Monday, June 10
Left camp today at 2:00 o'clock, on the
north side of the Platte. A new road. Drove 8 miles and camped.
Tuesday, June 11
Started this morning into the bluffs
road. New and rough, up and down, round mountains and over them..
Grass and wood. Water rather scarce. Made 20 miles and camped.
Wednesday, June 12
Made 20 miles today. Roads rather
better than yesterday. One man shot an antelope, which is excellent
meat in this desert land.
Thursday, June 13
Lay in camp this morning til noon. Made
12 miles over high bluffs. Crooked roads. Camped on creek. Good
grass. Poor water.
Friday, June 14
Made 20 miles today. Road better than
the day before. Mostly on the bank of the river. Poor grass. Plenty
wood.
Saturday, June 15
18 miles today. Some of the way over
high bluffs. Some deep dry creeks. Very sandy. Camped on the bank of
the Upper Platte. Poor grass. No wood.
Sunday, June 16
We hitched up this morning on account
of it's being poor grass. Drove 3 miles to a pleasant spot of green
timber, on the bank of the Platte River, where men from the other
side were crossing over. The river is high and bad crossing. We
consider ourselves very fortunate that we started on the north side.
I have been washing today, and skinned my fingers. Sunday is a busy
day with us, although we do not drive. Washing and baking all through
the camp. It seem to be very necessary to do this kind of work.
Monday, June 17
This morning we started at 4:00
o'clock. Made 24 miles over very sandy bluffs. Then on the river
bottom. Camped tonight on the bank of the Platte River. Heavy
traveling. Grass poor.
Tuesday, June 18
Made 36 miles today. Three miles form
mornings camp we came to the upper ferry and ford on the Platte
River. Thence 17 miles over barren sandy country to an alkali lake,
where we took our dinner. Sixteen miles passing willow creek and
spring [sic]. Took in water and drove three miles to a muddy slough, where
we camped. Little grass. Some of our horses were taken sick. We
suppose from drinking alkali water. We went to doctoring them and
they soon got better. Some of our horses died. A light fall of snow
this morning.
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| Independence Rock |
Wednesday, June 19
Last night was very cold. Ice a quarter
of an inch thick on our pail. 17 miles brought us to Independence
Rock. Country still barren. One mile from this we forded the
Sweetwater River. (8 rods wide 2 ft. deep) Five miles farther we
camped on the same river near the Devil Gate. The rocks are said to
be 400 ft. high The river passes between the rocks. 23 miles today.
Grass still poor.
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| Devils Gate |
We lay in camp this morning until ten
o'clock after two days hard drivin [sic] with but little grass. Drove
11 miles. The Sweetwater and mountains on our right, and a chain of
the Rocky Mountains on our left. Snow plain to be seen on the north
side, Still the days are quite warm.
Friday, June 21
Made 22 miles today. Road very sandy.
Crossed the Sweetwater three times and camped on its banks. Grass
short. This is a barren country indeed. No wood except now and then
we get a dry cedar from the mountains.
Saturday, June 22
Made 27 miles today. Some good roads.
Some very sandy. Crossed the Sweetwater four times. Took our horses
two miles to grass, as the river bottoms are mostly alkali. We have
seen a number of dead oxen today.
Sunday, June 23
As we were camped in a bad place for
grass we thought we would drive a part of the day. We drove 18 miles
and camped on a branch of the Sweetwater. Took our horses two miles
to grass. There lies a snow bank a few roads from our camp. 30 rods
long and from 4 to 6 ft. deep. Comfortably warm. Nights cold.
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