Heritage Gateways

William Clayton Journals

June 10, 1847

Location: Glenrock, Wyoming - Location: 42:51:41N 105:52:18W

Journal entry: THURSDAY, 10TH. The morning calm and very pleasant. There is wild mint growing on the bank of this stream in great plenty and abundance of wild sage on all the higher land. The mint smells natural, but the sage smells strong of turpentine and a little like camphor. Started at half past seven and found good roads. At four and a half miles passed over a small creek about three feet wide but not much water, being only a few inches deep. A mile farther passed another creek about five feet wide, clear water and plentiful. At 11:20 we halted on the east bank of a stream about thirty feet wide and tolerably deep with a rapid current, having come eight and three quarters miles. We have had several long, steep bluffs to ascend and descend and two places at the creeks where it was hard for the teams to get up without help. We saw one of the Missouri companies a few miles ahead of us. Edmund Elsworth killed an antelope. There is good feed here and plentiful. Our road has been crooked mostly winding northward. The creek on which we camped last night is named A La Pierre and about a mile from where the road crosses, it runs through a tunnel from ten to twenty rods under the high rocky bluffs. The tunnel is high enough for a man to stand upright in it, and when standing at the entrance one can see the light through on the other side. It seems as though this tunnel has been formed by some strange feat of nature. Several of the brethren went to see it. Lewis Barney and another brother each killed an antelope which were brought into camp during the halt and divided. The brethren carried the two last about five miles on their shoulders. We have learned today from one of the travelers that there is one many living and making a farm in the Bear River valley. At a quarter to 2:00 we continued our journey. Found the road somewhat more even and good traveling. I put a guide board this morning at 80 miles from Fort John, and this afternoon after traveling three and a quarter miles from noon halt I put up another mark 90 miles. Just as I finished setting it, I looked forward and saw the Platte river again. After descending a half a mile we were on its banks, being 77 miles since we left it on Saturday last, after having wound around among the hills and bluffs all the way. When we arrived near the river the road was more level but sandy and harder on our teams. There are also some low places where the water stands, making it soft, but scarcely any feed for teams since we left the creek at noon. At a quarter to six we passed another stream about thirty feet wide and two feet deep, swift current and clear water. Name is Deer Creek. There is plenty of timber on its banks and abundance of good, rich grass for our teams. We formed our encampment on the west bank in a grove of large timber. About a mile back we passed a sick horse supposed to be left by some of the companies ahead. Brother Markham bled it in its mouth, but could not get it along and had to leave it. The distance we have traveled this afternoon was nine miles and during the day 17 3/4 miles, the last five miles being nearly a west course. Soon after we camped, Horace Whitney went to fishing in this stream. We were soon satisfied that there are plenty of fish in it. I got a line and went to fishing also and in a few minutes caught two which would weigh a half a pound each. We then went a piece below the ford and by fishing till a little after dark I caught twenty-four nice fish which would average over a half a pound each, and some of them would weigh over a pound each. The ones I caught were of a very bright color and very much resembled the herring, but much larger. Horace caught a cat fish and two suckers. A number of brethren also caught enough for all the camp with the sein but it is ahead with those who are gone to build a raft. The Twelve and some others walked out together to the river about a quarter of a mile up the stream. Some of the brethren discovered a rich bed of stone coal where any quantity might easily be dug, and it is said to look good and is a fine quality. The land here on the bottom is rich and would doubtless yield good crops of grain and potatoes, etc. Lewis Barney killed an antelope this afternoon which was distributed as he saw fit, inasmuch as he was not appointed a hunter. The evening is very fine, calm and pleasant indeed.

Source: William Clayton's Journal

Published by the Clayton Family Association, and edited by Lawrence Clayton. To the best of our research, this contents of this book are no longer under copyright.