LOST. 273 



wood that expanded directly over our heads, and devoted her maternal care 

 to the sustenance of her fledgelings. But her unwearied industry by day 

 less commanded our admiration than the sweet melody of her nocturnal 

 warblings. 



Soon as the " pointers " told the " noon of night," her song commenced 

 in all its variations, like the soft breathings of an angel's lute, nor ceased 

 till the gray of morning broke from the empurpled east. Often have I 

 listened half dreamingly to the bewitching notes that mingled with the 

 harsh discord of the wilderness around me, and fancied myself guarded by 

 celestial spirits against the assaults of harm. 



With such kindly thoughts, who might not mount in his slumbers on 

 the wings of imagination, and step from star, as 'mid the changeless realms 

 of bliss. 



CHAPTER XXXII. 



Lost. — Night on the Prairie. — Head of the Kansas river. — Minerals. — Country. — 

 Gold. — Wonderful incident relative to a wounded bull. — Indians. — Join the Arapa- 

 hos. — Moving village. — Country between Beaver creek and the Platte. — Canon. — 

 Reach Fort Lancaster. — Fortune bettered. — News from the States. — Murder. — Ex- 

 traordinary instances of human tenacity to life. — Arrival of Indians. — Tiieft. — 

 Chyenne outrage.— Return of Oregon emigrants.—" Old Bob," and his adventures.— 

 A " Protracted Meeting," or Indian Medicine-making. — Indian oath. — Jaunt to the 

 mountains. — Mountain scenery. — Camp on Thompson's creek. — Wild fruits. — Con- 

 centration of valleys. — Romantic view. — A gem in the mountains. — Grand river 

 pass. — Salt lakes. — Astonishing scope of vision. — The black-tailed deer. — Peculi- 

 arity in horses. — Remarkable natural fortification. — Return. — Travelling by guess. 



One day, on leaving camp in quest of game, I carelessly travelled till 

 near sundown, without success. The hills, hollows, and ravines which 

 intersected my way and continually changed its bearings, so completely 

 bewildered me, that, as night shut down upon the cheerless expanse, I 

 found myself far away from any suitable camping-place, and alone amid 

 the realms of loneliness. Thus conditioned, I was forced to submit to 

 circumstances, and accordingly accepted of such lodgings as nature af- 

 forded. 



My lonely and dangerous situation, with the thrilling sensations expe- 

 rienced during the interval, gave birth to the following lines, w^hich, by aid 

 of a rude pencil formed from a bullet, were next morning traced upon a 

 small scrap of paper. I submit them to the reader, not that they possess 

 any intrinsic merit, but because they will enable him to derive some faint 

 idea of the terrific wildness and beauty of the surrounding scenes. 



