loaped off we met a large Herd
in the afternoon the Brethren killed one cow
5 calves & brought A Bull calf into camp alive
with the intention of raising it, it would drink
water out of a pail they had some sport in triying
to make it suckle a cow it would try hard to bunt
the men & dogs over & some got hard raps I have
been obliged to keep my bed a part of the day have
suffered much with Bowel complaint, when we
stoped for night we soon found ourselves in
the midst of grass on fire & had to return back

one mile & camped on a spot of ground on the Bank
of the river that was just Burned over & no feed
except small patches some took there Horses on an
Island near & cut down cotton wood for them
we travled to day 15 miles

May 6, 1847 ~ Thursday

6^th I was some better this morning we had some rain last
night I had a poor nights rest. we started early this
morning without feeding (except a little corn) as there was
no grass & travled 3 miles & got byeyond the fire left it in our
rear & stop to bait & Breakfast on a good spot of grass, this
morning the Herds of Buffalo speck the plains on both sides
of the river And Antelope in great abundance some of
which run into camp, the Buffalo calf is dead this morning
that was brought into camp alive last night we continued
our journey saw many herds of Buffalo Antelope & one large
Herd of Elk. A young Buffalo clalf came into camp & followed
us we gave him some milk & left him we travled 10 miles
& Nooned on the prairie. we scarsly meet with any timber
now, two Antelope were killed this forenoon but as we have
so much meet in camp it is thought best not to kill any more
Buffalo untill we need it or any other game. we were visited at
noon with many Buffalo Dr Richiards G. A. Smith & myself walked
up quite near several Buffalo Herds & exhamined them through
our glasses they were sheding their coats one bull Had a mat
of wool swin[g]ing by his side, like a loose robe, our Herd of
cows started to run among the Buffalo & President Young
run his horse to seperate them & had great difficulty in doing it
He lost A spy glass in the chase worth $40, the Brethren
Hunted for it A long time but could not find it we
continued to Journey among the Herds of Buffalo & we
are not out of sight of them at all they have eat the
grass out to such a degree that our cattle & Horses can
get but vary little to eat we camped near A Herd at
night that reached as far as our eyes could extend
there were thousands in it distance of the day 20 m

May 7, 1847 ~ Friday

7^th A meeting was called one of the Herdsman recieved
a sharp reproof for neglecting the cows yesterday a teem
was called for to take the canon we had an exceding
cold north wind to day we travled 6 miles & camped upon
the bank of the river I should judge we saw 10,000
Buffalo to day we came near large Herds with a greater propor
tion than usual of calves, yearlings & two year olds we saw
several large ones mired, dead, wolves had commenced eating
some of them we could see wolves upon evry hand
following the Herds of Buffalo to eat those who die of
wounds, Accident or poverty. we had some rain in the
evening. President Young & others rode out in the 6 mile
evening to search out the road A few miles forward &
for the first time on the journey saw & killed a polecat or
skunk. The Rigment was called out in the evening & drilled
Arms inspected &c & found in good order. It was supposed an
Indian was seen crossing the river in the night but was stoped &
did not get ashore

May 8, 1847 ~ Saturday

8^th A Plesant morning. not so cold & winday as yesterday
we did not start untill 10 oclok as our teams wanted rest
as they could not get much as the Buffalo had eat all the feed up
Br W^m. Clayton prepared A mile gage on his hind waggon
wheel to know how far we travel. I rode forward to day with
the Twelve & others & of all the sights of Buffalo that our eyes
beheld was enough to asstonish man thousands upon thousands
would crould together as they came from the Bluffs to the
Bottom land to go to the river & slues to drink untill the river
& land upon both sides of it was one dark spectacle of moving
objects it looked as though the face of the [e]arth was alive &
moving like the waves of the sea. Br Kimball remarked
that He had herd many Buffalo tales told But He never expe-
cted to behold what his eyes now saw the half had not been
told him we saw many dead scattered about & many
wolves following the herds, when we stoped at noon many of
them walked along by the side of our waggons so that
we might easily have shot them down, O P Rockwell did
shoot one through the neck & she droped dead it was a
two year old Heifer & good meet there were a great num[ber] [page covered]
of calves & young cattle in the Herds we saw to day we saw
had great difficulty in keeping out cattle & Horses from going
among them for if they once get mixed with a Herd
it is almost impossible to ever get them again. we
travled to day untill we came to the Bluffs that made
down to the river & camped for the night distance 11 1/4 mi
I went onto the top of the Highest Bluffs that were near
us & took A survey of the surrounding country with our
glasses there being present B. Young H. C. Kimball W Woodruf
& G A Smith the whole sourrounding country north east & west
as far as our vision could extend looked as rough as the sea
in a storm of ridges & valleys of mostly sand with scarcely
any green thing upon it except a little scattering grass &
the Spanish soap root such as the mexicans use for washing
with instead of soap the top resembles A pine Apple the
most of any thing I ever saw I brought in one root 24
24 inch long 2 inch in diameter I pounded A little of it up
& it would fill a dish with suds like soap

May 9, 1847 ~ Sunday

9^th Sunday As we had no feed around us we took up
our teams & passed across the Bluffs
4 miles & camped for the day I wrote 2 letters one to
Br Ferguson & the other to Br Bevin for Br Wolley to
take with him to Purbelo we had a meeting & a good
one the spirit of God rules over the camp. Peace quietn[ess] [page covered]
& contentment seems to pervade almost evry breast. the
Twelve met & thought it best for the Brethren not to start for
Pueblo untill they arive at Laramey. In the evening I rode
with the Twelve & others 4 miles up the river & returned we
saw large Herds of Buffalo come to there watering places
to drink, some geese, cranes & one pole cat 8 miles

May 10, 1847 ~ Monday

10^th A cool morning. Before leaving the camp ground A letter
was written to the next camp put into a small box nailed
to A post 12 feet long one end put firm in the ground the

other end erect in the air as A guide bord containing the follo
wing words. Open this Box and you will find a letter.

316 miles to winter Quarters, Pioneers. Lattitude 41°. (our
friends no doubt will be glad to get the letter as it contains
an account of our Journey.

We travled 6 miles & nooned then travled 4 & camped for
the night our teams are some weak in consequence of not
getting grass for several days as it was eat out by the Buff
alo there was one Buffalo, one deer & one Hare Brought
into camp by the Hunters to day, & bdistributed among the
men in camp we have what fresh meat we want daily
the grass is some better to day not but few Herds of Buff-
alo on our rout, today we passed through some miles of
dead grass which we set on fire to have new feed for
the next company it made a great fire indeed we get
our distance daily now of our travel from A mashine
fixed to a waggon wheel which gives the true distance
we camped to night by an Island of cotton wood 10 m[iles]

May 11, 1847 ~ Tuesday

11^th quite warm to day we travled 5 miles & made A short halt
then travled 3 1/2 miles & camped A little below the junktion of
the Noth & south forks of the Platt River I felt quite unwell the
use of fresh meet does not as yet agree vary well with me 8 1/2 miles
we see but few Buffalo today some Antelope & Deer &c

Professor Pratt informed me that He took an observation for
the Longitude May 7^th on the opposite bank of the Platt from
whare Freemont gives the Longitude in his travels Proffessor Pratt
made the Longitude to be 100° 5' 45" making it two seconds of
a degree less than Freemont ownly about 10 rods which was vary
close calculating. He also found the Lat 1/2 a mile west of this nights
encampment to be 41° 7' 44"

May 12, 1847 ~ Wednesday

12^th A cool morning. Mercury stands at 41, we had a strong
S. wind through the day we travled 8 miles & nooned we then
travled 4 miles & camped for the night on the bank of
the North fork of the Platt I rode onto the Bluffs to take a
survey of the country which was about 3 miles from the
river & we found both on the Hills & flatts through the
days travel that we were traveling over the Soux Hunting
ground there had been A large band from 500 to 1000 we
should Judge from there signs over the ground from 8 to 10
days before us, they took the braiens out of the large Buffalo
generally their Hides & some of the meet & broke up the
bones for the marrow, 12000 calves were found dead in one
place with nothing taken but the tongues, legs to the knee
& entrails another place 35 calves were found dead
& washed in heaps whare the Buffalo had been chased
acrosse the river & run over the calves in rising the
bank of the river. I found on the Bluff their
medicine bag tied to a stick 6 feet long stuck up in the
bank it was what is called kinikinnick composed of
tobacco & bark to smoke I Also found a saddle tied to a large
buffalo dung I supposed to show the next party which
way the Buffalo had gone I left my horse in the valley
to feed while I went onto a Bluff to see the country &
He started off not seeing the camp took the back tract

& I had to run After him & while following him,
I run through the great Soux encampmen whare
they had had there lodges while on their hunt I left
my gun there & followed my horse untill I overtook
him with the Assistance of Br Fowler who came out from
the encampment & stoped him I then rode back got
my gun examined the ground & should judge their
had been 500 lodges there was Acres of ground cove[re]d
with Buffalo wool whare they had dressed there skins
they left much stuff scattered over the ground such
as peaces of dressed Buffalo & wolf skins mogascins [moccasins]
&c I brought in a good dressed white wolf skin
distance of the day 12 mil

I could see the Bluff between the forks of the river
about 10 miles above us the Bluffs that I passed over
to day were more fertile & coverd with more gra[ss] [page torn]
than any I had seen on the Platt before A young
Buffalo was killed & brought in in the evening

May 13, 1847 ~ Thursday

13 Many of the Brethren went out to visit the Indian
encampment & brought in mogasens, parts of robes
leather &c, we have A strong cold nort wind to
day, we travled to day 11 miles & camped on the
west Bank of A stream about 12 rods wide with
good ford that empties into the Platt this is nearly
opposite the first Bluff that is formed between
the two forks of the Platt, the grass was better th[an] [page covered]
it had had been, the Bluff here for the first time
on the north fork comes hold to the river so that
we have to go over the Bluffs with our waggons
there is one thing concerning the Platt river which
is worthy of note, which is not characteristic of any
other river that I have any knowledge of in the world
it is much of the way A mile in wedth & generally
coverd with water but vary shallow when A south
wind blows hard the water all rushes to the north
shore untill one would suppose there was a great rise
in the water let the wind shift & bolow hard from
the North & the watter immediately leaves the north
shore untill one can walk across two thirds of the
river on bare ground & the river constantly ebs &
flows like the tide just according as the wind blows
I went onto the bluffs Hunting Buffalo in the evening saw
several small Herds President Young gave the stream
we camped on the name of the Bluff fork.

I dreamed last night we had arived at our Journey end
whare we were to build up a stake of Zion. As we came
unto the place there was An open vision of A temple
presented before me I asked some brethren that stood
by me If they saw it they said they did not I gazed
upon it & it was glorious it appeared as though it was
built of white & blue stone the sight of it filled me
with Joy and I awoke, & behold it was a dream 11 m[iles]

May 14, 1847 ~ Friday

14^th I went out early in the morning to Hunt some
Buffalo I cashed myself in the bank & a large Herd
came along, but their old Bulls was out as a rear &
front guard & there was none of their young cattle
near enough for me to shooht so they past by I saw
some more coming I way laid them they proved to
be 7 Bulls I fired at the youngest one while [he] passed by
but missed him. I then returned to camp took
breakfast had a hard shower of rain & some words
with Br Fowler & started out again Hunting Br Higby
soon Killed an Antelope that was put on board
of a boat called the revenue cutter Phineas Young
& myself went out together waited for Buffalo &
Antilope I finally got lost among the Bluff, but
found my way out again Br Phineas shot
an Buck Antilope & I carried him into camp
there was 3 Antilope & one Buffalo Bull killed. some of the
Hunters thought they herd Indian guns on the opposit side of the
river during the night An Indian cralled up to a pair of mules
that was tied togeth & made a grab to ketch theym the^y^ sprung & got
away from him one of the guards shot at him & he run all Horses
were then brought into the circle & the cannon prepared for firing
but seeing no more it was not fired travled 8 miles

May 15, 1847 ~ Saturday

15^th A vary cold North wind & rain we however travled
about 3 miles & camped in the best grass we had found on
the road, most of our road this morning was over & through the
bluffs as they come again bold to the river. A large number of
Barefoot tracks was seen this morning under the bluff on the
bank of the river, supposed to be the Indians that came down
last night to steal our Horses. the rain stoped in the afternoon
& we drove 5 miles & camped on the Prairie distance 8 miles
we saw the Bluffs dotted over with Buffalo I went out with
some others to hunt them I could not get within about 30
rods of them I shot at the neck of one & the ball went into his
sholdier which crippled him but He Hobbled away with
the Herd & I did not get him But there were A number
of Hunters among the Herds & one of them killed A fat
Buffalo which was brought into camp. the Bluffs again come
down to the river A short distance before us

May 16, 1847 ~ Sunday

[page covered] [1]6^th Sunday still cloudy & cool wind. I did not feel vary
well this morning And did not rise untill 7 oclok which was
two hours after the time when I got out of my carriage
I found all five of my horses standing at the stakes while
all the other Horses of the encampment had been feeding
two hours. It was Br John Fowlers Business to let them
out but He did not get up untill half an hour after I
did. He Is destitute of the spirit or principle that a faithf-
ul man or servant should possess And it makes it
much harder upon me in the care of the teams &
business than it would if I had a true & faithful man
with me Br Burnham does our cooking which
keeps him vary busy & He has the hardest time of it
as much of the time He has nothing but Buffalo dung

to make a fire of we are now in a place whare we are
proving ourselves & if we are not faithful we shall come under
condemnation. I rode out to day with Brothers Young
Kimball, Benson Rockwell & Stephens 4 miles over the Bluffs
to pick out a road for the camp to go across to get again on
the bottoms we found a road through & returned to the
camp I picked up A young Hare which Br Young took in to
camp. we saw Herds of Buffalo while coming in. Br
Glines went out Hunting & shot An Antelope & one Buffalo
though it was against the rules of the camp & council of
his captain to go Hunting on Sunday. we had a good
meeting in the Afternoon BrI opened meeting by Prayer
Brs Richards Markham Rockwood & Kimball spoke
& the laws of the camp were read & a good spirit preva[iled] [page covered]
the channel of the teaching was to Harken to council & sustain
the Heads of the Church & go & do what was said unto us
& it would prove A Blessing unto us 8 mi[les]

May 17, 1847 ~ Monday

17^th It is much more warm & plesant to day than usual our roa[d] [page covered]
hads been hard to day we came 2 1/2 miles through sandy bluffs, we
again struck the bottom 4 1/2 miles from our camping place but
the bottom was much softer than usual & many slues to cross
we crossed about one dozen streams to day of vary clear water
that come from springs in the Bluff from 1 to 10 feet across
them which run almost on the top of the ground without
any bank at all, with hard sand or gravel bottom, the water
however was not as cold as spring water generally is. the
Hunters brought in 3 Buffalo & it detained the camp some to
get them in, President Young was not pleased with it as
we had so much meet in camp already & they went out
without council. we saw vary large droves of deer to day in
the bottoms the most we have ever seen any day on the road
A young Fawn was picked up & brought into camp & kept
we travled in all to day 12 3/4 miles

I led the camp mostly through the Bluffs in the morning before
Before Brothers Young & Kimball came up we rode together
all day picking our roads

May 18, 1847 ~ Tuesday

18^th The camp was called together &or the captains of companies
& President Young sharply reproved, the Hunters for shooting
so much meet when it was not needed & detaining the
camp or for taking life any more than could be helped And
Also the horsman for their indiferance in picking out the
road He said there was but two that had rode thant manife[ste]d
any interest in helping him get the camp along. He
spoke vary sharply upon the indiferance of men, & they
rejected the meet when it was brought into camp &c
the camp started out after the meet was disposed of
& the Hunters or Horsman went forward to pick out the
road instead of going Hunting I did not hear a gun fired
on the road during the day Amasa Lyman was one called
by name & reproved for not paying any attention to seeking
out the road, but he was with us to day in that business
we rode 6 miles & cnooned we rode in the afternoon
9 3/4 miles & camped for the night distance of the day 15 3/4 m

May 19, 1847 ~ Wednesday

19^th we crossed the worse sand Hill Bluff of about one
mile that we have crossed on the journey & what made it still
worse the rain was pouring down upon us continually we travled
about 1/2 mile on the flat & camped untill the rain was over for
the time being we started again at 3 oclok but it soon began to rain
again hard we travled untill 5 oclok & camped for the night on the bank
of the river we travled 8 miles by the wheelometer 8 miles

I rode forward during the day in the rain & picked out the road
we had the most water fall during the day and evening that we
have met with on the whole Journey

May 20, 1847 ~ Thursday

20^th we came 7 miles & camped for our nooning on the North
side of the Platt opposite Ash Creek that comes through the
Bluffs to the Platt on the south side of the river whare the
oOrigon road first strikes the north fork of the Platt several
of the brethren went over in a boat that we were taking with
us & exhamined the rock Bluffs, road, creek, &c & returned
with some Ash, rock, wild curands & cherry &c we came
on 8 3/4 miles & camped for the night we crossed a large
creek about 12 rods across it which we supposed it to be
A creek that Glos Cload called the Rawhiyde we had a
vary good road most of the day on the bank of the
River, we have passed A good deal of rock Bluff on both
sides of the river, & some on the south side of the river
was formed into natural terrices, rotundas, squairs &c 50
or 100 feet high looked liked good foundations to build
foorts & fortications & strong holds upon they resemble
the work of Art & look some like the old castles
of England & Scotland they were level on the top. A short
distance above Ash Creek there is A beautiful ceder Island
in the river which is a good Beacon to show travelers wha
res the oregon road strikes the river. we have had
a cool, windy, cloudy day whole distance 15 3/4 m

Brother Egbert drove Br Pratts carriage tongue into
the hind end of my carriage & broke in the end bord
& the water came in when it rained so that it wet my
again things & to day Br Fowler run his waggon into
it again to day but when I spoke to him about it He denyed
it which caused some words between us. we had some
little rain to day. The Bluffs on the opposite side that I have
described above are named Castle Bluffs & the stream that was called
raw hide is called Castle Creek

May 21, 1847 ~ Friday

21^st Before we left the encampment Br Clayton put up a guide board
with the following inscription for the benefit of the next camp
from winter Quarters 409 miles from the Junkction 93 1/4 ceder
Bluff 36 1/2 Ash Hollow 8 miles, & 133 from Fort Laramee
we travled to day 7 1/2 miles & nooned in the Afternoon 8 m[iles]
& camped for the night. we saw 8 or 10 Buffalo today but
have not seen but few for several days we saw some deer &
Antilope to day I killed A Bagger with the jaw bone of a
Buffalo. Just as we got to A camping place two Indians came
from the Bluffs riding towards us & made signs for us to come
to them several of the brethren went, it was A sioux Indian & his
wife they talked by signs awhile & went away distance of the day 15 1/2 miles

May 22, 1847 ~ Saturday

22. The brethren found A part of a petrified leg bone of A Mamouth
it was from the knee joint downward the piece was 17 inch
long, 11 inches wide & weighed 27 lbs. we travled to day 7 1/2
miles & onooned & in the Afternoon 8 miles & camped for
the Sabbath, whole distance of the day 15 1/2 m

our road has been vary strait to day but we came over 2 1/2 miles
of the worst Bluff sandy & Hilly that we have past on
the rout. we have also past several large creek beds of
dry sand, the Bluffs on our rout to day have presented
the most singular natural senery that I ever beheld in
my travels on the earth. It has the greatest appearance
of the old walls & ruins of the castles of Europe from
the size of chimneys to 100 feet square or more, bodies
of earth & rock that Appears as though it was formed
out of clay stand erect scattering through the Bluffs
from 10 to 100 feet high, with perpendicular
sides as strait as walls of A building while all
the earth around them have been washed away
to their base with rain & time. A spring of cold
water was found in the top of one of these peaks
Apparently in a small basan of stone. there are
considerable number of rattle snakes come out of
these bluffs I sayw near A dozen to day A good
share of the rout this Afternoon the face of the
earth is barren Almost destitute of grass

May 23, 1847 ~ Sunday

23^rd ^Sunday^ In company with B Young & the Twelve we visited the
top of two of the Highest Bluff ruins that lie opposite our
encampment which were truly a curiosity. O. Pratt took a
Barometrical observation on the ownly tree which was red ceder
on the top of the ruins or Bluff which we visited we had
A fair view of chimney rock from whare we were. I
carried A Bleached Buffalo Bulls head on to the top &
wrote upon it with a pencil our names & distances from
several places for the Benefit of the next camp while
Br Fairbanks [blank] was on one of these Bluffs He
was bit with A rattlesnake & became vary painful before
He reached camp the Brethren commenced giving
him such things as they thought best. And he soon was
better. The camp met at half past 11 ooclok. E. Snow Addressed
the Meeting & spoke well. President Young then addressed the
camp in an Interesting manner, said He was satisfyed that
the Lord was with us & Leading us had never seen a company
of people more united than the camp had been thus far on the
journey, that we should pluck the fruits of this mission to all
Eternity that He had many things to teach us but could not
do it ownly in a stake of Zion. But He was well satisfyed
with Himself, his brethren the Twelve & the camp at large one
thing He would say to the praise of all, that was not one
had refused to obey his council on the road. His peace with
God was continually like a river & He felt that the spirit of
peace rested upon the whole camp. many good things were
said. Several other brethren followed him After which
meeting was dismissed. we intended to have rode out in the
evening, but we saw that a storm was gathering, & it soon
began to Blow vary hard About as much as we could do to
save our waggons Bows & covers from being smashed

the hard wind continued for about an hour then it commenced
raining &which lasted about one hour accompanied with some hail
it turned vary cold I had fears that some of our horses would
perish with the cold As such changes were freequent in this
region Mr Sarpee related a circumstance that transpired sev
eral years since at about this place on the 22nd of May one
day earlier than this while travling down this fork of the platt
it was warm weather the grass 10 inch high it began to rain
some in the Afternoon & turned cold in the evening & before
morning 16 of his best Horses were frozen to death by the side
of the waggons & his boates boats froze into the Ice in the river
the changes are vary great in this country & when I see it
turning so cold I coverd all my horses with Blankets that
I coudld I got up several times in the night to see to then
It rained occasionally in the night. the Horses shook with
cold but morning came & all was Alive as soon as they were
let loose they run to warm themselves.

May 24, 1847 ~ Monday

24^th It was A cold morning yesterday morning the Thermometer
stood at 52°, at noon 82, & this morning 38 accompanied with
north wind. we travled 10 miles & nooned. I dreamed this mor-
ning that some Indians came into camp in a friendly manner
& stole 6 Horses before our eyes & rode off we gave them
chase don horsback & I awoke.

As soon as we camped
this noon two Indians came to the camp they were Sioux
they were well dressed & clean we gave them some dinner
& showed them An Indian dog that had followed us several
days but the dog would not follow them they soon left the
camp. Chimney rock still grows plainer to our view
we drove in the Afternoon 6 1/2 miles & camped near the quick
sand mountain that run in a ridge from the river back that
Apparently had been heaped up by the wind I rode About
two miles forward to find grass And A camping place And on
my return I saw about 30 Soux Indians Plunge their Horses
Into the River on the opposite side & make towards us I rode
with several others to the river & met them as they came
out they shook hands with us, vary friendly, the chief
unfurled A large American Flag with the Eagle stars & stripes
& presented me A Letter. It was written in french we
however made it out, they were all well dressed the chief
was dressed in A military coat. the Brethren from camp
brought A white flag & stuck down by the side of theirs
they wanted to go into camp we proposed for 5 of them
to go & the rest to remain in camp but they all wiched
to come so we let them. we gave them supper they
remained about camp all night, but were good & stole
nothing distance of the day 16 1/2 [miles]

May 25, 1847 ~ Tuesday

25^th The Sioux are in camp this morning we gave them
Breakfast they stayed with us untill we started some little
traiding was done they were men women & children they
crossed the river when we left & behaved well we drove
2 miles & dBated our horses, then drove untill 1 oclok & nooned
then drove untill 6 oclok & camped for the night distance 12 m
I was unwell had the Rheumatism in shoulders & back & teeth ake
had to keep the carriage I read Hastings account of Calafornia
He tells some great stories about California & oregon we camped
within about 4 mi[l]es of Chimney rock

May 26, 1847 ~ Wednesday

26^th we travled 6 1/4 miles & nooned in good grass about 2 miles
above Chimney rock we travled in the Afternoon 6 1/4 miles
& camped for the night. The Hunters brought in four Antelope
we passed much good grass to day. I rode to day with Br Kimball
& Benson to look out the road I have during the last two days
read Mr Hastings account of Oregon & upper Calafornia. He has
greatly exhagerated the account of upper Calalafornia.

Just before camping at noon while travling on A smooth prairie
An Accurance took place which liked to have proven of serious
consequence to our camp. An Indian Horse that was bought of the
Sioux ran away with A whi singletree to his heels & gave A trem-
endious fright to the cows, oxen, & horses that were Attached
to the waggons And in an instant A dozen or more waggons
were darting by each other like lightning & the Horses & mules
flying as it were over the ground some turned to the right &
some to the left some run into other waggons, the Horse & mule
that Br Fowler was driving leaped with all spead, with Br
Little hold of the lines & Br Fowler hold of the bits they darted
by my carriage like electricity & came within one inch of A
collission with my wheels if they had locked we should have
been a wreck Another waggon followed by in the same manner
with a pair of Mules & one yoke of cattle upon A keen run which
would also have smashed my carriage if they had hit it but
my own horses by this time started to run but was soon
held up by the driver. Br Fowlers waggon continued to rooll
regardless of rough or smooth ground for about fifty rods &
he draged the whole distance by the bit which was the
case with many others, but all was soon stoped & returned
to there lines without any accident to any team or waggon
which Appeared to me truly A miricle William Smoots team
run away also with great speed. It give us sumthing of an
Idea what An Indian yell would would do in such an encamp-
ment with teams hitched to waggons A person can hardly
concieve of the power that is manifest in Animals esspecially
mules when in such A fright. But I felt thankful that no
accident happened.

By An Imperfect measurment, by A Trigonometrical observation
by the sexton Professor Pratt made the Chimney rock to be 260 feet
above the level of the river. distance of the day 12 1/2 m

May 27, 1847 ~ Thursday

27^th we started 15 m before 8 oclok travled in a strait line 8 mile
& nooned in good grass Br Kimball & myself picked the road
in the foornoon & it was left to me in the Afternoon & I piloted
the road in the Afternoon As strait as any road that had been
made on the whole rout & picked out a camping ground on
the bank of the river in good feed we travled 5 3/4 miles 13 3/4

It should be understood that we are piloting A road for
the House of Israel to travel in for many years to come
therefore it requires the greater care. The Hunters brought
in 5 Antilope to day. we camped at half past 4 oclock
opposite Scotts Bluff at Lattitude 41º, 50', 52," the wedth
of the river 772 yards A wind soon arose accompanied by
thunder & lightning we had but little rain.

May 28, 1847 ~ Friday

28^th A cold rainy morning the camp concluded not to start
untill it stop raining. so we started at 10 oclok & travled 131 1/2
miles & camped for the night on the bank of the river it was A damp
cold day we passed alongside of A clear strem of water with some
beaver dams & houses upon it at one place it raised the water about
two feet which was lined with fish A good share of which was
speckled trout so the brethren informed me this is the first strea-
m I have met with containing trout since I left the New
England states. Therefore I name it trout creek it was not more
than 3 miles long it arose from a large pure spring. it was but a little
above Scotts Bluffs [FIGURE] distance of the day 11 1/2

during the evening President Young called at my fire & seeing
several of the brethering playing dominoes in A waggon near
by began to teach by saying that the deveil was getting power over
the camp that for several days past nearly the whole camp had
drank into A spirit of card, checker, & domino playing & dancing
& the spirit of folley & if they did not spedily repent their
works, labours, & Journey would be in vain that we should
not accomplish the object for which we had come but should
be thwarted in it. He said the camp did not quarel any to be
shure for the devel would not set them to quarreling as long
as he could draw them away gradually from duty & fill them
with nonsens & folley, for the devil was vary cuning in dra-
wing away the people of God. I felt the force of his remarks
& thought them necessary. during the evening I went in to
the doctors waggon, read a chapter in the Book of Mormon
& prayed with them. After which B Young H. C. Kimball
W Richards E. T. Benson & W. Woodruff met in council
in Br Youngs waggon & Br Young wrote some of the
word of the Lord concerning the camp & expressed
his views & feelings concerning the camp that they must
spedily repent or they would be cursed, that they were
forgetting their mission & he had rather travel with
10 righteous men who would keep the commandments
of God than the whole camp while in a carless manner
& forgetting God. we stayed untill 10 oclok & retired to
rest

May 29, 1847 ~ Saturday

29^th A cold rainy morning. At 10 oclok the horn was blown
to gather up the Horses & cattle which took more than an hours
After which President Young called the camp together and
Required each captain to seperate or calle out his men & when
it was found all was present except two who had gone a
hunting He then Addressed them, sumthing in the following
language. I think I will take for my text to preach my sermon
from, I am about to revolt from travling with this camp
any further with the spirit they now possess, I had rather
risk myself among the savages with ten men that are men
of faith, men of mighty prayer men of God, than to be with
this whole camp when they forget God & turn there hearts
to folley & wickedness, yea I had rather be alone, & I am
now resolved not to go any further with the camp unless
you will covenant to humble yourselves before the Lord &
serve him & quit your folley & wickedness, for A week past
nearly the whole camp has been card playing, chequres
& dominnoes, have occupied the Attention of the brethren

& dancing, & Nigering & Hoeing down all has been the bet
continually, now it is quite time to quit it, & there has been
trials & law suits upon evry nonsensical thing & if these things
are suffered to go on it will be but a short time befor you
will be fighting knocking each other down & taking life
& it is high time it was stoped. I do not want to hear any
more such reportts as I herd last Sunday, of mens going to
meeting & preaching to the rest after he had played cards
untill meeting time. you are A putty set of men going
to seek out A location among the mountains for a resting place
of the Saints, even the whole Church of God who have been
driven out from the gentiles & rejected of them And after
you have esstablished A location you are then going out to preah
the gospel, seal salvation upon the House of Israel, & gather
the nations. How would you look if they should know your
conduct & Ask you what did you do when you went to
seek out Zion, & find A resting place for the Saints whare
the standard of the Kingdom of God could be reared & her
banners unfurled for the nations to gather unto, dudt [but] you
spend A good deal of your time in dancing pitching quare[l],
Jumping wrastleing &c yes, yes, did you play cards, dice
checkers & dominoes O! yes, what could you do with you-
rself, why you would shrink from the glance of the yeyes
of God Angels & men even wicked men, then are you
not ashamed of yourselves for practicing these things
yes you are & you must quit it. After speaking sumwhat
lengthy upon these matters He called the Twelve together
the High priest, Seventies & Elders, & found to be 8
of the quorum of the Twelve, 18 High Priest, 80 Seventies
& 8 Elders After which President Young said unto the
Twelve If you are willing to Humble yourselves before
the Lord & covenant to do right & walk humble before
him, make it manifest by raising the right hand
when each one raised their hand, the same question
was put to the High Priest, Seventies, Elders & Members
& all universally covenanted with uplifted hand to humble
themselves before the Lord repent of their sins & keep
his commandments. President Young then spoke of those
who was not in the Church As there were sum present that
they would be protected in their rights but they must
not introduce wickedness in the camp for it would not
be sufferd. He then spoke of the standard & ensign that
would be reared in Zion, to govern the Kingdom of God
[FIGURE] And the nations of the earth for evry nation
would bow the knea & evry tongue confess that
JESUS was the Christ [Mosiah 27:31] And this will be the
standard. The Kingdom of God & his Laws & Judgment in
{the hands of his servants Ahman Christ} And on the standard would be a flag
of evry nation under heaven so their would be an invitation to all
Nations under heaven to come unto Zion, the Saints would have
to keep the Celestial law, And all nations & religions would
have to bow the knee to God And Accknowledge that Jesus was
the Christ, but they would not be under the necessity of
being Baptized or embracing the gospel of Christ, but
they must acknowledge the right & reign of Christ

then if they felt disposed to reject the gospel & be damned they had
A right to, & the Saints or inhabitants of Zion had no right to take
from them their religion or persecute them on account of it or
trample upon their rights any way, neither should other nations
or religions trample upon the rights & privileges of the Saints who serve
& obey the Lord of [and] Keep his commandments neither would that
be suffered as it has been in times past. And upon this principle
All men or religions may dwell with us in peace, if they will
keep the outward laws of the kingdom of [God] so as to acknowledg his
name & his right to reign, & let us keep the law of the gospel &
obey his commandments undisturbed. After making other rem-
arks He left the meeting in the hands of the rest of the Twelve
Elder Kimball followed & remarked that what President Young said
it was the word of the Lord unto him & was Just as much binding
upon him as though it was A written Revelation And it was just
as much binding upon the whole camp as it was upon him & urged
the Saints to give heed to the teachings that were given.

O Pratt followed & said that if the Saints had leasure hours
that they could spend them to much better Advantage than playing
cards As there was A world of Knowledge to be obtained & evry leasure
moment should be improved toin storeing the mind with some sciensce or
learning some good principle And acknowledged the teachings we
had recieved to be of the Lord

W. Woodruff Arose & said He had some things in his heart he
wished to say, that A Burned child dreaded the fire. He had not
forgotton his Journey in the Camp of 1834 And should He
live to the age of Matheusala He should not forget the hour when
the Prophet & Seer Joseph Smith stood upon the waggon
wheel & Addressed that camp & said that because they had
not Harkened to his councel but disobeyed, & transgressed
from time to time, that the die was cast & Judgment
must come that we should be visited by the destroying Angels
And so we were & more than twenty of our numbers
fell by the stroke & we all suffered much in our feelings
And I pray the Lord I may not see another such a time
And I would now Advise my brethren to be careful in keeping the coven[an]t
ywe have made lest by & by the word of the Lord come unto us as in
the days of Joseph & we cannot escape his judgment. I would
Advise all the Brethren who have got cards to burn them up for
Also checkers & dominoes, for if you keep your covenants you
have made you will have no time to use them & they will be
useless lomber on your hands. if you keep them for your children
they will ownly prove a curse to them. And my prayer to God
is thayt we all may be enabled to keep all our covenants
with the Lord & each other I rejoice that the watchman
upon the walls or in our mids are quick to comprehend & warn
us of evil & reprove us when wrong that we may de saved & do
the will of God

Br S. Markham Arose confessed his sins for card playing on sunday
before he went to preach & asked forgivness, then the camp
dispersed to there waggons & we all started on our Journey
Br G. A. Smith & myself went together to pilot out the road
we travled 8 1/2 miles & camped for the night in good feed
though the whole country was vary barren that we had
[page torn] [come] through. we passed today through layers of good

sand stone in the edge of the Bluffs one large rock resembled
the Hull of A steemboat loaded with freight so I named it
stone steem boat bluff. it commenced raining before we
camped it was vary cold. distance of the day 8 1/2 m
during the evening Br B. Young went out with the Twelve
& had Prayes

May 30, 1847 ~ Sunday

30^th Sunday we set this day apart for prayer & fasting, in
the morning I shaved & washed all over & Anointed my head &
put on clean clothing, read A chapter in the Book of Mormon
& humbled myself before the Lord & poured out my soul in
prayer before the Lord & his spirit desended upon me &
I was blessed. I spent some time in writing my Journal. The
camp had A prayer meeting, in the morning & met Again in
public Meeting. President Young in company with the quorum of
the Twelve & a few others went into the vally of the Hills & according
to the order of the Priesthood prayed in A circle & Porter &
Br Carrington watched to see that no Indians come upon us, we had
A good time, there was A heavy storm Appeared but it mostly went
Around there was but little rain whare we wasere, we returned to
our waggons & took some refreshment having eaten nothing during
the day, soon the son came out plain & plesant. In the evening I
went out 2 miles with the quorum of the Twelve onto A High
Bluff & had a good views of the Black Hills Also Prayers

May 31, 1847 ~ Monday

31^st There are many portions of this country vary barren we travel
over several miles at a time of level prairie with little or no grass upon
it in this ground we find great quantities of the Prickelly pair &
they are an excellent plant to eat though coverd with thorns like
needles which have to be carefully paired off with A knife & fork
they are quite delicious have A little tart but vary plesant

we had A plesant morning, our cattle was strayed so far it
took about 2 hours to get them up & get ready for starting
we however started at 8 oclock & travled 9 1/2 miles & nooned on a
green flat most of the ground through the day was vary barren
grass is again getting vary scarce Br Pratt took an observation,
& found the Lattitude to be 42º 4' 30" we travled in the After-
noon 7 1/4 miles & camped upon the bank of a creek about 15 or
20 miles below Laramie the Hunters brought in one long tailed
deer saw several Elk & Antilope but got none of them I went
forward to pick out the road through the day I felt some unwell
with teeth ake & canker in my mouth. distance of the day 16 3/4

I would here mention that which belonged to the mornngs Account
that there was A crust of frost over the grass the Thermometer
stood at 35, At 5 oclok, we passed to day A grove of large
cotton wood but the Sioux had wintered in it & cut down
the most of it for brows & wood. we are begining to
come to wood more plenty but the camp has had much
difficulty to obtain wood to cook with for the last
weeks as we had neith[er] timber nor Buffalo chips. the
men would follow the river bank all day & Island^s
to pick up any wood sticks barks or chips that might
chanced to have lodged on the bank by the flood or
that the Indians may have left, but it is now
to be readily obtained it is supposed that the creek
we camp on to night is the rawhide

June 1, 1847 ~ Tuesday

June 1^st 1847 A fine pleasant morning. I had suffered much
from the tooth Ake of late. I went, before starting on the journey
to Luke Johnson A dentist & got my tooth part of it dug out is &
broke of[f] & left the stump in my Jaw which pained me through
the day we travled 6 miles & mnooned whare we had but
little feed. we travled in the Afternoon [blank] miles & camped on
the bank of the platt opposite of Fort Laramie within
1 1/2 miles of the fort. when we arived we saw some men
Approaching us from the fort when they arived on the
bank we found them to be a part of the company of
the Missisippi Brethren who had been to Pueblo through
the winter, Brother Crow & his family 7 waggons & 14 souls
were the individuals who were at the fort they soon stood upon
the bank of the river we lanced [launched] our boat & crossed the stream to them
several of the brethren went over to them Among whom was Br Brown
that led up the same company to this place last year, they were truly glad
to meet, No one can imagin the joy of friends on meeting each other
under such circumstances Away from the Abodes of white
men whare they are ownly visited by savages. Br Crow came across
& met in council with us. And informed us that the remainder
of the Missippi company with the portion of the Mormon Battalion that
was at Pueblo would start for Laramie About the first of June
& follow our trail onto Calafornia. He informed us of 4 of the breth-
ren who had died one of which was Arnold Stephens, Had herd
nothing of the main body of the Battalion. He soon returned home
& the camp met together. President Young suggested the propriety
of our leaving all our plows at the fort except such as we
should want to use immediately when we got there, to do up our Black-
smithing, Burning coal, mending waggons &c As soon as possible
so that we could go on our Journey as spedily as possible. A
company was Appointed to do herding & to attend to all these branches
of business, we then retired to rest I Am quite unwell &
have been for several days I have canker in the mouth, bleed at
the noose, do not rest well nights distance of the day 12 m

June 2, 1847 ~ Wednesday

2^nd In company with the Twelve & others I crossed to the river
to visit the fort & othersthose who inhabit it we exhamined fort St John
which is now evacuated but the walls are standing the diment-
ions of St John are 144 by 132 outside, the Inside of the fort
contained 16 rooms, 7 rooms on the North west & 7 on the south
east one on the south, the largest on the north 98 feet long 47 wide
the Oregon trail runs one rod from the S.W. cornor of the fort
we next visited Fort Larimie now occupied by 38 persons
French mostly, who have Married the Sioux Mr Burdow is the
superinteder this fort is 168 by 116 outside, theer are 6 rooms
upon two sides, & 3 rooms upon the north & 3 upon the south
upccopied by stores Blacksmith & dwellings it is quite A plesant
situation for A fort. Mr Burdow was A Frenchman And a
Gentleman. He recieved us kindly And invited us into A large
setting room on the north side of the Fort, elevated about 10
feet from the ground, A flight of stairs leading to it gave us
any information He could in relation to our rout. Also fur-
nished us with his flat boat on reasonable terms to assist us in ferr
ying the Platt. He informed us that Gov Boogs & his men
had much to say against the mormons & cautioned him to
take care of his horses cattle &c lest we should steal them
[page torn] to prejjgudice him against us all he could He said

that Boggs company was quarrelling all the time & most
of the company had deserted him. He finally told Boggs & co
that let the Mormons be as bad as they would they could not
be any wors than He & his men were He Had A number of
Soux women & children around him while we were there
About 20 of the Sioux, men, women & children came with
Peltry to the trading House. Provisions of All kinds were
vary high & goods at the store flour 25 cts a pound tobacco
$1.50 cts per lb. After conversing with him for a length of time
we got into the flat boat about 20 of us & went down the
Laramie fork to its mouth about 2 miles, & up the platt half a mile
to our camp. After dinner we met in council & there decided
that Azama Ameza Lyman go to Pueblo with several other
brethren to meet the detachment of the Battalion that was there
for them to come As soon as convenient to Laramie & follow
our trail to Calafornia. I finished the letters to send to
Bevein & Ferguson I picked some greens & had a good dinner
of then though I am not well to day

June 3, 1847 ~ Thursday

3^rd A vary winday day we commenced before sun ris to ferry
over our boats my ten was the first that went over the wind was
favorable we saw 3 men arive on pack Horses last evening
at the fort on the oregon road we ascertained this morning they
were from St Josepheth they report 2000 waggons on the road
to Oregon from St Joes they are divided into companies of 20
to 50 waggons & that they will arive here tomorrow the first co
Mr Bordow called down to see us cross today. We set up our
Blacksmiths shops in the old fort to do our work, & made fires to do
our washing Br Burnham done my washing to day the fistrst time
I have washed my clothing since I left winter quarters. Br
Frost set 6 shoes for me today & 2 for Br Smoot. In the evening
I walked up onto the Highest peak around us, in company
with the Twelve & others we took A vew of the surrounding
country on our return to the camp we visited the Indian
& French Burying ground the Indians were laid up upon
A staging about 10 feet from the ground, the French were
buried in the ground strong pickets around with a cross
at the head being Catholics, snow was discoverd upon the
mountains through glasses

June 4, 1847 ~ Friday

4^th ^4th^ I wrote two letters to day one to Mrs W.
& one to Aphek Woodruff A. O. Smoot & J Benbow &
left them in the Hands of Mr [blank]
who keeps the store & Acks As post Maste[r]s He appeared
vary friendly said He would forward our letters that wer[e]s
to go to winter Quarters to the care of Mr Sarpee & those
that were to be deliverd to the Mormon camp would deliver
them to the leader of the camp on our Arival. He truly
manifested much friendship towards us. Professor
Pratt took observations at the fort for the Longitude
at the fort.

I conversed with A mountaineer who had wintered at
the great Basin of the Salt & Eutau lakes & he recommends
the country vary Highly for A healthy fertile country
the Lakes & streams Abounding with trout & other fish

A good supply of shugar maple & other timber before we
left Br Clayton erected A guide board on the north side of
the river containing the following informations which He
took from his Journals on the distances which was correct
as it was obtained from the wheelometer

543 1/4 miles from Winter Quarters 227 1/2 miles from the
Junction of the Platt. 142 1/4 miles from Ash Hollow
70 1/4 miles from Chimney Rock And 50 1/2 from Scotts Bluff.
we left the Fort & started on our Journey we took the right hand
road up up the platt & travled 8 1/4 miles & camped for the night, the
travel now Appears to be attended with A good deal of interest
as we begin to ascend the black Hills which are universally coverd
with pine & ceder we saw one vary High peak coverd the top
with snow Br Robert Crow Joined us which Added to our compa
ny 9 men 5 women 3 children 6 waggons 13 yoke of oxen
20 cows 3 Bulls 10 young cattle And Horses which makes in the
whole camp 148 men, 8 women, 5 children, 79 waggons
96 Horses 51 Mules, 90 oxen, 43 cows 3 Bulls 9 calves, 16 dogs
And 16 chickins

I was in great pain in the Afternoon & night with the nervous Head & teeth Ake 8 1/2 [miles]

June 5, 1847 ~ Saturday

5^th
we have freequent slight showers yesterday & today while among the
hills I was sum better to day we had quite A rough road to day
we travled up & down the Hills untill we arived at what is
called the warm spring which is at the fork of the two
roads that comes from Laramie we here nooned & visited the
head of the spring which was quite warm for drinking water
It boiled out of the bluff & made A little rivulet about 4 feet
wide & 3 inches deep it was clear soft water but no warmer
than I have freequently found water in rivulets exposed to the
sun, the bluffs, peaks, & Hills begin to be more lofty as we got
into the Hills we are begining to come to an elk, bear & mountain
sheep country, we saw their signs to day we came in the foornoon
6 1/2 miles making 15 miles from Laramie to the springs soon
after we arived the first company of Moissouri emigrants came
up 12 waggons of them. Professor Pratt took an observation
for the Lattitude At the head of the warm spring & found it to be
42º 15' 6" we travled in the Afternoon 10 1/2 miles & camped
on the west side of A small pure stream of water in good feed
the Missouri company camped 1/4 of a mile below us on the same
stream, they started this morning from the fort & took the
South road which is 5 miles nearer than the North road which we
took & A much better road distance of the day 17 miles

June 6, 1847 ~ Sunday

6^th Sunday this day was Also devoted to prayer & fasting, the
Missouri company that camped near us started on this morning
I am still troubled with the teeth ake. the camp met for
A prayer meeting at 8 oclok the spirit of the Lord was with
the people, the camp Also met for A preaching meeting at 11 oclok
we had A shower of rain & the meeting closed Another company
of Mo waggons of 20 passed us it soon cleared off & the camped
moved forward 5 miles & camped for the night on Bitter C
Creek whare the road leaves the creek for the Hills we camped
between between the two Mo encampments one each side
of [page torn] waggons in one & 20 in the other And A plenty of grass 5 [miles]

June 7, 1847 ~ Monday

7^th The two companies started out before us this morning
we travled 7 3/4 miles & nooned on A small creek which
scarsly afforded water for our stock & but little grass, while
here Another Mo company of 13 waggons passed us we were in
fair view of Laramie Peak with its top coverd with snow.
I found an Abundance of sweet thisaly in the bitter creek
bottom whare we camped last night much of the shrubery
which we past to day was the black currand & goosbury
we travled this Afternoon 5 1/4 miles & camped for the night on
the Horse shoe Creek in the most splendid feed we have met
with on the journey the other three companies went ahead
Hors shoe Creek is heavily timbered with cotton wood Ash
& willow it is quite A large stream I went to fishing with
a hook & line to see if I could not get some trout but I
cought nothing, the Black Hills Are A good deal timbered
with pine. The Hunters brought in two black tailed deer
& one Antilope to night, distance of the day 13 mils

Professor Pratt took several Barometrical observations at Larimie
during 3 days & found the highth above the level of the sea to be
4090 feet, the Tattitude was 42º 12' 13". By a mean of
six six sights with a good sextant the Longitude west from
Greenwich was in time 6^h 56^m 47^s.5 equal to 104º 11' 53"
Lat. of the warm springs west of Laramie 42º 15' 6"

June 8, 1847 ~ Tuesday

8^th we travled 6 3/4 miles & nooned upon A small creek
with little water & fair grass we formed A company of
men & went forward of the teams & cleaned the road of
stone we used pick Axes, bars, spades &c it was A great
help to our week waggons the road was exceding Hilly
& mountaineous, in the Afternoon we travled 8 3/4 over
the most mountaineous road we have had on the rout
we then deesended into A valley & camped for the night
on Labont Creek with an abundance of timber water
& good grass. we saw nothing of the Mo companies
Br John Higby went forward Hunting & saw them
when they started out, & they had such strife one with
another in trying to start first they did not stop to
milk their cows, & in clearing up their breakfast they
stewed their meal, salt, bacon, short cake, Jonney cake
Beans & other things upon the ground through their
encampment & when we came up 3 wolves were
feeding upon the fragments I picked up a pocket knife
& spoon left upon the ground.

When we came
over the high Hills to day it was so cold it pierced
us like winter when we reached the valley we
found fires the companies in advanced had built
we piled on the wood, soon got warm An Antelope
lay before us the Hunters had brought in we carved it up
with our knives & stuck it on sticks & roasted it on the
fire & it satisfyed our Appetites finely without salt
Some traidere came into camp from the mountain
on their way to the fort G. A. Smith sent A letter
by them back to the fort distance 15 1/2 m

during the evening we visited the traiders & got some inform
ation from the salt lake country which was flattering or good
account was given of it

June 9, 1847 ~ Wednesday

9^th We started at 5 oclok & drove one mile into better feed
& turned out our teams, the brethren traided some for robes
mogacines, & skin shirts & pants with the Honters who camped
near us And at about 7 oclock 15 waggons of our party was chosen
to go forward to make A boat to ferry the Platt; they went forward
we followed them, the traiders started At the same time soon another
party of traiders overtook who were direct from Santifee they
informed us the Mormon Battalion was at Calafornia went in
Jan & that Capt Brown was in Santafee for money for the detach
ment & would come on as soon as possible we travled 11 1/4 miles
& nooned in a valley without watter, in the Afternoon we trav
led 8 miles & camped upon A'la'preel Creek when we rode up
to the creek we overtook our little pioneer company that we sent
on In the morning to built the boat, the Missouri company was also
in sight notwithstanding their exhertion to get ahead of us, our
detachment followed the Mo company how far they travled I know
not our Hunters killed two Black tailed deer & one Antilope
yesterday & An Antilope today I am still troubled much with the
teeth Ake with the exception of this I feel vary well distance 19 1/4 [miles]

June 10, 1847 ~ Thursday

10^th In company with G. A. Smith I went forward to A large
creek 8 3/4 miles from our camping place Here we overtook the Mo
Company they were about 4 miles from our camp we nooned upon
this creek, in the Afternoon we reached the platt river &
camped upon deer creek, 9 miles whole distance of the day 17 3/4 [miles]
I examined A splendid grind stone queyry on the east side
of the road as it leaves the Hills & strikes the platt At was
30 rods long above the ground & could readily be got at the
grit, was fine & nise the Hunters brought in two Antilope. We
have good feed & our Horses & cattle are gaining. In the after-
noon Presidents Young & Kimball rode with us. our detac-
hed company camped last night withe fore most company
& we have not herd from them since. Br Carrington
found A vary extensive coal bed on this creek one layer
of about 10 feet thick another 5 feet length not known
but was examined for 20 rods or more the specemins of
coal produced wer excellent, the Twelve walked on to the
river bank examined the river, feed, &c had prayers
& returned. At the blowing of the Horn I did not feel
much like retiring to bed so I walked 1/2 a mile from the
camp on the bank of Deer Creek & found Br Clayton
fishing with a hook He dHad caught about two dozen good
fish Another Br Harmon had caught some they resem-
bled the eastern Herrin, they were about to leaves & they left
their lines for me to fish with so I sat down for half
an hour musing alone as unconcerned as though I had been
sitting upon the banks of Farmington river, vary suddenly
I herd A rustling in the bushes near me & for the first time
time the thought flashed across my mind, that I was in
A country Abounding with the griselly, bear wolves & India-
ns, And was liable to be attacked by either of them ant any
moment & was half a mile from any company & had no weapon
not even enough to have defend myself against A Badger
& I thought wisdom dictated for me to return to camp so I
took up my polls & fish & walked leasurelly home & retired
to rest which closed the business of the day

June 11, 1847 ~ Friday

11^th We rode 9 miles & camped upon the Platt bottom
for nooning. we travled in the Afternoon 8 miles & camped upon
the bank of the Platt within A short distance of the Mo
camp who were trying to ferry over their waggons, they reported
our camp to be At the ferry 10 miles or so Above us, the
Hunters brought in 13 Antelops. the Mo company had killed 3
Buffalo. A young Antelope had hid behind A bunch of sage
to keep out of the way of the Hunters I discoverd him & crawld
up & caught him in my hands but He gave such a spring He cleared
himself from me. We rode our Horses into the river to day
several times to se[e] if we could find A fording place but we could
not find Any As the stream had risen by the melting snows of
the mountains, we passed some snow to day on the highest
peaks distance of the day 17 m

June 12, 1847 ~ Saturday

12^th I started in the morning to go forward in company
with Br A. P. Rockwood who was riding President Young
stud when suddenly he sprung upon my horse but
instead of striking my horse he took my knee into his
Jaw & bruised me considerable sunk one tooth to
the bone through three thicknesses of clothing &
one of them buck skin G A Smith & myself then
rode on to the ferrying ground & found our detachment ferrying
over the Missouri Company they paid the Brethren
$1.50 cts per each waggon & load, & paid in flour at $2.50
per cwt, generally flour is considerd worth at the forts through
this country at least $10 per cwt. It was difficult getting
over the river they carried the goods over in a boat &
drew the waggons over by hand with ropses but when the
curant struck them they would freequently rool several
times over in the watter & smash their bows out they also
came near drowning their Horses And one man would have
been lost if the brethren had not picked him out with
the boat, we saw also on the road whare the company had
a run away of their teams A Horse came runing among them
& frightened their oxen And they all started to run two
run up onto A bank & turned both waggons over with
women & children in & bruised them much, smashed Jars
crockery, dishes, boxes & sundrys to peaces. one team run
into the river & would probably have drowned & lost all
had not A little boy Jumped out beside the off ox which
frightend him & He out run the other hawed off & run
onto a sand bar He However kicked the boy against the
wheel & the wheel knocked [him] down into the water which
hurt him, but the scene ended without any loss of life.

The Blacksmiths had been to work for the Missouri Company
got flour money &c the company of 5 traiders had campd
near the brethren. Our hunters had been busily engaged in
getting game, they had killed 5 fat buffalo 4 Bear one
old she bear & 3 cubs, & shot at 2 griselly bear but did not
get them those killed were the black bear. Saw A plenty of
Antiope deer Elk & Mountain sheep the mountains near
us Abound with Bear & other game I found some buffalo meat
the Hunters were not agoing to save, so I cut out of the hump
of A Buffalo about 40 lbs of good fat stake & spread it
to dry Also tryed out about 8 lbs of good tallow

I visited the traiders camp they also was drying fine fat
Buffalo, one of the bears feet that was killed measured
7 1/2 inches long 5 inch wide 2 1/2 inch thick two toe nails 2 3/4 inch
long 3/4 inch wide. Our Hunters brought into camp 8 Antilope
the camp came up & camped within one mile of the ferry ground
in good feed had travled 11 1/4 miles 11 1/4 m

June 13, 1847 ~ Sunday

13^th Sunday A vary warm day the camp met for prayer
meeting At 9 oclok. O. P. Rockwell, Brown, And another
man were out all night Hunting. One of the men of the camp
started out at dark to go to the mountain to get some snow
the distance looked so short he said He could go & return before 8 oclok
& was foolish enough to make A bet of one dollar upon it, but he did not
get to the mountain by 8 oclok & about 10 oclok A company of Hors-
man was sent out with A bugle after him fearing the bears would
eat him up.

We had A meeting at 10 oclok H. C. Kimball Addressed
the meeting in an interesting manner, & was followed by Br Young
who spoke upon the liberty of the gospel, showed what it done
for us, saved us daily, exhaulted us to glory immortality & eternal
life brought us evry good thing, but in doing this it did not
do away with the law of God or the dictation of the Almighty
Some thought they wanted their liberty to curse, swear, stray
whare they were A mind to, run over the mountains, not regard
the laws & rules of the camp, but would that be liberty, not it
would lead to death & not life, the man that left the camp & went
to the mountains last night, had he have met A bear He would have had
the liberty to have run for his cli life, clumb A tree or been destroyed
The way to worship God the most acceptable is to do each day the
vary things that will bring the most good to the human family
there is A great differance to be seen between us As A camp & the
Missouri companies that Are going the same road or A part of the way
they curse & swear, rip & tare, & are a trying to swallow up the earth, but
though they do not wish us to have A place on earth the earth will soon
swallow them up & they will go to the land of forgetfulness, while the
Saints if faithful though they should suffer some privations here will
ultimately inherit the earth & increase in dominion power & glory untill
the Lord shall say to them, go to now make your thousands of worlds
& people them & make such laws to govern them as you are a mind
to for I Know you have no disposition to make any laws but those
that are good, for you always desired to do good on the earth, &
many other goodly words did He say unto our edefycation. He was
followed by O Pratt who exhorted us to give head to the teaching
we had herd & to improve our time in treasuring up usful knowledge
that we ought not to spend A moments time needlessly. Meeting
dismissed And the Twelve, colonels, captains, &c of the camp
met at the Presidents waggon to consult upon what measures
to adopt to get across the river it was finally agreed to go immedi-
ately to the mountains with a waggon & team for evry two tens
& get poolls & lash two or four waggons abrest to keep them
from turning over & float them across the river with boats &
ropes, so A company of Horsmen started for the mountains & teams
draw the polls. In the evening the flour meal & bacon was
[d]istributed through the camp equally that had been recieved
[fr]om the Mo company for ferrying them over, it amounted to
[page covered] 1/2 lbs of flour 2 lbs of meal & A small peace of Bacon to each
[in]dividual in the camp. It looked as much of A miricle to me

to see our flour & meal bags replenished in the midst of the black
Hills as it did to have the children of Israel fed with manna
in the wilderness [Exodus 16:11-15]. But the Lord has truly been with us on this
Journey we have had peace & union in our midst, our Horses & cattle
have been wonderfully preserved from death & Accident on the
way & our waggons from Breaking down. Great good will grow out
of this mission if we are faithful in keeping the commandments of God
I have taken great delight of late in reading the book of Mormon seeing
the great & glorious things revealed & recorded in that book & that we are
now trying to fulfill the great things or some of them that Lehi Nephi
Alma, Moroni, Isaiah And many other prophets had in view in the last
days in building up Zion, redeeming Israel, warning the Nations &
sealing salvation upon the meek of the earth & laying A foundation
that the earth may be prepared for the coming of the Mesiah.

June 14, 1847 ~ Monday

14^th At day light the two first tewo tens were called togethe[r]
to make Arangments for crossing. The proposal was made in the
camp to lash 4 waggons together & float them but the curant
was so strong many did not like that moad we Appointed Br
Grover As our captain to direct the rafting over we finally con-
cluded to put our polls into A raft carry our goods over in a
boat & put our waggons onto A raft we commenced at 5 oclok
& At 9 AM. being 4 Hours we had landed eleven waggon loads
of goods upon the North Shore with the little leather boat &
during the day we got over all the waggons belonging to our
tens being Eleven in all, And All of the rest encampment being
twelve tens ownly got over the same number that we did that
they floated therirs their waggons they floated their waggons
by tying from two to four together but they turned clear over
each other bottom side upwards & back again broke the bows covers
& boxes to pieices & lost ploughs Axes & Iron that was left in the
boxes. most of our company was in the water from morning
to night & all was vary weary when the work was done, we
saw A Heavy storm Approaching us, we had just drawn Dr Rich[ards]
two waggons to his goods on the shore & loaded them into his
waggons with all speed Just got through as the storm struck
us I sprung into my carriage & tied all down tight but the ra[in]
wind & Hail beat upon me so Heavy that I had to lay out most of
my strength to hold my waggon cover on both hail & rain came
insid my carriage untill my bed & things were nearly drenched
it ownly lasted 7 minutes but was vary severe most of the wagg-
ons & goods were more or less wet our Horses run two or three
miles in the storm when it was over I crossed the river & went
after them, tied them up returned back & went to rest vary
weary, But had some plesant dreams.

June 15, 1847 ~ Tuesday

15^th It is vary windy to day & our companies cross the river vary
slow. Another Missouri company has come up with us. I felt
somewhat unwell to day with the exposers of yesterday & the te[eth]
Ake

June 16, 1847 ~ Wednesday

16^th About 20 men went down the river to day & dug out
two large canoes to cover over to make A ferry boat illegible
to ferry over the large companies of emegrants that have ariv[ed]
& are on the way President Young thought it wisdom to
to leave A number of the brethren here & keep a ferry
untill our companies came up emegrants will pay for ferrying

$1.50 cts per waggon pay in flour, atcows, Beans &c flour at $2.50 per
cwt cows $10. the brethren also made two new rafts & got quite
A number of our pioneer waggons over. I was quite unwell A part
of the day with Ague in the face I walked out however with O. Pratt
about 3 miles onto some of the bluffs to view the country we saw
mountains to the North towering into the clouds, we judged they were
not much short of 100 miles from us. we had our guns with us &
Hunted some I shot one Antelope cut his throat with a bullet &
He fell dead in his tracts. Br Pratt shot at Another but did not
get him. this was the first Antelope I ever Killed, I tried to back
him in to camp but could not do it well so I got two men to help
me. we had some Heavy squals of wind & some rain in the
Afternoon In the evening many of us went over the river to
tie up our horses & when one company was coming back in the
leather boat they filled it half full of water & came near
sinking

June 17, 1847 ~ Thursday

17^th Early this morning we swam our Horses over the river, one
mule came near drowning by being tangled in a rope but the
curant carried him ashore & He made A live of it, the men
went to work to finish their ferry boat while the men contin
ued to cross waggons on the raft All of our company got over
to day & the brethren crossed some of the Missourians. Some of the eme
grants report 1000 waggons between Laramie & this place & there compan
ies Are ariving daily at the fording places. Brs Young & Kimball got
over to day & we all moved our waggons once more into A circle. this
is the 6^th day since our arival to this place which is the longest hender-
ance I ever saw At A ferry or crossing A river. Our brethren run the
the ferry boat All night to cross the Missourians but did not get
over but few waggons. I Am still in much pain with the teet[h] Ake &
sore lips & mouth. I had the privlege of milking A Mo cow which gave
me A plenty of milk for supper & breakfast

June 18, 1847 ~ Friday

18^th We Are still ferrying over the gentiles. Another large company
arived to day. Br Frosst mad me some nails & set two shoes for me
on my Saddle Horse, we commenced gathering cattle at 10 oclok
& Harnessed but did not start at all, but turned our teams
again, as all were not ready. We held a council in the
After noon & resolved to leave 9 men to tend the ferry
to cross emegrant companies & also our brethren who
should come After us, the men were chosen & we
met with them again in the evening, one Brother had petiti-
oned to stay that President Young wished to go along with the com-
pany his name was Glines he did not manifest a good spirit
& Br Young reproved him. He then deliverd a short lecture
which was interesting & instructive, And said that when He
gave A man council He did not want him to reject that
council or to bring up many arguments to try to Alter it for
when A man did it I will turn on my heel & leave him. He
sayes there is another principle that has tried many in the Church
because more will follow me than some Young Elder who
has not proved himself but if he was to try to gather to
himself the fruits of the labours of the Twelve & other men
would that be right. No he would be pulling back that that
[w]as before him but let the Elders do as I have done & my
[B]rethren the Twelve & other faithful men go and preach the
[g]ospel for years & do the will of God & you would have A train

following you even the fruits of your own labour & you would
be putting them After you, & not drawing back that which is
before you, the Lord is determined to esstablish his kingdom in
the last days & He will have A faithful diligent & obedient people
And He chastizes the Saints to keep them humble & make them do
thereir duty if we had not been mobed & Afflicted but always
been in prosperity we should have been lifted up in the pride of
our hearts & not gatherd together & built up Zion as we ought to
have done, so that these trials will work together for our good.
Instructions was also given to the Brethren who were to tarry to keep
together & be united, divide the means equally among yourselves
according to your labour, let each essteem his brother as himself. In no
wise retain that which belongeth to the traveller, steal not at all, be
careful of the lives & property of those you ferry over, & forget not
your prayers keep together & come up with the next company of Saints
The following are the names Thomas Grover, John S. Higby, Luke Johnson, W^m Empy
Edmond Elsworth, Benjamin F. Stewart, Francis Pomeroy, James Devonport, Appleton
Harmon. Thomas Grover was Appointed captain

June 19, 1847 ~ Saturday

19^th we parted with the brethren who were to att
end the ferry & the camp moved on having been
one week we travled through A barren country
to willow springs ^A spring of water^ & nooned being 12 miles, we
past the red butes & many rough picturesque
sceneries & camped at night by the poison waters
travled 9 1/2 miles in the Afternoon whole distance 21 1/2 [miles]
Our camping place for the night was the most wretched of any ground
we have found on the way President Young thought it might properly
be called Hell gate All the water tasted as though it run through
A bed of salt, salts, saltpeter, sulpher the it was naucious Horrible
the ground in the valleys & marshes was Apparently one half of it
composed of the saline floresance or salty substance of which this
country abounds. Our Horses & cattle being thirsty drank a
little of the watter & quit it some of the cattle got badly miered
in the marshes. The traiders informed us these grounds wers
poison & would kill cattle but ours did not drink much or feed
long we tied them up. The Hunters brought in one buffalo &
one deer & 3 Antelope

June 20, 1847 ~ Sunday

1920^th Sunday we hitched up early in the morning without feed
or watering & left our encampment of death, poison waters,
salt marshes &c & rode 3 miles to A good camp ground & sweet
water & turned out & bated 2 hours & took breakfast. this
camp ground was on the willow spring branch about 3 miles from
the head. President Young wished me to go on about 15
miles & look up a camp ground for the night, so I went forw[ar]d
G. A. Smith went with me to the head of the willow springs
we there found A doctor belonging to a Missouri company who
had been doctoring A sick family in a company that was
forward He was of opinion that the willow springs were
still 10 miles ahead which was incorrect as he was then
sitting at the head of them. Br Smith stoped with the
dDr to wait for our waggons to come up & I rode on alone
After travling several miles Br John Brown came up
with me & we rode on together over A sandy barren, sage
country to a creek of good water containing some small
fish about 10 miles west of the willow springs we arived Here

at half past 1 oclok we turned out our Horses to bait & tarried untill 4 oclok
watching for our company to come in sight, but we could see no
waggons, but saw two horsman approaching us, we waved A small
flag for them to come to us supposed they were some of our company, but
they were two Hunters Capt Smith & another man from the Mo co
mpany]] carrying in Buffalo meat to there camp they thought we were
Indians in the distance & made off. I mounted my horse & put after
them & soon overtook them, And made inquiries about our camp
they said they had not seen it, but had seen A company of about
A dozen waggons coming by themselves, I then concluded our camp
had stoped at the willow Springs, so Captain Smith who was the
leader of the Mo Company invited us to go on & camp with them for
the night As they did not expect to go but a few miles further than the
creek we were now on. As it was 5 oclok & we could see 5 miles on
the road back & no waggons in sight I concluded our company would
not come on & if they should they would go no further than the
creek so we accepted Capt Smith proposal & went on with him
to spend the night with his camp dut insted of his going but little
distance he continued on mile after mile & could neither find feed
or water except the salt & Alkalie ponds & lakes untill we struck
the sweet water river at Indipendance Rock which is so noted
in Freemont^s Journal & other travellers which was about 12 miles west
of the creek before spoken off their oxen had tiered out having
travled about 27 miles & much of the road vary sandy & we had
road about [FIGURE] 30 miles And was quite weary, the sweet water is
truly sweet to man & beast after travling through so
much ground coverd with salt, perlash, And Alkilie water as is found
on the way we turned out our horses in good feed got supper which
was Bacon, Buffalo, corn bread, coffee Milk &c then lay down
upon the ground & spent the night under A tent with the Missour-
ians but did not rest well. I found A great differance between the
Missouri emigrant companies & our own, for while the men, women
& children were all cursing, swaring, quarelling, scolding finding
fault with each other & other companies, there was nothing of the
kind allowed or practiced in our own camp. But to return to
our camp I will say At a late hour they came up to the creek that
we left back 12 miles, & grass being poor continued on 4 miles
west of the creek & camped for the night they travled 20 miles
while I travled 30 miles 30 miles

The camp not finding me at the creek, nor hearing from me
at all felt some Alarmed lest I was lost, or got into trouble with
the Indians or some difficulty they blowed their bugle &
watched for me untill midnight & finally fired there cannon
while I was camped 10 miles from them not thinking that I
was giving them any trouble

June 21, 1847 ~ Monday

June 21^{st 1847} [FIGURE] INDEPENDANCE ROCK I arose early this morning
took breakfast And in
company with Br Brown
we rode clear around Independance Rock I should
Judge the distance to be about 3/4 of A mile, we exhamined the many
names & lists of names of the trappers, traders, travellers, & emegrants
which are painted upon those rocks nearly all the names were put
on with read, Black, & yellow paint, some had washed out & defaced
the greatest number was put on within A few Years some of them
were quite plain of about 30 years standing nearly all the comp[anies]

pass by put some of their names on the rock After going around and
exhamineding it we staked our horses And mounted the rock I
went forward & gained the highest point of the south end of the
Rock which containes the names. After exhamineing it I then went to
the North end which is the highest part of the rock, here is An opening
or cavern that would contain 30 or 40 persons And A rock stands on the
highest peak of about 3 tons wait. we got upon this rock & offered up
our prayers according to the order of the priesthood, we prayed earnestly
for the blessings of God to rest upon President Young & his brethrn
the Twelve & all of the Pioneer camp & the whole camp of
Israel & House of Israel, our wives & children, & relatives
the Mormon Battalion, all the churches Abroad And that the
Lord would hasten the time of the fulfillment of his prom-
ises to Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Joseph, Lehi, Nephi, Alma, &
Moroni And all the sayings of the Lord of the Lord concerning
the building up of Zions in the last days And Avenging the
blood of the Prophets And while offering up our prayers
the spirit of the Lord desended upon us and we truly felt
to rejoice & while we were attending to our prayers the Missou-
rians was burying A woman A little distance from the
rock by the name of Rachel Morgan 25 years of Age being
the third one of the family buried on the road they were
supposed to be poisoned by cooking in new copper vessels
After surveying the rock what we wished we again
desended to the ground. I was the first Latter Day Saint
that ever went onto that rock or offered up prayers according to the
order of the Priesthood. We had A view of our camp from this rock And
expected they would noon there so we mounted our horses & concluded
to examine the country in the regions round about we rode to the North
East about 5 miles went to the top of a high bluff And saw the camp
in motion we then rode to the foot of the Mountain to the N.W. & followed
under the foot of the mountain All of the way to the Devils gate thrugh
which the Sweet water runs, while taking this circuitous rout
we passed A salt lake covering about 50 acres of Ground. We spent
but few minutes at the Devils gate at this time & Hurried on toback to
the rock as our camp had come up but before we could get to them
they had camped half a mile east of the rock I met Br Young
going up to the rock I related to him my travels since I left the camp
He asked me to go back with him to the rock, so I told turned out my
horse having rode all of 20 miles during the forenoon exhamining
bare rugged rocks & barren grounds & salt ponds &c And I returned
with President Young W. Richards G. A. Smith & others & we again
ascended the rock together & spent about half an hour upon it &
returned to camp mounted our horses & rode to the Devils gate which
is the name of the channel through the Mountain through which the
sweet waters run. It is 5 miles from Indipendance Rock &
while Approaching this place from the rock As is the case while approa[ch]-
ing the foot of any mountain through this country A person is
greatly decieved in the distance for while An object appears but a mile
Ahead of you you will have to ride 5 or 6 before you can reach it
we rode as far as we could into the gate hitched our horses & walked
into about the centre of the cavern. This opening or Devils gate is
400 feet high perpendicular rocks 120 feet wide & 50 rod's long
& the water rushes through it with A roar, the rocks are compo[se]d
[page worn] [of] coarse grey granite with A vein of Black trap rock runing

through it we spent about half an hour visiting this place then had to
back out & ride around it on the south side some of the footman
walked over the top of it we camped for the night on the bank of
the sweet water About one mile west of the Devils gate the camp having
travled during the day 15 1/4 miles And I 30 miles. Distance 15 1/4 m 30 miles

A guide board was put up at the gate saying it was
175 1/4 miles from the Fort Laramie, & 50 1/4 from the ford
22nd or ferry of the Platt River

June 22, 1847 ~ Tuesday

22nd we travled 10 miles & nooned. Br Lorenzo Young broke An Axeltree
of his waggon which detained the camp some, two more Missouri companies
overtook us at noon, the camp started on & Brs Young, Benson Little
& myself, went back to meet Lorenzo & help him get up his waggon &
we were behind all the Afternoon. A company that arived at noon
informed us that A man was drowned At the ferry After we left in
trying to swim his Horses across & they had not found his body when
they left, two men also got some Alarmed At the Indipendance
Rock by A large griselly bear they stoped to put their names on the
rock & the company left them they started to follow on, one man
was on foot & the other on a horse & were met in the road by A griselly
bear who made A tract 10 inch long, they had no weapons not even a knife
the Bear sat up & looked at them A few moments & walked off & they
came Along, the griselly bear are more Apt to attact men than any other
kind.

We travled in the Afternoon 10 3/4 miles & camped at the foot of
A mound about 200 feet high, on the bank of the Sweat water
Br Kimball & mysel went to the top of it & looked down upon the
camp & it look heavenly. we offered up our prayers & the spirit of the
Lord rested upon us we descended again to the camp the moon shone
beautiful. during the evening the brethren put in A new Axeltree into
Br Lorenzo' waggon distance of the day 20 3/4 miles

June 23, 1847 ~ Wednesday

23^rd We travled in the forenoon 8 1/2 miles & nooned by the Sweet water
with the mountains piled up near by us our road to day has been
through A level, sandy, barren sage region for A mountain country
we travled in the Afternoon 8 1/2 miles & camped on the bank of the Sweetwater
whare the road leaves it for about 20 miles across the sandy sage plains
without water or feed, we had excellent grass for our camp at night
we Are in plain view of the Rocky Mountains at the pass & beyound
we had A vary sandy draging road all day whole distance 17 miles

June 24, 1847 ~ Thursday

24^th We travled to day 5 miles & came to the frozen or Lee spring
And stoped And exhamined it & found the spring to be strongly impregnated
with sulpher so much so it could not be drank the water would boil up
out of A peace of Bog ground yet all around it it was so cold that After
removing the turf about 6 inch A solid body of Ice was found about 18 inches
thick some of it we cut up with Axes & spades. near this was small ponds
[page covered] [of] water salt & saltpeter & sulpher & peotash seemed to be in the body of
the water, pure perlash was found in such quantities on the edges of
these waters that the brethren gatherd pailfulls of it [to] raise bread with
others would fill their cups with salt so pure from other mixtures that
they used it we travled from this place 12 3/4 miles & camped upon the
bank of the Sweet water two days 18 miles from the foot of the pass
[page covered] 3 companies camped near us to night, this is the last time we shall see
the sweet water on this Journey we did not bait to day but camped
at 4 oclok whole distance of the day 17 3/4 miles

Br Youngs team run away with A waggon I cought them by the
bit just as they were about to plunge into the stream

Soon after we camped Br Holman was driving up the Horses
with his gon in his hand He went to punch a Horse with the
musel of his gun the lock caught in his cloths & discharged
into the best Horse the best horse there was in camp owned by
president Young called his John Horse He lived A few hours
& died there are many Accidents happen in that way by
caring loaded guns with caps upon their tubes.

June 25, 1847 ~ Friday

25^th we travled 8 3/4 miles & nooned upon A branch of
the sweet water in as good grass As we have had on
the way early in the Afternoo we began to ascend the high
est & longest Hill that we have passed over on the Journy
we travled about 5 miles before [we] reached the top on the
way up the brethren found snow Banks 20 or 30 rods
long from 5 to 10 feet deep about 1/4 of a mile from
the road they brought some to me & I ate some
the road was vary rocky a part of the way over the
Hills. we passed by 3 Mo camps who had passed by
us we travled in the Afternoon 11 1/2 miles & camped
for the night on A small branch of the sweet water
the chain of the wind River mountain seemed
quite near us & covered with vast quantities
of snow & we are so near the top of the mountain
& surrounded with snow that the air feels like
winter whole distance of the day 20 1/4 mi
our teams fed upon white clover to night we are
nearly at the head of the sweat water

June 26, 1847 ~ Saturday

26^th We started this morning at 8 oclok & travled untill 1 ocl[ock]
& nooned again on the branch of the Sweet much larger tha[n]
original stream in consequence of the melting of the vast bod[y]
of snow on the wind river range, & the Hills that surround us
the watter run into many of our waggons; whare we camped
at noon there was A large quantity of strabury vines in bloo[m]
& white clover we travled in the forenoon 11 miles & in the
Afternoon 7 3/4 miles & camped Again upon the branch of the
Sweet water that we nooned upon, we camped opposit the
table rock & near the summit of the south pass or dividing
ridge And I was quite asstonished at the road & country
to day considering that we were crossing what is called the
south pass of the rocky mountains it was the best road we
had for many days & had it not have been for the wind
river range of mountains full in view on our right & the
tabl coverd with eternal snow, & some snow banks 10 fe[et]
deep by the side of the road as we passed along & the table
rock on the left I should have thought myself travel[in]g
over the beautiful prairies of Illinois & Missouri except the
country was coverd more with sage that prairie grass
the road for many miles & Also the valley of or plain of
beautiful grass lying North of table rock was perfectly
strewn with vary handsom cornelian stones I saw
more in one hour this evening than I ever saw during
my whole life either in the rude state or polished
& set in breast pins in all the Jewellers shops I ever saw
in my travels in the world from the sice of a goose
egg to A pea. distance of the day 18 3/4 [miles]

Elders Kimball Pratt G. A. Smith & Brown continued on to take an
observation with the Barrometer on the dividing ridge & they con-
tinued on to the waters of the green river 7 miles from us that
run into the pacific while we were on the Sweet water that runs
into [t]he Atlantic; they supposed we should come on to them And
as they did not return several of us mounted our Horses to go in
search of them soon After we started we met Br Kimball
on his return after us He informed us that the Brethren
were camped with about one dozen men from Oregon on
there way to the States & they would stay together over night
[FIGURE]

During our travels to day I walked most of the way with Profess-
ors Pratt, & Carrington And our conversation turned upon the
subject of the original formation of God, Angels, men, & Devils
the begetting of spirits in the eternal world, & who by, the beget-
ing of children on the earth, the Death of men & children & the
resurrection of All. Each one gave his views, opinions, & reasonings
& many interiesting remarks were truly made. And Any person
who should chance to read these lines I wish them to understand that
the Ideas given upon these points were not given as doctrin but opi-
nion untill sumthing better should present itself or be decided by
revelation. One of the most important Items If true was pre-
sented by Professor Pratt upon A subject that Heretofore has ben
entirely out of the reach of All mankind from the days of Adam
to the present time As far as is revealed to us. It was upon the subjec
of the original formation of the first God, we all admitted in the
first place that which we believed to be an important truth ie the eternal
duration of matter spirit, intelligence in some form or other we also
agreeed in the opinion that Neither God nor man Always had from
all eternity the same formation that they now have but did exhist in
some form for if we Admitted the fact that one being exhisted in
the present form all might have exhisted in the same form as well as
one, then the question arose how did God recieve his present formation
the Answer given by Professor Pratt was sumthing in the following
language. He sayes I t[h]row out my Ideas not as doctrin but for you
to look at. you know when A chemist goes to work to Analize or
try new experiments they often have to try many times before they
get a thing perfect & take certain processes which are unnecessary and are
afterward laid aside And persue the most perfect course that can be
obtained. It may reasonably have been the case with the first being
formed which may be called God. As eternity was filled as it were
with particles of intelligence who had there Agency, two of these
particles in process of time might have joined their interest together
exchanged ideas & found by persueing this course that they gained
double strength to what one particle of intelligence would have &
afterwards were joined by other particles & continued untill they
formed A combination or body though through a long process yet
they had power over other intelligences in consequence of their
combination, organization, & strength And in process of time this
being body or God seeing the Advantage of such an organization
desires company or A companion And Having some experiance
goes to work & organizes other beings by prevailing intelligences to
come togeth & may form sumthing better than at the first
And After trials of this kind & the moust perfect way sought
ought it was found to be the most expeditious & best way to recieve
there formations or bodies either spiritual or temporal through
the womb

June 27, 1847 ~ Sunday

June 27^th 1847 Three years ago this day the Prophets Joseph
and Hyrum Smith were martered.

Though it was
Sunday morning we Harnessed up our teams & drove 6 miles to
the place whare Brs Pratt & Smith camped in company with
Mr Harris who has been A traider & trapper in the rocky mou-
ntains & travled through Oregon & Calafornie 25 years we found
him to be a man of much experience & knowledge & acquaintan[ce]
with the country He brought A file of Oregon Papers & one
Published by S Brannon of Calafornia many of us had
much conversation with him about the country He spoke
unfavorable of the Salt Lake country for a settlement but
spoke of other places not far off that were good. He said we
generally could go through the pass as late as November
but should we get blocked in with snow we would would
find A small stream of water 4 or 5 miles from the Devils
gate near Independance rock this stream is 5 miles west of
the gate follow that up A short distance & it would lead
to A road that crosses it to the west which would lead to a
through A large plain following to the mountains whare
there is but little snow when you come to the pass or
Hill get onto some of them & you will see A large
bute leave it to the [blank] Hand & follow down [blank]
[blank] And it will lead into the open
valleys See * below

It is 275 1/2 miles from fort Laramie to the South pass

At 9 oclok this morning I passed the dividing ridge
that seperates the dividing waters of the Atlantic
And pacific we camped at noon on muddy creek
the waters of which run into the green river & the
pacific I drank its waters for the first time in my
life that I tasted of waters runing into the pacific
we had a warm dusty day I conversed considerably
with Mr Harris about the country we camped at
night upon dry sandy whole distance 15 1/4 mil

* 3 miles above the gate look to the south you will see an open pass in
the Mountains go through that & let your course be west till you top
the Hill out of the great plain, then look to the south you will see a
square bute leave that to the left go on & cross the green River then let
your course be west to Bridgers Fort, (And I think) He said we should
go by blacks fork

June 28, 1847 ~ Monday

28^th we Parted with Major Harris After doing some traiding with
him He promised to meet us Again on bear River, we travled to
little Sanday & nooned the stream was high, in the Afternoon
we travled 2 miles & met Mr Bridger of the fort on the way
with two other men going to fort Laramie. He was expecting us & was
to have an interview with President Young & the Twelve And also we
wished to have an interview with theHim. So we immediately turned
onto the creek we nooned on & camped for the night & Mr
Bridger & his men camped with us, we met in council & spent
some hours in conversations, we found him to have been a great
traveller And A great knowledge of nearly all Oregon & Calafor[nia]
the Mountains, lakes, rivers, Brooks, springs, valleys, mines, ores, &c &
ie if what He told us was true. He knew of gold, silver, copper, lead, coal
Iron, sulpher & salpeter, mines He spoke more Highly of the great

[page covered] [Bas]in 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 [verdigris]
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 dis 15 1/2 [miles]

June 29, 1847 ~ Tuesday

29^th 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 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 it 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 [miles]

June 30, 1847 ~ Wednesday

30^th Br Fowler was some better this morning seemed to be threatnd
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 torn] [The]y were putting in wheat & preparing for us He had come all
[page torn] [the] way with ownly two men to meet with us. the Saints were
[page torn] [se]ttelled with & the Mormon Battalion was 400 miles from him
[page torn] [H]e said Br Pratt was doing well. The inhabitants of one whole Island
numbering 3000 had imbraced the faith He told us many inter-
esting things & we were truly glad to see him distance of the day 8 m

July 1, 1847 ~ Thursday

JULY 1^st We tried this morning to swim our cattle over the
river but had great difficulty in it. About 15 persons have been
taken sick within A few days with fever Ague &c which is said to
be common to emegrants coming from the snowy mountains to the
plains or valleys whare it is Hot wether. Br Fowler is better to
day some others of the sick are better some are worse. each
division made A good raft yesterday & Are lanched this morning
Brother Brannon Brought A file of his papers that He is publishing
with him to camp & A letter to Br Fowler from his wife. He also
informed us that Captain Sutter was vary friendly & wished us
to come & settel near him. He informed us that He saw more
timber on green River whare we now are than He had seen on
his route since He left Calafornia He came through a par[t] of
Oregon. We are now in Calafornia. We got over 10 waggons to day
among others my own so we camped over night on the south
bank of the green river

July 2, 1847 ~ Friday

2nd Two rafts have been runing through the day & most of
the waggons have been brought over we swam our Horses &
cattle over this morning though with some difficulty. we
held A council in the Afternoon with the Twelve &
4 men was Appointed to return to meet the camp & pilote
them up. Br Brannan was with the council, we each one
wrote our views concerning the council to be given to the camp
it is an exceding hot day, And both man & beast are much annoyed
with musketoes. Several salmon trout were caught at the mouth of
A slue on green river near the ferry one weighing 7 1/4 lbs. Several
of the brethren gatherd A quantity of salaratus from the salarat[us]
bedes about 3 miles east of the indipendance rock near the road &
thought it answered as good A purpose As the manufactured article
for raising bread & family purposes

July 3, 1847 ~ Saturday

3^rd A light sprinkle of rain, cool, cloudy & High winds, so they could
not finish ferrying, the pilots Are preparing to start back to meet the
companies I wrote A letter by them to Aphek Woodruff A O. Sm[oot]
And John Benbow, the wind laid & we finished ferrying in the
evening & the whole camp moved 3 miles & camped A guide board
was put up A mile from the ferry saying [FIGURE] 340 mile from
Fort Laramie

July 4, 1847 ~ Sunday

Sunday Independance July 4^th 1847 A meeting was held
last evening & the 4 men were Appointed as pilots to go back
& meet the company were called upon to start this morning
to go on their journey. I accompanied Presidents Young
Kimball Richards & others to the ferry to put them across
[page torn] [t]he river & when we arived at the river we saw 13 Horsman
[page torn] [o]n the opposite bank, with therir baggage on one of our rafts
[page torn] [B]ut to our great joy who should they be bout our Brethren
[page torn] [b]elonging to the Mormon Battalion who volunteered into the
[page torn] [se]rvice of the U. S. A. one year ago this month & belonged to Capt

Browns Detachment who had been at Pueblo through the winter
Br A Lyman who we sent unto them had reached them & infor-
med them whare we are & the whole detachment of 140 of the
brethren were within 7 days drive of us. we drew up the
raft & crossed them all over but one who returned with our
pilots to meet the companies when we met it was truly A Harty
greeting & shaking of hands. they accompanied us into camp and all
were glad to meet, this small detachment had come on to m
meet some Hors thieves who had stolen about a dozen horses from
them they had overtaken them & got all but one He had gone
on to Bridgers fort & they calculated to follow him & get their
Horse they spent the night in camp with us, Among the names
of those who died was Mervin Blanchard who drove team for
me last summer. But I must stop writing the Musketoes have filled
my carriage like A cloud And have fallen upon me as though they intende
to devour me. I never saw that insect more troublesome than in certain places
in this country several traiders passed by our camp just at night

July 5, 1847 ~ Monday

5^th we left the green river (which are the head waters of the
Coloradoe,) & drove 20 miles & camped on blacks fork there is neit[h]-
er food or water since we left the green river to this place but is
similar to the last 200 miles—A sandy desert coverd with sage, but we
find good grass on the streams. most of the day was vary Hot
& dusty yet towards night we saw A hard shower of rain some
wind towards the mountains A few drops reached us in this coun-
try it rains about the mountains but not much in the valleys &
plains. distance of the day 20 miles

July 6, 1847 ~ Tuesday

6^th A warm windy dusty day, man & beast Harnesses & waggons were
all coverd with dust we crossed black fork at 9 oclok, muddy fork at
10 & camped on the west side of Hams fork at 5 oclok we did not
noon at all to day whole distanc of the day 18 miles

The sick in camp are most universally getting better, the face of the
country is the same to day as usual Barren, sand & sage, with occasionally
A sprinkling of flowers some vary beautiful, the country during the last
weeks drive has Appeared vary destitute of game none to be seen except
occasionally An Antilope one was killed yesterday

July 7, 1847 ~ Wednesday

7^th We crossed hams fork And drove to Fort Bridger & in the regi
on of the fort before we got onto our camping ground we crossed
more than A dozen trout Brooks, the water run swift but clear, hard,
cold, gravelly, bottoms. the brethren cought several brook trout the
first I had seen since I left England the whole region of country
all up & down these streams were coverd with grass knee deep, 10
of the battalion found A Hors thief at the fort who had assisted in
stealing 10 of their Horses they had got all but two, & the man said
they had gone to Oregon. we saw About A dozen traiders lodges about
the fort the fort was merly A small traiding post ore one duilding
not large distance of the day 17 3/4 miles

July 8, 1847 ~ Thursday

8^th [FIGURE] The calculation was to spend the day at the fort, As soon As I
got my breakfast I riged up my trout rod that I had brought with me
from Liverpool, fixed my reel, line, & Artificial fly & went to one
of the brooks close by camp to try my luck cetching trout, the men
[page covered] [a]t the fort said there were but vary few trout in the streams, And
[page covered] [a] good many of the brethren were already at the creeks with their rods
[page covered] [&] lines triying their skill baiting with fresh meat & grass hoppers, but
no one seemed to ketch any. I went & flung my fly onto the wat[er]

And it being the first time that I ever tried the Artificial fly in
America, or ever saw it tried, I watched it as it floated upon the
water with as much intens interest As Franklin did his kite when
he tried to draw lightnigng from the skies. And as Franklin recieved great
Joy when he saw electricity or lightning desend on his kite string in
like manner was I highly gratifyed when I saw the nimble trout
dart my fly hook himself & run away with the line but I soon
worried him out & drew him to shore & I fished two or three
hours includind morning & evening & I caught twelve in all
And About one half of them would weigh abought 3/4 of A pound each
while All the rest of the camp did not ketch during the day
3 lbs of trought trout in all which was proof potsitive to me
that the Artificial fly is far the best thing now known to fish
trout with. In the Afternoon I went to Bridgers House & traid[ed]
off my flint lock rifle for four Buffalo robes the robes were
large & nice well taned or dressed. He called the gun $20 & the
robes $5 each, the Articles generally at Bridgers fort were at least
one third or one half higher, than at any other traiding post in
America that I ever saw. His robes were $5 buck skin shirts $6
Pants $6 dressed skins $3 &c while At fort hall, Doe skins 50 ct
Buck 75 Elk $1 shirts & pants $1.50, Robes $2, &c

Professor Pratt took observations At fort Bridger in Lat. 41º 19' 13"
Highth above the sea 6665 feet

July 9, 1847 ~ Friday

9^th I arose this morning quite unwell, felt threatend with
the camp fever, yet I mounted my horse And rode untill 10 oclok before
starting however I was called upon to Administer to Br Carter who
was taken with the fever there Are new cases evry day in camp. I
took to my bBed at 10 oclok with distressing pain in my head, back, joints
bones, marrow, & all through the system Attended with cold chills &
hot flashes through the body, And we travled 13 miles over as bad a road as
we had had on the journey, which makes it exceding painful to the sick, the
day seemed excedind long to me when we stoped at night I took compos
ition, cayenne And A dose of vegitable pills And I had A better nights
rest than I expected distance of the day 13 [miles].

July 10, 1847 ~ Saturday

10^th I felt quite feeble this morning but felt that my fever was broke
we travled up & down some of the steepest Hills we have found on the
Journey & the longest, we passed through A valley 6^th, miles long grass knee
deep strong mineral springs, Any amount of copper, lead, & coal, & lime &
great stone on each side of the valley it is an 18 mile drive without water
that can be drank there are a number of springs in the valley but
they run through mineral beds And are not good to drink, we camped
for the night 1 1/2 miles from bear River, by the best spring of water
we had found on the route & A small stream near by. An Indian
came from Bridgers fort & travled with us & camped with us for the
night, camp fires were discoverd about 3 miles from our camp G. A. S
& others went over to them, And found it to be Mr Miles Goodyier
& several others with him some were from Calafornia going ba[c]k
to the States. Mr Goodyier goes by the name of Miles though it is
his Christian name He has setled at the Salt lake has A garding &
vegitation of all kinds He says doing well. He spoke of 3 rodes
to the Lake, & talked about the country the Missourian that wa[s]
going to the States came through the 80 miles drive without wate[r]
or grass had to leave 5 of his mules on the road, could not get
[page covered] [his] own through, this is on the Calafornia road. The subject w

was brought up again concerning the emigrant company who pe[rished]
in the Mountains last winter they were mostly from Independance
Clay County Missouri And were A mob company & threatned to drive
out the mormons that were in Calafornia & started for Calafornia with
that spirit in there hearts but it seemed as though they were ripe for
Judgement the snows fell upon them 18 feet deep on a level & they
died & eat up each other about 40 persons perished & were mostly
eat up by those who survived them Mrs L Murphy of Tenn whom
I Baptized while on a mishion in that country but since Apostitized
& joined the mob was in the company, died or was killed & eat up
her bones sawed to peaces for her branes & marrow & left strewed
upon the ground

distance of the day 18 miles
whole distance from Bridgers fort to Bear River 32 1/2 miles

Br Luce was taken vary sick this Afternoon there are new cases daily
It is vary severe but does not generalal last the brethren more than 2 or
3 days.

Three griselly bear were seen by the brethren to day some
were within A few rods of them dut they made of & did not give
battle which they are more Apt to do than any other bear

July 11, 1847 ~ Sunday

11^th Sunday we spent the day in camp some of the brethren rode
out to seek out the road & found A mineral tar spring it run
pure tar or substance that looked like tar quite as thick
& black. Some thought it was oil it had A strong smell
& was 1 1/2 miles south of our camp several of the brethren
thought of getting it to tar waggons with

July 12, 1847 ~ Monday

12^th [FIGURE] I started early in the morning & rode to bear
River And for the first time I saw the long looked
for Bear River valley yet the spot whare we stuck it
was nothing vary interesting there was considerable
grass in the valley & some timber & thick bushes on
the bank of the river my object in visiting the
river before the camp was to try my luck in ketching
trout as it was A stream famed for containing that
kind of fish. it was cloudy & cool but I found
it A difficult stream to fish in with the fly in
consequence of the thick underbrush. I fished several
hours & had all sorts of luck good bad and i
indiferent. I some of the time would fish half an
hour & could not start a fish, then I would find an
eddy with 3 or 4 trout in it & they would jump at
the hooks as though there was A bushel of trout in
the hole, And in one instance I caught two at a time
I fished some of the time on horsback riding in the
middle of the stream which was about 3 rode wide
& when I could not desend longer in the stream
for swift & deep water I would have to plunge
my horse through the bear thickets which was
hard work to penetrate And I knew not at
what moment I would have A griselly bear upon
my back or An Indian Arrow in my side
for I was in danger of both some of the time
I would have A dozen bites at my hook in one
& nearly drown 3 or 4 trout & not get one. I fin[ally]
wound up my fishing & started after the camp

Having caught [ink blot] troot in all the camp travled
9 miles & nooned in a valley I found President
Young vary sick with the fever. The camp started on
But President Young being so sick concluded not to move from whare
He was Brs Kimball, Benson, Rockwood & others stoped with him with
there waggons, we drove without any road over Hills & dales had to
make our own road as we went along, we camped at night in Mathews
valley by the side of Reddings Cave, this cave is about 20 feet wide
at its mouth 7 feet high & 30 feet long, at the back part of the cave
Are large wolf dens or other Animals the cave is composed of
light coulored sand stone vary somft many of us cut our name
in it there are many curious rocks that surround it we passed
by A mountain of pudding stone composed of gravel sand
sement &c its spires were reaching up like the pyramids of Egypt
The valleys begin to grow more fertile & the Air more pacific than in
the wind River country. Professor Pratt informed me that his
Barometrical [FIGURE] observation made the South pass to be 7085 feet
above the level of the sea. Also it was 280 miles from Laramie
the distance of the day 16 3/4 mile

July 13, 1847 ~ Tuesday

13^th I arose quite unwell this morning sore throat, mouth, lips &c
several Brethren went to meet President Young the camp lay
still waiting for him to come up, Br Kimball came to camp at noon
And A council was called of the whole camp & resolved that
O Pratt take A company of about 20 waggons & 40 men & go
on to the canion make the rode as they go & if they could not
go through the canion to find Smiths cut off & make a road over
the mountain that we need not be hindred when we come along
there was 23 waggons in all & started At 1 oclok. the Hunters
brought in 12 Antelope ^yesterday^ & to day 10 we have found but little game
for many days untill yesterday & to day. President Young is
better to day but will not move untill tomorrow. In the Afternoo[n] [text faded]
Elder Richards & myself walked out to search for springs or
water & talked over old times my mishion to Fox Islands
And his labours in Preston & our mishions in England together

July 14, 1847 ~ Wednesday

14^th I rode in the fore part of the day back back 7 miles to visit Br Young
Dr Richards G. A. Smith the evening before went out together & Pray
before the Lord for the recovery of Br Young & we felt a testimony
that thatHe would begin to recover from that hour. And when I
Arived whare he was I found him much better in health & quite
chearful, But I found Br Rockwood much the sickest man that
had been in camp I tarried with them untill near night Assisting
the sick & then returned back to our encampment travled 14 mil
during the evening we also went out & Prayed for Br Rockwood
& felt convinced we should find him better in the morning

July 15, 1847 ~ Thursday

[page covered] [1]5^th I started early in the morning with my carriage & H[orses] [page torn]
[page covered] after President Young & Br Rockwood I was two hours [driving] [page torn]
7 miles to their camp made up the bed in the waggon & took
them both in I found them much better in health & t[hey] [page torn]
thought they could ride As my carriage was the easiest veicle [in] [page torn]
camp so all the waggons started & drove to our camp & the sick were
refreshed by their ride And After making A short halt the wh[ole camp] [page torn]
drove 4 1/2 miles further & [illegible] [page torn] night I drove 18 1/2 m[iles] And cam[ped] [page torn]

July 16, 1847 ~ Friday

16^th I took Brs Young & Rockwood into my carriage & drove on
with the camp 6 1/2 miles & nooned in the same valley which we nam
ed Mathews vale we travled in the Afternoon 9 1/2 miles with per-
pendicular rocks on one side & steep Bluffs on the other thousands
of feet high we had a bad road for the sick to travel in &
wearied Br Young out & He was sick at night. for several mil[es] [text faded]
on the North side of the road we discoverd A dark substance
runing out of the holes of the rocks which congeled it had
some the Appearance of gum myrr or opeum ownly it was
hard & bitter As Allows we could could discover it for
10 miles ain places along on the rocks distance of the day 16 m
I went to webers fork 1 miles from our encampment & coug[ht] [text faded]
one trout for Br Young

July 17, 1847 ~ Saturday

17^th Br Young is vary Poorly this morning. 9 of our horses lost
among whom is two that Br Fowler drives, we start out
& drive 3 miles on webers fork & camp A number of trout was
caught by the Brethren some that would weigh A lb Br Young
was wors & could not Journey & we stoped & camped for
the day the Horses were found 10 miles back. I fished with the
fly & cought several trout. The Twelve with somo others went out
together & prayed in due form for Br Young & all the sick & had a
good time. distance 3 miles

we rode to the canion in the night 8 miles whole distance 16 [miles]

July 18, 1847 ~ Sunday

^18^th Sunday spent the day Holding meeting^
198^th 41 waggons went on this morning among whom was Dr
Richards & G. A. Smith 15 waggons remained with President Young
Among the number was two of my own. In company with
H C Kimball E T Benson, & H Egan I rode over the mountain
called Pratts Pass with the company that went on & returned
to camp it was A Hot day. Several Brethren cought some trout
[page torn] t[h]at would weigh near two lbs each I cought 2 with the fly but
[page torn] t[h]ey did not seem to take it well in that stream, we moved
our camp 2 miles 2 miles

whole distance that I travled during the day 25 miles

during the evening I went onto A High hill with Brothers Kimball
& Benson & had Prayers together & A good time conversed much
upon the things of the kingdom of God

July 19, 1847 ~ Monday

2019^th we started early in the morning & rode with the Presid-
ent 5 miles & stoped & took Breakfast Br Young^s fever is
still on him but He stood the mornings ride well I carry
him in my carriage. we are now travelling through Pratts
Pass to avoid the canion, we travled After the mornings Halt
10 miles over the worst road we have had on the Journey the who[le] [text faded]
distance of the day was 15 miles

July 20, 1847 ~ Tuesday

we camped at night on A trout creek about 10 feet across
it we found 3 waggons that had stoped on this creek in consequence
of t[h]e [page torn] sick. Br^s. Sherwood Johnson & Dewey were so sick they
could not Journey & we camped on the same ground with them
Sherwood & Johnson were Baptized for their sickness & I confir[med] [text faded]
them. Br Young stood the Journey well considering the hard road
He was quite weary come night. Several of the Brethren caught
some small trout in the streame we camped on Br Fowler dished
some o[f] [page torn] his waggon wheels, & G A. Smith who was in the company [page covered]
[page covered] dis[he]d two of his stoped & burned coal & set the tyre. This mo[rning] [page covered]
Br [Pr]att [page torn] & company was ownly 8 miles ahead of whare we ca[mped] [page covered]

July 21, 1847 ~ Wednesday

201^st we set the tire on one wheel of Fowlers waggon we remain
in camp to day in consequence of sickness, Brs Kimball, Benson &
Lorenzo Young went through the canion of Ogdens fork which is [the]
name of the creek we camped on, the rout we are taking is Reeds
Pass which we have named Pratts Pass in consequence of his going
on to make the road. It is A Hot day, the report is we have a
rougher road on ahead than any thing we have met with, the country
is vary mountaineous rough & steep many of the springs we meet
with on the way are saltish or mineral. The stream we are on [is] [page covered]
Ogdens fork. In the Afternoon I waided the creek two miles & fished
with the fly down to the mouth of the canion I cought 8 trout
there is none vaury large in this part of the stream 1/4 of a lb was as
large as we caught

July 22, 1847 ~ Thursday

22nd we travled 8 miles to day on Ogdens fork ^webber river East Canyon Creek^ & camped on the creek
whare the Pratts Pass leaves the fork for good & turnes to the west
we crossed the creek eleven times in going 8 miles & the worst
8 miles we have had on the journey Br Case smashed one of his hind
waggon wheels to peaces, & we had to wait 2 hours to bring his wag
gon up & continued the Journey drawing the exeltree on a pole I
caught 2 trout in the creek while waiting, the sick stood the
Journey better than we expected considering the road

July 23, 1847 ~ Friday

23rd We Left Ogdens fork ^webber river East Canyon Creek^ & travled to the west 5 miles up
Hill an exceding hard hill to clime, 5 miles brought us to the sum
mit of the Hill we then descended the Hill 6 miles through
a thick timberd grove of Aspen & spruice Balsom &c the tim[ber] [text faded]
had been cut out out of the road yet it was full of stumps
& it kept evry teamster vary busy to dodge the stumps &
not break his waggon One man turned over his ox waggon
& smashed the top all to a reck there was two children
in the waggon but they were not Hurt. the last 6 miles was
as bad as any thing we had found. Having travled 5 miles
up hill & 6 down total 11 miles we nooned by A splendid spring
in A small Birch grove, we saw more timber during this half
days travel thain we had seen in a month, & the valley both
ascending & descending was extremely fertile & coverd with
vegitation even to the top of the Hills. At the spring whare [we] [page covered]
nooned we were met by Brothers Pack & Mathews from
the forward camps they brought A letter to us, & informed
us it was ownly 10 miles to the valley of the Salt Lak[e]
or great basan & 14 to their camp they had explored
the country as far as possible & had made choice of a spot
to put in seeds they considered it the greatest grea[z]ing [page torn]
country in the world but was destitute of timber as [far] [page torn]
as they had been, several fine streams of fresh wa[ter] [page torn]
putting through the valley. After nooning we travle[d] [up] [page torn]
another vary tedious Hill & down it into a valley [&] [page torn]
camped for the night, with Hills miles high on [each] [page torn]
side of us I clumbed to the top of one hill over 2 m[iles] [page torn]
High was in a high state of perspiration when I [reached] [page torn]
the top of it whole distance of the day 15 m

July 24, 1847 ~ Saturday

[FIGURE] JULY 24^th 1847
This is an important day in the
History of my life and the History of the
Church of JESUS CHRIST of Latter Day
Saints. On this important day after trav[eling] [page cut off]
from our encampment 6 miles through the
deep ravene, valley, ending with the canion
through last creek we came in full view
of the great valley or Bason [of] the Salt Lake
and land of promise held in reserve by the hand of GOD for a rest-
ing place for the Saints upon which A portion of the Zion of
GOD will be built. we gazed with wonder and admiration upon
the vast rich fertile valley which lay for about 25 miles in
length & 16 miles in wedth clothed with the Heaviest garb of
of green vegitation in the midst of which lay a large lake of
salt water of [blank] miles in extent in which could be seen
large Islands & mountains towering towards the clouds also the
glorious valley abounding with the best fresh water springs
rivlets creeks & Brooks & rivers of various sizes all of which
gave animation to the sporting trout & other fish while the
waters were wending there way into the great salt lake; our
hearts were surely made glad after A Hard Journey from
Winter Quarters of 1200 miles through flats of Platt Rivers
& steeps of the Black Hills & the Rocky mountains And burni
ng sands of the eternal sage regions & willow swails & rocky
canions & stubs & stones, to gaze upon A valley of such vast
extent entirely surrounded with a perfect chain of everlasting
hills & mountains coverd with eternal snow with there
innumerale peaks like pyramids towering towards Heaven presen
ting at one view the grandest & most sublime scenery Probably that
could be obtained on the globe. Thoughts of pleasing meditations
ran in rapid succession through our minds while we contemplated
that not many years that the House of GOD would stand upon
the top of the Mountains while the valleys would be converted into
orchard, vineyard, gardings & fields by the inhabitants of Zion &
the standard be unfurled for the nations to gather there to
President Young expressed his full satisfaction in the Appearanc
of the valley as A resting place for the Saints & was Amply
repayed for his Journey.

After gazing awhile upon the scenery
we travled across the table land into the valley 4 miles to the
encampment of our Brethren who had arived 2 days before
us, they had pitched there encampment upon the bank of two
small streams of pure water & had commenced plowing
had broke about 5 acres of ground & commenced planting
potatoes. As soon As we were formed in the encampment
before I took my dinner having 1/2 a bushel of potatoes I repai
red to the ploughed field & planted my potatoes Hop^e^ing wi[th] [page torn]
the blessings of God at least to save the seed for another
year. The Brethren had damed up one of the creeks & dug
A trench & by night nearly the whole ground was Irrigated
with water we found the ground vary dry. towards evening
In company with Br^s. Kimball Smith & Benson I rode several
miles up the creek into the mountain to look for timber in
the country &c there was A thunder shower & it rained near
ly over the whole ^valley^ & also it rained some the fore part of the
night we felt thankful for this As it was the general corect
opinion th[at it] [page torn] did not rain in the valley during summers distance [page covered]

July 25, 1847 ~ Sunday

July 25 Sunday This is the first Sunday that the Latter Day Saints
ever spent in the great ^salt Lake valley^ bason. we washed shaved & cleaned up &
met in the circle of the encampment. Meeting was opened by the
bishops & G A Smith Preached ^the first sermon while standing upon the cannon^ An interesting discourse & was followed
by H. C. Kimball & E. T. Benson all of which spoke unto edification
An intimission of 2 Hours met again at 2 oclok the Bishops broak
bread to the congregation. I then Addressed the Brethren was followed
by O Pratt & W Richards all of which expressed the gratitude
of our hearts to our Heavenly Father for leading us to so goodly a land
& exhorted the Brethren to Harken to council do away with selfish-
ness live humble & keep the commandments of God that we may
prosper in the land, several other Brethren also expressed their
feelings & there was one universal feeling of satisfaction thwith the
valley, evry man that spoke upon the subject said they were
Joyfully disappointed that the whole appearance was Altogether
better throughout the valley than they had Anticipated or even
dreamed of. At the close of the meeting President Young though
feble Addressed for A few moments And Informed the brethren
[FIGURE] they must not work on Sunday that they would loose
five times as much as they would gain by it & they
must not hunt or fish on that day And there should not any
man dwell among us who would not observe these roles they might
go & dwell whare they pleased but should not dwell with us
He said that no man should buy any land that come Here that He
had no land to sell neither should He buy any but evry man should [have] [page cut off]
his land measured of[f] to him for city & farming purposes what
He could till & He might till it as he pleased but He should
be industrious & take care of it He also warned the Saints against
keeping any thing that did not belong to them that if they followed
this course it would leek out & they would stink in the norstrils
of Jehovah Angels & the Saints & though they might live with the
Saints & die with theym they would be damned at last & go to
Hell for they were thieves & nothing but burning through Hell
would clens them. He remarked there would be a meeting evry
Sabbath in thatis place or whareever we stop. Council was
also given to tie up our Horses at night

July 26, 1847 ~ Monday

26^th Monday The camp in general was busily ingaged in plowing &
planting corn & other seeds. ten men including the Twelve were appo
inted to go on an exploring expedition. I took President Young into
my carriage & travled two miles towards the mount^a^in & made choice of
a spot of ground for our garding with a small rivlet runing throug[h] [page covered]
it sufficient to irrigate it which I named guarding creek we then
returned to camp & went North of the camp about 5 miles & we all
went unto the top of A high Peak in the edge of the mountain which we
considerd A good place to raise An ensign upon which we named ensign
Peak or Hill ^I was the first person that Ascended this Hill^ Brother Young was vary weary in climing the Peak He
being feble, we then desended to the flat—started north to visit some
hot sulpher springs but we returned two miles to get A drink of cool
water & then went back 4 miles to the springs we found them vary
warm but not hot, 3 or 4 of the springs ished [issued] green water & formed
substance below that looked like verdigreese After visiting them we
returned to camp quite weary. Br^s Mathews & Brown returned to ca[mp] [page covered]
had crossed the valley in the Narrowest place opposite the camp to the
mountain on the west found the valley about 2015 miles across passed
over A river 4 miles from camp about 8 rods wide which we saw fr[om] [page covered]

ensign Peak we also had A good view of the salt lake through our glasses
& many rivers & creek runing through the valley the whole distance of the
day was 20 m

July 27, 1847 ~ Tuesday

27^th I took President Young in my carriage & started for an explo
ring expedition. Br A Lyman came into camp this morning &
informed us that Browns detachment of the Battalion would
be with us in about 2 days. Br Lyman with all of the twelve
in camp with several other Brethren started with us on our
exploring expedition being 8 of the Twelve & 6 other Brethren
among whom was Br Brannan from Francisco Bay being 14 of
us in all. We started for the purpose of visiting the salt lake & mou
ntain on the west of the valley we travled ^2^ miles west fro[m] [page cut off]
the Temple Block & come to the Utah outlet of the Utah lake
we then travled ^14^ miles to the foot of the Bluff or mountain
on the west of the valley whare we found a fountain of fresh
water some brackish the land was not near as fertile on the
west side of the valley as on the east. And lbut little fresh wate[r] [page cut off]
as far as we went while the east side of the valley is as well
wattered as any land I ever saw. we took our dinner at the fresh
water pool & then rode 6 miles to a large rock on the shore of
the Salt lake we here ^we^ made A Halt. And all went into the salt
water & we made up our minds at once that the great salt
lake ought to be added as the eigtht wonder of the world, the
watter was quit warm And was impregnated with as much
salt as could possibly be dissolved in water ist was so strong
that if A particle got into the eyes nose or mouth it would
strangle & put one in pain no person could possibly sink in it
A person would float & rooll on the top of the water like A dry
log & while standing to our waist in water we could not get
our knees to the bottom but would rise to the top like a
cork, we found the most beautiful white salt that I ever saw lyi[ng] [page cut off]
in bunches on the shore whare the water dryed away, the whole
dBody of the water will make at least 3 pints of the best quality of
white salt to one gallon of water. After spending an hour at this plac[e] [page cut off]
we rode south on the lake shore about 4 miles & then returned 10
miles to our place of nooning & camped for the night the whole
distance of the day which I drove my carriage from camp 40 mil

July 28, 1847 ~ Wednesday

28^th After having camped all night in the open air we arose refre[s]- [page cut off]
hed by sleep. I having lost my carriage whip the evening before 4 miles
back I started in the morning on Horsback to go back after it, as I
got near the place I discoverd two objects appear on A ridge before me
About 1/2 a mile distant I at first took them to be bears but after approac[h] [page cut off]
ing a little nearer I discoverd about 20 objects appearing over the Hill I
soon saw that they were Indians And as I was unarmed & over 3 mi
from camp I did not consider it prudent to go among them I wheeled m[y] [page cut off]
Horse & started on my return in a slow trot as soon as I started back
they called to me & one mounted his horse & came After me with all spe[ed] [page cut off]
when He got within 20 rods of me I stoped & met him the rest follow[ed]
on I found them to be Utah^s & wanted to trade I informed him by
signs that our camp was near so he went on with me to camp, what we
have seen as yet of the Utah^s they appeare friendly & not disposed to steal
from [us] though they have A bad name from some of the mountaineers. He
stoped in camp awhile & wanted to smoke the pipe of peace but we soon
started on & He waited for his company to come up, we travled about
10 miles south under the mountain on the west side of the valley
the land lies beautiful but we could not [illegible] [page covered]

soil as on the east, we then turned our course & returned toward
camp we had to travel 20 miles across the vale to get to the ford of the
Utah outlet we here stoped eat & drank & returned to camp quite weary
Having travled during the day about 30 miles

we saw on the west side of the valley about 75 or 100 mountain
goats, sheep, Antilope &c in flocks playing about the Hills & valley.

[FIGURES] After we Arived in camp President Young called a council of
the quorum of the Twelve there being present B Young
H. C. Kimball, O. Pratt, W. Richards W. Woodruff G. A. Smith
A Lyman & E. T. Benson. we walked from the north camp to about
the centre between the two creeks when Pres^t Young waved his
hands & said here is the forty Acres for the Temple (we had conve-
rsed upon the subject of the location for the Temple previous to this)
& the city can be laid out perfectly square North & South, east &
west. It was then moved & carried that the Temple lot contain
40 Acres on the ground whare we stood. It was also moved &
carried that the city be laid out into lots of 10 rods by 20 each
exclusive of the streets & into Blocks of 8 lots each, being 10
acres in each block & one acre & a quarter in each lot. It was also
moved & carried that each street be laid out 8 rods wide &
that there be a side walk on each side 20 feet wide & that each
House be built in the centre of the lot 20 feet from the front
line that there might be A uniformity through out the city &
President Young remarked that He wished but one house built upon
A lot & they being in the centre if they took fire they would not
burn up their neighbors And if any man wants A Market to hous
it upon his own lot & not lay out publick grounds for markets & let
every man cultivate his own lot & set out evry kind of fruit &
shade trees & beautify the city. It was Moved & carried that
there be four public squares of 10 Acres each be laid of in various
parts of the city for public grounds. This was in Lat 40º 45 44
At 8 oclok the whole camp came together on the same ground &
passed all of the above votes unanimously as they are recorded
& when the business part of the meeting was closed President
Young arose And addressed the assembly in a vary interesting mann[er] [page covered]
upon A variety of subjects. Previous to this the whole assembly voted
that there be a committee to superintend the laying out the city &
that the Twelve be that committee & that they manage the whole
Affair.