camping-ground an hour or two before the waggons, so that they might get
the fires lighted, and have the game they had killed cooking on the
spits, in readiness for the women and children. Reuben and I undertook
to hunt, since we were as good shots as any of the emigrants. We always
went together, and seldom failed to bring in game of some sort.

As evening approached we made our way towards the spot fixed on for the
encampment. Before nightfall the main body usually arrived, and the
waggons were arranged in a circle, so as to form a sort of fortification
in case of attack from the Indians: though we had no great reason to
apprehend such an event at that period of our journey. No time was lost
in commencing supper; and as soon as it was over the women and children
went to rest inside the waggons, while the men not on guard lay down
either under them or in the neighbourhood of the fires. A spot was
always chosen--either by the side of a stream or near some pool--where
the cattle could find water and good grass. They were then turned out
to graze, under charge of a few armed men. Of course, we all kept our
rifles by our sides, so that we might be ready to defend ourselves at a
moment's notice.

We met with very few Indians, and those we fell in with seemed disposed
to be friendly. They saw that we were merely passing through their
hunting-grounds, and had apparently no objection to our killing the
comparatively small amount of game we met with. Had we shown any
intention of settling, the case might have been different.

We thus pushed on for many days together, halting only on the Sabbath,
to obtain the rest which both we and our cattle required. This was a
day we all enjoyed. One of the elders conducted a service, and the
wilderness we were traversing resounded for the time with praise and
prayer.

Thus we travelled on day after day; but we made but slow progress
through the densely-wooded country, having sometimes to cut our way amid
the trees, though we were generally able to find a passage without
felling them. Occasionally, however, we were compelled to do even that,
and to drag the huge trunks out of the road, before the waggons could
proceed. We had also frequently to cross rivers. When no ford could be
found, we built large rafts, on which the waggons were ferried over,
while the oxen gained the opposite bank by swimming. They were
accustomed to the undertaking; and, strange as it may seem, we ne