In fact, on the following day they discerned that, althoughalready at a great elevation, they were only as yet upon theshoulder of the mountain. It proved to be a great sierra, orridge, of immense height, running parallel to the course of theriver, swelling by degrees to lofty peaks, but the outline gashedby deep and precipitous ravines. This, in fact, was a part of thechain of Blue Mountains, in which the first adventurers toAstoria experienced such hardships.
We will not pretend to accompany the travellers step by step inthis tremendous mountain scramble, into which they hadunconsciously betrayed themselves. Day after day did their toilcontinue; peak after peak had they to traverse, struggling withdifficulties and hardships known only to the mountain trapper. Astheir course lay north, they had to ascend the southern faces ofthe heights, where the sun had melted the snow, so as to renderthe ascent wet and slippery, and to keep both men and horsescontinually on the strain; while on the northern sides, the snowlay in such heavy masses, that it was necessary to beat a trackdown which the horses might be led. Every now and then, also,their way was impeded by tall and numerous pines, some of whichhad fallen, and lay in every direction.
In the midst of these toils and hardships, their provisions gaveout. For three days they were without food, and so reduced thatthey could scarcely drag themselves along. At length one of themules, being about to give out from fatigue and famine, theyhastened to dispatch him. Husbanding this miserable supply, theydried the flesh, and for three days subsisted upon the nutrimentextracted from the bones. As to the meat, it was packed andpreserved as long as they could do without it, not knowing howlong they might remain bewildered in these desolate regions.
One of the men was now dispatched ahead, to reconnoitre thecountry, and to discover, if possible, some more practicableroute. In the meantime, the rest of the party moved on slowly.
After a lapse of three days, the scout rejoined them. He informedthem that Snake River ran immediately below the sierra ormountainous ridge, upon which they were travelling; that it wasfree from precipices, and was at no great distance from them in adirect line; but that it would be impossible for them to reach itwithout making a weary circuit. Their only course would be tocross the mountain ridge to the left.
Up this mountain, therefore, the weary travellers directed theirsteps; and the ascent, in their present weak and exhausted state,was one of the severest parts of this most painful journey. Fortwo days were they toiling slowly from cliff to cliff, beating atevery step a path through the snow for their faltering horses. Atlength they reached the summit, where the snow was blown off; butin descending on the opposite side, they were often plungingthrough deep drifts, piled in the hollows and ravines.
Their provisions were now exhausted, and they and their horsesalmost ready to give out with fatigue and hunger; when oneafternoon, just as the sun was sinking behind a blue line ofdistant mountain, they came to the brow of a height from whichthey beheld the smooth valley of the Immahah stretched out insmiling verdure below them.
The sight inspired almost a frenzy of delight. Roused to newardor, they forgot, for a time, their fatigues, and hurried downthe mountain, dragging their jaded horses after them, andsometimes compelling them to slide a distance of thirty or fortyfeet at a time. At length they reached the banks of the Immahah.
The young grass was just beginning to sprout, and the wholevalley wore an aspect of softness, verdure, and repose,heightened by the contrast of the frightful region from whichthey had just descended. To add to their joy, they observedIndian trails along the margin of the stream, and other signs,which gave them reason to believe that there was an encampment ofthe Lower Nez Perces in the neighborhood, as it was within theaccustomed range of that pacific and hospitable tribe.
The prospect of a supply of food stimulated them to new exertion,and they continued on as fast as the enfeebled state ofthemselves and their steeds would permit. At length, one of themen, more exhausted than the rest, threw himself upon the grass,and declared he could go no further. It was in vain to attempt torouse him; his spirit had given out, and his replies only showedthe dogged apathy of despair. His companions, therefore, encampedon the spot, kindled a blazing fire, and searched about for rootswith which to strength~n and revive him. They all then made astarveling repast; but gathering round the fire, talked over pastdangers and troubles, soothed themselves with the persuasion thatall were now at an end, and went to sleep with the comfortinghope that the morrow would bring them into plentiful quarters. [Return to Contents].
