It seemed to have been, some day, a bed of
mortar, but now baked hard, and the hoofs of the oxen dented into it no
more than half an inch. On our left hand was a perpendicular cliff,
along which we traveled for quite a little way. The range of mountains
now before us to cross was black, nothing but rocks, and extremely
barren, having no water in it that we knew of, so when we reached the
summit we camped, tied all our animals to rocks, where they lay down and
did not rise till morning. The women were so tired they were over two
hours late, and we had the fire built, the soup cooked and the beds
made. As we did not stop at noon all were very hungry, and ate with a
relish. The poor animals had to go without either grass or water. When
Old Crump and the party came in the men were carrying the babies, and
their wives were clinging to their arms, scarcely able to stand. When
they reached the beds they fell at full length on them, saying their
feet and limbs ached like the tooth ache. It seemed to be best for them
to rest a little before eating. Mrs. Bennett said that the only
consolation was that the road was getting shorter every day, but were it
not for the children she would sooner die than follow the trail any
farther. Their soup was carried to them in the bed, and they were
covered up as they lay, and slept till morning. This day's walk was the
hardest one yet, and probably the longest one of the whole journey, but
there was no other place where we could find a place large enough to
make a camp and free enough of rocks so that a bed could be made.
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