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Show JUUHNAL OF A VO\'Afa. 7th November, Thursday. - Waited all day with thL o reatest anxiety for my men. The river becanlC nearly filled with snow, partly congealed into icc. My situation can more easily be imagined than described. Went down the river to where I understood the deer were killed; but discovered nothing of n1y men. I now became very uneasy on their account, for I was well aware of the hostile disposition of the Indians to all persons on this part of the Mississippi, taking them to be traders-and we had not yet had an opportunity of explaining to them who we were. Snow still continued falling very fast, and was near I y kneedeep. H.ad great difficulty to procure wood sufficient to keep up a fire all night. Ice in the river thickening. 8t!J November, Friday.-My men not yet arrived. I determined to depart for the garrison, and when the river had frozen, to come down on the icc with a party, or if the weather became mild, by water, with n1y other peroqucs, to search for my poor men. Put up about ten pounds of meat, two blankets, and a bear-skin, with my sword and gun, which made for me a very heavy load. Left the meat in as good a situation as possible. W rotc on the snow my wishes, and put my handker chief up as a ilag. Departed. My anxiety of mind was so great that, notwithstanding my load and the depth of snow, I made into the bottom, above our former hunting catnp, a little before night. Passed several deer and one lk, which 1 might probably have killed; but not knowing whether I should be able to secure the meat, if I killed them, and bearing in mind that they were created for the usc, and nol th spo:rt of man, I did not fire at them. \Vhilst I was endeavoring to strike fire I heanl voices, and looking round, observed my corporal lVIeck and three 1ncn passing. (:ail ed them to me, and we embarked together. The v TO T l.IE SOUHCES OF THE 1\liSSISSIPPI. were on their n1arch down, to see if they could r ender us any assistance in ascending the river. They were much gneved to hear my report of tn y other men, corporal Bradley, Sparks, and Miller. 9th November, Saturday.- Snowed a little. The men carried tny pack. I was so sore that it was with diffic ulty I c~rricd tny _gun ; fortunately they brought with them. a pair of n1oclu~sons, sent me by one of n1y soldiers (Owmgs), who had n ghtly calculated that I was bare-foot . also a phial of whiskey, sent by the serjeant, which wcr~ both very acceptable to me. l 'hey brought, also, some tobac~o for ~1y lost n1en. W c experienced difficulty in ~rossmg the nver, owing to the icc. Moved n1y command mto the post, :Vho were again encamped out, r eady to march up the n vcr. Set all hands to making slcJ s, in o~der that, the ITion1cnt the river closed, I n1ig ht descend, ~1~h a strong party, in search of Iny lost men. Issued proVISions_, and w~s obliged to usc six venison hams, b eing part of .a quantity of elegant hams, I had preser ved, to take down, If possible, to the general and some other friends. HaJ the two hunters not been found, I must have bccon1c a ~lave to hunting, in order to support tny party. The ice still ran very thick. 1Oth November, Sunday.-Continued making s leds ... No news of my hunter s. Icc in the river ver y thick and hard. Raised my tent with puncheons, and laid a floor in it. llt.h November, Monday.-! went out hunting. Saw ~ut two d~er. Killed a r cinarkably large black fox. Brad-ey and Miller arrived, having unders tood the writing on the snow, and left Sparks behind at the camp, to take care -of the meat. Their detention was owing to their beinrr lost on th · · h fi · n 1 • c pratne t e rst mght, and not being ahlc to fi ntl .hc1r deer. · |
