a region of abundance. Here the
buffaloes were in immense herds; and here they remained for three days,
slaying and cooking, and feasting, and indemnifying themselves by an
enormous carnival, for a long and hungry Lent. Their horses, too, found
good pasturage, and enjoyed a little rest after a severe spell of hard
travelling.

During this period, two horsemen arrived at the camp, who proved to be
messengers sent express for supplies from Montero's party; which had
been sent to beat up the Crow country and the Black Hills, and to winter
on the Arkansas. They reported that all was well with the party, but
that they had not been able to accomplish the whole of their mission,
and were still in the Crow country, where they should remain until
joined by Captain Bonneville in the spring. The captain retained the
messengers with him until the 17th of November, when, having reached the
caches on Bear River, and procured thence the required supplies, he sent
them back to their party; appointing a rendezvous toward the last of
June following, on the forks of Wind River Valley, in the Crow country.

He now remained several days encamped near the caches, and having
discovered a small band of Shoshonies in his neighborhood, purchased
from them lodges, furs, and other articles of winter comfort, and
arranged with them to encamp together during the winter.

The place designed by the captain for the wintering ground was on the
upper part of Bear River, some distance off. He delayed approaching it
as long as possible, in order to avoid driving off the buffaloes, which
would be needed for winter provisions. He accordingly moved forward but
slowly, merely as the want of game and grass obliged him to shift his
position. The weather had already become extremely cold, and the snow
lay to a considerable depth. To enable the horses to carry as much dried
meat as possible, he caused a cache to be made, in which all the baggage
that could be spared was deposited. This done, the party continued to
move slowly toward their winter quarters.

They were not doomed, however, to suffer from scarcity during the
present winter. The people upon Snake River having chased off the
buffaloes before the snow had become deep, immense herds now came
trooping over the mountains; forming dark masses on their sides, from
which their deep-mouthed bellowing sounded like the low peals and
mutterings from a gathering thunder-cloud. In effect, the cloud broke,
and d