It was not long before I saw that my dawn was a
prairie fire. I had not gone far when I heard a horse neighing and soon
found my Mendota friends. They had not understood how to camp so were
nearly frozen to death. Their wagon had broken down when they were in a
swamp. They had taken what little bedding they had and camped on a knoll
in this swamp. I surely was sorry for that bride. Her husband had had a
chill early in the evening before they camped. She had been up with him
all night and now thought he was dying. I thought he was too. I tried to
make a fire out of the wet willow wood there, but could not and he got
bluer and bluer. We used all the blankets we had. Finally I said, "You
lie down on one side of him and I on the other." After some time his
teeth stopped chattering and his color returned. I think it would have
been the last of him if I had not found them as I did.

I tried to fix the cart but could not. A half breed who was driving for
them had gone on to Shakopee for help, taking one horse the night
before. I started on with my oxen to bring help. When I got nearly to
Shakopee, I met a half breed, John Moores, going to their help. I waited
for them in Shakopee. McLeod's boat came along and they took that as
they could not get their cart mended well. I could make about twenty
miles a day walking with my oxen. I stayed one night in the big woods at
Belle Plaine. The wolves were very thick, "so I hung my food on a
sapling and leaned it against a tree. When I got to the crossing at
Traverse, it was dark. I hollered. I could hear someone say, 'That must
be Ellison.' Then they came over for me. The Hopkins' and Huggins' had
the mission station there then. It did seem good to get where I had a
square meal. I had been living principally on a sweet biscuit my Aunt,
Mrs. Williamson, the missionary's wife at Kaposia made. Don't ever take
anything sweet to eat for any length of time."

Martin McLeod met the boat with a string of Red River carts. They were
loaded with furs and were to take supplies back. It was very interesting
to me to watch the loading and unloading of this boat. I was not yet
familiar with those half breed drivers. They seemed sociable fellows,
among themselves, laughing, joking and talking in their lingo.

The boat had brought a barrel of flour, one of pork and other supplies
for the Mission at Lac qui Parle, so after spending a week at Traverse
waiting for the train to start, I took these in a ca