Memories of a Bear Hunter 



a platform arranged on top to store the bulky 

 baggage, and finally the things secured so that no 

 accident would tend to loosen or throw them over- 

 board. The whole work occupied four or five 

 days' time. When everything was ready, an early 

 start was made, the baggage was carried to the 

 raft and securely lashed on it. Its flotation seemed 

 sufficient. 



The next move was to get the horses across 

 ahead of us. They seemed to know what was 

 expected of them, for they took readily to the ice 

 cold water and swam across. We were now obliged 

 to cross over or else lose our horses. The raft was 

 pulled into the current, which swiftly carried it 

 downstream and across. Our forecast was real- 

 ized, someone jumped ashore at the critical time 

 and the raft was securely fastened. For a short 

 time there seemed a little danger that the raft 

 might pull away, but its resistance was overcome, 

 and presently it was securely tied up, and we had 

 the satisfaction of once more being on terra firma, 

 with all our belongings safe. 



The Stinking River, which was the next large 

 stream, was wider and carried a greater volume of 

 water than Clark's Fork, and I was unwilling to 

 attempt to raft across it. We therefore remained 

 longer on the mountains just north of that stream 



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