did not reach camp until dark our dinner was not
ready until midnight, when all who preferred food to sleep partook of
this most excellent cheer, by the light of a greasewood fire. Our
teamsters, accompanied by the guard, were obliged to march a mile,
after reaching camp, in order to get grass for the animals.

This evening the expressmen who were sent a few days ago to Fort
Bridger returned, bringing with them our mail. We soon forgot the
fatigue of the body in the mental joys of the intercourse with our
absent loved ones.

_July 23_ (Friday). We marched sixteen miles and encamped on the bank
of the Green River. Throughout the march, as yesterday, no water could
be found that we could drink. Many of the men allayed their thirst by
mixing molasses and vinegar. Vasco Nunez de Balboa was not more
delighted at the discovery of the Pacific Ocean than were we at the
sight of the cool, clear water of the river, to which we helped
ourselves liberally. A rope ferry and a flatboat are kept here for the
convenience of the Government troops and trains. We are once more
favored with a grass bed instead of one of dust, and with white poplar
wood for fuel, instead of buffalo chips.

_July 24_ (Saturday). We merely crossed the river, our train being
safely moved by noon to the west side, where we pitched our tents, once
more on the sand. In the afternoon a high wind arose, which blew the
sand about in such quantities that we were obliged to keep within our
tents. But no place was exempt from the general plague, even our boxes,
when opened, being found to have their contents covered with fine dust.

_July 25_ (Sunday). We encamped on Blacks Fork, marching a distance of
fourteen and a half miles.

_July 26_ (Monday). We marched seventeen miles farther, and encamped on
Hams Fork. The emigrant road to Camp Scott was struck by us early in
the morning, and we were greatly rejoiced to find our road-making
duties terminated. The Emigrant Road is wide, level, and gravelly, and
was quite pleasant to travel upon, especially for us who had been
struggling through sage bushes for more than two weeks. Several parties
of emigrants were seen slowly wending their way toward the Great Salt
Lake. All had rough, uncouth wagons and poor, clumsy oxen--and they
themselves were rougher than any part of their outfit. We crossed a
bridge over Hams Fork, at which an infantry guard is stationed to
protect it from the depredations of the Indians and Mormons