Les pioniers

16 february 1856,

Dear diary, I’ve been working here for a year now, as a pioneer. I have already seen many of my comrades, friends and family die because of the difficult living conditions that are offered to us. I almost never see the day, and the dust from the machines keeps me from breathing. I almost never see the day, and the dust from the machines keeps me from breathing. A friend of mine, Sophia was martyred by the chief, a white who shows only his fortune, his made punctured an eye, I think he risks infecting himself and thus causing his death. I’m really scared because she’s one of my only friends here...

Georgia, my sister has been raped and isolated from the rest of the group.

I need help because this situation traumatizes me day by day…

7 april 1856,

Yesterday with James and Louis we decided to run away. Walt Whitman’s poem inspired us and we wanted to do as he did, run away and regain our freedom. It was very hard to escape because guards almost took us but we succeeded, I nevertheless had to knock out a guard and it saddened me but also gave a feeling of powerful, it is very paradoxical. On horseback we crossed the Great Plains and met a painter during the sunset. Louis shouted a more than joyful hello to him and kept saying that it was Albert Bierstadt. There was a good mood and for the first time in 2 years I felt free and well."WE HAVE A FREE LIFE," cried Louis.

...