36 NARRATIVE OF A JOURNEY 



ticularly fond of sallying out early in the morning, and strolling 

 around the camp. The light breeze just bends the tall tops of 

 the grass on the boundless prairie, the birds are commencing 

 their matin carollings, and all nature looks fresh and beautiful. 

 The horses of the camp are lying comfortably on their sides, 

 and seem, by the glances which they give me in passing, to 

 know that their hour of toil is approaching, and the patient kine 

 are ruminating in happy unconsciousness. 



11th. — We encountered some rather serious difficulties to-day 

 in fording several wide and deep creeks, having muddy and 

 miry bottoms. Many of our horses, (and particularly those that 

 were packed,) fell into the water, 'and it was with the greatest 

 difficulty and labor that they were extricated. Some of the 

 scenes presented were rather ludicrous to those who were 

 not actors in them. The floundering, kicking, and falling of 

 horses in the heavy slough, man and beast rolling over together, 

 and squattering amongst the black mud, and the wo-begone 

 looks of horse, rider, and horse-furniture, often excited a smile, 

 even while we pitied their begrimed and miserable plight. All 

 these troubles are owing to our having lost the trail yesterday, 

 and we have been travelling to-day as nearly in the proper 

 course as our compass indicated, and hope soon to find it. 



12th. — Our scouts came in this morning with the intelligence 

 that they had found a large trail of white men, bearing N. W. 

 We have no doubt that this is Wm. Sublette's party, and that it 

 passed us last evening. They must have travelled very rapidly 

 to overtake us so soon, and no doubt had men ahead watching 

 our motions. It seems rather unfriendly, perhaps, to run by us 

 in this furtive way, without even stopping to say good morning, 

 but Sublette is attached to a rival company, and all stratagems 

 are deemed allowable when interest is concerned. Tt is a 

 matter of some moment to be the first at the mountain rcn- 



