This was in 1847, and before Spring the war was being pushed in Mexico.

I tried to enlist for this service, but there were so many ahead of me I could not get a chance.
I still worked in the settlement and made a living, but had no chance to improve my land.

The next winter I lived with Mr A.Bennett, hunted deer and sold them at Mineral Point, and in this way made and saved a few dollars.
There had been from time to time rumors of a better country to the west of us and a sort of a pioneer, or western fever would break out among the people occasionally.

Thus in 1845 I had a slight touch of the disease on account of the stories they told us about Oregon.

It was reported that the Government would give a man a good farm if he would go and settle, and make some specified improvement.