In the after part of the day, they came to another scene, surpassing in savage grandeur those already described.  They had been travelling for some distance through a pass of the mountains, keeping parallel with the river, as it roared along, out of sight, through a deep ravine.  Sometimes their devious path approached the margin of cliffs below which the river foamed, and boiled, and whirled among the masses of rock that had fallen into its channel.  As they crept cautiously on, leading their solitary pack-horse along these giddy heights, they all at once came to where the river thundered down a succession of precipices, throwing up clouds of spray, and making a prodigious din and uproar.  The travellers remained, for a time, gazing with mingled awe and delight, at this furious cataract, to which Mr. Stuart gave, from the color of the impending rocks, the name of “The Fiery Narrows.”

CHAPTER XLIX.

     Wintry Storms.—­A Halt and Council.—­Cantonment for the
     Winter.—­Fine Hunting Country.—­Game of the Mountains and
     Plains.-Successful Hunting—­Mr. Crooks and a Grizzly Bear.—­
     The Wigwam.—­Bighorn and Black-Tails.—­Beef and Venison.—­
     Good Quarters and Good Cheer.—­An Alarm.—­An Intrusion.—­
     Unwelcome Guests.-Desolation of the Larder.—­Gormandizing
     Exploits of Hungry Savages.—­Good Quarters Abandoned.

The travellers encamped for the night on the banks of the river below the cataract.  The night was cold, with partial showers of rain and sleet.  The morning dawned gloomily, the skies were sullen and overcast, and threatened further storms; but the little band resumed their journey, in defiance of the weather.  The increasing rigor of the season, however, which makes itself felt early in these mountainous regions, and on these naked and elevated plains, brought them to a pause, and a serious deliberation, after they had descended about thirty miles further along the course of the river.

All were convinced that it was in vain to attempt to accomplish their journey, on foot, at this inclement season.  They had still many hundred miles to traverse before they should reach the main course of the Missouri, and their route would lay over immense prairies, naked and bleak, and destitute of fuel.  The question then was, where to choose their wintering place, and whether or not to proceed further down the river.  They had at first imagined it to be one of the head waters, or tributary streams, of the Missouri.  Afterwards they had believed it to be the Rapid, or Quicourt River, in which opinion they had not come nearer to the truth; they now, however, were persuaded, with equal fallacy, by its inclining somewhat to the north of east, that it was the Cheyenne.  If so, by continuing down it much further they must arrive among the Indians, from whom the river takes its name.  Among these they would be sure to meet some of the Sioux tribe.  These would appraise their relatives, the piratical Sioux of the Missouri, of the approach of a band of white traders; so that, in the spring time, they would be likely to be waylaid and robbed on their way down the river, by some party in ambush upon its banks.