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Show I B8 JOURNAL (H' A VOYAtiE tancc frmn the camp, where we secured them. l went up to the foot of the 1nountain to sec what pro pcct there vv11s nf being able to cross it, but had not n1ore than fairly arrived at its base, when I found the snow four or five ~ ·et tlccp; this obliged me to determine to proceed and cotoycr th.c mountain to the south, where it appeared lower, and unlll we found a place where we could cross. 22d January, Tbursday.-I furnished the two poor lads who were to ren1ain with ammunition and made use of every argument in my power to encourage them to have fortitude to resist their fate ; and gave then1 assurauce of my sending relief as soon as possible. We parted, but not without tears. W c pursued o~u· 1narch, taking merely sufficient provisions for one mea! HI order to leave as much as possible for the two poor fellows, who remained (who were John Sparks and ThomasDo~gherty.) We went on eight miles and cncamp:d on a httlr creek, which came down frmn the moun tams; at three o'clock went out to hunt, but killed notl1ing. Little snow. 2Sd January, Friday.-After shewing the sergeant a point to steer for, the doctor and myself pro~ced~d on ahead in hopes to kill son1ething, as we were agam.withou~ victuals. About one o'clock it commenced snowmg vcq hard, we retreated to a small copse of pine where we con-structed a camp to shelter us, an d as 1· t was tu· nc th c partY' should arrive, we sallied forth to search them. We separated and had not tnarched n1orc than one or two miles, when I found it impossible to keep any course with· out the compass, continually in n1y hand, and then 1~01 I ]'CCI\'<' ·being able to sec more than 10 yards. began to pc the difficulty even of finding the way back to our camp and I can scarcely conceive a more dreadful idea than rctnaining on the wild, where inevitable death must have ensued. It was with great pleasure I again reached the camp. TO TilE SOL:HCES OF THE AHKJ\NSA \V, &c. IBY where I found the do~ to~ had ~1 rri': d before me. w clay d~wn and strove to dJss1pate the 1dca of hunger, and our 1msery by the thoughts of our far distant homes and r elatives. Distance 8 miles. 24·tb Janumy, Saturday.-W c sallied out in the mornin~ ;md sho'r~ly after perceived our little ba11d, marching !luou~h the ~now (about two and a half feet deep,) silent and With downcast countenances. We joined them and lcar~t that ~hey finding the snow to fall so thickly that it was unpossi~le to proceed; had encamped about one o'clock the prc.c ecdmg day. . As 1 found ·~1 ll the burur.a 1 o 11 au. 1 qlll- t the plat~s, .1 dc~ernuncd to artcn1pt the traverse of the mountcu~, m w.Inch we persever ed' until the snow became so deep, It was Jmpossiblc to proc~cd ; when I again turned my face to the plain and for the first tinlC in the voyag , found myself discouraged; and the first tin1e I heard a man ex~ress himself in a seditious manner . he exclaimed '' that It was more t h an human nature' could bear to' " m(a rch th rce da ys wi· thout sustenance, through sn'o ws " three~e e t d ecp, and carry burthens only fit for hor- " ses" & c. & c. 1 A~ r. knew very well the fidelity and attachment of (t le ma.~onty of th l 1 c n1en, anc even of this poor fellow on y he could not endure fasting) and that it was in my' power to h · h' . . c astisc Im, when I thought proper I pa~seJ It unnoticed fo th , , r e moment, determined to notice it at a more auspi · · < ated I' b Cious tunc. \t\T e dragg d our weary and cmaci-m IIfm s along, until about 10 o'clock. Th doctor and yse who were · d d. the 1 • In a vance Iscovcr cd some bufEtlo on to Pr am, when we 1c '.f t our 1o ad s , and orders on thc.snow, P occed to the nearest d Pur . woo s to encamp. W c W<.'Hl in Stut of the buff; I h. h Th a o, w IC were on the move. ran a d e doctor. who was h 1 . t en css reel uccd than n1yscl f n got bchmd a hill and shot one down, which stop~ |
