his course by day and night, scarce pausing until he reached the camp.  It was some time before the fugitives made their appearance.  Six days had they traversed the wintry wilds.  They came, haggard with hunger and fatigue, and their horses faltering under them.  The first object that met their eyes on entering the camp was the Shoshonie brave.  He rushed, knife in hand, to plunge it in the heart that had proved false to him.  The trapper threw himself before the cowering form of his mistress, and, exhausted as he was, prepared for a deadly struggle.  The Shoshonie paused.  His habitual awe of the white man checked his arm; the trapper’s friends crowded to the spot, and arrested him.  A parley ensued.  A kind of crim. con. adjudication took place; such as frequently occurs in civilized life.  A couple of horses were declared to be a fair compensation for the loss of a woman who had previously lost her heart; with this, the Shoshonie brave was fain to pacify his passion.  He returned to Captain Bonneville’s camp, somewhat crestfallen, it is true; but parried the officious condolements of his friends by observing that two good horses were very good pay for one bad wife.

48.

     Breaking up of winter quarters—­Move to Green River—­A
     trapper and his rifle—­An arrival in camp—­A free trapper
     and his squaw in distress—­Story of a Blackfoot belle.

The winter was now breaking up, the snows were melted, from the hills, and from the lower parts of the mountains, and the time for decamping had arrived.  Captain Bonneville dispatched a party to the caches, who brought away all the effects concealed there, and on the 1st of April (1835), the camp was broken up, and every one on the move.  The white men and their allies, the Eutaws and Shoshonies, parted with many regrets and sincere expressions of good-will; for their intercourse throughout the winter had been of the most friendly kind.

Captain Bonneville and his party passed by Ham’s Fork, and reached the Colorado, or Green River, without accident, on the banks of which they remained during the residue of the spring.  During this time, they were conscious that a band of hostile Indians were hovering about their vicinity, watching for an opportunity to slay or steal; but the vigilant precautions of Captain Bonneville baffled all their manoeuvres.  In such dangerous times, the experienced mountaineer is never without his rifle even in camp.  On going from lodge to lodge to visit his comrades, he takes it with him.  On seating himself in a lodge, he lays it beside him, ready to be snatched up; when he goes out, he takes it up as regularly as a citizen would his walking-staff.  His rifle is his constant friend and protector.

On the 10th of June, the party was a little to the east of the Wind River Mountains, where they halted for a time in excellent pasturage, to give their horses a chance to recruit their strength for a long journey; for it was Captain Bonneville’s intention to shape his course to the settlements; having already been detained by the complication of his duties, and by various losses and impediments, far beyond the time specified in his leave of absence.