JOHN COLTER — FREE TRAPPER 239 



leaping down in the lumpy, uneven runnels of a small canon. You 

 can always tell whether the waters of a canon are compressed or 

 not, whether they come from broad, swampy meadows or clear 

 snow streams smaller than the canon. The marsh waters roll 

 down swift and black and turbid, raging against the crowding walls ; 

 the snow streams leap clear and foaming as champagne, and are in 

 too great a hurry to stop and quarrel with the rocks. It is al- 

 together likely these men recognized swampy water, and were 

 ascending the canon in search of a fresh beaver-marsh ; or they 

 would not have continued paddling six miles above the Jefferson 

 with daylight growing plainer at every mile. First the mist rose 

 like a smoky exhalation from the river; then it flaunted across 

 the rampart walls in banners ; then the far mountain peaks took 

 form against the sky, islands in a sea of fog; then the cloud banks 

 were floating in mid-heaven blindingly white from a sun that painted 

 each canon wall in the depths of the water. 



How much farther would the canon lead ? Should they go 

 higher up or not ? Was it wooded or clear plain above the walls ? 

 The man paused. What was that noise ? 



"Like buffalo," said Potts. 



"Might be Blackfeet," answered Colter. 



No. What would Blackfeet be doing, riding at a pace to make 

 such thunder so close to a canon ? It was only a buffalo herd 

 stampeding on the annual southern run. Again Colter urged that 

 the noise might be from Indians. It would be safer for them to re- 

 treat at once. At which Potts wanted to know if Colter were 

 afraid, using a stronger word — "coward." 



Afraid ? Colter afraid ? Colter who had remained behind 

 Lewis and Clark's men to trap alone in the wilds for nearly two 

 years, who had left Manuel Lisa's brigade to go alone among the 

 thieving Crows, whose leadership had helped the Crows to defeat 

 the Blackfeet ? 



Anyway, it would now be as dangerous to go back as forward. 

 They plainly couldn't land here. Let them go ahead where the 



