The severity of the weather compelled them to encamp at the end of
fifteen miles on the skirts of the mountain, where they found
sufficient dry aspen trees to supply them with fire, but they sought
in vain about the neighbourhood for a spring or rill of water.
The next day, on arriving at the foot of the mountain, the travellers
found water oozing out of the earth, and resembling, in look and taste,
that of the Missouri. Here they encamped for the night, and supped
sumptuously upon their mountain mutton, which they found in good
condition.

For two days they kept on in an eastwardly direction, against wintry
blasts and occasional storms. They suffered, also, from scarcity
of water, having frequently to use melted snow; this, with the want
of pasturage, reduced their old packhorse sadly. They saw many tracks
of buffalo, and some few bulls, which, however, got the wind of them
and scampered off.

On the 26th of October, they changed their course to the northeast,
toward a wooded ravine in a mountain. At a small distance from its
base, to their great joy, they discovered an abundant stream,
running between willowed banks. Here they halted for the night.
Ben Jones having luckily trapped a beaver and killed two buffalo bulls,
they remained there the next day, feasting, reposing, and allowing
their jaded horse to rest from his labours.[4]

Pursuing the course of this stream for about twenty miles, they came
to where it forced a passage through a range of hills, covered with
cedars, into an extensive low country, affording excellent pasturage
to numerous herds of buffalo. Here they killed three cows, which