Memories of a Bear Hunter 



the use of his people after we had crossed. He 

 looked at it with some attention, and then, as an 

 expression of contempt spread over his face, he 

 uttered the words "no good." He then sent off 

 some young men to try a ford at the mouth of Pat 

 O'Hara Creek, a few miles below, and thinking 

 it worth while to take advantage of the Indian's 

 experimenting, we awaited the return of the party. 

 When they came back, Smoky, who was with them, 

 reported a good ford half-side deep to his pony. 

 The Indians at once set out for the crossing. We 

 packed up and followed them. 



When we had come within half a mile of the 

 place the sight was not reassuring. The river at 

 the ford seemed full of men and women, pack 

 animals and loose horses all mixed up. Men and 

 women swimming and yelling, and some of the 

 horses swimming. 



The Indians got across with their packs, but only 

 after a wetting. When we reached the bank over- 

 looking the crossing, some of the women were 

 spreading the contents out on the grass and wil- 

 lows to dry. This showed us very plainly that we 

 could not attempt to cross with the packs on the 

 animals. Smoky, Hairy Moccasin and Little Face 

 were preparing to take the loose horses across. A 

 woman mounted on one pony was leading a mare 



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