Gale was so continually annoyed by these Indians that he joined the other trappers and together they concluded to leave their country.  Their combined forces, though able to cope with them so far as defensive measures were necessary, was utterly powerless to overawe them.  This made it next to an impossibility for them to continue in their country with a hope of success in business.  For the purpose of getting rid of them, they moved off, some distance, to a small creek where beaver were plenty.  Trouble followed them, however.  The first day of their arrival, one of the party was killed by the Blackfeet Indians within a short distance, only, of the camp.  During the remainder of the stay made by the party on this stream, the rascals hovered around and worried them to such a degree that a trapper could not leave the camp without falling into an ambuscade and being forced to fight his way back again.

It became evident to all interested that so long as such a state of affairs existed they could not employ their time with just hope of advantage.  After a short council, it was decided to abandon this region of the country and go to the North Fork of the Missouri.  They soon accomplished their journey and began the business of trapping.  Proceeding up the river, on the fourth day, they came, suddenly, upon a large village of Flathead and Pondrai Indians who were encamped upon its banks.  These Indians were friendly to the whites.  A chief of the Flatheads and several of his people joined the trappers and went with them to the Big Snake River where they established their winter quarters.  The winter passed away so quietly that not a single incident occurred beyond the usual routine which the imagination of the reader can easily supply.  It was quite cold that season, and the snow fell to a great depth.  Everything however was arranged as best conduced to comfort, and the trappers found a pleasant and congenial exercise in hunting to supply their daily wants.

The winter seasons in the Rocky Mountains are usually fearful and severe.  There, snow storms form mountains for themselves, filling up the passes for weeks, even those which are low being impracticable either for man or beast.  As a set-off to all this, the scenery is most grand provided the beholder is well housed.  If the case is otherwise and he be doomed to combat these terrible storms, his situation is most critical.  During the summer months the lofty peaks of this mighty chain of mountains, like those of the Alps, are covered with white caps of snow.  As time, the bright sun and the south wind wear out these old-lady head-gearings, no matter what be the part of the year, whether the cold days of January, or the hot days of August, the snow storms are faithful in replenishing them.  It affords a contrast of the elements of the grandest conception to stand in the shade of some wavy verdure of the valley wiping off the unbidden perspiration from the brow, and, at the same instant, look upon a darkly threatening storm-cloud powdering the heads of the hoary monster mountains from its freight of flaky snow.  So far these American giant mountains are unsurpassed by their Alpine neighbors of Europe.  Not so in the glaciers.  Throughout the great range, there are none of those beautiful glaciers to be found that can compare with those possessed by their compeers in Europe.