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Show 216 THE CALIFORNIA AND OREGON TRAIL. beyond one of its lower de eli vi ties, we discerned volumes of white smoke, slowly rolling up into the clear air. ' I think,' said Raymond, 'some Indians must be there. Perhaps we had better go.' But this plan was not Tashly to be adopted, and we determined still .to continue our search after the lost trail. Our good stars prompted us to this decision, for we afterward had reason to believe, from information given us by the Indians, that the smoke was raised as a decoy by a Crow war-party. Evening was coming on, and there was no wood or water nearer than the foot of the mountains. So thither we turned, directing our course toward the point where Laramie Creek issues forth upon the prairie. When we reached it, the bare tops of the mountains were still brightened with sunshine. The little river was breaking, with a vehement and angry current, from its dark prison. There was something in the near vicinity of the mountains, in the loud surging of the rapids, wonderfully cheering and exhilarating; for although once as familiar as home itself, they had been for months strangers to my experience. There was a rich grass- plot by the river's bank, surrounded by low ridges, which would effectually screen ourselves and our fire from the sight of wandering Indians. Here, among the grass, I observed numerous circles of large stones, which, as Raymond said, were traces of a Dahcotah winter encamp· ment. We lay down, and did not awake till the sun was up. A large rock projected from the shore, and behind it the deep water was slowly eddying round and round. The temptation was irresistible. · I threw off my clothes, leaped in, suffered myself to be borne once round with the current, and then, seizing the strong root of a water-plant, drew myself to the HUNTING INDIANS. 217 shore. The effect was so invigorating and refreshing, that I mistook it for returning health.. 'Pauline,' thought I, as I led the little mare up to be saddled, 'only thrive as I do, and you and I will have sport yet among the buffalo beyond these mountains.' But scarcely were we mounted and on our way, before the momentary glow passed. Again I hung as usual in my seat, scarcely able to hold myself erect. 'Look yonder,' said Raymond; 'you see that big hollow there; the Indians rnust have gone that way, if they went any where about here.' We reached the gap, which was like a deep notch cut into the mountain-ridge, and here we soon discerned an ant-hill furrowed with the mark of a lodge. pole. This was quite enough; there could be no doubt now. As we rode on, the opening growing narrower, the Indians had been compelled to march in closer order, and the traces became numerous and distinct. The gap terminated in a rocky gateway, leading into a rough passage upward, between two precipitous mountains. Iiere grass and weeds were bruised to fragments by the throng that had passed through. We moved slowly over the rocks, up the passage; and in this toilsome manner we advanced for an hour or two, bare precjpices, hundreds of feet high, shooting up on either hand. Raymond, with his hardy mule, was a few rods before me, when we came to the foot of an ascent steeper than the rest, and which I trusted might prove the highest point of the defile. Pauline strained upward for a few yards, moaning and stumbling, and then came to a dead stop, upable to proceed further. I dismounted, and attempted to lead her; but my own exhausted strenoth soon gave out· so I loosened the b ' trail-rope from her neck, and tying it round my arm, crawled |