128 LIFE IN THE FAR WEST. 



their march was obstructed by all kinds of obstacles ; although 

 they had chosen what appeared to be a gap in the chain, and 

 what was in fact the only practicable passage in that vicinity. 

 They followed the caiion of a branch of the Yellow Stone, where 

 it entered the mountain ; but from this point it became a torrent, 

 and it was only by dint of incredible exertions that they reached 

 the summit of the ridge. Game was exceedingly scarce in the 

 vicinity, and they suffered extremely from hunger, having, on 

 more than one occasion, recourse to the parfleche soles of their 

 moccasins to allay its pangs. Old Bill, however, never grumbled : 

 he chewed away at his shoes with relish even, and as long as he 

 had a pipeful of tobacco in his pouch, was a happy man. Starv- 

 ition was as yet far off, for all their animals were in existence ; 

 but as they were in a country where it was difficult to procure a 

 remount, each trapper hesitated to sacrifice one of liis horses to his 

 appetite. 



From the summit of the ridge, Bill recognized the country on 

 ihe opposite side to that whence they had just ascended as famil- 

 iar to him, and pronounced it to be full of beaver, as well as 

 abounding in the less desirable commodity of Indians. This was 

 the valley lying about the lakes now called Eustis and Biddle, in 

 Y/hich are many thermal and mineral springs, well known to the 

 trappers by the names of the Soda,* Beer, and Brimstone Springs, 

 and regarded by them with no little awe and curiosity, as being 

 the breathing places of his Satanic majesty — considered, moreover, 

 to be the " biggest kind" of " medicine" to be found in the mount- 

 ains. If truth be told, old Bill hardly relished the idea of enter- 

 vig this country, which he pronounced to be of "bad medicine" 



Lotoriety, but nevertheless agreed to guide them to the best trap- 



_ -ing ground. 



One day they reached a creek full of beaver sign, and determin- 

 v.-d to halt here and establish their headquarters, while they trap- 

 ped in the neighborhood. We must here observe that at this pe- 



