Nor was this task free from perils. A system was arranged whereby a
courier from Fort Snelling and one from Prairie du Chien set out at
about the same time, meeting at Wabasha's village where the packs
were exchanged and each returned to his own post. On one occasion a
spring thaw overtook the carrier from Prairie du Chien, who had
proceeded beyond the meeting place because the messenger from the north
was late. Suddenly the ice groaned and cracked, and the postman with
difficulty found safety on a small island where, to his great surprise,
he found the postman from Fort Snelling who had been caught in the same
manner. Their provisions soon gave out; for a while they had only
rose-apples to eat. It was not until almost two weeks later that the two
half-starved messengers were picked up by the canoes of some friendly
Sioux.[259]

Such accidents rendered the mail service uncertain, and it was with
impatience that the watchers at the fort looked down the river for the
coming of the news-carriers. On April 2, 1831, Taliaferro wrote: "The
Express departed--4 men in a Skiff--to convey the Mail to the Post
Office at Prairie du Chiens--our return Express daily expected." But
they hoped too early and on April 5th it was recorded that "Our
Express--1st which left for Prairie du Chiens on the 2d of March--has
now been Absent more than a Month & progressing in the Seccond. We have
not had inteligence from Washington City--since the 6th of December
last". Not until April 10th did the mail arrive. But even when the
messengers were safe in the fort it was not certain that they brought
what was so eagerly looked for, as the entry on February 27th clearly
shows: "Lieut Williams & Mr Bailly returned this eveng from
Prairie du Chiens but brought no Mail there having been no arrival since
December."[260] It was during this winter that even Prairie du Chien was
shut off from the outside, the amount of snow between Peoria and Prairie
du Chien stopping the mail service for two months. Again and again
during the winter months the commanding officer complained to
headquarters that "no Orders have been received within the Month".[261]

The duties of the soldiers during the winter were few. From the time it
was built up to 1833 the quarters at Fort Snelling were heated by
fireplaces. At that time, however, stoves were substituted.[262] Wood
was used for fuel--to obtain which was a never-ending task in winter.
When Captain Seth Eastman was in