160 INDIANA HISTORICAL COLLECTIONS 



How many of my readers now dwelling in their hand- 

 some mansion houses, will, as they peruse this, look back 

 to the positive happy days that they enjoyed in a log 

 cabin. 



That many of their descendants who are disposed to 

 partake of the bounties that nature has provided for the 

 industrious man in the Great West, will yet enjoy life 

 in the same kind of humble habitation, is the sincere wish 

 of their humble log cabin friend. Solon Robinson. 



Lake C. H. la. Jan. 28, 1841. 



To Western Emigrants — No. 5. 



[Albany Cultivator, 8:97; June, 1841] 



[February 1, 1841] 



THE FIRST TRIP TO MILL — THE EMIGRANT'S FAMILY OUT OF 

 PROVISIONS — A LOG CABIN SCENE. 



Messrs. Editors — And you my kind readers, who have 

 read my previous numbers, if you think I am becoming 

 prolix, lay the present one aside. I was led away in my 

 last number from the subject which I was prosing upon 

 in No. 3. 1 I told you of the first night on the prairie, but 

 I have not yet told you of many other nights and sunny 

 days that I have spent here. The month of November, 

 around the head of Lake Michigan, (which is in lat. 41, 

 38,) is usually a mild pleasant month. Such was the 

 month that followed "the first night on the prairie." This 

 was indeed propitious to the newly arrived emigrants, 

 for there was much to do to prepare for the expected 

 rigors of an approaching northern winter. 



There was neither hay nor grain within many a long 

 mile, for man or beast, and to one accustomed to look 

 upon the gloomy side of things, the prospect of making 

 a new settlement under such circumstances would have 

 looked gloomy enough. But an emigrant to the West 

 should not be one of that cast of temper. He should be 



1 The two articles are printed ante, 149 ff., 156 ff. 



