Page:California Historical Society Quarterly vol 22.djvu/134

 fine creek. Moved on till six oclock and camped haveing had a hard days work for our mules it being mudy by last nights shower

May 22* Today we crossed the Wakarusa river the banks were steep we had to let our waggons down by ropes and hired some Santa Fee oxen to get our teems up the opposite bank there is heavy timber for a half mile on each side of the river for three miles we had to pass over a wet bottom prara had to double teems and much of the way the wheels went down to the hub however we have got through it at dark and camped on fine rise on the high prara tonight for the first time our ears have been saluted by the howling of wolves about our camp.

May 25' Today we have traveled over a roling prara and as we passed along on the ridge we could see to the right and left where the streams were by the lines of wood.

May 2^th Today we made a good drive haveing traveled full 25 miles We camped on a small stream at 5 oclock Mr. [Walton C] Felch and I started out to hunt wolves we heard nearby We saw them but could not get a shot at those fiends of the prara they are a redish color and all the evening our camp has been kept awake by their howling Today I have been taken with the diarea comon now on the prara and have been kept quite busy attending to the wants of nature having 25 passages today

May 2^th 49 Got an early start at 1 1 oclock we came to a small creek which was much swolen by the late rains here we had to unload our waggons and draw them across by ropes we got our goods over in our rubber boat and found it to be valuable we got all over at six oclock and camped on the left bank at sunset we were saluted by the screching of a dozen Indians who were riding at full gallop towards our camp they were Potawatamas and only wanted wisky We had none to give them and they went of soon without giving us any trouble Today I have been followed up with the diarea as hard as yesterday it soon weakens one I hope to be better tomorrow

May 26^ Today we got started early and after an hours travel came to the Kansas river at the lower crosing here we had to be ferryed over in flat boats owned by half breeds the wind blew and we could not persuade them to take us over till tomorrow Several Indians have visited us today all Friendly

Sunday 2jth 49 This morning we got ferryed across at a cost of 10 cents a head for our animals and % i .00 for our waggons we got all over at noon and passed out on a wet prara some six miles on to high land we got into camp at 9 oclock haveing to double our teems to get along the last wag- gon had got in carralle when the mules took fright and broke a toung to our best waggon This morning George Winslow was taken with diarea and vomiting this evening feels some better at the crossing we met a party returning haveing lost a husband father and Friend of Cholera We bought