. Echoes from the Rocky Mountains : reminiscences and thrilling incidents of the romantic and golden age of the great West, with a graphic account of its discovery, settlement, and grand development . e answered not. Finally, as thenight was slipping away and we all needed rest, the Colonel proposedthat we should attempt to cross over to his camp in a large skiff thatwas tied to the banks of the stream, a little above the ferry. Whatevil spirit possessed us to engage in such a hazardous, foolhardy under-taking, I know not, indeed, unless it was the adventurous spirit thatpossesses all men livi
. Echoes from the Rocky Mountains : reminiscences and thrilling incidents of the romantic and golden age of the great West, with a graphic account of its discovery, settlement, and grand development . e answered not. Finally, as thenight was slipping away and we all needed rest, the Colonel proposedthat we should attempt to cross over to his camp in a large skiff thatwas tied to the banks of the stream, a little above the ferry. Whatevil spirit possessed us to engage in such a hazardous, foolhardy under-taking, I know not, indeed, unless it was the adventurous spirit thatpossesses all men living upon the border and an apparent indifferenceto danger, from its constant presence and familiarity that render themthoughtless in their actions. But that which added vastly to the perilof the adventure was the fact that when in the act of embarking inthe frail shell we were joined by an officer who had not formed one ofthe party during the evening, who was much under the influence ofthe ardent and who strenuously insisted upon crossing the streamwith us. With unaccustomed hands the oars were seized and we swept outtoward the middle of the stream in the total darkness of the night. 4k ,%//;/-. 237 ECHOES FROM THE ROCKY MOUNTAINS. 239 The gunwales of the little boat were almost even with the watersedge when we were all afloat. As I dropped ray hand down and feltthe water almost ready to pour over and swamp us, the awful dangerof the situation flashed upon me. A little jar or abrupt movement onthe part of a single occupant would be sufficient to destroy its equi-poise and instantly fill the boat, and our bodies would furnish food forthe fish ultimately in the Gulf of California. We soon found alsothat in our inexperienced hands the boat was at the mercy of thewaters. It was impossible to stem the mighty current of the swiftmountain stream whose velocity was measured alone by the declivityof the rivers bed. When we first pushed from the shore we werehalf a mile above the camp and
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