MELANCHOLY INCIDENT. 11 
was desirous of engaging again in the same 
employ. I was equally desirous to secure 
his services, as he was well-tried, and had 
proved himself an excellent fellow on those 
perilous journeys. But soon after our outset, 
and without any apparent reason, he ex- 
pressed an inclination to abandon the trip. 
I earnestly strove to dissuade him from his 
purpose, and supposed I had succeeded. 
What was my surprise, then, upon my return 
after a few hours’ absence in advance of the 
company, to learn that he had secretly ab- 
sconded! I was now led to reflect upon 
some of his eccentricities, and bethought me 
of several evident indications of slight men- 
tal derangement. We were, however, but a 
few miles from the settlements of the whites, 
and in the midst of the civilized Cherokees, 
where there was little or no danger of his suf: 
fering; therefore, there seemed but little oc- 
casion for serious uneasiness on his account. 
As it was believed he had shaped his course 
back to Van Buren, I immediately wrote to 
our friends there, to have search made for 
him. However, nothing could be found of 
him till the next day, when his hat and coat 
were discovered upon the bank of the Arkan- 
sas, near Van Buren, which were the last . 
traces ever had of the unfortunate Hays! 
Whether intentionally or accidentally, he was 
evidently drowned.. 
On the 28th of April we crossed the Ar- 
kansas river a few miles above the mouth of 
the Canadian fork. We had only proceeded 
