Poppa says we are lucky cause we got plenty of water here. He says afore long someone else will come by, and if they can't help us direct, then they will send help back for us. I sure hope so. We been stuck here for three weeks and the food ran out two days ago. Poppa says if it was just the axel what broke he could fix it but he don't know how to make a new wheel. Joseph Bartholomew Dempsey – 16 June 1843 Maggie caught a fish with her bare hands! Not too big, but we were all happy. Momma cooked it in her big skillet and divvied it up as best she could, but I'm still hungry. I don't think Momma or Poppa ate any of it. They ate cattails sopped in fish grease instead. Poppa said it was a feast, but I think he was lying. If I catch a fish, I'm gonna make sure Momma and Poppa eat some next time. Joseph Dempsey – 17 June 1843 Poppa says that grubs are ok to eat. He's been finding grubs and such under logs and rocks. We gots lots of logs and rocks, so theres a fair amount of grubs. Maggie won't eat em, and Momma won't neither. I managed to swallow a few, but then I felt pert sick. Momma and Maggie ate grass today. Says its gotta be better than grubs. Tomorrow I'll give grass a try. Joseph Bartholomew Dempsey – 20 June Momma and Poppa had a terrible bad fight today. Poppa was fixing to shoot Scout, so as we could eat. Momma wouldn't let him. She carried on something terrible. Poppa finally put up the gun. I'm mighty hungry but I'm glad Poppa didn't shoot Scout. He's a good horse. Joseph Bartholomew Dempsey – 24 June 1843 Momma says this place is called an oasis. Says its like the Garden of Eden in the Bible. Heck, if'n this is what Eden was like, no wonder Adam and Eave left. I don't think its much. Poppa seems to be away more, since he and Momma argured about Scout. Funny thing is, ever since we didn't shoot Scout I don't seem to be so hungry. Seems like theres always something to eat. Might not taste so good, but I'd rather eat grubs than Scout. I'm writing this here journal cause Momma makes me, so as I don't forget how to do my letters. Just as well. Not much else to do here. Momma helps pass the time reading to us outta the Bible. Theres a fair streach of it that is boring, but some good battles and damnations. And every night, before we bed down in the wagon, we all sing a hym. Poppa's always back in time for the hym. I'm glad, cause he has a really pretty voice. Joseph Bartholomew Dempsey – 28 June 1843 Maggie found us some honey today. She seen some bees and follwed them right to their nest. They got a hive in a tree, not far from camp. Momma was so excited she cried. Momma got a fair number of stings, but managed to get about a cup of honey from the tree. We all four of us ate it, till it was gone. Then Poppa took the cup over to Scout and let him lick it clean out. Scout looked right happy and Poppa scratched his ears. I think Poppa's glad he didn't shoot Scout. Poppa says now that we knows where the hive is we can take some from time to time. He says since we don't know how long we will be here we can't take it all at once, or the bees will move the hive. He says he will collect it at night, when they are sleeping so as Momma don't get stung again. Hope he gets some again real soon. That honey was good! Joseph Bartholomew Dempsey – 1 July 1843 Oh Godamighty help us please. Poppa went out to get more honey last night and got bit by a snake. His legs all swollen up, and Mommas sick to death. Oh please sweet Jesus in Heaven don't let Poppa die. It'l kill Momma. It'l kill me. July 4 We all got a real scare today. Poppas leg looked real bad and he's real sickly. Momma sucked out all the poison she could, but we's worried it might not of been enough. Then, along about noon, Maggie let out a scream and came running. We peeked out of the wagon and there was two Indians standing down by Fishing Rock looking at us. Momma rushed to get the gun, but dropped right out the back end of the wagon. But the Indians didn't try and kill us or nothing. They just stood there, looking at us for a fair time. One of em came forward, real slow like, and Maggie climbed in the front of the wagon to hide. They was fairly scrawny so I decided to take a chance and jumped out to get the gun. Afore I could grab it a nother one that we didn't see grabbed it ahead of me. I let into him, but he just held me back by the head and I couldn't do nothing. Momma treid to jump in to save me, but the other two grabbed her. Funny thing is, they didn't kill us or nothing. Just held us away from the gun. Then one of em climbed in the wagon and Momma screamed, thinking of Maggie. Maggie came flying out the front and ran for the trees. Funny thing is, they didn't chase her down. Instead, the Indian in the wagon started looking to Poppa's leg. After we saw they ment us no harm we setteled down a bit. They stayed most of the day. By the time they left Poppa was much relieved. He isn't gonna die. After they left Momma said they was angles sent by God hisself. Joseph B Dempsey – 5 July 1843