366 The Winning of the West 



tier; in his journal the Doctor mentions that one 

 night he had to sleep in "wet sheets." The average 

 pioneer knew nothing whatever of sheets, wet or 

 dry. Often the voyagers would get out and walk 

 along shore, shooting pigeons or squirrels and 

 plucking bunches of grapes. On such occasions if 

 they had time they would light a fire and have "a 

 good dish of tea and a French fricassee." Once 

 they saw some Indians; but the latter were merely 

 chasing a bear, which they killed, giving the travel 

 ers some of the meat. 



Cutler and his companions caught huge catfish in 

 the river; they killed game of all kinds in the for 

 est; and they lived very well indeed. In the morn 

 ing they got under way early, after a "bitter and a 

 biscuit," and a little later breakfasted on cold meat, 

 pickles, cabbage, and pork. Between eleven and 

 twelve they stopped for dinner ; usually of hot veni 

 son or wild turkey, with a strong "dish of coffee" 

 and loaf-sugar. At supper they had cold meat and 

 tea. Here and there on the shore they passed set 

 tlers' cabins, where they obtained corn and milk, 

 and sometimes eggs, butter, and veal. Cutler landed 

 at his starting-point less than a month after he had 

 left it to go down stream. 17 



Another Massachusetts man, Col. John May, had 

 made the same trip just previously. His experi 

 ences were very like those of Dr. Cutler; but in his 

 journal he told them more entertainingly, being a 

 man of considerable humor and sharp observation. 



" Cutler, p. 420. 



