270 MULE-HUNTING EXPEDITION. 



creak and groan, gasped from the older, astlima- 

 tical, short-winded mules. If we have no canoe, 

 the bell-horse is ridden into the water ; when the 

 rider feels the horse begins to swim, he grasps the 

 mane with his left hand, floats from off the horse's 

 back, swims with his legs as in ordinary swimming, 

 whilst with the right he splashes the water against 

 the horse's face, thus keeping the animal's head 

 always up-stream. On reaching the opposite 

 side, when the horse's feet touch the ground, the 

 man again drops astride, and rides it out, ring- 

 ing the all-potent bell with all his might. 



I learn from my guide that a settler 'squatted' 

 where we cross about a year before, built the 

 shanty, made the footbridge, and put in some 

 grain-crops ; but the Indians discovered, killed, 

 and scalped him, burnt his shanty, and carried 

 his wife away prisoner not a cheering story, 

 considering I am going through their very 

 strongholds. 



May IFth. A sharp frosty morning; very cold, 

 sleeping in the open air. Get away soon after 

 sun-up. Leave the flat grassy valley, and ascend 

 the timbered slopes of the Sis-ky-oue mountains. 

 Follow a bad Indian trail, through barren gorges, 

 and along rocky ledges, for twenty miles ; observe 

 lots of deer-tracks, but no deer. Descend the 



