56 INDIANA HISTORICAL COLLECTIONS 



was the severity of the weather that they dared not leave 

 their uncomfortable quarters ; and when they did so, they 

 had to make a road for the oxen across the river by 

 spreading hay upon the ice and freezing it down by pour- 

 ing on water. 



They then had near 40 miles to drive to reach my 

 house, but fortunately for them one family had settled 

 about half way upon the road, or rather Indian trail, a 

 few weeks previous where they spent one night and from 

 there with one accident in crossing West creek, that came 

 near causing them to lay out another night, they reached 

 us some time after dark. To enable them as well as others 

 to find our lone cabin, where there were no roads, I had 

 put up several guide board upon the different trails, giv- 

 ing the course and distance thus : 



"To Solon Robinson's, 5 miles North." One of these 

 solitary guides upon a very faint path of the wilderness, 

 had been found by our emigrants just before dark, and I 

 appealed to them to say if they ever hailed a guide board 

 with greater pleasure. 



While our friends are made comfortable around the 

 cabin hearth, (some of you that are now complaining of 

 want of room, think of that — 3 large families made com- 

 fortable in that little log cabin) — let us inquire how fare 

 the cattle, when there is not a lock of hay or straw within 

 20 miles. So far I had wintered a horse, or rather an 

 Indian poney, and yoke of oxen upon hazel-brush & a 

 scanty supply of corn ; for that as well as every other sup- 

 ply for man or beast, hasel brush excepted, had to be 

 obtained from La Porte, by hauling it through marshes 

 & bridgeless streams, and through almost a trackless wil- 

 derness — Indeed Mr. Fowler and Lyman Wells, during 

 this eventful winter, while engaged in this very business 

 of obtaining provisions, exposed themselves to the most 

 iminent peril and danger of loss of life. A graphic ac- 

 count of one of the scenes in which Mr. Fowler was en- 

 gaged, has been read by many thousands under the title 

 of "The first trip to Mill". It is printed in the Albany 



