This morning the company was convened for the purpose of taking a vote upon the question whether the companies should continue to travel together; that some were complaining that the missionaries went too fast; but the thought of leaving Mr. Fitzpatrick who was so well acquainted with the Indians, &c. &c. met, as it ought to have done, the disapprobation of all. We now proceeded directly up the river, making this day about twelve miles.

They have now reached the Platte River. They are making good time, and some think they are being pushed too hard, but it was necessary to make haste if they were going to make it to California within their window of time.

The Platte is a wide, shallow, slow-moving, silt-laden river. For the pioneers, it was the highway across the plains.