From Nauvoo to Salt Lake. IX

From Nauvoo to Salt Lake in the Van of the Pioneers. The Original Diary of ErastusSnow. EDITED BY HIS SON, MORONI SNOW. IX. In the September and October issues, the dates were inad- vertently given as in April instead of May. We left the Pioneers near Scott's Bluff on the Piatt in our last account, on May 27. In continuance of his journal, Elder Erastus Snow records: May 28th. Rather cool weather today. Sky overcast with clouds; moderate rain during the forenoon, so that we did not start until nearly noon and travelled twelve and one half miles, follow- ing the course of the river which has been nearly north. 29th. Cool and cloudy; wind northeast. Rained a little this forenoon. We remained in our [camping] place. About noon, the president called the camp together and admonished us, with much feeling and spirit, because of growing evil in our midst and spirits cherished by many that were calculated to involve us in the snares of the devil. He said that now that we were driven forth from among the Gentiles so that the devils could not harass us by [means of] them, they [the devils] were now more vigilant in stir- ring up strife and in introducing various evils among ourselves to draw away our minds from the things of God. He said that there was, with many in camp, an excess of amusement, such as dancing, scuffling, card-playing, checkers, dominos, etc., besides loud laugh- ing, loud talking, telling funny stories, and finding fault with one another, all of which would lead their minds away from the Lord to the neglect of their prayers and other duties; and if these things were suffered in this Church and carried out to their ultimate limits, they would lead to insubordination and rebellion against the Priesthood, and to dissensions, and finally to organized bands like the Gadiantons of old, to destroy the pure in heart. We are the pioneers for the whole camp of Isreal going, like Abraham, by faith, knowing not whither we go, to seek a home for the Saints

54 IMPROVEMENT ERA where the Lord has promised to locate a stake of Zion. This place we never would find, for the Lord would not lead us, so long as these spirits ruled in our hearts, and he would not proceed any further unless they forthwith turned unto the Lord with all their hearts and put away the devils from their midst; whereupon we all, with one voice, beginning with the Twelve, the High Priests and Bishops, Elders, Seventies, and members, entered into a cove- nant to return unto the Lord with all our hearts and cease these things, and appointed tomorrow, Sunday, as a day of fasting, humiliation and prayer. At one o'clock we started and travelled eight and one half miles, and camped for Sunday a little above the mouth of a small prairie creek. The fruits of our morning's lecture were clearly seen. A very different spirit brooded over the camp. 30th. This morning at 8 o'clock was held a general meeting, for prayers, confessions, and exhortations, and at 10 o'clock, for the sacrament. The Lord seemed to accept the offerings of our hearts, and poured out his Spirit upon us. About noon I accom- panied the Twelve and a few others to a retired place in the bluff, where we presented ourselves before the Lord in a prayer circle, and felt our spirits greatly refreshed by the manifestation of his bless- ings upon us. About 6 o'clock we took our glasses and ascended the highest point within our reach, which was about three miles northwest of camp, where, near the time of the setting of the sun, we viewed the surrounding country. Chimney-rock was still visible down the river, and the towering heights of the long range of the Black Hills above us. Tothe north and northeast of us, the country was little else than sand hills, as far as the eye could see. After gratifying our eyes, the president proposed prayers upon this the highest ground we have stood upon. After bowing before the Lord upon these heights, we descended, and returned to camp at dark, weary in body, and retired to rest, satisfied with the pro- ceedings of the day. Monday, the 31st. We travelled sixteen and one half miles over a barren country, the last four miles being deep sand, and camped on quite a large creek that came winding its way from the bluffs through this sandy bottom to the river. Here we find grass spindling up, but very thin. Tune 1st. Very warm and pleasant, yesterday and today. We are beginning to find a little timber, chiefly a small growth

FROM NAUVOO TO SALT LAKE 56 of cottonwoods, thinly scattered along the islands and riverbanks. This I believe is the first we have seen on this side of the river, except one or two cedar shrubs, since the 11th of May; buffalo chips and driftwood being our only fuel, good in dry but poor in wet weather. Today, we have travelled twelve miles, and are now camped opposite Fort Laramie, a little above the mouth of the Laramie river which comes in from the south, and on which the fort is situated about two miles from the Platte. Here we have to cross the river on account of the Black Hills projecting abruptly into the river, a little above us, which are impassable for wagons. The river is generally fordable here, but the mountain freshets render it necessary for us to ferry. We have been in hopes that we should find here the small company of Saints who came up from Mississippi, last summer, who, when they learned that the main camp had stopped to winter on the Missouri, turned south, and wintered at Fort Pueblo, two hundred and fifty miles south of this place, where also a detachment of the Mormon Batallion wintered, which we somewhat expected would also meet us here. This evening we have had a visit from two brethren who report to us that they and a few families at the fort have been waiting for us sixteen days, and that when they left Pueblo, the rest of the Mississippi company, and the soldiers, were expecting to start about the first of June. 2nd. Today a coal pit is on fire within our circle, and three portable blacksmith shops in operation; smiths shoeing horses, repairing wagons, etc. The use of a veiy good flat boat, owned by the fur company, has been secured for our company for the sum of fifteen dollars. 3rd. Today Elder A. Lyman has started with three others on horseback with dispatches lo Pueblo. We are busily engaged in crossing the river. Some horsemen just arrived at the fort from St. Joseph, Missouri, and reported five thousand emigrants and two thousand wagons on the road who will probably begin to arrive here tomorrow. 4th. A heavy storm of wind and rain yesterday afternoon caused a cessation in our ferrying, so that our teams were not all over until about 9 o'clock this morning. We started directly up the south bank of the Platte; and, passing som elow sand ridges, we descended a steep hill on to a low bottom eight miles from the fort, where we found good feed and camped for the night.

56 IMPROVEMENT ERA 5th. After travelling a few miles we came in sight of where the river forces a passage through a defile in a high range of the Black Hills, where we were compelled to leave the river and, tak- ing a circuitous route over a rough and hilly road, we struck the bed of a creek and followed up the same until noon where our trail intersected the main Oregon road. We soon ascended a steep hill on to a gently undulating plain, and found a good road, struck a dry bed of cottonwood creek, followed it up until we found wood and water and good feed, and halted for Sunday, having travelled seventeen miles. Here we found a small party of emigrants, eleven wagons, only, bound for St. Mary's river. 6th. This morning they moved on, and their pilot, who was acquainted with the road, informed us that after following up this creek a few miles we should leave it and find no more water for about a day's drive. We therefore thought it wisdom to move on a few miles so that we could with ease make the next point tomorrow, but we remained in our place, had an interesting and profitable meeting, and about three o'clock p. m. we gathered our teams and moved up the creek five miles, and camped near the small company who had preceded us. A half mile in our rear also camped another party of Oregon emigrants, numbering nine- teen wagons who came up with us today. 7th. We continued gradually to ascend through a bottom, following the course of a dry creek nine and one half miles on to the heights which commanded an interesting view of an extensive landscape. Here we were opposite the principal peak of the Black Hills, some ten or fifteen miles southwest of us, which appear- ed to be still partly covered with snow. From these heights we descended three and one half miles to Willow Creek, and found a fine camping place. 8th. Today our road has been little else than up hill and down, yet smooth. This forenoon I had the ill luck to break a wagon tire which, however, Brother Frost welded together and fixed during our noon halt without detaining the camp. We trav- elled fifteen and one half miles, and camped all night on Big Timber Creek. A company of traders from Fort Bridger, bound for the Missouri, has camped near us. 9th. We reached Alapier Creek, a distance of nineteen miles. About twenty of our best teams, and some horsemen, left us this morning and are in advance of us, being sent to the crossing of the