rying, serious obstacles
and hindrances had been encountered and barely overcome, but instead
of reaching their final destination in June, as they confidently
expected to do, the troops arrived at Fort Crawford on the morning of
the first day of July, worn out and exhausted. It was therefore
determined to remain at this point some weeks for rest and renewal of
strength, before making the final plunge into the unknown wilderness,
into the very midst of savages, who might resist their progress and
cause them much trouble.

The transportation of their supplies had been attended with so much
difficulty that, notwithstanding all possible care, the pork barrels
leaked badly and the contents were rusty; the flour had been so
exposed to dampness that for the depth of three inches or more it was
solid blue mould, and there was no choice between this wretched fare
and starvation, for the miserable country about the fort afforded no
supplies.

Just at this juncture, scarcely an hour after her arrival, Mrs.
Clark's second child was born, and named Charlotte, for her mother, to
which was added by the officers "Ouisconsin." When one calls to mind
all the care and comforts and luxuries demanded at the present time on
such occasions, it is difficult to realize how my mother endured her
hardships, and when I add that almost immediately both she and my
brother were seized with fever and ague, which soon exhausted their
strength and made them very helpless, it would seem almost beyond
belief that she should survive.

The new-born infant was entirely deprived of the nourishment nature
kindly provides for incipient humanity, thus complicating to a great
degree the trials of that dreadful time. My dear father could never
speak of that experience without a shudder, and has told me, with much
emotion, how he scoured the whole country to find suitable nourishment
for mother and children, with wretched success; adding that, but for
the dear mother's unfailing courage, her wonderfully hopeful
disposition and her firm trust in God, he could hardly have endured
these heavy trials. The surgeon of the regiment at that time (I think
his name was Burns) was a man of science and great skill in his
profession, but an inveterate drunkard, and it was no uncommon
occurrence, when his services were needed, to find him so stupefied
with liquor that nothing but a liberal sousing in cold water would fit
him for duty, and I imagine that "_soaking the doctor_