It was storming hard when we got to St. Joseph,
Missouri. We put up at a hotel, but before our animals
were in a stable Eagan was gone. I could not find him
that night, albeit we searched for him diligently. I
was afraid he would be robbed; but he happened to
meet honest men, as drunkards will, who put him in bed,
and kept him and his money in safety until morning.
After leaving St. Joseph, where we had purchased a
lot of supplies, we started for winter quarters; we had
to go through six feet of snow the whole distance.
We reached our friends. I had two hundred dollars,
of which the soldiers had made me a present. I took



LEE GOES TO SANTA FE 253

three of the mules we had found on the way, and divided
the others between my companions. We reached win-
ter quarters, now called Florence, on the 15th day of
December, 1846. The snow was deep, and my family,
all living in tents, were in a suffering condition. But I
must report to Brigham, then attend to my family. My
family received me as they always did, with open arms
and thankful hearts.
