I will now give you a kind of a description of our manner of living, travelling, &c(etc). In the evening, the first thing after stopping is unyoking the cattle, driving to water and grass, and staking out the horses; then some go to gathering chips, building up fires, cooking, &c(etc). After supper we pick out the most suitable place and pitch our tents, spread one half of our blankets on the ground, roll in and over with the rest. At daybreak we turn out, get breakfast, yoke up, and move on; some stay with the wagon, some ride horses, some take their guns and amuse themselves shooting prairie dogs, gophers, rattlesnakes, and every thing that comes in their way. We drive 12 to 14 miles before lunch; rest two hours at noon, and then drive on till we find a good camping place. Some may not like this mode of living, but it is always attended with a great deal of excitement and amusement.---A person with an active mind will every minute in the day see something to excite his interest or awaken his curiosity.

	St. Louis, fort Kearny, Fort Laramie, Fort Hall/Fort Bridger, California
Cross Platte at Grand Island, about 100 miles from the Missouri River. Grand Island was an island about a mile wide and 50 miles long that divided the Platte into 2 channels. Fort Kearny (in the level plains ¾ of a mile from the Platte) was at its head and was half way between St. Joe (Main starting point on the Missouri River) and Fort Laramie.

Fort Kearny - Tuesday, May 21, 1850. . .During the day we passed New Fort Kearny, a small United States military station near the bank of the river, the walls of which were constructed largely of sods cut out in large blocks, and laid up as adobes are laid in California. This is the first human habitation we have seen since crosing the Missouri, two hundred miles distant. From that point we have been steadily climbing up hill, the altitude here being twenty-one hundred and fifty feet, which is twelve hundred feet higher that Bullard's Ferry. We camped to-night on the bank of the river."

[July 4, 1850] "We were in hearing of cannon at oald Fort Carny & it seemed like home. We are all on the river bank & in sight of each other." 

"July 7. Got started about 8 this morning, we have some lame oxen. Travelled 7 miles & reached Fort Carny at 11 oclock. It is a pleasant place on the river. They have 450 soldiers there now, cultivate some land & have fine gardens. There are some 8 houses built of wood, they get their timber from as far as the Missouri river."

"Thursday May 22, 1851. . .The river is about a mile wide where we now are. In it are a great many sand bars which makes the river very shallow and verry much cut ujp but verry wide. . .we are now at the head of grand Island, and in the Bujffalo country, on the south side of the river, is fort Kearny about a half a mile from the river land flat and wet. . . .Water poor white with clay of which the Platte and Mo. are alike. But by taking a pail full, and putting in a little alum, and it will settle in a short time."

"Friday 16th (May), 1851. . .The Mail from New fort Carney to the Missourie staid with us to night We are 90 miles from N Ft Carney." 

"Thursday 22nd Drove about 15 miles passed fort Carney at which we stopped a few minuets and encamped on the river had poor grass and nothing but green willows for wood fort Carney is situated at the head of Grand island which is 50 miles long and 5 wide There are 2 stores at the fort and a no of good dwelling houses 3 graves"