We now considered that we were near the end of our journey. That night
we swallowed a very scanty supper, lay down to sleep, and dreamed of
beaver-tail and buffalo-hump and tongues. The next day, at noon, we
crossed the bed of a stream, which was evidently a large river during
the rainy season. At that time but little water was found in it, and
that so salt, it was impossible even for our horses to drink it.
Towards night, we came to the banks of a clear stream, the waters of
which were bubbling along, over a bed of golden sand, running nearly
north and south, while at a distance of some six miles, and to our left,
was the chain of hills I had previously mentioned; rising above the rest
were three peaks, which really deserved the name of mountains. We
crossed the stream, and encamped on the other side. Scarcely had we
unsaddled our horses, when we perceived coming towards us a large party
of savages, whose war-paint, with the bleeding scalps hanging to their
belts, plainly showed the errand from which they were returning. They
encamped on the other side of the stream, within a quarter of a
mile from us.
That night we passed watching, shivering, and fasting, for we dared not
light a fire in the immediate vicinity of our neighbours, whom we could
hear singing and rejoicing.
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