ood.
They could only push forward. On the 15th they came to the foothills of
the Bitter Root Range; and on the 17th they were well into its heart,
ascending the main ridges. But here they soon discovered the
impossibility of proceeding in their situation. The snow lay everywhere
to a depth of twelve or fifteen feet, completely hiding the trail. To
delay until the snow melted would defeat the intention of getting to
St. Louis before another winter. To go on was to risk losing themselves
altogether. As they stated the question to themselves, frankly, it
seemed like a game of tossing pennies, with Fate imposing the familiar
catch, "Heads, I win; tails, you lose."

"We halted at the sight of this new difficulty," says Captain Lewis.
"... We now found that as the snow bore our horses very well, traveling
was infinitely easier than it was last fall, when the rocks and fallen
timber had so much obstructed our march." But with the best of fortune,
at least five days must be spent in getting through this dreadful
fastness. Unfamiliar as they were with the route, the chances against
getting through at all were tenfold. "During these five days, too, we
have no chance of finding either grass or underwood for our horses, the
snow being so deep. To proceed, therefore, under such circumstances,
would be to hazard our being bewildered in the mountains, and to insure
the loss of our horses; even should we be so fortunate as to escape
with our lives, we might be obliged to abandon our papers and
collections. It was, therefore, decided not to venture any further; to
deposit here all the baggage and provisions for which we had no
immediate use; and, reserving only subsistence for a few days, to
return while our horses were yet strong to some spot where we might
live by hunting, till a guide could be procured to conduct us across
the mountains."

Just at that moment they were almost in despair. The next day two of
the best men turned back to the Nez Perce villages, to endeavor to
procure a guide, while the main party moved down toward the plains,
supporting life meagrely, waiting for something to turn up. They were
quite powerless until help of some kind should come to them.

To their infinite relief, the messengers returned in a few days,
bringing guides, who undertook to conduct the party to the Falls of the
Missouri, for which service they were to be recompensed by two guns.
Under their care a fresh start was made, and by nightfall of