[June 26--74th day] We proceeded onward, crossed Sweet Water for the last time,[75] here it is a real mountain torrent, we soon arrived at the summit, or Pass[76] of the Rocky Mountains, this has more the appearance of a plain, for it is some 5 ms across, & nearly 30 ms wide from north to south. The road is sandy, & some rocky, but not steep in no place here. We traveled about 25 ms to-day, & encamped below the Pacific Springs,[77] poor place to camp, for where there is any grass, it is so miry that it is dangerous for stalk [stock] to go, 2 or 3 of ours got in the mire & a good many others, they were got out, but with much difficulty. We now consider ourselves about half way, but the "tug of war" is yet to come. We have now bid adieu to the waters, which make their way into the Atalantic, & now we drink of the waters which flow into the Pacific. Our faithful team still looks well, they, nor we, have not yet suffered only fatiegue, they have generally had plenty of grass & water, but according to the guides we may suffer for both, but hope to find it better than some have represented. More than half of the cattle on the road have the hollow horn,[78] the man who is traveling with us has lost, several head & there are two or three more which will not go much farther.[79] FOOTNOTES: [58] So called from their having a dark appearance in the distance by reason of the small cedars which grow upon them.--_Original note._ The name Black Hills was used collectively to denote all of the ranges in the region of the Laramie Mountains, which are situate in the southwest corner of Wyoming and form a curvilinear or semi-circular range, of which the lower part has now the restricted name of Black Hills. _Cf._ Delano's _Life on the Plains_, p. 80-81, 111, for an interesting, contemporary topographical description. [59] Not a frog, but a lizard, genus _Phrynosoma_. [60] Refers to the process of cutting meat into long strips and preserving it by drying in the open air or over a fire. [61] As to these early ferries kept by French Canadians, etc., see Coutant's _Hist. of Wyoming_, vol. 1, p. 365-367. [62] Granite Mountains seem to be meant. [63] Greasewood, a low shrub prevalent in saline localities of the West and of various genera. [64] Greasewood Creek, an affluent of the Sweetwater River. [65] This river rises in the Wind River Mountains and is a western affluent of the North Platte River. For the roads and fords in this region, see Delano, p. 104-105.