52 IN THE OLD WEST 



be, " I get back my old mule ; sbe's carried me and 

 my traps tbese twelve jears, and I ain't a-goin' to 

 lose ber yet. Second, I feel like taking bair, and 

 some Rapabos bas to go under for tbis nigbt's 

 work. Tbird, we bave got to cacbe tbe beaver. 

 Fourtb, we take tbe Injun trail, wbarever it 

 leads." 



No more daring mountaineer tban La Bonte 

 ever trapped a beaver, and no' counsel could bave 

 more exactly tallied witb bis own inclination tban 

 tbe law laid down by old Killbuck. 



" Agreed," was bis answer, and fortbwitb be set 

 about forming a cacbe. In this instance tbey bad 

 not sufficient time to construct a regular one, so 

 tbey contented tbemselves witb securing tbeir 

 packs of beaver in buffalo robes, and tying tbem 

 in tbe forks of several cotton-woods, under wbicb 

 tbe camp bad been made. Tbis done, tbey lit a 

 fire, and cooked some buffalo-meat ; and, wbilst 

 smoking a pipe, carefully cleaned tbeir rifles, and 

 filled tbeir borns and poucbes witb good store of 

 ammunition. 



A prominent feature in tbe character of tbe 

 bunters of tbe Far West is tbeir quick determina- 

 tion and resolve in cases of extreme difficulty and 

 peril, and tbeir fixedness of purpose, wben any 

 plan of operations bas been laid requiring bold 

 and instant action in carrying out. It is bere 

 tbat tbey so infinitely surpass tbe savage Indian 

 in bringing to a successful issue tbeir numerous 



