Journal Homepage
July of 1863
"Wednesday Camp Grasshopper July the 1st Resumed our journey this morning from Grasshopper Camp on Sweet Water
2 miles below the last crossing Crossed the River and continued our journey over a nice level Road Drove 7 miles to a road
running to Sweet Water Where we Camped for the rest of the day We camped near the summit of the Rocky Mountains this is the
last camp on Sweet Water We are right south of Fremont's Peak Grass only tolerable good weather fine wood and water plenty
all well but two or three and they are better
Camp Fremont's Peak Thursday July the 2nd Resumed our Journey down the westernslope of the Rocky Mountails which
is a gradual slope with short uphills the Western Slope is not as rocky thus far as the Eastern Side it is verry hard to tell
when we are on the Summit as it is a gradual slope eah way We Traveled 30 miles this day and camped on Little Sandy Wood and
Water plenty Grass only tolerable good weather fine all well Except Frank Peterson Elizabeth and some others do some complaining
Little Sandy Friday July the 3rd Resumed our journey this morning crossing Little Sandy Big Sandy and driving until
12 O'clock at night ther being no grass for our stock We Traveles 25 or 30 miles and camped no the Big Sandy verry poor grass
no Wood plenty of Water all able to Be about Roads verry good
Big Sandy Saturday July the 4th Resumed our journey this morning and Traveled 12 miles over nice level Country
and crossed Green River about noon Which we forded it was not deep but the swiftest stream I ever saw we Camped 2 1/2 miles
above the Ferry Grass Wood and Water plenty Weather fine all well and Roads good
Green River Sunday July the 5th Remained in Camp today for the purpose of Restin our Teems Had Preaching at 11
in the P.M. I wrote a letter to my brother in California Weather fine all well except 2 or 3
Green River Mday July the 6th Resumed our journey this morning and Traveled 22 miles over a verry sollid Road But
Tollorable Rough this evening while going down the Bluffs of Ham's Fork of Green River the staple in the new Yoke of Peterson's
Buggy Broke the tongue feel to the groung Breaking in two pieces Horses ran off But no other Damage Done no persons hurt Camp
at Ham's Fork Here we saw the first Cal Vol Grass Water and Wood plenty Weather fine one or two cases of Mountain Fever
Ham's Fork of Green River Tuesday July the 7th Remained in Camp today for the purpose of Shoeing Oxen and Making
new Tongue
Ham's Fork Wednesday July the 8th Still remained in Camp for the purpose of resting our Cattle and getting some
of them Shod
Ham's Fork Thursday July the 9th Resumed our journey this morning and crossed Black Fork at Green River Traveled
17 miles and camped on Black Fork Wood and Water plenty Grass verry poor Weather fine roads good all Well Except R. Thrulo
and one or two others
Friday Black Fork July the 10th Resumed our journey this morning and Traveled about 18 miles this Day passing through
Fort Bridger Which by the way is a right smart Town Which is garisoned by Soldiers Who have 600 or 700 Indians under their
protection here We found plenty of Wood and Water Grass not verry good all able to Be up and about Except H. Thurlo and John
Wren is verry complaining Weather fine
Camp Fort Bridges Saturday July the 11th Resumed our journey this morning and Traveled 15 miles over a verry broken
Contry and Camped on a verry small Creek name not known Wood and Water plenty Grass verry poor Weather fine With the exception
of some Wind all able to be about Except John Wren who has Mountain Fever
Camp 15 miles from Ft. Bridger Sunday July the 12th Resumed our journey this morning and Traveled about 18 miles
over a verry mountainous Country But had verry good roads We passed Through a verry deep Canion and about 2 miles in length
in the evening we struck Bear River which was very low It had a great deal of fall and is verry Rocky We Camped on this stream
and had verry good Grass Wood and Water Weather fair Some sickness in Camp John Wren and H. Thurlow and two or three others
Bear River Monday July the 13th Resumed our journey this Morning and Traveled 12 miles and passed over pretty much
the same sort of Country as yesterday We camped on a small Creek named Yellow Creek to Day we passed through a canion with
verry abrupt Rocky side threr was a train Attacked by the Indians 3 or 4 weeks since in this canion no person Killed But one
Wounded and one mile (mule?) Killed here we found plenty of Grass and a good spring no Wood had a light shower in the Evening
some sickness in Camp
Yellow Creek Tuesday July the 14th Resumed our journey this morning and Traveled about 2 miles When we entered
the Echo Canion Which takes it name from the revibration of sound in the Rocks it is about 20 miles in length and the Bluffs
are verry Abruppt in places at the head of Echo Creek is a verry large Cave the Bluffs abound springs of the Best of Water
We Traveled about 20 miles and Camped at the mail station in Echo Canion Wood and Water plenty Grass not verry good the sick
all some better except H. Thurlo Weather fine road good
Echo Canion Rock Wednesday July the 15th Resumed our journey thos morning down the Canion it got narrower and more
abrupt the nearer we got to the south in some places the Road ran between rocks so close together the Wheels of the Waggon
would rub the Bluffs on one side were a solid Rock 400 or 500 feet high on the other they were hill green and other herbage
to hight of 400 or 500 feet we left the canion struck Webber River which is 8 or 10 Rod wide at the end of the canion there
is a considerable Mormon Village and there is a Beautiful Valley 8 or 10 miles long which is settled by Mormons Webber has
a good mill on it in this Valley We Bought Vegetables Chickens Eggs Butter Cheese We Camped at the head of Webber River had
only tolerable good Grass plenty of sage brush for fuel Water verry hard to get Weather fine Sick some better Roads not so
good
Webber River Thursday July the 16th Resumed our journey this morning and Traveled about 12 miles up Silver Creek
Canion the Canion is verry narrow and is full of springs of the best water We had to Travel along on the side of a steep Bluff
for 4 or 5 miles We camped at Silver Creek in a Beautiful Valley had plenty of grass Wood and Water had a Rain at noon Sick
some Better Except M. Thurlo and Celesta
Silver Creek Friday July the 17th Resumed our journey this morning Down South Park Canion Which is the Worst Canion
we have haad yet it is for miles so narrow that one Waggon can just get along with no room for Waggons meeting to pass each
other in this canion the mail stage in passing us ran into our Buggy and Tore off one wheel and run against our Ox Waggon
We left canion about sundown and came into a Beautiful Valley of Great Salt Lake and Drove until 10 or 11 O'clock and Camped
2 1/2 miles south of Salt Lake Citty and had to hire a pasture and but (buy?) Oats for our Horses for which we paid 20 or
25 Dollars Roads to Day verry bad for the most of the Day Grass not good Water not plenty Sick all better except H. Thurlo
Weather Rainy in the evening
Camp Salt Lake Citty Saturday July the 18th Remained in camp to Day for the purpose of making some Purchases and
resting our Teams and ourselves and while we are resting I will try to give a short description of the Valley Citty Lake and
People called Mormon The Valley is a level plane very good productive soil and is about 200 or 300 miles in length By one
or two hundren in width it is watered by the Jordan River Webber and Bear Rivers Besides innumerable springs and small Creeks
it is dotted With productive Farms and Flourishing Villages the Products of the Valley are Wheat Barley oats and some Corn
and all sorts of Vegetables Great Salt Lake Citty is a regular laid out Citty of 1500 or 1800 inhabitants it had shady yards
and fllowery Gardens it has some magnificent Buildings of Which the Theatre Brigham Young and the Temple Which is unfinished
and the State Buildings form a part The people are a mixed or mongrel mass of humanity they have some smart men Who lead the
ignorant into Error nor withstanding they treated us well But we had to pay exorbitant prices for every thing We Bought The
Lake is near 100 miles long by 40 or 50 in width it is so strongly impregnated with salt that is is dried up on the Beach
it runs Clear round Two good large mountains it has 3 good large Rivers Running into it and has no visible outlet
Great Salt Lake Citty Sunday July the 19th Resumed our journey this morning passing throught the Citty and Taking
the Road to the Humbolt River We Traveled 11 miles this Day to Day we passed some natural curiosityies in the Hot and Sulphurous
Springs to Day We Camped at A. Perkinses' had good roads to Day fine Weather and plenty of Water and verry good Grass for
which We had to pay $21 sick some better
Camp Perkins Monday July the 20th Resumed our journey this morning and made 27 miles had good roads passed more
hot springs Camped on Webber River Weather fine Grass and Water not verry good Paid $24 for some pasture Sick some Better
to Day had a Bad accident one of C. Scott's Children fell out of the Waggon one Wheel running over it
Webber River Tuesday July the 21st Resumed our journey this morning and Traveled 10 miles and Camped 2 miles west
of North Ogden
North Ogden Wednesday July the 22nd Resumed our journey this morning and Traveled 23 miles over some good road
and some Rough Road We passed some more hot or Sulphur Springs We passed one Spring at the Point of the Bluffs which was the
lergest I ever saw it was good water Paid 10 cents a head for our cattle going on pasture sick considerable Better Weather
fine
Box Alder Thursday July the 23rd Resumed our journey this morning and Traveled 9 miles to the Ferry on the Bear
River We paid $2 a Waggon for Farriage and swum out Cattle Drove 2 miles up the River and Camped had only tolerable good Grass
plenty of Wood and Water Roads good and Weather fine Sick all Better
Bear River Friday July the 24th Remained in Camp to Day for the purpose of Resting and Washing from this day on
we will Travel in connection with other Trains for the better protection for ourselves against the Indians as they are verry
hostile here Weather fine
Bear River Saturday July the 25th Still Remain in Camp resting our Stock
Bear River Sunday July the 26th Remained in Camp to Day had preaching to Day By a Mr. Everet Weather fine health
as usual
Bear River Monday the 27th Resumed our journey this morning and Traveled 25 miles the Road was good except for
one or two hills which were verry Rough We nooned at a large spring which was salty and not fit for use to Day another accident
happened C. Scotts 2 Horses Ran off Breaking his Buggy and cripling B. England Camped on a small spring Branch had good Water
But not much Grass nor Wood Weather fine Sick some Better
Spring Branch Wednesday July the 29th Resumed our journey this morning and Traveled about 15 miles and camped at
the sinks of Deep Creek Road good Weather fine Grass and Water and Wood plenty Sick Better
Sinks of Deep Creek Thursday July the 30th Resumed our journey this Morning and traveled about 16 miles over a
level Plane all the way Camped on a Spring Branch at a foot of a mountain the Springs above us called Cedar Springs here we
found good Water and Wood Grass not verry good Roads good Weather warm Sick all mending Soil light and loamy
Cedar Springs Friday July the 31st Resumed our journey this morning and Traveled 23 miles over mostly Rough Road
Camped on De Carcin Creek at the foot of a verry high mountain found plenty of Grass as high as the horses Backs But not a
good quality plenty of Water and Wood this Valley is verry rich and produces large Grass Sick all Recovering"
August 1863