Weston, Platte Co., Mo., April 16, '45.--Got under way this day at 12 m.[noon]. Took the road to St. Joseph; went about 9 miles, and camped.
    17th.--This stay started in the morning; went 22 miles more, and camped about 6 miles below St. Joseph, which is now in sight, situated at the foot of the Missouri bluffs, at the far side of a prairie lying between us and it.
    18th.--Struck off in a different direction to the lower ferry, six miles from us, where we crossed the Missouri about 2 miles from the emigrant camp, which we joined this evening. There we remained until the 29th, in the afternoon, when, in company with about 80 wagons, we rolled out about 3 miles and formed an encampment in the prairie, for the purpose of herding the cattle as they were collected in from the Missouri bottom, where they were badly scattered, and some never recovered.
    Friday, the second day of May, the order was given by the Captain to prepare for starting at 9 that morning. Everything and everybody were anxious for this, and, at the appointed hour we started, and went to Wolf River, in the bottom of which we camped that evening, near a Sac village, 12 m. We passed about noon through the camp of a portion of the emigration company who started from Elizabethtown the present spring. They were on Mosquito Creek, and near the encampment was a dead Indian placed in the top of a tree, in a trough covered with bark. Some gentleman who accompanied us as far as our camp on Wolf River there took the census of our company, which I will here insert:
    66 wagons; 453 oxen; 649 loose cattle; 1102 total number cattle; 185 shooting-irons of all kinds; males over 16, 98; females over 14, 57; males under 16, 78; females under 14, 60; total number of souls, 293.
    Sat. 3.--Bridged Wolf River in the morning, which occupied the time to 11 o'clock, when we started and went to a small creek a few miles east of the Indian Agency, where we camped, 8 m. [miles].
    Sun. 4.--Went about 12 miles today, across the levelest country we have found since leaving the Missouri River, the whole distance prairie.
    Mon. 5.--Started early; went 14 miles, and camped on a beautiful rolling prairie, near the borders of a small piece of timber with a small creek passing through it. We occupied the same ground the emigration camped upon the preceding year, some of us kindling our fires with the unconsumed fragments of theirs. The country we have passed through since passing
Wolf River has been a fine, gently rolling prairie, well adapted for farming purposes, but nearly destitute of timber.
    Tues. 6.--Had a small flare-up this morning in the camp, the captain, T'Vault, verbally resigning his commission last evening, in presence of the committee of safety, a meeting was by them called early this morning to take into consideration the resolutions they had adopted, and which had given him offense. After some parleying, during which it was apparent that the company would split if the resolutions were adopted, and that the captain had changed his mind about resigning, the meeting broke up of each one's own accord, after the resolutions had been partly acted upon, and at 12 m. we struck up our line of march as though nothing had occurred. Five oxen, two horses, and two mules had strayed during the night, and a child in camp was considered at the point of death, which was the cause of our delay in starting, the other affair being over before the usual starting time. We made 7 miles, and camped at 4 on Wolf River again, it running a s.e. course past camp.
    Wed. 7.--Made 14 miles, and camped on the same stream for the last time. The men who went back yesterday returned to camp this morning, having found the mules which had strayed back within a few miles of the Indian Agency. They report the Elizabethtown company as being 2 days' march in our rear, keeping our trail, and that they are a larger company than ours.
    Thurs. 8.--We went about 12 miles today, but found the pilot had taken a wrong divide, and had to double back about two or three miles, when we camped upon a small creek running southwest, so that we only made about 9 miles. The country still maintains the same character, a nearly level prairie, with occasionally a small grove of timber upon the watercourses, but the soil seems getting thinner.
    Frid. 9.--This morning the pilot informs us that the divide we were following yesterday was one leading into a pocket in the Nemaha and its branches, into which the emigration company got last year, and from which it took two weeks to disentangle themselves, being that time in making only four miles direct travel. Their wheel tracks were imprinted all over the prairie, and in all directions, and this helped discomfit our pilot. Today we crossed the creek we had camped upon, and went about 16 miles in a direction a little west of south, and camped on a branch of the Nemaha again. Our course previous to this had been north of west, and, for the last day, nearly north, in order to head Wolf River, which heads near the great bend in the Nemaha before spoken of, and, in order to shun which, it is necessary to turn at a very short angle after heading Wolf River.
    Sat. 10.--Went 12 miles, nearly the same course as yesterday, and camped on another branch of the Nemaha. Just as we were entering camp, saw 3 antelope, the first game of any size since leaving the Missouri, although for the past few days we have found buck and elk horns on the prairie, frequently. An incident occurred last Wednesday night which I omitted to note, and, this being Saturday night, I will here mention it, to bring the week square. It was nothing less than the marriage of a romantic girl of 13, name Miss Packwood, to her father's teamster, Mike Wanck, a kind of New York Dutchman, of no very prepossessing appearance or manners, and, I presume, he was to her a perfect stranger a short time since.
    Sund. 11.--Went about 17 miles today, and camped upon the east fork of the Nemaha. The grass, which for 2 or 3 days has been getting worse, is now so short it is difficult for our oxen to fill themselves. This is owing to no lack of soil, but drought and frost.
    Mon. 12.--Today went about 6 miles, crossing both forks of the Nemaha, and camping near the west one. A meeting was here called to decide whether our pilot, who had been employed only to pilot us to Burnett's trace, as the road from Independence to Ft. Laramie is called, and who now informed us we were within 4 miles of it, should now be employed to go on to Fort Laramie with us or not. He had been employed to Burnett's trace for $30, and we now engaged him to go on with us for $100 more to Fort Laramie, which sum was raised by voluntary subscription. There had also been some dissatisfaction in camp about the conduct of the captain for some days past, and the manner he enforced the regulations of the camp, or rather the neglect of all regulations. He now offered to resign the moment a majority named another captain, and made another grandiloquent speech on the subjects of the frailties of human nature, the beauties of democracy, and the majesty of the sovereign people; and was followed by Fred Waymire--they two being the only orators of our camp--the latter entering into a learned disquisition upon the wanderings of the children of Israel in the wilderness without a pilot, the necessity of harmony in our camp, and what high living, salmon, and bacon would be in Oregon. A call being then made, no other candidate was offered for captain, and the meeting adjourned, after ordering the captain and committee of safety to draft a set of camp regulations.
    Tues. 13.--Went nine miles today, crossing the Big Blue, and camping upon it near the ford. About 4 miles from our yesterday's camp we struck the road from Fort Laramie to Independence, 150 miles from the latter place, and near some high Indian mounds on our left. We saw the camping place of last year's emigration company, near the ford, and they appear to have lain there several days, from the number of trees cut. I understood that a part of them encamped on the far side of the river the evening they arrived at it, and it arose during the night, thus dividing the company, as the part on the left bank had to remain some days before crossing. There were names cut upon some trees, with the date, June 10th, 1844. We are nearly a month ahead of last year's company, according to that, and the first on the trail this year, as is evident from its appearance.
    Wed. 14.--We lay in camp today, in order to give the women a chance to wash up a little, and some of the wagons also stood in need of slight repairs, which were made. Toward evening a small company of 30 wagons from Independence camped within 2 miles of our rear, and they inform us that the main company from that point is only 2 days' march in their rear.
    Thurs. 15.--Went about 16 miles; crossed the Republican fork of the Kansas, and camped near its right bank. This evening we hear that the company we passed on Mosquito Creek is intending to occupy the camp this evening that we left this morning, being within a day's travel of us.
    Frid. 16.--Went about 18 miles, and camped upon a small creek running into Kansas River. Saw 3 elk, the first of those animals we have seen. The country for the past few days is considerably broken and rocky.
    Sat. 17.--Today, we went about 17 miles, and camped on another branch of the Kansas. About 10 miles from our last camp met a company of mountain men, 35 days from Fort Laramie, with 6 ox wagons loaded with peltries, They inform us that buffalo are plenty this season, and that we are within 10 days' travel of them. They traded some of their dried meat for bacon, and it really was well flavored, though cured without salt, and quite put us in a rage to reach the ranges. This evening Capt. T'Vault, with whom many of the company were dissatisfied, resigned, and Jas. McNary was appointed to succeed him.
    Sund. 18.--Went about 15 miles, the prairie appearing to have been very wet last season, as the deep wheel ruts the emigrants made are still visible alongside the regular trail. The country is broken by numerous watercourses, but they are at present nearly all dry. Camped upon Walnut Creek.
    Mon. 19.--Came 20 miles, the longest drive we have yet made, and the latest camping, it being nearly dark when all got in, and some of the loose stock were left 2 miles behind. About 8 miles from the last camp crossed Sandy Creek, which might more properly be called Muddy, being the worst ford we have yet had. This evening camped upon Little Blue, of which Sandy is a fork. These streams are all waters of the Kansas.
    Tues. 20.--Went 12 miles today, camping again on Little Blue, which appears at present to be a larger stream than Big Blue, having a deeper channel and more rapid current. An antelope was killed, it being the only game, excepting a turkey killed by the same person, taken since leaving the rendezvous, but fish have been quite plenty since crossing the Nemaha.
    Wed. 21.--Were detained in the morning to hunt stray oxen, which was also the cause of our short drive yesterday; we however made fifteen miles, camping still on Blue.
    Thurs. 22.-- Went about fifteen miles again up the Blue, whose bottom we have kept in most of the time since striking the stream, and we again camped on it, in the first thundershower of consequence we have yet had on the prairies. Camping in a thunderstorm is one of the pleasures of an emigrant which makes him think of the home he leaves behind, and to unyoke a team in the rain and then crawl draining into a wagon will make the shadows of departed joys flit through a fellow's mind as he sits brooding over the comforts of life in an emigrant's camp.
    Frid. 23.--Still raining this morning. We lay in camp until near noon then went 4 miles and camped, the pilot telling us that it was the last camp we could make on Blue.
    Sat. 24.--Owing to the straying of some oxen, it was 9 o'clock before we got in motion, striking off in a northwest direction for Platte River, on which we expected this evening to camp. About noon the pilot ran us off the track, and we doubled back, losing some two or three miles travel, and, when we struck off on the right trail, we hurried with all speed, but night overtook us in the prairie, and we were obliged to camp in the prairie, without fire or water, and most of us without any supper, after traveling 25 miles. Saw more game, deer and antelope, this day than during the whole previous journey. Their abundance is no doubt owing to their vicinity to the buffalo, which are better worth hunting. We also crossed three trails leading to the Pawnee villages. These trails looked as though they were made by six or seven parallel files of horsemen.
    Sun. 25.--Gathered up the oxen as soon after daylight as possible, and went five miles, to Platte River, where we camped for the day. This stream bears a close resemblance to the Missouri River, only its bottom has much less timber in it, has few snags, and never overflows its banks, although they are always full. During the afternoon, the small company in our rear from Independence passed, in two divisions, they having split through.
    Mon. 26.--It was raining heavily this morning, and we did not start until it ceased, toward 11 o'clock. However, we made about 15 miles, camping upon the river, with nothing but willow bushes for firewood, and most of them green ones at that. Went the most direct course along the level bottom of any day's travel yet, our direction being near w.s.w.
    Tues. 27.--Last night had one of the hardest thundershowers since starting, and the way the tents flew was some; a half dozen are lying around camp, deserted by their occupants. Kindling a fire with willows soaked in rain is an operation that tests the patience and perseverance of any man. The cattle were also very much scattered, so that, after hunting all day, many are still missing, and, after moving on 4 miles, we camped, to lay by another day and hunt them, as their trail was found, and had been followed some 15 or 2 miles up into the high prairie beyond the bluffs. Some 50 or 60 head were driven in from 6 to 12 miles distance. An accident occurred whilst moving our camp in the afternoon which nearly proved fatal. A child fell from one of the wagons, and it ran over his breast and one arm, but, the ground being soft underneath the wheels, he was not killed, although taken up senseless, and is this evening in a fair way to recover.