An Alarming Visit--Carson's Resources--On the Colorado and
Gila--Capturing a Herd of Horses and Mules--The Raiders--Turning the
Tables--Caching their Peltries--Return to Santa Fe--Carson Goes upon
a Second Trapping Expedition--Hunting with an Old Mountaineer--A Visit
from Crow Indians.
A week or more later, the trappers again reached the Colorado River.
They had traveled at a leisurely pace and once more they went into camp,
where they were familiar with the country. Men leading such lives as
they, were accustomed to all kinds of surprises, but it may be doubted
whether the trappers were more amazed in all their existence than when
five hundred Indian warriors made their appearance and with signs of
friendship overran the camp before they could be prevented or checked.
The hunters did not know what to make of the proceeding, and looked to
Carson for advice. He had already discovered that the situation was one
of the gravest danger. Despite the professions of friendship, Kit saw
that each warrior had his weapons under his dress, where he hoped they
were not noticed by the whites. Still worse, most of the hunters were
absent visiting their traps, only Kit and a few of his companions being
in camp. The occasion was where it was necessary to decide at once what
to do and then to do it without flinching.
Among the red men was one who spoke Spanish and to him Carson addressed
himself:
"You must leave the camp at once; if you don't do so without a minute's
delay, we shall attack you and each of us is sure to kill one warrior if
not more."
These brave words accompanied by such determination of manner were in
such contrast to the usual course of the cowardly Mexicans that the
Indians were taken all aback. They could not suspect the earnestness of
the short, sturdy framed leader, nor could they doubt that though the
Indians would be sure to overwhelm the little band, yet they would
have to pay dearly for the privilege. It took them but a few minutes
to conclude the price was altogether too high and they drew off without
making a hostile demonstration against the brave Carson and his men.
The trappers worked their way down the Colorado until they arrived at
tidewater, when they moved to the Gila, along which they trapped until
they reached the mouth of the San Pedro. They were in sore need of
horses with which to transport their furs and peltries, that had become
numerous and bulky. While in this neighborhood, they discovered a large
herd of horses and mules in the possession of a few Indians. According
to the morality of the border this property was legitimate prey, but in
point of fact when the trappers determined to take the animals from the
aborigines, they became thieves and robbers. However, it is not to be
hoped that a single member of the company felt the slightest twinge of
conscience when he rode at full speed, yelling to the highest bent, and
helped scatter the terrified red men to the winds. The entire herd fell
into the hands of the whites, and, congratulating themselves on their
good fortune, they kindled a huge fire and encamped for the night.
Most of the men had lain down with the intention of sleeping until
morning, and Kit sat looking in the fire, when his trained ear caught
a peculiar sound. At first, it seemed to be the faint roll of distant
thunder, but he knew it was not. He listened carefully and was able
to tell the direction whence came the singular noise, but remained
uncertain as to its cause. Then, as he had done many a time, he leaned
over and pressed his ear to the solid earth. Immediately the rumbling
became more distinct and he recognized what it meant: it was the tramp
of numerous hoofs galloping forward.
Carson and several of his men stole noiselessly out to reconnaissance
and found a half dozen warriors hurrying along a drove of more than a
hundred horses. They had been on a raid among the Mexican settlements in
Sonora and were now returning home with their plunder.
The temptation was one which Carson and his companions could not resist.
They sent a volley from their rifles among the thieves, which threw them
into such a panic that they dashed off at full speed without giving
the least thought to their valuable property. The latter as a matter
of course was taken charge of by the trappers, who were glad of the
opportunity to chastise the cowardly marauders.
Under the circumstances, however, the animals were of little value
to the hunters, who had all they needed. It was beyond their power to
return them to their owners, but the best were selected, several of the
plumpest killed and cured, and the rest turned loose to go whither they
chose.
The trappers continued up the Gila until near the copper mines of New
Mexico, where they found a party of white men trading with the Indians.
The peltries were cached and placed in charge of their friends, while
Carson and his companions continued on until they reached Santa Fe.
There their employer bought a license to trade with the Indians who
lived near the copper mines. Then they went back and procuring their
furs, returned once more to Santa Fe, where they were sold for more than
twenty thousand dollars. This being equitably divided among the hunters,
furnished each a goodly sum. Like so many sailors just ashore from a
long voyage, most of the trappers went on a prolonged carousal, which
caused their money to melt like snow in the sun. When their pockets were
empty, they had aching heads, weak frames and only the memory of their
feverish pleasures.
Kit Carson did not go through this trial unscathed. He drank and spreed
with the rest, but he awoke to the folly and madness of his course
sooner than they and the sad lesson learned at the time lasted him
through life. The baneful habit was not fastened upon him, and he not
only acquired the mastery over self, but was able more than once to
save others from falling into the whirlpool which has swept unnumbered
multitudes to wretchedness and death.
Carson found little in the way of congenial employment until the fall of
the year, when he joined a second trapping expedition. The first had won
him such a reputation for sagacity, daring and skill, that his services
were always in demand, and those who were forming such enterprises
sought him out among the very first.
The new party was in charge of an experienced mountaineer, who told
Kit his intention was to trap along the principal streams of the Rocky
Mountains. He was well acquainted with the region and was confident that
the expedition would not only be enjoyable and thrilling in the highest
degree, but would prove profitable to all.
The party travelled northward until they reached the Platte River where
the business began. They moved from stream to stream, as necessity
demanded, shooting such game as they needed, exchanging shots with the
watchful red men, who killed four of the trappers while hunting bison,
and steadily adding to their stock of furs until the close of the season
in the spring of 1831. Learning that an old mountaineer, named Captain
Gaunt, had spent the winter at Laramie River and was then at New Park,
Kit Carson and four of his friends set out to join him. It was a long
and perilous journey, but they made it in safety and the Captain gave
them glad welcome. They hunted together for many months following until
the Captain went to Taos to sell his peltries. On his return, operations
were resumed until the weather became so cold they were forced into
winter quarters.
The winter proved very severe. The snow was so deep that only by cutting
down numerous cottonwoods and using the bark and twigs for fodder were
the animals saved from starvation. Fortunately, they had laid in a
good stock of bison meat so that the trappers themselves underwent no
suffering for food. In fact, they found little to do except to pass the
time in idleness. With abundant food, plenty of tobacco and the means
of engaging in certain games, they whiled away the long winter days and
evenings until the signs of spring appeared.
But while the winds were moaning around their hut, in which they made
their home, and the snow rattled like fine sand against the logs, they
were taught again that no weather is severe enough to keep the wily red
man within his wigwam. A party of Crow Indians discovered the camp of
the trappers and one tempestuous night made them a stealthy visit. They
departed during the darkness, and, when they went away, took with them
nine of the very best horses of the hunters--a loss too serious to be
borne without using every recourse to prevent it.