This
Stream Makes Its Way Through The Defiles Of The Mountains, Into
The Plain Below Fort Henry, Where It Terminates In Snake River.
Mr. Stuart Was In Hopes Of Meeting With Snake Encampments In The
Plain, Where He Might Procure A Couple Of Horses To Transport The
Baggage.
In such case, he intended to resume his eastern course
across the mountains, and endeavor to reach the Cheyenne River
before winter.
Should he fail, however, of obtaining horses, he
would probably be compelled to winter on the Pacific side of the
mountains, somewhere on the head waters of the Spanish or
Colorado River.
With all the care that had been observed in taking nothing with
them that was not absolutely necessary, the poor pedestrians were
heavily laden, and their burdens added to the fatigues of their
rugged road. They suffered much, too, from hunger. The trout they
caught were too poor to yield much nourishment; their main
dependence, therefore, was upon an old beaver trap, which they
had providentially retained. Whenever they were fortunate enough
to entrap a beaver, it was cut up immediately and distributed,
that each man might carry his share.
After two days of toilsome travel, during which they made but
eighteen miles, they stopped on the 21st, to build two rafts on
which to cross to the north side of the river. On these they
embarked on the following morning, four on one raft, and three on
the other , and pushed boldly from shore. Finding the rafts
sufficiently firm and steady to withstand the rough and rapid
water, they changed their minds, and instead of crossing,
ventured to float down with the current.
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