lace of refuge to which it may retreat. Here is
the principal reason why the trapper is so seldom defeated. He cannot
afford to lose his life to a certainty, and consequently will not
allow a defeat.

After this fight, Young's party trapped down the Salt River to San
Francisco River, and thence on up to the head of the latter stream.
The Indians failed not to hover on their pathway, and to make nightly
attacks upon their party. Frequently they would crawl into camp and
steal a trap, or kill a mule or a horse, and do whatever other damage
they could secretly. At the head of the San Francisco River the
company was divided. It was so arranged, that one party was to proceed
to the valley of the Sacramento in California. Of this detachment
Kit Carson was a member. The other party had orders to return to New
Mexico for the purpose of procuring traps to replace those stolen.
This latter party was also commissioned to take and dispose of the
stock of beaver already on hand. The party bound for California was
eighteen in number. Of this party Mr. Young took command. Previous to
setting out, a few days were devoted to hunting. They only succeeded,
however, in killing three deer. The meat of these animals they
prepared to take with them, as they were about to journey into a
country never before explored. The skins of the three deer were
converted into tanks for carrying water. They had learned from some
friendly Indians that the country over which they had to pass _en
route_ was destitute of water. The red men told them additionally
that the valley (meaning the Sacramento) was beautiful, and that the
streams were full of beaver. All of this information the trappers
found was true. For four days they travelled over a barren country,
where not one drop of water could be found. At each night's
camping-place, small allowances of water from the tanks was
distributed by the commander to each man and animal. A guard was then
stationed over the remainder to prevent any accident from depriving
the company of this now precious article of sustenance. At the close
of the fourth day, however, they again found water. The instinct
exhibited by the pack mules on this occasion was truly remarkable.
Long before any member of the party thought that water was so near,
the mules, with unerring certainty, had smelt it, and each one,
according to his remaining strength, had hurried on to partake of it.
The result was, that when the first mule had reach