RK-447

647

Lawrence Co. Arkansas.

Camp[?] C. S. F. R. R. Engineers Feby[?] 1st[?] 1858

My Dear Robert

What have you been thinking and saying of me - I did receive your kind and welcome epistle - inform= =ing me of your return from the wilds of the North etc- etc-

And now here am I seated by the camp fire in the wilds of the south - endeavoring to render you an equivalent, but this blasted smoke bothers me so - you know how a camp fire smokes - always in your eye's. I should make you a long excuse for not writing sooner. did I not know before hand that when you leave that I have been troubled with an serious attack

[page turned] Do you intend returning the coming summer and go over the same route you hav were last [word crossed out] north of Red River etc- etcwrite me how you relish living in Washington - and in fact any thing Bob you always write interesting letters. My hand pains me so tonight that I cant write any thing readable Respects and love to all Yours with great Regard Fred Staring

of the "profound lethargy" you mention in yours - I should instantly be forgiven, therefore if this is not written very stylish &c - please pardon the writer, for its in a bad way I am - Bob - And no mistake - Jany 21st I was accidentally shot through the left hand and my nerves are not the steadiest yet.

But I think I hear you say - I wonder what the devil Fred is doing in the swamp and overflows of Arkansaw at this season of the year.

Listen - It was ordered by the Directors of C. S. F. R. R. of Arkansas - that a portion of the Line between the Missouri boundary and White River be surveyed and located this Winter. And in the absence of

a better and the impossibility to get one in time your humble servt. was appointed first Asst. Engr. for the location & survey.

Early in Dec last I got the camp equipage - Instruments &c. together and went round by water with them to Jackson fort via Arkansas and White Rivers - a distance of seven hundred miles, there I met the balance of the Corps who I they having come from Little Rock over land.

We loaded up and started for the woods - And here I am forty miles from a post office and the Lord only knows how far from any other place.

We have four tents & equipments a la milatarie - ten axemen - three servants - two teams - two saddle horses, and three Engrs. besides myself - the survey will probably

last from six weeks to two or three months longer.

We have a hard time - for the line most of the way runs through the swamps and over flows of this region and we are in the water waist deep three fourths of the time when on the line. Some places we have had swimming - others have been obliged to build rafts. All of which is very unpleasant - especially when snow and ice is mixed with the water. Some of these cold nights think of a poor devil away in the swamps of Arkansaw and send him a good wish - write me on rect. of this - direct to Little Rock same as before. I have the blues, some to night and dare not trust my self to write much -

I have some specimens which I will bring you when I return to Illinois and have found a live Naturalist in Arkansas. He is a Frenchman by name of Richard a proppe Principal of the Little Rock Seminary. I will write you more of Him in my next - He has a valuable collection and I think you can get some fine specimens from Him. How long do you reamin in Washington?