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 Chapter 9

   July 5, 1847



   I turned back to my wives and asked in a whisper, "What is going on
here?"



   Elizabeth answered, "Claire and I decided that Louise needed to find out
that the loving of a good man is nothing like the rapes she suffered after
she was taken by the slavers."



   "Did any of you think to talk to me about this to see what I thought?" I
was getting really pissed about not being consulted.



   Silence answered me.  "I've had it with being set up by you two!  If you
want this to be a marriage then you need to remember our vows.  We promised
to discuss things that affected our marriage as a group.  That means all of
us not just you!  Until you accept that I have a voice in this marriage,
I'm sleeping with the unmarried men."



   I got up and gathered my clothes.  Quietly I left the wagon and went to
the main fire.  Nothing was said by me, Louise or my wives.



   Due to the birth last night, I advised the wagon master that we needed
to wait for one more day before any extensive travel.  He said it would
take at least two days for us to get all the wagons across.  We spent
yesterday checking the wagons for watertightness and using double teams to
move the wagons across the Green River.  We have managed to get all the
wagons across without loss so far, but we lost one team of oxen when they
had to be cut loose after they were swept away from the crossing.  We have
enough to make up the loss but this will reduce us to the minimum needed to
pull the wagons.  The wagon master has been going through the wagons
advising people to discard items they don't have to have.  If we needed any
more oxen some of the people may have to throw out all but the essentials.



   Several people have asked if we could take items of sentimental value
they can't bear to leave.  I had to put my foot down when some people
wanted to load barrels of dishes and other heavy items.  I have told people
that we will take pictures and family Bibles or diaries only.



   I have taken out my blankets and enough clothes for the next few days
and have joined the single men.  I have been asked questions about this,
but I have refused to say anything.  I saw Corrie Morrett go to our wagon
today.  She has become the wagon train's Mother Confessor, where all the
women go to get advice about personal problems.  I've yet to talk to either
my wives or Louise today.  Either I am a full member of this marriage or
I'm going my own way when we get to Oregon.  I may go to California, since
I know where some of the bigger gold strikes occurred.  I hate the idea of
leaving Claire and Elizabeth, but I can't stay if this keeps going on.



   God, but it's hard to get to sleep alone in my bed.  I have been awake
for at least half the night.  I am writing this at the main fire after I
gave up getting to sleep.  I have to get some sleep though, because we are
taking our wagon across tomorrow.

   July 6, 1847



   I managed to get some sleep after I borrowed some whiskey from one of
the single men.  I'm paying for it right now.  I don't know what they put
in that so called whiskey, but I have a splitting headache, and only willow
bark tea to help it with.  We are the third to cross this morning and I
have to lead the teams across the river while Elizabeth drives.  Claire and
Louise have already crossed on the horses and are waiting for us on the
other side.  I spoke to Elizabeth and Claire this morning but only to
coordinate when we were crossing and who was responsible for what.  By
mutual but unspoken agreement, we have not said anything about our
disagreement.



   I am next to go over the crossing.  I have been told to make sure I keep
in the middle of the crossing and follow the directions of the wagon master
during the crossing.  I see Claire and Louise waiting for us and waving as
we are about to cross.  I have given this journal to Elizabeth to keep
until I have successfully made the crossing.

   July 6, 1847

   Alex was injured by a submerged log while crossing the Green River.  He
remains unconscious and is running a fever.  We are taking care of him as
best we can but don't have his knowledge.  We pray to God that he survives.
I don't know what we would do without him ?  Elizabeth

   July 7, 1847



   Alex has been semi-conscious today and is drinking the willow bark tea
that Louise has brewed for him.  Many in the wagon train have offered their
sympathy about his injury.  We are determined we will not lose him.  -
Claire



   I hope he gets well.  I have finally found a kind man who accepts me as
I am.  I am in love with him, although I know he doesn't love me.  Please
Lord, help him get well.  - Louise

   July 8, 1847



   I woke up in our wagon, with Elizabeth bathing my head.  I heard Claire
and Louise talking on the wagon seat and felt the wagon moving.  I heard a
loud screech from Elizabeth and the next thing I knew I was covered by
three women kissing me.  From the babel of voices I gathered that I had
been out for the last two days after being hit by a submerged log while we
were crossing the Green River.  I had been carried downstream after I was
hit and went under the water.  Claire was mounted and she rode downstream
and saw me about a hundred feet downstream.  One of the men grabbed hold of
her stirrup and they were able to reach me before I was swept too much
further.



   I had been pulled out and after coughing up a large amount of the Green
River and vomiting most of the rest, had become unconscious and began to
run a fever.  Louise remembered that I had recommended a willow bark tea
for fever and had been feeding me that during my limited periods of
consciousness.  I remembered nothing of this and to be honest didn't feel
strong enough to care.  All I wanted to do was sleep after I got something
to eat.  Elizabeth feed me bread and kissed me as I fell asleep.

   July 9, 1847



   I woke up this morning with both my wives next to me and Louise's arm
thrown across Elizabeth and me.  I moved and suddenly had three women
getting up and helping me out of the wagon.  I needed the help too.  I had
cloth tightly wrapped around my chest and felt unsteady on my feet.  I
managed to take a leak by myself by leaning on the wagon and tottered over
to the main fire to get a cup of coffee from the common pot.  I was greeted
by most of the people around the fire and found myself being given a choice
of bacon, buffalo, or eggs from one of the Patterson's chickens as well as
bread or some of last nights soup.  Claire, Elizabeth and Louise made sure
my cup didn't become empty and my plate remained full until I was full. 
Thanking everyone, I managed to get up and assisted by the women returned
to our wagon.



   After we got back to our wagon, my wives and Louise looked at each other
and Elizabeth acted as the spokesman.  "We apologize for not talking to you
about Louise and we promise to never decide anything that will affect the
family without talking to you.  Will you forgive us?  Please?"



   I looked at all three.  "I'll forgive you this time, but remember I told
you what I expected from this marriage and what I was willing to give. 
This is a marriage not a dictatorship or a game.  If you don't treat me
with the respect I give you, then this marriage will end as soon as we get
to Oregon.  Is this understood?"



   Louise spoke up hesitantly, "Are you including me in this marriage?"



   I looked at her, "Do you want to be?"



   "Yes" she cried.



   I looked at my two wives, "As this affects the family my wives must
agree as well.  Do you two agree?  Claire?  Elizabeth?"



   "Yes"



   "I agree"



   "When we get the chance at daybreak, we will repeat our vows and you can
join our marriage."



   I lay back on the bed and Claire and Louise cuddled against me.  My eyes
closed and I fell asleep again.  When I awoke again we were coming to a
stop for the night.  My eyes were gritty and my mouth was dry.  Claire and
Louise were no longer by my side but they had left a bottle of water next
to the bed.  I uncorked the bottle and drank.  To my surprise I tasted
lemon.  I didn't think anyone had lemons on the wagon train.  I got up and
left the wagon feeling much better this time.  After taking care of the
needs of the body, I went to the main fire.  I saw Claire and Louise
cooking our dinner and looking around I saw Elizabeth putting the oxen with
the herd for the night.  As I walked over to the fire I greeted several of
the women there and greeted Emma Kroener and asked how her son was doing.
She began to list a series of incidents that showed how marvelous her boy
Peter was.  I looked at him and saw he was healthy and appeared to have
five fingers and five toes and agreed with his mother that he was indeed
marvelous.



   We ate dinner and returned to our wagon.  I was too weak for regular sex
with my wives but we cuddled and talked until we fell asleep.  Unlike the
fifth, we had no visitors requiring emergency care.

   July 10, 1847



   We got up before dawn and walked away from the wagon train until we got
to a small dip in the valley exposed to the morning sun.  We renewed our
vows at daybreak including Louise in them.  We gave each other a hug and
returned to the wagon train in time to eat breakfast.  This morning I
wasn't offered my choice of food, but I didn't miss it.  I was happy just
to have healed the split between my wives and I.



   I found out that we had gotten over the Green River with the loss of the
team of oxen and one overturned wagon which we were able to recover,
although much of the items inside were lost.  Our wagon managed to get
across all right in spite of my accident.  We have been slowed by the ice
melt as it has caused extensive flooding in the pass, but we are about to
enter the Great Northern Desert.  The gamble the wagon train made leaving
so early in the spring to avoid the worst of the flooding has been
successful.



   We are about to enter the lands of the Arapaho and have not seen any
signs of the Cheyenne.  When I thought about it I'm surprised we have seen
anyone at all out here.  The bands of Indians are small as well as our
train in this vast region.  It is a matter of chance that we meet up with
each other.



   I have seen few patients today.  Most of the people are boiling their
drinking water and this has led to a great reduction of fevers and stomach
problems.  I have seen some problems which I do not know how to treat
though.  One man came in complaining of round worms in his stool.  I have
recommended that he make up some molasses and sulfur to treat the problem.
We used that at times to treat mild cases of round worms in dogs.  I know
that wormwood extract or several other poisons could be used but I'm not
sure how much would be safe to use.



   I lost my first patient today.  The young son of Herman Ortmann was
brought over to see me.  He and the other children had been playing around
the wagon and he had been pushed or fell in front of the wagon wheel.  His
legs were crushed by the weight of the wagon.  I tried to stop the bleeding
with tourniquets but he had lost too much blood.  He died 3 hours after he
was brought to me.  He was 4 years old.



   I lost my composure afterwards and had to go to my wagon.  I felt like a
total failure.  My wives came in to console me but it was the father coming
up to me later and thanking me for my efforts that made me realize that I
had done the best I could and no one blamed me for his death.  I know that
any modern doctor in my time could have saved him, but with the tools I had
available, it was impossible.  It was driving me crazy until he thanked me,
as I was thinking that any competent doctor could have saved him with a
blood transfusion.



   We went to bed and my wives decided that Claire would be the one to
console me.  I spent much of the night being held by Claire while my back
was rubbed by Elizabeth and Louise.  They kept telling me how good I was
and how no one could have done better.  Perhaps when we wake up, I will
believe it.

   July 11, 1847



   We have entered the Great Northern Desert.  We have been told to make
sure everything we have to hold water is full before we start.  The next
water is at least two days travel away.  We will need to feed and water the
animals from what we can carry, as there is a limited amount of grass
available for the stock at any one location.  The children have been tasked
with gathering all the grass they can cut and putting it on the wagons
while we are in the desert.  The wagon master has told us we can expect to
be in the desert for the next five to seven days.  We will be arriving at
Fort Bridger and be able to restock on water and have the blacksmith do
repairs on wagons.



   I told the children who were gathering grass to be sure and look out for
rattlesnakes.  Some of them had no idea what a rattlesnake looked like and
I was hard pressed to describe one.  I finally told them that if they heard
a rattle to stay very still and call for help from one of the adults.



   The vegetation is sparse for the most part, being mostly sagebrush with
scattered clumps of bunch grass.  The oxen are having a hard time pulling
some of the more heavily laden wagons through the sand in some areas and
the wagon master has already told several people that they will have to
reduce the weight if they wish to keep up with the wagon train.  We are
beginning to separate with the lighter wagons pulling ahead.  The lighter
wagons have been told to wait after we take our afternoon break until the
wagons have been gathered.  This means we will be staying an hour longer
than normal.



   I knew it!  My first snake bite victim has been handed to me.  I cut the
bite marks and squeezed the poison out as much as possible.  It is one of
the larger kids, and the bite seems to be a smaller snake, so I don't see
him dying.  He will be sick though and I have directed his mother to keep
him in his wagon.  Hopefully the others will learn from this and I will see
no other cases.



   We made perhaps 10 miles today.  After we placed the oxen in the night
herd, we gave them the grass that the children have been able to gather
today and have individually watered the oxen with pails of water.  I have
given our oxen about twice as much as the other people.  When asked, I told
them that I could bet by with less water if it meant that my oxen were
still pulling the wagon.



   Several people brought in rattlesnakes they had killed during the day. I
offered to skin them for the bodies.  I took the fangs and milked the
poison from the heads before I skinned them.  I asked Claire if she had
ever had snake before and she looked at me as if I were crazy.  I had to
cook them myself and after eating one of the snakes I managed to get
Elizabeth to try a bite.  She was surprised and told everyone that it
tasted like chicken.  Several other brave souls then tried it and found it
tasty.  I don't think I'll be able to get the same deal tomorrow.



   My wives talked to me after we went to bed and we decided that they
would divide the week up for them to be the center of attention during
lovemaking, as I told them that I was unable to satisfy three women every
night.  I told them to use rock paper scissors to decide as I wasn't going
to get involved with that decision.



   Elizabeth won and decided that she would try the reverse cowboy position
today.  Louise and Claire each picked a breast and began attacking it with
their hands and mouth.  I knelt down between her knees and worshiped her
pretty pussy.  Lifting and spreading her legs I pulled her outer labia
apart and gazed at her pretty clit and tunnel.  Spitting on my fingers I
reached two fingers inside her and spread her own moisture around.  I
lifted my fingers and licked them clean.  Taking out some more pussy juice
I offered my fingers to Claire and Louise who started to lick them clean.
Elizabeth became flushed and as I reached down to rub her clit she climaxed
with a loud scream.  Lifting her bottom, I pushed a blanket under it and
leaned forward to taste from the source.  Beginning from in front of her
rosebud, I gave her short tapping licks with my tongue around her tunnel
then as she gasped I began to lean in and make long strokes from her
rosebud to her clit.  She began bucking her hips and grabbing my head told
me to lay down.  She sat on me facing my feet , which allowed Claire and
Louise to have free access to her breasts and clit.  Louise used her hand
to message Claire's clit while Claire returned the favor.  Louise was the
first to climax grabbing Claire's face and kissed her mouth.  This caused
Claire to cum and that set off Elizabeth.  I had been trying not to cum
while this was going on and with a great feeling of release, came into
Elizabeth's tight cunt.



   We all felt satiated after this and laid down, caressing each other
until we fell asleep.  I for one slept like the dead.  And if anything
happened after that I don't know about it.

   July 12, 1847



   We began the day like we did yesterday.  We had been seeing more and
more items that had been left on the trail, when suddenly Elizabeth grabbed
my shoulder.



   "Alex, pull out of line!"



   I pulled out of line afraid that something had happened.  As soon as I
stopped the wagon, Elizabeth ran to a barrel by the road.



   "Claire!  Come here!  Isn't this Mother's dishes?"



   Claire ran over and they had me pull off the top of the barrel.  Both
women began crying and started picking through the bits and pieces of
broken porcelain.  As they picked through they managed to find occasional
unbroken pieces.  Gathering them together I took them to the wagon and
dumped the remaining pieces on the ground.  Pulling out the clothes they
used to cushion the dishes, I grabbed a small trunk nearby and took it back
to the wagon to pack them in.  Altogether they managed to find about twenty
unbroken pieces, none of which made a complete setting.



   I returned to the line and followed the wagon train.  Both Elizabeth and
Claire remained down for the rest of the day.  Louise kept holding them and
told me that I needed to make sure I was extra loving tonight.



   Claire and Elizabeth began whispering in each other's ears and continued
hugging each other for the rest of the day.  That night when we went to bed
Claire said she had something to tell the family.



   "I'm pregnant!"



   Elizabeth spoke up, "I may be pregnant too!"



   At that time Louise started crying.  Both Elizabeth and Claire hugged
her, but she continued to cry as if her heart was breaking.



   "I think I may be pregnant too, but it's not yours."