Their
meeting was hearty and joyous; for they had both experienced dangers and
perplexities.
The main party, in pursuing their course up the Wind River valley, had
been dogged the whole way by a war party of Crows. In one place, they
had been fired upon, but without injury; in another place, one of their
horses had been cut loose, and carried off. At length, they were so
closely beset, that they were obliged to make a retrogade move, lest
they should be surprised and overcome. This was the movement which had
caused such perplexity to Captain Bonneville.
The whole party now remained encamped for two or three days, to give
repose to both men and horses. Some of the trappers, however, pursued
their vocations about the neighboring streams. While one of them was
setting his traps, he heard the tramp of horses, and looking up,
beheld a party of Crow braves moving along at no great distance, with a
considerable cavalcade. The trapper hastened to conceal himself, but was
discerned by the quick eye of the savages. With whoops and yells,
they dragged him from his hiding-place, flourished over his head their
tomahawks and scalping-knives, and for a time, the poor trapper gave
himself up for lost. Fortunately, the Crows were in a jocose, rather
than a sanguinary mood. They amused themselves heartily, for a while,
at the expense of his terrors; and after having played off divers Crow
pranks and pleasantries, suffered him to depart unharmed.
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