FRIENDSHIP. 49 



trapper. She had already a large stock of peltries col- 

 lected, to be disposed of at the nearest trading post 

 when spring was sufficiently advanced for trade to open. 

 Every day she visited her line of traps, for she was 

 possessed of eight, and seldom returned empty-handed. 



The process of tanning is very simple among the 

 Indians, but my efforts had never been satisfactory, 

 although I had followed as closely as possible their 

 example. It was doubtless in consequence of my 

 imperfect manipulation that the garments which I 

 then wore though, indeed, they had gone through 

 much wear and tear showed evidences of disso- 

 lution. My new friend voluntarily undertook to 

 remedy these defects, and in a few days I was much 

 more presentable. 



Having proposed to purchase her supply of 

 tobacco, the pouch and its contents were handed 

 over to me, and all attempts to force her to accept 

 any remuneration failed. ' We are friends, therefore 

 I will not take your money/ was her answer, while a 

 sad look possibly if she had been more juvenile it 

 would have been called a pout said as plainly as 

 words could express, ' I will have my own way/ 



The weather had been very changeable lately, 

 and if our elevation had been greater we must have 

 felt it severely. Squalls succeeded squalls, accom- 

 panied by rain or hail. Those mountain-peaks within 

 sight were all dressed in their winter covering, yet 

 the meadow where the horses fed was almost without 

 snow. The buffalo-grass was already cropping out 



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