Alarming Sounds--Danger of the Scouts--Fremont Goes to Their
Rescue--Arrival at Sutter's Fort--Ordered out of California by
the Mexican Governor--Fremont's Refusal--Withdrawal to Sacramento
River--Arrival of Despatches from Washington--War with Mexico--Meeting
with Lieutenant Gillespie--Night Attack by Klamath Indians.
While preparing to go into camp, the explorers were mystified by
hearing a number of peculiar sounds like the barking of dogs. Attentive
listening, however, satisfied them that it came from an Indian village
close by, whose women and children were calling out and lamenting. This
constituted positive proof that the friends in advance were in trouble
with the red men and there was not a minute to lose in going to their
rescue.
A half mile further, the explorers galloped over a slight ridge, when
they suddenly came in sight of several hundred Indians, who were making
their way up two sides of a knoll, on the crest of which the four scouts
had entrenched themselves among the rocks and trees and were coolly
awaiting the attack of their enemies.
The little party had run so suddenly into danger that they were
compelled to make a flying leap from their horses, in order to secure
a suitable shelter. The assailants had almost captured the abandoned
horses, when relief came. The two Delawares made a dash to recover their
animals, their companions shooting the foremost of the thieves. The
property was saved and then all fell back to their own camp.
As the aboriginal horse thieves were so numerous, Fremont kept up
an unremitting watch all through the night. Singular noises were
continually heard and there could be no doubt that the women and
children were retreating further into the mountains.
One of the Delawares on guard was sure he saw an Indian leap over a log,
and firing quickly, brought him to the ground; but it proved to be a
prowling wolf. None of their enemies appeared, and when morning came,
Fremont withdrew from his perilous position.
Sutter's Fort at last was safely reached, and the other party having
become lost, Carson was sent to find them. He succeeded with little
difficulty and the companies reunited.
Their course was now directed toward Monterey on the sea coast, where
they were confident of securing all they needed, but before reaching the
place, a messenger arrived from General Castro, the Mexican commander of
the territory, ordering the Americans to leave at once or they would be
driven out.
Fremont immediately intrenched himself and waited for the Mexicans to
carry out their threat. He waited three days, and then, as no attempt
was made, withdrew to the Sacramento, which stream was followed to
Lawson's Trading Post, where the commander hoped to purchase the outfit
for the journey homeward.
Moving northward toward the Columbia, they encountered an enormous force
of marauding Indians with whom a fierce battle was fought. The savages
were defeated and lost a large number of warriors.
While encamped near Klamath Lake, two horsemen galloped up with
despatches to Fremont from Washington, forwarded by Lieutenant
Gillespie, of the United States Marines. This officer was making his way
through the Indian country with six men as an escort, when his animals
began to succumb. Fearing he would not be able to intercept the Captain,
the Lieutenant selected two of his best men and sent them ahead with the
despatches. He begged Fremont to forward him assistance, as he doubted
his ability to reach him without such help.
But the most startling news brought to camp was that war had been
declared between the United States and Mexico. When Fremont had read his
despatches from his Government, he appreciated the imminent danger in
which the Lieutenant was placed, and, without any tarrying, perfected
measures for his rescue.
He immediately selected ten of his men, Carson, as a matter of course
being among them, and pushed on with all haste, leaving directions for
the rest to follow as rapidly as they could.
Fremont and his little company had journeyed something over fifty miles
when they met the officer and his companions. The meeting was of the
happiest nature, for the Lieutenant, in fact, was in greater danger than
he suspected, the Indians around him being among the most treacherous of
their race.
Those who have been placed in a situation resembling in a slight degree
that of Fremont, can appreciate the interest with which he perused the
letters and papers from his distant home. After the parties had gone
into camp, the Captain sat up till after midnight reading by the light
of the camp fire. Tired out at last, he stretched out with his blanket
about him and sank soon into heavy slumber.
The night was cold, and Carson and Owens, with their saddle blankets
wrapped around them, lay down close to the fire. All at once Carson
heard a peculiar noise, as though some one had struck a quick blow
with an axe. Wondering what it could mean, he called to one of the
mountaineers.
"What's the matter over there?"
There was no answer, for the head of the poor fellow had been cleft by
an axe in the hands of one of the Klamath Indians who had crept into
camp. A Delaware had already been killed by the treacherous redskins,
that night being the second among all those spent in the west, when the
explorers had no sentinel on duty.
Carson and Owens called out "Indians!" and springing to their feet,
hurried away from the fire whose strong light was sure to tempt the aim
of their enemies.
One of the other Delawares who leaped to his feet snatched up the
nearest rifle which unfortunately was not his own, and was unloaded.
Unaware of the fact, he tried to fire it over again and again, without
suspecting the cause, while a Klamath launched arrow after arrow into
his body. The first penetrated his left breast and was fatal; but he
bravely kept his feet trying to discharge the useless gun, until four
other missiles were also buried within a few inches of the first.
Kit Carson had been quick to detect the danger of the brave Delaware,
and, in the hope of saving his life, he brought his unerring rifle to
his shoulder. Just as his finger pressed the trigger, he recollected
that that, too, was unloaded.
By one of those singular fatalities which sometimes occur, Carson had
broken the tube the night before, and left the weapon unloaded. Without
trifling with it, he threw it down, drew his single barrelled pistol
and ran toward the Klamath, who was coolly launching his arrows into the
breast of the poor Delaware.
The Indian leaped from side to side, so as to distract the aim of his
enemies, and, instead of hitting him, Carson only cut the string which
held a tomahawk to the warrior's arm. The mountaineer had no other shot
at command, and Maxwell tried his hand, but in the uncertain light,
inflicted only a slight wound. The Indian at that moment wheeled to run,
when one of the whites shot him dead. By this time the alarm was general
and the assailants fled.
There was good reason to believe that the Klamath Indians had set the
snare for Lieutenant Gillespie and his escort. As it was, the wonder was
that Fremont's command did not suffer to a greater extent; for having
no sentinels on duty, the warriors might have perfected their schemes in
security and killed a large number.
The Indian who drove five arrows into the left breast of the Delaware,
three of which pierced his heart, was the leader of the attacking party.
He had an English half axe slung to his wrist by a cord, and forty
arrows were left in his quiver. Carson pronounced them the most
beautiful and warlike missiles he had ever seen.
As may be supposed the explorers "slept on their arms" for the rest of
the night, but the assailants had fled.
They had killed three of the explorers, besides wounding another of the
Delawares, who took characteristic revenge by scalping the leader
that had been left where he fell. The dead were given the best burial
possible. As illustrating the ingratitude and perfidy of these red
men, it may be stated that it was only a few days before that they had
visited Fremont's camp, and, though provisions were very scarce, they
had been given considerable food, besides tobacco and a number of
presents.