CHAPTER XXV.
OREGON The spell and the light of each path we pursue-- If woman be there, there is happiness too.
-- Moore.
Twenty miles a day, week in and week out, we edged westward up the Platte, in heat and dust part of the time, often plagued at night by clouds of mosquitoes.

Our men endured the penalties of the journey without comment.

I do not recall that I ever heard even the weakest woman complain.

Thus at last we reached the South Pass of the Rockies, not yet half done our journey, and entered upon that portion of the trail west of the Rockies, which had still two mountain ranges to cross, and which was even more apt to be infested by the hostile Indians.

Even when we reached the ragged trading post, Fort Hall, we had still more than six hundred miles to go.
By this time our forces had wasted as though under assault of arms.