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Show 64 MORE ABOUT FORT BRIDGER three- days' journey. Before completing the first, however, we were so much higher, and the temperature so much lower, that I not only returned my vest, but found an over coat quite a desirable addition to my clothing. The second day was cold, damp, cloudy, and altogether very disagreeable. And as we started on the third, the clouds still hung about the mountains, and had already deposited on the range to the south a coating of snow. Only the skirts of the cloud came over us, however, and we escaped the violence of the storm. Unfortunately the axle of one of our ambulances ( we had two) broke the evening before, and it had been repaired in such a way as to leave some doubts as to its safety for the remainder of the journey. The ladies, therefore, were put into the more serviceable one, and we of the other sex occupied the disabled one. This was rather a quakerish way of dividing up the party ; but considering all things, for a fifty- miles' ride, it was thought best, and none of the gentlemen would plead guilty to the charge of want of gallantry. Our crippled wagon made the journey slow and tedious, and as the sun was getting low, and another storm threat ened, the ladies disregarded our injunction not to get far ahead, lest either wagon should meet with an accident, and they hurried on hoping to make Fort Bridger before dark. The storm commenced about sundown, when we were fifteen miles from the post. The whereabouts of the ladies we knew nothing of; but as the night was threatening, we hoped they had stopped at the next ranch. When we reached it we ascertained that they passed about three- quar ters of an hour before. It was only twelve miles thence to the Fort, and as they had a good team, and a careful driver, familiar with the road, we hoped that they would make it at an early hour. A consultation was then held as to whether or not we should stop with Mr. Burnes, the owner of the ranch, for the night, or go on to the Fort. Mr. Burnes, we ascertained, had two rooms in his cabin, which were occu pied by two families, consisting of about a dozen souls, more |