who had made a wide sweep away to the
head-waters of the Blackfoot River, discovered great herds quietly
grazing in the adjacent meadows. He set out on his return, to report
his discoveries; but night overtaking him, he was kindly and hospitably
entertained at the camp of Wyeth. As soon as day dawned he hastened to
his own camp with the welcome intelligence; and about ten o'clock of the
same morning, Captain Bonneville's party were in the midst of the game.

The packs were scarcely off the backs of the mules, when the runners,
mounted on the fleetest horses, were full tilt after the buffalo. Others
of the men were busied erecting scaffolds, and other contrivances, for
jerking or drying meat; others were lighting great fires for the same
purpose; soon the hunters began to make their appearance, bringing
in the choicest morsels of buffalo meat; these were placed upon the
scaffolds, and the whole camp presented a scene of singular hurry and
activity. At daylight the next morning, the runners again took the
field, with similar success; and, after an interval of repose made their
third and last chase, about twelve o'clock; for by this time, Wyeth's
party was in sight. The game being now driven into a valley, at some
distance, Wyeth was obliged to fix his camp there; but he came in the
evening to pay Captain Bonneville a visit. He was accompanied by Captain
Stewart, the amateur traveller; who had not yet sated his appetite for
the adventurous life of the wilderness. With him, also, was a Mr. M'Kay,
a half-breed; son of the unfortunate adventurer of the same name who
came out in the first maritime expedition to Astoria and was blown up
in the Tonquin. His son had grown up in the employ of the British fur
companies; and was a prime hunter, and a daring partisan. He held,
moreover, a farm in the valley of the Wallamut.

The three visitors, when they reached Captain Bonneville's camp, were
surprised to find no one in it but himself and three men; his party
being dispersed in all directions, to make the most of their present
chance for hunting. They remonstrated with him on the imprudence of
remaining with so trifling a guard in a region so full of danger.
Captain Bonneville vindicated the policy of his conduct. He never
hesitated to send out all his hunters, when any important object was to
be attained; and experience had taught him that he was most secure when
his forces were thus distributed over the surrounding country. He th