X THE LATE 



the characters of the mountaineers but not at the 

 sacrifice of truth for some of them have their good 

 points ; which, as they are rarely allowed to rise to the 

 surface, must be laid hold of at once before they sink 

 again. Killbuck that 'old hos' par exemple, was 

 really pretty much of a gentleman, as was La Bonte. 

 Bill Williams, another ' hard case,' and Rube Herring, 

 were ' some ' too. 



" The scene where La Bonte joins the Chase family is 

 so far true, that he did make a sudden appearance ; but, 

 in reality, a day before the Indian attack. The Chases 

 (and I wish I had not given the proper name*) did 

 start for the Platte alone, and were stampedoed upon 

 the waters of the Platte. 



"The Mexican fandango is true to the letter. It 

 does seem difficult to understand how they contrived 

 to keep their knives out of the hump-ribs of the moun- 

 taineers - } but how can you account for the fact, that, 

 the other day, 4000 Mexicans, with 13 pieces of artil- 

 lery, behind strong entrenchments and two lines of 

 parapets, were routed by 900 raw Missourians ; 300 

 killed, as many more wounded, all their artillery 



* In accordance with this suggestion, the name was changed 

 to Brand. The mountaineers, it seems, are more sensitive to 

 type than to tomahawks ; and poor Ruxton, who always con- 

 templated another expedition among them, would sometimes 

 jestingly speculate upon his reception, should they learn that he 

 had shown them up in print. 



