24 LIFE IN THE FAR WEST 



and J aint a goin' to lose her yet. Second, I feel like 

 taking hair, and some Rapahos has to 'go under' for 

 this night's work. Third, we have got to cache the beaver. 

 Fourth, we take the Injun trail, wharever it leads." 



No more daring mountaineer than La Bonte ever 

 trapped a beaver, and no counsel could have more 

 exactly tallied with his own inclination than the law 

 laid down by old Killbuck. 



" Agreed," was his answer, and forthwith he set about 

 forming a cache. In this instance they had not suffi- 

 cient time to construct a regular one, so they contented 

 themselves with securing their packs of beaver in 

 buffalo robes, and tying them in the forks of several 

 cotton-woods, under which the camp had been made. 

 This done, they lit a fire, and cooked some buffalo 

 meat ; and, whilst smoking a pipe, carefully cleaned 

 their rifles, and filled their horns and pouches with good 

 store of ammunition. 



A prominent feature in the character of the hunters 

 of the Far West is their quick determination and resolve 

 in cases of extreme difficulty and peril, and their fixed- 

 ness of purpose, when any plan of operations has been 

 laid requiring bold and instant action in carrying out. 

 It is here that they so infinitely surpass the savage 

 Indian, in bringing to a successful issue their numerous 

 hostile expeditions against the natural foe of the white 

 man in the wild and barbarous regions of the west. 

 Ready to resolve as they are prompt to execute, and 

 combining far greater dash and daring with equal 

 subtlety and caution, they possess great advantage over 



