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them behind and hire a free man in lieu to assist us on our return to our Establishment.

This was in the month of February – and the first day fair day we took our leave of the Mississouri with had ten horses loaded with property and provisions[.] We went on until dark in hopes of falling in with a good spot of grass to feed our horses – but the plains having been burnt in the fall and covered with Buffaloes all winter the whole country was as bare as the palm of the hand and scarcely a sprig of grass was to be seen in any direction. We encampted in a swamp of dry rushes cleared a small space from snow lighted a fire with small bitts of dry wood which we had provided for the purpose and having eaten some corn Cakes and drank some snow water we laid our selves down to rest. It snowed much in the night and we found ourselves very comfortable under it […] but the air was raw. Next morning, when we got up seven of our horses were missing and could not be found in the vicinity[.] We therefore covered our baggage with snow, mounted our three horses and returned to the villages[.] Here we learned that our that the horses which were missing were in the possession of an Indian[.] [W]e went to his this Indians Lodge and he readily gave them up to us and we passed the night in his lodge, where we were treated with Kindness. The ensuing morning we sat out – found our baggage safe – loaded our horses and continued our course till night came on – but seeing no appearance of wood for fire nor grass for provender I desired Morrison who led the way to go on and guide his course by the North Pole[.] The other man did not seem to be at his ease however he said nothing but soon after began to lag behind[.] The snow

in

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