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Journal of Western Travel

by John McTurk Gibson
edited by Weldon Hoppe
Gibson
July 24th, 1859 -- Last night headed every thing I ever experienced in the way of mosquitoes. We went to bed but couldn't do anything but fight the cursed things. So all hands got up and formed a Euchre party, two against two, the losing party to cut and haul sagebrush and build fires. We kept it up all night and somehow or other it so happened that I had no brush to cut till near morning. This is Sunday morning, the anniversary of the founding of Salt Lake City. Bear River is deep and muddy, we swam our cattle and ferried our wagons, fare, including a tollbridge on the Malad River 3 miles ahead $3.00 per wagon. 6 miles from the last mentioned river we reached a spring on the bluffs opposite Bear River Bottom where we are now camped in company with about 30 wagons.

Powell
Travelled 10 miles. We crossed Bear River on a ferry for the last time. 3 miles west of Bear River is an ugly creek called the (Malard?). This stream is bridged, toll 3 for both streams. 9 miles from Bear River we found good springs and feed. We are stopping here until tomorrow. Last knight we slept none on account of mosquetoes. We were up all knight fighting them. We had a large fire and played yuker to see who should get wood. They are an all yellow mosquito and inhabit this region by the million. A great many were camped there last knight and they all shared the same fate.

Copyright © 1997 Weldon Hoppe
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