{No Turning Back-part XX}
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| Caldron Linn |
August 29th, 1847 Caldron Linn
Seems this trail leaves no one untouched. Each person is effected in one way or another. Today was Joel's turn.
I took a turn driving the wagon today so that Joel and Clint could go hunting. We've been running kinda short on fresh food. Even wild vegetables are getting kinda scarce. Every now and then we find some if we look hard enough.
Anyhow, Joel and Clint rode off from the trail to hunt this morning. They were planning to be gone most of the day, so I sent some bacon and cornbread with them for lunch in a gunny sack. Then I climbed up on the wagon seat and headed out from camp.
In the afternoon, while I was practically dozing, Clint came galloping towards our wagon yelling my name. I couldn't stop the wagon to see what he wanted, bein' as how I was in the middle of the train, so I just kept driving and waited until he got to the wagon.
"Ya better come quick."Clint said to me, "Joel's been mauled by a bear."
After saying a quick prayer, I asked where he was. "I had to leave him in the woods. He's bad off."
"Ya left him with a bear out in the woods?" I almost yelled.
"Callie, I shot the bear dead. Now come on."
I handed the reins to Andy, who was thankfully sitting beside me. "If ya see Missy, tell to make up some sorta bed in the back." I ducked into the wagon and grabbed a sheet, a blanket, and a bottle of iodine. Then I came back outta the wagon and jumped onto Flint's back, behind the saddle, and put my arms around Clint's middle.
At the time I didn't think nothing of this, I was so worried 'bout Joel, but tonight as I think on it, my cheeks burn with shame. I never shoulda put my arms round Clint. That was far too familiar, even if he is courting me. I made a promise to God I'd never touch a man like that until I could do it to my husband.
We galloped back to where Joel was laying face down on the ground. I slid off Flint and hurried to him. "Joel?" I said. He groaned in response.
The back of his shirt was dark with blood, and so was some of the hair on the back of his head. I helped Clint take off his shirt, and we had to peel it from his back. I sucked in a big bunch of air when I saw the cuts.
You could see where each claw on the bear's paw cut. Deep slashes from his shoulder down to the middle of his back. I could see the meat of his back hanging out in ribbons. I gave the sheet to Clint and he started to tear it in strips. "Joel?" I said again, "I'm gonna have to put iodine on you to clean it. It's gonna sting." Joel nodded his head slightly.
I took some of the sheet and first wiped away the blood with some water from Clint's canteen. Turns out the scratch on his head wasn't too bad. Then I poured iodine on all of the wounds. Joel's whole body tensed, but he didn't cry out. Then Clint helped me wrap the strips of cloth around Joel's chest and back.
Then me and Clint rigged up a way to carry Joel back. We tied the blanket to two poles Clint cut from some green trees. Then we got Joel on it, and made it so we carried it between the horses single-file. I felt bad for Joel, cause he had to lay face-down. He still is layin' that way right now in the wagon. Must make for hard sleepin'.
By the time we set off and caught up with the train, they were camped at Caldron Linn, a waterfall, and dark was falling.
Now I'm sitting by the fire, ready to fall into my bed, I'm so tired. Worryin' really wears you down. Clint's already asleep with his hands under his head and his boots practically in the fire. Pa just threw a blanket on him.
Goodnight.
August 20th, 1847
I sat with Joel most of the day, when I wasn't driving the wagon. He's in real bad pain and I don't think the bumping of the wagon helps.
Pa says we gotta start puttin' in more miles, or we'll end up in the mountains in the snow. So tomorrow morning we'll be getting up earlier and traveling as late as we can. It's not going to be very late, because the days are already gettin' shorter.
August 31st, 1847
I think an infection's setting in Joel's wounds. They don't seem to be healing at all, and I think he's starting a fever.
Today we had to cross Rock Creek, but to get to it we had to go down into a gorge. It was slow moving, and the bumping was so bad some of the cuts on Joel's back started bleeding again. I poured on some witch hazel I found.
Viola gave me some dried willow bark to make a tea for Joel in case his fever gets too high. It was nice to walk with her again, even though I had to climb back onto the wagon within about two hours.
Think I'll stop writing now and go pray for my brother.
Seems this trail leaves no one untouched. Each person is effected in one way or another. Today was Joel's turn.
I took a turn driving the wagon today so that Joel and Clint could go hunting. We've been running kinda short on fresh food. Even wild vegetables are getting kinda scarce. Every now and then we find some if we look hard enough.
Anyhow, Joel and Clint rode off from the trail to hunt this morning. They were planning to be gone most of the day, so I sent some bacon and cornbread with them for lunch in a gunny sack. Then I climbed up on the wagon seat and headed out from camp.
In the afternoon, while I was practically dozing, Clint came galloping towards our wagon yelling my name. I couldn't stop the wagon to see what he wanted, bein' as how I was in the middle of the train, so I just kept driving and waited until he got to the wagon.
"Ya better come quick."Clint said to me, "Joel's been mauled by a bear."
After saying a quick prayer, I asked where he was. "I had to leave him in the woods. He's bad off."
"Ya left him with a bear out in the woods?" I almost yelled.
"Callie, I shot the bear dead. Now come on."
I handed the reins to Andy, who was thankfully sitting beside me. "If ya see Missy, tell to make up some sorta bed in the back." I ducked into the wagon and grabbed a sheet, a blanket, and a bottle of iodine. Then I came back outta the wagon and jumped onto Flint's back, behind the saddle, and put my arms around Clint's middle.
At the time I didn't think nothing of this, I was so worried 'bout Joel, but tonight as I think on it, my cheeks burn with shame. I never shoulda put my arms round Clint. That was far too familiar, even if he is courting me. I made a promise to God I'd never touch a man like that until I could do it to my husband.
We galloped back to where Joel was laying face down on the ground. I slid off Flint and hurried to him. "Joel?" I said. He groaned in response.
The back of his shirt was dark with blood, and so was some of the hair on the back of his head. I helped Clint take off his shirt, and we had to peel it from his back. I sucked in a big bunch of air when I saw the cuts.
You could see where each claw on the bear's paw cut. Deep slashes from his shoulder down to the middle of his back. I could see the meat of his back hanging out in ribbons. I gave the sheet to Clint and he started to tear it in strips. "Joel?" I said again, "I'm gonna have to put iodine on you to clean it. It's gonna sting." Joel nodded his head slightly.
I took some of the sheet and first wiped away the blood with some water from Clint's canteen. Turns out the scratch on his head wasn't too bad. Then I poured iodine on all of the wounds. Joel's whole body tensed, but he didn't cry out. Then Clint helped me wrap the strips of cloth around Joel's chest and back.
Then me and Clint rigged up a way to carry Joel back. We tied the blanket to two poles Clint cut from some green trees. Then we got Joel on it, and made it so we carried it between the horses single-file. I felt bad for Joel, cause he had to lay face-down. He still is layin' that way right now in the wagon. Must make for hard sleepin'.
By the time we set off and caught up with the train, they were camped at Caldron Linn, a waterfall, and dark was falling.
Now I'm sitting by the fire, ready to fall into my bed, I'm so tired. Worryin' really wears you down. Clint's already asleep with his hands under his head and his boots practically in the fire. Pa just threw a blanket on him.
Goodnight.
August 20th, 1847
I sat with Joel most of the day, when I wasn't driving the wagon. He's in real bad pain and I don't think the bumping of the wagon helps.
Pa says we gotta start puttin' in more miles, or we'll end up in the mountains in the snow. So tomorrow morning we'll be getting up earlier and traveling as late as we can. It's not going to be very late, because the days are already gettin' shorter.
August 31st, 1847
I think an infection's setting in Joel's wounds. They don't seem to be healing at all, and I think he's starting a fever.
Today we had to cross Rock Creek, but to get to it we had to go down into a gorge. It was slow moving, and the bumping was so bad some of the cuts on Joel's back started bleeding again. I poured on some witch hazel I found.
Viola gave me some dried willow bark to make a tea for Joel in case his fever gets too high. It was nice to walk with her again, even though I had to climb back onto the wagon within about two hours.
Think I'll stop writing now and go pray for my brother.
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