The Illinois free trader. (Ottawa, Ill.) 1840-1841, 1840-11-06
Life iH shc West.

aHB III tbtfS tONh, SET OUT OH JOuIlCy, OH
foot, to see the land Of promise on the
north of the Wisconsin,. With knapsacks
on their backs, two with guns, third
with an axe, and enc with violin in ad.
diticn TO his equipment, to enliven their
encampment, they deemed themselves
able and buoyant enough 10 reach the
Pacific ocean. At Prar5e du Chen they
were joined by an acquaintance. At that
town they found the sick 10 outnumbcr
che well; and Of the u s. troops station
ed there, one hundred were on the sick
list From thence they struck fer the
Kickapoo country, which they were told
was che finest country in the world !;
Astounding in hears, deer, rat1esnalles,
and every thing else that was charming.
They walked, in northeast direction.
from dawn till dark, finding the country
nothing but a succession of sharp ridges
and intervening holIows, nearly destitute
OF timber. At night they camped cut
tnt Instead of delicious slice Of fat bear.
or the sweet meat OF a doe or iawp. they
were fam to make supper on prairie
chicken, a pheasant, and two pigeons
uedther bears nor deer having been seen
the absence of the rattlesnakes was not re-
GREETED. On lying down to sleep one of
the company expressed his fears of q
visit from the painters: but another
thought such a visit would give them all
opportunity Of having their likenesses
iaken-on explanation, it was understood
that panthers were more plentiful than
painters in such places. One of the par
ty waking in the night, and finding HIM
self benumbed with the cold, found that
his friend (whc must have had the idea of
the painter still in his head) had interpos-
ed himself between the said party and
the fire. Now the idea of putting your
friend between you and the pantl,ers is
too much like poli,icss so the fire was
renewed, places re.adjus.ed, and equal
chances of being eaten up encountered. |
The next morning they resumed their
journey, and two hours walk brought
them to an abandoned Indian village, de-
lightfully situated in bottom, containing
about quarter section of land, which
was the only place they saw fiji for set
Element. Having seen enough Of the
country, they concluded to return home
by rafting down the Kckapoo. They
made good raft Of four logs, on which
they embarked. The course of the river
being very serpcntine, they made but
little progress in direct line; and the
river was so full Of snags that one man
was kept constantly at work with pole
in his hand, to guide the raft clear of
distractions. They found the Kickapoo
a beautiful stream, about thirty fee, wide,
about fourteen feet deep in the shalowest
places. and flowing between two ranges
of mountains or bluffs from two to three
hundred feet high. At night they en-
camped again, making grand supper on
two pigeons-half bird piece. Next
morning
.'All hands unmoor!' the voyaycurs loudly cry
"All hands unmoorr' the governed rocks reply.
Having no food they tried the good
effects of the fiddle, which answered pref
ty well hut not equal to coffee and beef
steak. Owing to the siren strains of the
violin, or some other cause, the man with
the pole allowed the raft TO strike snag,
when the whole concern foundered-
guns, teapot, tin cups. music-book, and
two pair of boots, which two of them
had taken off, sunk or floated off.
TO scramble ashore, to make fire, to
fish up the two guns were easily accomp-
lished; but to supply the loss of the boots
was not so easy to the two naked feet
SO one took his knapsack and made
pair of mocassins, and the other his
fddle-case, which was merely bit of
painted linen, for the same purpose.
Hereafter, let no persons go ~ explore
new country without fiddle sesing the
many useful purposes TO whth il may be
applied. The first movement now was
TO ascend the steep and rocky bluff,
strewn with sharp fiiais, Which inflicted .
painful bruises Oh the Unprotected feet of {
two of the party. 3 walk o. tew miles
brought them to ccarfg, whore they
found family, the lady + which extend
ed to them that : yni,rth which the alb
solutely fainting condition Of some of
them from the want a. food rendered ne
cessary. Here they 'oand good comforts
for the inner man. which iheir knd host