CHAPTER III.
The Trapper's Life--Indian Horse Thieves--Carson's Skilful Pursuit and Surprise of the Savages--Arrival at Los Angeles--Trouble with the Authorities--A Singular Escape.
The trappers being in the heart of the Indian country, with hostileon every hand, were cautious in all their movements. When one of thegrizzled hunters in the depths of the wilderness fired his gun atsome deer, antelope or bear, he hastily reloaded his rifle, listeningmeanwhile for sounds of the stealthy footprints of his enemy. He knewnot when the treacherous shot would be sent from behind the rockor clump of bushes, but he had learned long before, that, when hepenetrated the western wilds and followed the calling of trapper, hetook his life in his hands and he was ready to "go under," whenever thefate so decreed.
The most flagrant crime on the frontier is horse stealing. He who shootsone of his fellow men has a chance of escaping punishment almost as goodas that afforded in civilized communities, but if he steals a horse andis caught, his case is hopeless. It may be said that the value of theanimal to the hunter or trapper is beyond all calculation, and, inasmuchas the red man is equally appreciative, Carson always warned his friendsto be on the watch against the dusky thieves. Sentinels were on guardwhile others slept, but the very calamity against which they thus soughtto protect themselves overtook them.
One dark night a number of Indians stole by the sentinels and beforetheir presence was discovered, drove off the major part of the horses.In the morning, when the alarming truth became known, the employer ofthe trappers asked Carson to take twelve of the men and do his utmostto recover those that were stolen. Carson assented at once, and, in hisquiet, self possessed fashion, collected his comrades who were speedilyin the saddle and galloping along the trail of the thieves.
It may strike the reader that an offhand statement like the foregoingrelates to a proceeding of no special difficulty or peril. A party ofbrave white men were pursuing a company of Indian horse thieves and thechances of escape and capture were about equal. Thus the matter presentsitself to the ordinary spectator, whereas the truth was far different.
In the first place, the savages, being as well mounted as theirpursuers, were sure to maintain a swift pace, so long as they believedany danger threatened. They would keep a keen watch of the back trailand would be quick to detect the approach of enemies. If pressed hard,they would act as the Apaches and Comanches do, when they find theUnited States troops at their heels--break up in so many small partiesthat it is impossible to follow them.
First of all, therefore, Carson had two achievements before him--and theaccomplishment of either seemed to render the other impossible: he musttravel at a faster rate than the thieves, and, at the same time keepthem in ignorance of his pursuit. It is on such occasions that a man'swoodcraft and knowledge of the country serve him so well. Many a time,during the career of Kit Carson, did he outwit the red men and whitecriminals, not by galloping along with his eye upon their footprints,but by reasoning out with unerring skill, the destination or refugewhich the criminals had in mind. Having settled that all importantquestion, he aimed at the same point and frequently reached it first.Thus it came about that often the fugitive, while hurrying along andglancing furtively behind him, suddenly found himself face to face withhis pursuer, whose acquaintance with the country enabled him to find theshorter route.
It took Carson only a few minutes to satisfy himself that the criminalswere heading for the Sierra Nevada Mountains, but, inasmuch as they werefollowing a direct course, he could only take their trail. Where therewere so many animals in flight, it was impossible to hide their tracksand the thieves made no attempt to do so. They struck the horses intoa sweeping gallop, which with a few interruptions they maintained untilthey were a hundred miles from the camp of the white men and among thefastnesses of the Sierras.
Then it was the red men made a careful survey of the trail behind them.The black penetrating eyes scanned the country with a piercing keennesswhich it would seem shut out all possibility of concealment. Nowherecould they detect the faint smoke climbing toward the sky from among thetrees nor could they gain sight of the line of horsemen winding aroundthe rocks in the distance. Nothing resembling a human being was visible.Surely they were warranted in believing themselves perfectly secure.
Such being their conclusion, they prepared for a great feast. Six of thestolen horses were killed and the red men became as ardent hipophagi aswas the club of advanced Parisians a short time ago. The roasted meattasted as fine to them as though it was the choicest slices from thebison or deer, and they ate and frolicked like so many children letloose for a holiday.
But in the midst of their feast was heard a series of frightful yellsand whoops. The appalled Indians had scarcely time to turn their eyeswhen a dozen horsemen, that seemed to have risen from the very ground,thundered down upon them. Carson and his men had overtaken the thievesand they now swept down upon them with resistless fury. The fight wasas short as it was fierce. The red men fell on the right and left, andthose who escaped the wrath of the trappers, scattered and ran as ifa hundred bomb shells were exploding around them. Every horse stolen(except the six killed for the feast) were recovered and Carson tookthem back to camp without the loss of a man.
The hunters stayed until early autumn, when their employer decided to goto New Mexico. The journey led for a great portion of the way through acountry over which they had travelled, and which therefore was familiarto them. After halting a brief while at the Mission of San Fernando,they arrived at Los Angeles, which like the rest of the country as thereader knows, belonged to Mexico. As it was apparent that the horsemenwere hunters and trappers, the authorities demanded their writtenlicense to pursue their calling in Mexican territory. Such was the lawand the officials were warranted in making the demand, but it need notbe said that the party were compelled to admit they had nothing of thekind in their possession.
The authorities thereupon determined to arrest the hunters, but knowingtheir desperate nature, hesitated as to the safe means of doing so. Theyfinally hit upon a rather ingenious, though unfair means of disarmingthe white men: they began giving them "fire water" to drink, refusingto accept pay therefor. Those who lead lives of hardship and peril aregenerally fond of such indulgence, and, though the trappers could notfail to understand the purpose of the Mexicans, and though they knew thedisastrous consequences of giving away to temptation, they yielded andtook in their mouths the enemy which stole away their brains.
The employer became alarmed and saw that something must be done at onceor everything would be lost. Carson had been too wise to fall into thesnare, and he turned to him.
"Take three of the soberest men," said he, "and the loose animals andcamp equipage and push out of the place. I will join you as soon as Ican, but you mustn't linger for me. If I fail to join you, hasten toNew Mexico and make known that I and the rest of my men have beenmassacred."
These instructions were definite and they showed the gravity of thesituation. Carson did as directed, while the employer gave his attentionto the rest of the men. It was high time that he did so, for they werefast succumbing to their appetites. Despite the indignant protests andefforts of the employer they would have undoubtedly fallen victims butfor an unlooked for occurrence.
One of the trappers who was so much under the influence of liquor as tobecome reckless, fired upon and slightly wounded a native of the place.The act threw the Mexicans into a panic of terror, and they fledfrom the presence of the dreaded Americans who seemed eager for anysanguinary deed.
The employer was wise enough to take advantage of the occurrence andhe succeeded, after much labor, in getting his half intoxicated mentogether and out of the place. The horses were forced to their utmostand the same night they overtook Carson and his anxious companions. Alldanger from that source was ended.
The Life of Kit Carson: Hunter, Trapper, Guide, Indian Agent and Colonel U.S.A. Page 3