They
Accordingly Turned Down Along The Course Of This Stream, And At
The End Of Three Days' Journey Came To Where It Was Joined By A
Larger River, And Assumed A More Impetuous Character, Raging And
Roaring Among Rocks And Precipices.
It proved, in fact, to be Mad
River, already noted in the expedition of Mr. Hunt.
On the banks
of this river, they encamped on the 18th of September, at an
early hour.
Six days had now elapsed since their interview with the Crows;
during that time they had come nearly a hundred and fifty miles
to the north and west, without seeing any signs of those
marauders. They considered themselves, therefore, beyond the
reach of molestation, and began to relax in their vigilance,
lingering occasionally for part of a day, where there was good
pasturage. The poor horses needed repose.
They had been urged on, by forced marches, over rugged heights,
among rocks and fallen timber, or over low swampy valleys,
inundated by the labors of the beaver. These industrious animals
abounded in all the mountain streams and watercourses, wherever
there were willows for their subsistence. Many of them they had
so completely dammed up as to inundate the low grounds, making
shallow pools or lakes, and extensive quagmires; by which the
route of the travellers was often impeded.
On the 19th of September, they rose at early dawn; some began to
prepare breakfast, and others to arrange the packs preparatory to
a march. The horses had been hobbled, but left at large to graze
upon the adjacent pasture.
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