ille encamped upon Henry's
Fork; an upper branch of Snake River, called after the first American
trader that erected a fort beyond the mountains. About an hour after all
hands had come to a halt the clatter of hoofs was heard, and a solitary
female, of the Nez Perce tribe, came galloping up. She was mounted on
a mustang or half wild horse, which she managed by a long rope hitched
round the under jaw by way of bridle. Dismounting, she walked silently
into the midst of the camp, and there seated herself on the ground,
still holding her horse by the long halter.

The sudden and lonely apparition of this woman, and her calm yet
resolute demeanor, awakened universal curiosity. The hunters and
trappers gathered round, and gazed on her as something mysterious. She
remained silent, but maintained her air of calmness and self-possession.
Captain Bonneville approached and interrogated her as to the object
of her mysterious visit. Her answer was brief but earnest--"I love the
whites--I will go with them." She was forthwith invited to a lodge,
of which she readily took possession, and from that time forward was
considered one of the camp.

In consequence, very probably, of the military precautions of Captain
Bonneville, he conducted his party in safety through this hazardous
region. No accident of a disastrous kind occurred, excepting the loss of
a horse, which, in passing along the giddy edge of a precipice, called
the Cornice, a dangerous pass between Jackson's and Pierre's Hole, fell
over the brink, and was dashed to pieces.

On the 13th of July (1833), Captain Bonneville arrived at Green River.
As he entered the valley, he beheld it strewed in every direction with
the carcasses of buffaloes. It was evident that Indians had recently
been there, and in great numbers. Alarmed at this sight, he came to
a halt, and as soon as it was dark, sent out spies to his place of
rendezvous on Horse Creek, where he had expected to meet with his
detached parties of trappers on the following day. Early in the morning
the spies made their appearance in the camp, and with them came three
trappers of one of his bands, from the rendezvous, who told him his
people were all there expecting him. As to the slaughter among the
buffaloes, it had been made by a friendly band of Shoshonies, who had
fallen in with one of his trapping parties, and accompanied them to the
rendezvous. Having imparted this intelligence, the three worthies from
the rendezvous