eled about like drunken men, having now been without provisions
five days. As I proceeded I passed many sitting, wholly drowned in
sorrow, wishfully placing their eyes on every one who passed by them,
hoping for some relief. Such pity-asking countenances I never before
beheld. My heart was ready to burst and my eyes to overflow with tears
when I witnessed distress which I could not relieve. The circumstances
of a young Dutchman, and his wife, who followed him through this
fatiguing march, particularly excited my sensibility. They appeared to
be much interested in each others welfare and unwilling to be separated,
but the husband, exhausted with fatigue and hunger fell a victim to the
king of terrors. His affectionate wife tarryed by him until he died,
while the rest of the company proceeded on their way. Having no
implements with which she could bury him she covered him with leaves,
and then took his gun and other implements and left him with a heavy
heart. After travelling 20 miles she came up with us.

Just at evening this day, we met cattle coming up the river, sent us for
our relief. This was the most joyful sight our eyes ever beheld. The
French people who drove them informed us that Colonel Arnold had arrived
in their settlement two days before, with the advance party, and had
purchased cattle as soon as possible and sent them on.

A cow was immediately killed and cut open in great haste; a small calf
being found in her, it was divided up and eaten without further
ceremony. I got a little piece of the flesh, which I eat raw with a
little oat meal wet with cold water, and thought I feasted sumptuously.

November 3d. This day we proceeded on down the river about 20 miles,
waiding several small rivers, some of which were up to our middles. The
water was terrible cold as the ground was at this time covered with snow
and ice. At evening we came in sight of a house which was the first we
had seen for the space of 31 days.

Our joy was inexpressible in breaking out of that dismal wilderness in
which we had been so long buried, and once more beholding a country
inhabited by human beings; it was like being brought from a dungeon to
behold the clear light of the sun.

The French people received us with all the kindness we could wish, they
treated our sick with much tenderness, and supplied us with every thing
they could for our comfort. They seemed moved with pity for us and to
greatly admire our patriotism and resoluti