we dashed along the line, but were left far behind, and singling out a cow, I gave her my fire, but struck too high.  She gave a tremendous leap, and scoured on swifter than before.  I reined up my horse, and the band swept on like a torrent, and left the place quiet and clear.  Our chase had led us into dangerous ground.  A prairie-dog village, so thickly settled that there were three or four holes in every twenty yards square, occupied the whole bottom for nearly two miles in length.  Looking around, I saw only one of the hunters, nearly out of sight, and the long dark line of our caravan crawling along, three or four miles distant.”

The trail which the party left behind them now forms the emigrant road to California via Fort Laramie, Salt Lake, etc.  On reaching Fort Laramie, Fremont found a fearful state of affairs existing among the Sioux Indians through whose country his route lay.  An encounter had recently taken place between a war-party belonging to the Sioux nation and a party of trappers and Snake Indians.  In the fight the Indians had been worsted and several of their braves killed.  To revenge themselves the Sioux chieftains had collected their warriors; and, while the nation was encamped to the number of one thousand lodges, they had gone forth to seek and punish their enemies.

At Fort Laramie the exploring party met several trappers and friendly Indians who used their utmost endeavors to dissuade Colonel Fremont from venturing into such inevitable danger.  There was but one opinion expressed, viz.:  that, as sure as he entered upon the journey, the entire party would be massacred.  To all these admonitions and warnings, Colonel Fremont had but one reply.  His government had directed him to perform a certain duty.  The obstacles which stood in his way, it was his duty to use every means at his command to surmount; therefore, in obedience to his instructions, he was determined to continue his march.  Finally, he said, that he would accomplish the object or die in the attempt, being quite sure that if the expedition failed by being cut to pieces, a terrible retribution would be in store for the perpetrators of the act.  Kit Carson, his guide, openly avowed that the future looked dark and gloomy; but, he was delighted to hear this expression from his commander.  He now felt that he had a man after his own heart to depend on, and should danger or inevitable death be in store for them he was ready and willing to face either with him.  In order to be prepared for the worst, Kit Carson felt it his duty, considering the dangers apprehended, to make his will, thereby showing that if he had to fight he was ready to count it his last battle.  Colonel Fremont resumed his journey, and very opportunely arrived at the South Pass of the Rocky Mountains without, in any way, being annoyed with Indians, not even meeting any on the route.