ncounter the fatigue and dangers necessary to be
undergone in crossing the mountains; they also evidently believed the
region to be enchanted, and, if inhabited at all, to be the abode of
spirits, or beings differing greatly from the human race. When Maysotta
heard we were going, she begged Clarice and Rachel to remain with her;
but Clarice had made up her mind to accompany us, and was fully prepared
for all the difficulties we might have to encounter. Fortunately,
Lieutenant Broadstreet had sufficient supplies of provisions for all our
wants. We were thus not altogether destitute of the necessaries of
life, for we had, I remember, even tea and coffee, sugar and salt. The
lieutenant had also a very small bell-tent, the canvas of which formed
scarcely half a load for a man. He himself seldom used it, but he
insisted that it should be brought, to afford shelter to Clarice. Three
or four Indians, moreover, agreed to accompany us as far as our
baggage-mules could go, that they might convey our provisions and
stores; after which we should have to carry them ourselves in knapsacks
on our backs.

On parting with Winnemak, he told us that we should come back sooner
than we expected, as he was sure we should never get over the mountains.

"`Where there's a will there's a way.' There is nothing like having the
will to do a thing, to help one to succeed," answered Uncle Jeff.

Our guides were under the belief that the only practicable way in which
they could get to the region they had heard of, was by following up a
torrent which, they said, came down from the far-off snowy summits of
the mountains in a succession of cataracts. For some distance we
travelled through a dense pine forest, following the course of a stream
into which we concluded the torrent fell. We frequently had to turn
aside to avoid the numberless fallen trunks, or to dismount and lead our
animals over them. We thus made but slow progress, and were compelled
to encamp in the midst of the forest at a much earlier hour than would
have been necessary in the open country. We kept up a blazing fire,
however, and happily escaped a visit from bears, or any of the savage
animals whose voices we heard round us on every side.

The next morning we moved forward, and looked out eagerly for a torrent.
At length we heard the roar of tumbling waters, and making our way
through the forest we came in sight of a cataract which altogether
surpassed that of our own loc