er for our
sixteen breakfasts the next morning, and some of the boys packed the
remainder as a relish for the noon meal.

Soon after our start in the morning, we came to the Big Sandy, a stream
tributary to Green River. The land here had more of the appearance of a
desert than any we had yet seen. Out on the plain the trail forked, the
left hand leading via Fort Bridges and Salt Lake City, while the right
hand led over what is known as Sublett's Cut-off. Being undecided as to
which fork to follow, we finally submitted it to vote, which proved to
be a large majority in favor of the Cut-off, it having been reported
that the Mormons were inciting the Indians to attack immigrants.

The road here was hard and flinty, and, for more than a mile passed down
a steep hill, at the bottom of which we noticed that wagon tires were
worn half through owing to the wheels being locked for such a long
distance.

This was Green River valley, and, where we made our crossing, the water
being deep and cold, with a swift current. There was a good ferry boat,
on which, after nearly a day's waiting, we ferried over our pack animals
at one dollar per head; the balance of the stock we swam across. A short
way on we had to ford a fork of the same river, and were then in an
extremely mountainous country, up one side and down the other, until we
reached Bear River valley.

We came down off the uplands into the valley and beside the river to
camp, where we had an experience as exasperating as it was unexpected.
Seeing some fine looking grass, half knee high, we started for it, when
all at once clouds of the most persistent and venomous mosquitos filled
the air, covering the animals, which began stamping and running about,
some of them lying down and rolling in great torment. We hurried the
packs and saddles off them and sent a guard of men back to the hills
with them. The rest of us wrapped ourselves head and ears and laid down
in the grass without supper or water for man or beast. About 3 o'clock
in the morning, the mosquitos having cooled down to some extent, the
guard brought in the pack animals, which we loaded, and, like the Arab,
"silently stole away." Returning to the road and getting the balance of
the stock, we moved along the base of the hills, and about sunrise came
to a beautiful spring branch, which crossed the trail, refreshing us
with its cool, sparkling water. Here we went up into the hills and into
camp for a day and a night, to