by Win Blevins
Fremont’s Trail and Hastings Cutoff
21 On the way again as usual N. E. course 1 ½ hours ride brought us to whare the stream came through a Kenyon for a short distance but the trail led over a sandy ridge to the N and after passing another of the same discription we came to a handsome little Brook [North Fork of Humboldt River] hading to the N. W. On each side of this brook the earth was covered white with a salin incrustation and when broke By the tramping of our mules it nearly strangled them and us causing them to caugh and us to sneeze at 14 miles we encamped this being the point whare Mr Freemant intersected the wagon Trail last fall on his way to California and Mr Hastings our pilot was anxious to try this rout but my beleef is that it [is] verry little nearer and not so good a road as that by fort Hall our encampment is in a large fine looking vally but too cold and dry for any kind of grain the mountains which are no greate elivation above the plain are covered nearly half way down in snow
22 after long consultation and many arguments for and against the two different routs one leading Northward by fort Hall and the other by the Salt Lake we all finally tooke Fremonts Trail by the way of the Salt Lake Late in thee day the Stream brances again in this vally the Larger [Lamoille Creek] comeing From the S the smaller [the main Humboldt] from the N. up this Northern branch the wagon Trail leads by the way of Fort Hall
Crosing the N. Branch we struck S. E. for a low gap [Humboldt or Secret Pass] in a range of snow caped mountains [E. Humboldt Range] soon crossed the vally and commenced assending the mountain out of which isues a small Brook [Secret Creek, now called Cottonwood Creek] followed up this brook to neare its source and encamped nearly on the summit of the mountain and within perhaps less than one mile of the snow the air was Quite cool and a few drops of rain fell. on this elevated ridge the grass we found to be nearly full grown while that in the vally was Quite short Here I observed large beds of rock resembling marble 12 mile
23 Late in the evening last heard rumbling thunder after dark a few drops of rain fell The night was cool and froze a little in fact every night has produced some Ice since we left the plains of California Early this morning the snow fell so as to whiten earth at our camp and laid on the mountains all day another shower fell during the forenoon Continued withe some difficulty to follow Freemonts trail up the brook to a handsome little valy [Secret Valley] and over a ridge to a nother larger vally [Ruby Valley] several small streams fall into this vally and run off to the S & S W and no doubt fall into marys river [actually into Franklin Lake] and the last water seen passing into that stream
Crossed the vally S. E. and assended a steep narrow mountain [E. Humboldt Range] some remnants of snow drifts ware laying on the summit of this mountain desended the mountain on the South side to a large spring of warm water [Warm Creek] flowing into a large vally [Clover Valley] and spreading into a large swale covered in marsh grass here we encamped at the distanc of 12 miles the day was cloudy and several light showers of snow fell on the mountains
24 S. E. across the vally of the warm spring and over a ridge of hills [Chase Spring Mountain] covered with shrubby Junts of cedars and into another vally [Independence Valley] of considerable length but not more than 6 or 8 miles wide dis[t]ance to day 14 miles stoped at a lot of small springs [Mound Springs or Chase Springs] on several low mounds but so thirsty is the earth that the water does not run more than 20 or 30 feet before it all disappears to the S. W. of this vally the hills rise in considerable peaks [Spruce Mountain] covered in snow at this time animal life seem all most Extinct in this region and the few natives that try to make a precarious subsistanc here are put to all that ingenuety can invent roots herbs insects and reptiles are sought for in all directions in some parts moles mice and gophers seem to be Quite plenty and in order to precure those that live entirely under the surface of the earth when a suitable place can be found a Brook is damned up a ditch dug and the habitation of the mole inundated when the poor animal has to take to the surface and is caught by his enemy
“we lost Fremonts trail”
25 again under way E. of S [actually nearly due east] across another dry clay plain [Independence Valley] covered in shrubs of a verry dwarfish character and over as dry a range of low mountains clothed in dwarfish cedars and Pines [Pequop Range at Jasper Pass] Came to a hole of water or rather a cluster of small springs [Flowery Lake] which like the last night disappeared in the parched earth immediately here we stoped and watered and nooned on again nearly east [across Gosiute Valley] to a rather rough looking rang of mountains [Toana Range] asended and found several snow drifts about the summit here we lost Fremonts trail and desended a southern ravine to all appearanc dry as a fresh burnt brick Kiln unpacked and prepared ourselves for a night without water I assended one of the dry Cliffs and to my astonishment saw a well of good cool water from the top of this rang [Toana Range] we could have a fair view of one of those greate Salt plains you may give some Idea of its [extent] when I assure you that we stood near the snow drifts and surveyed this plain streching in all directions beyond the reach of vision
26 Spent the whole day in searching for the Trail which I succeeded in finding late in the afternoon
27 Left our camp near the top of the mountain an took a N. E. cours to a high ruged looking bute [Pilot Peak] standing prominent and alone with the tops whitned in snow [Went] along the East side of this bute which stands in the salt plains to near the Eastern point 22 miles and encamped on a fine spring Brook [Pilot Peak Creek] that comes tumbling from the mountain in all its purity This bute affrd’s numerous springs and brooks that loose themselves immediately in the salt plain below but the grass is plenty generally and the main bulk of the county produces nothing but a small curly thorn bush winding on the earth To the S. s. E. and East you have a boundless salt plain without vegitatiom except here and there a cliff of bare rocks standing like monumental pillars to commemorate the distinction of this portion of the Earth
“this is the [most] desolate
country…on the whole globe”
28 Left our camp at the Snowy or more properly the spring Bute for this Bute affords several fine Brooks and took the Trail East and soon entered on the greate salt plain the first plain is 6 or 7 miles wide and covered in many places three inchs deep in pure white salt passed an Island of rocks [Silver Island] in this great plain and entered the great plain over which we went in a bold trot untill dusk when we Bowoiked [bivouacked] for the night without grass or water and not much was said in fact all filt incouraged as we had been enformed that if we could follow Mr Fremonts trail we would not have more than 20 miles without fresh water In fact this is the [most] desolate country perhaps on the whole globe there not being one spear of vegitation and of course no kind of animal can subsist and it is not yet assertaind to what extent this immince salt and sand plain can be south of whare we [are now] our travel to day was 40 miles
29 As soon as light began to shew in the East we ware again under way crossed one more plain (to cross) and then assended a rough low mountain [Cedar Mountain] still no water and our hopes ware again disapointed Commenced our desent down a ravine made 14 miles and at length found a small spring of Brackish water [in Skull Valley] which did not run more than four rods before it all disappeared in the thirsty earth but mean and poor as the water was we and our animals Quenched our burning thirst and unpacked for the day after our rapid travel of about 20 hours and 30 hours without water
30 At an Eearly hour we ware on our saddles and bore south 4 miles to another small spring of the same kind of water stoped and drank and continued changing our course to S E passed a small salt plain [Skull Valley] and several large salt springs changed again to E. or N. of E. a ruged mountain [Stansbury Range] to oure right and a salt marsh to our left this mountain is The highist we have seen in these plains allthough 20 peaks are visable at all tines to day 20 miles
M. 30 long before day was visibele a small Bird of the mocking bird kind was heard to cheer us with his many noted Song an this is the only singing Bird
that I have heard for the last 10 days in fact this desolaton afords subsistance to nothing but Lizards, and scorpions which move like Ligntning ove[r] the parched Earthe in all directions as we pass along the spring we camp at to night is large and deep sending off a volume of Brackish water to moisten the white parched earth nearly all the rocks seen for .7 days pasd. is Black intersperced with white streaks or clouds and I Judge them to be a mixture of Black Bassalt and Quarts. our spring has greate Quantities of fish in it some of considerable size
31 N. E. along the mountains to the N. Point whare is an extensive spring of salt water [Big Salt Spring at Timpie Junction] after turning the point of the mountain we changed again to the S. E. along betwen the mountain and the greate Salt Lake Travel to day 20 miles and we passed some 15 or 20 large springs mostly warm and more or less salt some of them verry salt camped at some holes of fresh water [Twenty Wells in Tooele Valley near Grantsville] in most all drections and two peaks one to the S. W. [Deseret Peak] and the other to the S. E. [Lowe Peak] seem to be highg enough to contain snow all the season. we have had two nights only since we left the Settelments of California without frost and to day is cold enough to ride with a heavy coat on and not feel uncomfortabl
Notes on Chapter Fifteen:
Clyman’s journal for May 25 and 26 mentions a “well of good cool water” on one of the dry cliffs, and then a long search for a trail. Camp’s footnotes reveal a long search for the spring Clyman mentions, which was apparently slightly off Fremont’s route.
Chapter 16
Notebook Nine—Great Salt Lake to Independence
June 1, 1846 to July 24, 1846
1846 June the 1st.
proceeded nearly east to the point of a high mountain [Oquirrh Mountains] that Bounds the Southern part of the greate salt lake I observed that this lake like all the rest of this wide spread Sterility has nearly wasted away one half of its surface since 1825 when I floated around it in my Bull Boate and we crossed a large Bay of this Lake with our horses which is now dry and continued up the South side of the Lake to the vally [Salt Lake Valley] near the outlet of the Eutaw Lake and encamped at a fine large spring of Brackish water 20 miles (to) to day
after unpacking several Indians ware seen around us after considerable signing and exertion we got them to camp and they apeared to be friendly
In this vally contrary to any thing we had yet seen Lately the grass is full grown and some early Kinds are ripe (are ripe) and now full grown and still the mountains nearly all around are yet covered in snow
These Ewtaws as well as we could understand informed us that the snakes and whites ware now at war and that the snakes had killed two white men this news was not the most pleasant as we have to pass through a portion of the snake country
2 acording to promis our Eutaw guide came this morning and conducted us to the ford [near 27th South St., Salt Lake City] on thee Eutaw river which we found Quite full and wetting several packs on our low mules but we all got safely over and out to the rising ground whare we found a fine spring brook and unpacked to dry our wet baggage
This stream [Jordan River] is about 40 yards wide running in a deep channel of clay banks and through a wide vally in some places well set in an excelent kind of grass But I should think that it would not be moist Enough for grain the mountains that surround this vally are pictureesque and many places beautifull being high and near the base smoothe and well set in a short nutericious grass Especally those to the West
Afternoon took our course E into the Eutaw [Wasatch] mountains and near night we found we had mistaken the Trail and taken one that bore too much to the South camped in a cove of the mountain making 25 miles the ravines and some of the side hills have groves of oak and sugar maple on them all of a short shrubby discription and many of the hill sides are well clothed in a good bunch grass and would if not too cold bear some cultivation
3 N. E. up the Brook [Parley’s Canyon] into a high ruged mountain [Big Mountain] not verry rocky but awfull brushy with some dificulty we reached the summit and commenced our dissent which was not so steep nor Quite so brushy the Brush on this ridge consists of aspen, oak cherry and white Firr the later of which is Quite like trees this ridge or mountain devides the waters of Eutaw from those [of] Weebers rivers and desended the South branch [East Canyon Creek] of Weebers rivir untill it entered a rough Looking Kenyon when we bore away to the East up a small Brook [Dixie Creek] and encamped at the head springs makeing to day about 18 miles on the top of the mountain we passed several snow drifts that had not yet thawed and the whole range to the S.W. and N. is more or less covered in snow and many peaks heavily clothed and the air cold and disagreeable some few light Showers of rain fell during the day and one shower of snow fell in the afternoom service berry in bloom as Likewis choke cherries no game seen through this region and it is difficult to determin what the few natives that inhabit this region subsist on 23 miles
“saw one Lonesome looking poor grisly Bear”
4th North 4 miles down a ravin [Main, or Little East Canyon] to Weabers River we struck this stream a short distance above the Junction of the N. [Lost Creek] and S. Branches and immideately above whare it enters the second Kenyon above its mouth followed up the vally some 3 miles and crossed over found the stream about 50 yards wide muddy from the thawing of snow in the mountains south it has a rapid current over a hard gravelly bottom and it has a considerable Sized intervale through which it pases thickly covored in shrubby cotton wood and willows after crossing we took a deep cut ravin coming direct from the N. E. [Echo Canyon] the Bluffs of this ravin are formed of red rock made of smoothe water washed pebbles and the North side in particular are verry high and perpendicular and in many places hanging over the narow vally is completely Strewn over with the boulder which have fallen from time to time from the cliffs above passed to day several clumps of oak and sugar maple the cliffs however have scattering clumps of cedar on them To day saw one Lonesome looking poor grisly Bear
This [Weber River] like the Eutaw river heads in the Eutaw [Uinta] mountains and running North some distance Turns to the West and breaks through two ranges of mountain falls into the salt Lake 30 or 40 miles south of the mouth of Bear rivir and has a shallow barr at its mouth stuck over in drift wood. 26 [miles].
5 th N. E. Up the Brook on which we encamped [Echo Canyon near Castle Rock] in a few miles it parted into several smaller Brooks and we continued up the most central notwithstanding the frosty morning [along present U.S. route 30 to Evanston] several summer songsters ware warbling their loves or chirping amongst the small willows which skirted the little Brook as we passed along in a few hours ride we arived at the summit of the ridge that devides the waters of Weabers River from those of Bear River this ridge is high and several drifts of winters snow was still Lying a fiw miles to the souths of our rout notwithsanding this summit ridge is smoothe and handsomely clothed in young grass
Continued down the East side of the ridge and crossed over a small muddy stream [Yellow Creek] running N. into Bear River struck Bear River a rapid stream40 yards wide and running over a smoothe rocky Bed [at Evanston, Wyoming] we found this stream fordable and greate thickets of willows and catton wood growing in the bends Continued our course up a small Brook [Sulphur Spring Creek] a few miles and campd. several times to day we had a sight of the Eutaw [Uinta] mountains completely covered in snow as the weather has been Quite to cool to have much effect upon the peaks of this rang of mountains 30 Miles
6 proceeded N. E. through a Barren range of wild sage hill and plains and deep washd. gutters with little alteration Except now and then a grove of shrubby cedars untill late in the afternoon when we struck the wagon trail leading from Bridgers Trading house to Bear River Turned on our course from N. E. to S. E. and took the road Toward Bridger near sun set we came to a small Stream of muddy water and Encamped [at Carter, Wyoming]
“a deserted fort…
in a dangerous Indian country”
7 Packed up before sun rise and Took the road an
d at 10 A. M arived at the old deserted Trading house Judge of our chagrin and disapointment on finding this spot so long and so anxiously saught for standing solitary and alone without the appearance of a human being having visited it for at least a month and what the caus conjectur was rife but could [not] be certain except that Bridger and his whole company had taken the road N. W. Toward the Lower part of Bear River havin had no grass whare we encamped last nig[h]t and finding plenty here about we unsadled and concluded to remain here to day and consult what was next to be done
In our weak and deffenceless state it was not easy to fix on any safe plan of procedure some proposed to return to Bear River and risk the hostililty of the snake Indians others proposed to take the trail Travel slowly and risk the Siouxs. which ware supposed to be on our rout to Fort Larrimie so that the day was taken up in discusing what would be the most safe way of disposing ourselves a sufficiant time to await the company from oregon to the states which was generally supposed would be Quite large this season the day was warm and the creek rose rapidly from the thawing of the snow on the Eutaw mountains and this is the season of high water in this region nothing can be more desolate and discouraging than a deserted fort whare you expect relief in a dangerous Indian country and every imaginary Idea was started as to what had been the caus of Bridgers leaving his establishment But nothing satisfactory could possibly be started and we ware still as far in the dark as ever
8 After greate deliberation and all circunstances brought to bear on the subject it was agreed to part Mr Hastings his man and Indian servant wished to go some 50 or 60 miles N. stop and await the arival of the company from oregon 4 men of us one woman and one boy ware detirmined to go back to Bear River there being two trails from green river to bear rever it was uncertain which the oregon company might take if allready not passed so wa all started togather once more and after comeing to the seperating place we all continued on for the day and encamped in a small vally whare we encamped in Augt 2 yare ago
