must be tolerant." This was his strongest point of support, the foundation of all his reasoning, and the stimulus of his zeal. The term Catholic, according to him, was but another word for " love and philanthropy." He carried his absurdities and contradictions so far that he excited the hilarity of the whole camp. His ingenuous simplicity was even greater than his tolerance. For example, lie once said to the " Yesterday one of the members of my persuasion returned to me a book which I had lent him, stating that it contained an exposition of the Roman creed. When I asked him his opinion of it, he replied, ` that the book was full of errors;' yet it was an exposition of Methodist principles that I had given him. Witness," said he, with emphasis, " the blinding influence of prejudice."
I had daily conversations with some one of the caravan, and frequently with several. And although Americans are slow to change their creed, we had the consolation to relieve our traveling companions of a heavy load of prejudice against our holy religion. They parted from us exhibiting signs of respect and veneration; nay, even of preference for Catholicity. These controversies so completely engrossed my mind, my heart and my senses, that I arrived almost unconsciously on the banks of Snake river. Here a great danger and a profitable lesson awaited us; but before speaking of the adventures of our journey, I shall conclude what remains to be related of the country we traversed.
We halted with our narrative upon the shore of the Sweetwater. This stream is one of the most beautiful tributaries of the Platte. It owes its name, indeed, to the purity of its waters.' It is distinguished from its fellow tributaries by the numerous wanderings of its current - a proof that the fall of its bed is but slight. But suddenly changing its course, we see or rather hear it rushing impetuously through
a long cleft in a chain of mountains. These mountains, which harmonize well with the torrent, exhibit the most picturesque scenes; travelers have named this spot the e See p. 214.