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Show JOUHN.AL OF A VOYA<a: 12tb }lo·vcmbcr, Tucsday.-DispatchcJ Miller a11d IludJlcston to the lower hunting-camp, and Bradley and Brown to hunting in the woods. Made my arrangement::, in camp. Thawing weather. . 13th November, vVcdncsday.-Bradley returned With a very large buck, which supplied us for the next fo ~r. days. 14tb November, T!Jursday.-It cmmnenced ra1nmg at four o'clock, A.M. lightning and loud thunder. I went down the river in one of my canoes, with five men, in order to bring up the meat fron1 the lower camp; but, after descending about 13 miles, found the river blocked up with ice. Returned about two miles, and encamped in the bottom where I had my hunting camp, on the 1st. inst. Extremely cold towards night. 15th November, Friday.-When we meant to en1bark in the morning, found the river full of icc and hardly moving. Returned to camp and went out to hunt, for we had no provision with us. Killed nothing but five prairie hens, which afforded us this day's subsistence : this bird I took to be the same as grouse. Expecting the ice had become hard, we attempted to cross the river, but coulJ not. In the endeavor one n1an fell through. Freezing. JGtb November, Saturday.-...-Detachcd Corporal Meek and one private to the garrison, to ord r the sleJs down. No success in hunting except a few fowl. I began to consider the life of a hunter a very slavish life, and extremely precarious as to support; for sometimes I have n1yself (al· though no hunter) killed 600 weight of meat in one day; and I have hunted three days successively, without killing any thing but a few small birds, which I was obliged to do to keep my men from starving. Freezing. l7tb November, Sunday.-One of my men arrived: he had attempted to make the camp before, but lost him· self in the prairie, lay out all night, and froze hi:s toes. IIe , TO THE SOURCES OF TilE :MISSISSIPPI. informed us that the corporal and the men I sent with him , had their toes frost-bitten, the former very baJly ; that three men were on their way down by land, the river above not being froze over. They arrived a few hours before night. Freezing. 18th November, M onday.-Took. our departure down the river o~ the icc, our baggage on the sled. Ice very rough. Distance 12 miles. Freezing. 19th November, Tuesday.-Arrivecl opposite our hunting camp about noon. 1 Iad the n1eat, &c. 1novcd over. They had a latge quantity of meat. I went out and killed a very large buck. Thawing. 20th November, vVcdnesday.- l)epartcd to r eturn to t~e stockade, part of our meat on the sled and part in the httlc peroque (th river being open in the middle). Killed four deer. 'fhawing. Distance 5 miles. 21st No~'cmber, Tbursday.-Marched in the morning. Came to a place where the river was very narrow, and the channel blocked up. W ere obliged to unload our peroque and .haul her over. The river having swelled a good deal, at tlus place~ the ice gave way with myself and two 1~1cn on it. W c seized the sled that stood by us, with some httle bag?agc on it, and by jumping over four cracks, the la~t two feet .wide : providentially made our passage good, with out. looSing an individual thing. Encamped opposite Clear nvcr. Killed one deer and one otter. Freezing. 22d November, Friday.-Were obliged to leave our c~noc at Clear river, the river being closed. Made two tnps with our sled. Killed one deer. l)istance 5 miles. . 23d November, Saturday.-1 Taving seen a great deal ot ~uffalo sign, I determined to kill one the next day (for~ gettmg the elk chase). Encamped nearly opposite om camp of the.' I Sth and 16th. Thawing. Distance 4 mile .. |