Howdy, Hope you folks had a good 4th of July, 1860 celebration. Let's get back on the trail and join our diarist Mrs. Mary C. Fish as she travels across present day Wyoming: WILLOW SPRINGS "Monday July 9th[1860]. We left the Platte River this morning after having traveled along its banks for a distance of 1,000 miles. We traveled 20 miles & camped four miles west of WILLOW SPRINGS. The grass around the Springs is very poor being all eat up by the number of Emigrant stock & there are large number of dead cattle lying by the roadside as this is a famous place for alkali as there is larger lakes of it along the road although now mostly in a dry state & there could be bushels of SALERATUS gathered here. It is often used by the Emigrants in the place of baking soda but I think that I would rather have none at all then to use this as a small quantity of the water will kill an animals. We took dinner on a creek called POISON CREEK & the banks were white with Saleatus.The creek was a small rivulet & the water was so sluggish that it could scarcely be observed to run & it is so poisonous that a pint of it will kill a horse. The water at our caming place is not very good." INDEPENDENCE ROCK and DEVIL'S GATE "Tuesday July 10th. We traveled 21 miles today & camped on the Sweetwater River within a half mile of INDEPENDENCE ROCK. This rock is situated about 300 yards from the right bank of the Sweetwater & is a solid mass of naked Granite rising to a height of 300 feet & covers a circumference of four acres of land. The form of it is oval with the exception of a slight hollow in its summit where a scanty soil supports a few shrubs & a solidtary dwarf pine. This rock derives its name from a party on their way to Oregon who celebrated the Fourth of July here they being the first company that made the trip from the States vis South Pass. The surface of the rock is covered with the names of travellers, traders, trappers & emigrants written on it where it is practicable & there is also a grave at the base of the rock. The name written on it is William WATERS. He died 1859 aged 49 years. "Wednesday July 11th. We left camp this morning, traveled 6 miles & stopped to pay a visit to the DEVILS GATE, a deep gorge situated in the Sweetwater Mountains. After traveling aound the base of the mountain & following up the river for a distance of half a mile we arrived at the entrance of the chasm. It is a deep cut in the solid rock through which the Sweetwater rushes with a noise almost deafening. The Gorge is apparently from 30 to 40 feet wide & the rocks at the sides rise perpendicularly to a height of 400 feet & are slightly shelving at the base. To stand at the base of the rocks & look up to the top makes me dizzy. This place like Independence Rock is covered with names of the Emigrants, Trappers &c, & I saw names of two women here. The names are written wherever tiz possible to obtain a foothold. SOUTH PASS - the Continental Divide "Saturday July 14th. This evening we camped in view of the Rocky Mountains many of the peaks being capped with snow.." " Sunday July 15th. We traveled 20 miles & camped three miles from GILBERTS STATION...Tomorrow we commence the ascent of the Rocky Mountains, vis South Pass. " Monday July 16th. We commenced the ascent of the mountains this morning & the ascent was so gradual that I should never suppose that we were crossing the ROCKY MOUNTAINS. The road has been very good thus far with the exception of a short distance where it was rather rocky.There is plenty of good water along the road, as there are numerous Springs of cold water gushing from the low hills.... "I saw the PONY EXPRESS pass the train to day. The ponies are not allowed to go slower than a gallop. The Express passes twice in a week. There is also a line of stages which run between California & the States. Each stage is drawn by six mules[:-)] & they are driven at a gallop over some awful rough road. I saw two graves to day they were covered with small rocks & if there were ever any boards at the head & feet they were gone..." "Tuesday July 17th. We have traveled ...& camped at Pacific Springs. We passed two trading Stations today. The last one was on the Sweetwater at the junction of the Salt Lake & Landor Road."{Mary Fish & her folks took the SALT LAKE Road}. GREEN RIVER, FORT BRIDGER & BEAR RIVER MOUNTAINS "Friday July 20th. We....crossed GREEN RIVER over which we ferried & camped 6 miles below the Ferry. The water of this river is of a greenish hue which gives the river its name. There is a large trading Station above our camp where there is everything to be had in the eating and clothing line. The proprietor ownes large numbers of horses & cattle & ownes property in the States & California. It is astonishing to see the number of trading posts there is on some portions of this road often as many as three in the space of a mile.The traders are mostly FRENCHMAN who usually marry Squaws & they therefore agree very well with the Indians. I saw one grave today, the name written on it was E. HALL of Missouri who died in June 1852 aged 69 years.. "Wednesday July 25th. The company remained in camp yesterday preparatory to crossing the Bear River Mountains which were in plain view.from our encampment. We broke up our camp this morning, passed FORT BRIDGER which is rather a small place. It is well supplied with water as there are several mountain streams flowing thorugh the town....I did not see a tree or the remotest sign of a garden in the place, nothing but a few Soldiers lounging about... "Thursday July 26. It has rained all day & the roads are in a miserable plight. In crossing the Bear River Mountains we obtained an elevation of 7315 feet.... "Friday July 27th. We crossed the Bear River this morning. It is not very wide or deep & is easily forded at this place. We traveled 16 miles from the river & camped on Echo Creek nearly opposite to a cave called ECHO CAVE." TO BE CONTINUED A good stopping place. You folks go check out Echo Cave - pretty neato. Meanwhile, I'll get things ready for tomorrow's LONG final leg from Salt Lake City to Red Bluff:-) Bob Norris in Dallas <BNorris166aol.com>