esitate.

The halt was just long enough to allow the trappers to reload their
pieces, when the Blackfeet made a fiercer rush than before; but with
that pertinacious courage for which the tribe is noted, they kept up the
fight through the rest of the day, determined to throw away no advantage
they might gain. Had Carson chosen his position with less judgment,
he and his command must have been overwhelmed, for nothing could have
exceeded the daring of their assailants, who in their desperation set
fire to the thicket in which the mountaineers had ensconced themselves;
but the shrubbery was too green to burn well, and, after a little while,
it died out. Then it must have been the red men concluded it was useless
to strive further, and, learning that the main body of the trappers were
not far off, they departed.

The annoyance from these Indians was so great that it was decided
to leave the country. While the trappers were able to hold their own
against them, yet it was impossible to make much progress in taking
furs, when their attention was mainly taken up in fighting the warriors,
who varied their shooting by destroying the traps that were set for the
beavers.

The next scene of operations was the North Fork of the Missouri where
they had been engaged only a short time when they came upon an extensive
village of Flathead Indians. These showed their friendliness to the
trappers by sending one of their chiefs and a number of warriors who
helped them hunt along the different streams.

The following spring Carson and a single companion set their traps
in the vicinity of Big Snake River. This was the country of the Utah
Indians, who were well disposed towards the whites. Thus, while furs
were plenty, the couple were enabled to devote their whole time to
taking them, without fear of being fired upon every time they ventured
out of sight of camp. As a consequence, they succeeded beyond their own
expectations, and, making their way to the nearest post, sold the stock
for a fair sum.

The peltries were scarcely disposed of, when Carson organized another
expedition which visited the Grand River, over which they trapped until
winter, when they returned to Brown's Hole, where Carson remained until
spring. Then he trapped once more in the land of the Utahs and at New
Park, taking their furs to the post where he was obliged to sell them
for a much less sum than he had ever received before.

The transaction had an important bear