Winter began to break up about a month earlier than usual, it
being toward the last days of March when the snow commenced going
off. We then took a pair of blankets each, and enough provisions
to last us on our trip, and started for Taos, the only kind of
provisions we had left being dried elk and venison. It was an easy
matter to cure meat in this style in that country, for the air is
so light that meat stuck upon the top of a pole eight or ten feet
high, will quickly become dried, or "jerked." Trappers seldom take
enough flour and coffee to last all winter, as it made too much
bulk and weight to pack so far. Sugar was almost unknown in a
trapper camp.

The second day after leaving the dug-out we met Juan, the Mexican
boy. He was not bringing our horses, but was carrying a letter for
Uncle Kit, from Col. John C. Fremont, asking him to come to Taos,
as he wished to employ him as guide for his expedition to
California.

That evening, after reading the letter, Uncle Kit said: "Willie, I
have got to go to California in the summer to pilot Col. Fremont
through. Do you want to go along?"

I said I was perfectly willing to go anywhere that he went.

He said: "We will pass through some mighty rough country, and also
through the country of the Utes. If you go, you will, no doubt,
have plenty of chances to try your hand at shootin' Injuns, for
them Utes are tough nuts."