24 Is'ARRATIVE OF A JOUKNEV 



may frequently be seen sitting on the ground, surrounded by a 

 knot of his independents, consulting them as to his present ar- 

 rangements and future movements, and paying the utmost defer- 

 ence to the opinion of the least among them. 



We were joined here by Mr. Milton Sublette, a trader and 

 trapper of some ten or twelve years' standing. It is his intention to 

 travel with us to the mountains, and we are very glad of his com- 

 pany, both on account of his intimate acquaintance with the 

 country, and the accession to our band of about twenty trained 

 hunters, " true as the steel of their tried blades," who have more 

 than once followed their brave and sagacious leader over the 

 very track which we intend to pursue. He appears to be a man 

 of strong sense and courteous manners, and his men are enthu- 

 siastically attached to him. 



Five missionaries, who intend to travel under our escort, have 

 also just arrived. The principal of these is a Mr. Jason Lee, 

 (a tall and powerful man, who looks as though he were well cal- 

 culated to buffet difficulties in a wild country,) his nephew, Mr. 

 Daniel Lee, and three younger men of respectable standing in 

 society, who have arrayed themselves under the missionary 

 banner, chiefly for the gratification of seeing a new country, and 

 participating in strange adventures. 



My favorites, the birds, are very numerous in this vicinity, 

 and I am therefore in my element. Parroquets are plentiful in 

 the bottom lands, the two species of squirrel are abundant, and 

 rabbits, turkies, and deer are often killed by our people. 



I was truly rejoiced to receive yesterday a letter from my 

 family. I went to the office immediately on my arrival here, con- 

 fidently expecting to find one lying there for me ; I was told there 

 was none, and I could not believe it, or would not ; I took all 

 the letters in my hand, and examined each of them myself, and I 

 suppose that during the process my expressions of disappoint- 

 ment were " loud and deep," as I observed the eyes of a number 



