544 ' Ex. Doc. No. 41. 



he was hemmed in on all sides by the show. He redoubled bis ex- 

 ertions, but his struggles served only to exhaust his strength, and 

 lie found great difficulty in breathing. The full conception of his 

 awful situation now burst upon him; he struggled violently, but 

 not a Tunb could he move, and he had sunk into the depth of des- 

 pair, when we lortunatfely rescued him from his icy tomb. 



Once more an air of happiness seemed to diffuse itself over tho 

 faces of the men, Preston's story awakened us to a lively per- 

 ception of the fearful vicissitudes through which we had passed. 

 Our hearts acknowledged how futile w^ould have been all our ef- 

 forts, unless assisted by the Great Being who rules the winter storiar 

 The m<*n seemei,! to vie with each other in reciprocating^ acts of 

 attentiun and kindness, and it seemed as if there were no bounds 

 to the (generous impulses which actuated their conduct towards my- 

 self. ^ . * . 



February 23. — My pedestrian exercises were now terminatea, 



after having accomplished 179 miles of the 352 miles which lie 

 between Jackson's grove and Fort Leavenworth. Although I was 

 perfectly v/illing to walk, and had now become so accustomed to 

 do so, that I felt no inconvenience from the exercise, still I wai 

 not permitted to choose; Mr. Smith made me mount his horsc; 

 while be journeyed on foot. We found Mr. Hoffman and Mr. Mil- 

 ler, who had started yesterdny morning at the same camp with our- 

 selves. They had been obliged to leave their, wagon, and puck all 

 their camp furniture on the?f mules. We halted within three miles 

 of the Diamond spring, where we found plenty of green elm, for 



fuel for our fires. 



February 24:. — The day was stormy and cold, but we heeded not 

 the weather, and pressed on until we reached ^' Council grove- 

 Here we found grateful shelter in that noble grove whose huge 

 ^-alnut trees raise their limbs aloft, as if to battle with the clouds 

 in our defence, while their lower boughs were stretched over us ta 

 shield us from the pitiless pelting of the storm. Paroquettes were 

 , sweeping rapidly in large circuits among the topmost branches of 

 -the ancient denizens of the forest, and their screams shrill ana 

 grating echoed through the lofty arches of boughs, now shorn of 

 their iiuromer glory. During our day's march, flocks of the pretty 

 -snow lark were continually taking wing as we advanced, and wa^' 

 bled forth their sweet notes as they flew. As soon as darkness 

 shrou<Jed us, some large screech owls commenced a serenade, ^^^ 

 .the forest rang with a concert of their doleful music. 



Here, as wejl as at " Cootton Wood fork,'' we saw a great mtnj 

 prairie hens, but the snow on the ground caused us to be instnnt- 

 ly perceived by these watchful birds, which take flight the moment 

 -we endeavor to approach them. 



Fthruary 25. — It is again cloudy and very cold; a high wind i^ 

 blowing from the northeast, and now and then a fog of snow arises 

 and the small icy particles, driven by the fierce winds, make one's 

 face feel as if raked with briar brushes. We encamped at one of 

 the Bearer creeks. Here one of Mr. Hoffman's men killed a racoon, 

 which was divided among his party, being the only meat they h*^ 



