But the two wounded men found their wounds so inflamed that they could not travel.

The trappers, accustomed to such exigencies, prepared for them litters very ingeniously constructed.

They cut two flexible poles about twenty-four feet long.

These were laid upon the ground, three feet apart, and a buffalo robe laid between them, strongly fastened on either side, so as to present a swinging hammock about six feet in length.

This left at either end shafts about six feet long.