25th Dec (1858). Our explorers having made our reports of our discoveries down South. We leave the matter with the company to dissect, and form their own conclusions as to their future course. This is Saturday and Christmas, and we again visit Huntsville, and see nothing enticing. A miserable poor Christmas with us. The principal amusements and enjoyment in Huntsville is exhibitions of drunkness and fighting like so many dogs. An outrage manner to pass such a sacred day. 26th Dec (1858). Sabbath, cloudy. Part of our original company had already selected homes on Hortons creek, of which was composed of the Coon and Keistler families, and one of the Blackburn families temporarly on account of illness in the family, but afterwards settled in Johnson county, one and half miles north of Clarksville, and the most of their descendents lives in that county now. At Huntsville we attend the funeral procession of one Mr. Keeland of that vicinity. Nothing else of note took place. 27th Dec (1858). Cloudy and warm. The remander of our party, of which the writer was one, left Huntsville for Pope county three families being represented, viz., My mother and her family, John H. Blackburn' family and Aaron S. Robinson's family. We again drove up War Eagle river and took up camp after a days drive of 15 miles. 28th Dec (1858). Continue our journey, proceed to the source of War Eagle, cross War Eagle mountains and again came to White river, pass up a small stream to its source, then ascended the mountains, where we camped on their summits, in Franklin county, on Ozark road. Traveled 19 miles. 29th Dec (1858). Left our camp, decended the mountains, crossing many small streams, and crossed Big Mulberry and ascended the mountains again, by very steep and rough roads. Traveled a distance on their summits, then decended part of the way to the foot and camped seven miles from Ozark. Days drive 13 miles. 30th Dec (1858). We left our camp crossing the county to the old Military road leading from Little Rock to Fort Smith, and proceeded eastward over a very level country, crossing some beautiful streams, and passing some nice farms. Took up camp three miles west of Clarksville, after moving 19 miles. We are all rejoiced to set our feet on level land again, and leave the rough mountain country. 31st Dec (1858). Clear and cold, mover out of camp. Passed through Clarksville, a good backwoods town, having a large trade in stock, mostly cattle, which were brought up and driven across the plains to California at the risk of the drovers losing their lives and cattle as well as wagon trains by the wild Indians and what was worse the Mormon thieves and robbers. This only proves the risks men will take to accumulate money, the root of all evil, but we are all after root. After leaving Clarksville we again cross Piney river, 13 miles from Clarksville. Take up camp after a days drive of 18 miles. 01st Jan (1859). Clear and cold. Left camp, crossed the Pine ridges between Piney and Illinois Bayou a 9 mile drive. Passed several saw mills on our way. We this time forded the Bayou as it was much lower than when we had previously ferried it, although the ferryman stood by and told us we would certainly bog up, but one of our party who was inclined to believe him, mounted a horse and road across the stream several times and found a good safe crossing for teams and vehicles. Just soon as the ferryman saw that his cake was all dough with him so far as to raking in ferry sheckels he good naturedly directed drivers the best route to the crossing. After crossing the Bayou a four miles drive brought us again to the ancient village of Russellville, a small inland village, the buildings all appeared to have been erected years before. But we found all the dwellers to be good and clever people, (a few of the descendants of the old settlers are still there, an honor to their predecessors.) We went into camp after moving 18 miles for the day. 02nd Jan (1859). We again moved on our way although it was the Sabbath. After a days drive of 8 miles we came to the spot near our latter location. We went into camp near E.S. Withers, where we were crowed with visitors, many enquiring what's the latest news from the old country, (what would you think of anyone asking a question of this sort nowadays? Why, you would want to know at once what Insane Asylums were used for in Arkansas.) Many of our callers were natives of our old county of Lincoln North Carolina. We all undertook to take a good rest, as we had now, lacking only six days of being out on the wild, rough and worst roads for three months. But the most of us enjoyed it fine, especially the girls and boys but amongst them there were a few sick kittens, and those who had left there sweethearts behind; oh, how they did whine, but it all wore off as such things will if you will only give them a little time to think and see that there are others.