That your kind mother should feel great reluctance in the premises, does not astonish me, as my own good Wife was much against my going on so long a Journey; but her Strong Sense of what is best for us all, and as well as in myself, the perfect confidence that our Maker's Will will be done, she has now no Scruples of any kind, and as for myself I rely as much as I ever have done in the Support of the Almighty Being who has supported and secured me against evils of all sorts in my Various undertakings, and with this Idea at my heart, I feel confident that although an Old Man, I could undertake any Journey whatever, and no matter of their lengths or difficulties. But I wish you would assure your good mother that to go to Yellow Stone River, in a good Steamer, as passengers by the courteous offers of the President of the American Fur Company who himself will go along with us, that the difficulties that existed some 30 years ago in such undertakings are now rendered as Smooth and easy as it is to go to Carlisle and return to N. Y. as many times as would make up the Sum in Miles of about 3000: Our difficulties (if any there are) will be felt on our return; when we must come back to St. Louis in one or 2 open boats in Sepr and part of Octr next. The passage being longer or shorter accordingly with the state of the Missouri at that Season.[192] Young Baird would gladly have accompanied Audubon, but the fears of his friends for his health and safety interposed, and the party as eventually made up comprised, beside the naturalist, John G. Bell, as taxidermist, Isaac Sprague, artist, Lewis Squires, general assistant and secretary, and his old friend Edward Harris. Audubon left his home on March 11, 1843, with Victor, who accompanied him as far as Philadelphia, where a rendezvous was made before starting west. The party went first to Baltimore, and by steam cars to Cumberland, then by coach through the Gap, and across the Alleghanies to Wheeling, where a steamer took them down river to Cincinnati. On March 19 they reached Louisville, where Audubon spent four days with his brother-in-law, William G. Bakewell, and on the 28th they arrived at St. Louis, where the party completed their outfit. On April 25 they began their ascent to the Missouri, in the steamer _Magnet_, a small vessel belonging to the American Fur Company, with a motley crowd of trappers, employed by the Company, representing French creoles, Canadian French, Indians, and other nationalities.