Tli 



i;ocKN' Mi^rX'l'AIXS 



11)-) 



beautiful 1\-F<)rin('(l arrow-licad of transparent agate, and 

 must liavc lain tlicrr. at least since the ^'onoral a(l<~>y>tion nl" 

 iron li\' the Indians twu hundred \cars 

 Hii'o. This and a small ''old nuuiicl whii'li 

 my mining- friend })resented to me at part- 

 ing, were the only trophies I carried oil' 

 lioni the Gros Ventre. The snowstorm 

 had cleared the game out, and we were 

 driven b)- the exhaustion of oui' stores 

 to move on to nuM't Clark(\ who was to 

 join us at a certain trysting-phice with a fresh supply. 



The Main Divid(^ here forms a l>road h 02;- back at a o;reat 

 elevation, from which rises the Union Peak. This is not 

 (juite the highest point of the continent, but it is the very 

 crown and centri' of the waterslied, and from it the three 

 irreat river-svstenis lake their rise, so that it would not be 

 impossible to find a point whence three snowballs might be 

 thrown, of whi<-li the first, melting, sliould ultimately find 

 its way to the (iulf of .Mexico, the second would reach the 

 Pacific by the Gulf of Califoriua, while the third would enter 

 the same ocean two thousand miles farther to the noith. 



The wooded [thiteau ou the |)i\i(le was cluirmingly 

 broken nito open paiks. ami here ami there were lakes, 

 surrounded bv tall f)ouulas iirs. \\ ith a Ioul;' IJole, eul on 

 the spot, and a jiieco of bacon. .Madden cauglit a trout in 

 one (if tliese tarns, which mu>t liaNc scaled j'ulh- 7 lbs. 

 Inside it was a full-grown waterdien. It was welcome, for 

 at this time we were again short of meat. A\itli the 

 smallest foresight tliis need never have happened, but the 

 Western ])alate aldiors an\- meat which is imt '" Moody 

 llesh. ' The reader wdl perceive that this expression 



