itself in a swamp. Here they encamped upon the ice among stiffened willows, where they wereobliged to beat down and clear away the snow to procure pasturage for their horses.
Hence they toiled on to Godin River; so called after an Iroquois hunter in the service ofSublette,
who was murdered there by the Blackfeet. Many of the features of this remote wilderness arethus
named after scenes of violence and bloodshed that occurred to the early pioneers. It was an act offilial vengeance on the part of Godin's son Antoine that, as the reader may recollect, brought onthe
recent battle at Pierre's Hole.
From Godin's River, Captain Bonneville and his followers came out upon the plain of theThree
Butes, so called from three singular and isolated hills that rise from the midst. It is a part of thegreat
desert of Snake River, one of the most remarkable tracts beyond the mountains. Could they haveexperienced a respite from their sufferings and anxieties, the immense landscape spread outbefore
them was calculated to inspire admiration. Winter has its beauties and glories as well as summer;and Captain Bonneville had the soul to appreciate them.
Far away, says he, over the vast plains, and up the steep sides of the lofty mountains, thesnow lay
spread in dazzling whiteness: and whenever the sun emerged in the morning above the giantpeaks,
or burst forth from among clouds in his midday course, mountain and dell, glazed rock andfrosted
tree, glowed and sparkled with surpassing lustre. The tall pines seemed sprinkled with a silverdust,
and the willows, studded with minute icicles reflecting the prismatic rays, brought to mind thefairy
trees conjured up by the caliph's story-teller to adorn his vale of diamonds.
The poor wanderers, however, nearly starved with hunger and cold, were in no mood toenjoy the
glories of these brilliant scenes; though they stamped pictures on their memory which have beenrecalled with delight in more genial situations.
Encamping at the west Bute, they found a place swept by the winds, so that it was bare ofsnow, and
there was abundance of bunch grass. Here the horses were turned loose to graze throughout thenight. Though for once they had ample pasturage, yet the keen winds were so intense that, in themorning, a mule was found frozen to death. The trappers gathered round and mourned over himas
over a cherished friend. They feared their half-famished horses would soon share his fate, forthere
seemed scarce blood enough left in their veins to withstand the freezing cold. To beat the wayfurther
through the snow with these enfeebled animals seemed next to impossible; and despondencybegan
to creep over their hearts, when, fortunately, they discovered a trail made by some hunting party.
Into this they immediately entered, and proceeded with less difficulty. Shortly afterward, a finebuffalo bull came bounding across the snow and was instantly brought down by the hunters. Afire
was soon blazing and crackling, and an ample repast soon cooked, and sooner dispatched; afterwhich they made some further progress and then encamped. One of the men reached the campnearly
frozen to death; but good cheer and a blazing fire gradually restored life, and put his blood incirculation.
Having now a beaten path, they proceeded the next morning with more facility; indeed, thesnow
decreased in depth as they receded from the mountains, and the temperature became more mild.
In
the course of the day they discovered a solitary horseman hovering at a distance before them onthe
plain. They spurred on to overtake him; but he was better mounted on a fresher steed, and kept ata wary distance, reconnoitring them with evident distrust; for the wild dress of the free trappers,their
leggings, blankets, and cloth caps garnished with fur and topped off with feathers, even their veryelf-locks and weather-bronzed complexions, gave them the look of Indians rather than whitemen,
and made him mistake them for a war party of some hostile tribe.
After much manoeuvring, the wild horseman was at length brought to a parley; but even thenhe
conducted himself with the caution of a knowing prowler of the prairies. Dismounting from hishorse, and using him as a breastwork, he levelled his gun across his back, and, thus prepared fordefence like a wary cruiser upon the high seas, he permitted himself to be approached withinspeaking distance.
He proved to be an Indian of the Banneck tribe, belonging to a band at no great distance. Itwas some
time before he could be persuaded that he was conversing with a party of white men and inducedto
lay aside his reserve and join them. He then gave them the interesting intelligence that there weretwo companies of white men encamped in the neighborhood. This was cheering news to CaptainBonneville; who hoped to find in one of them the long-sought party of Matthieu. Pushingforward,
therefore, with renovated spirits, he reached Snake River by nightfall, and there fixed hisencampment.
Early the next morning (13th January, 1833) , diligent search was made about theneighborhood for
