72 LIFE IN THE FAR WEST. 



natural fountains of mineral water, renowned amongst the 

 trappers as being " medicine " of the first order. 



Arriving one evening, about sundown, at the Bear Spring, 

 they found a solitary trapper sitting over the rocky basin, 

 intently regarding, with no little awe, the curious phenom- 

 enon of the bubbling gas. Behind him were piled his 

 saddles and a pack of skins, and at a little distance a hob- 

 bled Indian pony fed amongst the cedars which formed a 

 grove round the spring. As the three hunters dismounted 

 from their animals, the lone trapper scarcely noticed their 

 arrival, his eyes being still intently fixed upon the water. 

 Looking round at last, he was instantly recognised by one of 

 La Bonte"'s companions, and saluted as " Old Rube." Dressed 

 from head to foot in buckskin, his face, neck, and hands 

 appeared to be of the same leathery texture, so nearly did 

 they assimilate in colour to the materials of his dress. He 

 was at least six feet two or three in his mocassins, straight- 

 limbed and wiry, with long arms ending in hands of tre- 

 mendous grasp, and a quantity of straight black hair hang- 

 ing on his shoulders. His features, which were undeniably 

 good, wore an expression of comical gravity, never relaxing 

 into a smile, which a broad good-humoured mouth could 

 have grinned from ear to ear. 



" What, boys ! " he said, " will you be simple enough to 

 camp here alongside these springs ? Nothing good ever 

 came of sleeping here, I tell you, and the worst kind of 

 devils are in those dancing waters." 



" Why, old hos," cried La Bonte, " what brings you hyar 

 then, and camp at that ? " 



" This niggur," answered Rube, solemnly, " has been 

 down'd upon a sight too often to be skeared by what can 

 come out from them waters ; and thar arn't a devil as 

 liisses thar as can f shine' with this child, I tell you. I've 

 tried him onest, an' font him to clawin' away to Eustis ; * 

 and if I draws my knife again on such varmint, I'll raise 

 his hair, as sure as shootin'." 



Spite of the reputed dangers of the locality, the trappers 



* A small lake near the head-waters of the Yellow Stone, near 

 which are some curious thermal springs of ink-black water. 



