Page 25 - Keays Diary with forward 1866 and Cover

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We got dinner and then they began taking the things across the

River with a will and by sunset we were on the home side of the Platte

in good spirits but tired. The horses had to swim across, Pierce Holland

rowed the skiff, we took the wagon across, one wheel at a time – some job!

Thursday. In the night there was another rain storm. They tell

about its being dry here, but so far we have had more rain than we wanted.

This morning the Mountains were beautiful, the snowy range glows

pure and white above the black hills. We are on the Cache-a-la-Poudre

River which rises in the snowy range and runs where we are, as fine and

cool as one could wish to drink.

Mr. Nelson, whose tidings we brought from the Junction, left us

5 miles from the Platte at his ranch, and there Mr. Peterson met a Gentle-

man right from Auntie Stones, who said she had worried about us a good

deal. She could not have received the letters we mailed to her on the

road and apropos. Hope I get a pile of letters and papers.
We are at noon today, within 12 or 15 miles from Collins, hope

if the roads are not too bad, to get through tonight.

Friday June 1 – Arrived safely at Collins last night, had a

very hard drive but could not think of stopping so near, found Anty Stone

well. She has a very comfortable home for this country, three large rooms

below, and chambers for sleeping rooms. Has very kindly given me her spare

room and says I am to consider it my private room. it has an ingrain car-

pet, nice bed, window, with a nice sunset view, with hills and the pretty

Cache-a-la-Poudre.

We are all very tired tonight. Mrs. Peterson and I have done a

a large washing, the accumulation of so many weeks for so many persons.

Aunt busy with her increase of family. She already has 8 officers regular