TWENTY YEARS IN THE ROCKIES. 129 



excitement was intense. Many shed tears of vengeance, 

 while others gave utterance to horrible oaths. 



We could not stay here always. It was time to move. 

 Our teams were looking but very little better than when we 

 stopped. Our train numbered only ten wagons, the others 

 having dropped off at different places. After deciding to 

 turn our faces northward and to recross the Bad Lands but 

 by another and a better route we got our effects together 

 and moved out. Some held back, saying they were going to 

 winter in the valley, but their real intentions leaked out 

 later. They were to remain a few days, while we went 

 ahead and made roads, which they would follow at their 

 ease a cunning trick, but they did not get the better of 

 us. Ten miles or more brought us to a washout, which we 

 could neither cross nor go around. The only thing we could 

 do was to make a bridge of driftwood and sagebrush. 



After we had crossed, we burned the bridge behind us, 

 to teach a lesson to our smart friends in the rear. When 

 they came to this place they were completely confounded. 

 We had used up all of the loose material,, which compelled 

 them to camp there two days, and haul timber five miles 

 with which to make another bridge. They gained nothing 

 by their selfishness. But it was slow and hard work pull- 

 ing through the Bad Lands, and we were very much pleased 

 when we found ourselves once more on solid ground. 



Off to the south, on a little knoll, we saw five buffalo 

 bulls grazing. Jack Woods and myself were well mounted 

 upon half-breed horses, and we were soon skirting the foot- 

 hills in hot pursuit. As we came within seventy-five yards 

 of them we lodged balls in two of them. They thundered 

 up the long stretch of tableland, we keeping as close as we 

 could. Our ponies would slacken their pace in spite of all 

 we could do when they were close enough to scent the ani- 



