m IN THE OLD WEST 



Missoura and Yaller Stone; I've trapped on Col- 

 umbia, on Lewis Fork, and Green River; I've 

 trapped, marm, on Grand River and the Heely 



(Gila). I've fout the Blackfoot (and d d 



bad Injuns they are) ; I've raised the hair * of 

 more than one Apach, and made a Rapaho ' come ' 

 afore now; I've trapped in heav'n, in airth, and 

 h ; and scalp my old head, marm, but I've seen 

 a putrefied forest.' 



" ' La, Mister Harris, a what ? ' 



" ' A putrefied forest, marm, as sure as my 

 rifle's got hind-sights, and she shoots center. I 

 was out on the Black Hills, Bill Sublette knows 

 the time the year it rained fire and every- 

 body knows when that was. If thar wasn't cold 

 doins about that time, this child wouldn't say so. 

 The snow was about fifty foot deep, and the bufler 

 lay dead on the ground like bees after a beein'; 

 not whar we was tho', for thar was no bufler, and 

 no meat, and me and my band had been livin' 

 on our moccasins (leastwise the parflesh f) for 

 six weeks ; and poor doins that feedin' is, marm, 

 as you'll never know. One day we crossed a 

 canon and over a divide, and got into a peraira, 

 whar was green grass, and green trees, and green 

 leaves on the trees, and birds singing in the green 



water, points out its position, should a beaver have carried 

 it away. 



* Scalped. 



f Soles made of buffalo hide. 



