WE CONTINUE OUR JOURNEY OVER THE MOUNTAINS, AND ENCAMP IN A FERTILE VALLEY--HUNT ELK IN COMPANY WITH A PANTHER--I SPOIL THE SPORT OF THE LATTER--UNCLE JEFF WOUNDS AN ELK, WHICH IS LOST DOWN A PRECIPICE--MORE FORTUNATE AFTERWARDS--UNCLE JEFF RESOLVES TO REMAIN WITH CLARICE, RACHEL, AND PAT, WHILE MANLEY, THE SERGEANT, AND I PUSH ON--DIFFICULTIES IN CROSSING THE MOUNTAINS--MANLEY IN FEARFUL DANGER--HE ESCAPES--DESCEND TOWARDS A BROAD VALLEY--ITS WONDERFUL APPEARANCE--WE ENCAMP--THE SERGEANT NEARLY SCALDS HIS FINGERS IN A TEMPTING SPRING--CURIOUS PHENOMENON--DREADFUL NOISES OF WILD BEASTS DISTURB OUR SLUMBERS 217-238 CHAPTER X. ADVANCE TOWARDS A BEAUTIFUL LAKE--HOT SULPHUR SPRINGS MET WITH--BOILING MUD POTS--CURIOUS BASINS FORMED BY WATER IN THE SIDE OF THE MOUNTAIN--LOVELY FRETWORK ROUND THEIR RIMS--NEARLY SINK INTO A BOILING MUD POOL--THE LAKE REACHED--ABUNDANCE OF GAME, AND FISH--BUILD A RAFT--BEGIN VOYAGE ACROSS LAKE--VIOLENT STORM--IN GREAT DANGER--DRIVEN ACROSS THE LAKE--WE CLING TO TREES WHILE THE RAFT IS DASHED TO PIECES--MAKE OUR WAY THROUGH THE FOREST--I MISS MY COMPANIONS, AND LOSE MY GUN AND KNAPSACK OVER A PRECIPICE--REACH FOOT OF MOUNTAIN--I CAMP WITHOUT SUPPER OR FIRE 239-265 CHAPTER XI. ALONE IN THE FOREST--AWAKENED BY THE CRY OF A PANTHER--THE BRUTE DISCOVERS ME--I TAKE REFUGE IN A TREE--THE PANTHER DISAPPEARS--A VISIT TO THE LAKE--VAIN EFFORTS TO RECOVER MY RIFLE AND KNAPSACK--I CONTINUE TOWARDS THE WEST, HOPING TO MEET MY FRIENDS--MORE SULPHUR SPRINGS--NEARLY OVERWHELMED BY A MUD VOLCANO--A POISONOUS VALLEY--CAUGHT IN A SNOW-STORM--BUILD A HUT--MY FARE, THISTLE ROOTS--MAKE TRAPS AND A FISHING-LINE--SALLY FORTH--CATCH THREE BEAVERS--FIND ANOTHER LAKE--SALMON-TROUT CAUGHT--CONTINUE DOWN A RIVER, AND COME UPON A NUMBER OF MAGNIFICENT GEYSERS--AM ABOUT TO TAKE UP MY ABODE IN A GROTTO, WHEN A HOT SPRING RISES FROM IT--I SHIFT MY QUARTERS--PREPARE FOR ANOTHER SOLITARY NIGHT--I HEAR A SHOT, AND A WOUNDED DEER BOUNDS NEAR ME 266-288 CHAPTER XII. I KILL THE DEER--MORE WONDERS--MEET MANLEY AND SERGEANT CUSTIS AT LAST--A PLEASANT EVENING--PARCHED WITH THIRST AMIDST SPARKLING STREAMS--OUR HAZARDOUS JOURNEY OVER THE MOUNTAINS--SAFE ARRIVAL AT FORT HARWOOD--WELCOMED BY THE COMMANDANT--AN EXPEDITION ORGANIZED TO DRIVE THE INDIANS FROM THE COUNTRY--MANLEY COMMANDS IT--I ACCOMPANY HIM--MEET BARNEY AND KLITZ, STILL BOUND FOR CALIFORNIA--BARNEY GIVES AN ACCOUNT OF THEIR ESCAPE--THEIR JOURNEY STOPPED--THEY RETURN WITH US--WE MEET PIOMINGO AND HIS SQUAW--TELLS US THAT HE HAS BURIED THE WAR-HATCHET--HEAR AN ALARMING ACCOUNT OF BARTLE--ASCEND THE MOUNTAIN TO WHERE WE LEFT UNCLE JEFF--FIND HIM AND CLARICE WELL--HE HAS OBTAINED A LARGE SUPPLY OF PELTRIES--OUR RETURN TO WINNEMAK'S CAMP--MAYSOTTA ACCOMPANIES CLARICE TO ROARING WATER 289-309 CHAPTER XIII.