Page:Oregon Historical Quarterly vol. 7.pdf/353

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Emigration of 1843
347

to be seen of any size. We came up to our company encamped on Sweet Water, in the evening, having traveled ten miles.

Saturday, August 5.—Traveled fifteen miles over very rough road. Several of us went hunting, killed one antelope, one groundhog and five sage hens. Crossed several small branches of good water. High mountains in sight. Nights very cold; middle of the day very warm. Trailed eighteen miles. Distance to Fort Laramie, 231 miles.

Sunday, August 6.—Traveled twelve miles. Passed Applegate's company and encamped on Sweet Water. Wind River Mountains in sight.

Monday, August 7.—Left Sweet Water this morning, it being the last water of the Atlantic that we see. Traveled six miles and nooned at the spring. In the afternoon, struck out across the twenty-mile barren, without wood, water or grass. Stopped half way, having traveled sixteen miles. Crossed the Divide August 7.

Tuesday, August 8.—After a considerable delay, in consequence of the cattle wandering off in quest of food, we gathered up and left camp about 9:00 o'clock. Traveled until about 2:00 o'clock a. m., across a plain of sand and sage, and encamped on Sandy, a small tributary of the Colorado. We now consider ourselves in Oregon Territory, and we consider this part of it a poor sample of the El Dorado. We encamped on Sandy, Applegate's and Martin's company having gone ahead. Traveled ten miles.

Wednesday, August 9.—I started on ahead to go to Fort Bridger, but stopped at Ham's Fork, and most of our company and men arrived at Fort Bridger, on Black's Ford, Monday, August 14.

Tuesday, August 15.—Cooper puts up his tools and does some work for the company. I will here remark, as I have not kept the separate day's travel and distances, that from Little Sandy to here the distance is sixty miles. On these days which I have neglected journalizing, there was nothing of importance occurred, except the death of Mr. Stevenson,