LA BONTE'S ADVENTURES. 127 



panics. Here the party broke up ; many finding the alcohol 

 of the traders an impediment to their further progress, re- 

 mained some time in the vicinity, while La Bonte, Luke, and 

 a trapper named Marcelline, started in a few days to the 

 mountains, to trap on Sweet Water and Medicine Bow. 



La Bonte and his companions proceeded up the river, the 

 Black Hills on their left hand, from which several small 

 creeks or feeders swell the waters of the North Fork. Along 

 these they hunted unsuccessfully for beaver u sign," and it 

 was evident the spring hunt had almost exterminated the 

 animal in this vicinity. Following Deer Creek to the ridge 

 of Black Hills, they crossed the mountain on to the waters of 

 the Medicine Bow, and here they discovered a few lodges, and 

 La Bonte set his first trap. He and old Luke finding " cut- 

 tings" near the camp, followed the "sign" along the bank 

 until the practiced eye of the latter discovered a "slide," 

 where the beaver had ascended the bank to chop the trunk 

 of a cotton wood, and convey the bark to its lodge. Taking 

 a trap from "sack," the old hunter, after setting the trigger, 

 placed it carefully under the water, where the " slide" en- 

 tered the stream, securing the chain to the stem of a sapling 

 on the bank ; while a stick, also attached to the trap, by a 

 thong, floated down the stream, to mark the position of the 

 trap, should the animal carry it away. A little farther on, 

 and near another "run," three traps were set; and over 

 these Luke placed a little stick, which he first dipped into a 

 mysterious-looking phial containing his "medicine." 



The next morning they visited the traps, and had the 

 satisfaction of finding three fine beaver secured in the first 

 three they visited, and the fourth, which had been carried 

 away, they discovered by the float-stick, a little distance down 

 the stream, with a large drowned beaver between its teeth. 



This animal being carefully skinned, they returned to camp 

 with the choicest portions of the meat, and the tails, on which 

 they most luxuriously supped ; and La Bonte was fain to 



