Then we came to the Green Water river which was about 20 yards wide and very deep. We crossed on a ferry which had a rope fastened across the stream to keep it from going down stream.
Before we came to Salt Lake City, we had to go through two canyons, each had a little stream running zig zaging throught them. Ont stream we had to cross seventeen times. The one was thirty feet wide and so muddy that we had to unhitch and unharness the horses and drive them through the stream, then shove the wagons into the stream by hand. Then we hitched up the horses and put chains on the tongues of the wagons and drew them through, this had to be done every time we crossed the stream.
We arrived in Salt lake city the 9th of June, 1856. Stayed there for two days and nights and were treated well by the Mormons, here we bought some splendid butter and potatoes.
Fifty miles west of the city came a spring. I stuck my hand in it and found that it was boiling hot. Then we came to the Bear River which the horses had to swim and wagons were taken across on a ferry boat.
When we were across a party of people misguided us on purpose so that the indeans would take our horses of which they took two.
When we reached Goose Creek, Levi Whitney died with consumption. We buried him by the road this week, the first of July, and on the fourth of July we passed a thousand spring valleys, it was a marshy place covered with springs.
After we left this place we went from eleven o'clock until noon the next day without water to drink.
Then we came to a mountainous country and had to tie the wagon wheels.
The next river we came to was the humboldt which had alkali in it. One whole day we searched for food and water but did not find any and that night we had to watch the horses to keep them from eating the wagons.
After a six mile drive next day we found a river and plenty of grass, we followed the river until we came to Humboldt lake. There we found a grocery store and bought some flour for the horses and had to pay $40.00 per hundred pounds.
From there we went across direct 50 miles wide, when nearly across we found another store, here purchased water at $1.00 per gallon or 10 cents a glass.
The last few miles of desert was deep dry sand and side of the road was strewn with gun barrels, wagon irons, ox yokes, chains and dead cattle and horses.
After crossing the desert we came to Carson River, we followed it until we came to Carson City.
At the foot of the Sierra Nevada mountains, a part of us left the company and walked over the mountains and to Placerville, California, when we reached there, we had 5 cents left between us after buying some crackers.
This was the first day of August, and the last day of our route.
We had three horses stolen by the indians, but got one back but it died afterwards. We slept on the ground and used our boots for pillows all across the plains.
Had to pay the company $1.00 a piece.
All the indians we saw buried, were in boxes, something like a wagon box put upon posts about four feet hight, some had buffalo heads on the ground around the coffins.
Going to the mines the next morning after our arrival we went to work for $2.00 a day and board. Our first work was on the south fork of the American river.
I bought 1/4 interest in a claim for $100.00 which has almost been a failure. Then I bought another 1/4 interest in another with my brother E. Dann, paid $200.00 for that and sold out for $300.00 about the middle of February 1857 and started for home.
I took a stage from Placerville to Sacramento, and a steam boat to San Francisco the 5th of March 1857 on the steam ship Golden Gate. Went to Panama in 14 days, a distance of 5,500 miles. Crossed the Istmas of Panama on the cars, stayed on the Istmas for one day then took the steam ship Illinois at Aspan Wall and came to New York on the 27th of March.
Stayed one night, and went to Philadelphia and stayed there for four days and came home by the way of Pittsburg, Cleveland and Toledo, then up to Three Rivers and took the stage home.