TACITURN COMPANION . 125 



A little after midnight we started. The night 

 was dry overhead, but very dark, and for a couple 

 of hours we plodded northward ; the horses almost 

 uncertain, from the perfect want of light, on what 

 they placed their feet. At length the moon rose, 

 and soon after the sun, but even by the aid of that 

 luminary we failed to distinguish the white covers 

 of the waggons, from the good speed we had made. 



I could not find the squaw to bid her adieu 

 before leaving. She evidently was with her coun- 

 trymen, who were encamped to the south, a short 

 distance from our waggons. However, I left her 

 many kind messages, and obtained a promise from 

 Mr. Morris, that, as I required to take my mule, 

 he would order her load to be carried until she 

 thought fit to sell it, or leave his company. Nor 

 am I ashamed to acknowledge that it was with 

 regret I left this daughter of a primitive race 

 without having it in my power to do her some 

 service that might benefit her in after-life. 



Next day I and my guide halted all day in a 

 ravine. Game was abundant, but as we did not 

 require supplies it remained undisturbed. A more 

 taciturn companion than my present one I do not 

 think I ever met with. During the entire day he 

 did not speak half-a-dozen words. At last, during 

 our evening meal, after imbibing a couple of bum- 

 pers from my bottle, such mighty ones as half 

 emptied it, he became loquacious. 



The loss of the whisky I certainly regretted, but 



