Hunt's party, in the preceding autumn,
across Mad River Mountain to Fort Henry, and who subsequently departed
with Mr. Miller and his fellow trappers, to conduct them to a good
trapping ground. The reader may recollect that these two trusty Snakes
were engaged by Mr. Hunt to return and take charge of the horses which
the party intended to leave at Fort Henry, when they should embark in
canoes.
The party now crowded round the Snake, and began to question him
with eagerness. His replies were somewhat vague, and but partially
understood. He told a long story about the horses, from which it
appeared that they had been stolen by various wandering bands, and
scattered in different directions. The cache, too, had been plundered,
and the saddles and other equipments carried off. His information
concerning Mr. Miller and his comrades was not more satisfactory. They
had trapped for some time about the upper streams, but had fallen into
the hands of a marauding party of Crows, who had robbed them of horses,
weapons, and everything.
Further questioning brought forth further intelligence, but all of a
disastrous kind. About ten days previously, he had met with three other
white men, in very miserable plight, having one horse each, and but one
rifle among them.
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