Diary of William Polke
Saturday, 22 Sept. 1838
“At 8 o’clock we left our encampment and entered the prairie at Sidney. The day was exceedingly cold. The night previous had brought us quite a heavy rain, and the morning came in cold and blustry. Our journey was immediately across the prairie, which at this point is entirely divested of timber for sixteen miles. The emigrants suffered a good deal, but still appeared to be cheerful. The health of the camp continues to improve—not a death has occurred to-day, and the cool bracing weather will go far towards recruiting the health of the invalids.”
“A wagoner was discharged today for drunkenness. Dissipation is almost entirely unknown in the camp.”
“Tonight, however, two Indians were found to have possessed themselves of liquor and become intoxicated. They were arrested and put under guard. Some six or eight persons were left at Davis’s Point this morning, for want of the means of transportation. They came in this evening. We are at present encamped at Sidoris’s Grove, sixteen miles distant from Sidney. Water quite scarce.”
