p. 402

408-
[402]
1839.

We staid at Jefferson, a town containing one house! (Mrs. Darling's). It is the county seat for Jefferson county.***

Yours affectionately,

Increase.

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Friday evening, April 19th, 1839..........

My dear wife,--

I have now seated myself on a bundle of bed clothes and have a small portable desk before me resting on the tongue of our baggage wagon. I have just finished a hard days work in endeavoring to bring our work to the Menomonee river. Under these circumstances I propose to answer your very acceptable favor which I assure you was read with no ordinary degree of interest.***

I am sorry that I was the means of exciting a hope that I should return sooner than we supposed, for such a hope will hardly be realized. Although we ran four miles the first day and got to Redfield the next, we had to remain there three days in our endeavors to find the best route for the canal. On Wednesday, we crossed at the Fox river and up to last night we were tracing along the margin of an immensely large swamp. Some of the branches or spurs we had to cross and can testify as to their depth which is not very small. Mrs. Kilbourne of course went around them.

We have now arrived at the Menominee river at a point eleven miles from Milwaukee and shall follow it down tomorrow and next day to Hiram Burdicks.***

Mr. Mitchell went to town this morning and has promised to call on you and procure some things for me. He will probably see you before you get this.

It will probably take us all of next week to complete our work, but we may be so near home that I can make you a call