comfort which the pioneers of the wilderness could desire.  No matter how dismally the wintry storm might wail through the tree-tops, no matter how fiercely the smothering, drifting snow-storm might sweep the prairie, they, in their warm and illuminated cabins, could bid defiance alike to gale and drift.  Their hardy animals, ever accustomed to unsheltered life in winter as well as summer, knew well how to find the grass beneath the snow, or to browse upon the succulent foliage.

The journey, though it proved very toilsome, was successfully accomplished.  Captain Lee, with Carson, and their accompanying band, having reached the Snake river encampment, readily sold all his goods, taking his pay in beaver skins.  With his rich purchase packed upon the backs of his horses, he returned to Taos.  As there was nothing in Captain Lee’s journey home to require the services of so important a man as Mr. Carson, the latter decided to remain and unite himself with the trappers.

The party was large, the beavers were scarce, and after the lapse of a month Mr. Carson decided that the prospect of a rich remuneration in the distribution of their furs, was not encouraging.  He therefore arranged an expedition on his own account.  His popularity as a man and his reputation as a trapper were such that every man in the party was ready to join him.  He selected three of the best men, and crossing the main ridge of the Rocky mountains, a distance of about one hundred and fifty miles, reached the Laramie river, a stream which flowed into the north fork of the Platte.

The warm airs of spring were now beginning to breathe through these valleys.  On the Laramie and its tributaries, Carson and his companions continued trapping through the whole summer.  They were successful beyond their highest expectations.  As they were to carry their furs for sale to Taos, which was on the west side of the mountains, they set out, laden with their goods, to cross the wide and rocky range.  It was slow work threading these defiles, and it required a journey of several days.

One afternoon having travelled for hours through a very dreary and barren ravine, in which they had found no game, they halted two hours before sunset.  Carson, while his two companions were arranging the camp, set off with his rifle in pursuit of supper.  He had wandered about a mile from the camp, when he came upon the fresh tracks of some elk.  Following their trail for a little distance, he soon discovered a small herd of the beautiful animals grazing upon a hill-side, just on the edge of a grove.  Moving with great care, circuitously he entered upon the covert of the trees, crept up within rifle range, selected the largest and fattest of the herd, and at the report of the rifle, the animal stood for a moment shivering as if struck by paralysis, and then dropped dead.

Carson was more than usually elated by his success.  The party were all hungry.  The region was extremely wild and barren, and there was great danger that they would have to go supperless to bed.  Scarcely had the echo of his rifle shot died away, when Carson heard a terrific roar, directly behind him.  Instantly turning his head, he saw two enormous grizzly bears, coming down upon him at full speed, and at the distance of but a few rods.