Dear Alice

Have been going to write all day but couldn’t get at it untill about the last chance that I can have on board this boat & after we leave the boat it is probable we will find no more time or opportunity for letter writing untill we reach our destination so I thot I would write you from this place thinking it might be agreeable to have intelligence of our progress before we get entirely thro’ with our journey. We have made slow progress, very, in consequence of low water, and a
boat so heavily laden that it has been difficult to keep her floating in daylight; having to tie up of nights.

Many a stick we have had on the sand bars & many a snag has made the boat quiver & bound till I have been seriously concerned about her safety, because if she had sprang a leak we would have been put the trouble and perhaps loss of getting our baggage off and obtaining passage on another craft. But we are within three hours of our stopping place & I have no doubt now but that we will be on land by sunset. The boat shakes so that I cannot write without making a rather old looking hand of it. There has been nothing of particular interest since we left St. Louis. I have endeavoured to make the time seem short by reading novels, but having nothing

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in the way of business or otherwise to claim my attention I could but think of that which was the nearest to my mind’s heart; home – My angel of a wife and our dear little girls. Oh! You don’t know – maybe you do tho’ – what a satisfaction, a delight it has been to me to have your miniature to look at, and, Alice, a tale which I read caused me to feel, for several days, a painful anxiety for your safety. I felt afraid you would try to lead Comet out with a halter & let him kick you, or would get thrown from him with your foot fast in the stirrup, or some thing else. I can’t tell how many things I thot of. You will be right careful wont you? I always felt proud of your
spirit but I want you to wait untill I get home again before you indulge to much of it. I know that Comet is not safe at all times especially in cool weather, & when he has but little to do. How do you get along with the dairy? Dont the cows go away and stay away too? Tell me all about the affairs at home, how you got back from R. Isld. How you expect to arrange matters this winter.
If Maria will be with you & lots of other things.

We each of us had some washing done on the boat and O dear me! what ironing, but no matter I guess for I think that we will want only our blue shirts after we reach Sugar Mound. The weather was very sultry up to Friday morning. Since that time it has been cool & sometimes cold bring over coats into requisition during the daytime.

No more at present, so good bye love untill we get to Sugar Mound. With love to all I am
Yours always Jo
Kiss the children for me & Maria too if she is close by