We had not been long in Huntsville till the mob made a rally to use us up with the rest of the Smiths, and, at the earnest request of our friends, we thought best to push on. The wind was in our faces, the ground was slippery, it was night, and very dark, nevertheless we proceeded on our journey. Traveling twenty-two miles, we came to the Chariton river, which we found frozen over, but the ice too weak to bear us, and the boat on the west side of the river. We went to the next ferry. Finding that there was no boat here, and that in the next neighborhood a man's brains were beat out for being a "Mormon," we returned to the first ferry, and tried by hallooing to raise the ferryman on the opposite side of the river, but were not able to awaken him. We were almost benumbed with cold, and to warm ourselves we commenced scuffling and jumping, we then beat our feet upon the logs and stumps, in order to start a circulation of blood; but at last Cousin George became so cold and sleepy that he said he could not stand it any longer, and lay down. I told him he was freezing to death; I then cut a stick and said I would thrash him. At this he got up and undertook to thrash me, this stirred his blood a little, but he soon lay down again; however, the ferryman in a short time came over, and set us on our own side of the river. We then traveled on until about breakfast time, when we stopped at the house of a man, who, we afterwards learned, was Senator Ashby, that commanded the mob at Haun's Mill. That night we stayed at one of the bitterest of mobocrats, by the name of Fox, and started the next morning without breakfast. Our route lay through a wild prairie, where there was but very little track, and only one house in forty miles. The northwest wind blew fiercely in our faces, and the ground was so slippery that we could scarcely keep our feet, and when the night came on, to add to our perplexity, we lost our way. Soon after which, I became so cold that it was with great difficulty I could keep from freezing. We also became extremely thirsty; however, we found a remedy for this, by cutting through ice three inches thick. While we were drinking we heard a cow bell, this caused our hearts to leap for joy, and we arose and steered our course towards the sound. We soon entered a grove, which sheltered us from the wind, and we felt more comfortable. In a short time we came to a house, where George was well acquainted; here we were made welcome and kindly entertained. We laid down to rest about 2 o'clock in the morning, after having traveled one hundred and ten miles in two days and two nights. After breakfast, I set out for Far West, leaving George sick with our hospitable friend. When I arrived, I was fortunate enough to find my family alive and in tolerable health, which was more than I could have expected, considering the scenes of persecution through which they had passed. * * * * LETTERS OF DON C. SMITH TO HIS WIFE, AGNES.