[William Clayton Journal] Morning fine but cool. Many of the brethren are trading with Mr. Harris for pants, Jackets, shirts &c. made of Buckskins and also the skins themselves. He sells them high. The skins at 1.50 and 2 dollars, a pair of Pants 3 dollars &c. He will take rifles, powder, lead, caps or calico and domestic shirts in exchange but puts his own price on both sides and it is difficult to obtain even a fair trade.
At half past 7 we proceeded on our journey. Mr. Harris waiting for the other companies. After traveling 6 miles the road forks, one continuing a west course, the other taking a southwest course. We took the left hand road, which leads to California...after travelling a little over a mile we were met by Elder G. A. Smith who introduced us to Mr. [Jim] Bridger of "Bridgers Fort" on his way to Fort John in company with two of his men. Mr. Bridger being informed that we had designed to call at his place to make some inquiries about the country &c. he said if we would turn off the road here and camp he would stay with us till morning. A camping place being selected we turned off from the road about a quarter of a mile and formed our encampment near the "Sandy" at 6 o'clock, having traveled this afternoon 1 3/4 miles, exclusive of allowance for leaving the road and during the day 15 1/4 miles. We have pretty good feed here enough to fill the teams well.
A while after we camped the Twelve and several others went to Mr. Bridger to make some enquiries, concerning our future route, the country &c. It was impossible to form a correct idea of either, from the very imperfect and irregular way he gave his descriptions, but the general items are in substance as follows:
"We will find better grass as we proceed further on. His business is to Fort Laramie. His traders have gone their with robes, skins &c. to fill a contract, but having started later than they intended the men at Laramie have taken advantage of the delay, and he is going to see to the business himself. There is no blacksmith's shop at his Fort at present; there was one but it was destroyed. There have been near a hundred wagons gone on the Hastings route through Webers Fork. They crossed the Black Fork and go a little South of West from his place and pass under the mountains which cross Green river. The Green river runs over an extent of country of 400 miles. It is impossible for wagons to follow down Green river, neither can it be followed with Boats. Some have gone down with Canoes, but had great difficulty getting back, on account of rapid current and rough channel. Can't pass the mountains close to the river even with horses. For some distance beyond this chain of mountains the country is level, and beyond that it is hard black rock, which looks as if it was glazed when the sun shines on it, and so hard and sharp it will cut a horses feet to pieces. When we get below the mountain the Green River falls into a level country for some distance, after which it winds through a moutainous country, perfectly barren to the Gulf of California.
From Bridger's fort to the Salt Lake, Hastings said was about one hundred miles. He has been through 50 times but can form no correct idea of the distance. Mr. Hastings route leaves the Oregon route at his place. We can pass the mountains further south, but in some places we would meet with heavy bodies of timber and would have to cut our way through. In the Bear River Valley there is Oak timber, sugar trees, Cotton wood and pine. There is not an abundance of sugar maple but plenty of splendid pine as he ever saw. There is no timber on the Utah Lake only on the streams which empty into it. In the Outlet of the Utah Lake into the Salt Lake there are three streams empties which are well timbered. In the vallies South East of the Salt Lake there is an abundance of Blue grass and red and white Clover. The Outlet of the Utah Lake does not form a large river, neither a rapid current, but the water is muddy and low banks.
Some of his men have been round the Salt Lake in Canoes. They went out hunting and had their horses stole by the Indians. They then went round the Lake in Canoes hunting Beaver and were three months going round it. They said it was 550 miles round it. The Utah tribe of Indians inhabit around the Utah Lake and are a bad people if they catch a man alone they are sure to rob and abuse him, if they don't kill him, but parties of men are in no danger. They are mostly armed with guns.
There was a man opened a farm in the Bear River valley. The Soil is good and likely to produce corn were it not for the excessive cold nights, which he thinks would prevent the growth of Corn. There is a good Country South of the Utah Lake or South East of the great Basin. There are three large Rivers which enter into the Sevier Lake unknown to travellers. There is also a splendid range of country on the North side of the California mountains, calculated to produce every kind of grain and fruit, and there are several places where a man might pass from it over the mountains to the California settlements in one day. There is a vast abundance of timber and plenty of Coal. There is also plenty of coal in this region near the mountains. North of the California mountains there is Walnut, Oak, Ash, Hickory, and various kinds of good timber on and in the neighborhood of the mountains and streams South East of the great Basin. There can be a wagon road made through to it and no lack of water. The great desert extends from the Salt Lake to the Gulf of California which is perfectly barren. He supposes it to have been an arm of the sea. The three rivers before mentioned are South West of the desert. There is a tribe of Indians in that country who are unknown to either travellers or geographers. They make farms and raise abundance of grain of various kinds. He can buy any quantity of the very best of wheat there. This country lies South East of the Salt Lake. There is one mountain in that region and the country adjoining it, which he considers if ever there was a promised land that must be it. There is a kind of Cedar grows on it which bears fruit something like Juniper berries, of a yellow color about the size of an ordinary plum. The Indians grind the fruit and it makes the best kind of meal. He could easily gather a hundred bushels off from one tree. He has lived on them and used to pick his hat full in a very short time. There are a great many little streams head in this mountain and many good springs. It is about 20 days travel with horses from the Salt Lake, but the country to it is bad to get through and over a great part of it, nothing for animals to subsist on. He supposes there might be access to it from Texas.
On one of the Rivers there is a splendid Copper mine, a whole mountain of it. It also abounds with gold and silver and has a good quick silver mine. There is Iron, coal &c. The land is good and the Soil rich. All the vallies abound with bitter Simons and grapes which will make the best kind of wines.
He never saw any grapes on the Utah Lake, but there are plenty of cherries and berries of several kinds. He thinks the Utah Lake is the best country in the vicinity of the Salt Lake, and the country is still better the further South we go untill we meet the desert which is upwards of 200 miles South from the Utah Lake. There is plenty of timber on all the streams and mountains, and abundance of fish in the streams. There is timber all around the Utah Lake and plenty of good grass, not much of the wild sage only in small patches. Wild Flax grows in most of the vallies and they are the richest land. He passed through that country a year ago last summer, in the month of July, and they generally had one or two showers every day, sometimes a very heavy thunder shower, but not accompanied by strong wind.
By following under the mountain south of the Utah Lake we find another River which enters into another Lake about 50 miles South of the Utah Lake.
We shall find plenty of water from here to Bridger's Fort except after we cross Green River and travel 5 miles beyond it, we shall have to travel 18 or 20 miles without water but there is plenty of grass.
After crossing Green River we follow down it 4 or 5 miles to the old Station then cross over to a stream which heads in the mountains west. The station is more than half way from here to his place. We shall have no stream to ferry between here and the Fort except Green River.
The Indians South of the Utah Lake and this side the desert raise corn, wheat and other kinds of grain and produce in abundance. The Utahs abound more on the west of the mountains near the Salt Lake than on the East side ten to one, but we have no need to fear them for we can drive the whole of them in 24 hours, but he would not kill them, he would make slaves of them. The Indians south of the Utah Lake raise as good corn, wheat, and pumpkins as was ever raised in old Kentucky.
He knows of a lead mine between the mountains and Laramie, on a timbered creek near the Horse Shoe Creek. He has found lead there and thinks there is considerable silver in it. It can be found in a cave on the side of mountain not far from the road."
Such was the information we obtained from Mr. Bridger, but we shall know more about things and have a better understanding when we have seen the country ourselves. Supper had been provided for Mr. Bridger and his men and the latter having eat the council dismissed, Mr. B[ridger] going with President Young to supper, the remainder retiring to their wagons conversing over the subject touched upon. The evening was very fine and musquitoes numerous . . .
[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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