"slight showers of rain during the day"
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(Many thanks to Loren Rye for his gorgeous photo on Flickr of storm clouds over Nebraska.)
Charles was very optimistic in his description of 'slight' showers. Some of the journals tell it with more emphasis and "111 Days to Zion" describes it as "this would be one of the most uncomfortable days for the Mormon pioneers thus far." It was a day with much thundering and dark clouds and obviously much more rain than Charles noted, but that's okay.
Journals that record this day...........
William Clayton:
".......the rain still continue to pour down heavy, and this has been the most uncomfortable day we have had and the hardest on our teams. The brethren however feel well and chearful, the ox teams improving in their condition, but the horses dont stand it as well. The stream at the East foot of the last mentioned bluffs was named “Wolfe Creek”, from the following circumstance. When Er Kimball went ahead this morning to search out a road, he went up the Creek about a mile and around and over the bluffs to find a better road if possible than the one close to the river. While he was searching about a mile north from the river he went down into a deep hollow, surrounded by high bluffs, and as he was riding along at the bottom turned his head to the left and saw two very large wolves at about 5 rods distance gazing at him one of them he said was near as large as a two year old steer. When he saw these he looked round on the other side and saw several others about the same distance from him, very large ones, and all gazing fiercly at him, this startled him considerably and more especially when he reflected that he had no arms. He made a noise to try to scare them away but they still stood, and he concluded to move away as soon as he could. They did not follow him and he saw a dead carcass near which satisfied him that he had interrupted their repast. On mentioning this circumstance to president Young they named the Creek wolfe Creek. He travelled back and forth over 10 miles searching out a road before breakfast. He also went out again afterwards and got badly wet. He then concluded to change his cloth[e]s and remain in his wagon. The evening is very cool, cloudy and wind from the North East. The rain has ceased about 6 o clock but it still looks stormy"
Thomas Bullock:
"May Wednesday 19 [ ] rain about midnight—till morning—horn was blown at ½ past 4 to arise [ ] found a dark cloudy morning—Easterly wind—the grass very wet [ ] not being much fee[d] the Cattle were gathered up and at ¼ to 6 started iggledy piggledy, or in no order—thro' tall dried grass, until 25 min past 6 when the Camp halted near several sm Lakes and Streams of Clear Water [ ] some places were marshy—many ducks abou[nd] on the ponds & on the South side of the River, several Trees, & very green Shrub are growing luxuriantly—the Explorers go to search out a Road thro' the Bluffs [ ] after their return—the Cattle again gathered in a shower of rain and at 10 min to 9 start over a Sand plain at ¼ to 10 cross "Wolf Creek" in two places and commence ascending the Mountains which was the most difficult of any to cross over—pass a circuitous route thro' it—and again descend to the bottoms where the Camp crossed another Creek—found some grass—and at 11 min to 11 halt & turn out Cattle to graze—the rain continuing all the time—at 3 o'clock the rain ceased when the Cattle were again hitched up & at 3 o'clock the Camp was again under way in order to find good feed[ ]at ¼ past 4 halted for the night on the bank of the River—& a Creek running at our rear—then made a tracing of Fremont's route & the North Fork from the Junction to beyond Fort Laramie—travelled 8 miles. Swallows flying"
