As fast as the robes were bought they were baled, and by the time
Uncle Kit pretty well bought up all that were for sale, the wagon-
train came and hauled them away.
There were twenty wagon loads of robes and the goods Uncle Kit
traded for them would not have cost to exceed seventy-five
dollars.
Our work being done, we started for Taos, for it was now almost
time to start out for the winter's trapping. On our arrival at
Taos we found Johnnie West, who had been loafing around for two
months, and who was anxious to get at work again. Uncle Kit hired
him to go with us to South Park to trap the coming winter, that
being the place he had decided upon for the season's work.
CHAPTER VII.
BATTLING THREE DAYS' BATTLE BETWEEN THE COMANCHES AND THE UTES FOR
THE POSSESSION OF A "HUNTER'S PARADISE."--AN UNSEASONABLE BATH.
All being ready, Uncle Kit, Johnnie West and myself pulled out for
South Park. We passed over a high range of mountains, struck the
Park on the east side, and a more beautiful sight I never saw than
the region was at that time. Coming in from the direction
mentioned, one could overlook the entire park, which was almost
surrounded by snow-capped mountains, and the valley, several miles
below, which was about eighty miles long and from ten to twenty
miles wide, was as green as a wheatfield in June. When we were
near the valley we could see elk in bands of a hundred or more,
with small herds of bison scattered here and there in the valley,
and antelope by the hundred.
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