It appeared that he had been lost in the mountain, and hunger and fatigue, joined to weakness of body, and fear of perishing in the mountains had crazed him.

The times were severe when stout men lost their minds from extremity of suffering--when horses died--and when mules and horses, ready to die of starvation, were killed for food.
Yet there was no murmuring or hesitation.

In the meantime Mr.Preuss continued on down the river, and unaware that we had encamped so early in the day, was lost.

When night arrived and he did not come in, we began to understand what had happened to him; but it was too late to make any search.
"March 3 .-- We followed Mr.Preuss's trail for a considerable distance along the river, until we reached a place where he had descended to the stream below and encamped.

Here we shouted and fired guns, but received no answer; and we concluded that he had pushed on down the stream.
I determined to keep out from the river, along which it was nearly impracticable to travel with animals, until it should form a valley.
At every step the country improved in beauty; the pines were rapidly disappearing, and oaks became the principal trees of the forest.