only the tracks of a she-grizzly and two cubs without 
seeing the animals themselves. So, instead of roast 
bear we had to content ourselves this evening again 
with bullberries. 
On the next day we did not find even berries. On 
the fifth day we started off with empty stomachs, but 
in good spirits. A thick mist covered the country, 
so that one could see only a few feet ahead. Our 
leader, who was riding ahead, suddenly sprang from 
his horse, and only then did we see a great black lump 
that was moving before us. It was three portly bears 
that saw us at the same moment, and ran away. We 
immediately chased after them in different directions, 
but the fog prevented us from following their tracks. 
The fog lifted soon after. Before us was a little 
stream with many cottonwood trees, called the big 
timber. There we hoped to find game. So Richard- 
son and Swiss took the direct road toward it, while 
the rest of us went toward a point where we were to 
meet at noon. We came across some antelope, but 
they seemed to know of our ravenous hunger and to 
make sport of us. We kept pretty close to the river 
and had covered about ten miles, when suddenly one 
of us, who had lagged somewhat behind, galloped up 
in hot haste, and shouted to us to make for the tim- 
ber as fast as we could. Although we ourselves could 
discover nothing, we could only take the call to mean 
that enemies were at hand. Without much question- 
ing, we rushed for the timber, only a few hundred 
steps off, and looked for a position suitable for de- 
Journey from 
Fort Crocket 
to the South 
Fork 
