Thursday, August 17.
I was awakened very early this morning, as soon as it was light, by
hearing Hillhouse bustling about making a fire in the stove, as if in a
hurry for his breakfast. I dressed as quickly as possible, and hastened
out to see what it meant--for it was only four o’clock. When I asked
for an explanation, he said:
“I am going to hunt those men. I can’t stand this any longer. I have
laid awake almost all night thinking about them.”
“What can you do? You will be lost yourself.”
“No danger of that. I will go back on the road as far as Green River,
get some of the soldiers and some of the boys that know them, and we
will hunt until we find them, or know what has become of them. I may
meet them on the road and return to-night, but I will not come until I
bring them with me, or know their fate.”
I could not object to his going, but oh, how my heart sank at the
thought.
We made all haste to get breakfast, and Hillhouse was all ready to
start when Mrs. Curry and the boys came out. Mrs. Curry seemed both
glad and sorry he was going, said she hardly knew which. I had supplied
him with pencil and paper, and he promised to send us word every
opportunity. He mounted Dick and rode away without saying good-bye.
He had gone almost out of sight. One moment more and a bend in the road
would hide him from our view. When, lo, there is a gun fired not far
off.
My thought was Indians, and I looked to see if Hillhouse was hurt. He
was waving his hat furiously and came tearing back to camp. Then I
heard Mrs. Curry cry out:
“Oh, it is my husband.” And she dropped in a heap on the ground, and
cried out loud.
They were plainly visible by that time, coming over the hill and down
to the creek and through it, before any one could show them where they
could cross without getting wet.
All was excitement for a while. The meeting between Mr. Curry and his
family was very touching, indeed. I think Mrs. Curry had about lost all
hope of ever seeing him again.
How famished and worn out they did seem to be. Sim was utterly
exhausted. I do not believe he could have gone another half mile.
We gave Sim a bowl of bread and milk, and a cup of coffee. Then the
boys helped him to bed in our wagon, because it is on springs and we
expected to start before he waked. Within one hour after they reached
camp Sim was sleeping the sleep of exhaustion. We did not ask any
questions, nor let him talk at all, before he went to sleep.
Mrs. Curry prepared the best breakfast the camp could afford for her
husband, and as the family had not breakfasted, they all sat down
together. She came for Sim to take breakfast with them, but he was
sound asleep, and I would not have had him awakened for the best
breakfast ever prepared. Perhaps Mr. Curry can stand eating such a meal
after starving so long, but I believe it would kill Sim in his weak
condition, for he is not fully recovered from his recent illness.
We made all haste to start once more, and by eight o’clock were on the
way. We had left the camp where we spent five such anxious, distressful
days. Sim did not awaken until after ten o’clock. We gave him some fish
and bread and milk, which we had ready for him. When he had eaten, he
lay in bed and told mother and I the following narrative of what had
befallen them since they left camp: