132 
The Colorado River 
money from travellers, and horses from the Indians. Thus, as one 
would believe, Mr. Robinson drives a very snug little business. 
And, indeed, when all the independent trappers are driven by the 
appearance of winter into this delightful retreat, and the whole Snake 
village, two thousand or three thousand strong, impelled by the 
same necessity, pitch their lodges around the fort and the dances 
and merrymakings of a long winter are thoroughly commenced, 
there is no want of customers.” 
With this happy picture of frontier luxury in the trapper 
period I will close the scene. Unwittingly, but no less thor¬ 
oughly, the trappers had accomplished a mission: they had 
opened the gates of the wilderness. 
Two-thirds of these intrepid spirits had left their bones 
on the field, but theirs had been the privilege of seeing the 
priscan glory of the wilderness. 
