Page:The Prairie Flower; Or, Adventures In the Far West.djvu/113

 ed through

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<l<:nse thickets of dwarfish, shrubby trues through creeping vines, full of brambles, ihat lacerated our ankles and feet, (we had 'ong been shoeless,) up, up, up the steep iLountain sides we struo-o-led over rocks

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which sometimes formed precipices that only yielded us here and there a danger ous foot-hold occasionally leaping across canons, in which the torrent of the moun tain rolled murmuring over its rocky bed a thousand feet below us on, on, up and on we pressed eagerly sometimes suffer ing with fatigue, and with cold, and with hunger up and on we bent our steps, for two, long, wearisome days, ere we reached the regions of eternal snow.

At last we stood upon the very back bone of the Sierra Nevada, ten thousand feet above the sea, surrounded by a few cedars, loaded with snow and ice, the for mer underneath us to the depth of many fcet and gazed downward, far, far below us upon the broad, barren plains, fertile uplands, lovely valleys, and bright, silver streams and lakes with feelings that are indescribable.

A mile or two farther on, we came to a pleasant valley, through which rolled a beautiful stream. Here, collecting a sup- pi/ of drift-wood, we kindled a bright fire, and disposing ourselves around it, toasted our already swollen and frost-bitten feet, made our supper of a few roots and ber- rits which we had collected on the way, and occupied most of the night in con- stiucting some rude moccasins out of a quarter buffalo robe which we fortunately had brought with us.

Thus for several days did we continue our perilous journey passing through scenes of danger and hardship, that, if detailed, would fill a volume sustained, in all our trials, by a holy Being, to whom we daily and nightly gave the sincere orisons of grateful hearts.

Once, during our mountain journey, we came very nigh being buried in a furious snowstorm; and but for the providential shelter of an Indian hut, ere durkness set tled around us, this narrative in all proba bility had never been written. The hut m question, stood on the side of the moun tain, and was constructed of sticks, wil lows and rushes, well braided together, in shape not unlike a modern beehive. The

tenants were an Indian, his squaw, and two half-grown children, all miserable, and filthy in their appearance. Our sudden entry (for we did not stop for etiquette) alarmed them terribly, and they screeched and drew back, and huddled themselves in the farther corner. However, on mak ing them friendly signs, and intimating we only sought protection from the storm, they became reassured, and offered us some nuts of a pleasant flavor, peculiar to the country, and which, as I learned, formed their principal food. We spent the night with them, aud were treated with hospitality.

On leaving I presented the host with a pocket-knife, which he received with an ejaculation of delight, and examined curi ously. On opening 'it, and showing him its uses, his joy increased to such a degree, that, by signs, he immediately volunteered to act as guide, and was accepted by us without hesitation. He proved of great service, in showing us the shortest and best route over the mountains, and as a kind of bodyguard against other savages, whom we now occasional!) met, but whom he restrained from approaching us with any undue familiarity.

On arriving in sight of Sutler's settle ment: situated near the junction of the Rio Sacramento and Rio de los America nos, or River of the Americans we gave a wild shout of joy, and our guide made signs that he would go no farther. As he had been with us several days, and had proved so faithful, we could not bear he should part from us without a further tes timonial of our generosity and gratitude. Accordingly, drawing from my belt a sil ver-mounted pistol, I discharged it, show ed him how to load and fire it, and then presented it to him, together with a belt- knil'e and a good sivpply of powder and ball; and he went back with all the pride of an emperor marching from the conquest 17 another kingdom.

Hurrying forward, with feelings which are indescribable, we passed throuo-h a beautiful valley, green with blade and briy-ht with flowers through an Indian village, where every person appeared neat and comfortable, and well disposed toward us and at last, ascending a slight emi nence, just as day was c