110 LIFE IN THE FAR WEST 



neither sex nor age is spared ; and your mountaineer 

 has as little compunction in taking the life of an 

 Indian woman, as he would have in sending his rifle-ball 

 through the brain of a Crow or Blackfoot warrior. 



La Bonte now found himself without animals, and 

 fairly " afoot ; " consequently nothing remained for 

 him but to seek some of the trapping bands, and hire 

 himself for the hunt. Luckily for him, he soon fell in 

 with Roubideau, on his way to Uintah, and was supplied 

 by him with a couple of animals ; and thus equipped, 

 he started again with a large band of trappers, who 

 were going to hunt on the waters of Grand River and 

 the Gila. Here they fell in with another nation of 

 Indians, from which branch out the innumerable 

 tribes inhabiting Northern Mexico and part of 

 California. They were in general friendly, but lost 

 no opportunity of stealing horses or any articles left 

 lying about the camp. On one occasion, the trappers 

 being camped on a northern affluent of the Gila, a 

 volley of arrows was discharged amongst them, severely 

 wounding one or two of the party as they sat round the 

 camp fires. The attack, however, was not renewed, and 

 the next day the camp was moved further down the 

 stream, where beaver was tolerably abundant. Before 

 sundown a number of Indians made their appearance, 

 and, making signs of peace, were admitted into the 

 camp. 



The trappers were all sitting at their suppers over the 

 fires, the Indians looking gravely on, when it was 

 remarked that now would be a good opportunity to 



