place for catching suckers that I have ever seen.) As we were uncertain whether our company was in the rear or in advance of us, Mr. Moody decided to remain at Ragtown for a few days, still hoping to join them, and more especially as he could secure a "job" as "second cook" in making beef soup and biscuit.

By economy and small purchases I had managed to preserve a portion of my provisions, which I left with Moody in the event of the "boys" putting in an appearance, reserving a small portion to last me over the mountains. I only remained a couple of hours at Ragtown, when I pushed on to the river where better feed and water could be obtained. Here I camped alone for the night. I gave my comrade my vest and an extra pair of socks I had "hung onto," as a parting gift, as he had neither, and my coat would do me very well without a vest.

My next and last meeting place with Moody, was in January, 1853, at "Dave Hammer's tavern," in Marengo, Ill., where we took dinner together. He had made. his "pile" in the mines, returned to his old home in Vermont, where he purchased a fine farm, married and settled down. He wore eye-glasses, sported a gold watch, wore a nugget ring and a fine suit of clothes, getting all he wanted to eat and plenty of water to drink.

Carson river and valley, where I made my camp after crossing the 45-mile desert, were for many years before the discovery of gold and the advent of civilizing influences along with white settlers, the paradise of hunters and trappers. The river abounded in muskrat and beaver, the pelts of which found ready market at old Fort Hall and other trading posts of the Hudson Bay

Bay Company. The contiguous Sierra range, with its summits covered with eternal snows, overlooking the valley, was the home of the grizzly bear, mountain lion, deer and other smaller game. Buffalo and antelope roamed over the vast plains and valleys extending eastward from the Sierra Nevada, across the Rockies to the bottoms of the Platte and Arkansas rivers, altogether making this the ideal place of the intrepid and hardy mountaineer.

CHAPTER XII.

HUNTER AND TRAPPER.

As early as 1830 such noted hunters and trappers as Carson, Fitzgerald, Walker, Bent, and, a little later, Bridger, Sublett, Peg-leg Smith, old Bill Williams and others of lesser note had made their headquarters on the banks of the Carson river and grazed their ponies upon the luscious bunch and buffalo grasses that covered the valley and foothills. Here they fought the thieving and hostile redskins, who would rob their traps and steal their horses. On one occasion, a paryt of 30 Indians robbed the trappers at night, driving off a number of their horses. Bridger, with five of his men took up the trail and found the Indians in a wooded canyon with the horses tied to saplings, with the exception of one which they had killed and on which they were preparing to feast, all being grouped about a roaring fire, and thoughtless of danger. Bridger and his men approached to within 50 yards without being discovered and poured in a murderous fire with rifle and pistol, killing 11, the others fleeing in dismay. Cutting their horses loose they returned in safety to camp, having taught the redskins a lesson not soon forgotten.

In the spring of 1832, Carson, thinking he could do better traping on his own account, took two men and leaving the party on Carson river, went higher up into the mountains, thus avoiding Indian troubles and se

curing a number of beavers. He had good success, and carrying his furs to Taos, sold them to the traders. there and joined a Captain Lee, who was an army officer and went to Green river, where they met another party of trappers. An Indian, who had been with the other company, had, the night before Captain Lee's arrival, stolen six of their best horses and fled. Having obtained Lee's permission to go in pursuit, Carson got a young Ute warrior to accompany him, and the two set off on the trail of the horse thief. He had a good start and was rapidly making his way towards California. After going about one hundred miles the horse. of the Ute gave out and Carson pushed on alone, overtaking the Indian about thirty miles further on. As soon as he saw Carson he dismounted and sought cover behind some rocks. Carson determined to risk a shot while riding towards him at full speed (the Indian was armed with a rifle) and by good luck his ball pierced the Indian's heart. The stock was taken back to camp, which the young Ute had already reached. Meeting Bridger and Fitzpatrick, who had been to Fort Hall to dispose of their furs, they returned together to their old quarters in Carson valley.

Next to Carson, probably no mountaineer gained more notoriety for exciting experiences in frontier life, as an Indian fighter, than William Sublette. "Sublette's cut-off," between the South Pass and Salt Lake, on which were the Soda and Steamboat springs, received its name from this brave trapper. He brought the first wagon that had ever crossed the Rocky mountains through the South Pass in 1830, and his trail was followed ever after by all making their way to the Pacific Slope.

On one occasion, while trapping on Carson river, Sublette had gone out alone to look for some horses that had strayed, and came across two Indians on foot driving them off. One of them had just succeeded in catching a horse as Sublette came up, and, mounting it, he hurried the others off as rapidly as possible. Sublette made chase after the one who was still on foot, and who was endeavoring to reach the mountains. He soon overtook the Indian, who turned and drew his knife, which Sublette by a sweep of his tomahawk sent flying into the air. He then grappled with the savage, intending to throw him. The Indian proved strong and active, however, and was a match for Sublette. In the midst of their struggle Sublette saw the other Indian coming swiftly up, rifle in hand. He saw that he must kill both of the savages to save his own life. Holding the one close to him and between himself and the mounted Indian, he succeeded in drawing one of his pistols as the redskin on horseback dashed up. The trapper fired and the Indian dropped from his horse. With the butt of his pistol he beat the other about the head and face until he fell to the ground insensible. Cleaving his skull with his tomahawk, he scalped him, and mounting his haltered horse rode some distance, then entered the stream which led to his camp, thus destroying all trace of his course.

The Utes, upon finding the dead bodies, supposed they had been killed by their enemies, the Diggers, with whom they were constantly at war. After dancing around them furiosuly for two or three days, they started out to obtain revenge for their dead braves from the poor Diggers.

Sublette once performed an act of heroism seldom