Though across the desert and evidently in the long promised land our troubles and trials were not through by any means, but evidently we were out of danger.  Our lives seemed to be secure, and we were soon to meet with settlers who would no doubt extend to us the hand of human sympathy.  Many long miles yet remained between us and the rivers in whose sands were hidden the tiny grains of gold we came to seek.

The rest in the lovely camp had answered to cause Mrs. Bennett to feel quite well again by the next morning, and we made ready to proceed.  We had the trail of the Jayhawkers to follow, so the vines, brambles and tangles which had perplexed Rogers and myself in our first passage were now somewhat broken down, and we could get along very well without further clearing of the road until the hills came down so close on both sides that there was no room except in the very bed of the stream.  There was no other way, so we waded among after the oxen as best we could.  Sometimes the women fell down, for a rawhide moccasin soaked soft in water was not a very comfortable or convenient shoe, however it might be adapted to hot, dry sands.  The creek was shaded and the water quite cool.  The trail, such as it was, crossed the creek often and generally was nothing else than the stream itself.  The constant wading, and wet, cold clothing caused the women to give out soon and we selected the first dry suitable place which offered food for the oxen, as a place to camp.

Wood was plenty and dry, so a good fire was soon burning, and the poor women, wet to the waist and even higher, were standing before it, turning round and round to get warm and dry.  Someone remarked that they resembled geese hanging before the fire to roast, as they slowly revolved, and it was all owing to their fatigue that the suggester did not receive merited punishment then and there at their hands.  As they got a little dry and comfortable they remarked that even an excess of water like this was better than the desert where there was none at all, and as to their looks, there were no society people about to point their fingers at them, and when they reached a settled country they hoped to have a chance to change their clothes, and get two dresses apiece, and that these would be long enough to hide their knees which these poor tatters quite failed to do.  One remarked that she was sure she had been down in the brook a dozen times and that she did not consider cold water baths so frequently repeated were good for the health.

Young Charley Arcane had been getting better for some days.  No medicine had been given him, and it was no doubt the change of air and water that had begun to effect a cure.  Arcane had a hard time of it to keep the brush from pulling George and Melissa off of Old Crump into the water.  It was indeed one of the hardest day’s work of the whole journey, but no one was low spirited, and all felt very well.  The camping place was in a deep canon, surrounded