The sky is cloudless and the sun extremely warm. We have
traveled so long among the mountains, and all bearing the same general
appearance, that we seem to be stationary instead of changing our
position every day. In looking around me I seem to be in a deep blue
ocean of air, with the distant mountains around as the shore. Distance,
twenty-three miles.

JULY 14.

Went on this morning over a most desolate plain, with scarcely a vestige
of vegetation, except greasewood. We traveled fifteen miles before we
reached the river, and then found no grass on the east side; but as some
men were ferrying grass across in a wagon bed, we procured it and
brought over grass for our cattle. After going two miles further we came
to a fork in the road, one running down the river and the other passing
over a low range of bluffs. We followed the latter and came to the river
again in about two miles. Distance, twenty miles.

JULY 15.

This morning we went on eight miles, when we came to the river, where we
stopped to water. Here we found quite a number of wagons which were
stopped in consequence of a report that they were near the desert and at
the place where it was necessary to take in grass. We made inquiries and
examined our uncertain guides, which tended to corroborate the report.
The indications were all affirmative, but the distance was too short.
Several hundred wagons have gone directly off the road eight miles to
procure grass for their stock on the desert, and finally we concluded to
go also, and be on the safe side at any rate. In the afternoon we
traveled to the grass and found it tolerably good and was enabled in the
afternoon to cut as much as we could conveniently carry. Day hot.
Distance, eight miles.

JULY 16.

Up and off early. Came to the river again some three miles below where
we left it. A little lower down we stopped at noon. By the way, one of
our men went on twelve miles yesterday noon to see if we were as near
the sink as was supposed. We found the appearance of the river unchanged
and concluded that the sink was not near. However, we determined to take
on our grass and use it when necessary. In the afternoon we went over a
low range of hills some six miles in distance, then we came to the
river, and soon stopped for the night, and found good grass after a good
deal of trouble in getting our oxen over a bad slough. Distance, twelve
miles.

JULY 17.

In the forenoon we were thrown off our main cou