From Nauvoo to Salt Lake XI

From Nauvoo to Salt Lake in the Van of the Pioneers.

The Original Diary of Erastus Snow.

EDITED BY HIS SON, MORONI SNOW XL In the last account, the Pioneers were encamped on the Platte, west of them the Wind River Mountains. The account continues June 24. This morning we left the river, took about a west course, and traveled over a good road seventeen and three-fourths miles, before we struck the river again. Here we camped about three o'clock p. m., our teams being nearly exhausted from fatigue, hunger and thirst, for it has been warm and we found neither feed nor water to induce us to stop until we reached this point, except about nine o'clock when we passed two small lakes or ponds, one of which was very strongly impregnated with salt and sulphur, and the other with salt and alkali, so that our teams refused both. One curiosity worthy of note in the place where we found these lakes, is what is called the Ice Spring. The water of the spring is the same as that of the lakes, but all around the spring is ice about eighteen inches thick which seems pure and entirely free from those ingredients with which the water is impregnated, and is covered with a soil or turf about eight inches thick, while the earth around seems entirely free from frost. The reason why this unimpregnated water remains in this crystalline state, while surrounded with the other water, I leave for chemists to determine. 25th. While gathering the stock last night, the president's saddle-horse was shot, through the carelessness of a young man, and died during the night. He was the most highly prized of any horse in camp. This was the second accident of the kind, both of which was the result of a disregard of the rules of the camp. This morning our road crossed the river and led over the hills, occasionally striking the river again, for ten miles ; then leaving the river again we began to ascend long and steep hills, and continued with but little variation to ascend for ten miles, some of the way very

IN THE VAN OF THE PIONEERS 247 rocky, and found a tolerable camping place on a mountain rivulet. Itwas quite warm in the morning, but as we began to rise and meet the cold blasts from the mountains of snow and ice, we began to gather our vests, then our coats, and finally, before night, our overcoats, and were cold at that. We passed drifts of snow and large bodies of ice about the rivulets, and during the night our milk and water froze as if it were winter. Two of our horsemen, who followed the course of the Sweetwater up to within two miles of the encampment, report that its fall is very great, presenting little less than a cataract most of the way. 26th. Continuing our ascent up the small stream on which we had camped about two miles, and passing over another ridge. we came to a large creek, which at first we supposed to be the Sweetwater, but after crossing it, and another in a few miles quite as large, both of which were tributaries of the Sweetwater, we finally came to the Sweetwater (having traveled eleven miles). which was full and running into our wagon beds more than at any previous ford, and seemed to contain quite as much water as it did where we first crossed it at Independence Rock. We baited at noon on a small bottom near the ford, where there was quite a supply of green grass, while at the foot of a small bluff, a few rods distant, was about one acre of snow, and in some places not less than ten feet deep. This place is what is termed the "foot of the pass." From here we rose on a gently undulating plain, which spread itself from the Wind River chain upon the north to a low range of mountains on the south. This plain seems to be broken only by comparatively small ridges and the surface generally quite smooth. Mountain sage is the chief herbage, and no timber except small groves of poplar and quaking asp, which we saw at a distance to the left. Here I would observe that we saw several of those groves yesterday afternoon, at our left, which is the only timber upon these mountains anywhere in the vicinity of our route. After traveling this afternoon eight miles over a beautiful road, we came to a small ridge which divides the waters flowing into the Gulf of Mexico from those that flow into the Gulf of California. From Ft. Laramie, according to our odometer, is two hundred and seventy-six and a half miles. It is now time to camp, but we did not expect to find either feed or water short of eight or ten miles. Just at this time some of our men, who had followed up the Sweetwater, came in sight, at the right hand, and

248 IMPROVEMENT ERA reported that the Sweetwater, coming from the mountains to the north, came to the foot of the ridge within about a mile of us. Here we turned aside and found a good camping place. 27th. This morning some men from Oregon, bound for the states, passed, by whom we sent back letters. We passed the ridge, and in about six miles crossed a small stream running west. We traveled fifteen and a half miles today, and camped upon another small tributary of the Sweetwater. 28th. We bore a little south of west, crossed Little Sandy, and camped upon it about nine miles below the ford. Traveled fifteen and a fourth miles and camped early, in consequence of meeting Mr. Bridger and two of his men bound for Fort Laramie, who also camped with us and gave us much information relative to the roads, streams, and country generally. 29th. Traveled six miles, crossed Big Sandy (about the size of Sweetwater), and made about eighteen miles without feed or water before we struck it again, which made us late camping. Found good feed. 30th. Traveled eight and one-half miles, and came to Green River. W ent to building rafts and crossing the river. r Saturday, July 3. All being safely over, we moved three miles down the river and camped for Sunday. The day we reached Green River, I had a violent attack of mountain fever ; and within the week past, about one-half the camp have been attacked with the same complaint. It's first appearance is like that of a severe cold, producing soreness in the flesh and a pain in the head and all parts of the body, and as the fever increases, the pain in the head and back becomes almost insufferable, but an active portion of physic, accompanied with warm and stimulating drinks, such as ginger and pepper teas, cayenne, etc., taken freely before and after the operation of the physic, seldom failed to break it up, though it left the patient sore, weak and feeble. All are now recovering, except some fresh cases. Five men were sent back with letters to our brethren July 4. of the next company, and to pilot them on. In the afternoon twelve mounted soldiers arrived, having left the Pueblo detachment at the crossing of the Platte, last Monday. The day we arrived at Green River, Brother Samuel Brannan, and two others, arrived from the Bay of San Francisco. They came eight hundred miles to meet us, expecting us to go into that country. They in-

IN THE VAN OF THE PIONEERS 249 formed us that the "Mormon" Battalion had taken and, when they left, were in possession of the Spanish city, Pueblos Angelos de los. July 5. We traveled twenty miles without water, struck Ham's Fork, and camped in middle afternoon. July 6.Followed up the stream a few miles, crossed over a divide two miles, and struck Black river, another tributary of Green river, and forded it on a riffle, where our wagon beds scarcely cleared the water. The current was strong, and the stream about six rods wide. Bearing westward about twelve miles without water, we struck the same stream again, crossed it again, and camped for the night, having traveled eighteen miles. July 7. In a few miles we crossed back again, and kept upon the south side till nearly opposite Fort Bridger. Here the river is separated into seven or eight rapid creeks, which flow over an extensive bottom, and divide it into numerous islands. Crossing these streams and islands, we camped a little above the trading house, having traveled eighteen miles today. Flere we rested ourselves and teams one day, there being timber and plenty of good feed, and, indeed, it is about the first pleasant looking spot I have seen west of the pass. This is the country of the Snake Indians, some of whom were at the fort. They bear a good reputation among the mountaineers for honesty and integrity. We traded some with the traders at the fort, and with the French and Indians that were camped near there, but we found that their skins and peltry were quite as high as they were in the states, though they allowed us liberal prices for the commodities we had to exchange. July 9. W e renewed our journey, leaving the Oregon route. r which from this place bears north of west to Fort Hall. We took a blind trail, the general course of which is a little south of west, leading in the direction of the southern extremity of the Salt Lake, which is the region we wish to explore. Fortunately for us, a party of emigrants bound for the coast of California passed this way last fall, though their trail is in many places scarcely discernable. We left the waters of Black river, and gradually ascended — some eight or ten miles passed some large drifts of snow in the heads of the hollows— crossed the divide— descended a long, steep hill, and wound our way down a hollow to a creek called Muddy Fork, which here runs north and, winding round the hills to the

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north of Fort Bridger, forms a junction with Ham's Fork, and so flows to Green river. Upon this stream we camped, fourteen and a half miles from Fort Bridger. ioth. Today we passed through several fertile valleys, and over two of the most rugged hills we have passed on our journey, spurs of the Bear River mountains, on the last of which we saw three grizzly bears, and, what is of more importance, Prof. Carrington found what he positively pronounced a blossom of stone coal, which has heretofore been supposed not to exist in this region of country. We traveled eighteen miles today and camped upon a creek running into the Bear river, two miles from the latter. Perceiving smoke on the river, myself and several others rode down this evening and found it to proceed from a camp of men with pack animals, direct from the settlements of California. From them we obtained late papers and news of the Mexican war, etc. (To be continued.)