JOG LIFE IN THE FAR WEST 



vegetable life. Into this desert, ignorant of the country, 

 the trappers struck, intending to make their short cut ; 

 and, travelling on all day, were compelled to camp at 

 night, without water or pasture for their exhausted 

 animals, and themselves ravenous with hunger and 

 parched with thirst. The next day three of their animals 

 " gave out," and they were fain to leave them behind ; 

 but imagining that they must soon strike a creek, they 

 pushed on until noon, but still no water presented itself, 

 nor a sign of game of any description. The animals 

 were nearly exhausted, and a horse which could scarcely 

 keep up with the slow pace of the others was killed, 

 and its blood greedily drunk ; a portion of the flesh 

 being eaten raw, and a supply carried with them for 

 future emergencies. 



The next morning two of the horses lay dead at their 

 pickets, and one only remained, and this in such a 

 miserable state, that it could not possibly have travelled 

 six miles further. It was, therefore, killed, and its 

 blood drunk, of which, however, the captive squaws 

 refused to partake. The men began to feel the effects 

 of their consuming thirst, which the hot horse's blood 

 only served to increase ; their lips became parched and 

 swollen, their eyes bloodshot, and a giddy sickness 

 seized them at intervals. About mid-day they came in 

 sight of a mountain on their right hand, which appeared 

 to be more thickly clothed with vegetation ; and arguing 

 from this that water would be found there, they left 

 their course and made towards it, although some eight 

 or ten miles distant. On arriving at the base, the most 



