enlisted at St. Louis; some of whom
were experienced hunters, and all more habituated to the life of the
wilderness than his first band of "down-easters."

We will now return to Captain Bonneville and his party, whom we left,
making up their packs and saddling their horses, in Bear River Valley.

42.

Departure of Captain Bonneville for the Columbia--Advance of
Wyeth--Efforts to keep the lead--Hudson's Bay party--A
junketing--A delectable beverage--Honey and alcohol--High
carousing--The Canadian "bon vivant"--A cache--A rapid move
Wyeth and his plans--His travelling companions--Buffalo
hunting More conviviality--An interruption.

IT was the 3d of July that Captain Bonneville set out on his second
visit to the banks of the Columbia, at the head of twenty-three men. He
travelled leisurely, to keep his horses fresh, until on the 10th of July
a scout brought word that Wyeth, with his band, was but fifty miles in
the rear, and pushing forward with all speed. This caused some bustle
in the camp; for it was important to get first to the buffalo ground to
secure provisions for the journey. As the horses were too heavily laden
to travel fast, a cache was digged, as promptly as possible, to receive
all superfluous baggage. Just as it was finished, a spring burst out of
the earth at the bottom. Another cache was therefore digged, about two
miles further on; when, as they were about to bury the effects, a line
of horsemen with pack-horses, were seen streaking over the plain, and
encamped close by.

It proved to be a small band in the service of the Hudson's Bay Company,
under the command of a veteran Canadian; one of those petty leaders,
who, with a small party of men, and a small supply of goods, are
employed to follow up a band of Indians from one hunting ground to
another, and buy up their peltries.

Having received numerous civilities from the Hudson's Bay Company, the
captain sent an invitation to the officers of the party to an evening
regale; and set to work to make jovial preparations. As the night air in
these elevated regions is apt to be cold, a blazing fire was soon
made, that would have done credit to a Christmas dinner, instead of a
midsummer banquet. The parties met in high good-fellowship. There was
abundance of such hunters' fare as the neighborhood furnished; and it
was all discussed with mountain appetites. They talked over all the
events of their late campaigns; but the