Carson Starts for the States--The Encampment of Captain Cook and his
Dragoons--Carson Undertakes a Delicate and Dangerous Mission--The
Perilous Journey--Return of Carson and the Mexican Boy--Encounter with
Four Utah Indians--Arrival at Bent's Fort.
Early in the year 1843, Kit Carson married his second wife and shortly
after agreed to accompany an expedition of Bent & St. Vrain's wagons to
the States. When part way across the plains, they struck the old Santa
Fe trail and came upon an encampment of Captain Cook with four companies
of United States Dragoons.
They were engaged in escorting a train of Mexican wagons to the boundary
line between New Mexico and the United States. The train was a very
valuable one and an escort of a hundred men were hired to accompany it
through the Indian country.
The situation of this train was an alarming one. It was the duty of
Captain Cook and his soldiers to guard it as far as the fording of the
Arkansas, at that time the boundary line between the two countries.
There was good reason for believing that a strong band of Texan rangers
were waiting beyond, with the intention of attacking and plundering the
train. Indeed the Mexican who had it in charge had received information
that left no possible doubt of the fact.
His face lighted up when he recognized Kit Carson. Hardly waiting until
they had greeted each other, he offered him a liberal reward if he
would ride post haste to Santa Fe and deliver a letter to the Governor,
containing an urgent request to send a strong force to escort the train
thither.
Carson unhesitatingly accepted the offer and with his usual promptness
started almost immediately on his delicate and dangerous business. The
journey was one of several hundred miles through a country swarming with
Indians, and all the skill, cunning and vigilance of the great scout
would be required to succeed. But he never faltered in the face of
peril.
A veteran mountaineer agreed to keep him company, but, when Bent's Fort
was reached he refused to go further, and Carson, as he had often done
before in critical situations, went on alone.
The news which he heard at the fort was of a startling nature. The Utah
Indians were hostile and his long journey led him directly through their
country. He could not censure his friend for declining to go further,
nor could he blame others whom he asked to accompany him, when they
shook their heads. Mr. Bent understood the peculiar danger in which Kit
would be placed, and though he was splendidly mounted, he loaned him a
magnificent steed which he led, ready to mount whenever the necessity
should arise for doing so.
That journey was one of the most remarkable of the many made by Kit
Carson. It would have been less so, had he possessed a companion of
experience, for they could have counselled together, and one would have
kept watch while the other slept. As it was, Carson was compelled to
scan every portion of the plain before him, on the constant lookout for
Indians, who would have spared no effort to circumvent and slay him, had
they known of his presence in their country. He was so placed, indeed,
that only by the most consummate skill could he hope to run the
continuous gauntlet, hundreds of miles in length.
He had gone but a short distance when he detected the trails of his
enemies, showing they were numerous and liable to be encountered at
any moment. When night came, he picketed his horses and lay down on the
prairie or in some grove, ready to leap to his feet, bound upon one of
his steeds and gallop away on a dead run. Where the hunter has no friend
to mount guard, he is often compelled to depend upon his horses, who
frequently prove the best kind of sentinels. They are quick to detect
the approach of strangers, and a slight neigh or stamp of the foot is
enough to give the saving warning.
A large portion of the country over which he rode, was a treeless plain
and the keen blue eyes of the matchless mountaineer were kept on a
continual strain. A moving speck in the distant horizon, the faint
column of thin smoke rising from the far off grove, or a faint yellow
dust against the blue sky, could only mean one thing--the presence of
enemies, for he was in a region which contained not a single friend.
One afternoon Carson discovered an Indian village directly ahead of him
and on the trail which he was following. He instantly withdrew beyond
sight of any who might be on guard, and, hunting a sparse grove of
timber, kept within it until dark; then he made a long circuit, and came
back to the trail far beyond it. He travelled a long distance that night
and by daylight was in no danger of detection.
By using such extreme caution and watchfulness, he succeeded in passing
the entire distance without exchanging a hostile shot with anyone. He
reached Taos, where he waited as agreed upon, until his message could
be sent to the Governor at Santa Fe. While in Taos he learned that
one hundred men had been sent out to meet the caravan and the Governor
himself was about ready to follow with six hundred more. It may be
stated in this place that the smaller company, while looking for the
train was attacked by the Texan rangers and with a single exception
every man was killed; but venturing into American territory, the rangers
were disarmed by Captain Cook and his dragoons, and the wealthy wagon
train, with its valuable cargo reached its destination in safety.
Having accomplished his mission, Carson set out on his return to Bent's
Fort. This time he took a Mexican boy with him. The mountaineer had
become strongly attached to the youth, who was a noble, high minded lad,
the fit companion of the prince among plainsmen.
Two days out from Taos, both were surprised to find themselves
confronted by four Utah Indians on the war path. They appeared
so suddenly, that the two friends were given little time to make
preparation; but, as some distance separated the parties, Kit and the
lad hastily consulted over what was best to do.
"It is you whom they are seeking," said the youth, "and your life is
worth a great deal more than mine; you have a swift horse; mount him
and dash off; perhaps they will spare me, but you cannot help me by
staying."
"Your offer is a kind one," said Carson much touched by the words of his
young friend; "but nothing in the world would induce me to leave you.
We will stick together and if we must die, why let's each take a warrior
with us."
The leading warrior sauntered toward the couple, while they were hastily
consulting together, after the manner of one who felt he was master of
the situation. A broad grin stretched across his painted face, as he
extended one hand to salute Carson, while he reached for his rifle with
the other. Just as his fingers were closing around the weapon of the
mountaineer, the latter struck him a violent blow in the face, which
sent him staggering several paces backward. The other Utahs instantly
ran forward to the help of their comrade.
When they were within a few rods, Carson brought his gun to his shoulder
and peremptorily ordered them to halt. They hesitated, as if uncertain
what to do, when he told them that if they advanced another step or made
any hostile demonstration, both he and his companion would fire. They
would be sure of hitting two of the warriors, when it would become
something like an even fight, with two on each side, and with the
prospect that the red men might suffer still further.
But the Indians were not to be bluffed in such an easy fashion. They
brandished their guns, shook powder in the pans and talked boastingly of
what they meant to do. They were double the number of their enemies and
they would teach them how brave Utah warriors were.
Neither Carson nor the lad was disturbed by these demonstrations, which
meant to intimidate them. The mountaineer whispered to his brave young
companion to keep on his guard against any sudden rush or demonstration.
But the lad scarcely needed the warning. He was as alert and vigilant
as his friend. Had the red men attempted anything hostile, the two would
have fired instantly and then drawn their pistols and been ready for the
others.
The Utahs finally saw it was useless to attempt to bluff the man and
boy, and they rode away without offering them the least harm. Carson and
his young companion instantly resumed their journey, still watchful
and alert; but they reached Bent's Fort without molestation, and the
dangerous venture was over.