86 LIFE IN THE FAR WEST. 



Here La Bonte married a Snake squaw, with whom he 

 crossed the mountains and proceeded to the Platte through 

 the Bayou Salade, where he purchased of the Yutas a 

 commodious lodge, with the necessary poles, &c. ; and 

 being now " rich " in mules and horses, and in all things 

 necessary for otium cum dignitate, he took unto himself 

 another wife, as by mountain law allowed ; and thus 

 equipped, with both his better halves attired in all the 

 glory of "fofarraw," he went his way rejoicing. 



In a snug little valley lying under the shadow of the 

 mountains, watered by Vermilion Creek, and in which 

 abundance of buffalo, elk, deer, and antelope fed and 

 fattened on the rich grass, La Bonte raised his lodge, 

 employing himself in hunting, and fully occupying his 

 wives' time in dressing the skins of the many animals he 

 killed. Here he enjoyed himself amazingly until the com- 

 mencement of winter, when he determined to cross to the 

 North Fork and trade his skins, of which he had now as 

 many packs as his animals could carry. It happened that 

 he one day left his camp, to spend a couple of days hunting 

 buffalo in the mountains, whither the bulls were now resort- 

 ing, intending to " put out " for Platte on his return. His 

 hunt, however, led him farther into the mountains than he 

 anticipated, and it was only on the third day that sun- 

 down saw him enter the little valley where his camp was 

 situated. 



Crossing the creek, he was not a little disturbed at seeing 

 fresh Indian sign on the opposite side, which led in the 

 direction of his lodge ; and his worst fears were realised 

 when, on coming within sight of the little plateau where 

 the conical top of his white lodge had always before met 

 his view, he saw nothing but a blackened mass strewing 

 the ground, and the burnt ends of the poles which had 

 once supported it. 



Squaws, animals, and peltry, all were gone an Arapaho 

 mocassin lying on the ground told him where. He neither 

 fumed nor fretted, but, throwing the meat off his pack 

 animal, and the saddle from his horse, he collected the 

 blackened ends of the lodge poles and made a fire led. his 



