Page:California Historical Society Quarterly vol 22.djvu/137

 oclock wet and tired and hungry distance traveled today 25 miles

June jth George got cold in the shower last night we started late it was quite mudy in consequence of the hard rain last night the sun has been very hot today we stoped two hours at noon to bait we camped late tonight on account of not finding water to cook with George is worse this evening.

Friday June 8th Last night I watched with George and there was a per- ceptible change going on all night I laid down this morning to sleep was waked at 8 oclock and we thought he was dying He did not know us and we all gathered round him in the tent to witness the last strugle of breath leaving his body and a most solmn sight it was at 1 5 minutes past nine he ceased to breathe and God only knows the feeling in our camp and particu- larly his friends away from home & kindred with but 3 acceptions as mel- ancholy an event as was ever witnessed by man but all and everything was done to save him but it was of no avail and we must content ourselves with the thought that Gods ways are best yet we cannot see as he see's our ways are not his ways and our thoughts not his thoughts the company feel it hard

Uncle Jesse [Winslow] and I searched this forenoon for a stone that could be engraved we found a large sandstone and we engraved his name and where from and age on it in good deep large letters his grave was dug in a conspicuous place on the main road 30 miles west of the Big Blue river on the right [side] of the road near the junction of three tracks and a small stream runing south from it at 5 oclock in the afternoon all being ready we assembled in the Carrale the corps brought out of the tent Mr. Burt was requested to read scripture he read a psalm and the last chapter of Ecleasiastees Mr. [A. C.j Sweetser made an appropriate prayer there was not a dry eye in the group of sunburnt faces we formed a pro- cesion and followed him to his last resting place each man deposited a green bough as a token of respect and the first earth was put on him at six oclock we returned to camp each praying the like never to happen again in our number

Saturday June ^th This morning we moved on and it was with reluctance we left the grave of Brother George but such is life we passed today over a more level prara we have traveled today in company with a large party from New York and Verginia We passed today what appeared to be the bed of once a river in this bed we found some specimans of cactus one I noticed the center stalk had Eighty buds and blossoms here I killed a rattlesnake the first I have seen we camped tonight near wood and water distance traveled 25 miles

Sunday June loth We started this morning before 5 oclock and moved six miles to the banks of the Little Blue here we camped for the day Brother Fred and I took a walk down the river to see if there was any game