"traveled 18 3/4 miles [ ] crossed the 3 branches of the Sweetwater and at night camped on its banks."
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I hate to keep picking on William Clayton to fill in details of the trek, but his writings are just too wonderful and descriptive not to do so. I can't imagine how he could write like he did during that rough trip to the Salt Lake Valley with the business of each of his days and the writing implements of 1847. He was just amazing.
"Friday 25 June 1847 [ ] President Young’s horse is dead. The morning is fine but very cool [ ] at 20 minutes to 7 we pursued our journey fording the river a quarter of a mile below where we left the road last night [ ] we found it near 3 foot deep still and the current very swift [ ]after proceeding half a mile beyond the ford we crossed a stream about a rod wide which appears to come from the North East and empties into the river a little further up [ ] half a mile beyond this stream we turned from the river to the North West and began to ascend a very high bluff which we found pretty steep and over a mile and a half to the top [ ]the road then gradually binds round towards the river and begins to descend over hill and hollow and at 4¼ miles from where we camped strikes the river again and continues a quarter of a mile on its banks [ ]here would be a pretty good place to camp being sufficient grass for a large company. After travelling a quarter of a mile near the river we encounter another high Sandy ridge the road again winding to the north to cross it [ ] the descent on the West side is very steep and unpleasant we strike the river again after travelling 1¼ miles from where we last left it but it is the opinion of many that by fording the river twice at the foot of the ridge we could save a mile and they think it can be forded [ ] Col Rockwood has paid particular attention to the place and reports that 1 hours labor for 100 men would dig down the foot of the ridge so as to make it good passing and save rising the ridge and a miles travel without fording the river [ ] after leaving the West foot of this ridge we crossed a stream about 25 feet wide and again a quarter of a mile further the same only about 6feet wide [ ] On examining we found it to be a branch of the river running round a piece of land about a quarter of a mile across and forming a semicircular Island [ ]the last crossing was soft on both banks [ ] the high sandy bluffs on each side the river seem to approach much nearer to each other and leave only a small strip of low land on each bank [ ] at 20 minutes past 11 passed a Creek 2 foot wide and halted for noon, making it cold and unpleasant travelling and filling the wagons with dust [ ] the Latitude at this halt by Er Pratts observation is 42ยบ. 28’. 36”.
At 20 minutes past 1 we proceeded again our road running on the river banks 2 miles then turns to the North West and we begin to ascend a succession of hills one after another for 3 miles further winding round and over hill and vally in some places over a good hard road and in other places over rocks and loose fragments of rock making it severe on wagons and requiring great care in teamsters. About half a mile North of the road at the top of this ridge there is a heavy bank of snow which some of the brethren went to visit and amused themselves by snowballing each other [ ] Bro. Carrington says there is every appearance of a rich lead mine in the same place having examined the place minutely [ ] the brethren brought some snow to the wagons and we eat some of it which tasted refreshing in the heat of the day [ ] after arriving on the top of these ridges we began to descend gradually over rolling land but the descent is not near equal to the ascent [ ]at the distance of 7¼ miles from noon halt we crossed a narrow wet swamp pretty difficult for teams to get the loads over without help and 1¼ miles beyond the swamp a creek a foot wide and a quarter of a mile further still another one two foot wide [ ] these all unite in one about 200 yards to the left below the middle creek and then appear to pass under a snow bank which at present forms a kind of a bridge over the creek [ ] at ¼ to 7 we formed our encampment on the North banks of a creek about 5 foot wide having travelled this afternoon 11½ miles and during the day 20¼ [ ] this creek is very clear water and cold its banks are well lined with willows and about a mile below the camp there is a grove of white poplar in which house logs may be obtained 16 foot long and a foot through [ ]there are several banks of snow a little to the North and some of the brethren have found Ice 4 or 5 inches thick and brought a quantity of it to Camp [ ] on the banks of the creek there are some groves of gooseberry bushes with small green berries on them. There are also some strawberry roots and flowers and a little white clover has been found but there is yet no appearance of the great abundance of such things as yield have represented [ ] the land appears some more likely to yield the nearer we approach to the mountains but all calculations for farming in this region would be likely to fail on account of the scarcity of timber [ ] it would only be natural to suppose that the nights are very cold here while so much snow lays around. It requires considerable clothing to keep comfortable but in the middle of the day it is equally hot.
Some of the brethren have travelled up the banks of the Sweet Water river and represent it as tumbling and foaming over rocks and descending very rapid on account of the great rise of the ground from noon halt to this place [ ] they say it runs within a mile and a half south of this but it is probable it is only a branch of it as we are evidently not near the main branch yet [ ] there is one of the gentile companies camped about a mile below making the third company we have passed lately and it is the intention to keep ahead of them and have the advantage of the good feed and camping grounds"
