BECOME CHRISTIANS, AND INSTRUCT THEIR
PEOPLE--THE HOUSE REBUILT--SETTLERS GATHER ROUND US, AND UNCLE JEFF'S
FARM BECOMES THE MOST FLOURISHING IN THE NEIGHBOURHOOD 310-333

IN THE ROCKY MOUNTAINS.

CHAPTER I.

WHY UNCLE JEFF CAME TO "ROARING WATER"--THE SITUATION OF THE
FARM--THE INMATES OF THE HOUSE--MY SISTER CLARICE AND BLACK
RACHEL--UNCLE JEFF--BARTLE WON AND GIDEON TUTTLE--ARRIVAL OF
LIEUTENANT BROADSTREET AND HIS MEN--THE TROOPERS QUARTERED IN
THE HUT--OUR FARM-LABOURERS--SUDDEN APPEARANCE OF THE REDSKIN
WINNEMAK--HIS FORMER VISIT TO THE FARM--CLARICE ENCOUNTERS HIM
AT THE SPRING--BADLY WOUNDED--KINDLY TREATED BY CLARICE AND
RACHEL--HIS GRATITUDE.

We were most of us seated round a blazing fire of pine logs, which
crackled away merrily, sending the sparks about in all directions, at
the no small risk of setting fire to garments of a lighter texture than
ours. Although the flowers were blooming on the hill-sides, in the woods
and valleys, and by the margins of the streams; humming-birds were
flitting about gathering their dainty food; and the bears, having
finished the operation of licking their paws, had come out in search of
more substantial fare; and the buffalo had been seen migrating to the
north,--the wind at night blew keenly from off the snow-capped
mountain-tops which, at no great distance, rose above us, and rendered a
fire acceptable even to us hardy backwoodsmen.

Our location was far in advance of any settlement in that latitude of
North America, for Uncle Jeff Crockett "could never abide," he averred,
"being in the rear of his fellow-creatures." Whenever he had before
found people gathering around him at the spot where he had pitched his
tent, or rather, put up his log-hut, he had sold his property (always to
advantage, however), and yoking his team, had pushed on westward, with a
few sturdy followers.

On and on he had come, until he had reached the base of the Rocky
Mountains. He would have gone over them, but, having an eye to business,
and knowing that it was necessary to secure a market for his produce, he
calculated that he had come far enough for the present. He therefore
climbed the sides of the mountain for a short distance, until he entered
a sort of canon, which, penetrating westward, greatly narrowed, until it
had the appearance of a cleft with lofty crags on either side,--while it
opened out eastward, overlooking the broad valle