Anxious to wipe off so foul a stigma on the reputation
of the Crow nation, they followed on his trial, nor quit hovering about
him on his march until they had stolen a number of his best horses and
mules. It was, doubtless, this same band which came upon the lonely
trapper on the Popo Agie, and generously gave him an old buffalo robe in
exchange for his rifle, his traps, and all his accoutrements. With these
anecdotes, we shall, for present, take our leave of the Crow country and
its vagabond chivalry.

28.

A region of natural curiosities--The plain of white clay--
Hot springs--The Beer Spring--Departure to seek the free
trappers--Plain of Portneuf--Lava--Chasms and gullies--
Bannack Indians--Their hunt of the buffalo--Hunter's feast--
Trencher heroes--Bullying of an absent foe--The damp
comrade--The Indian spy--Meeting with Hodgkiss--His
adventures--Poordevil Indians--Triumph of the Bannacks--
Blackfeet policy in war

CROSSING AN ELEVATED RIDGE, Captain Bonneville now came upon Bear
River, which, from its source to its entrance into the Great Salt Lake,
describes the figure of a horse-shoe. One of the principal head waters
of this river, although supposed to abound with beaver, has never
been visited by the trapper; rising among rugged mountains, and being
barricadoed [sic] by fallen pine trees and tremendous precipices.

Proceeding down this river, the party encamped, on the 6th of November,
at the outlet of a lake about thirty miles long, and from two to three
miles in width, completely imbedded in low ranges of mountains, and
connected with Bear River by an impassable swamp. It is called the
Little Lake, to distinguish it from the great one of salt water.

On the 10th of November, Captain Bonneville visited a place in the
neighborhood which is quite a region of natural curiosities. An area
of about half a mile square presents a level surface of white clay or
fuller's earth, perfectly spotless, resembling a great slab of Parian
marble, or a sheet of dazzling snow. The effect is strikingly beautiful
at all times: in summer, when it is surrounded with verdure, or in
autumn, when it contrasts its bright immaculate surface with the
withered herbage. Seen from a distant eminence, it then shines like
a mirror, set in the brown landscape. Around this plain are clustered
numerous springs of various sizes and temperatures. One of them, of
scalding heat, boils furiously and