time with wonder and admiration, they produced a musk-rat skin, and offered it in exchange.
The
captain shook his head; but purchased the skin for a couple of buttons - superfluous trinkets! asthe
worthy lord of the hovel had neither coat nor breeches on which to place them.
The mirror still continued the great object of desire, particularly in the eyes of the oldhousewife,
who produced a pot of parched flour and a string of biscuit roots. These procured her some triflein
return; but could not command the purchase of the mirror. The salmon being now completelycooked, they all joined heartily in supper. A bounteous portion was deposited before the captainby
the old woman, upon some fresh grass, which served instead of a platter; and never had he tasteda
salmon boiled so completely to his fancy.
Supper being over, the captain lighted his pipe and passed it to his host, who, inhaling thesmoke,
puffed it through his nostrils so assiduously, that in a little while his head manifested signs ofconfusion and dizziness. Being satisfied, by this time, of the kindly and companionable qualitiesof the captain, he became easy and communicative; and at length hinted something aboutexchanging
beaver skins for horses. The captain at once offered to dispose of his steed, which stood fastenedat
the door. The bargain was soon concluded, whereupon the Indian, removing a pile of bushesunder
which his valuables were concealed, drew forth the number of skins agreed upon as the price.
Shortly afterward, some of the captain's people coming up, he ordered another horse to besaddled,
and, mounting it, took his departure from the hut, after distributing a few trifling presents amongits
simple inhabitants. During all the time of his visit, the little Indian girl had kept her large blackeyes
fixed upon him, almost without winking, watching every movement with awe and wonder; andas
he rode off, remained gazing after him, motionless as a statue. Her father, however, delightedwith
his new acquaintance, mounted his newly purchased horse, and followed in the train of thecaptain,
to whom he continued to be a faithful and useful adherent during his sojourn in theneighborhood.
The cowardly effects of an evil conscience were evidenced in the conduct of one of thecaptain's
men, who had been in the California expedition. During all their intercourse with the harmlesspeople of this place, he had manifested uneasiness and anxiety. While his companions mingledfreely and joyously with the natives, he went about with a restless, suspicious look; scrutinizingevery painted form and face and starting often at the sudden approach of some meek andinoffensive
savage, who regarded him with reverence as a superior being. Yet this was ordinarily a boldfellow,
who never flinched from danger, nor turned pale at the prospect of a battle. At length herequested
permission of Captain Bonneville to keep out of the way of these people entirely. Their strikingresemblance, he said, to the people of Ogden's River, made him continually fear that someamong
them might have seen him in that expedition; and might seek an opportunity of revenge. Everafter
this, while they remained in this neighborhood, he would skulk out of the way and keep aloofwhen
any of the native inhabitants approached. "Such," observed Captain Bonneville, "is the effect ofself-reproach, even upon the roving trapper in the wilderness, who has little else to fear than thestings
of his own guilty conscience." [Return to Contents].
