.MTIwNw.OTMxOTg

Tuesday 12 The Weather very hot atmosphere Sultry [?lovely flowers?] Camp [?passed?] about 7 oClock the Horses Suffer [?] from the heat We made about 23 Miles and Camped about 6 Miles East of the Sandhill Bluff Which divides the prairie from the Plat Valley about [?Sundown?] a Thunder Storm rose in the West and troubled us some about ½ past 3 in the Morning the Wind shifted to the North West the thermometer fell from [?O2?] which it stood at Sundown to 50 with a strong cold wind The Rain fell in torrents with Terrific Thunder & lightning. Our Camp Was at once drenched and all our Bedding soaked it was a perfect deluge and of the [?] kind The poor horses shook like aspen Leaves and we were all very cold. determined to leave the [?] We Harness and Start at 5 [?] for the Valley of River Plat notwithstanding it Rained & hailed in torrents with Very Strong Wind. This was the Most disagreeable Night that We have Seen on the prairie having passed this and hills during the Storm We enter the Plat Valley just as it commenced Clearing up. We were much pleased in the Change both of Weather & Scenery. The Valley is a wide prairie Bottom [?bordered?] Southward by the Sand Bluffs and as far as We could See North it was no other way we found the crossing of the Stream is Marked by a line of [?Stones?] which form one its Banks it is a Beautiful Stream and now filled by the Rains it looks Majestic far handsomer than any River we have seen on this Road. The Valey of the Plat will Soon be filled with Splendid farms it cannot be This area here one Sees thousands of acres of perfectly Level prairie bottom ^or Meadowland [?] and producing [?] fabulous prairie. This is the Most inviting Spot I have yet Seen. today we came up with one of those extremely and excessively Western Sights, a Mercantile Caravan from St Louis going for Denison City with Mcdze &c it consisted of 75 Very large Waggons made for this trade and covered with Canvas