Page:Oregon Historical Quarterly volume 25.djvu/165

 last camping on Sweetwater this evening. Here we found drifted snow 20 feet deep and prairie dogs by the thousands, plenty of grass and willow brush. We have traveled only 12 miles this day. We are now within eight miles of the summit on the South pass.

June 24.—This day we lay in camp for the purpose of wagon repairing, washing, hunting and fishing. The plan adopted for setting wagon tires was to get heavy, thick leather washers on the spokes and between the ends of the fellows—then heat the tire and put them on. This made a neat, substantial job.

June 25.—This day a beautiful road on a long, dry ridge brought us to the summit of the South pass, where we begin to descend the Pacific slope; here, stop and hail —Oregon—eight miles farther brought us to the Pacific Springs, where we found plenty of water and swamp grass. Evening, cool and windy. Here we drank the first water on the Pacific slope.

June 26.—This day, ten miles over a very sandy and dusty road, we came to a stream known here as Little Sandy, then down Little Sandy six miles. Here camped. Good grass and willow brush.

June 27.—This day, eight miles of dead level, sage, sandy plain, brought us to Big Sandy, a stream about four rods wide and from three to five inches deep. Here we lay till next morning.

June 28.—This day we followed down course of the stream on a high sage plain, destitute of anything but sage, for 17 miles. Here drove down to the stream and camped. We have good grass here and sage for fuel. Here we have one snowy range on each side of us; the Wind river and Bear River mountains, either of them not less than 40 or 50 miles of us. Weather cool and windy. The roads are very good.

June 29.—This morning we crossed a level, sandy beach of ten miles width, to the Green river ferry. Here we found five good ferry foats, which would ferry us over for three dollars for each wagon, by us swimming our