In this way they urged their slow and painful course to the south down John Day’s Creek, until it lost itself in a swamp.  Here they encamped upon the ice among stiffened willows, where they were obliged to beat down and clear away the snow to procure pasturage for their horses.

Hence they toiled on to Godin River; so called after an Iroquois hunter in the service of Sublette, who was murdered there by the Blackfeet.  Many of the features of this remote wilderness are thus named after scenes of violence and bloodshed that occurred to the early pioneers.  It was an act of filial vengeance on the part of Godin’s son Antoine that, as the reader may recollect, brought on the recent battle at Pierre’s Hole.

From Godin’s River, Captain Bonneville and his followers came out upon the plain of the Three Butes, so called from three singular and isolated hills that rise from the midst.  It is a part of the great desert of Snake River, one of the most remarkable tracts beyond the mountains.  Could they have experienced a respite from their sufferings and anxieties, the immense landscape spread out before them was calculated to inspire admiration.  Winter has its beauties and glories as well as summer; and Captain Bonneville had the soul to appreciate them.

Far away, says he, over the vast plains, and up the steep sides of the lofty mountains, the snow lay spread in dazzling whiteness:  and whenever the sun emerged in the morning above the giant peaks, or burst forth from among clouds in his midday course, mountain and dell, glazed rock and frosted tree, glowed and sparkled with surpassing lustre.  The tall pines seemed sprinkled with a silver dust, and the willows, studded with minute icicles reflecting the prismatic rays, brought to mind the fairy trees conjured up by the caliph’s story-teller to adorn his vale of diamonds.

The poor wanderers, however, nearly starved with hunger and cold, were in no mood to enjoy the glories of these brilliant scenes; though they stamped pictures on their memory which have been recalled with delight in more genial situations.

Encamping at the west Bute, they found a place swept by the winds, so that it was bare of snow, and there was abundance of bunch grass.  Here the horses were turned loose to graze throughout the night.  Though for once they had ample pasturage, yet the keen winds were so intense that, in the morning, a mule was found frozen to death.  The trappers gathered round and mourned over him as over a cherished friend.  They feared their half-famished horses would soon share his fate, for there seemed scarce blood enough left in their veins to withstand the freezing cold.  To beat the way further through the snow with these enfeebled animals seemed next to impossible; and despondency began to creep over their hearts, when, fortunately, they discovered a trail made by some hunting party.  Into this they immediately entered, and proceeded with less difficulty.  Shortly afterward, a fine buffalo bull came bounding across the snow and was instantly brought down by the hunters.  A fire was soon blazing and crackling, and an ample repast soon cooked, and sooner dispatched; after which they made some further progress and then encamped.  One of the men reached the camp nearly frozen to death; but good cheer and a blazing fire gradually restored life, and put his blood in circulation.