"crossed the little Sandy and camped at night on its banks [ ] Mr. Bridger and some of his men stopped with us on their way to Ft. John and they gave us some information about the country distance [ ] traveled 15 1/4 miles [ ] the weather has been warm"
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Today they meet up with Jim Bridger and two other men at the Little Sandy Crossing. The pioneers had been planning on meeting up with him when they got to Fort Bridger. Jim Bridger took the time to answer all their questions and give them an idea of what the geography was like in their destination in Utah territory. He did not like the Fremont maps they had that Brigham had purchased in St. Louis. He said they did not have the vast amount of knowledge that he had about the west. He was probably right. Jim Bridger knew the West well.
Jim Bridger! William Clayton wrote much about him and summed it up with ....."He thinks Utah Lake is the best country in the vicinity of Salt Lake and the country is still better the farther south we go until reaching the desert about 200 miles south of Utah Lake. Such was the information we obtained from Mr. Bridger, but we shall know more about things and have a better understanding when we have seen the country ourselves."
William Clayton also said after listening to a long account of the country from Mr. Bridger. He said it was impossible to get a correct idea of the route ahead or the geography from ... "the very imperfect and irregular way he gave his descriptions." Those listening had a hard time comprehending because it was apparent to them that Bridger had been drinking and this probably affected his talk. (111 Days to Zion)
Jacob Norton:
"Monday 28th [ ] We are now at in the green head of the Green River Valley a most Barren hard faced country the soil being a pale yellow sand & gravel as hard as cast Iron in some places other sandy colored with the wild sage & some little grass except on the streams where there is generaly pretty good grass & dwarf Willow [ ] Major Harris camped with us last night & bought two Rifles & some tobacco [ ] paid in Deer & Elk Skins [ ] started at 8 oclock traveled 13½ miles & halted on the Little Sandy Creek [ ] crossed over at a ford 2 rods wide & 2 feet deep moved down the creek 1¾ miles & camped [ ] here we met Capt Bridger who commands Fort Bridger 100 miles ahead [ ] he is on his way to Fort John two men with him [ ] he was verry obliging & gave all the information in power concerning the country & he has explored the Great Basin more than anny other white man living [ ] the Twelve held a council with him the information obtained concerning the Utah country is verry encouraging which from 3 to 4 hundred miles from here & twenty days travel from there South through a Sandy Desert he found a country the best he ever saw [ ] it is bordering on the range of Mountains that constitutes the Southern boundery of the Great Basin [ ] he crossed that Desert in the month of January & found the Sand so hot as to burn his Horses feet & was obliged to travel nights & early daytimes where he could find water [ ] a great portion of that country is yet unexplored & many Tribes of Indians those he saw were engaged in cultivating the Earth [ ] there is a tree peculiar to that country that produces a verry delicious fruit about the size of a plumb [ ] the Indians pound it & make bread of it which has a spicy taste like ginger cake [ ] the Utah Mountains are now in sight to the South covered with Snow also the three Tetons to the N West [ ] I was on guard the morning watch [ ] one Antelope killed no Buffalo in this region"
