388 DIARY OF ASAHEL HUNGER AND WIFE. 9th Thursday Exchanged 3 horses and obtained two horses and two mules of Brother Johnson who has the care of the Methodist mission at this place. He gave us a good bargain in the horses, and they gave us many things which we needed for the journey. 10th Brother & Sister went to the mission today (Friday.) Saturday Started this morning at 9 to cross the Conzas river carried our effects across in a canoe, and drove the horses across through the water packed and drove on 3 hours and camped. 12 Sab. Moved on as usual, camped on the Black Vermillion river. 13 Monday Saturday night for the first time we had a guard to watch our horses; our encampment formed a square leaving room enough for our horses in the center to be fastened where they could eat all night. 14 Every man bears his part watching. Tues. Started early this morning drove 3 or 4 hours and camped for the night, camped on a beautiful stream. Mr. Eichardsoni (our hunter) shot 7 large fish that would 15 weigh 2 or 3 Ibs each. Wed. Marched about 7 hours crossed Eush Creek and camped. One man in crossing without directions, ran into deep water swam his horse wet all his packs. Mr. Richardson shot an Elk a doe good meat supplied all the camp with fresh meat. 16 Thursday, 16th Drove about 5 hours and stopped to rest. After a part of the company had started, one of the horses took fright and ran away strewed his load all over the plain and finally ran off and was lost. In running about and dragging a traveling bag at the end of a long rope he frightened one of our horses and he ran away threw off his pack and bruised some of our tins only drove about one 17 hour camped for the night Frid. pased [sic] a place today where it appeared six men had encamped a short time since. Found a beautiful place for encamping steep bank on two sides pleasant stream. Eliza's health not as good as usual though she has endured the journey much better than we could have expected The horse she 18 rides is not an easy traveler. Sat. Drove about 7 or 8 hours camped this evening on a more beautiful place than we ever have found for our encampment. A beautiful level green good grass beautiful stream of water, gravel bottom swift current land about us is prairy [sic] no timber except along the stream found goose- 19 berries twice since we started. Sab. This morning E. rose early and prepared breakfast as usual I slept later on account of having watched Jast night. I am not very well myself E. tired out rode 18 or 19 miles without stopping. One of the company shot an Antelope which is a species of Deer very good meat E. so much exhausted that she could not take her supper with us though after 1 Paul Richardson, mountain man, who was prominent in conducting parties between Missouri frontier and the rendezvous. He had accom- panied Wyeth on his first expedition.
