The Scarlet Thread (32 page)

cook over.

Beth and my sweet little Deborah just brought an

armload of flowers to camp. They both have

Mama’s love of flowers. Beth is busy weaving garlands for our hair. The children seem to think we are

on a long picnic! I am so tired by the time the sun

goes down that I can hardly put two words together.

James said we made 18 miles today. It feels more

like 100 by the time we make camp, but he is

pleased. He says if we keep the pace, we will reach

Oregon in plenty of time before winter sets in.

I long for a bath. A week ago I was soaked to

the skin with rain and my skirt was caked with

mud. Now my skin is raw and itching from the

dust that seeps under my dress. My shoes are

already wearing out. I long for Sunday when we

will have a day of rest. Virgil Boon preached last

time. I did not agree with a word he said, but he

was entertaining.

Poor little Aphie McKenzie died last night. Oren

is Heart Broken.

The men dug her grave right in the trail so the

wagons could go over it. Kavanaugh said no

wolves would catch the scent nor Indians see the

signs of a grave that way. It makes me sad that

not even a marker bearing her name will be left,

but it would make me feel worse to think wolves

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dug her up and ate her or Indians stripped her

clean of the pretty wedding dress Oren insisted

she wear to meet her Maker.

Oren is just nineteen. James says he will mend,

but I am afraid for him. He has no interest in his

son. I asked James to keep close watch over

Oren. James said he would be pleased to do so as

long as I keep talking to him. I said I would talk

to the devil himself if he agreed to make sure that

boy does not hang himself to whatever tree he can

find.

The baby seems to be faring well in Winifred’s

care. She has milk aplenty and a good heart. Perhaps she will give him a name.

I have not seen the French woman’s fire burning

the last two nights. I asked MacLeod what

become of her. He said he did not know. I hope

Indians did not take her.

I never thought I would see the day that I would

be cooking over a fire of animal dung. We have

not seen a single buffalo yet, but are burning their

leavings and thankful to have them. Kavanaugh

said buffalo “chips” are good fuel and he is right.

The cook fire is hot and there is no smell. Joshua

shot two rabbits. I spitted and roasted them. The

sparks that shot up made them taste lightly of

pepper.

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before our usual nooning. It was hot and he was

dozing. He fell off the high wagon seat and broke

his neck. No one knew anything happened until

Nellie started screaming.

All I could do was hold Nellie and cry with her.

I did not know what to say to comfort her. If

I had a word of wisdom I could not have gotten

it out. Joshua is just sitting against the wagon

wheel not saying anything. Harlan was his best

friend.

Death comes sudden and awful on the trail.

I am so afraid of losing one of my own.

We reached the South Platte this morning.

Kavanaugh went across ahead of the wagons

and drove long poles to mark the way. Ruckel

thought he knew a better place to cross and

almost lost his wagon in quicksand. MacLeod

shouted loud enough to be heard back in Galena

he was so mad. He said next time they would

leave Ruckel in the river rather than risk life and

limb for a fool who could not listen to those

more experienced.

Kavanaugh came back to ride with us on the

way across. He had James water the animals

before starting out. He said not to let them stop or

the wagon would sink into the sand. The Platte

may be shallow, but it is treacherous.

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We all made the crossing with no Disasters.

Nellie gave thanks to God on the other side.

Beth and I doctored one of our oxen during the

nooning. The poor animal was chaffed from being

in harness. The wound was crawling with blow

fly eggs and worms. I cleaned it out and put

bacon rind over the chaffing. MacLeod said it will

soothe the wound and keep the harness from rubbing more. Beth walked beside the animal until

we made camp. The poor beast seems better this

evening.

We had a terrible lightning and thunder storm

last night. The children were all crying and carrying on. It struck so close you could smell Hades

breath.

And then we heard a sound like rolling thunder

only it did not stop. The ground began to shake.

Kavanaugh rode in fast and shouted for the men

to get their guns quick. A stampede of buffalo

were coming straight for us.

I have never seen so many animals. They are as

numerous as the stars in the heavens. Kavanaugh

rode out with James and six others and fired

their guns to turn the stampede. That was hours

ago and the buffalo have been running by us all

that time. Dawn broke an hour ago. The sound of

those hooves is Deafening. I cannot keep my

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Joshua wants to ride with the men and I will

not let him. He is angry with me. I said he had to

stay. He asked why and I said we needed him to

keep watch over us. He is not appeased.

MacLeod is here.

The truth is I am afraid he would get himself

killed. It is bad enough to be worrying about

James without wondering what is happening to

my son.

The men have been busy all day butchering the

buffalo that were shot during the stampede. They

did not shoot many as they shot in the air most

times to turn them. I told Joshua he could go help

the men do that but he has stomped off to pout.

Kavanaugh brought back a hump and tongue and

some marrow bones for us. The meat was very

tasteful and tender. He told me to roast the bones

which I did and found the marrow was delicious.

Kavanaugh has been good to us. He seems to

watch over my family more carefully than the

others. James likes him. Joshua thinks he is

next to God Almighty. He is always inviting

Kavanaugh to sup with us and then asks him

a hundred questions.

Kavanaugh said the Indians do not waste anything. They use buffalo hides to build their

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homes. They eat the meat. He cut squares of

hide and showed James how to wrap the hooves

of the oxen. Beth is delighted. Our animals now

have shoes to wear! I could use a new pair

myself but will wait until we reach Fort

Laramie.

Before leaving our campsite, Kavanaugh spoke

to James away from the fire. They did not want

me to hear. I know enough from watching that

they have doubled the guard. James saddled one

of the horses and tethered it to the end of the

wagon a few minutes ago.

Kavanaugh expects trouble.

Sioux Indians came today. Two of them were

wearing magnificent warbonnets. I near died

of fright when I saw them riding toward us.

MacLeod called the alarm and we circled the

wagons. The men took up defensive positions

while Kavanaugh rode out to talk to them. I was

sure they were going to kill him, but he showed

no fear of them and spoke to them at length.

Joshua said young braves are dangerous

because they have to engage and defeat an

enemy in order to take their place on the tribal

counsel. I asked him how he knew so much

about it and he said Kavanaugh told him. He

quotes Kavanaugh like Scripture about everything. Joshua said Kavanaugh told him prairie

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Kavanaugh brought the Indians to camp.

I have never seen such fierce faces. Kavanaugh

said we are crossing their land and eating their

buffalo.

Joshua pays no heed to my fears and warnings. He ignored me and went off with

Kavanaugh. If that was not bad enough, while

he was about it, he invited the Sioux to eat

vittals at our fire! I was afraid they would not

like my cooking. They did not care much about

food. It was my red hair that impressed them.

Joshua told me to take off my bonnet and let my

hair down so they could see it. What for I

wanted to know. To see if it would make a fine

scalp? James laughed and said I have a temper

to match my hair. Kavanaugh explained so the

Indians would not think James was laughing at

them. I was so mad, I let down my hair. They

seemed to admire the color. So I cut six curls off

and gave one to each of the braves. Kavanaugh

told them it is strong medicine. I hope they are

satisfied with what I gave them and will not

come back for the rest of it! MacLeod gave them

gifts of blankets, sugar, and tobacco from stores

the company bought for such purposes. The

Sioux seemed satisfied with the tariff and left.

Joshua just told me the Indians earn each

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feather in their warbonnets by killing an enemy.

I am glad he did not tell me earlier!

MacLeod has posted extra guards around the

stock. I am keeping close watch on my children.

I want every one of them within sight and reach.

I have heard Indians will steal children quicker

than they will steal a horse or mule and Beth and

Deborah both have hair the same color as mine.

Kavanaugh said a most alarming thing to me

tonight. He said one of the Indians asked how

many horses James would take for me. I asked

him how many he said. Enough that he will be

making no offers, he told me. He also said not to

wander too far away from camp.

I am not certain he was serious, but I will take

no chances. James will be surprised when I sleep

beside him tonight. It will be the first time I have

done so since we left home.

Two wagons were lost today.

We made a slow climb up a California hill to the

top of the plateau. Kavanaugh and MacLeod had

warned us of the Hard Descent to come, but no

one was expecting a drop past perpendicular.

Flocks of birds were rising and dipping in the

wind. When I saw that hill, I wished we could

sprout wings and fly down. As it was, the men

rigged a windlass to lower the wagons one by one.

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