We purchased a yoke of oxen.
At St. Joseph, Mo., we purchased two more yokes. On the 28th we went
up the river and crossed over on flatboats. Here we camped for the
night. As far as the eye could see it was one level stretch of land.
May 29th we started on the long journey across the plains to
California. Our first mishap came in crossing over a bridge made of
logs, called a corduroy bridge. In crossing over this bridge one of
the oxen was crowded too near the edge. He was crowded off into the
water below and was drowned before we could give aid. After traveling
for seven days more, the first days in June, we came to Ash Hollow. At
this place the party came in contact with a whole tribe of Sioux
Indians. They were peaceful, and we traded with them and gave the
squaws some necklaces of bright colored beads. After passing the
Indian tribe, about five miles away, we camped for the night. We
reached Fort Laramie by noon the next day. Here we purchased a fine
cow to take the place of the drowned ox. She worked well. She supplied
the party with fresh milk as well. Fort Laramie consisted of only the
fort and a blacksmith shop. We continued next day and made several
stops before we came to Fort Bridger, occupied by the man Bridger and
his family. He had a squaw wife and six children. When he learned that
father was a missionary, he brought his whole family to our camp and
they were all baptized. This was father's first missionary work.
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