LIFE IN THE FAR WEST 135 



face of nature at one and the same time, " that arrows 

 and bullets are not more fatal to the buffalo than the 

 small-pox and fire-water to them, and that before many 

 winters' snows have disappeared, the buffalo and the 

 Red man will only be remembered by their bones,, 

 which will strew the plains." "They look forward, 

 however, to a future state, when, after a long journey, 

 they will reach the happy hunting-grounds, where 

 buffalo will once more blacken the prairies ; where the 

 pale-faces dare not come to disturb them ; where no 

 winter snows cover the ground, and the buffalo are 

 always plentiful and fat." 



As soon as the streams opened, La Bonte, now 

 reduced to two animals and four traps, sallied forth 

 again, this time seeking the dangerous country of the 

 Blackfeet, on the head-waters of the Yellow Stone and 

 Upper Missouri. He was accompanied by three others, 

 a man named Wheeler, and one Cross-Eagle, a Swede, 

 who had been many years in the western country. 

 Reaching the forks of a small creek, on both of which 

 appeared plenty of beaver sign, La Bonte followed the 

 left-hand one alone, whilst the others trapped the right 

 in company, the former leaving his squaw in the com- 

 pany of a Sioux woman, who followed the fortunes of 

 Cross-Eagle, the party agreeing to rendezvous at the 

 junction of the two forks, as soon as they had trapped 

 to their heads and again descended them. The larger 

 party were the first to reach the rendezvous, and camped 

 on the banks of the main stream to await the arrival of 

 La Bonte. 



