Next winter I chopped wood for thirty-five cents per cord and boarded myself.
This was poor business; poorer than hunting.

In summer I found work at various things, but in the fall Mr.Buck and myself concluded that as we were both hunters and trappers, we would go northward toward Lake Superior on a hunting expedition, and, perhaps remain all winter.

We replenished our outfit, and engaged Mr.Bennett to take us well up into the north country.

We crossed the Wisconsin River near Muscoda, went then to Prairie du Chien, where we found a large stone fur trading house, owned by Mr.Brisbois, a Frenchman, from whom we obtained some information of the country further on.

He assured us there was no danger from the Indians if we let them alone and treated them fairly.
We bought fifty pounds of flour for each of us, and then started up the divide between the Wisconsin and Mississippi Rivers.