awake, should rouse the rest, and in a little while
were all as sound asleep as though in the midst of a fortress.

A little before day, they were all on the alert; it was the hour for
Indian maraud. A sentinel was immediately detached, to post himself at
a little distance on their trail, and give the alarm, should he see or
hear an enemy.

With the first blink of dawn, the rest sought the horses; brought them
to the camp, and tied them up, until an hour after sunrise; when, the
sentinel having reported that all was well, they sprang once more into
their saddles, and pursued the most covert and secret paths up the
mountain, avoiding the direct route.

At noon, they halted and made a hasty repast; and then bent their course
so as to regain the route from which they had diverged. They were now
made sensible of the danger from which they had just escaped. There were
tracks of Indians, who had evidently been in pursuit of them; but had
recently returned, baffled in their search.

Trusting that they had now got a fair start, and could not be overtaken
before night, even in case the Indians should renew the chase, they
pushed briskly forward, and did not encamp until late; when they
cautiously concealed themselves in a secure nook of the mountains.

Without any further alarm, they made their way to the head waters of
Wind River, and reached the neighborhood in which they had appointed
the rendezvous with their companions. It was within the precincts of the
Crow country; the Wind River valley being one of the favorite haunts of
that restless tribe. After much searching, Captain Bonneville came upon
a trail which had evidently been made by his main party. It was so old,
however, that he feared his people might have left the neighborhood;
driven off, perhaps by some of those war parties which were on the
prowl. He continued his search with great anxiety, and no little
fatigue; for his horses were jaded, and almost crippled, by their forced
marches and scramblings through rocky defiles.

On the following day, about noon, Captain Bonneville came upon a
deserted camp of his people, from which they had, evidently, turned
back; but he could find no signs to indicate why they had done so;
whether they had met with misfortune, or molestation, or in what
direction they had gone. He was now, more than ever, perplexed.

On the following day, he resumed his march with increasing anxiety. The
feet of his horses had by this time beco