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EXPLORATIONS FROM A. D. 1843 TO A. D. 1852. 59 
On the 28th of August they left Salt Lake city with a train of pack mules. Passing 
through the Wasatch mountains by the ‘‘ Golden Pass” formed by Cañon creek, they followed 
this creek to its head and struck Bauchman’s creek, a branch of East Cafion creek, a tributary 
of Weber's river.  Fording Bauchman’s creek, they continued east over the prairie of Parley's 
Park to the sources of Silver creek, which flows into Weber's river. Sending the train on the 
Mormon road to the ford of Weber river, Captain Stansbury travelled southerly into the 
Kamas prairie, exploring the heads of Weber and Timpanogos rivers, which lie on opposite 
borders of this plain. Returning thence, he followed the right bank of Weber's river for 17 
miles, and rejoined his train at the ford. 
Crossing Red Fork, the party now travelled northeasterly up the valley of that stream to its 
head; thence they descended Yellow creek, a tributary of Bear river, and passing close around 
the base of the hills called the Needles, crossed Bear river about five miles south of Medicine 
Butte, near Tar Springs. By an open, easy road they passed the summit of the divide between 
the waters of the Great Salt lake and those of Green river, at the point where Muddy Fork 
takes its source, and reached Bridger's Fort. 
Desiring to explore a direct route on their homeward journey, they left Bridger’ 8 Fort under 
the guidance of James Bridger, crossed Green river at the mouth of Bitter creek, and ascended 
the latter to its source. From this point they passed the sources of Snake river and crossed the 
divide between the waters of the Gulf of California and the Atlantic, at Bridger's Pass. 
Fording the north fork of the Platte at a favorable point, they passed to the north of the 
Medicine Bow Butte, and thence took a direction southwest, which led them by the sources of 
Medicine Bow and Laramie rivers to the Black Hills, whence they reached the head of Crow 
creek, a tributary of the south fork of the Platte. They followed Crow creek for 14 or 15 
miles, when, finding that it turned too much to the south to afford a direct easterly route, (as 
Lieut. W. B. Franklin's reconnaissance in 1845 had indicated,) they left the stream and 
travelled north along the spurs which project from the eastern face of the Black Hills. Crossing 
the heads of Lodge Pole creek, they encamped in the Shyenne Pass, on the heads of the Chug- 
water, and sent to Fort Laramie for provisions, intending to descend Lodge Pole creek to the 
south fork of the Platte. But while engaged in exploring the country in this vicinity, Captain 
Stansbury | met with a severe accident that precluded the possibility of continuing the survey, 
the party proceeded down the Chugwater to Fort Laramie, and returned to Fort Leaven- 
and the 
worth by the route they came over in 1849. 
— MARCH OF RIFLE REGIMENT TO OREGON, 1849 
An account of thi d march by Major Osborne Cross, A. Q. M., forms an appendix to the report 
of the Quartermaster General’s report to the Secretary of War. Itis printed in House Ex. Doc. 
No. 1, 2d session 31st Congress. 
"This regiment, under Colonel Loring, marched from Fort Leavenworth to the Columbia 
river, with wagons. It passed over the same route as Captain Stansbury did to Bear river, 
then turned down Bear river to Bear Spring, and crossed over to Fort Hall. The command 
travelled all the way down the left bank of Snake river to Fort Boisée, and thence through the 
Grande Ronde and over the Blue mountains to Fort Walla-Walla. It encountered great 
difficulties and lost many animals. 
