OCR Text |
Show 4 t· JO'CHNAL OF A VOYA<:L 12th November, Tuc.rday.-l)ispatdwd Miller and II udulc~ton to the lower hunting-camp, and Hradlt?} and Brown to hunting in the woods. Made my arrangements in camp. Thawing weather. 1 ~3th }lo'vcmbcr, f;fTe-·dnc.rday.-Bradley r eturned with a very larg buck, which supplied us for the next four days. 14/b JVovcmbcr , Tbursday.-It commenced raining at four o'clock, A. M. lightning and louJ thunder. I went down the river in one of my canoes, with five n1en, in order to bring up the meat from the lower camp ; but, after descending about I 3 miles, found the river blocked up with icc. Returned about two mile , and encamped in the bottom where I had my hunting camp, on the J st. inst. Extremely cold towards night. 15tb No·vember, Friday.-When we n1eant to emb:1rk in the morning, found the river full of icc aud hardly moving. Returned to camp and went out to hunt, for we had no provision with us. Kill d nothing but five prairie hens, which afForded us this day's subsistence : this bird I took to be the same as grouse. Expecting the ic had become hard, we attempteu to cross the river, but could not. In the endeavor one man fell through. Freezing. 16tb November, Saturday.-Detached Corporal Meek and one private to the garrison, to order the sleds 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 myself (although 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 1 was obliged to do to keep my m n from starving. Freezing. 17th November, Sunday.-One of my 1nen arrived: he had attempted to make the camp before, but lost him'> elf in the prairie, lay out all night, and froze hi5 toes. Ilc TO Tilt: SOURCES OF THE. MISSIS IPPI. 45 informed us that the corporal and the men I sent with him, had their toes frost-bitten, the former very badly; 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. l8tb November, Monday.-Took our departure down the river on the icc, our baggage on the s led. Ice very rough. ])i~ tanc e 12 miles. Freezing. l9tb November, Tucsday.-Arrivcd opposite our hunting camp about noon. Ilad the meat, &c. n1oved over. They had a large quantity of n1eat. I went out and killed a very larg buck. Thawing. 20tb JVovcmbcr, J;T/t,•dncsday. l)cparted to r eturn to the stockade, part of our meat on the sled and part in the liLtlc peroque (the river being open in the middle). Killed four deer. Thawing. Distance 5 miles. 21st No~vcmber, T!Jursday.-Marched in the tnorning. Came to a place where the river was very narrow, and the channel blocked up. Were obliged to unload our pc~ roque anti haul her over. The river h aving swelled a good deal, at this place, the icc gave way with myself and two men on it. We seized the sled that stood by us, with some little baggage on it, and by jumping over four cracks, the last two feet wide: providentially made our passage good, without loosing an individual thing. Encamped opposite Clear river. Killed one deer anJ. one otter. Freezing. 22d November, Friday.-W re obliged to leave our canoe at Clear river, the river bl'ing closeJ.. Malic two trips with our sled. Killed one deer. Distance 5 miles. 23d November, Saturday.-IIaving seen a grrat deal of buflalo sign, I determined to kill one the next day (forgetting the elk chase). Encamped nearly opposit our camp of the l 5th and 1 Gth. Thawing. Distance 4· miles. |