150 LIFE IN THE FAR WEST. 



who had been one of the party dispersed months before by the 

 Blackfeet on one of the head streams of the Yellow Stone, which 

 event had been the origin of the dire sufferings of Killbuck and 

 La Bonte. Markhead, after running the gauntlet of numerous 

 Indians, through the midst of whose country he passed with his 

 usual temerity and utter disregard to danger, suffering hunger, 

 thirst, and cold — those every-day experiences of mountain life — 

 riddled with balls, but with three scalps hanging from his belt, 

 made his way to a rendezvous on Bear River, whence he struck 

 out for the Platte in early spring, in time to join the band he 

 now accompanied, who were on a horse-stealing expedition to tha 

 Missions of Upper California. Little persuasion did either Kill- 

 buck or La Bonte require to join the sturdy freebooters. In five 

 minutes they had gone ''iiles-about," and at sundown were camp- 

 ing on the well-timbered bottom of " Little Sandy," feasting once 

 more on delicate hump-rib and tender-loin. 



For California, ho ! 



Fourteen good rifles in the hands of fourteen mountain men, 

 stout and true, on fourteen strong horses, of true Indian blood 

 and training ; fourteen cool heads, with fourteen pairs of keen 

 eyes in them, each head crafty as an Indian's, directing a right 

 arm strong as steel, and a heart as brave as grizzly bear's. Be- 

 fore them a thousand miles of dreary desert or wilderness, overrun 

 by hostile savages, thirsting for the white man's blood ; famine 

 and drought, the arrows of wily hordes of Indians — and, these 

 dangers past, the invasion of the civilized settlements of whites, 

 the least numerous of which contained ten times their number of 

 armed and bitter enemies ; the sudden swoop upon their countless 

 herds of mules and horses, the fierce attack and bloody slaughter : 

 such were the consequences of the expedition these bold mount- 

 aineers were now engaged in. Fourteen lives of any fourteen 

 enemies who would be rash enough to stay them, were, any day 

 you will, carried in the rifle barrels of these stout fellows ; who, 



