Wednesday, September 21.—­We broke camp soon after 9 o’clock, traveling northwesterly down the stream, which at six miles entered a canon extending ten miles in a very tortuous course, the stream gradually bending to the west.  The sides of the canon are steep, and a great many small lateral streams flow into it, forming cascades of remarkable beauty.  There are also many springs gushing out from the sides of the canon afar up.  Below the canon we traveled over a high ridge for the distance of ten miles, and camped in a deep coulee, where we found good water and an abundance of wood and grass.  Mr. Hauser and Mr. Stickney all through the day were a few miles in advance of the rest of the party, and just below the mouth of the canon they met two men who manifested some alarm at sight of them.  They had a supply of provisions packed on riding saddles, and were walking beside their horses.  Mr. Hauser told them that they would meet a large party up the canon, but we did not see them, and they evidently cached themselves as we went by.  The Upper Madison in this vicinity is said to be a rendezvous for horse thieves.  We have traveled about twenty-five miles to-day.

As the outcome of a general conversation to-night, I will leave the party to-morrow morning, and start for Virginia City, where I have a forlorn hope that some tidings may be had of Mr. Everts.  We think that Virginia City is not more than thirty miles distant; but, as we are not now on any trail leading to it, I shall have to take my chances of finding it.

Jake Smith to-day asked me if I expected that the readers of my diary would believe what I had written.  He said that he had kept no diary for the reason that our discoveries had been of such a novel character, that if he were to write an account of them he would not be believed by those who read his record, and he would be set down as a liar.  He said that he did not mind being called a liar by those who had known him well for many years, but he would not allow strangers that privilege.  This ambiguous remark indicates that Jake has more wit and philosophy than I have given him the credit of possessing.

Thursday, September 22, Virginia City.—­With a small supply of needed creature comforts (lunch, etc.), I left the party early this morning, uncertain as to the time which would be required to take me to Virginia City.  About noon I met a horseman who had left Virginia City this morning, who directed me to the trail leading to the town.  He paused long enough to let me scan a newspaper which he had, from which I learned of the capitulation of the French at Sedan.  I asked him to hand the newspaper to General Washburn, whose party he would meet in the Madison valley.  He said that he would stop at the cabin of “Bannack George.”

The distance from our morning camp to this place is much farther than we thought, and it was 9 o’clock this evening before I reached Virginia City.  Nothing has been heard of Mr. Everts, and his friends are shocked at the intelligence of his loss from our party.