Page:Route Across the Rocky Mountains with a Description of Oregon and California.djvu/33



activity; and we are convinced they are better remedies for constitutional or pulmonary diseases, than all the Patent Medicines and learned prescriptions, with which the public have ever been gulled. Having passed through the gap, we traveled across the valley of Sweet Water, and to the trail of the Emigrants, and saw, from its size, that all the companies had passed. We hastened to overtake them, which we did that night; but not until late. During our absence, Messrs. Vasques and Walker came up, on their return from Fort Lauramie, and afterwards, traveled with us to their Trading House. On the 1st of August, we saw arise from the horizon, like distant clouds, the snow crested summits of the Wind River Mountains. They are several miles North of the Grand Pass, and are on of the highest portions of the Rocky Mountain range. On the 2nd, we made another hunting party, and proceeded again across the Mountain, on the South. After having gone about thirty miles from the trail, we saw a large band of Buffaloes; but, as it was late in the evening, we though it best not to disturb them before morning. When morning came, not a buffalo could be seen upon the plain. We hunted again all day, and in every direction, without finding any thing, and encamped at night in the Mountains, between where we were and Sweet Water. The third day, we went about fifteen miles further to the South, and saw a band of Buffaloes. We attempted to approach them; but they were so wild, that we could not get within a mile of them, before they would run. While following them, we saw an Indian, about half a mile off, and galloped towards him. At first, he fled; but finding that he could not escape, he stopped. When we came up, one of our party, (a Trader, belonging to the Company then traveling with us,) who understood his language, spoke to him. He was very much frightened when he saw that we knew he was a Sioux, expecting to be killed, on the spot. We asked him where his company were. He told us they were at a Lake, which was about three miles distant, making meat, and that they were three hundred in number. We turned to go away, when the Trader observed that we ought to kill him; but the rest of us objected, and he was overruled. Turning again to speak to him, he said he thought we had two hearts: one to kill him, and another to let him go; and that he did not know how to talk to us: that he did not know whether he should go under or not—(meaning that he did not know whether we did or did not intend to kill him.) But we