June 1853
| The first day of June we traveled in the rain. It was the darndest day that I ever saw it rained and blowted blew like thunder and lightening; we came very near freezing I shuck sow hard that I shuck my joints out of their sockets. We camped at Ash Hollow; we made up some big fires and warmed ourselves. | ||
| June 2nd was a very pretty day. We struck North Platte and traveled up the river about twelve or fourteen miles camped on the river the third of June. | ||
| In the morning I found one of our finest horses nearly eaten up by the wolves we had to shoot her. We traveled about fifteen miles camped in the open plains without wood or water. | ||
| June 4th we travelled about fifteen miles distant as we was camping some other train was after a buffalo and some of our hands went to assist and killed it. So we have plenty of fresh meat. | ||
| June 5th we traveled past the Court House Rock we passed an Indian villiage. The Indians came to our camp with moccasins to trade to us. Some traded with them. | ||
| June 6th we passed the Chimney Rock. I went upon it. It was about three hundred feet high. There were thousands of names ingraved in the rocks. I engraved my name and several others. I engraved my intended's name there. Then in the afternoon there was several of us started to the Bluffs after wood. We went about seven miles when we overtook the train. They had camped. Went to a Trading Post saw some Squaws drying buffalo hides. We camped on the South Platte. | ||
| June 7th we traveled past a great many Indians wigwams. They are always sneaking about to steal something or other. We camped at a Trading Post bought some of one thing or another. | ||
| June 8th near Scots Bluffs we past the Bluffs of Scots we camped at a splendid spring. I thought that some of our train would kill themselves drinking the water for it was a rarety to have cool clear water. | ||
| June 9th we traveled some eighteen miles. I walked till I blistered my feet. We camped on the North Platte. | ||
| June 10th we camped out the same and laid off to day on account of Laramy Fork there are 93 trains a head of us to cross at the ferry. The Lord knows when we will cross for I dont. We all unloaded and towed our wagons over. | ||
| June 11th. We traveled about six miles to Laramie Fork. There were so many wagons that we could not cross until next day. Yesterday the boat sunk with several mean and women in it, but there were no lives lost today. The boat sunk with some stock and some men. They all got out safe. We camped on the bank of the river, there was five hundred wagons there waiting to cross. | ||
| June 12th. We got across safe. Some of our girls fell in love with some of the soldiers. They was escorted by some soldiers, the last rakings of creation. | ||
| June 13th. We traveled on in the afternoon after the storm. It was the darndest one for the hailstones were as large as my fist. I have been in sight of snow for the last two days and it is as hot as thunder. We camped at Cottonwood. | ||
| June 14th we traveled over some of the brokenest country that I ever saw in my life. We camped on Beaver Creek in the hills. | ||
| June 15th we traveled over some awful roads. We past by a trading post. We sold some of our things, then we camped on Beaver Creek, a sweet looking place. | ||
| June 16th. We traveled over the most of the Black Hills. It is a bad road no water on it only about every ten miles. We past by one of the greatest springs I thought that I would kill myself, we camped on. | ||
| June 17th. We laid up to rest our stock. Some of the boys went a hunting and killed some buffalo and some antelope. I saw some elk. | ||
| June 18th We traveled on our road, we crossed several creeks, Bear, Elder, Deer Creeks. We camped on North Platte. Good grass, no wood but sage brush; today I saw a prairie dog (town). | ||
| June 19th. We traveled on but I don't know what was going on for I was sick in the wagons. We camped on the North Platte in sight of snow and ice. It was where it was very hot. | ||
| June 20th we traveled about six miles then crossed North Platte, it cost us seven dollars per wagon and twelve and a half cts per head on loose cattle (stock). We traveled over some rugged country, camped in the open plains with out wood or water; we made an awful drive the 21st we traveled on at noon there was several trains passed us then we started on, traveled to the Springs; there, we had an awful time to get our stock past, then we had a time in getting water. Then we traveled on until after dark we camped on the ridge. There was nothing but sage brush on the ridge tomorrow the Lord knows where we will go. | ||
| June 22nd. Traveled over some rugged country, we passed some of the best springs that I ever saw. Of all the roads they are the darndest. We came to Sweet Water there camped very early. We will cross the stream tomorrow. We will have to run them over by hand. It is the awfullest bridge that I ever saw, we camped at the Independence Rock. | ||
| June 23 we traveled on our road. We passed the Devil's Gate. I went to the gate and several others followed. We went in the gate, it is a channel in the rock. It is about four hundred feet high through a solid rock. The river runs through it. It is called Sweet Water. We camped on Sweet Water at the foot of the Rocky Mountains. | ||
| June 24th. We traveled over some heavy sandy road we crossed Sage Creek, there I saw some sage brush as they call them but I call them saplins, there is some of them from six to eight inches through. We got our wood there and hauled it to where we camped. We camped early on account of grass. We had to camp there or drive several miles farther. We camped on the river. | ||
| June 25th. We made a short drive but a hard one, it was a deep heavy sandy road. We camped on the river early, drove our cattle across the water to grass, still at the foot of the mountains. | ||
| June 26th. We started on our trip we crossed a small creek, then we went on past a mountain covered with snow. I went to the mountain. I went bairfuted and in my shirt sleeves and took some into the camp. It was curiosity to them. We maid some brandy sling. It was fine. Some made whiskey sling. We crossed Sweet Water and camped on the bank. We have plenty of neighbors around tonight. | ||
| June 27th we traveled until noon then stopped. At noon, it blowed and snowed so awful hard that we had to camp. I road a head for some cattle, sometimes the dust was sow thick that you could not see a toll. I could of caut it by the bushel. I believe the hail and snow fel in abundance. I thought the wind blew hard in the States but not like this. | ||
| June 28th in the morning the ise was frozen inch thick and as cold as thunder. The women and children nearly froze and sum of the men too. For my part I never I have saw sum awful snow banks today. This morning I crossed the river and got my clothes wet and they froze stif in less than an our. We crossed several Creeks today we camped on Willow Creek in sight of snow bankes a plesent plase. | ||
| June 29th we traveled on thrue the south pas. It is valey between to mountains. I went to the pacifick Springs Branch. | ||
| June 30th we traveled on
our road we traveled over the firmest and prettiest road that I ever saw. It is
equal to the Shell road of New Orleans. We camp to night on Little Sandy five
miles from the forks of the road
leading to Salk Lakes and California. |
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