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Wed Aug 22   We started earlyer than common this morning on account of the weather having the apearence of being vary warm and in about two hours came to the river and timber on the north side the first we have found since we passed the lone Tree.  We here discovered an Indian Village and trading House on the south side of the river and was soon met by two or three french traders and a number of Indians and Squaws who wanted presents   The Chief who was present made a speech of some length the purpose of which was being interpated by one of the traders that the whites had now taken their country and that thay should now consider thamselves the same as the whites and the white the same as thamselves  all brothers  but that the whites are rich and thay are poor and that thay are well convince that their white brothers after having killed all their game and have eaten up all their grass will if thay see tham in distress adminester to their necessaties and if their white brothers felt so disposed thay might make tham a few small presents now   Our people made tham some small presents of tobacco pins needles calico &c which thay thankfully received   Vegitation today on the sandy bottom over wich our road lays is nearly all dried up so that it is vary hard to find a spot of grass to bait our teams   We traveled about five miles and camped for the night in the bair sand after sunset   our cattle faired vary poor and we had to let them run out all night in order to let tham fill thamselves   Today we found a great number of articles such as boxes  tables  washtubs  smoothing irons  iron bars  hollow ware  organ  place stocks &c that had been thrown away by the trains that has proceded us and an Officer from fort larimee who met us today informed us that the emigrants had thrown away guns ammunition and every kind of heavy article burning their waggons and packing their oxen  one soulder from the fort found a double barreled rifle in the river worth 80 dollars

Thurs  Aug 23   We have had a vary sandy road this fournoon and the weather was extreamly warm.  About three olock p.m. we reached Fort John or Larimee  [Click on "image"] The old Ft stands on a point of land deviding the Larimee Fork from the north fork of Platte and is now going to ruin  it is built of sun dried brick and the walls are about 12 ft high and 3 ft thick at the base  it is in a square forme and contains area of about half an acre   There is two or three trading astablishments nearby and anumber of Seaux Indian lodges  the United States have now purchased 20 miles square of land from the Indians and are now building a fort about 1 1/2 miles above on the Larimee fork.  There is a garison of about 200 Solders now stationed here  We encamped near the Indian Village

Fri  Aug 24   today we removed our encampment about amile above the Fort on the bank of Larimee Fork which is a beautiful swift clear stream about 10 rods wide and its clear water is in great contrast to that of north fork which is as muddy as the main Platte below   We found the bottom here for miles scattered with pieces of waggons and lead bullits &c wich had been burned and stood about by the Emigrants.  The Garison has a saw Mill driven by twelve mules  It is a circular saw and does a vary good business cutting from 1500 to 2000 feet of pine lumber in 12 hours

Sat  Aug 25   We  couldnot get any blacksmith work done at the Government shop so we was obliged to purchase an anvillandbellows and erect a shop of our own in order to get our work done and just as we had got our forge and bellows in order for business there arose such a gale of wind that we ware obliged to suspend all labour for the day but in the afternoon we borrowed a small sein from the Garison and caught a fine lot of excellent fish in the Larimee river in front of our encampment

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Note.  There is a road following the river enstead of crossing the Black Hills  this road we came about 40 miles and missed it and turned into the Hills  we ought to have crossed the river   It is represented as being as near and much better traviling if the river is fordable   By following this road you have to cross the river three times extra but will find plenty of wood grass and water   If the river is fordable at larimie it is fordable at these three places and you can go that rout safly

[Note: It is unclear whether James Hecox composed this note or whether he copied from a guidebook. The typed transcript shows this note on a separate page.]

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Emigrants’ Guide entries

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Sun Aug 26   We got our waggon tires all off and welded today and ready for setting

Mon Aug 27   Today we finished the repairs on our waggons and prepared ourselves

Tues Aug 28   This morning was cold and rainey with wind northwest and we did not start untill 2 oclock  P.M.  when it cleared up pleasant but cool and our teams being fresh and well rested we moved finaly   The north fork here has become quite small and bluffs not more than amile and a half or two miles apart   The bluffs on our left the most part of the way perpendicular rock and make a fine apearence   The top of Larimee peak in front of us this afternoon is hidden in white fleasy clouds   The grass is vary scarse and vary poor what there is   A company of mormans whom we passed this afternoon came up and encamped near us this evening

Thirs  Aug 30   This morning was clear and vary cold for the season with a havy frost on the ground and water froze in iron kettle to the thickness of window glass   We started early in company with our Morman friends but soon parted company  them taking the road through the Black Hills while we took that runing nearest the river   We here left the river and took over the hills but found a vary good road   The Black Hills all around us are scatered over with stinted groath of pine and ceder which at a distance looks quite black from which circomstance I suppose thay took their name   The river which we came in sight of several times this forenoon seems to wind among the hills without having any bottoms eather side   This afternoon I saw where the river brake through a spur of the hill forming a cannon with pirpendicular rocks on eather side to highth of 3 or 4 hundred feet.

We passed today the grave of Mrs. Mildred Moss late of Galena who died July 7th 1849 aged 25 years   We traveled untill 8 oclock this evening in order to git to water and after having traveled 25 miles camped on the bank of a small stream nearly dry where we found tolerable good grass   We passed two Creeks nearly dry but water enough for teams and some grass

Fri  Aug 31   One of our Co Mr. Tyrel saw in going after the cattle through the brush a large brown Bear   I went in company with Mr Imus and two Miss Rices to the top of a round rocky nob or mound that stood near our camp and had a fine view of the serrounding country   We saw a small herd of buffalo feeding on the bottom this fornoon but did not get a shot at tham   We haulted for noon on the bank of Platte and one of our Co Mr Powel came in from the hills bringing a piece of a fat buffalo Cow he had killed and Mr. Imus and sons killed a mountain sheep and a deer   We found tolerable good grass on the north side of the river at this place   I found on the top of a high knob this afternoon a number of Oshter [oyster] and other marine shells  We traveled about 6 miles this afternoon and encamped for night on the Platte bottom where thare was a large thicket of young willow and cotton Wood

Sat  Sept 1   We missed our road this morning and enstead of crossing Platte we took the left hand road which led us into the south road that passes through the Black Hills  We passed over a rough hilly country 18 miles without water where we struck a stream that Capt Rease informed us was La Bonte River   it was dry where we crossed it but we found good springs a short distance below  plenty of timber and a little grass and we camped for the night

Sun  Sept 2  We left La Bonte about 8 oclock traviling over a vary hilly country  The Black Hills through we are traviling begin to have the apearence of mountains forming thamselves into high conicle peaks covered with black sand rock and a stinted graoth of wild sage   A few scattering bull Buffalos made their apearence today but we did not kill any and I saw the carcases of several cattle that had dyed along the road.  We pass the dry beds of three Creeks today but found no water   We traveled about 20 miles and encamped for the night on the bank of A La Prele river   We found no grass or water today for our cattle and scarsly anything at nigh except willows of which they eat the leaves when thay can get nothing else   Our cattle are grting foot sore and are falling away fast
 

Mon  Sept 3   We found a vary hilly road today and vary little water or grass.  We did not travel but eight miles to Fourche Boise river where we stoped in order to let our Cattle and horses rest & fill thamselves with grass which thay havenot done for several days   We searched down the river about 3 miles where we found tolerable fead and drove our cattle to it.  A company of mormans who had camped near us last night passed us here and we also found here Capt Taylors company encamped here consisting of about 50 waggons   Mr Taylor is Capt over a hundred and is a vary cleaver and inteligent man and gave us some useful information respecting the road from this point to the Salt Lake   I would here observe that the reason of our finding Grass so vary scarse partially from our being late in the season and partially from the number of Emigrants that have proceded us

Tues  Sept 4   Our oxen looked tolerable well this morning and we traveled to Deer Creek 8 miles where we halted for noon   This is a beautiful place but entirely divested of grass.  We found tolerable good grass about two miles above and we moved our camp to it in order to let our cattle recrute a day or two and in the meantime make some repairs on our waggons   We still find the remains of waggons  stoves and other propperty in large quantitys that have been distroyed by Emigrants   Nothing worth noting took place on wedensday thirs and fri eccept that on Friday Mr Imus went out hunting and killed a large Brown Bear   Game is vary plenty Antilope in peticular and our hunters bring in more than we can use   We got started this afternoon and traveled five miles and camped for the [night]  near the river but found vary little grass for our cattle

Sat  Sept 8   We ware hindered sometime this morning in hunting our Cattle who had strayed some distance in search of food but after having found our oxen we traveled on at a fast pace about 8 miles where we halted for noon.  We crossed Crooked Muddy Creek on the bank of which saw the Grave of Mr Miller who died of Cholera July 1 after an illness of one hour.  The Platte here is about 100 yeard wide with narrow bottoms not more than half a mile wide and covered principaly with wild sage and Prickly Pairs   We saw where we halted for noon the Grave of a young man whose body had been found in the river by a company who was hunting a foard early in June   a paper nailed on a tree enformed us that thay found and buryed it but when I visited the spot the body had been dug up by wild beasts and distroyed eccept some of the bones hair and cloths.  We pass this afternoon a small grove of pine on the point of the [?] to the left of the road  it looked quite refeshing   We traveled about 14 miles and camped for the night on the bank of the river where there was two Blacksmiths  Forges and a frame for shoing oxen and several canoes and Rafts for crossing the river in time of high water

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Emigrants’ Guide entries

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Sun Sept 9   We hadnot traveled more than two miles this morning befor one of our waggon wheels broke down   We took off the broken wheel and carryed it on with the train four miles to the upper fourd on Platte leaving the waggon untill we could send another wheel back and brought it up.   We remained here to repair the wheel   Some of our men went up into the mountain that lais to the left of us a short distence this afternoon and killed a Black Tailed deer the first I have seen   Thay did not get into camp but staid in the mountain through the night and did not get in untill late next morning

Mon  Sept 10   Today is cloudy with some rain wind west and cool   We found good grass up a ravine that makes down from the mountain and concluded to remain here untill tomorrow as we have to make long marches the next two days in order to get through the alkaly water   Mr Dunbar & Imus came in from a hunt this evening about 10 oclock enforming us thay had killed a large Elk on the side of the mountain which from the lateness of the evening thay couldn’t bring in with tham  thay had also shot at a large Grisly Bear two or three times but thay didn’t kill it than chased tham into the hills where thay succeded in escaping from it

Tues  Sept 11   Five of us went on horsback into the mountain this morning to bring in the Elk  it was a fine looking animel as I ever saw  I should think would have waid five hundred lbs and we took out of it some forty or fifty pounds of tallow.  Mr Powel went hunting yesterday lost his way and did not get in untill eleven oclock today   We crossed Platte about 1 oclock this afternoon and traveled 12 1/2 miles and camped for the night at the Mineral Spring and Lake   this water is said to be poisonous when stired up by Cattle but I am of the opinion if you dip the water up carful and give it to the cattle it willnot injure tham   The country over wich we traveled today was tolerable hilly but an eccelent road

Wed  Sept 12   We made an early start this morning having 16 1/2 miles to travel before we dare let our Cattle drink on account of alkaly.  We had a tolerable hilly bad road today and I counted yesterday and today the carcases of 37 cattle that had died by the way   We traveled 16 1/2 miles and camped about 4 oclock at Willow Spring and drove our stock up a vally north west about two miles in order to get fead   There is commonly good grass here at the spring but this year it had been all grazed of before we reached it

Thurs   Sept 13   We arose onto the summet of Prospect hill one mile from our camp this morning and a most splended view of the Sweet Water Mountains and the serounding country to the west.   We passed several mashy spots where there ware springs bursting out and water spreading over the ground   the ground seemed to be vary miry and by jumping I could shake the ground around me several feet   We traveled 8 1/2 miles and camped for the night on Greas Wood Creek

Fri  Sept 14    Our road today is somwhat rough and vary sandy    the tufts of the wild sage making the ground rough and hard on waggons.  About 4 oclock this afternoon we came to the salaeratus or soda Lake   The water has all dried up leaving a crust of pure salaeratus from a quarter of an inch to two feet in thickness over the whole surface of the ground looking as white as snow  [Note: Link is to a soda lake in the Mojave Desert, through which James Hecox passed in February, 1850. The photo is representative of the soda or saleratus lakes the pioneers frequently passed in the desert.]  We still continue to see the bones of dead Cattle in great numbers   We met a train of waggons at our camp this morning from Fort Bridger owned by the trading Co of that place who were going east to Larimie   the Captain of the train a well informed and gentelmanly  frenchman who had traveled the road a number of times enformed us that the belief of the alkaly water injuring Cattle was all a mistake  he had tried it effectuly and it had rather a more benefital afect than an injurious one   We turned to the left a short distance this evening and encamped on the bank of Sweet Water   close under the brow of the Sweet Water Mountain

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Emigrants’ Guide entries

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Sat   Sept 15   We passed Independence Rock this morning  it is quite a curiousity on account of its shape and magnitude [Click on "image"]   I ascended it on the north east side where there is an easy and gradual ascent   It is abot 600 yards long and 120 wide and composed of hard granite   There are thousands of names of visitors nearly all around and over the top of it put on with Paint  tar  grease  cut in the rock   We also passed Devils Gate [Click on "image"] a short distance north of the road   The river here appears to have fourced its way through a spur of the Mountain between perpendicular rocks four hundred feet high and is truly a great curiosity.  We here found a great number of names painted and cut &c in the rock  The Sweet Water here is about eight rods wide and is a clear swift stream with a Vally from one to three miles wide yealding Generly good grass   We traveled eight miles today and camped for the night on the bank of the river a short distance above Devils Gate and found tolerable grass

Sun  Sept 16   We mooved on this morning about two miles where we overtook Mr Congar who had left us at Upper Platte fourd   We also found good grass and concluded to remain untill tomorrow and shoe some of our oxen that have become foot sore.   I went out this afternoon in company with Mr Inskip upon the mountain north of the river and ascended one of the highest peaks and had a fine view of the Vally and serounding contry  I found a small pool of clear cold spring  water runing out of a creves of the rock nearly on the highest summit   We found it a vary dificult and adious [arduous?] undertaking and was obliged to strip our feet and clamber barfoot up almost perpendiculrock for a number of feet at a time

Mon  Sept 17   Soon after starting this morning we had the misfortune to upset one of our waggons in a muddy Creek braking the forward houns and weting most of the articals in the waggon   About 1 oclock we had the damage repaired and resuming our march we traveled about nine miles keeping on the river bottom enstead of the upland where the old road ran   We foarded the river twice this afternoon and found tolerable grass all along the Stream   We encamped for the night on the bank of the river to which I gave the names of James and Cornelias peaks the most northern James and southern Cornelia peak [This appears to be the most personal entry in the diary. James and Cornelia were the names of two of the children born to James and Ida Schellhous Hecox. Cornelia died in childhood, year unknown. James may refer to son James Monroe Hecox, who later died of fever during the Civil War, or to an earlier deceased son that we don't know about. By 1847 at least nine chldren had been born to the Hecox family. Four died in childhood, years unknown. We can only speculate why he choose these two names out of nine.]

Tues  Sept 18   The range of Sweet Water mountains is intirely hidden by a white fleasy cloud or fog having the apearence in the sunshine of a mountain of snow   The Sweet Water river is 120 miles long heading in the south Pass and runing in an easterly direction until it emties its self into the north fork of Platte  it has but vary little timber in its course and the land in its vally is covered principally with wild sage eccept amediately along the margin of the stream where it is covered with soft Green Grass   We traveled the most of the time today over tolerable high land passing several high rocky points on each of which I saw numbers of names of travelers painted   We left the river some distance to the north of the road and traveled south of some high rocky hills untill just at evening we came to the river where it runs through a narrow pass in the mountain here finding tolerable fead for our Cattle  we encamped for the night

Wed  Sept 19   We was obliged to leave one of our oxen on the hills yesterday evening   The boys went back for it this morning but did not get into camp untill afternoon so we did not move on more than 3 miles where we encamped on the river near the foot of a high mass of rocks on the left of the road   Our Company left us this morning with the expectation that we would overtake tham in the distance or five or six miles but we were detained longer than thay or we expected and we did not over take tham

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Thurs  Sept 20   We did not get started vary early this morning and after traviling six miles we came to the 4 ford on Sweet Water where we halted for noon   We had to eather stop at the Ice Springs five miles or travel to fifth ford on the river before we could git water or grass   We mooved on untill we reached the Ice Springs where we soon discovered it was a dangerous place to camp on account of the miry springs and Alkaly grass and water so we traveled on to the ford which today passes over high land and cuts off a large bend that the river makes to the north   The soil is the same that it has been ever sence we left Larimie consisting of nothing but sand and gravel and no vegitation on the upland but wild sage which here grows in low ground to the size of 6 or 8 inches in diameter and 6 or 8 feet high.  The high ridges and masses of Granite rocks that have continued all along on our right have disapeared today giving place to lower grassy ridges and at a greater distance from the road   The snowy tops of the Wind River range of the Rocky Mountains apeared in sight today.  When we arived at the ford this evening we found two companies encamped here some of whom informed us that our Company who had left us ware encamped about three miles below on the river so we found ourselves ahead of tham

Fri  Sept 21   The part of our Company who camped below us did not wish to travel today so we mooved up the river four miles where we found vary good grass for our animels and concluded to wait for tham to come up so we descended near the river and camped   Just before sunset in looking into a deep hole in the river were it made a short bend we saw a number of Fish and taking a small sein that the boys had constructed of a pike net and sweeping the hole we caught in less than 20 minutes 278 of the finest fish I have ever seen in the west   Thay would weigh from 1/2 to 1 1/2 lbs   Thay ware a specia of sucker but with shining gould culored sides and a better fish to eat than the common sucker

Sat  Sept 22   We missed a fine spotten Pony belonging to Mr Montgomery this morning and soon discovered that he had been stolen by the Indians from the tracks we found in the sand   We had grown carless from the fact that we hadnot seen any Indians sence leaving Larimie and have not kept any guards out at night but this will learn us a lesson that we willnot furget   We remained here all day our company coming up about noon   Thay all surplied thamselves with as many fish as thay could save in any way

Sun  Sept  23   We mooved on this morning following the river bottom and crossing the river four times but it is vary low   it is no trouble to ford it   We crossed a small creek of clear water about noon and soon after a vary good Spring to the right of the road   continuing up the river six miles we encamped for the night  just at the point where the river ascends the high   The river here is divided into two parts each about two rods wide and is a beautiful clear little stream   The river bottom is here between a quarter and a half mile wide and covered with fine soft Grass and Willows the latter confining thamselves to the margin of the stream   A short distance above our camp the hills come together abuting the river into a narrow space and forming several small rapids and water falls   The hills around are tolerable high and generaly covered with wild sage and Grass and present some  pretty high Conicle peaks   The wolves for the two week have been vary troublesome after coming into our camp at nigh[t] and atacking our dogs nearly under our waggons

Mon  Sept 24   We ascended a vary high hill this morning and crossed a vary rocky ridge that is vary dangerous to waggons unless great caution is used in driving   we then descended onto a little lower ground and passed some mashy ground and a small bed of a Creek 2 feet wide but no water   We traveled on to Strawberry Creek 9 1/2 miles and camped for the night but found vary little water or grass

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Emigrants’ Guide entries

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Tues  Sept 25   We traveled over a beautiful looking country today but producing no vegitation except Artimentia or wild sage and had an excellent road   We crossed a branch of Sweet Water a fine swift clear little stream and forming a beautiful narrow romantic looking valley  We also passed willow Creek a fine clear stream winding its way amoung the hills.  Our road for the last two days has passed some distance north of Sweet Water and concequently over tolerable high land   The Wlind River mountains are in full view on our right and the Table Rocks nearly in frount but a little to the left.  We traveled 10 1/2 miles and camped for the night on the main branch of Sweet Water finding vary poor feed for our animels without driving tham two miles down the stream where it was vary good

Wed  Sept 26   We left our encampment about nine oclock this morning.  As we rose from the Sweet Water bottom the snow on the mountain streached grandly before us.  About nine miles brought us to the Summit.  The ascent had been so gradual that we ware obliged to watch vary closly to find the place at which we had reached the culminating point  [ Note: James Hecox seems to have copied into his diary here part of  John C. Fremont's description of the summit. Fremont  wrote in his journal: “About six miles from our encampment brought us to the summit.  The ascent had been so gradual, that, with all the intimate knowledge posssessed by Carson … we were obliged to watch very closely to find the place at which we had reached the culminating point."*]
Approaching it from the mouth of the Sweet Water a sandy plain 120 miles long conducts your gradual and regular ascent to the summit 7,085 feet above the sea and the travelar without being awair of any change by toilsome ascent suddenly finds himself on the waters which flow into the pacific ocean  [This sentence may also be from a guidebook, as yet unidentified.]  A high range of mountains lay a short distance on eather side of the pass 

We traveled three miles form the pass and encamped for the night on Pacific Creek a small clear Brook that emites into Green River or Colorado of the Gulf of California   This  Creek being the first water the travelar strike that emties into the Pacific ocean   We saw this evening anumber of Indians on horsback on the hills two or three miles north of us but thay seemed to be going from us towards the mountains

Thurs  Sept 17   This morning is clear and frosty with the wind from northwest till it is pleasant   It was near ten oclock this morning before we left our camp   The country over which we traveled today was comparitively speaking a level plain with some small variations.   The snow on the mountain peaks has nearly all disapeared it being principally confined to the north and east side of the peaks   We traveled 13 miles today and encamped for the night on a small sulpher Creek called dry Sandy  found bad water and vary little fead for our animels

Fri  Sept 28   Our road has been over a level plain nearly all day with high iceelated hills on knobs scattered over the plains in all directions   Generally rising almost perpindicular from the level plain to highth of from one to three hundred feet   We have passed in the last two or three days several graves of persons who have died on the road and I should judge we had passed in the last three days the carcases of at least two Cattle for each mile distance.  We traveled this day 13 3/4 miles and encamped for the night on Little Sandy one of the tributaries of Green River heading in the Wind River Mountains and runing to the southwest  We passed today the junction of the Oregon and California roads

Sat  Sept 29   Our road ran today over a level plain with vary little variation with nothing to interest the eye of the traviler except that I could discover to the west near down to the horizon a long dark line of what I supposed to be the Bear River range of Mountains distant from here about one hundred miles   We traveled eight miles this day and pitched our camp on Big Sandy another of the tributaries of Green river   Found good fead for our stock but no fuel except a little willow and long leafed cottonwood.   A number of Ravens and several Magpies came around our camp this evening drawn to gether by the smell of an antilop that one of the men killed

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Sun Sept 30   This morning was cool some flying Clouds and wind north west wich arose by ten oclock to a Gale carrying a cloud of dust from our wagons and cattle sometimes a mile to leeward  We traveled on over gently undilating plain wich looked beautiful to the eye with the exception of a lack of vegitation there being as usual nothing but Artimentia   We traveled 18 1/2 miles and camped for the night on Big Sandy once more   We came near the Creek 5 miles back but I did not examine for grass

Mon  Oct 1  We did not get started untill late this morning as we did not design traviling further than Green river or Colordo ten miles but on our ariving there we found a large number of Mormans encamped there and we moved on down the river on the west side and encamped for the night.  We found vary good Grass by driving our stock across to the oposite side of the river   This is a beautiful clear river having some timber cotton wood and willow on its banks and the land on its bottoms is richer than any I have seen sence leaving Platte   This river has its soarce in the Wind river mountains runing a southwest direction between the range of rocky mountains and the Great Basin it emties itself into the Gulf of California after having traviled about 1200 miles

Tues  Oct 2   We concluded to lay by today and let our Cattle rest   It was warm and pleasant until noon today and it than Clouded up the wind blowing hard from the northeast and was quite cold through the night

Wed  Oct 3   This morning was cold and disagreeable the ground being covered with snow and wind hard from northeast   It continued to snow a little all through the day and we did not travel   the nigh was agin cold and disagreeable

Thur  Oct 4   This morning the clouds looked broken and the wind had fallen and we prepared to resume our march.  We left Green river after traviling about two miles and ascendid a long gravely hill   The snow has all melted off of the plains but the mountains in all direction are glistening in the sunbeams having a grand and beautiful apearence   We passed a Grave on the bank of Green river that had the apearence of having been a lad of about 12 or 13 years of age but the wolves had dug up and eaten him up entirely to all apearence as nothing remained but part of his bones and hair and cloaths   We encamped on Black Fork after traviling 18 miles over a vary good road  found some willows for fuel and vary good Grass for our teams

Fri  Oct 5   This morning was vary cold for the season it having froze hard through the night but this morning was clear   As we proceded southwest we soon discovered that the snow had fallen considerable deeper than it had in the Valley of Green River and was now thawing fast which made the road quite muddy.  About 2 oclock today a sprightly little son of Mr Rice in undertaking to jump from the wagon sliped and fell the hind wheel of the wagon passing over him   He was amediately bled and soon in a measure recovered from the shock and by the aplication of spirits of turpentine linement &c this evening he had the apearence of being a goodeal better   The road over which we passed today was somewhat rolling and uneaven the soil being Generally richer than that we have travled over lately   We crossed Hams Fork and Black fork but on account of the accident of the boy we ware obliged to camp this night without water or fuel eccept sage after having traveled 10 miles

Sat  Oct 6   The little boy who met with the accident yesterday was quite well this morning and we resumed our march over a somewhat uneaven road passing in about 3 miles the Hill of Fame so called from its rezemblance to the picture of that hill with ecception of the lack of the statue on the top.  We Crossed Blacks fork the third time camped on the west bank at the 4th ford found Cotton Wood & willow for fuel and plenty of Course Grass which our Cattle eat well   As we traveled up the Valley of Black fork today the long line of snow clad mountains stood out before us in bold relief and shining beautifully in the sunbeams

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Sun  Oct 7   A large fine ox belonging to Mr Imus apeared to be sick this morning and he turned him out of the yoke but he had not proceded more than 4 or 5 miles when he laid down and died.  We have scarcly traveled a half mile for the last two days without passing Cattle which have recently died of bluddy Murren  The general supposission is that owing to the latness of the season the grass has all become dry that the Cattle have to eat and the drive have been long between watering places that it creates in tham bloody Murren   Our road today has been dry but tolerable rough espescially near Bridger where there is a great many cobble stones.  We traveled 14 3/4 miles and camped for the night about 1/2 of a mile from Fort Bridger where we found about 50 wagons of Mormans allready encamped

Mon  Oct 8   Fort Bridger is situated in a large valley serounded by high hill and Mountains on head waters of Blacks Fork of Green river.  The Fort is composed of 4 hewed log houses enclosed around by high pickets and is mearly a trading Post.  Colonel Bridger who owns the establishment is a native of Virginia and came into the mountains whin he was 14 years of age and has remained here 28 years.  The soil in the valley near the Fort is vary rich and no doubt would produce good grain if it was cultivated.  Our road today was over a somwhat rough and Mountainous country in the afternoon we ascended a high ridge and where we descended on the west it is vary steep and dangerous on account of cobble stones.  We encamped at the west foot of the hill on a small Creek where we found a few Cotton Wood trees and tolerable grass after traveling 9 miles

Tues  Oct 9   We crossed Muddy fork in about 4 miles this morning and our road lay through deep ravines between high ridges  in the afternoon we ascended a high ridge the summit of which is 7,700 feet above the sea   We discended a long hill on the west side into a deep narrow ravine and following the ravine about 2 miles where there was holes of water we camped for the night on a beautiful little grass plat just after rising the second bank of the Creek.  We also passed the Coperas or Soda Springs today

Wed  Oct 10   We hadnot proceded more than a mile and half this morning when we came to Sulphur Creek after crossing which ascended a vary steep hill and crossing a bench we descended another steep hill to Bear river when we designed stoping a day or two to let our Cattle rest   We found here good grass and timber   We here burned a coal pit and shawd some of our oxen and horses

Thurs  Oct 11   This morning I went back in company with Mr Owen to Sulphur Creek en order view the Sulphur and Tar or Oil springs and also a bed of stove coal that had been discovered there   Just at the foot of the hill and to the left of the road at the bank of the Creek there is a large and strong Sulphur Spring  A short distance above the Spring on the side of the mountain is a bed of stove coal  On the west side of the Creek and a little to the left you will see a small ravine and rivulet wich if you follow to the foot of the bluff you will find a Spring of pure water   To the left of this spring there is a trail which if you follow it in nearly a south direction about a mile you will see a small ravine coming from the first bench on the right hand of which is an Oil or Tar spring covering over several rods of ground   The Oil obtained from this spring is an excellent medicine for sores on Horses or Cattle   It also makes a fine Varnish for wood giving to it a fine smooth polish.   At the time I visited this spring it had been all burned up so that I could obtain but a vary small quantity of oil

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Fri  Oct 12   We still remain in camp on Bear river   The day is quite cold wind west cloudy and occationly a little snow falling   Bear river is a fine stream of pure water having its source in the Utah range of mountains runing nearly north about 100 miles it turns short to the southwest around a spur of a mountain   it runs nearly south west until it emties the Great Salt Lake

Sun Oct   Nothing worth noting took place in our camp yesterday   This morning about ten oclock we resumed our march and crossing Bear river we ascended a ridge after crossing which we traveled down a beautiful grassy valley for a number of miles where we found several good springs but no timber   We than arived and crossed Yellow Creek near a point of high course grained Granite Rocks the weather has worn into curious shapes   We ascended another high ridge than descending a long ravine or narrow vally we made our encampment for the night at the head of Echo Creek about a quarter of mile from Cache Cave.  This cave is about two or three hundred yeards to the right of the road in the side of the hill in a sand rock and is nearly in the shape of a bakers Oven and is about 40 feet in depth and about 25 in width in the widest part   The soil over which we have traveled for the last few days is becoming richer and the wild sage on the hill is giving place to fine luctuerent [luxuriant] grass

Mon  Oct 15   Our road today lay down the valley or rather ravine of Echo Creek   The Creek is rightly named for the high rocks on the right give back a distinct echo to every sound you make   The mountain on eather side rises abruptly to the hight of several hundred feet   those on right are composed of course grained red and white Granite rising nearly perpendicular to a great highth and afording a beautiful and romantic view to the curious traveler   As we proceded down the stream which is a small brook the mountains on eather hand came gradually nearer together untill the ravine was barly wide enough for a wagon road   We had to cross the Creek a great number of times and the Crossings ware vary steep and dificult.  We traveled about 18 miles and encamped for the night in a small widning of the ravine where we couldnot see more than 200 yeards in any direction for the mountains  I here saw White Oak bushes growing on the sides of the hills the first I have seen sence leaving the lower Platte country   We found here plenty of Aspen and Willow for camping perposes and tolerable grass

Tues Oct 16   Our Cattle straid of some distance last night and we did not get started untill about 10 oclock this morning and soon after starting one of our men Isaac Harden came down a ravine from the mountain carrying the meat of a mountain sheep which he had just killed and informing us that there ware plenty more  we stoped our teams and some five or six of our men went up into the mountains but did not succeed in taking any of tham   Thay started a small Bear but could not get a shot at it   We proceded on to the Red Fork of Weber river four miles and camped for the night

Wed Oct 17   We crossed Weber often traviling four miles this morning and traveled up a ravine with a small creek runing through it  [This website provices an interesting comparison among the varioustrail routes. Scroll down to GOLDEN PASS ROUTE FROM WEBER RIVER TO SALT LAKE CITY  to read about the route this company took to Salt Lake City.]  Crossing the Creek a number of times some places traveling through thick brush   We found the road Muddy and difficult passing   We passed the sumit of Pratts Pass a short distance and encamped for the night on a small brook that runs down into Kanyon Creek.  We met here Mr. Hunington from Utah Valley   he stayed with us through the night and was going east to meet his brother who is with the Company behind us.  Mr. H. is a vary pleasant and enteligent man and gave us some useful information

Thirs  Oct 18   After traveling four miles this morning we struck Kanyon Creek and proceding up it we soon came where the ravine through which the Creek runs became narrow and the crossings of the Creek became bad   The Beaver have damed the Creek in several places turning the water so it spreads over the bottoms making vary bad mudholes.  Into one of which we drove our teams and our oxen mired down so that we had to double teams and than had geat difficulty in getting through  We traveled about 10 miles and encamped for the night on a small rise near where the Creek makes a bend to the east and runs through a vary narrow ravine

 * Fremont quote taken from p. 74: Clark, Thomas D. (ed.). Gold Rush Diary: Being the Journal of Elisha Douglass Perkins on the Overland Trail in the Spring & Summer of 1849. Lexington, KY: University of Kentucky Press, 1967.

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Richberger/Hecox/Ross Introduction