Beckwourth, who relates the story of the trip,** makes no suggestion of any far-off destination, nor does he say they took their packs along, as they would have done if going to a commercial centre.

It seems to have been purely a trapping expedition, and was probably the very first attempt to navigate Green River.

They took along few provisions, expecting to find beaver plentiful to the end of the canyon, but after a few miles the beaver were absent, and, having preserved none of the meat, the party began to suffer for food.

They were six days without eating, and, the high precipitous walls running ever on and on, they became disheartened, or, in Western phrase, "demoralised," and proposed to cast lots to find which should make food for the others, a proposition which horrified Ashley, and he begged them to hold out longer, assuring them that the walls must soon break and enable them to escape.

They had not expected so long a gorge.