Heritage Gateways

William Clayton Journals

May 27, 1847

Location: Scottsbluff - 541 miles left, Nebraska - Location: 41:52:00N 103:40:00W Elevation: 3880 feet

Summary: Awe at the beautiful landscape.

Journal entry:The morning very fine. We have seen a number of romantic spots on our journey, but I consider our view this morning more sublime than any other. Chimney Rock lies southeast, opposite detached bluffs of various shapes and sizes. To the southwest. Scott's Bluffs look majestic and sublime. The prairie over which our route lies is very level and green as far as we can see. The bluffs on the north low, and about three miles distant. The scenery is truly delightful beyond imagination.

I have finished making Dr. Richards map to Chimney Rock. Elder Pratt has measured the width of the river at this place by the sextant and found it to be exactly 792 yards.

At ten minutes to eight we continued our journey and traveled near the banks of the river till 11:45, being eight miles. The route very good. hard and good traveling, although a little crooked. Porter Rockwell has killed two antelope, and Amasa Lyman one, which were brought to the wagons and distributed.

There are some heavy thunder clouds in the south and west and a nice breeze from northeast. At two o'clock we continued our journey over the same kind of dry level prairie, keeping not far distant from the banks of the river and making a straight road. At the distance of four and an eighth miles, passed the meridian of the northernmost peak of Scott's Bluffs being 19 3/4 miles from the meridian of Chimney Rock. These bluffs are very high, steep, and broken like many others, resembling ancient ruins. They are probably two miles from north to south extremity, but not very wide.

We traveled till 4:45 and formed our encampment in a circle near the banks of the river which from this place seems to bend for some distance to the north, having traveled this afternoon five and three quarters miles and during the day thirteen anti three quarters, mostly northwest.

Elders Kimball and Woodruff pointed out the road this forenoon. Afternoon Elder Kimball rode with me in Johnson's wagon while I read some of his journal to him. The evening is very cold, wind northeast, and raining some. Feed is good and the camp generally well. Another antelope was brought in by the hunters.

The latitude of the northernmost peak of Scott's Bluffs 41' 50' 52.

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.