RECOLLECTIONS OF AN OLD PIONEER. 377

but we treated him kindly, spent some time conversing with him as well as we could by signs, and then left him in peace. From the point where we struck the Lassen road, it continued down the river in a western direction ten or lifteen miles until the river turned to the south and ran through a canon, the road ascending the tall hills, and continuing about west for twenty to thirty miles, when it came again to and crossed the river. The same day that we saw the Indian we encamped, after dark, on a high bluff above the river. We had had no water to drink since morning, and we had traveled late in the hope of finding a good encampment. The night was so dark, and the bluff was so steep and rough, that we could distinctly hear the roar of the stream, as it dashed among the rocks below. At length, one of our men determined to go for water. He took with him a small tin bucket; and after having been ab- sent a considerable time, he returned with the bucket about one fourth full, having spilt most of the water on his return to camp. The amount for each of us was so small that our thirst was increased rather than dimin- ished. The next morning we left early, and followed the rond to the crossing of the river, where we arrived about noon. Here we spent the remainder of that day. The valley at this point was about a mile and a half wide, and without timber, and the descent into it was down a tall hill, which was not only steep, but heavily timbered. In the middle of tli is valley there was a solitary ridge about a mile long ami a quarter of a mile wide at its baseband some two hundred feet high, covered with rocks of various sizes. We deter- mined to discover, if we could, a new and easier route down the hill. For this purpose we ascended this ridge, from the summit of which we could have an excellent