"the weather cool and clear [ ] arrived at the Platt about 2 oclock opposite Grand Island [ ] refreshed our teams and then traveled a few miles further 18 miles and camped for the night"
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As he says, they are coming up to Grand Island. In that day, Grand Island was a long, narrow, body of land about 45 plus miles long. Grand Island, Nebraska, that sits on that trail site now.
Heber C. Kimball's journal:
"Wednesday 28 Morning fine and pleasant. No trouble from the Indians [ ] Strong cool wind from N.E. [ ] there are many wolves and some antelope around here, but no buffalo to be seen yet [ ] orders were given for no men to leave the wagons, except the hunters [ ] we spent a little time digging down a place on the side of the creek for the wagons to cross [ ] this creek is named prairie creek [ ] At 9 o clock the wagons commenced crossing, and at 10 all were safely over and we proceeded on our journey, Prest. Young and myself and several others going forward to select the best road. While the wagons were crossing the creek Luke Johnson shot Brother Barneys horse, choosing rather to have it put out of its misery than to leave it to starve to death or be worried by the wolves [ ] Our course for the first 7 miles a little E. of S. over a very level prairie, green with grass. There are many wild onions growing on this prairie, very large and strong much larger than any we have seen anywhere on this journey [ ] at the distance of 7 miles we turned our course about S.W. being then within about a mile of the main Platte river and opposite to the lower part of Grand Island [ ] supposed to be about 14 miles from the foot of it. We have traveled till half past 2 and then halted to feed [ ] distance this morning of about 11 miles [ ] The roads are dry and the strong winds raise it in clouds blowing it into our wagons covering everything. and making the men almost black [ ] we are now near to timber and plenty of grass for our teams [ ] at 4 P.M. we continued our journey and traveled till 6. distance of about 4 miles and during the day 15 miles [ ] we formed our encampment about a quarter of a mile from timber but there is plenty of nice green grass to fill our teams [ ] the water is also clear and of a very good taste we had some fresh antelope meat for supper which is very tender and sweet and makes a very good dish [ ]the evening is cloudy and cold"
