Down below we saw the smokes of native fires in several places, but we could not tell by what tribe they were made.

At last we came to a point where the plateau broke back to the north, and we paused to search for a way to continue.
I was sent out in one direction with one man, and Thompson went in another.

I had not gone half a mile before I found an old trail which had very recently been travelled by natives, and when I had followed it far enough to get its trend, and as far as I dared, for I feared running on the camp at any point, I returned to report.

Thompson decided to take this trail.

It led us across strange country, and in one place for a long distance over barren sandstone into a peculiar valley.