160 years ago today - Nov 10, 1853

[Hosea Stout Diary] Thursday 10 Nov 1853. To day we have the Big Desert to cross, fifty two miles, accordingly we started earley, and travelling some 8 or ten miles we met the advance of this falls emmagration. A large train scattered almost entirely across the desert, which consisted of waggons & teams, droves of cattle & horses[.] Some of the animals were giving out while men came straggling along carrying their bedding on their backs, trying to get their given out animals along[.] There were several thousand head of animals

We had hard drive arriving at Salt Springs near nine p. m but it was near Eleven before Green & Cook came into camp.

Here we had nothing but Salt grass & salt water for our animals which only increased their thirst and has a tendency to weaken them[.] Most of the animals were kept tied up all night to keep them from leaving[.] This is the hardest part of the road on animals

[Source: Diaries of Hosea Stout]