ATTACK OF RHEUMATISM. 189 



each of my knees, which were now both much swollen and quite painful, 

 I was not long in seeking the comfort of my bed. I passed a feverish 

 night, and the following morning the pain caused by the rheumatism in my 

 knees and elbow was so intense, that it was only with the greatest difficulty 

 I succeeded in harnessing the horses and gaining my seat on the wagon. 

 My left arm was well-nigh helpless and had it not been for a desire to cross 

 the high divide that lay between us and the valley of the Rio Chico before 

 it should become covered with a fall of snow, I should have remained 

 where we were until my condition improved. All day during the second 

 of May I drove slowly southward, suffering the greatest pain as the wagon 

 jolted along over the hummocky and uneven surface of the ground. At 

 night we camped at a small spring on the divide between Spring Creek 

 and the basalt caftons. The following morning my condition was so much 

 worse that I decided to diverge somewhat from our course, in order to reach 

 a number of springs near a fine meadow, which I knew lay a short distance 

 to the west of Swan Lake. We reached these springs just before noon 

 on the third day of May, and, after Mr. Colburn had pitched the tent and 

 made down my bed for me, I retired in a most miserable and suffering con- 

 dition. Both my arms and legs were now badly swollen, while my knees 

 and elbows were especially painful, and, in addition, I was suffering with 

 an intense fever. Notwithstanding my condition, however, I fully expected 

 when I took to my bed, that I should be able to continue our journey 

 within a few days. Such was not to be the case, for the rheumatism, 

 together with the accompanying fever, rapidly increased in severity and 

 soon spread to my hands, feet, neck and left hip. For six weeks I was 

 absolutely helpless and unable to shift myself in bed or attend to my most 

 trivial wants. Never has an invalid received more conscientious care than 

 did I at the hands of Mr. Colburn. His care and patience were most 

 exemplary, although I fear they were bestowed upon a somewhat unworthy 

 person. If at times, as I fear too frequently happened, I appeared unnec- 

 essarily harsh or cross, I trust he will ascribe it to the great mental and 

 physical pain with which I was afflicted, for looking back from this some- 

 what distant perspective I know and fully realize that to his tender care I 

 am indebted for the privilege I now enjoy of making this humble, though 

 grateful, acknowledgment of his kind attention. 



So far from being able to proceed on our journey within a few days, 

 days grew into weeks and weeks into months, and not until the twenty- 



