ACROSS THE ROCKY MOUNTAINS, ETC. 143 



in the evening encamped in a narrow valley, on the borders of 

 the Shoshone. 



26th. — Last night I had the misfortune to lose my favorite, 

 and latterly my only riding horse, the other having been left at 

 Fort Hall, in consequence of a sudden lameness, with which he 

 became afflicted only the night before our departure.* The 

 animal was turned out as usual, with the others, in the evening, 

 and as I have never known him to stray in a single instance, I 

 conclude that some lurking Indian has stolen him. It was the 

 fattest and handsomest horse in the band, and was no doubt care- 

 fully selected, as there was probably but a single Indian, who 

 was unable to take more, for fear of alarming the guard. This 

 is the most serious loss I have met with. The animal was par- 

 ticularly valuable to me, and no consideration would have induced 

 me to part with it here. It is, however, a kind of accident that 

 we are always more or less liable to in this country, and as a 

 search would certainly be fruitless, must be submitted to with 

 as good a grace as possible. Captain W. has kindly offered me 

 the use of horses until we arrive at Columbia. 



We commenced our march early, travelling up a broad, rich 

 valley, in which we encamped last night, and at the head of it, 

 on a creek called Brule, we found one family, consisting of five 

 Snake Indians, one man, two women, and two children. They 

 had evidently but very recently arrived, probably only last 

 nifht, and as they must certainly have passed our camp, we feel 

 little hesitation in believing that my lost horse is in their posses- 

 sion. It is, however, impossible to prove the theft upon them in 



* I afterwards ascertained tliat this lameness of my " buffalo horse," was inten- 

 tionallj' caused by one of the hopeful gentry left in charge of the fort, for the pur- 

 [)0se of rendering the animal unable to travel, and as a consequence, confining him 

 to the fort at the time of our departure. The good qualities of the horse as a buf- 

 falo racer, were universally known and appreciated, and I had repeatedly refused 

 large sums for him, from those who desired him for ihis purpose. 



