animals he had was a
litter of pigs, and as Mr. Willard and I intended to settle on our land
in the spring I thought it might be well to start in with a couple of
pigs. Accordingly, I got two pigs from Mr. Green, put them in a bag
which I shouldered, and left for our cabin in the woods. According to my
calculations, the distance I had to walk ought not to be over three
miles, and in order to be sure of not getting lost I followed the Cannon
river at the mouth of which our cabin stood. I walked on the ice where
the snow was about a foot deep, and, if I had known of the meandering
course of the river, I would never have undertaken to carry that burden
such a distance. From nine in the morning until it was almost dark I
trudged along with my burden on my back, prompted to the greatest
exertion by the grunting of the pigs, and feeling my back uncomfortably
warm. These were the first domestic animals I ever owned, and I think I
well earned my title to them by carrying them along the windings of the
river at least ten miles. Both I and the pigs were well received when we
reached the cabin. We made a pig pen by digging a hole in the ground and
covering it with poles and brush, and fed them on the refuse from the
table. Before we were ready to move one of them died, while the other,
after being brought to our new farm, ungratefully ran away, and was most
likely eaten up by the wolves, which perhaps was just as agreeable to
him as to be eaten by us.

While living in this camp we saw more Indians than white men. A band of
Sioux Indians camped near us for several weeks. They were very friendly,
and never molested us. The men brought us venison and fresh fish, which
they caught in great quantities by spearing them through the ice. We
gave them bread and coffee, and sometimes invited one or two to dinner
after we were through. Their women would stay for hours with my sister
and help her take care of the baby. Indeed they were so fond of the
white-haired child that they would sometimes run a race in vying with
each other to get the first chance to fondle her. Sometimes we visited
them in their tents in the evening and smoked Kinikinick with them.
Several of their dead reposed in the young trees near our cabin. When
somebody died it was their custom to stretch the dead body on poles
which were tied to young trees high enough to be out of the reach of
wild beasts, then cover it with blankets, and finally leave some corn
and venison and