their journey, and on the twenty-ninth, arrived at the Caldron
Linn, the eventful scene of the preceding autumn. Here, the first thing
that met their eyes was a memento of the perplexities of that period;
the wreck of a canoe lodged between two ledges of rocks. They endeavored
to get down to it, but the river banks were too high and precipitous.

They now proceeded to that part of the neighborhood where Mr. Hunt and
his party had made the caches, intending to take from them such articles
as belonged to Mr. Crooks, M'Lellan, and the Canadians. On reaching
the spot, they found, to their astonishment, six of the caches open
and rifled of their contents, excepting a few books which lay scattered
about the vicinity. They had the appearance of having been plundered
in the course of the summer. There were tracks of wolves in every
direction, to and from the holes, from which Mr. Stuart concluded that
these animals had first been attracted to the place by the smell of the
skins contained in the caches, which they had probably torn up, and that
their tracks had betrayed the secret to the Indians.

The three remaining caches had not been molested; they contained a few
dry goods, some ammunition, and a number of beaver traps. From these
Mr. Stuart took whatever was requisite for his party; he then deposited
within them all his superfluous baggage, and all the books and papers
scattered around; the holes were then carefully closed up, and all
traces of them effaced. And here we have to record another instance of
the indomitable spirit of the western trappers. No sooner did the trio
of Kentucky hunters, Robinson, Rezner, and Hoback, find that they could
once more be fitted out for a campaign of beaver-trapping, than they
forgot all that they had suffered, and determined upon another trial
of their fortunes; preferring to take their chance in the wilderness,
rather than return home ragged and penniless. As to Mr. Miller, he
declared his curiosity and his desire of travelling through the Indian
countries fully satisfied; he adhered to his determination, therefore,
to keep on with the party to St. Louis, and to return to the bosom of
civilized society.

The three hunters, therefore, Robinson, Rezner, and Hoback, were
furnished, as far as the caches and the means of Mr. Stuart's party
afforded, with the requisite munitions and equipments for a "two years'
hunt;" but as their fitting out was yet incomplete, they resolved to
wait in th