[William Clayton Journal] Arose to behold a fine pleasant morning my health much better. This is my thirty second birthday being now 33 years old. My mind naturally reverts back to my family and my heart is filled with blessings on their heads more than my tongue is able to express. The richest blessings that ever were bestowed upon the head of woman or child could not be more than I desire for them, whatever be my lot...In the afternoon Elders [Heber] Kimball, [Willard] Richards, [Ezra T.] Benson and others went onto a mountain to clothe and pray for President Young who continues very sick. On returning they rolled down many large rocks from the top of the mountain to witness the velocity of their descent &c. Some would roll over half a mile and frequently broke to pieces.
John Nixon found and brought to camp a very singular kind of thistle which I have never seen before nor recollect ever reading of the like...but the great curiosity of this thistle is a perfect resemblence of a snake coil round and round the crown as if in the act of guarding it against foes...The body of the snake is formed of the same kind of substance with the thistle itself, and has a very singular appearance. It seems that 2 of the great enemies of mankind have combined, the most bitter and destructive guarding the more innocent. The serpent tempted the woman causing her to sin, in consequence of which the earth was cursed, and decreed to produce thorns and thistles &c. but this is the first time I ever saw the snake guard the thistle . . .
[source: George D. Smith, An Intimate Chronicle; The Journals of William Clayton, Signature Books in association with Smith Research Associates, Salt Lake City, 1995, http://amzn.to/william-clayton]
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