“We cannot wait till July and the full moon, boys,” declared Captain Lewis, in an address to the company. “It’s only 160 miles from the Kamass Prairie to our old camp on the other side at Traveler’s Rest Creek, and there we’ll be done with the snow. If no guides overtake us, Drouillard and Labiche and some of the rest of you are as good trailers as the Indians, and can lead us through.”
“Hooray!” cheered all. They were as anxious as the captains to go. They were in fine fettle. They had been playing prisoner’s base, among themselves, and had been running foot-races with the Nez Percés, to harden their muscles. In the races only one Indian had proved as fast as Peter and John Colter, the American champions.
Now on June 10 camp was broken, and the march to the mountains begun.
“Ten days’ll see us through,” confidently declared Pat.
XIX
BACK ACROSS THE MOUNTAINS
Traveler’s Rest Creek, at last! But Pat’s “ten days” had lengthened into twenty, for this was June 29.
There had been good reason. To be sure, the Kamass Prairie had been found all abloom with the kamass, so that the host of pale petals had made it look like a lake. The wild roses were in flower; the ground squirrels were busy, and supplied tender tidbits. But when the company tried to climb they encountered snow fifteen feet deep, covering the grass and the trail, and the air was that of winter. Game was very scarce.
The captains shook their heads, and called a council of the company.