e quantity of beaver skins, they made them
into packs, loaded their horses, and steered two hundred miles due
east. Here they came upon an encampment of sixty lodges of Arapahays, an
outlawed band of the Arrapahoes, and notorious robbers. These fell
upon the poor trappers; robbed them of their peltries, most of their
clothing, and several of their horses. They were glad to escape with
their lives, and without being entirely stripped, and after proceeding
about fifty miles further, made their halt for the winter.

Early in the spring they resumed their wayfaring, but were unluckily
overtaken by the same ruffian horde, who levied still further
contributions, and carried off the remainder of their horses, excepting
two. With these they continued on, suffering the greatest hardships.
They still retained rifles and ammunition, but were in a desert country,
where neither bird nor beast was to be found. Their only chance was to
keep along the rivers, and subsist by fishing; but at times no fish
were to be taken, and then their sufferings were horrible. One of their
horses was stolen among the mountains by the Snake Indians; the other,
they said, was carried off by Cass, who, according to their account,
"villainously left them in their extremities." Certain dark doubts and
surmises were afterwards circulated concerning the fate of that poor
fellow, which, if true, showed to what a desperate state of famine his
comrades had been reduced.

Being now completely unhorsed, Mr. Miller and his three companions
wandered on foot for several hundred miles, enduring hunger, thirst,
and fatigue, while traversing the barren wastes which abound beyond the
Rocky Mountains. At the time they were discovered by Mr. Stuart's party,
they were almost famished, and were fishing for a precarious meal. Had
Mr. Stuart made the short cut across the hills, avoiding this bend of
the river, or had not some of his party accidentally gone down to the
margin of the stream to drink, these poor wanderers might have remained
undiscovered, and have perished in the wilderness. Nothing could exceed
their joy on thus meeting with their old comrades, or the heartiness
with which they were welcomed. All hands immediately encamped; and the
slender stores of the party were ransacked to furnish out a suitable
regale.

The next morning they all set out together; Mr. Miller and his comrades
being resolved to give up the life of a trapper, and accompany Mr.
Stuart back t