12 LIFE IN THE FAR WEST. 



tains, a thick black cloud succeeded them, and settled over 

 the loftier peaks of the chain, faintly visible through the 

 gloom of night, whilst a mass of fleecy scud soon overspread 

 the whole sky. A hollow moaning sound crept through 

 the valley, and the upper branches of the cotton woods, 

 with their withered leaves, began to rustle with the first 

 breath of the coming storm. Huge drops of rain fell at in- 

 tervals, hissing as they dropped into the blazing fires, and 

 pattering on the skins with which the hunters hurriedly 

 covered the exposed baggage. The mules near the camp 

 cropped the grass with quick and greedy bites round the 

 circuit of their pickets, as if conscious that the storm would 

 soon prevent their feeding, and already humped their backs 

 as the chilling rain fell upon their flanks. The prairie 

 wolves crept closer to the camp, and in the confusion that 

 ensued from the hurry of the trappers to cover the perish- 

 able portions of their equipment, contrived more than once 

 to dart off with a piece of meat, when their peculiar and 

 mournful chiding would be heard as they fought for the 

 possession of the ravished morsel. 



When everything was duly protected, the men set to 

 work to spread their beds ; those who had not troubled 

 themselves to erect a shelter, getting under the lee of the 

 piles of packs and saddles ; whilst Killbuck, disdaining 

 even such care of his carcass, threw his buffalo robe on the 

 bare ground, declaring his intention to " take " what was 

 coming at all hazards, and " anyhow." Selecting a high 

 spot, he drew his knife and proceeded to cut drains round 

 it, to prevent the water running into him as he lay ; then 

 taking a single robe, he carefully spread it, placing under 

 the end furthest from the fire a large stone brought from 

 the creek. Having satisfactorily adjusted this pillow, he 

 added another robe to the one already laid, and placed 

 over all a Navajo blanket, supposed to be impervious to 

 rain. Then he divested himself of his pouch and powder- 

 horn, which, with his rifle, he placed inside his bed, and 

 quickly covered up lest the wet should reach them. Hav- 

 ing performed these operations to his satisfaction, he lighted 

 his pipe by the hissing embers of the half-extinguished fire 



