Soul Stance River - 10

September is aging with a cool beauty and the Missouri seems to be hurrying the expedition into a world of natural splendor that is impatient to strip our spirit to it's bare light, in my silent moments of strategy I feel the birth pangs of winter in the air and know that an emergency of shelter will soon be the crucible, more days than not the river wind has aided the Corps of Discovery's adventure, rarely have we had to pull Destiny along by ropes and today I'm off the boat, hunting a fleet and mammoth goat the pronghorned antelope, unlike the buffalo and deer herds that have easily been in excess of 500, these shy creatures move about in small groups, seemingly familial in manner, a hide of short, soft white and brown hair which stripes the throat, and vicious charcoal horns that could impale a man in a single jolt, none of us has ever seen such an animal, these damn goats bolt like bullets every time I creep near they must be catching my scent for I am stealth and camouflaged, they are so agile and swift, unafraid to speed through the most dangerous ravines, getting back to camp with no hooves to show for my time I see that John Sheilds has sacked a peculiar hare, he calls it a jackrabbit, it is a monster rabbit no doubt 20 pounds dead and can leap like a rock across water, 20 foot spreads at full speed, we all laugh and agree this place is becoming more of a jungle than a prarie, any moment we may encounter apes and wherewolves, its good to see Private Shanon chuckle well since returning from being alone along the river for sixteen days nearly starved and maddened, the fires be hot and the kettles be kickin with the right stuff most of us are consuming 5, 000 calories per day including several pounds of meat each, the mission is teaching the men's' bodies new extremes, the exertion is remarkable, sunburn, blisters, rolled ankles, sprained wrists and backs, inadequate sleep, mosquito bites, spider bites, ant bites, hours of tedious paddling and foraging, no woman love, gaurd duties, chores, the stress of Indian encounters and ambush, home sickness, the only thing familiar to us is eachother, sharing our sufferings, sharing our survival, J.A.B.