and from twenty to thirty in breadth; with rugged peaks, covered with
eternal snows, and deep, narrow valleys full of springs, and brooks, and
rock-bound lakes. From this great treasury of waters issue forth limpid
streams, which, augmenting as they descend, become main tributaries of
the Missouri on the one side, and the Columbia on the other; and give
rise to the Seeds-ke-dee Agie, or Green River, the great Colorado of the
West, that empties its current into the Gulf of California.

The Wind River Mountains are notorious in hunters' and trappers'
stories: their rugged defiles, and the rough tracts about their
neighborhood, having been lurking places for the predatory hordes of the
mountains, and scenes of rough encounter with Crows and Blackfeet. It
was to the west of these mountains, in the valley of the Seeds-ke-dee
Agie, or Green River, that Captain Bonneville intended to make a halt
for the purpose of giving repose to his people and his horses after
their weary journeying; and of collecting information as to his future
course. This Green River valley, and its immediate neighborhood, as
we have already observed, formed the main point of rendezvous, for
the present year, of the rival fur companies, and the motley populace,
civilized and savage, connected with them. Several days of rugged
travel, however, yet remained for the captain and his men before they
should encamp in this desired resting-place.

On the 21st of July, as they were pursuing their course through one of
the meadows of the Sweet Water, they beheld a horse grazing at a little
distance. He showed no alarm at their approach, but suffered himself
quietly to be taken, evincing a perfect state of tameness. The scouts of
the party were instantly on the look-out for the owners of this animal;
lest some dangerous band of savages might be lurking in the vicinity.
After a narrow search, they discovered the trail of an Indian party,