steep and rocky
ridges, which cut and wounded the feet of the horses, and rendered our
progress very slow. The timber we passed was principally pine trees,
with sharp pointed leaves and large cones, and occasionally we came
upon a grove of evergreen oaks, more stunted in shape than was the case
in the lower regions. About mid-day we passed the source of the Rio de
las Plumas, or Feather River, and after a most severe and in some
respects forced march climbed the last rocky ridge which separated us
from the Bear Valley. The sun was near its setting as we pushed down
the mountain slopes towards the river. We found it a small stream
flowing swiftly over a shingly bed to the westward, and encamped within
hearing of its murmur, well pleased to have performed our toilsome
journey.

CHAPTER XVI.

A rest
A solitude
No gold to be found
An exploring party
Good fortune
Food and security
More cradles
A fortified shanty in preparation
A dessert after dinner
Dejection
Thoughts about home
No other gold-finders to be seen
Mormon trail
Salt Plain and the Great Salt Lake
A weary day's journey without water
Saline exhalations
The inland sea and its desolate shores
A terrible whirlpool
The shanty finished
The trapper's services retained
The camp visited by an Indian tribe
A friendly sign
The pipe of peace
A "trade" with the Indians declined
Some depart and some remain
Provisions run short
Hunting expeditions
Something about a bear.

_Sunday, July 30th_.--We rested somewhat late upon Saturday morning to
make up for the fatigues of the journey from Weber's Creek. On
surveying the country we found ourselves in a perfect solitude. Not an
Indian, far less a white man, was to be seen. The fertile valley of the
Bear River--with its luxuriant grass, in which nestled coveys of the
Californian quail--seemed almost untrodden by human foot, and sloped in
great beauty between the ridges of rocky hills and peaks of granite,
with dark ravines and canones between, which hemmed it in. Our first
care was of course to try the capabilities of the country in the way of
gold. We therefore separated ourselves, and sought different points of
the channel of the stream, and different chasms, which in the winter
time conducted the mountain torrents into it.

To our great astonishment and disappointment, one by one we returned
into the camp with the news of our non-success. By the o