"started at sunrise on account of getting feed for the teams traveled till 7 oclock when we stopped to feed and take breakfast after which we resumed our journey [ ] traveled about 18 miles and camped for the night [ ] we crossed Wood River during the day"
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They camped on the Wood River which is a tributary of the Platte as you can see how it winds around there.
They found a most interesting phenomena in a "white substance which oozes out of the ground and tastes like salt, but not so strong as common salt."
William Clayton's diary:
"Thursday 29 [ ] the wagons started at 5 o clock this morning before breakfast to find more grass as this is all eat off [ ] we travelled till 6½ being about three miles and then turned out the teams to feed the morning very cool [ ] there seems to be very little rain in this country and no dews [ ] breakfasted on Goose and mouldy bread [ ] a 20 minutes after 8 the teams started again and after travelling about 2 miles came to a very pretty stream of good water about 10 feet wide on an average but at the fording place about a rod wide [ ] we were detained some here but all got over safe [ ]we then traveled on a table of prairie gently ascending for 4 or 5 miles but very even and good travelling [ ]at 1 P.M. we stopped beside a small lake to rest and feed teams, having travelled about 10 miles today [ ] the wind South & strong. One of O. Pratts horses is very sick, supposed to be the bots [ ] He has laid down several times in the harness within the last three hours [ ] I am not astonished at wagons & every thing else shrinking up for the wind is perfectly dry and parching[ ] there is no moisture in it[ ] even my writing desk is splitting with the drought[ ] at half past 2 P.M. we started again & travelled till about 6½ over tolerable level prarie distance about 8 miles and nearly a South West course [ ] the wind was strong from S.W. till sun down and then turned to N.E.[ ] The clouds of dust was almost sufficient to suffocate every one [ ] I rode Hebers horse this afternoon & went before the wagons [ ]saw many antelope and the brethren had a good chance to kill one but they missed it although three of them shot at it [ ] we camped at night close to Grand Island where there is abundance of rushes for cattle there is also a white substance that seems to ooze out of the ground around here and tastes like Salt but not so strong as common salt [ ] Brother Orson Pratts horse is better and the day has passed without accident"
