Dec. 30th. Marched; but at half past one o'clock were obliged to halt and send back for the sled loads, as the men had broken it and could not proceed, owing to the waters running over the ice. Crossed our horses twice on the ice. Distance eight miles.[III-23]
Dec. 31st. Marched; had frequently to cross the river on the ice; horses falling down, we were obliged to pull them over on the ice. The river turned so much to the north as almost induced us to believe it was the Arkansaw. Distance 10¾ miles.[III-24]
Jan. 1st, 1807. The doctor and one man marched early, in order to precede the party until they should kill a supply of provision. We had great difficulty in getting our horses along, some of the poor animals having nearly killed themselves in falling on the ice. Found on the way one of the mountain rams [bighorn, Ovis montana], which the doctor and Brown had killed and left in the road. Skinned it with horns, etc. At night ascended a mountain, and discovered a prairie ahead about eight miles, the news of which gave great joy to the party.
Jan. 2d. Labored all day, but made only one mile; many of our horses were much wounded in falling on the rocks. Provision growing short, left Stoute and Miller with two loads, to come on with a sled on the ice, which was on the water in some of the coves. Finding it almost impossible to proceed any further with the horses by the bed of the river, ascended the mountain and immediately after were again obliged to descend an almost perpendicular side of the mountain; in effecting which, one horse fell down the precipice, and bruised himself so miserably that I conceived it mercy to cause the poor animal to be shot. Many others were nearly killed with falls received. Left two more men with loads, and tools to make sleds. The two men we had left in the morning had passed us.
Jan. 3d. Left two more men to make sleds and come on. We pursued the river, and with great difficulty made six miles by frequently cutting roads on the ice, and covering it with earth, in order to go round precipices, etc. The men left in the morning encamped with us at night; but those of the day before we saw nothing of. This day two of the horses became senseless from the bruises received on the rocks, and were obliged to be left.[III-25]
Sunday, Jan. 4th. We made the prairie about three o'clock, when I detached Baroney and two soldiers with the horses, in order to find some practicable way for them to get out of the mountains light. I then divided the others into two parties of two men each, to make sleds and bring on the baggage. I determined to continue down the river alone, until I could kill some sustenance, and find the two men who left us on the 2d inst., or the doctor and his companion; for we had no provision, and everyone had then to depend on his own exertion for safety and subsistence. Thus we were divided into eight different parties, viz.: 1st. The doctor and his companion; 2d. The two men with the first sled; 3d. The interpreter and the two men with the horses; 4th. Myself; 5th, 6th, 7th, 8th, two men each, with sleds at different distances; all of whom, except the last, had orders, if they killed any game, to secure some part in a conspicuous place, for their companions in the rear. I marched about five miles on the river, which was one continued fall through a narrow channel, with immense cliffs on both sides.[III-26] Near night I came to a place where the rocks were perpendicular on both sides, and there was no ice, except a narrow border on the water. I began to look about, in order to discover which way the doctor and his companion had managed, and to find what had become of the two lads with the first sled, when I discovered one of the latter climbing up the side of the rocks. I called to him; he and his companion immediately joined me. They said they had not known whether we were before or in the rear; that they had eaten nothing for the last two days, and that this night they had intended to have boiled a deer-skin to subsist on. We at length discovered a narrow ravine, where was the trace of the doctor and his companion; as the water had run down it and frozen hard, it was one continuous sheet of ice. We ascended it with the utmost difficulty and danger, loaded with the baggage. On the summit of the first ridge we found an encampment of the doctor, and where they had killed a deer; but they had now no meat. He afterward informed me that they had left the greatest part of it hanging on a tree, but supposed the birds had destroyed it. I left the boys to bring up the remainder of the baggage, and went out in order to kill some subsistence; wounded a deer, but the darkness of the night approaching, could not find him. I returned hungry, weary, and dry, and had only snow to supply the calls of nature. Distance 8 miles.
Jan. 5th. I went out in the morning to hunt, while the two lads were bringing up some of their loads still left at the foot of the mountain. Wounded several deer, but was surprised to find I killed none. On examining my gun discovered her bent, owing, as I suppose, to some fall on the ice or rocks; shortly afterward received a fall on the side of a hill, which broke her off by the breach. This put me into désepoir, as I calculated on it as my grandest resource for the great part of my party; returned to my companions sorely fatigued and hungry. I then took a double-barreled gun and left them, with assurances that the first animal I killed, I would return with part for their relief. About ten o'clock rose [that is, I surmounted] the highest summit of the [Noonan] mountain, when the unbounded spaces of the prairie again presented themselves to my view; and from some distant peaks I immediately recognized it to be the outlet of the Arkansaw, which we had left nearly one month since. This was a great mortification; but at the same time I consoled myself with the knowledge I had acquired of the sources of La Platte and Arkansaw rivers, with the river to the northwest, supposed to be the Pierre Jaun [Roche Jaune, Yellowstone[III-27]], which scarcely any person but a madman would ever purposely attempt to trace further than the entrance of those mountains which had hitherto secured their sources from the scrutinizing eye of civilized man.
I arrived at the foot of the mountain and bank of the river, in the afternoon, and at the same time discovered, on the other shore, Baroney with the horses; they had found quite an eligible pass [through Webster Park], and had killed one buffalo and some deer. We proceeded to our old camp [Cañon City], which we had left the 10th of December, and reoccupied it. Saw the traces of the doctor and his companion, but could not discover their retreat. This was my birth-day, and most fervently did I hope never to pass another so miserably. Fired a gun off as a signal for the doctor. Distance seven miles.
Jan. 6th. Dispatched the two soldiers back with some provision to meet the first lads and assist them on, and sent the interpreter hunting. About eight o'clock the doctor came in, having seen some of the men. He had been confined to the camp for one or two days, by a vertigo which proceeded from some berries he had eaten on the mountains. His companion brought down six deer, which they had at their camp; thus we again began to be out of danger of starving. In the afternoon some of the men arrived, and part were immediately returned with provisions, etc. Killed three deer.
Jan. 7th. Sent more men back to assist in the rear, and to carry the poor fellows provisions; at the same time kept Baroney and one man hunting. Killed three deer.