contras ts, well with the rolling mountains behind us & at this hour of twilight was enchanting & quite diverted my mind from the fatigue under which I was labouring. We had yet to decend a hill as long but not as steep or stony as the others. By this our horses were in haste to see camp as well as ourselves & mine made such lengthy strides in descending that it shook my sides surprisingly. It was dark when we got into camp but the tent was ready for me, & tea also, for Mr McLeod invited us to sup with him. We are now on the west side of the Blue mountains, crossed them in a day & half. Dearest Mother Let me tell you how I am sustained of the Lord in all this journey. Yesterday & for two or three days past I have felt weak and restless and scarcely able to sit on my horse yesterday in particular. But see how I have been diverted with the scenery & carried out of myself in conversation about home & friends Mother will recollect what my feelings were and had been for a year previous to my leaving home. The last revival I enjoyed. My visits to Onondaga & the scenes there. This I call my last impressions of home & it is of such a character that when we converse about home these same feelings are revived & I forget that I am weary & want rest. This morning my feelings were a little peculiar. Felt remarkably well & strong, so much so as to mention it. But could not see any reason why I should feel more rested than on the morn previous when I began to see what a days ride was before I understood it. If I had had no better health today than yesterday I should have fainted under it. Then the promise appeared in full view, 'as thy day is, so shall thy strength be', & my soul rejoyced in God, & testifys to the truth of another evidently manifest, 'Lo! I am with you alway.'”
Very few readers of Mrs. Whitman's journal have followed with care her travel over the Blue Mountains and know that near noon of this 26th day of August she dined and rested at the bottom of this canyon about five miles above Bingham Springs.[1] With that fact in mind her story of this day's journey becomes much more fascinating. The trails more
- ↑ Elevation at Bingham Springs is approximately 2750 feet and at Toll Gate, 5250 feet.
