experienced the chill blast of the norther, but never
more acutely than upon that night. The day had been sweltering hot--the
thermometer at noon ranging about the one-hundredth Fahrenheit degree,
while in the first hour of darkness it could not have been far above the
twentieth. Had I judged by my sensations, I should have put it even
lower. Certainly it had passed the freezing-point, and sharp sleet and
hail were borne upon the wings of the wind.

With nerves deranged from want of rest and sleep--after the hot day's
march--after the perspiration produced by long exposure upon the heated
surface of the burnt prairie--I perhaps felt the cold more acutely than
I should otherwise have done. My blood seemed to stagnate and freeze
within my veins.

I was fain to wrap around my body a buffalo-robe, which some careless
savage had dropped upon the trail. My followers were not so well
furnished; starting as we had done, without any thought of being absent
for the night, no preparation had been made for camping out. Only a
portion of them chanced to have their blankets strapped upon the cantles
of their saddles. These were now the fortunate ones.

The norther had roused all of them from their slumbers--had awaked them
as suddenly as a douche of cold water would have done; and one and all
were groping about in the darkness--some seeking for their blankets--
others for such shelter as was afforded by the lee-side of the bushes.

Fortunately there were some saddle-blankets, and these were soon dragged
from the backs of the horses. The poor brutes themselves suffered
equally with their owners; they stood cowering under the cold, with
their hips to the cutting blast, their limbs drawn close together, and
their flanks shaggy and shivering. Some of them half sheltered
themselves behind the bushes, scarce caring to touch the grass at their
feet.

It would have been easy enough to make a fire; there was dry wood in
plenty near the spot, and of the best kind for burning--the large
species of mezquite. Some of the men were for kindling fires at once,
regardless of consequences; but this design was overruled by the more
prudent of the party. The trappers were strongly against it. Cold as
was the night, and dark, they knew that neither the norther nor the
darkness would deter Indians from being abroad. A party might be out
upon the prowl; the very buffalo-skin we had picked up might bring a
squad of them back; for it was t