; Bruin soon disengaged himself from
the lasso, and made towards Roche, who brought him down with a single
shot below the ear.

Gabriel and I then went on ahead, to select a place for passing the
night, leaving our friend behind to cut up the meat; but we had not gone
half a mile, when our progress was suddenly checked by a yawning abyss,
or chasm, some two hundred yards across, and probably six hundred feet
in depth. The banks, at this place, were nearly perpendicular, and from
the sides projected sharp rocks, and, now and then, tall majestic
cedars. We travelled a mile or more along the banks, but perceiving it
was too late to find a passage across, we encamped in a little hollow
under a cluster of cedars. There we were soon joined by Roche, and we
were indebted to Bruin for an excellent repast.

The immense chasm before us ran nearly north and south, and we perceived
that the current of the stream, or rather torrent, below us, ran towards
the former point. The next morning, we determined to direct our steps to
the northward, and we had gone but a few miles before large buffalo or
Indian trails were seen running in a south-west direction, and as we
travelled on, others were noticed bearing more to the west. Obliged to
keep out some distance from the ravine, to avoid the small gullies
emptying into it and the various elbows which it made, about noon we
struck upon a large trail, running directly west; this we followed, and
on reaching the main chasm, found that it led to the only place where
there was any chance of crossing. Here, too, we found that innumerable
trails joined, coming from every direction--proof conclusive that we
must cross here or travel many weary miles out of our way.

Dismounting from our animals, we looked at the yawning abyss before us,
and our first impression was, that the passage was impracticable. That
buffaloes, mustangs, and, very probably, Indian horses, had crossed
here, was evident enough, for a zigzag path had been worn down the rocky
and precipitous sides; but our three horses were unused to sliding down
or climbing precipices, and they drew back on being led to the brink of
the chasm.

After many unsuccessful attempts, I at last persuaded my steed to take
the path; the others followed. In some places they went along the very
verge of rocky edges, where a false step would have precipitated them
hundreds of feet down, to instant death; in others, they were compelled
to slide down pas