They often stopped to rest, and Arcane waited for them with Old Crump, while they breathed and complained awhile and then passed on again.
[Illustration: The Oxen Get Frisky.] The route was first along the foot of the high peak, over bare rocks and we soon turned south somewhat so as to enter the canon leading down to the falls.

The bottom of this was thick with broken rock, and the oxen limped and picked out soft places about as bad as the women did.

A pair of moccasins would not last long in such rocks and we hoped to get out of them very soon.

Rogers and I hurried along, assisting Arcane and his party as much as we could, while Bennett staid behind and assisted the women as much as possible, taking their arms, and by this means they also reached camp an hour behind the rest.
A kettle of hot steaming soup, and blankets all spread out on which to rest, was the work Rogers and I had done to prepare for them, and they sank down on the beds completely exhausted.

The children cried some but were soon pacified and were contented to lie still.