sufficient time had elapsed for the
Indians to be well out of sight, Kit Carson and his companions left
their cover and soon found their way into the camp of their friends.

Gale was so continually annoyed by these Indians that he joined the
other trappers and together they concluded to leave their country.
Their combined forces, though able to cope with them so far as
defensive measures were necessary, was utterly powerless to overawe
them. This made it next to an impossibility for them to continue in
their country with a hope of success in business. For the purpose of
getting rid of them, they moved off, some distance, to a small creek
where beaver were plenty. Trouble followed them, however. The first
day of their arrival, one of the party was killed by the Blackfeet
Indians within a short distance, only, of the camp. During the
remainder of the stay made by the party on this stream, the rascals
hovered around and worried them to such a degree that a trapper could
not leave the camp without falling into an ambuscade and being forced
to fight his way back again.

It became evident to all interested that so long as such a state of
affairs existed they could not employ their time with just hope of
advantage. After a short council, it was decided to abandon this
region of the country and go to the North Fork of the Missouri. They
soon accomplished their journey and began the business of trapping.
Proceeding up the river, on the fourth day, they came, suddenly, upon
a large village of Flathead and Pondrai Indians who were encamped upon
its banks. These Indians were friendly to the whites. A chief of the
Flatheads and several of his people joined the trappers and went
with them to the Big Snake River where they established their winter
quarters. The winter passed away so quietly that not a single incident
occurred beyond the usual routine which the imagination of the reader
can easily supply. It was quite cold that season, and the snow fell
to a great depth. Everything however was arranged as best conduced to
comfort, and the trappers found a pleasant and congenial exercise in
hunting to supply their daily wants.

The winter seasons in the Rocky Mountains are usually fearful and
severe. There, snow storms form mountains for themselves, filling up
the passes for weeks, even those which are low being impracticable
either for man or beast. As a set-off to all this, the scenery is most
grand provided the beholder is well h