{No Turning Back - part VII}
Today we reached, amid heavy rain showers, a place called O'Fallon's Bluffs. We've stopped for the night, but Pa says that in the morning we have treacherous trail to cover. The trail gets narrow over the bluffs. Pa says too that we've got a five-mile sandy stretch that follows, and with all this rain there's a good chance of quicksand.
May 24th, 1847
Sure had a good scare today. I was walking alongside the wagon as usual and noticing how sandy it was. We'd crossed the bluffs not that much earlier and Pa was right about the sand.
All of a sudden, Andy's friend Sam ran up to me and pulled at my hand, yelling something 'bout Andy being stuck. I made him stop and tell me as plain as he could. But that didn't make sense, because all he said was "The ground's swallowin' him whole!" So I let him pull me along and when we finally got to Andy, I could see what Sam meant.
Andy was in a puddle of quicksand that was up to his middle. I just stood there starin' like a fool while he screamed for me to help him. I didn't know what to do without gettin' pulled in myself. I took a few steps toward him and felt my foot being sucked on.
A voice behind me barked, "Callie, stop!"
I stumbled back from the quicksand and looked to see who'd commanded me to halt. Clint was behind me, swinging off Flint and untying a rope that was on his saddle. "Get back." he said, and then tugged on my arm.
I moved back from the quicksand and pulled Sam back, too, holding him close to me. Clint strode towards the puddle and threw a looped end of his rope at Andy, telling him to put it around his chest. Then he told Andy to wiggle while he pulled. They tried this but he only moved a few inches. I walked over to Clint and took hold of the rope. "Let me help you pull." I said to him. He nodded, and then we started to pull together. Andy wiggled, and he was slowly coming out. Sam grabbed the rope and helped pull, too.
All of a sudden, with a sucking sound, Andy came slipping out of the puddle. It happened so fast that we all ended on the ground. I got up first and grabbed Andy, hugging him tight. "How'd you get in there?" I asked.
"I didn't know it was quicksand, Callie! Sam was chasing me 'round and all the sudden I was being swallowed by ground!" Andy said.
"Well, be more careful!" I said. This'd scared me more than I like to admit.
"I will. Thanks, Callie, Clint, Sam." he said, looking at us all.
"Sure, Andy." Clint said, "I'm just wonderin' though, what're ya gonna wear for shoes?"
I looked at Andy's feet, and all he had on was one sock."You mean," I looked to Clint, "that the quicksand 'ate' his shoes?"
"Sure did." Clint said, laughing.
Well, I couldn't help but laugh, either."Guess you'll just hafta go barefoot," I said. "That is, till we get you more shoes."
"Yippee!" Andy yelled. Goin' barefoot is one of his favorite things to do. Mine, too. Been thinking of sheddin' my own shoes, to save up for later on down the trail.
Anyways, Andy pulled off his sock and gave it to me, then we all walked back the wagon train and walked on. I need to keep a closer eye on him. He's only ten, and he can get into all sorts of trouble on this trip.
May 26th, 1847
Slow going. Trail is sandy.
May 28th, 1847 Along the South Platte
Today we crossed the South Platte river. For a long while the trail's been following beside it. Now we've crossed it and we'll connect with the North Platte and follow it.
We stopped traveling today after crossing the river because it took so long for everyone to get across. Not to mention we had problems with quicksand again. Pa, Clint, and Lem rode across the river first, testing with poles to find the easiest way to cross. Then they rode back to help wagons cross.
Everything was going just fine until the Sterlings started to cross. Mr. Sterling was the man who wanted to ride in the front of the train all the time. He and his wife have one daughter, and they don't associate with people much.
Anyways, when the Sterlings started to cross, they somehow got a little out of line from where the other wagons'd gone. About halfway across, their wagon stopped, and wouldn't budge. Then all of a sudden, the back end dropped deeper into the water. Some of the Sterling's things just washed out and down the river. Mrs. Sterling and her daughter were clinging to each other and screaming.
Pa and some of the other men went in a they finally go them pulled out. Pa said it'd been quicksand in the riverbed. Their one wheel had gotten sucked in and pulled the other one with it. The Sterling's lost a lot of their food supplies, so we pooled as many supplies as we could spare and helped them.
Later
The Sterlings have decided to turn around and go back. They'll be taking the trail that the Mormons use, because Mrs. Sterling won't cross the South Platte again.
Seems sad to me, giving up dreams of a new life. All because of a river crossing that went bad. I know that for our family, there's nothing to return to. There is no turning back for the Lewis'.
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