Just then one of the men said, “I have known that man ten years and I know that all the advice all these people could give him would be wasted breath and the less said to him the better it will be.”

I then went back to Simson who had charge of the wagons and said to him, “What shall we do with that old man?  He is hitching up to leave us which will be sure death to him and his family.  If he goes had we not better take his team away from him and save his life and his family’s?”

Simson said, he would consult with the other men and see what they thought about it.  After he had talked with the other men a short time, twenty or thirty of them went out where the old man was hitching up his team.  What they said to him I do not know.  When I got to him he was about ready to pull out; he said, “I’m going now and you men can come when you please and I don’t give a D’. whether you come at all of not.”

This was the last we ever saw of the old man or his son.

Three days later Jim Bridger arrived with his train, and then we all pulled out together by the way of Honey lake.  The first night after leaving camp Jim Bridger, Simson and myself had a talk about the old man who had left us.  Jim said.  “I don’t suppose we shall ever hear of him again,” and turning to me he said, “Will, it will take us two days to go to Honey Lake; now tomorrow morning suppose you pick out of your scout force eight good men, take two days’ rations and your blankets with you and rush on ahead to the Lake and see if you can find them.  It may be possible that some of them are alive, but I don’t think you will find one of them.  Now, Will, be careful and don’t take any desperate chances; if you find they have been taken prisoners keep track of them until we get there.”

The next morning I and my men were off bright and early.  We reached the lake about three o’clock in the afternoon, where we struck the lake there was scattering timber for quite a ways up and down and here we found the old man’s wagon.  The wagon cover, his tent, and his team, were gone; his cooking utensils were setting around the fire which was still burning.  Almost every thing was gone from the wagon, but there was no sign of a fight.  Neither could we see any white men’s tracks; but moccasin tracks were plenty.  We sat down and ate our luncheon:  as soon as we finished eating we started to trail the Indians to find out what had become of the whites.  We had gone but a short distance when I discovered the tracks of the two women; then we knew that they had been captured by the Indians.  I said, “I want you men to take this side of the ridge and watch for Indians all the time, and you must watch me also; when you see me throw up my hat come at once and be sure to not shout, but signal to each other by whistling or holding up your hands and be sure to have your signals understood among yourselves.  And another thing I want to say to you, if you see any Indian, signal to me, at once.  Now I am going to take the trail of these white women, and if I need your assistance I will signal, and you must all get to me as quick as possible.”