l days' journey, the supply of fresh provisions
putting all hands into better spirits than they had shown for some time.
There was but little chance, however, of our replenishing our stock
when that was exhausted, for we saw Indians frequently hovering round
our camp who were not likely to prove as friendly as those we had before
met with, and it would be dangerous to go to any distance in search of
game, as there was a probability of our being cut off by them.

We had soon another enemy to contend with, more subtile than even the
Redskins. Cholera broke out among the emigrants, and one after another
succumbed. This determined those who had before talked of going back to
carry out their intentions; and notwithstanding the expostulations of my
father and others, they turned round the heads of their cattle, and back
they went over the road we had come.

I had by this time observed that my mother was not looking so well as
usual. One night she became very ill, and in spite of all my father and
two kind women of our party could do for her, before morning she was
dead. My father appeared inconsolable; and, naturally, Clarice and I
were very unhappy. We would willingly have died with her.

"But we must not complain at what God ordains," said Clarice; "we must
wish to live, to be of use to poor papa. She is happy, we know; she
trusted in Christ, and has gone to dwell with him."

Clarice succeeded better than I did in soothing our poor father's grief.
I thought that he himself would now wish to go back, but he was too
proud to think of doing that. He had become the acknowledged leader of
the party, and the sturdy men who remained with us were now all for
going forward; so, after we had buried our dear mother in a grove of
trees which grew near the camp, and had built a monument of rough stones
over her grave, to mark the spot, we once more moved forward.

We had just formed our camp the next day, in a more exposed situation
than usual, when we saw a party of mounted Indians hovering in the
distance. My father, who had not lifted his head until now, gave orders
for the disposal of the waggons as could best be done. There were not
sufficient to form a large circle, however, so that our fortifications
were less strong than they had before been. We made the cattle graze as
close to the camp as possible, so that they might be driven inside at a
moment's notice; and of course we kept strict watch, one half of the men
on