Mormon History, May 22, 1847. Saturday.

[William Clayton Journal] ...A while after we halted, Porter Rockwell came in and said he had been on the high bluff about a mile N.W. of us, and had seen the rock called Chimney rock from it, which appeared a long distance off. We have been in hopes to come in sight of it today and feel anxious in order to ascertain more certainly the correctness of Fremonts distances. In order to satisfy myself, although my feet were blistered and very sore, I determined to take my telescope and go on the bluff to ascertain for myself whether the noted rock could be seen or not. At half past 12 I started out alone. I found the distance to the foot of the bluff a good mile, the ascent gradual. From the foot the bluff looks very high and rough, many huge rocks having broke from the summit from time to time and rolled down a long distance. I found the ascent very steep and lengthy in comparison to its appearance from Camp. When I arrived on the top I found a nice slightly arched surface of about a quarter of an acre in extent, but barren and very little grass on it. Huge comparatively smooth rocks peeped through the surface on one of which I wrote with red chalk: "Wm. Clayton, May 22, 1847."...At the distance, I should judge of about 20 miles, I could see "Chimney Rock" very plain with the naked eye, which from here very much resembles the large factory chimneys in England, although I could not see the form of its base. The rock lay about due west from here...The romantic bluffs on the north and the lightning playing in the S.E. all tended to fill my mind with pleasant reflections, on the goodness and majesty of the Creator and governor of the universe and the beauty of the works of his hands. At 1/4 to 6 we formed our encampment in a circle within 1/4 of a mile of the banks of the river having travelled this afternoon, 8 1/4 miles and through the day 15 1/2, making the distance from winter quarters 440 miles in 5 weeks and 3 1/2 days. The feed on the lower bench of the prairie is tolerable good, while the higher land is quite bare. We have noticed today a great many petrified bones, some very large...The evening was spent very joyfully by most of the brethren, it being very pleasant and moonlight. A number danced till the bugle sounded for bed time at 9 o'clock. A mock trial was also prosecuted in the case of the camp vs. James Davenport for blockading the highway and turning ladies out of their course. Jackson Redding acted as the presiding judge. Elder [Edson?] Whipple attorney for defendant and Luke Johnson attorney for the people. We have many such trials in the Camp which are amusing enough and tend among other things to pass away the time cheerfully during leisure moments . . .

[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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