e with
news that the recruits could be expected soon. On July 31st this curt
entry is made in Forsyth's journal: "no boats, no recruits, no news, nor
anything else from St. Louis." The next day Major Marston was sent with
twenty-seven troops to garrison Fort Armstrong at Rock Island; and on
August 2nd Forsyth recorded: "Thank God a boat loaded with ordnance and
stores of different kinds arrived to-day, and said a provision boat
would arrive to-morrow, but no news of the recruits."[67]

Colonel Leavenworth at once made preparations to ascend the river. The
two large boats that had brought up supplies were engaged, and at eight
o'clock on the morning of Sunday, August 8th, the flotilla set out--the
two large boats, fourteen bateaux, the boat of Major Forsyth, and the
barge of Colonel Leavenworth. In the party were ninety-eight soldiers
and twenty boatmen. There were others also whose presence in that wild
region would not be expected: Mrs. Gooding, the wife of one of
the captains; Mrs. Nathan Clark, the wife of the commissary; and little
Charlotte Ouisconsin Clark, who had been born scarcely an hour after the
regiment reached Fort Crawford. The knowledge that they were upon the
last stage of their journey caused a feeling of cheerfulness among the
soldiers, and the first day they proceeded a distance of eighteen
miles.[68]

For sixteen days the boatmen poled their bateaux up the river. Once when
there was a "Great appearance of wind" the sails were hoisted. At other
times the heavily loaded boats were moved with difficulty through the
shallow water. Occasionally fog and rain impeded their progress. Bad
water made half of the soldiers sick before the journey was ended; and
to avoid the mosquitoes on the river, the men preferred to sleep on the
banks, although every morning there was a heavy dew. On August 17th the
lower end of Lake Pepin was reached and here a delay of several hours
occurred while the men drew provisions from the supply boats, and washed
their dirty linen.[69]

Major Forsyth stopped at the Indian villages to distribute presents and
to announce to the natives the object of the coming of the troops, and
the value they would derive from having a fort in their midst. On
Sunday, August 22nd, he encamped a few miles ahead of the main body of
the expedition, but by eight o'clock the next morning all the boats had
come up. Impatient to reach the end of the journey, Major Forsyth
again pushed forward and at fou