Page 6 - Keays Diary with forward 1866 and Cover

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tedious long walk, felt very strange as I have very seldom been out of the

Town near around Bloomington.

In the evening Will and I took a long walk to the south nearly

four miles and had a beautiful view of the river and city, at night there

was a fire down town and I let Will go down with Mr. Bear to see the Steam

Engine. Thursday my trunks came, and the rest of our Party, so now on for

Colorado. Friday they were all day getting provisions and all the little

last things that are needed in such a trip.

April 28, 1866

Saturday after diner we started, went out about ten miles and

camped in the nicest place, where we had our first experience in camp life.

Very pleasant it was too, to begin with, but * expect will be tiresome

enough, to and with. Not but what we had our troubles, the horses were

not used to being driven together, and the men none of them knowing how

to manage four horses, what had balks innumerable, some enough to scare
us pretty well, but in the end, on we would go as merry as ever and the

horses feeling just like jumping one at a time ever time they start.

April 29.

Sunday morning: did not sleep well till daylight, the unusual

fact of horses being within six inches of my ears, and stamping, snorting

and all other noises and efforts that horse kind is capable of making

conspired to cheat the August God from my pillow till the rays of morn

dawned through a crack in the wagon cover, then thinking we would not be

eaten in daylight, my fears allowed me to forget myself for about two

hours, when our camp was astir. We had a nice breakfast of fried bacon,

eggs, bread, dried beef, cheese, jelly, and those things equally good, not

forgetting the essential coffee.