s men had been confined to half a meal in twenty-four
hours; for three days following, they had subsisted on a single beaver,
a few wild cherries, and the soles of old moccasins; and for the last
six days their only animal food had been the carcass of a dog. They had
been three days' journey further down the river than Mr. Hunt, always
keeping as near to its banks as possible, and frequently climbing over
sharp and rocky ridges that projected into the stream. At length they
had arrived to where the mountains increased in height, and came
closer to the river, with perpendicular precipices, which rendered
it impossible to keep along the stream. The river here rushed with
incredible velocity through a defile not more than thirty yards
wide, where cascades and rapids succeeded each other almost without
intermission. Even had the opposite banks, therefore, been such as to
permit a continuance of their journey, it would have been madness to
attempt to pass the tumultuous current either on rafts or otherwise.
Still bent, however, on pushing forward, they attempted to climb the
opposing mountains; and struggled on through the snow for half a day
until, coming to where they could command a prospect, they found that
they were not half way to the summit, and that mountain upon mountain
lay piled beyond them, in wintry desolation. Famished and emaciated as
they were, to continue forward would be to perish; their only chance
seemed to be to regain the river, and retrace their steps up its banks.
It was in this forlorn and retrograde march that they had met Mr. Hunt
and his party.

Mr. Crooks also gave information of some others of their fellow
adventurers. He had spoken several days previously with Mr. Reed and
Mr. M'Kenzie, who with their men were on the opposite side of the river,
where it was impossible to get over to them. They informed him that Mr.
M'Lellan had struck across from the little river above the mountains, in
the hope of falling in with some of the tribe of Flatheads, who inhabit
the western skirts of the Rocky range. As the companions of Reed and
M'Kenzie were picked men, and had found provisions more abundant on
their side of the river, they were in better condition, and more fitted
to contend with the difficulties of the country, than those of Mr.
Crooks, and when he lost sight of them, were pushing onward, down the
course of the river.

Mr. Hunt took a night to revolve over his critical situation, and to
determ