LIFE IN THE FAR WEST 149 



remount, each trapper hesitated to sacrifice one of his 

 horses to his appetite. 



From the summit of the ridge, Bill recognised the 

 country on the opposite side to that whence they had 

 just ascended as familiar to him, and pronounced it to 

 be full of beaver, as well as abounding in the less 

 desirable commodity of Indians. This was the valley 

 lying about the lakes now called Eustis and Biddle, in 

 which are many thermal and mineral springs, well 

 known to the trappers by the names of the Soda, Beer, 

 and Brimstone Springs, and regarded by them with no 

 little awe and curiosity, as being the breathing-places 

 of his Satanic majesty considered, moreover, to be the 

 '* biggest kind " of " medicine " to be found in the 

 mountains. If truth be told, old Bill hardly relished 

 the idea of entering this country, which he pronounced 

 to be of "bad medicine" notoriety, but nevertheless 

 agreed to guide them to the best trapping ground. 



One day they reached a creek full of beaver sign, and 

 determined to halt here and establish their headquar- 

 ters, while they trapped in the neighbourhood. We 

 must here observe, that at this period which was one 

 of considerable rivalry amongst the various trading 

 companies in the Indian territory the Indians having 

 become possessed of arms and ammunition in great 

 quantities, had grown unusually daring and persevering 

 in their attacks on the white hunters who passed 

 through their country, and consequently the trappers 

 were compelled to roam about in larger bands for 

 mutual protection, which, although it made them less 



