are no comparison
to it, and have passed over the most beautiful prairie country in the
world, with little timber, and that dwarf burr oak, but the soil is
equal to the best in Illinois. We turned off from the road about one
mile and camped on a branch, about 3 o'clock, P.M. The grass is still
improving. We have about 75 men in our company, which is too many, so
many cannot agree. While I am writing, two of them are very near
fighting, and the captain, Wm. Soublett stands between them, as this is
the only means of keeping them apart. We cannot go on long with so
many, I think. Passed some more graves, and dead horses to-day; in fact
we expect to every day. It looks bad to see so many at this end of the
route.

25 miles.

11th. Drove 22 miles to-day. Passed a Chicago wagon broken down at a
creek; Hugunin, of Waukegan, belonged to the party. The country is
prairie, without timber, excepting a few scattering trees on the
creeks. We were delayed some time by a train of ox teams at a creek;
while we were watering I fell asleep, and came very near being left
behind the team. Ford came back and roused me. I stood guard last
night, which was the cause of my being so sleepy; passed several dead
horses, and the graves of many buried last year.

22 miles.

12th. Sunday. Not having a good camping spot we concluded to travel,
and made 30 miles, and reached Blue river. Here we found a large city
of tents, and preaching. There were probably 2000 men camped within two
miles of the crossing; and here we found wagons broken down last year,
with irons of those burnt. Voted two teams out of the train this
morning for disobedience of orders. The night was cold, but the day was
warm. We found some last year's graves, besides the usual amount of
dead horses. This point is called 120 miles from St. Joseph, but I
think it is more. Roads good.

Blue River, or as it is commonly called, the Big Blue, is a beautiful
clear stream, about eight rods wide, and at this time about three feet
deep. It is a favorite camping ground for California emigrants. It has
a skirt of timber, mostly cotton wood, from 8 to 100 rods wide along
its west bank, and generally plenty of grass may be found. Sometimes
however the emigrant is detained here for two or three weeks by the
high water, when his only consolation is in hunting antelope and wild
turkies, of which game there is an abundant supply on this river, and
in fishing. We caught a few small cat-fish