company had turned off from the Santa Fé trail in a north-westerly direction to the crossing of the Kansas River. At this point White startled the company by officially recommending that all the dogs in camp be forthwith killed lest they should go mad upon the arid plains which they were now approaching. King Herod's edict anent the slaughter of the innocents could scarcely have called forth a louder wail of lamentation from the mothers of Judea than was evoked from the women and children of White's party by this proposed immolation of their canine pets and companions. Many of the men, too, protested loudly against the sacrifice; and although when it came to a vote most of them yielded to their leader's wish, yet the measure was so unpopular that it contributed largely to the election of L. W. Hastings as captain at the end of the first month.[1]
At this same camp Columbia Lancaster lost a child, and as the mother was ill, the disheartened parents turned back to Platte City, their starting-point. The Kansas River, the South Platte, and other deep fords were made by placing boards across the tops of the wagon-boxes, on which the load was fastened, while above were perched the women and children. Soon after passing the South Fork, the company was overtaken by Stephen H. L. Meek, a brother of J. L. Meek, then in Oregon, and one Bishop, who was travelling for his health.
After Hastings was elected to succeed White, harmony no longer prevailed. The determination of the new commander to "govern and not be governed"[2] divided the party into two factions, who marched in separate columns till Fort Laramie was reached on the 23d of June. Here they spent a week in refitting, and during that time Mr Bissonette, who was in charge of the post, managed to bring about a reunion by
