LIFE IN THE FAR WEST. 61 



the smaller one, who seizes it immediately, and runs off 

 with the morsel in his mouth. Before he gets many yards 

 with his prize, the large wolf pounces with a growl upon 

 him, and the cayeute, dropping the meat, returns to his 

 former position, and will continue his charitable act as long 

 as the hunter pleases to supply him. 



Wolves are so common on the plains and in the moun- 

 tains, that the hunter never cares to throw away a charge 

 of ammunition upon them, although the ravenous animals 

 are a constant source of annoyance to him, creeping to the 

 camp-fire at night, and gnawing his saddles and apisha- 

 mores, eating the skin robes which secure the horses and 

 mules to their pickets, and even their very hobbles, and 

 not unfrequently killing or entirely disabling the animals 

 themselves. 



Round the camp, during the night, the cayeute keeps 

 unremitting watch, and the traveller not unfrequently 

 starts from his bed with affright, as the mournful and 

 unearthly chiding of the wolf breaks suddenly upon his 

 ear : the long-drawn howl being taken up by others of the 

 band, until it dies away in the distance, or some straggler 

 passing within hearing answers to the note, and howls as 

 he lopes away. 



Our party crossed the south fork about ten miles from 

 its juncture with the main stream, and then, passing the 

 prairie, struck the north fork a day's travel from the other. 

 At the mouth of an ash-timbered creek they came upon 

 Indian "sign," and as now they were in the vicinity of the 

 treacherous Sioux, they moved along with additional 

 caution, Frapp and Gonneville, two experienced mountain- 

 eers, always heading the advance. 



About noon they had crossed over to the left bank of the 

 fork, intending to camp on a large creek where some fresh 

 beaver " sign " had attracted the attention of some of the 

 trappers ; and as, on further examination, it appeared that 

 two or three lodges of that animal were not far distant, it 

 was determined to remain here a day or two, and set their 

 traps. 



Gonneville, old Luke, and La Bonte", had started up the 



