Introduction 15 



thence crossed the AUeghanies by stage to Browns- 

 ville and Pittsburg. Here the company took a 

 river boat for Cairo, where they were joined by 

 Colonel Webb. Changing boats they descended 

 the Mississippi to New Orleans, which they 

 reached February 18, ten days after leaving New 

 York. After some time spent here in the purchase 

 of supplies, they took a boat for Brazos at the 

 mouth of the Rio Grande. From Brazos they 

 were carried up the Rio Grande to a point opposite 

 Rio Grande City, where they landed on the tenth 

 of March. Here they were attacked by the chol- 

 era and ten men succumbed to the dread disease. 

 To add to their distress, the company's money was 

 stolen and only after great difficulty was a part 

 of it recovered. Discouraged by disease and mis- 

 fortune, twenty of the men turned back. Then 

 Colonel Webb deserted his company, the men at 

 the same time refusing to go on under his leader- 

 ship. For a time it seemed that the journey would 

 be abandoned but about half of the men asked Mr. 

 Audubon to lead them and bound themselves to 

 go on under his command. More than a month 

 was required for reorganization and for the recov- 

 ery of the sick, so that it was not until April 28 

 that the start was really made. They were now 

 as late as the emigrants who started by the northern 

 routes, and were further from their goal. 



