We had a few small pieces of dry bread.  This was kept for the children giving them a little now and then.  Our only food was in the flesh of the oxen, and when they failed to carry themselves along we must begin to starve.  It began to look as if the chances of leaving our bones to bleach upon the desert were the most prominent ones.

One thing was certain we must move somewhere at once.  If we stay here we can live as long as the oxen do, and no longer, and if we go on it is uncertain where to go, to get a better place.  We had guns and ammunition to be sure, but of late we had seen no living creature in this desert wild.  Finally Mr. Bennett spoke and said:—­

“Now I will make you a proposition.  I propose that we select two of our youngest, strongest men and ask them to take some food and go ahead on foot to try to seek a settlement, and food, and we will go back to the good spring we have just left and wait for their return.  It will surely not take them more than ten days for the trip, and when they get back we shall know all about the road and its character and how long it will take us to travel it.  They can secure some other kind of food that will make us feel better, and when the oxen have rested a little at the spring we can get out with our wagons and animals and be safe.  I think this is the best and safest way.”

“Now what do you all say?” After a little discussion all seemed to agree that this was the best, and now it remained to find the men to go.  No one offered to accept the position of advance messengers.  Finally Mr. Bennett said he knew one man well enough to know that he would come back if he lived, and he was sure he would push his way through.  “I will take Lewis (myself) if he will consent to go.”  I consented, though I knew it was a hazardous journey, exposed to all sorts of things, Indians, climate and probable lack of water, but I thought I could do it and would not refuse.  John Rogers a large strong Tennessee, man was then chosen as the other one and he consented also.

Now preparations began, Mr. Arcane killed the ox which had so nearly failed, and all the men went to drying and preparing meat.  Others made us some new mocassins out of rawhide, and the women made us each a knapsack.

Our meat was closely packed, and one can form an idea how poor our cattle were from the fact that John and I actually packed seven-eighths of all the flesh of an ox into our knapsacks and carried it away.  They put in a couple of spoonfuls of rice and about as much tea.  This seemed like robbery to the children, but the good women said that in case of sickness even that little bit might save our lives.  I wore no coat or vest, but took half of a light blanket, while Rogers wore a thin summer coat and took no blanket.  We each had a small tin cup and a small camp kettle holding a quart.  Bennett had me take his seven-shooter rifle, and Rogers had a good double barreled shot gun.  We each had a sheath knife, and our hats