Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1910-01-01

country is beautiful. but there had
come a sudden thaw soon after Clark
started. the Ice and SHOWS had melted
and. to cap the climax, 1t rained and
rained and rained. The whole country
was flooded. Some of the streams
were several miles wide. Creeks were
torrents.
The force had proceeded only a.
short distance when it had to abandon
Its cannon. Mile after mile the men
plodded through the mlre or waded
through water waist deep. At times the
water was up to their shoulders. They
could camp only on the hills and only
at night were they able to dry their
clothes. To cross the creeks and rivers
they had to construct rude canoes and
ratts, swimming their horses along
side. They had no tents. The floods
had driven away nearly all the game
After week or more of great hard
ship thew reached the drowned lands
OF the Wabash. The two branches of
the Little Wabash, ordinarily three
miles apart. now were one stream
nVe miles wide. 1t took the little force
three days to cross. On the twelfth
day out from kaskaskia Clark reached
the Embarrass river, which was -
raging flood. on a swampy hillock the
desperately worn, half starved men
huddled together for the night with
out fire. without food, wet to the skin
and nearly frozen.
THE SUNRISE GUN.
Next morning they heard the sunrise
gun OF VlncenneS. Their goal was nina
miles miles away over q waste of waters
They came at last to the Wabash.
here Is portion OF Clark's report:
FROM the spot We now Law on II
was about 10 miles to town. and every
1oot or the way put together that was
not three feet under water and IN
wards would not have made the length
OF two and half miles. and nor
mouthful of provisions If L was sensi-
pie that you would let no person see
this relation l would give YOU q de-
tall of our suffering for four days in
crossing those waters and the manner
IL was done, as l am sure you wouldn't
credit 1t. but it is too Incredible for
any person to believe except those
that are well acquainted with me as
you are, or had experienced something
similar to 1t. I hope you Will excuse me
until l have the pleasure of seeing
you personally"
But If the flood brought terrible euf-
fering to them 1T brought too. safety
For two days they labored building
canoes to cross the Wabash Then they
captured a boat In which were five
Frenchmen from Vincennes. From
these they learned that Hamilton had
no suspicion of an attack. At last they
were across the river but they had
to wade three miles to a hillock To
camp. 1t turned bitter cold, and their
clothes were ice-clad before thew fou
exhausted to sleep through the night.
Next day they had to cross Horse
shoe plain. which had been TRANSFORMED
into lake by the food waters. All
along the line men dropped, and 1t was
only by the utmost exertion of the
strongest that they were saved from
drowning. 1t was four miles ncro<;
this plain, and when the edge of an
island grove was reached there wore
few in the party that did not fall to tho
ground From some Indian women n
little meat was obtained, and by MAX
Ing broth the poor. exhausted men
were revived.
THE SURPRISE.
Hamilton still was unaware of c1aru,a
arrival. The town was two miles auay
Clark, believing that blun would count
for good deal In his position. sent a
proclamation into the town adyisInr, the
people he would attack the fort 1hot
night. warning all friends of the klns
to get within the fort with the Hair
Buyer General" and promising good
treatment to all who were friends OF
liberty Every one was ordered To
keep within doors. as any one found on
the streets would be considered an
enemy
Remarkable as 1t may seem Hamilton |
knew nothing of this proclamation
People in the fort saw people In the |
public square listening to the reading |
OF paper. but did not inquire what II |
signified. The people in the town could |
sea Clarks camp. but trees near the |
fort hid 1t from Hamilton and his mon !