October 4, 1847 ~ Monday

4^th Travled 8 miles & nooned the Frenchman had killed 4 fat
cows a part was divided in camp. 4 Sioux came to us, we
travled 8 miles & camped for the night we have seen immensed
herds of buffalo through the day near us distance of the day 16 m

October 5, 1847 ~ Tuesday

5^th This morning at day light a company of 10 men was dispatched
on foot to overtake the ox teams & stop them untill we should
come up as our horses was breaking down from a bo^a^rd stuck in
the ground we learned they had stoped 5 days for us &
killed & dryed 30 buffalo cows & were still about one week
ahead of us we travled to day 13 miles & camped opposite
Ash hollow we have constant fine beautiful weather
to journey in the grass is getting dry & not much substance
in it & our horses are failing upon it I am thoroughly
convinced that oxen are far preferable to either horses or
Mules for such a journey esspecially if they return in the
fall distance 13 miles

October 6, 1847 ~ Wednesday

6^th We travled 14 miles & camped on the Bank of the Platt we over-
took 2 of the Brethren who went with A Lyman & Co to overtake
the Ox teams there was 2 Buffalo Cows & 2 Calves killed to day 14

October 7, 1847 ~ Thursday

7^th It appeared like a cold storm gathering this morning but it
sprinkled a little & cleared off we met in the fore part of the
day Capt Joseph Walker (Capt Freemont guide through Calafornia)
also Mr Pappan the main Proprieter of Fort Laramie He was quite
displeased because Burdeau did not send an interperter & get our
horses. They informed us the Mexican war was still continued
& that 500 troops would be stationed near Winter quarters
untill spring they would then go to the Head of Grand Island
& build a fort also one at Laramie, and one on Green River
the pretention for building these forts is said to be for the purpose
of protecting the Oregon Emegrants. We sent letters by Capt Walker
to the valley via fort Bridger. He informed us that 100 miles south
of the Utah lake was an excellent country for farming purposes we
continued our journey & camped near a creek on the Platt &
obtained a letter from Wm Clayton one week ahead of us &
still going ahead 13

October 8, 1847 ~ Friday

8^th We travled 8 miles & nooned soon after we stoped a large body
of animals appered in sight over the Bluff we at first thought it was
a band of mounted warriors but by the aid of our glasses we found
them to be a band of one hundred or more Elk they made a splended appe-
arance they were about one mile from Camp several of us took our guns &
went after them they were as large as good sized mules I went up a
swail of tall grass the band came within 10 rods of me their horns
waveing in the wee air upbove the weeds like Rocking chairs. The Bucks
were in advanc as the does were the best this season of the year I drew
my gun to my face & waited for one to come in sight. At this instant
another man came up behind me & they saw him & broke & run he
shot at them as they run but did no good they ran near a
Frenchman who shot a doe through the neck & he fell dead the
ownly one killed out of the band though several shots were made
I got a piece of it for my supper the first Elk meat I ever ate
we travled 7 miles & camped on the Bank of the Platt we crossed
many pure streams of water to day distance 15 m

October 9, 1847 ~ Saturday

9^th We travled 15 miles & camped on Junktion Bluff fork we
had 2 sandy bluffs to cross to day our horses are still failing
more & more 15 m