Carson Returns with the Recovered Property--Journey to Snake
River--Starts on a Trapping Expedition with Three Companions--Carson's
Stirring Adventure with Two Grizzly Bears.
Carson gathered the horses together and set out on his return. The
distance was considerable and he was compelled to encamp more than once
on the road, while he was continually exposed to attack from Indians,
but with that remarkable skill and foresight which distinguished him
when a boy, he reached home without the slightest mishap and turned over
the recovered animals to their owner. Some days later, several trappers
entered camp with the statement that a large body of hunters were on
Snake River, a fortnight's journey distant. Captain Lee at once set out
with his men and found the company who gave them a warm welcome. They
purchased all the supplies Captain Lee had for sale, and then, as
Carson's engagement with the Captain was ended, he attached himself to
the other body. He remained, however, only a few weeks, for he saw there
were so many that they could never take enough peltries to bring
much money to the individual members. He decided to do as he had done
before--arrange an expedition of his own. He had but to make known
his intentions, when he had more applicants than he could accept. He
selected three, who it is needless to say had no superiors in the whole
party. The little company then turned the heads of their horses toward
Laramie River.
At that day, the section abounded with beaver, and although the summer
is not the time when their fur is in the best condition, the party
trapped on the stream and its tributaries until cold weather set in.
They met with far greater success than could have come to them had they
stayed with the principal company of trappers. But they had no wish
to spend the winter alone in the mountains and gathering their stock
together, they set out to rejoin their old companions.
One day, after they had gone into camp, Carson, leaving his horse in
charge of his friends, set out on foot to hunt some game for their
evening meal. They had seen no signs of Indians, though they never
forgot to be on their guard against them. Game was not very abundant and
Carson was obliged to go a long ways before he caught sight of some elk
grazing on the side of a hill. Well aware of the difficulty of getting
within gunshot of the timid animals, the hunter advanced by a circuitous
course toward a clump of trees, which would give him the needed shelter;
but while creeping toward the point he had fixed upon as the one from
which to fire, the creatures scented danger and began moving off. This
compelled him to fire at long range, but he was successful and brought
down the finest of the group.
The smoke was curling upward from the rifle of Carson, when he was
startled by a tremendous crashing beside him, and, turning his head, he
saw two enormous grizzly bears making for him at full speed. They were
infuriated at this invasion of their home, and were evidently resolved
on teaching the hunter better manners by making their supper upon him.
Carson had no time to reload his gun: had it been given him he would
have made short work of one of the brutes at least, but as it was, he
was deprived of even that privilege. Fortunate indeed would he be if he
could escape their fury.
The grizzly bear is the most dreaded animal found on this continent.
He does not seem to feel the slightest fear of the hunter, no matter
whether armed or not, and, while other beasts are disposed to give man
a wide berth, old "Ephraim," as the frontiersmen call him, always seems
eager to attack him. His tenacity of life is extraordinary. Unless
pierced in the head or heart, he will continue his struggles after a
dozen or score of rifle balls have been buried in his body. So terrible
is the grizzly bear, that an Indian can be given no higher honor
than the privilege of wearing a necklace made from his claws--that
distinction being permitted only to those who have slain one of the
animals in single handed combat.
No one understood the nature of these beasts better than Kit Carson and
he knew that if either of the animals once got his claws upon him, there
would not be the faintest chance of escape. The only thing therefore
that could be done was to run.
There were not wanting men who were fleeter of foot than Carson, but
few could have overtaken him when he made for the trees on which all his
hopes depended. Like the blockade runner, closely pursued by the man of
war, he threw overboard all the cargo that could impede his speed. His
long, heavy rifle was flung aside, and the short legs of the trapper
doubled under him with amazing quickness as he strove as never before to
reach the grove.
Fortunately the latter was not far off, and, though the fierce beasts
gained rapidly upon him, Carson arrived among the timber a few steps
in advance. He had no time even to select the tree, else he would
have chosen a different one, but making a flying leap, he grasped the
lowermost limb and swung upward, at the moment the foremost grizzly
was beneath him. So close in truth was his pursuer that the hunter
distinctly felt the sweeping blow of his paw aimed at the leg which
whisked beyond his reach just in the nick of time.
But the danger was not over by any means. The enthusiastic style in
which the bears entered into the proceedings proved they did not mean
that any trifles should stop them. They were able to climb the tree
which supported Carson, and he did not lose sight of the fact. Whipping
out his hunting knife, he hurriedly cut off a short thick branch and
trimmed it into a shape that would have made a most excellent shillelagh
for a native of the Green Isle.
He had hardly done so, when the heads of the bruins were thrust upward
almost against his feet. Carson grasped the club with both hands and
raising it above his shoulders brought it down with all his might upon
the nose of the foremost. The brute sniffed with pain, threw up his
head and drew back a few inches--just enough to place the other nose in
front. At that instant, a resounding whack landed on the rubber snout
and the second bear must have felt a twinge all through his body.
Though each blow caused the recipient to recoil, yet he instantly
returned, so that Carson was kept busy pounding the noses as if he was
an old fashioned farmer threshing wheat with a flail.
It was a question with Carson which would last the longer--the club or
the snouts, but in the hope of getting beyond their reach, he climbed to
the topmost bough, where he crouched into the smallest possible space.
It was idle, however, to hope they would overlook him, for they pushed
on up the tree which swayed with their weight.
The nose of the grizzly bear is one of the most sensitive portions of
his body, and the vigorous thumps which the hunter brought down upon
them, brought tears of pain to their eyes. But while they suffered, they
were roused to fury by the repeated rebuffs, and seemed all the more
set on crunching the flesh and bones of the insignificant creature who
defied them.
It must have been exasperating beyond imagination to the gigantic
beasts, who feared neither man nor animal to find themselves repeatedly
baffled by a miserable being whom they could rend to pieces with one
blow of their paws, provided they could approach nigh enough to reach
him.
They came up again and again; they would draw back so as to avoid those
stinging strokes, sniff, growl and push upward, more eager than ever to
clutch the poor fellow, who was compressing himself between the limb and
the trunk, and raining his blows with the persistency of a pugilist.
They were finally forced to desist for a few minutes in order to give
their snouts time to regain their tone. The bulky creatures looked at
each other and seemed to say, "That's a mighty queer customer up there;
he doesn't fight fairly, but we'll fetch him yet."
Once more and for the last time, they returned to the charge, but the
plucky scout was awaiting them, and his club whizzed through the air
like the piston rod of a steam engine. The grizzlies found it more than
they could stand, and tumbling back to solid earth they gave up the
contract in disgust. Carson tarried where he was until they were beyond
sight, when he descended and hastily caught up and reloaded his rifle,
having escaped, as he always declared, by the narrowest chance of all
his life.