JOHN  FRANCIS FREEMAN

Diary 1852

Transcribed November 2004

by Richard L. Rieck Dept. of Geography
Western Illinois University
Macomb

0

manuscript, 26 p., Jolm Francis Freeman Papers, Mss C-B 884 Bancroft Library, University of California, Berkeley

[numerous extraneous double commas in text]

S£1852	S£April

A Journal kept by Jolm F, Freeman from Alden, McHemy, County, State of Illinois, on his way to California, Started
AWcdnesdayA April 14th  A,D, 1852,,
And Comcing[commencing] at home	L F:.irst day 11 miles,, ,,

April 15°1
Last night expence, 50 cts	to day noon 10 cts
April 16th
stayed at Belvidere last night,. bill, 50cis	to day noon. l 5cis
" [April] 17th
"[stayed] 4 miles West of Rockford last night bill ,50ris
" [April] 18th
Layed over /0dayA Sunday,,,	First Week 62. miles,,
" [April] 19th .Monday 19th
off again,,	Bi.112 nights & two days $1,12½

11 [April] 20°1  Tuesday,
bill last nightA&I bush Com.A.60CIS	noonAOats. 15cts,,	Rained this P,M,

11 [April] 2!51  Wednesday
11 [bill] " [last] " [night] ,75c1,,	3 bush com 60cis	Ferrying the Mississippi $1,00,	hay, 20, & Hay, 06c15,,	Sent Letter No l here
" [April] 22nd

)	'	,,	-0:,

Last night we slept in the waggon for the first time	Hay to day noon ,oscis	Hay to night at 50CIS CWt	3'> CIS

11 [April] 23rd
"[Hay] 11 [to] 11 [day] 11 [noon] ,25cts,,	Oats bush 2½, socts,, Fen-ied the Wapsapinica ,50,,

Tr:mscnbcd by RichJrd L. Rieck, November 2004 John Francis Frccnun, 1852

" [Aptil) 24th Saturday,
Com one bush 30 cts,, Oats 10c1s,, Hay 150, lb 35'51[sic]

11 [April] 251h  Sunday,
to day we have stopt,, 2 miles East of Tipton Last Weeks travel, 124 miles II Now 124
62

•~ rlny 1•• D n:-,n II D~•l1 UT,,.11	A ""'o+:fo  N,...,...,-l

186 miles from home
LV ua	L, .L'\..OlU.::>	LJVll  i/i/ \..,11,,  r\.}J}-'Vl-il\,,, 5vvu  ,,  ,,

Places that we passed tlu·ough,, The Country Etc,,	The first day (14'") fare,		Crossed Cold Spring Prairie,,	1511, Crossed Bonas Prairie	Weather fare & pleasant,,	16th Stayed at Belvidere last night	to day Weather fare rainy,,	 171h \1/eather fare ,,inA.M.A,			Asqually in the"P,M.,.,
passed tlu·ough Byron

11 [April] 18'"
Layed overAlo day Sund•Y,.,East ofivt:ount :rvforrisAalsoBuffaloGrove.A	Country good,,

[April] 19'"
Off again	passed through Ivf, Mon-is to day,	Weather fare Jat Fulton City, over into Lyons	weather fare
[Ap1il] 20th
Through Millageville,,	his P,M, Rain,,

Weather fare

[April] 2151
Union Grove this morning,,	Crossed the Mississippi this P,M, into Iowa

[April] 22nd
Last night slept in the waggon for the first time,,	Country to day, I don't like,	Prairies wet in De Witt County,,	through DeWitt,,	Weather fare,,	Roads bad

[April] 23rd
Weather cool,,	roads bad,,	Fenyed thewoWapsspinic[sic], fare, 50

[April] 24th Saturday cool,,	Roads bad,,

[April] 251h Sunday.
Layed over today,,	Rain to day

[page 2]
[April] 2611,,,	Monday  1852
Off again to day,, pass tlu·ough Tipton,,	Hay at .30 ,.,100lb,, cwt	Ferry the Cedar River, 75cis one bush Com, 25'1s

Tr:mscnbed by Richard L. Rieck, No,·cmber 2004  John Francis Frecnu11, I852

11	11

[ Aprii] 27'
2 bush Oats 50m one doz bundles Oats, 25m dried Apple, 75[?] at Iowa Cit'/, one Bag 20cis Nailes & Rosin, 15m,, 2 Bars Lead, 10	Weather fare,,	Fenying the Iowa River 25m,, Oats 6 bush $1,50	one Gal Molas 60

April 281h
Vveather wanne,,	Oats in the bundle 7,,b"ndIes" 20m	Country good

cool,	one Bag Corn, 50c1s,,	passed Hutch Cors old trading post,, Camped in a Grove,	Made l 7 miles,,

Crossed Bear Creek,,

"[April] 30th
Morning quite warme,	P,M, Wind blows hard accompanied with some rain,,		Grain & Hay, sfarce .scarce.,	Bought 30 lb of hay for ,25 cts,,	Last night ,-,,,,e turned our team out for the first ti 1e, no Hay to be had,,		No Grassof any account hard fare for our teams,,	Prairies very rooling,	Roads good to day,,	Made 17 miles

May Is1  1852
It cleared off last night,,	To .c1ay, warme & pltasant­ acrost,,	To day Roads good,,	Prairies rooling,,

"[May] 2nd,

Crossed a Prairie to day 17 miles land good,,	Made about 19 miles L

Last night had a thunder shower,,	. Lightning sharp, Some hail	To day layed over,,	It
cleared off to day about noon, wanne,,,	Last week Made 103 miles in all 185
103
288 miles, up to
last night

II [May] 3rd.
Last night their was 26 teams camped around us,,	Off again this morning	left 23 teams behind,, & traveled on about 4 miles & came to a small Creek	the water had been up & can-ied off the slabs from the stringers [of a bridge],,	Some teams was ahead & put on the
slabs before we came up & they all crossed safe but our team	the slabs slid along from under the wheels & let our wggeon[sic] down onto the stringer & also bruised one ofmy Oxon,s legs,, But their"wasa" plenty ofhealp by so we got out without much trouble & went on,,	bated at 10
A,M,	Crossed the N01th fork of the Skunk River,,	6 miles from their to Newton, County seat of Jasper County,	Roads good,-	Made 20 miles,,	Bou2htI bush ears Corn for 55c1S orlb sold ••••
dill"	Camped to night on the Prairie,,

[May] 4th
Cool in the morning	P,M, wanner,,	Crossed Indian Creek this A,M, & Crossed Skwlk River, 12½/clock M[Meridian = nooio],, & bated here,,	3 bush Com at 35cis per bush $1,15, Made 19 miles

II [May] 51h
Transcnbed by Richard L. Ricci:. November 2004  Jolm Fr.:>ncisFrec11i.,11, 1852

-4-

Rained about 2 hours from 10 o,clock A,M, tiii 12, M, Mains river for ,50 cts

Made 12 miles

Crossed the Des

[May] 6th
Last night a hevy thunder shower,,	Started to day at 1O½ o'clock,

Rain again at 2 o'clock P,M, about one hour,,	put up [shadow]

Roads slipry & muddy,, Made onely, about ,7 miles

[page 3]
l\,fa,, 7th  1 Q<::"l
J.\'.l. J
Last night;"the ni.,ht. it rained again,,	This morning clear & warme through the day warn1e & pleasant	Grass grows fine & Growing[?] time

day for it,,	A small Hail storm at 5 o'clock P,M,

To day being my birth day I had a pieasant 17 miles Made to day e~~e

[May] gtn
Tlu·eatened10 rain in the_A,M,	/odnvMailcdNoI	C-omcthroughW1nterscttodayA	P, M, pl asant & an11e

Made 18 miles

[May] 9th
Camped out on !he Prairie last night,,,	Crossed yesterday & to day a Prairie of 23 miles,,	To day being Sunday & we being out on the Prairie we was obliged to drive to day till we came to timber,	to day fine, cool in the morning,,	Made 12 miles

From the 3rd up to now we have made 105 miles  289
. 105
394 Total of Miles

Camped to day noon beside of Middle River,, we Make, considerable,,

Roads Good, Etc

We travel more miles than

[May] 10th  Monday
We got on to a Prairie of35 miles acrost,	fa.re, cool \Vind, o'clock P,M,,,

Crossed Middle River at 4¼

A

Our company now consists of 4 teams,, 23 Oxen,, 3 Cows,, & 10 men,,	The first teams that we met with, that we calculated to stick to them, was on the 21st of April at Sun down, 2 Teams & 5 men,, & From Solon McHemy Co, Ill,, Names Joseph Shepard, Job Pierce, Seider Peebles, Jno & Silas Ward,,	Next team was May 7th From Fort Des Mains, 3 men one Waggeon & 6 Oxen & 1 Horse,, names unk[n]own to me yet,,,,		Mr Fuller A&0thersA from Ritchmond came up to our comp[any] last night, Ox teams they had	Made to day 22- ,._25 miles, I thought,, all of that. Some dead horses & Oxen along side of the road, I notice,,

[May] 11th  Tuesday,

Transcnbed by Richard L Rieck, November 2004  John Francis Freeman, 1852

off this morning at 6½ o,clock,,		a Little cool to day,,	Come through Cammels Grove after a drive of 10 miles, at 11 o,clock,	 Roads Good & Croocked enough,,	got across the Prairie at noon to day, the 35 mile Prairie	Then came [blot] onto another,	drove 10 miles on that,, We have come 45 miles this week, since M nday morning,,	Made to day 22 miles,,

-5-

according to my estimation it is 118 miles from Vvinterset to the Bluffs	we have been making up hill ever sin e we left (he Des Moins River,,	98 miles up, to now,'.

[May] 12th
Off at 6 this morning,,	drive of 5 miles brought us to Nishabound[sic] river	2 miles to Indian Creeck & Village of the same name,	Camped to night on Mt, Scott in a grove at the Mt,,	Made 21 miles,		Very wanne in P,M,[?]

[May] 13th
It rained som.e last night,	Roads slipry a little this morning,

a drive of l ½ miles brought us to a Creeclc & another mile to another,  5 miles from camp off at 6½ o'clock to day

[page 4]
	 Nishbotny River, here we Ferryed our Waggeon & one yolk of Oxen,, For Fenying 2octs,, Windy very,,  We crossed several Creecks to day,,  Country uneven, soil good,,  some bad mud holes to day otherwise Roads good,,  A few squalls ofrain this P,M,,,  Made 18 miles

[May] 14th
Some rain last night,,	Very windy,,	it cleared off cold this morning,,		P,M:, wa1mer, but windy,,		at 9 o'clock A,M, we came in site of the Missouri River,,	anived at Kanesville at 2 P,M,,	Here is a big crowd waiting to be FeITied across the River,,		Flour $8,00 per cwt,, Com 2octs,		Com[possibJy deleted] Meal soctsper Bushel,,	Here we bought a few fixings for ourselves,,		 [name deleted] Company now consists of two more teams,,	Madeiimiles

[May] 15th
Camped on the bottoms,	Grass scarce,,	Last night we kept a watch for the first time,, Considerable many are returning home from here,,	,_Tod2vImailed Letter No3 home.. toAlden MrHenrvCo !11ino15,
to day we layed up,,	it rained again to night  a thunder shower,, ,,

[May] 16th
To day we was off for the upper Feny	we got up into town & stoped to trade a little, & when [we were] ready the Cows was gone_&that gave us a good chase. we found them down to the old Camp grow1d,	drove 8 miles

[May] 17th  Monday
pretty good feed we are in now,	Layed up to day, North ofKanesville,,	To day fine,,

we are in w1der the Bluffs now 7 miles

Yesterday very windy,,	I washed to day,,	this morning a Frost,,

[May] 18th
Cool a little,,	still remain on our Camp ground,, years Old. Payed $8:00 for her,,

Yesterday Baird bought him a Cow, 2

Tronscnbcd by Richard L Rieck. Novcml>cr 2004 John Francis Freenun. 1852

[May) 19th

-G­

Nights some cool,,	any quantity of teams at the Ferry. waiting to get across,,

[May) 20th
To day we drove down to the Feny,	Frost last night,,	To day fine,	they feny them over to day post haste,	4 Feny boats & another expected to be launched to night,,	this P,M, I went across the River for the first time into, Nebraska TeIT,		one man died here this morning, it is repo1ied the Cholera, & so sayes the Doctor,	Come to day 5 miles,,

[May)2lst
Last night I worked on the Ferry boat,	Made 5 trips, 12½ cts a trip, 62½ cts,, and last night their were 2 more died of the same Complaint. of the same Comp[any),,		our turn has come to cross and we are crossing rapidly,	boats trip [last) 20 to 40 minutes,		5 boats, one just launched,	the River here is rapid, about l O 1ods .527yds. acrost it,,	all over at 5. o,ciock
_drpve_Ql!.t]mil s,,	ForFeriying$2,50,,-	/oday)Mailcdalett=rforh  •e  No4,.A

[May) 22nd
Roads unevan,, & crocked, the bead board J, F, Moor,,

Passed Crossed a Creede this P,M, & a fresh Grave, Made 16 miles

Name on

[May) 23rd  Sunday,
to day we drove. after a drive of 6 7 miles we came to Elk Horn River,	on the Fen-y they charged $2 a waggeon, so we went to
[page 5)
work & Fen-yed om selves across	We Fen-yed over to''":":'	Some Indians around to day,,
\7-.Teather fine,	Made 10 miIes

[May) 24th
Last night 4 Indians camped with us,, meet the Indians to day occasionaly,, to boot,,	Made 20 miles

To day Baird & I bought us some Mogacins,,	we Baird swaped his heifer for an older cow payed $8,00

[May) 25th
Weather wam1e,	the count1y along the Platt is level,,		crossed Shell Creecle this P.M,,, Last night some more Indians camped with us again,,	Indians are beging of the teams every day.,,	The Pawnee tribe that we are passing tlu·ough now,,	Made 15 miles

[May) 26th
Roads tolerable good,	this P,M, at 5, o,clock ·we had a hard thunder shower for a few minutes, acompained[sic) with a little hail	Weather hot,	feed good,	Made 20 miles

[May) 27th
Last night, Musquetoes thick  almost eat a body up,,

after we started out this moming about one mile we came to a very bad slew had to double teams,,	At 2½ o,clock we Forded Loocking Glass Creede,,	at npon feed scarce, night
Transcribed by Richard L. Rieck. November 2004 John Francis Freeman, 1852

-7-

pleanty,,	Weather bot & dry,,	20 miles

[May] 28th
Crossed or Forded Bevar River this morning after a drive of 2 miles	next was Plum Creeclc 6 miles from Bevar River,	next Ash Creeck [blank] miles from Plum Creek,,	Next Cedar Creeck 8 rods [wide] 2 feet deep good Fording,,	Made 20 miles I should think. Camped on the banks of Loup Fork, to night,,

[May] 29th
Forded the Loup Fork this morning with out any difficulty,	10 teams Crossed over in 2 hours, about 50 rods across,	after we got over we stoped for the day & washed Etc,,

[May] 30,,  Sunday.
v,,e thought it our duty the most of us to jog along to day,	8 teams, went on with us with the rest,_2 tearns y,(e left_behind,_because they would not d1ive, _they were 2Wards, & 3Buringhoms[Buringtons],,	to day pleasant, but very wanne in the middle of the day,	I should think we drove 20 miles to day,,	Roads paitly mudy & paitly sandy,	low ground,,

[May] 3I51  Monday.
Off at 6 o,clock,	We soon came into Sand bluffs,	 about 8 miles through the sand, then we came out onto a small Creeck, called P1ai1ie Ci eeck,	No Water from \lit here we started this morning till you get to this said Creeclc,,	here we had about 4 miles of low ground, soft Roads then we came to Prairie Creec!c,	one mile from here is another sma!! Creeck,	Roads from Prairie Creeclc to Wood Creecl< good,,
[page 6]
Made 20 miles

June. P1
Camped on the Prairie last night,,	I saw this morning 3 Wolves,	one of our men shot at one of them,,	after a drive of about 3 miles we came to Wood River  15 feet wide, good crossing,,
Prairie Creecl< to Wood River [blank] miles,	Roads good,	Weather ,varme, with a cool breese,,	the road .01rs [?] about 2 miles from the Platt for some distance,	Roads are very dusty & dry,,	Water rather scai·ce,	to night we Camped near the Platt & also a good spring of water 1 mile west after you come down to Platt,,	18 miles Made,,

[June] 2nd
Off at 5113 o'clock th.is morning,,	Good weather to drive to day,, [blank], Two deep revenes,, 35 .milesA

From Wood River to

To day noon we passed water, for our Cattle at two little wells,,	Prairie Dogs along the road, or a little off,,	P, C, Taylor,, shot a deer last night  but did not get him. wounded him,, Come to Platt River about 4 o,clock	Crossed two revenes, & Camped,	Made 17 miles, Weather hot,,

Transcribed by Richard L Rieck. November 2004 John Francis Freenun, 1852

Last night it rained tremendious hard,	Wind blew a gale,,	I thought that it would take the waggeon Aovcr_ every minute,	it commenced at midnight & lasted about one hour,	Morning cool. wind blows quite hard,,

It wet up our bed clothes & some other things, but not ve1y bad,,	To timber & water 13 miles,,
A Small Creecl<, 4 miles,	Timber & water,	in summerAwaic,oisapcarsgcncraily,A"	This morning one man of our Company was taken Sick with a diaree,	in the P,M, he was taken down worse. & at the last hour of the day P,M, (at 12) midnight he died with the Cholera,		his name Wallace M:axfield,

4th V/cathcr cool,, Camped,,

To Elm Creeck 6 miles Ab dcrossing,	timber&water,	cross this at 5 P,M, &

[June] 41h
V eather cool,,	_Tbi§ morning we buried Iv1r Maxfield,,	be had a Brother with him,	he traveles on with [us] to day again,	To Buffalo Creeclc 9 miles	Roads[sic] joins Platt River 5, miles,	Grass poor,	to a deep Revene 13 miles,		Here poor feed,	Grass poor,, Pleanty of Buffalo Chips for Camping but they don't go first rate to day, they being some wet, Made 25 miles,		Willow for fuel close to the river,	lo the River½ mile,

[June] 51h
Cool this morning,	This morning tbe rest of Our Company came up & passed us	after we staited out 2 or 3 miles we passed them again,, & left them behind,,	to Ptah Lake 13 miles,,
Th.is P,M, at 5. o'clock, they[sic] came a thunder Shower for a few minutes,	16 miles

[page 7]
June 61h  Sunday
Layed up to day,	Grass Middling[?],,		Close to Platt River,	the river is full ofislands all a long here,	timber on the islands.,	water poor. We have drove 3 days with Alkali water occasionaly,,		Our Company ai·e all together again,,	This P.M. a little shower,,

[June] 7th
Off again this morning at 6½,,	To day Cool & windy,,	the road joined the Platt 13 miles
g- from Ptah Lake,	Sandy Bluffs here,	to Skunk Cr 7,	follow it up to the Ford 5 miles,
'<  to day I have seen 7 New Graves,,	Camped 3 miles West of Skunk Cr,	Made 28 miles

[June] 8111

i

2 Buffalo Chips for fuel. they work tolerable fare,,	3 miles from Cainp brought us to t\vo
exelent Springs,	to the head of Pawnee Swai11p,	Mestayer's Creeck, 12 feet wide Good
'<  crossing, some Grass, no timbr. roads a little sandy in places,	Last timber, ..7miles.A on the 001th
side of the Platt, for 200 mile	Wide Creeck, 2 miles, 10 feet wide,	Black mud Creecl< 3 miles pleanty of water & fare Grass, Buffalo Chips,	Camp here,		Made 26

[June] 9th Wednesday,
0.
Weather fa.re,	Grass Creeck 1O miles,	North Bluff Creeclc 4 miles, 6 rods wide, low banks.
Good crossing,	Now have sandy ro_ads over sandy bluffs to, Buffalo Creecl< 11 miles,
Tr.mscnocd by Richard L. Rieck. Novcmber2004  John Fr.incis FreemJn, 1S52

Several small streams along here,	Good camping, along here anyvvhere	ULade 25 111 les

1O'" +em Weather warme,	To Shepherd's Creeclc, 4 miles,	A number of small streams in this neighborhood, & soft places,	Wolf  Springs  &  Creek, 3 miles. Good grass,	roads
i sandy occasionaly,,	Petite Creek, 6 miles, 5 feet wide,	Good water & a fare place to
'<  camp. Sandy Bluffs along here 313 mile)	Duck Creeck, 1 miles 12 feet wide,	Pleanty of
11,11good cold spring water. good camping, evry thing pleantiful,	Rattlesnake River 7 miles  25
::;i feet wide, cu1Tent swift. water good, & good crossing,	the road is now quite sandy to Cedar a: Bluffs, south of river,	About opposite them near lat 41° 13' long 102°,,	after passing
several little Creecks you come to 8 Ca...-rnp Creek  12 feet wide, water pleanty, & good, Grass fare,	to Homs Creecl<. 5 miles, 25 f wide,	At the foot of a steep sandy Bluff, hard tuging to ascend,	little or no grass & a scarcity of fuel,	to Watch Creeck 4 miles 10 feet wide,	road tumes here & runs close to the river, lo a point opposite of Lone  Tree 4 miles,
\Vhich stands about 350 yards south of the road,	to Ash Hallow south of 1iver,	camped opposite of there to night,	here we met Blogets & Co
[page 8]
Letter Expresses for the States,	bere some of us improved the opportunity & wrote home	I
did myself one to John Freeman No 5 & Mr Baird &ii!.1:! an Graves up t9-t11is date from_!\1issoi.:ri riverj
wrote oP-e & put in with mine,	Fare & a stamp 28. m,,	to Castle River 3 n!iles, 8 rods wide,

!

I2'h l ½ feet deep, swift cun-ent, good water, & good crossing, & good camping,	to Calm Creede 8 miles. this can11ot be depended on for w2ter, & [you] may !10t fmd any for 20 miles,	roads
,runs near Platt River,	to Indian mound 18 miles,	the roads are sandy & to day we drove on

«

m,te.,,

1

To Ancient Bluff ruins .,omiles_ noith of road .1

Resembles ancient fortifications castles

t account of no feed,	heavy along here to Crab Creeck, 2 miles, 20 feet [wide],	Grass poor,
g_ etc in ruins,,	some cedar on these ruins,,	Road joins river 11 miles	/ linle rain to day in theevening.
'<"'
[June] 14th
today welayed up, found good feed, & sho11ened or[?] reach to the waggeon, Etc,	Weather
g-pleasant,	Last night we could see Chimney Rock 21 miles ahead. south side of River,,	Th.is
«	P,M, we had a Hail storn1e & rain & wind  blew hard enough,,,	First rate feed as ever was,,

[June] 15th
=3 We stayed here to day. some of our company,s oxen feet are getting sore so we thought it best to
g(>- hold on to day, & let our Oxen recruit up a little & rest,	we send a team off to the Bluffs to
«	day & get a load of wood (cedar wood)	the Boys killed an Ox that was .1•m0,. Jeft by somebody, for some Waggeon grease & Mogacins to put on their oxen,s feet,,

[June] 16th
:n:E Off again, at 7 o,clock,	Weather a little cool. 11 miles from the rnins the Road joins the River,,	to Cou11 house Rock IO miles south of River 10 miles,	we bated to day noon about
g- opposite of it,,	Grass lite,,	We have got some ofour Waggons shortened up & I think that
'<
they run liter by thi[s] mean\,	This monU11g Mr Maxfield thought he would wait for some acquaintance to come up	he calculated to wait till noon & then come on,	Crossed this P,M,

Tr:mscnbcd by Rich>rd L. Rieck, No1cmbcr 200  John Fr:i11c1s Frccnun, 1852

some sand bluffs,	Camped to night near the river,	Grass not much, it,,	Made about 18 miles to day,,	My watch to night,,

Alkali a plenty of

(June] 171h
;:l To day we rolled on again; momjng pleasant. Grass not stout anyv,herse along the Road,	to day noon we got up a little past Chinrney Rock,,	Scotts Bluffs next 25 miles from the
i Chimney,	this P,M, about 4 o'clock, their v,,as a hard wind for about ½ an hour, accompanied
with a little rain,	Mr Maxfield come up to night  he did not find his friends,

[June] 181h
Morning pleasant,	Last night their was a man di[e]d about½ a mile from us; with the general complaint on this road,,	Road joines the river 12 miles Lat 40°,	Good grass & good campi11g	Capital hills or Scotts Bluffs 11 miles	road about 1 mile from river,,	Spring creecl< 5 miles, 12 feet wide
[page 9]
:::;, you do not cross it but follow along it for some distance	it is said that it has many beautiful
j trout in it,,	Prickly Pares begin to show themselves a little above Chimney Rock,,	To night
we in sight ofLaramies Peak of the Rocky Mountains	17 miles

[June] 19
Morning pleasant, ·we camped last night on Spring Creeck beside of a beatiful spring of pure cold water,,	from where the road joins Spring Creeck to where the Road joins the River & two Ravines 5 miles,,		Grass good along here at Sp1ing Creecl<,,	Blue Rock in the Bluff to the right 8 miles,,		Many rattlesnakes are conce.°.led along the bluffs,,.	We got up a little past
Blue Rock & stoped to bate	just 12 M[eridian = noon]. when we stoped,	we stoped about
35 rods from the river (the Platt) & some of the Boys went in Swiming,	Ivfr. Silas H. Baird (My partner) was in also,, for one,	their was 6 or 7 of them in,	Mr Baird asked me if! v,,as going in,	I told him No sir,, & that was the last word he ever spoke toAmcA & I to him,, for he
g, never got out of the River,,	Their was 6 men in it at the same time	they never saw him
[ drown,	the water was very deep just below where they went in	the last they saw of him he was swiming down stream		he spoke to the Boys that the water was cold & said to them that they must not be in long for the water was cold. the water was so mudy that you could not see in it half an inch & the cun-ent swift,	Their was diligent search made for him but [we] could not find him,		Some of them that was hw1ting him went down IO feet & did not reach the bottom, We examined some of his things & what money he had left was $11.37, eleven dollars & thirty seven cents,		this I have taken cl:iarge of myself, till I it is probaly[sic] I get through. if their is no prevailing providene,,	We drove on to[sic] till we found feed & layed by for Monday,
·To day Mr P, C, Taylor left one of his Oxen on account of [being] sore footed could not get him along,  ([sic] he had onely 2 Oxen on a lite Waggeon, & yesterday Wards boys left one in the same way, ([sic] he /·C·TaylorA	got a cow of the Captain,, to put in side of his Ox to draw his waggeon along,  put up at 5 o'clock P,M,  Grass middling,  this evening their was 2 more teams come up & camped with us.

Made 21 miles

[page 1.0]
Transcribed by Richard L. Rieck. November 200	John Francis Freeman. I852

[June) 2011,
_gTo day we layed by, & went about 20 rods to another camp & heard a Sem1on from Rev Mr Baggier.,, Text Exodus 201h Chapter 8, 9, 10 & 11 Verces,	he spoke well,,	to day pleasant,,

[June] 2!51
Off again this morning,,	Weather fine,,	this A,M, we reached timber once more,	we
g- have come now 200 miles without timber on the North side of the River,,	From Blue Rock to
'< timber 16 miles. here is sandy roads to Rawhide Creecl<. 7 miles,  this stream is d1y in the Summer,, it cannot be depended on for water,  touch Platt River in 2 or 3 miles,,  187[?] miles

[June] 22nd
;;l Camped with in 6 miles to Platte River Ferry, 7 rods wide, 5 or 6 feet deep, swift cun-ent,

g(l>- Here several of us went over to the Fort, 2 miles from the Feny, 	H e  I posted

"pos,age

10c15"  a

-< Letter to John Freeman (No 6)	Fort Laramie is beautifoly situated on Laramie River,	her[e] now their is 60 Soldiers stationed,,	Ox shoes$,1,00 pr pair, & nails to nail them on with ,50 cts pr do ,	They didnt any of us get any at [that] price,,	For Fenying a man over & back
,25 cts,,	Feed poor.,,	Here we have got to make our Own guide for 100 miles to the 3 Feny
011 tbe Platt,	From the Fen-y to Gravel stone Rock 4 miles,	SoldIOO!bsofFlourforSS.OO..	u,s,
Fam, one mile,	to a Clay stone Monument 3 miles,,	3 miles from the Feny. I sold one cwt. of Flour for $8,00 Al[!] I could get, for I had to much Load,	We drove off one mile from the road & camped	 Grass tolerable,,	9 miles ,_,o.d Y,,,

[June] 23rd
::;: Last night it rained a lit1le,	Off again at a little past 7,,	To where road joins river 17 mils
§- roads very rough through here	one ve1y seat[steep] hill of about 60 rods up,,	To a spring
g(l>- down in a deep revene 2 miles	here we camped for the night,,	to day it rained in the A.M,
'<  back 2 miles is first rate Water & cold,,	Sold 78 lbs Com Meal $1,50,,,3•Graves,  18 miles,

[June] 241h
;i Morning cool,,		9. miles brought us to a Spring,,	Some rain this A,M, and in the P,M, had quite a shower,,	10 Miles brought us to a dty Creeck, Some water when I come through,,
C.
encamped to night on a hill, where we can see Mountains above the clouds,,	[blank] Graves
seen to day,,	Made 20 miles,,	The roads to day are more level than yesterday as,much as, 12 per cent above par,,

[Jw1e] 251h
:;, Wanne this morning, & it held out to be a pleasant day,	Roads more even than usal,	10
f miles brought us to the river,,	here along here the road touches the river occasionally,
Graves 3 to day,,	3 miles brought us to a d1y Creeck,	Roads improveing,,	7 miles on the
road joins the River,	here we encamped. Grass, Wood, Water pleanty,	Made 20 miles,,
w
V)
1 [June] 2611,
Pleasant,,	to d<!-Y we have layed by to make a bellows, to make Nails to hoe Oxen	Some
Tr.mscnbed by Richard L. Rieck. NO\·cmbcr 2004  Jol111 Francis Freeman, I852

-
-12-

that had not shortened up their Waggeons. before have done it to day;  One Cart made out of a Waggeon, by Wards boys,,  Those two teams that fell in with us last Week left us to day gone on ahead,,  Laramie Peak in'sight of us, South about 40 miles,,  Snow bank on the'top North Side,,  it rained a little just at Sun down,,

[page 11]
[June] 27111
§ Off again	this morning pleasant,	in 4 miles road joins the River,,	2 miles to a deep
J revene & river,	3 miles to the top of a s[t]eep hill ·whern the de[blot]t is s[t]eep,	here we

C:

-: drove off of the road I miles to dine but no Grass,,	here their was a dead human body seen g floting in the river,	it was on the opposite side, but the river is dangerous to swim,, Such a
swift current,  6 miles road joins the river  one mile on their is a revine with a good Spring of pure Cold Water, the 2nd reven[e] from where the road comes off of the Bluffs  this P,,M:, the Road has been ve1y rough,,  7 Graves,,  16 miles,,

[June] 28111
If Started at daylight	3 miles & sloped to bate,, (for we had no feed last night,,)	drove our
cattle up a revene about 2 n1iles & found good grass,,	drove [blank] miles to where road joins the river,,	to a sand bluff South of road near the river 6 n1iles,	to a d1y Creede 3 miles,
to where road joins the river 3 miles,,	this P,M, their was a strong wind, so that dust in the road btew was a perfectt cloud of dust.,		Not ve1y pleasant,,	4 Graves,,	Miles 16	We met some Packers from California. 40 days from their,,

[June] 291h
2 We encamped last night near the river,,
<g>- for the Cattle,,	Morning pleasant,,
'<  where the road joins the river,,

drove the cattle up on the bluffs & found some feed Nights cool,,	There is a Feny across Platt river here

Had last night an Ox shod fm-vvard (Bairds Ox) bill 40 cts,,	to a ravene with running water in it 3 miles,,	you now pass over a sandy road to ravene	gravel & rock bottom, near river
some water in it 5 miles,,	heavy sandy road	no grass near road,	bluffs & timber to foot of it & round passing bettween[sic] round a bend 7 miles,	sandy roads & no grass near road,, Made 19 miles,,

r

[June] 30111
To  foot of Hill 3 miles	Grass scarce,	to second Feny to foot of a large sandy Hill,,
" Heavy sandy road over hills to River 2 miles.. Roads dry, sandy & dusty,,	Roads very dry,,
g- To third Ferry 5 miles,,	here at this time there is t\¥0 Boats runing  has been more this
Summer.,,	Charge for Fenying a Waggeon $5,00,,	Cross over & back in IO minutes,

A

here you want[]to take in Water 101"5126111i1e\,	drove out From the Feny 3½ miles & encamped,

::l

5 Graves two that had drowned in Platt River. at the Ferryes,, use Wild Sage Brush for Fuel,,	Made 13½ miles

July 151

Grass scarce,,	We have to

0.  Pleasant,,	FrQm Feny up to top of Hill 7 miles,,	To Mineral Spring

Poisonous Lake 6 miles

A	A

Transcribed by Richard L. Rieck. November 2004  John Fr.incis Frecnun. IS52

-13-
must not let your ,sio..i., drink here for it is said that it·will kill your stock,,	but we took our Cattle down this run I mile & let our Ca_ttle drink all that they wanted, & I don't believe that it will hurt them,,
[page 12)
To Avenue Rock 7 miles,	To Alkali Springs & Marsh 2 miles,	½ a mile	From here we
. tw11ed off to the left½ a mile & found good Grass & encamped,	here we found good grass for OU! Cattle,,AModc]Om,lcsAa good spring of Cold Water,,	this P,M, some of our men went out Hunting did not come in till midnight could not find our camp,

[July) 2nd
To Willow Spring Creede 4 miles	Good water,	Willow Springs 5 miles first rate Water, sage for fuel,,	here at the Sp1ings their is pleanty oflXlillows for fuel,,	Early their is plenty of Grass but the branch is quite miry,,

Green Creeck 3 miles, not to be depended on for water, Hill, from which you have a beatiful view of the country, Water, south of Road,,

In reaching it you cross,, Prospect Harpers Creede 3 miles Good

Woodworth Creeclc left of road  not to be depended on for Water,,

Greas wood Creec!< 2 miles, 10 feet wide, Pleanty of Water, no Grass, or fuel,	road is now heavy sand for several miles,	Weather fine,	18 miles,

r

[July] 3rd
a Salaeratus Lake west of road 6 miles,,	In, this neighborhood their are many Alkali springs &
a. Lakes. Water unfit for man or beast,,	Rock  Independence. 4 niiles, On the North side of "' Sweet Water 600 or 700 yards long & 120 to 150 yds wide,, hard granite,,	it is quite [a],,
curiosity. hundreds no doubt have been on upon[sic] its top within the last year or two,, Almost the entire stone is coverd with dates & the names of visitors painted theron with red,
.::z white, black Etc,,	About la1 42°. 30'. 15",,	I went on top of it myself, & I heard a short
Oration for the 411'		then they had 3 or 4 rounds firing guns on the top,,		you strike the Sweet Water just below the Rock,		Sweet Water crossing 1 miles 8 rods wide 2 to 3 feet deep, beatiful stream & has a swift ctment,,	Devils Gate west of road 5 miles,		This is a curiosity wo11hy of the travelers notice,,				the rocks are 400 feet high & perpendicular through which the Sweet Water forces its way,				the best view is from East end of it,,.		Cross t\vo small Creecks 1 miles	timber scarce,	Grass scarce now, early probly pleanty,		 drove about 1 mile & cross the river & drove up into the Mountains,	found good grass & camped,		good water, wood & Grass,,	9 Graves,,				at the Salaeratus Lake you can gether bushels of it	we getherd some of it, & I don't see but what it makes just as light bread, as Salaeratus that is Manufactured in the States,			we have tried it in most every thing,	Made 18 miles,,

[July] 4th
g,Layed by  found some good grass, so we concluded to let our Cattle eat it up,,	To day fine,,
lfat Rock Independence is the conm1ensmen of the Rocky Mountains,,	to day I had some Green Com that had been dried,,	the Rocky Mountains are a naked rock nothing but a few dwarf
pine,, grow on them,,	they are solid granite	To day is concluded to lay by, for ottt Cattle
Tronscriucd by Richard L R,cck, November 2004 John Francis FrccmJn, IS52

hace nol cat up all of the Grass;,

[July] 51h

I

To day they are making Ox shoes & Nails, also shoeing Oxen, Etc,,
g- Rather cool to day,,
-<

Last night my watch,

5-m Cool to day,,	Last night my watch,,	We concluded to lay by & let our Cattle eat up what Grass rheir was left,. (enough for them (a Week)[)],,	To day a nother team joined us  1 i is all,,	Some firing guns to day,,

[page 13] [July] 61h

l!

;l Off at 6½ o'clock this day,,	Our Cattle have not eat up all of the grass, but they have given it a bard 011e,	they came out in better condition than when we drove in,,	day pleasant,,
<  Creeclc & steep Ravene 6 miles,,	Sandy roads,,

Alkali Lake south of road, 4 miles.,	Roads good & solid,,	little grass,,	Sage Creeck 5 miles not to be depended on for Water,,		near Sweet Water all the way.. Stone Bluff 3 singular bluff to the left of the road,,		Three Feet Creecl<, l mile,	Sage for fuel all along,, Ni:ade i9 miles,,	9 Graves,,

[July] Jlh
:E Last nighr our cattle marched right off as quick as we unyolked,,	part we found in the night the rest this morning about 8, o,clock, 8 miles ahead of the Camp, so we did not get off till 10,
; g- o'clock,,	in the night it rained some,,	To Bitter Cottonwood, 3 miles 12 feet wide,,
some timber,		here the road leaves the River for 6 miles,		at noon to day we had a Hail stonne & rain			To Ford N2 2, Sweet Water,, 6. From Council Bluffs 756 miles,,	Good Crossing,,	Road Turnes between rocky ridges 2, miles,,	At the end of them you ford the river twice within 50 yards which [is], Fords N!:! 3, & 4, Sweet Water	,,rarher, Bad crossing,, leave liver again,,		here one of ourA Co \Vaggeon[sJ. tiped over just as comeing into River, nothing broke,
righted up & went on,,	drove 4 miles & Camped,,	10 Graves,,	Made 17 miles,,

[July] grh
Some grass last night we had,,	From Ford No, 4, to Ford N2 5, 8 miles,,

=-here you leave the river for 15 miles, & find no good water in that distance,,	Grass scarce
([ Ice Sp1ings 6 111.iles,,	low  swampy piece of ground to right of road,,	dig down 2 feet you

A

°' will find ice at all times,, but I would 1101,, use this Ice, alkali close by,	Steep descent 9 miles, A baiTen desolate count1y all the way,,

Ford No, 6, Sweet Water 1 mile,,	willows plearity,,	soon after crossing you come to a small Creeck about 20 feet wide,,	then ascend a bluff 1½ miles to the summet,	encamped here,, Grav[e]s 9	Made 22 miles,,

I

? July 9111
3 of our Co.s Waggeons left us last night. the Captain's Waggeon for one, went on ahead,,
Transcribed by Riclmd L Rieck, November 2004  John Francis Frec111J11. 1852

found some Grass for our Cattle,,	To Ford No, 7, 4 miies,,	Ford N118, is but half a miie from N1!, 7,	½ mile river bank and stream, part of the River,,		Musk-rat Creek 5 miles,, Water gooa & cold. Road leaves the River, 4 miles, And winds through, around & over steep rough hills & hollows, dangerous to Waggeons,,	3 Lakes 1 mile, have the appearance & taste of Soapsuds,,		Small branch & Sv1amp 3 miles,,		No Grass,,			To small Creecks 2 mi Water & some Grass, early,	Strawbe1Ty Creecl( 2 m_ 6 feet wide,,	A good place to camp, pleanty of Willows,,	here we camped,,	It has been windy to day,, dust pleanty of
+Bth it in our eyes,,	Quaking Asp Creecl< 1 mile,,	A [blank] Graves,,	Made 18 miles,,

[July] 10th
McAchran,s Branch (of Sweet Water) 3 miles,, 2 rods wide, Water good. roads good to Willow Creeclc 2 m_	Water good. Willows & a good camping place before the grass was eat off,,
<		now v,,e have good roads for 10 or 15 111.iles,,	To Ford N!! 9,, Sweet Water 5 miles,, 3 rods wide,,	Their has been snow in sight for several days,	to day I had some & had a little play of Snow balling,,
[page 14]
L night our Cattle had but a little grass, they begin to look bad,,	On Wind River Mountains, No1ih [of] us to day their is any quantity of Snow,	it is said that their is perpetuai Snow on them (& I believe it,	here[?] within[?] a mile[?] or 2 of the[?] River & drove up a small run about 2 miles & camped	found good grass, Water & Wood pleanty,	last night our Cattle did not have much grass,,		Graves [blank]	Made 11 miles

[July] 1 Ith
I§' To .day we layed by,,	first rate grass,,	here their is Wilp Clover in with Prairie grass,,
Wild cuJTents pleanty,,	Pleanty of Snow close by (80 rods from camp,,)	The countTy is not as rough as it was back, here where we are no,;,., & for several miles around,,

[July] 121"
If Off at 6½ O,clock this morning,	Weather fine,,	Cross Ford N!! 9. this mom,,	here we
ti- leave the Sweet \Nater for the last time,	,"A liulcFroSl 1hismoming",	the next stream we meet with

lJ

will be heading[?] the same way we are agoing,,	To South Pass, 10miles,	it is a gradual ascent to the Pass,,	3 mi!es before you get to the Pass is Twin Mounds,,		To Pacific Springs from the Pass 3 m,,		Water good, no grass now,,	Pacific Creeck 2 m_, bad crossmg,,	Dry Sandy 9 M Water not first rate, rather brackish,,	he[r]e we campe,d0"the WeSlem Slope for the firstlimc.,A	we have drove 26[sic] miles today & our Cattle have not had no grass, &
:E:Made 24 Miles,, ,, We passed over the Sumrnet at 20 minutes before 12, M[eridian = noon]
A titude 7,400 feet above the level of the Sea,,	Roads th.is P,M, are rather sandy,,	Made 24
;;;- miles
"
[July] 13th
Last night our Cattle got away, but we found them this morn_,	Some grass,,	We concluded to lay by to day, for one of Our Oxen is sick..	Henry A.tthur, with a diai.Thoea,		We drove our Cattle off 4 or 5 miles, & found good water & Some grass,		you can't find grass this season without going off of the road from 2 to 5 ms,,	 Their is 4 Waggeons from St, Louis camped with us to waiting for us,,	I thought that we were opposite of the Wind River Mow1tains 3 or 4 days ago, but I was mistakened,	So now we ain't a_nymore than opposite,. nearly all covered
Tr:rnscriucd uy Ricliord L. Rieck, November 2004  John Frn11c1s Frccmln, I852

with Snow,,	We sent a team up to the spring & got our cans & casks filled with good, cold, & pure Water,,	 To night their were considerable many camped about here it made quite a town,,	There has been·a perfect jam on the road ever since we left the Upper Feny on the North Platt,,	 in a day or tv-,10 we will be out of some of this crowd & probaly where we can find feed nearer the Road,,	A small shower this P.M,,,

[July) 141h
A Fog this morning, it cleared off fine,,	This morning the Boys fe[t]ched in an Antelope,,
We fixed up a Hammock for Mr Arthur & rolled on,	Off. 10½, late staii,,	To Junction of
fr Great Salt Lake Road & the Oregon Road on which is Sublets Cut off 6 miles,,	The left hand
•	-		to Salt Lake the right to Fort. Hall & Sublets Cut, off,	We took the left hand Road,,		To Little Sandy 9½ JvLs ,	camped here	Water & willows a pleanty,	Grass poor,,	To night we tried our Antelope, & it went first rate,,	Made 15½ miles

[July] 151h
;l Weather hot lo day,,	To Big Sandy 14 ms	Water & willow, pleanty	,followdown4milcs.  good
crossings,.  drove,5mies&camped.,	Last nigh( Mr Taylor was taken sick with the Mountain Fever,,
:;-
<  Last night my Walch,	Feed poor, very,,	Roads rather sandy,,	Country quite level,,,,
Made 19 miles	Roads have been dusty to day

[page 15] [July] 16th
Last night our Cattle didn't have any water	drove about 3 ms & came near the Sandy &
t watered Grass tolerable,	at noon we came to the Sandy again .ane,, a drive of 12 miles, follow " down it ½ mile & then you leave it,,	here is another Junction, the left hand road to Salt Lake
the right lo Green River,0' Kinneys. cuioff.A  18 miles,	here you wanto[sic] put on Water for their is
none fit for use in that distance,,	drove out 5 ms & camped,	found good grass,	Roads good,,	Made 18 miles

[July] 1?11
[ This morning a drive of 3 m to another Junction	we took the ieft & went to Holidays Ferry, we reached [it] at 1, o,clock P,M,	For Fenying $3,00 per Waggeon,	a nice stream about 14
1 rods. across,,	Folowed up the River 4 miles & camped, timber pleanty,,		The most fun that I have s en to day was after we camped, one of our Men tied an Ox to a yolk & he got scart & run in amongst !he other Cattle & played around a spell, but no bones broke,,	quite [a] sight
Made 17 m

[July] 181h

::,

gi Morning plasant,,	We elected a new Captain the other day (the 15th,,)	So to day he thought
it best to roll on his name, Peter Noby[Freeman spells this name several ways], from St Louis, " M2:	A drive of 6 m brought us to a small broock, water good. No Grass,	6 to another,,
planty of Sage for fuel,	no grass except back on the bluffs, bunch Grass,	At noon we had a nice little shower of rain,,		Mr Arthur is fast recovering from his sickness. it turned into Mountain Fever,,	Made lz0 miles,,

[July] 19th •
Transcribed by Richord L. Rieck. November 2004  John frJncis FrccnDn, I852

Camped by the side of a smail stream, Sage pieanty, water toierable,,	after we started out
Ig- drove ½ mile & crossed brook, bad crossing,,	day fine,,	this P,M, we came out into Sublets
<  Cut off & the Fort Hall Road,,	we·descended a long gill[sic] to get to it,	water & willows
pleanty, no grass, pleanty of water all along now,	drove about 4 miles fa[r]ther & camped,, not much Grass,	Made 20 m,

[July] 201"

J

1  It rained a little last night,,	ny[sic] watch,,	drove about l O ms & assended a iong hill
when at the top you descend for over a mne very steep & rather difficult,	at the foot is Hams
1
" Fork,	Good water, pleanty of willows, no Grass,,	drivel½ mile & begin to assend the longest hill we have yet met with,,	the guide says 2 111; up it but I don't believe it is that much,,		 drove l mile after we reached the top & camped, grass good,,	Poplar groves along, often,,		1 Grave,,	Made 17m

[July] 2l51	_

f

Whavee a long streach of up hill to day,		67 ms brought us to a grove of Fur trees & Poplars, to Stony Creeclc [blot] m,s good v,1ater,	you descend a long hill to this Creeclc,	to Bear River Valley 3 miles,	into this Valley we descended the wisL"'0rs1, hills we have yet found;
-  great care is used here. drove 6 ms & camped,	Water good, & Grass,	rather a dangerous
place for stock, many springs holes,,	Made 20 111,s	2 Graves,,

[page 16]

i

lif[July] 22nd
Layed by to day,	Weather wan11e,, Ever since we struck the Sweet Water River	we have seen a great many dead Cattle but a few dead horses, & the scent from them, after they have
;	layed any length of time is any thing but sweet,,	l.Vfr Taylor is get'ng, so as to be about,	he
was out shooting at a mark & he also got supper to night,	rvfr Novy thought that he had served
;;< as Captain long enough, so this evening they elected W1.r Taylor for our Noble Commander, for the space of one Week,,	We have 11 Waggeons & 24 men, also 8 Women,,	Company large enough. pleantv,,	We camped at the head of Grass Creeclc,,

[July] 23rd

a.

Our new Captain got us off [in] a little better season than we have [had] along back,,	To Smith's Fork 5 m,s	here you turn sudently[sic] to the right into a gorge between 2 mountains
:"f' Ford 3 times & return tlu·ough the same gorge over a very stony place worse than any that we have yet found,,	,the, Water is pure & cold  also clear & a very swift current	To Bear River

;;;;, ,	,	,,	I\

Creeclc 3 m's,	Bear River l mile,	To Thomas' Fork 10 m,s	here instead of going up to the Ford 8 miles around we crossed a Toll Bridae	Fare 50 cts		.,Boughlanam1eful[sic]ofWillowsfor
a halfd1111 ofa11 Indian..

[July] 24111
g, to Brookharts Creede 2 miles. then comes a long hill 2 miles up,	tedious ascent,, [downs[sic] it 3 miles,	desent steep & stony,,	Bear River 3 m,s		Weatherwanne,
,"<' Roads dry & very dusty,,	To Tallies Creeclc 7 miles,, water good, clear & cold,	To Willows
Creeclc 5 m,s,	camped half way between these Creecks,	Grass good. no Water,,	Made, 20 miles,,	Roads goo along this Valley now,
Transcribed by Richard L Rieck. November 2004 John Francis Free,mn, 1852

[July] 2s;11

J

If Weather fine,	Sold a pair of Boots for $4,00 that b[e]long to Mr, Baird. To day we drove a little to make our next days [blot]er. To Willow Creeclc from Tallies Creeck 5 miles,	Willow
•		Creeclc has 3 branches, Water good,	Wiilows pleanty,	To Indian Creeclc 4 miles,	We drove up this stream one mile & encamped. Water good, willows pleanty also goosebunys, Grass good,	Made 12 miles,

[July] 26th

!

t Morning fine,	the roads fine, but dusty very,,	To White sand hill 3 miles. here is a small brook of good water,	the Guide says that their is no mor[e] good water for the next 17 miles.
I
•	-	To	Mud Creeclc 8 miles,	just before we got to Mud Creecl< we turned down to the river some
over a mile & found pleanty of good waler & fuel. we drove our Cattle across the River & found good Grass,	to Soda Springs 9 miles,	we Camped 1½ miles this side, in a beatiful grove of Cedar where their is an exelent spring of pure cold water,,	here it is said their is a nice Soda spring,, ul I did not_see it»	Fo_und qood grass North of this grove	IGrave	_Ma l_e 20 miles,,

[July] 27th

i

2 We followed around the Grove & struck straight for the Soda springs	in½ a mile we came to the Nicest spring of pure_cold water that I ever saw, almost a river corneing out of a rock,, the
'.:< springs [blot],	Here is some of the greatest curiosityes that I ever saw,,	the Best spring here is down close to the creecl<,	the water boils up sparkles up, you caimot get your head down to the water at all,		the Water fom,es a stone as it dries,	works up through a mound 10 to 20 feet high,,	1 mile you come to Sugar Creeck	½ a mile you come to a nother Soda Spr
[page 17]
the best that I have seen down near the River	 to make it tast[e] good you want [to put] in some Vinegar or Acid & sugar,	Lemon Syrup is the best,	80 rods is[?] Steamboat spring feft[sic] of the road 40 rods on the brinJc of the River,	this is quite a curiosity to me.,	the water boils up 2 or 3 [eet out of a tabular[?] rock,	the Water is some warme. it tastes rather flat here
you want to take in water for you will not find any mor[e] for 20 miles. To Junction Fo1i Hall Oregon road &- California road 6 miles from the springs,	here you ieave Bear River for the last time	here it is rather difficult to get the water	about 200 feet down to the River,	you can fetch it up in Buckets & water your cattle comfortably. To the foot of the Mountain 8 miles,
To Cadys creek 7 miles	water good,	Grass poor,	pleanty of fuel,,	Made 22 miles

[July] 28th

r,

::E Morning fine,	you ascend a hill now,	the descent is rough & dange[r]ous to Waggeons
i to Shoshone Creecl< 6 miles, 40 feet wide, 2 feet deep,	Grass scarce around the Creeck,	To
g- Denisons River 3 miles,	we drove up onto the hill about one mile & found some Grass,	2
<
"._ dayes ago Mr Buringtons team left us & to day another one that joined us on the Sweet Water
J River,,	While we were getting ready for a start one of our Missourie teams took the Stampeed "	& that started mine & I was in the Waggeon at the time &jumped out & was after them,	I just
made out to tum them ofjf] from a revene that was close by,	they run about 30 rods & got down my off Ox, (2!!!! Yolk from the Waggeon) & draged him 3 rods, on his side, & I made out to stop them then,	it hurt the Ox considerable, & broke off the Waggeon Aeap[?] 6 inches,	I fixed it up, & started on	at this tim their was a nice little show of rain,	it layed the dust f9r
Transcribed b)' Richerd L. Rieck, November 2004  Jolm Francis FreemJn, 1852

a few mi!es,,	Their is some trout in Denisons River but they would not bite, or else we should [have] had some of them for a supper,		A Swamp & River 8 miles,	their is a good spring, pleanty of Grass,	here we camped,	the roads this P,M, have been beatiful,	Made 17 miles, this day,,

[July] 2911,
Morning fine,	·today we all went on but the Missourie [folks], they stayed back,	we started out	about½ mile, we passed where some men were diging a Grave, for a man ihai died wiih the Mountain Fever,	his health had not been good for 3 years,	they were from Missomie. we followed up Black River 2 miles to cross & then followed down as far on the other side,
The Road is ."0"'. hilly, ascending and hitt descending to a branch of Good Water. 8 miles,	1t 1s 8 miles to the top of the hill	½ a mile down it is [to] a spring of good Water,	2 miles to a Creeclc, then you ascend another hi!I	we rolled up a mile & camped,, ,	Made 14 miles,,
it has been rather warme & dusty to day,,

[July] 30'h
Ii We layed by till 4, o.clock P.M. ,,
thw1der shower a pretty good one, here we camped,	had some grass, P,M,,,	!Vi:ade 5 miles

] done some washjng this A,Ivf, & at noon We had a we then hitched up & drove on. to a Branch 5 miles
this P,M, little cool,	we passed over a nice road this

[July] 31s'
lg> Last night we had a little more rain to lay the dust,,	To Spring Run 9 miles  20 feet wide,
,  After thjs you will find no more ·water for 25 miles,	this Creeck runs to the East & is good
{'- water,	this Called Cash Valley by some,	we got here 9½ O,clock A,M, & stayed till 1½ O,clock. P, M,,,	drove our Cattle off 2 miles, to Grass,	We passed tlu·ough some first rate Grass between these Creecks. Here we filled our Cans & Casks. & sta1ted for the Deasart,,	111 4 miles the Road enters a deep revene,. barely room for a Waggeon to pass in some places
High Mountains 011 each side,		through this gorge 5 miles to a steep descent,	the greatest downhill we have yet had,	We passed down in safty,,	to Spring & Creecl< 16 miles,,
after we descended we came into a beatiful Valley, pleanty of Grass,	as we Was comeing into this Valley we had another nice little rain,	We camped after Making 22 miles,,

August 15'  Sunday,
I§ We are on the Deasart & have got to get off so we got an early sta1t (about 4, o,clock)	drove till 9, O,clock6	stoped & bated, & got breakfast,,	tlu·ougb this Valley their is 7 or 8 miles
•	of good level road, then ascends a hill,, & Kanyon for about 4 miles to the summet,	here it was where we stoped & got breakfast, & Give our Cattle tl1e Water we that we fetched along, Grass good,,	then we descend till we come to Water 4 or 5 miles,	Here is a cold spring of
Water,	No Grass around here for 2 miles around. We watered 1!J1 & went on 3 miles to good grass & sloped & bated	To a spring 8 miles, 4 miles	.11rained llrnt moma, good smanshower...	We
comm en[c]ed ascending from Spring Creek, & in 4 miles, we come into another revene or Gorger, Na1Tow. but wider than [blot]day,	in 5 miles we come to said spring,,	no Grass
to Summel 3 miles,	to a Cold Spring 7 miles, no Grass,	We drove another mile & camped. found good Grass on the Bluffs,,	to day we Counted 30 dead Cattle 5 Horses, & 2 Grass[graves?],	Made, 25, m
Transcribed b)•Richard L Rieck, November 2004 John Froncis Freem,11. I852

-20-

[August] 2'"1
Morning fine,,	a little cold this morning,,	This moming an other te[blot] stayed back because they thought that we drove to fast for, them, & they were calculating to lay by, a Week to recruit there Cattle,	they feel we have one lame Ox, his hoof is comeing off,,	To [blot] Creek N°
5 miles, 111uddy bottoms, gad c10ssi11g,	plca.1ty of Willows & G1ass on tlie bluffs
Branch 5 miles from Cold Spring,	 To Sinking Creecl< 5 miles,	Some Grass	had to Cross muddy bottoms,	To Ford N2 2	"		"	"[To Sinl<ing Creecl<] 4 miles	" "[Some Grass) had Crossing " " [muddy bottoms]		To East Branch of Raft River 12 miles
[page 18)
2(?] No more Waler till we come to east[?] branch of Raft River	At Ford No 2	Sinking Creeclc	the Road strikes out over a barren country	at the right a large Valley presents itself to the eye, & we have a Valley of about 25 miles to go through
I[ The roads to day are exelent,,	011 this 12 mile streach. I could see the dust in the Fort Hall
-'	road, To the right off about 15 miles, & on the Salt Lake Road lo the left 20 or 25 miles,,	We have been going down hillAoraSellciin:;arOUllciA all day half a day through a revene,,	Counted to day-
20 dead Cattle, 2 Horses & 1 Mule,,	Made 25 miles,,

Ii

[August] 3rd
To  day	layed  by, ,	to day Hot & clear,	(We layed by 011 the east bank of the East
- Branch of Raft River),,	Water middling. some Willow & sage for fuel,,	[blot] deal of Course Grass for Cattle,,			Our Company is gening to be reduced to 1 l men & 2 Women, 4 Waggeons & 24 head of Cattle & 2 Horses,,		I forgot to mention.when back on Sp1ing Run, about the Grass hoppers		I never saw the like before,	the ground was litterly covered with them,	they looked like bees swarming,	When we drove the Cattle back to Grass they would not over half of them fly up, where the Cattle went along,,

[August] 4'"
Off at 6¼ O,clock,,,	morning cool & cloudy,	we cross East Branch of Raft River this morning, bad crossing, mLfddy banks, & bottom,		in the space [of] 2 miles we crossed 5 more
V>
fr branches (now dry)	5 miles to West Branch of Raft River, good crossing, Gravel bottoms,

I

;'	Water good,,		pleanty of fuel, such as Willows,	5 miles to Swift Water. Some Grass all along; along here the road is some stony,		\Ve conunenced ascending at East Branch of Raft River & at Swift Water you gett in between the Mountains again,	their is small Broocks all along,	we follow up the West branch,,		 3 miles to Ford. No 2,,		this noon we had another little shower, to lay the dust for a few miles,			for this forenoon the roads began to be dusty agam,,		Half a mile above Ford No. 1,, the Fort Hall road comes into this,	by the loocks of that road their is not much travel on it,,	half,, a mile above Ford No 2,, their is a sp1ing at the right hand,,	To Small Branch, 6 miles,			it cannot be depended on for Water,

Rock creecl<4. miles. Water good, early. probly good grass. camped here,	just after we camped we had a ve1y heavy thunder shower, (llasted[sic] 20 minutes)	15 dead Cattle,
Made 25 m

[Augµst] 51h
Transcnbcd by Richard L Rieck. No,·cmbcr 2004  John Fr:incis Freem:111. IS52

-2I-

_ !:

Morning fine,		The rain we had last night layed the dust farely,	We happened to have good grass for !he Cattle last night,,	To Small Creeck, 2 miles. Good Water,	early in the season good grass,	White Creed< 2 miles, 20 feet wide,,		Water good		just before reaching this we passed over a swampy spring peice of ground,	their is some alkali springs about, at the foot of the Mountain,		cedar creeck. 3 miles, 8 feet wide, good water,, Grass & fuel, & a good place to camp,			we then drove immediately i11to Castle City or Steeple Rock, between t\vo high mom1tains,			 wher[e] the old road goes it is narrow,		the new one goes to the right. & a wider space ro go in,		immediateiy after which the most wild & romaniic scenery presents itself to the eye,				Rocks upon rocks, naked & piled up in the most fantastic shapes t.1.at can be iJ.m11agined are seen extending in every direction,

It This City or (Pyramid Circle as Hornes guide calls ii) is 5 miles through & about 3 \Vide & quite
li level,	The gateway where we emerged from is a small  narrow place in the rocks leaving just
-	convenient space for a Waggeon to pass through,,	A nother singular thing at the right where
w eu.1erg d froi;n	Castle City,	a C dar _T_Iee gro ng upon a naked rock, 200 (eet high,,_ _ 	 _ One & a half miles from the City, we struck the junction of the Salt Lake road,	so hnowh all the
roads are again in one,,	5 miles further is a spring of good water,	in here v,,e encamped for the night,	found some grass,,	Dead Cattle 12 I believe,

lv'.iade 19 miles,,

[August] 611,
I Morning fine,	Mr Taylor was taken with a diaIThoea this morning,,	2 miles over a hill we
come to Steep Creeck, good water		we have considerabl up & down hill now to Good Creeck, rather rough in places & sideling in others,,	Six miles ftniher is Birch, Creeck at the foot of a mountain,,	3 mi!es beyond is Goos Creeck. we crossed a small branch just as we came down to Goos Creeclc,	Goos Creecl< or River is about 20 feet wide,	We followed up th.is stream 10 miles & camped		we passed some good grass to day, but we did not Camp where there was much grass,		Made 21 miles,,	this is the wildest loocking country through here that I ever saw,,

If

[August] 711,
Started before sunrise & drove 4 miles &	stoped & let our Cattle bate,		found good grass, to day I ,vanted to lay by & !el our Cattle rest & Mr Taylor [being] rather sick, let him have a chance to rest, but the other teams wanted to go on, so I thought I would; but since I have been sorry that I had not stayed,,	7 miles up Goos Creeck (Good grass all th,e1vay) theroad leaves the Creeclc & follows up a branch of Goos Creecl< 3 miles, & enters a Mountain gorge, followed up the gorge 8 miles, & the road crosses twice in that distance	at the last Ford we
toock in water their being no more for 15 miles,	1 mile to stoney bluff,		we continued on 5 miles futiher. & found a veiy little grass, & turned out, pleanty of Sage,	Made 23 miles, & some of the way the road has been stoney & rough,,

[August] 811,  Sunday,
we was obliged to drive after we got into this fix,  6 miles from our encampment we entered Cold Spring Valley,  near the entrance is a small Creeck, no Grass,,  Five miles further is Cold Spring about 5 rods to the left of the road.-  wat r exelent,
Tr:rnscnbcd by Rich,rd L Rieck. November 2004  Johll Fr:incis Frecmln, I 852

[page 19]

lt

g, There are also some mineral as well as dangerous Springs in this Valley,		about 5 miles beyond this the road passes over some low hills into Thousand Spring Valley,	at the East end of the
•	Valley we encamped,,	found the best of Grass,, but had no water fit for use,
,	,,Weather rather wa1111e,,
we drove our Cattle down about a mile to Water, [it will] do for stock,	,,I suposed that when we came into this Valley that we should find pleanty of Water as soon as we struck, or else we should [have] filled our cans at Cold Spring, but the Wild Wheat was good, it had not been disturbed at the East end,	Made 16 miles

[August] 9111

I

Not having any water fit for use we was obliged to drive on, but our Cattle had a good chance to
g- fill themselves before we started,	drove 6 miles & come to a spring of rather Muddy water,
<		but good, but no Grass here	6 miles further we Came to some of the Thousand Springs, Water not first rate, but camped here	found good grass,,	The road rather dusty to day,
Made 12

It

[August] I 0111
ast night I should think that there were 2,0 0 Hea? of Cattle round abou._t us,	the Valley was rull along here,, & Waggeons enough for quite a City,,	The Road contmues up the Valley,,

1

=	9 miles from our morning encampment we came to the Hot Springs,	\1/e nooned just below them, found good grass,	Their is a sickish smell that comes from these springs,	some of the
§. spiings are so hot you ca1mot hold your hand in them half a minute,,	some were Washing in them as I come.along,,	a few rods above these hot springs, there is a cold spring, \7\Tater good,,
In 8 miles further the Valley tenninates by a noble spting of cold water, being the last water
the second time runing eastward,	There is an immence number of springs in this Valley-some thereby its name, some cold & good, others cold & bad, & others wam1e, or, in fact hot,	the road here enters a revene between two mountains. To the summit 2 miles,	night camped near the summit, grass, tolerable,	Made 19 miles,	quite a heavy frost las,tni.;J,i_

i

[August] 11111
:E:Mom.ing fine & pleasant,   Mr Taylor has got well enough to [stand] watch. he was out last
:  night,,   to the Summit 1 mile,,   in 3 miles the Roads fork  the right hand, in 3 miles you
: come to Water,  the left 5 miles to a spring,  this left hand road we took (it is said that it is nearer than the other road)  in 13 miles more we came to some springs & camped,  roads good, also grass,  Made 22 miles,,

I

[August] 1211,
We fol.lowed this Valley down 2 miles & went over some low hills into another,	Grass good
[	all the way,,	In about 10 miles. we [blot) Kanyon Cteeck, which is a tributary Stream,DeepFork,
;		of the Humbolt,	nooned on this Creeclc, where another one comes in from the mountains of good, clear & pure water,	we catched a few speckled trout this noon	Here is thousands of [word/s missing] good grass,	a drive of 9 miles more brought us to the deep fork oflhe Rumbolt (or St Marys River)	 this stream is very low now,	Grass has been good here, but now it is pretty much all eat off,	here we camped for the night,,	to day the roads has been good. witlJ the exception of considerable dust,	to day I have not .seen but 2 or 3 dead Cattle,
Transcribed by Richard L. Rieck. Nol'cmbcr 2004  John Francis Freeman. I852

the least that I have seen in any one day in a great while. The Weather has been fine to day, Made 19 miles,,

[August] 13th
I  This 1'.1orning we hitched up & drove 2 miles, & concluded to lay by till monday, (the 16th)	Wu·
M a1r thought that he could not [afJford to lay by so he drove on,	Mr Maxfield,s waggeon, & my own turned out for this week[end], to recruit ourselves & Cattle,	found  first rate grass & water & evrything nessesiary[sic] for camping,		then we went fishing		there are pleanty of speckled trout in this river,	we catched quite a number of them,, & another kind,	there is a great deal of Clover in this grass,, the Cattle like it,,			I bought 2 doz of Ox nails this rnoming for ,25 cts a dozzen,	any Catties fe[e]tare getting sore or tender footed,,			the Ford here was good it [river] being low about 4 inches deep,,	to day Made 2 miles,,

[August] 14th
day fine,	This morning we were visited by some Digger Indians,	they denied themselves, called themselves Sho [blank] or Snakes.,	to day we catched some beatiful trout,	I done
:t some shoeing to day, set 6 shoes on Bairds Oxen,

[August] 15th Sunday,
another fine day,	to day there was a great many teams passed us,, teams come in & camped by us.

I (August] 16th

to day noon two other

Off again this morning at 6½ o'clock. Weather fine, but the roads very dusty,	those two teams
=> rolled out with us th.is morning,	roads good, but very dusty,,	our teams felt like traveling this morning they go ahead as though they had a good resting spell,,	last night was rather cool,,	This P,M, about 3 o'clock
[page 20]
we had a beutiful thunder shower, it layed the dust for 5 or 6 miles,	In 20 miles from our morning's encampment, ,:ve came to the West[?] Branch of the Hmnbolt,	good crossing, now 4 inches deep & one rod vvide (Very low)	we drove over a hill, & come down onto the
River again, followed down aways & camped. their are a great many packing through, passing us every day, some with Mules, horses & afoot,,
Made 22, miles [August] 17th

i

Morning fine & pleasant,	the Grass that our Cattle had last night had been eat off some
considerable,	The road follows the river down, leaving it at intervals, passing over a hill
It		occasionally,,	we then follow the Valley down about 30 miles, good roads all the way, Passed 2 Graves to day,,	the most trouble to day was the dust, wind blew, & the dust flew, Made 22.,
! [August] 18th
After a drive of 10 miles we came to the end of the Valley. early in the season the road goes over the Mountain,	Late jn the season the road follows the river down, crossing 4 times within 10
Tr.rnscnb<d by Richard L. Rieck. November 2004  John Fr.mds Frccnnn, 1852

miles,	Fords good,	between the First & second Fords, a road comes in from salt Lake, across a Deasart of 75 miles,	The roads to day have been insufferably dusty,		The wind & teams made it the dustyes[sic) to day of any day that l have /ve\ experienced,	Made 21 miles,,

[August] 19111
Off at 7,	morning fine & pleasant	a drive of 4 miles brought us to a Creeck, a beatiful
[ stream of good Water,	2 more to the foot of a Mountain,	to the Summit 10 miles,	in the
I.  course of 2 miles there is several springs,	not much Grass. Summit to River 7 miles	Drove
1 miles farther & camped,	after crossing the River,	Good crossing,	We camped witbout any grass for our Cattle, & some of [blot] Cattle are getting foot sore, sore in their heels,
Bairds off Ox is so lame that he can hardly go,	Made 24 miles,,	Dusty roads. we had to day, also windy,,

[August) 20111
I  Off bright & early this momjng,	we had no feed lc1st night. droye 4 mi]es & turned out to let
t ow· Cattle eat & get breakfast,	found tolerable grass,,	yesterday we ove1toock McClouth,s team, also the Missourie teams that we left behind. some time ago, they bad come up & passed
o'5 us whjJe we were laying by,	 they are now travling with us,		we follow[ed] the River down to the next Ford & crossed,	we passed over a hill just before we came to the Ford,	Feed good,	followed down the River 3 miles & camped,	Made 16 miles,	Roads have been good to day,,	I bought me a Pony & payed $15,00 for him	bought him this afternoon of a Packer,,		Made 16, miles

[August] 2151
We concluded to lay by to day,	we found good grass for our Cattle,	also :Mrs McClouth was

::,

a. taken sick last night,,	good share of the Boys went fishing, some with Waggeon Covers &
<	others with lines,	Mr Taylor catched a fine lot of them,	one Man killed a Prairie hen (such
as are in Illinois)  the firs[t] that I have seen since 100 miles this side of the Missourie river,	I
'<
cut my Waggeon Box off about 2 feet,,	sold one pair of Bed tick pants at£ 1,00, for fvfr Baird,,

22nd  Sunday
off again this morning,	th.is morning their was a frost, othernrise the morning is fine & cool,
We follow down the River to Stony Rocky point, a very rough & stony place

l

g{after you leave, here you want[ t)o take in Water. for you have a drive of30 miles without Water, unless, you drive to the River 4 or 5 miles, from the road.,	we drove to the river, ourselves,	I have not seen but one Dead Ox to day, & one Grave,		Made I should think 22 miles

[August] 23rd
j Last night our Cattle were in poor feed, but this morning we turned them over the River & found
the best of Grass,	Mr Taylor shot a sage hen yesterday noon: we had it for breakfast this
;- morning, (good eating)	the mornings are very cool,, through the day, comfortable though dusty, it makes it disagreeable &c,,.	We followed down the River about one mile & cross d
Transcribed by Richord L Rieck. Nol'cmbcr 2004  John Fra11c15Freem:m. I652

over onto the south side,	made 18 miles,,

!

[August] 24th
We were not in the best of feed last night, but my Cattle. done very well, for I stoped between 3,
g- & 4 O,clock & let them bate one hour,	we found good grass. & then drove on till sundovm,
-<"
•	When we overtoock our tra[i]n,	The roads are the dustyest that I ever saw,,	we eat it, drink
it, (it don't taste good) & we breath it,	also the atmosphere is full of it,		in this dust their. is a great deal of Aikali in it,	it [creates] sore Iips on most eve1y person,	to day their is not wind enough to cary the dust off as fast as it rises,,	12 miles from camp we ascended a steep hill rather hard pulling, Sandy&.stony,		drove 3 miles farther & camped,	found good grass
made 15 miles,,

[August] 25th
Last night my pony & 3 other horses, One from N, Harison one from S, McClouth & the other for Paul Noring[?] were either
[page 21)

o. ,.1111

I< strayed or stolen, for they were not to be found this morning	Harison & myself. stayed, back
noon" to find them, but could hear nothing of them, so we traveled on the road,	in 2 miles
C,
o. ascends a mountain & in 4 miles come to rbe river again,	the roads are sandy in spots,	we
then followed the river the rest of the day, the weather being wanne enough-	l catched up with the train about 4, o,clock,,	made about 15 miles

[August] 26th
.,	Last night had tolerable grass,	the road continues along the river  some places sandy,,	this
§. fore noon we passed a trading post,	last night S, McClouth struted back after the horses, to see if he could find them, for he had faith in his belief that he could,,	I lent him $10,00, (ten dollars,)	he is to return it to me in California, ifhe, found them,, if not, $15,00, I should have,
tbis afternoo,nve had heavy sand for 5 miles,,	Made 18 1niles,,

(August] 27th
? Found good grass last night,	nights cold,	off in good season	roads good but very dusty,
I'	Mr. MrClouth returned this morning without the ponyes, but heru·d that somebody had taken
•	them up & gone on ahead,	the road in 10 miles ascends a sand hill & in half a[]mile retumes
to the river again,	the road continues along the 1iver bottoms the rest of the day,	in the middle of the day, the weather is hot enough for comfo1t,	Made in the neighborhood of20 miles,, I guess at it,,

(August] 281h
"'Last night found some grass so that the Cattle got along very well,	we this morning  in 2
: miles from cru11p  Forded the river onto the North side, to make a Cut off & better roads,
I followed down till noon, then we strike out over a baITen peice of Country & in 11 miles come again to the river • The dust to day is the worst that I have seen it before on the road	;t 11vas i:n our bc1cks the Wind was in our back&. but little of it, (the dust] just kept along with the Waggeon,	It is bad for the Cattle very,,	\.Vhile we were Crossing the river to day, one of
our Waggeons from St Louis, turned over just as they were going into the river,	We righted it up & went on, no damage done,,	Made. 20 mjles
Tr.inscribed l>y Richard L Rieck. November 2004  John Francis Frcem:111, 1852

[August] 29th
If Poor reed [for] our Cattle had last night. so we thought it best to roll on [to] tbe first meadow,,
l about 6 miles ahead,	we followed the river to day,, .& in 6 miles turned out, & stayed here till
evening,,	l sold Baird5 lame Ox here for $12,00, all I could get,	he was not like to get
IP better,,	l[sic] We have a drive of 50 miles without any grass, so they all say, those that we
have met on the road that are- coming from California to meet their familys,	Mr Maxfield sold an Ox to day for $10,00 that was lame,	The Ward's sold out to day, their Oxen (3 in Number) to Maxfield for $75,00,	they are calculating to pack tlu-ough when they get to the Sink, For to the Sink it is 75 miles,		this evening we drove,, 4 miles & camped,,	Made 10 miles,	Weather warme enough,

[August] 30th

ll

jf this morning we layed in for a supply of Hay, for we have 50 miles, without any grass,,	back
of here about 2 miles the Lawson road tumes off,	this I don't want to be taken[taking] this
i		time of year, but their is some Laking it though-		This 1110111.ing one of our men (name) Peter_ Cadwell Crom St, Louis, in Crossing the river to the Cattle, was drowned  he & a horse that he was on,	he was some 60 or 7[0?] rods up the river from us,	the Willows on [the] bank kept him from our sight, till it was to late,	when in the first place we found the horse, &. afterwards searched for him, & found him in a deep hole,	found him by taking a long rope. & fastning some chains to rope, & draging it down, the rive[r] till we found him,	his Age, 25 years,,
the river is getting to be rather ryly,,,	To day at Mr Novye,s Waggeon ,,. they had an heir come to see them (A, Daughter),,	We concluded to lay up the rest of the day,,

[August] 31st
We rolled out to day,	Weather fine,	the road in 3 or 4 miles leaves the river [blank] miles, at noon we drove to the river. Mr Taylor this noon. packed up & went on. he was in such a hun-y thought he must go,	he was afraid that his Creditors at home. would take h.is fam1e
away from him,	that was bis excuse, Etc,,	We are now on the most banenest Country that I
ever was on,,	The dust is the worst [page 22]
to day that I have seen it,	the Wind in ow- backs, the dust very deep & lite,	To Where the road joins the river [blank] Miles,,	deep 1evene,	To whe1e the 1oacljoins tlte 1ive1 & it descends to the Ri vc1 thot1gh a 1011g Kanyo., 2 miles,		Camped 2 rnilcs back oftlris	Made 20 miles

I

September 1s,

I

t to deep revene 1 mile,,	To river 2 miles,	the road descends to the 1iver th.rough a long
Kanyon,	the road leaves the river for 14 miles,	we started out befor[e] daylight & drove
•	I*Sept Ifil roads ve1-y dusty,,	Made 28 miles,, I
8 miles out of 14 & tumed down to the river, & got breakfast, & let our Cattle pick some Willows, & gave them some of our Hay that we fetched along, & then drove to where the road joins the river, & stayed here till 5, O,clo/kP.M.A

[Sept] 2!19
Tr.rnscribed by Richard L Rieck, November 2004  John Fr:111c1s Freeman. J852

!

& then rolled out, to a A ood. spring 11 miles, & stayed here till morning,* & loaded on some Water & drove to grass, 6 miles,	this is very near the Meadow,	found some grass &sy[?]
.	We commenced here to lay in our supply of Hay for the Desa1t,,

We stayed here till 4,O,clock. P.M, & heard that their was better grass ahead,	(this that we have got is salty, to salty for Caltle,l)J	we drove on a mile & a half. & came to the Meadow, or (Big slough I should tem1 it[)],		here is a trading post, & a spring,	found good grass here & a pleanty of it, for everybody,	Weather fine,	roads good,	Made 7½ miles,,

[September] 3!Q
Wewent to work & cul some more Hay, (For we throwed away that [which] we cut yesterday. &
IJ this is better than that was)	we stayed here till about the same time.. that we rolled out
yesterday, & rolled out 5 miles & camped,	found good grass,,	We have got our supply of Water & Hay	toock on our Hay & Water at the spring,,	made 5 miles,,

[September] 4!.!!
Rolled out in good season,	weather fine.. also roads good 6/c[?],,	in 20 miles we came to [ the end of the Sink,	at noon we had tolerable good grass,	the Wat[e]r is not. fit for man or
I3£ beast,	it is Wealming for Cattle,	here is another trading post,	here we camped for the
night.	we had to feed our Hay that we had prepared for the Deasart,,	made 20 miies,,

[Septembet] 5th
I§' Started out early & drove 3 miles, & Lurned out lo feed	found some grass,	here we have some of the Same kind .of Water that we had last night,	 This moming we toock the 1ight hand
•		road at the trading post, called the T[r]uckey rout,,		the Left hand goes to Carson Valley, this is called the Carson rout,,		Last night for some cause or other Harison & McClouth,s team did not come up,	In the afternoon one of Rarisons Oxen was taken sick, & that is what kept them back,		I am fearful that something has happened,	 Mrs McClouth has not got well yet, since she ,vas taken,,		I toock in another man this morning & he put in a yolk of Oxen, (got a sfiff team now). I could not get along alone. so I toock in this man he was in Novys,s team,	Novy calculated lo take the Carson rout, But after we started he came following along to where we stoped for Breakfast,,	We got ready to start out on the Deasati at 10, a.clock A,M,	drove till. one O.clock & turned out & baled	(([sic] If you mind now,,, there was 4 tea.mes of us, that rolled out to gether, Maxfield. Tompson, Myself & another team that came up last night,, Noyes teams was not ready to start at the time we were, so[?,Jve thought that we could .not stay any longer, so on we rolled,	we had a good road the first 12 miles, When we conunenced ascending gradual, for 5 or 6 miles. w,e found it stony along up here & on to the hot springs, 25 miles, from where we camped last night,	these sp1ings we reached at 10½ O,clock P,M, ,,._,e stoped here & cooled some Water for our Stock,,	some of them would drink & some would not,	We stayed here, 2 hours	These springs are so hot that you may fill a coffee pot with cold water & set it in these springs, & it will boil it in 5 minutes,	From this spring on 12 miles we have good roads. then it comes into the sand

[September] 6!.!!
& from here to T[r]uckee river is 8 miles,	this pa1i of the road is heavy sand, the heavyest part of the road across rhe Deasart,	We stoped one mile back of the sand & [l?lot] feed our Cattle,
Tr:rnscribrd by Rtch:ird L Rieck. November 2004  John Franc,; Fr«nun. I652

& gave !hem the most of the Water that we had le.ft, for we !oock on some more water at the Hot springs,	¾ of a mile after we came onto the sand, we came to a trading post where they sold Water for 50 cts a gallon,	I did not buy any of it at !hat Price,,	We got with.in a mile of the River when one [of]

t

[page 23]
Maxfield,s Cows layed dow.n & refused to go any(]farther. So he went onto the River, & got a
g- pail of Water & went back & got her,	I did no! have any difficul!y with my team,,	This
I
,< River (Tuckee) is first rate 'Nater,	good crossing  for we crossed as soon as we came to the
.g River,	We crossed & drove up the River½ mile, & camped for the day, for our Cattle ar[e]
" some considerable tired,	On this river is some cotion wood trees  the first trees that I have seen of any size, since the other side of Raft River. about 20 miles,,	The Guide spoke about the lone tree on the Platt & from their [to] here, (Sinking Creecl< the other side of Raft River) it never spoke about any trees or timber, Spoke about Sage & Willows, & that is about all their is, is Willows, Sage brush & Grease wood,	this here loocks some more like home, to See timber once more & fo st rate water,,		here where we have camped there is but littl§ grass,_but our Cattle want rest as much as anything else,,		[As) If you mind, I tlu·owed away my V ater cans & every thing that I did not need,,		I did not see a great many dead Cattle on this Deasart, that had Died this year, [but] a great many old bones,,			\1\Then we camped, we camped under a large cottonwood		Dimier under this tree, & the wind blew quite a gale, & my dinner was v,1ell peppered,,	made since we sta1ted yesterday morning 45½ miles,,

[September] 71h
WeroIIed out this morning,	vve leave the river for 6 miles,,	We heard of Novy,s teams this
fr morning	he came across with one Waggeon, & left the other on the Deasart	he was going
I < this morning after the other,	Ml Pen[bJot] team came a cross, but left a cow, but was going
back for her,,	As I said.before we came to the River in 6 miles,	Some of the way it is Sandy, & some the way gravel, Some the way stone,	when we came to the River ,ve Forded, ([sic] their is another road over the mountain, but we Forded, crossing rough,		we folIO\,,ed up 2 miles & crossed back: very stony & rough crossing,		we then follow the River 4 or 5 miles, then go over a mountain to the river a gain,		came to the River & camped,	Grass. now, is poor-	Weather fine all this time Etc	Macie 17 miles,,

!

c-<,

[Septemberf 8'h
Last night we had a Frost, & Water froze ove[r] that stood in a Bucket, & it was a pretty cold night,, but recollect that when we arrived at Tuckee River we come to mountains again,

g- something that we have not been out of sight of since we come to the Rocky Mow1tains,	soon
<
•	after we started this morning we came in sight of Snow. on mountains ahead,	I have not been
out of sight of Snow over a Week since I left. South Pass,		soon after we started we met with some nice patches of Grass,		this afternoon we passed over a very rough & stony mountain, left the River for about 5 miles, followed up a mile & crossed, or Forded,	Ford ve1y rough, & in 2 miles we came to the Meadow. & soon after crossed a Slough, on a Bridge,	went up a short distance & camped,	Found first rate grass. Etc,,	made but 14 miles & a hard days work at that,,	made 14 miles

;l
[  [September] 91!!
(- Last night we had another fre zeAorFros1A colder than the night before,
Transcribed by Rich>rd L Rieck. November 200  John Francis Frccnun, IS52

we stayed her till the

mjdc!le of the afternoon, when we concluded to move a little farther up the Meadow,	we followed up the River, 1½ miles, when we forded, & followed up ½ a(]mile, & camped,, where tbere is good grass,	Made 20 miles,,	Weather fine through the day,

[September] 10th

f

Rolled out this rnom'g,,	toock the right hand road for the Town of '76['],	we have 18 miles
I		without water & grass,	the roads are very stony till we came to Peavine spring	here we camped, found tolerable grass, but wood is [s]carce (pleanty of it above us on the mountain,s[)] We started out onto the Sera Nevada Mountains this morning. we go along on the side of the mountains, & over some,		The Weather has been rather warme to day,,	made 18 miles,,

[SepIember] 11th
=In 6 miles from our encampment we came to a trading post & water  also pleanty of grass,

"'	a

[a. roads rather rough to here, except 2 miles of level smooth road,	then foilowed down a Branch	mi!es & camp_ed,,	_of grass, watet & fuel,, such as Sage,		weather to day has been
fine,	14 miles,,

[page 24)
[September) 12th  Sundav,
j§ We traveled on to day,	4 miles we came to the Summit of the Nevada Mountains,	IfI had not lrnown that this was the Summit, I should not have known that we had crossed the main
•	1idge,,	From here to water & a trading post, 5 miles,	we nooned here,	to water. a gain, 12 miles,		the road to day has been rather sandy in places,	weather fine, wam1e enough, we drove another m.ile & camped, & made. 22 miles,

If

[September] 13th
Our Cattle last night had a pleanty of grass, but it is getting to be rather dry, it is a d!ying up,	I had an offer for my Cattle this morning, 70 $70,00 a yolk,	in one mile is Beckvviths house
•	the first house that I have seen since I left Laramie,	this is made of Pine Boards splii,	here
we come .into Pine timber pleanty of it,	in one mile is a Slough small Slough of good grass, then we traveld over a mountain for I mile		we tben follow a Creecl< for about 3 miles, grass along this,,	the roads sandy,		at Beckw.iths house the roads, forlk[s.ic], the left hand goes to 76, & Maryesville,		the right hand is called Beckwiths rout to Maryesville, 20 miles farther, Th.is afternoon we passed a Ranch, & went over some hills, to Feather River. & camped. the grass is getting to be ve1y dry,	the woods was a burning where we came along this P,M,	to day has been fine	Made 14 miles,,

[September] 14th
Rolled out this morning,		weather fine but roads honible. ve1y stony,	we traveled 5 miles & put up for the day	Mr Maxfield sold his Oxen (3 yolks for $230,00,,()]		I understand that their is no grass ahead,	Mr Bairds other Ox is getting to be lame, & I dont know but I shall be obliged to sell out my whole team,	I want[)to go 30 miles beyond this,			I have given up all hopes of getting to Nevada this fall,		we have got into the mining counhy now,,	I & my pa1iner (Robe1i Dickey) bought one quart of Molasses for the sum of $1,00.,		I had an offer for my Oxen this morning, $140,00, that I could not go at all,,	To the Town of 76, 5 miles over a mountain & a rough road,
Tr:rnsc,ibed by Richard L. Rieck, November 2004 John Francis Freeman, IS52

* made 5 miles

f\!:_<: [September] 15
'.'.	then to the place of Rough & Ready ½ mile,	they are to work along here at Quartz Rock,
:2	They offer here $75,00 dollars a month & borded, Board $1,50, per day,	Flour is selling at 28, cts per lb, Beef 30, to 35, per lb-,,

We got to this place at noon,		drove½ mile an[d] turned out to noon, no grass of any account, this afternoon we we[sic] drove to Beards Ranch 5 miles, over the roughest road that we have yet traveled,		it is not onely rockey, but Mountainous,	I got a Parcial glimpse of the Elephant,	Recollect that our Company, consists of 2. Waggeons, Tompsons & my own, Waggeons do not fetch anything here at all, they will not fetch one dollar,	I can get any quantity of them for that,,	We onely made 10 miles today, & I worked the hardest kind for it,

!

[S_eptember] 16th	_	_		_   _ Rolled out this morning under a fare wind, Weather being fine, but cool. Pleanty of Snow abov. e us on the mountains, also pleanty of Pine timber,	after1 got one½ a mile from camp, A man
:  came up & offered me $200,00 for 2, yolk of Oxen & 2 Cows, but I could not let them go for that,	And another. man came up & offered me more &, I toock him up, tv.ro Cows at $60,00 doila.rs, one yolk of Oxen (mine) $80,00, & Bairds Ox & Taylors Ox $75,00 dollars,	 also, R Dickey sold his Oxen (2 in Number) for $80,00,	the Waggeon had to be thrown in, for it would not fetch anything-	I was to have the team as far as I went, to day anyway,	 so on we went up the Mountain steep. & hard	to[sic] also up[?] down & up several [hills?] today the worst of any that I have yet seen, & I think that I got onto the Elephants back to day,	Vve camped to night on Slate Creek. ½ mile below Slate Creeck house after makjng, as they call it 8½ miles,	I had rather go 40 miles on the Plains,,

Continued over the leaf,	Made 8½ miles

[page 25]
Rout from Council Bluffs, to Fort Laramie along the North side of the Platt,,

From Council Bluffs- Roads hilly & crooked but, smooth To Pappea Creeclc
The road is croocked & uneven.
To Elk Hom River,,
Here we Ferryed ourselves,	Plenty of timber, To Bridge Creeclc,
Very little timber on this creeck,, To Platt River
Plenty of timber here To a Small Lake,
Situated on the south side of the road,	No timber up on it To another Lake,
No timber in this vicinity,	A number of ponds along the road.
To the river again,
Tr.inscribed by Richard L. Rieck, November 2004  Jolm Fr.incis Freeman, 1852

miles

18

9

1

12

3½

¾ 9

To the river again		8	
To Shell Creecl<
Over this creek is a bridge,	
A little below is a ford,,	2	
To a small Lake,		6	
This is dry except in the spring,,
To River again	6½
A short distance from this point is what is called Long Lake. A little timber here, Most of the road is heavy & sandy,
To Forks of the Old & New Pawnee Villages,	6
Old Pawnee village,	Here is pleanty of timber,,	Here take your right hand road which leads to the banks being high you will find some difficulty in getting water, He Just before I came up here we took a new road to the tight,	Prairie road come out
To Loup fork & Lake	5½
To L_o_gking Glass_Creecl<,,,	this stream is not bad to ford.	9¼
To Beaver River	8½

This stream is nearly two rods wide,­ To Plumb Creecl<

There are two places to ford, not very bad,,
6¾

This is a small stream,,	Lale in !he season it is dry,	Camping fare [page 26]
To Ash Creeclc	2½
This is b1idged, one rod wide,	timber here
To the Old Pawnee Village	1¾
This village was fo1111ily[sic] occupied by the Grand Pawn e & Tappias bands but was fvu11e:y burned by !he Sioux Indians in the year 1846,
To Cedar Creeclc,	1½
This stream is near 8 rods wide & 2 feet deep. You have pleanty of wood, water & grass,
To the Ford,	4
here we Forded the Loup Fork, about 3 feet deep & some difficult to cross on account of deep holes	it should be examined before Crossing,	after crossing you will have low ground for [a]bout 20 miles, water occasionaly.
To Sand hills,	20
No water here unless you dig for it. here you have sandy road

To a small Creeclc
Low ground for about 4 or 5 miles	Roads rather bad To Prairie Creeck,
Roads good to Wood Creeck or
To D1y Creecl<
Roads good so[sic?] no timber from the Fork till you get to Wood Creeck To Wood Creecl<,
Pleanty of timber,	the road nms near the Platt most of the way To two deep Revenes
A stream close by for 3 or 4 miles, to To limber C1ceck & water
To a _small Creeck,
Transcribed by RichJrd L. Rieck. NO\•cmber 200-1 John Francis Frecm,11. 1852

6

6

10¾

35

13
4

Timber & water	in summer water disperses generally.
To Elm Creeck	6
bad crossing, timber & water
To Buffalo Creeck,	9
it is only a d1y Creecl<, no timber.
Roads join Platt River,		
Distances from the Missourie to several prominent points	miles	miies	
From  Council  Bluffs  Feny   to  Fort  Laramie,    ..............................	522	[-]	
From   Fort  Laramie  to  South   Pass      ......................................	301	823	
From South Pass to Soda Springs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .	221	1044	
From  Soda  Springs  to Head  of  Hum bolt  River,    ...........................	285	1329	
From  Head of Humbolt River  to Sink of Rumbolt  River   ....................	331	1660	
From Sink ofHumbolt River to Summit of Sierra Nevada Mountains	.........	2i1	187i	
Fr9n} Sunimit of Si_e1Ta Nevada to Sacramento City	.. _. ........._	·.:	140	2011	
From Sacramento City to San Francisco, about  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .	150	2161	

T1o111scribcd by Richard L. Rieck. November 200	John F1o111c1s Freeman, Is;2