The rest were mounted, and so spirited a pursuit took place, that
eighteen of the number carried off were regained, and but three remained
in possession of the enemy. Traps for wolves, had been set about
the camp the preceding day. In the morning it was discovered that a
Blackfoot was entrapped by one of them, but had succeeded in dragging
it off. His trail was followed for a long distance which he must have
limped alone. At length he appeared to have fallen in with some of his
comrades, who had relieved him from his painful encumbrance.
These were the leading incidents of Montero's campaign in the Crow
country. The united parties now celebrated the 4th of July, in rough
hunters' style, with hearty conviviality; after which Captain Bonneville
made his final arrangements. Leaving Montero with a brigade of trappers
to open another campaign, he put himself at the head of the residue
of his men, and set off on his return to civilized life. We shall not
detail his journey along the course of the Nebraska, and so, from point
to point of the wilderness, until he and his band reached the frontier
settlements on the 22d of August.
Here, according to his own account, his cavalcade might have been taken
for a procession of tatterdemalion savages; for the men were ragged
almost to nakedness, and had contracted a wildness of aspect during
three years of wandering in the wilderness. A few hours in a populous
town, however, produced a magical metamorphosis.
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