LIFE IN THE FAR WEST. 67 



the hunt or over the cheerful camp-fire ; the narrator of 

 many a tale of dangers past of sufferings from hunger, 

 cold, thirst, and untended wounds of Indian perils, and 

 other vicissitudes. One tear dropped from the young 

 hunter's eye, and rolled down his cheek the last for 

 many a long year. 



In the forks of the northern branch of the Platte, formed 

 by the junction of the Laramie, they found a big village 

 of the Sioux encamped near the station of one of the fur 

 companies. Here the party broke up ; many, finding the 

 alcohol of the traders an impediment to their further pro- 

 gress, remained 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 Medi- 

 cine Bow. They had leisure, however, to observe all the 

 rascalities connected with the Indian trade, although at 

 this season (August) hardly commenced. However, a band 

 of Indians having come in with several packs of last year's 

 robes, and being anxious to start speedily on their return, 

 a trader from one of the forts had erected his lodge in 

 the village. 



Here he set to work immediately to induce the Indians 

 to trade. First, a chief appoints three " soldiers " to guard 

 the trader's lodge from intrusion ; and these sentries 

 amongst the thieving fraternity can be invariably trusted. 

 Then the Indians are invited to have a drink a taste of 

 the fire-water being given to all to incite them to trade. 

 As the crowd presses upon the entrance to the lodge, and 

 those in rear become impatient, some large-mouthed sav- 

 age who has received a portion of the spirit makes his 

 way, with his mouth full of the liquor and cheeks distend- 

 ed, through the throng, and is instantly surrounded by his 

 particular friends. Drawing the face of each, by turns, 

 near his own, he squirts a small quantity into his open 

 mouth, until the supply is exhausted, when he returns for 

 more, and repeats the generous distribution. 



When paying for the robes, the traders, in measuring 

 out the liquor in a tin half-pint cup, thrust their thumbs 

 or the four fingers of the hand into the measure, in order 



