LIFE IN THE FAR WEST 105 



ning his pigmy form round his head, as easily as he 

 would have twirled a tomahawk, he threw him with 

 tremendous force on the ground at the feet of one of 

 his companions, who, stooping down, coolly thrust his 

 knife into the Indian's breast, and quickly tore off his 

 scalp. 



The slaughter over, without casting an eye to the 

 captive squaws, the trappers proceeded to search the 

 village for food, of which they stood much in need. 

 Nothing, however, was found but a few bags of dried 

 ants, which, after eating voraciously of, but with wry 

 mouths, they threw aside, saying the food was worse 

 than " poor bull." They found, however, the animals 

 they had been robbed of, and two more besides, 

 wretched half-starved creatures; and on these mounting 

 their captives, they hurried away on their journey back 

 to their companions, the distance being computed at 

 three days' travel from their present position. How- 

 ever, they thought, by taking a more direct course, 

 they might find better pasture for their animals, and 

 water, besides saving at least half a day by the short 

 cut. To their cost, they proved the old saying, that 

 " a short cut is always a long road," as will be presently 

 shown. 



It has been said that from the south-western extre- 

 mity of the Great Salt Lake, a vast desert extends for 

 hundreds of miles, unbroken by the slightest vegetation, 

 destitute of game and water, and presenting a cheerless 

 expanse of sandy plain or rugged mountain, thinly 

 covered with dwarf pine or cedar, the only evidence of 



