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Journal of Western Travel
by John McTurk Gibson
edited by Weldon Hoppe
August 21st, 1859 -- Another Sunday, but we are bound to travel. Here we are 15 miles away from the river, and many a rifle lays strewed along the road, the barrel of each bent like a rainbow to prevent the Indians from using them. We at last reached the river, rested three hours, and struck across another bend, supposing it to be about five or six miles; but alas! we travelled till after dark and did not find either water or grass. We unhitched concluding to stay till morning; but some of the boys being ahead found water about a mile from where we were, we accordingly went down and went supperless to bed. The greater part of the company cursing the luck that led us such a wild goose chase in the dark.Powell
Travelled 27 miles, 12 in the forenoon without water and 15 in the after and then reached a slew. Was 10 o'clock at knight when we camped. There are two bottoms on this river. The second is wide and nothing but a desert. Some grease wood grows on it and the low bottom is narrow. We have warm days and cool knights. We are pestered with a gnat awfully. The mosquetoes are bad in evenings but they soon freeze up.