March 30, 1885
Rain has softened the snow in the river valley to such a degree that we wallow in our snowshoes, the sleds are useless. We set out each day as soon as there is light enough in order to travel quickly while the snow is still crusted from night’s cold. Before long, though, the morning warms to rain. We attempt to tow four sleds, including two made from sawing an Indian canoe in half. The loads, several hundred pounds each, cause us to flounder no matter how many of us throw our shoulders into the work.
The Indians resist leaving the campfire each morning. This morning if Pruitt had not knocked down their lean-tos & forcibly dragged them to their feet, we’d be there still. The woman refuses to assist in pulling, but instead straps a large load of supplies to her back, a small pannier to the dog, & the two head upriver each morning without a glance in our direction.
?—?She doesn’t follow orders, Pruitt complained.
For myself, I did not count on her assistance, so it is of no matter to me where she goes each day.
This stretch of land is dreary, flat, gray, without the beauty of the island coast. We are near enough the sea that precipitation never halts, only changes from rain to snow then back again. Water runs atop the river ice so that we are soaked from ground & sky as we wade through knee-deep slush. More than once we plunged to our necks as we tried to ford open water. Evening campfires do not dry our clothes. However, the sleeping bags of linen sailcloth, waterproofed with linseed oil & beeswax, are proving most valuable.
Tonight I miss my Sophie dearly.
April 2
We have abandoned the tents & half our ammunition, food, clothing, etc., all cached in tall cottonwood trees. If our travel improves, we will send Indians to retrieve as much as possible.
Our stores are reduced to 100 pounds each flour & beans, 40 of rice, but now the sleds can reasonably be towed through slush. Lieut. Pruitt carries little food to make room for scientific equipment, including camera & dry plates. We have kept also some bacon, extract of beef, tea, deviled ham, what chocolate the old man did not pocket. Luxuries, but they earn their weight in morale.
We now travel more quickly & with Godspeed we will make it to the canyon before the river ice gives way. The decision did not come easily, particularly to have Pruitt’s load contain so little food. Tillman argued against it.
?—?We’ll go hungry, for pretty pictures!
Pruitt insisted the photographs are invaluable, began to berate Tillman for his ignorance. Here I cut them off to avoid a scuffle. I reminded Tillman that we expected to subsist off the wilds during the journey. In truth I had hoped to make it farther upriver with more supplies, but I did not say this.
Tillman filled his own sled with such a heavy load of food that I had to give a push from behind to get the sled moving. The sergeant is a strapping fellow but will not be able to pull that load for long.
The supplies we carry will not last us but a month. We will supplement with game & edible plants. The Indians express doubt. The tall one, called Skilly, said until the salmon return in summer, the Wolverine River is the ‘place where men starve.’
?—?What of these river tribes, said to be so fierce? They must eat something, even in the winter months, I asserted.
Several of the Indians responded, but the trapper seemed reluctant to translate, only did so after I prodded.
?—?They claim the Midnooskies above the canyon survive only by relying on human flesh.
As for the woman, she is silent, but clearly has thoughts of her own.
April 3
This morning at breakfast, Sgt. Tillman sat beside me with his tin cup of coffee, inquired about my family in Boston. He knows of my father & his respectable career in the Army. We talked some of our childhoods. Tillman is the son of a coal miner, from a rough life I suspect.
After some time, he asked me about Sophie.
?—?You’ve been married for some time? he asked.
I answered that it had been not yet a year.
?—?You must have had another wife before this. Did she die?
The question surprised me. —?No, I said, —?I have never been married before.
?—?You seem like the marrying type. No spring chicken, either. What took you so long?
I have grown accustomed to Tillman’s blunt ways, so took no offense. I explained that until Sophie, I had never met a woman that held my interest.
?—?You & I must not run in the same circles. I find girls aplenty.
Yes, I am sure he does. Yet I speculated that many of them are silly, or if they are quick-witted, they are worldly & cynical.
In reply, Tillman gave a devious grin.
?—?Ah! But that’s how I love them best. Both at once. Silly & worldly!