LIFE IN THE FAR WEST 91 



they raised upon it a pile of heavy stones ; and packing 

 their mules once more, and taking a last look at their 

 comrade's lonely resting-place, they turned their backs 

 upon the stream, which has ever since been known as 

 " Gonneville's Creek." 



If the reader casts his eye over any of the recent 

 maps of the western country, which detail the features 

 of the regions embracing the Rocky Mountains, and the 

 vast prairies at their bases, he will not fail to observe 

 that many of the creeks or smaller streams which feed 

 the larger rivers, as the Missouri, Platte, and Arkansa, 

 are called by familiar proper names, both English 

 and French. These are invariably christened after 

 some unfortunate trapper, killed there in Indian fight ; 

 or treacherously slaughtered by the lurking savages, 

 while engaged in trapping beaver on the stream. Thus 

 alone is the memory of these hardy men perpetuated, 

 at least of those whose fate is ascertained ; for many, in 

 every season, never return from their hunting expedi- 

 tions, but meet a sudden death from Indians, or a more 

 lingering fate from accident or disease in some lonely 

 gorge of the mountains, where no footfall save their own, 

 or the heavy tread of the grizzly bear, disturbs the un- 

 broken silence of the awful solitude. Then, as many 

 winters pass without some old familiar faces making 

 their appearance at the merry rendezvous, their long 

 protracted absence may perhaps elicit a remark, as to 

 where such and such a mountain worthy can have be- 

 taken himself, to which the casual rejoinder of " Gone 

 under, maybe," too often gives a short but certain answer. 



