CHAPTER II.
California--Sufferings of the Hunters--The Mission of San Gabriel--The Hudson Bay Trappers--Characteristics of Carson--He Leads the Party which Captures an Indian Village and Secures some Criminals.
California, one of the most magnificent regions of the earth, with itsamazing mineral wealth, its rich soil and "glorious climate," has itsbelts of sterility and desolation, where the bones of many a travellerand animal lie bleaching in the sun, just as they fell years ago, whenthe wretched victim sank down and perished for want of food and water.
The hunting party to which Carson was attached numbered eighteen,and they entered one of those forbidding wastes, where they sufferedintensely. All their skill in the use of the rifle was of no avail, whenthere was no game to shoot and it was not long before they were forcedto live on horse flesh to escape starvation. This, however, was not sotrying as might be supposed, provided it did not last until the entireparty were dismounted.
Fortunately, in their straits, they encountered a party of MohaveIndians, who sold them enough food to remove all danger. These Indiansform a part of the Yuma nation of the Pima family, and now make theirhome on the Mohave and Colorado rivers in Arizona. They are tall, wellformed, warlike and industrious cultivators of the soil. Had they chosento attack the hunters, it would have gone ill with the whites, but thelatter showed commendable prudence which might have served as a model tothe hundreds who came after them, when they gained the good will of thered men.
Extricating themselves from the dangerous stretch of country, thetrappers turned westward until they reached the mission of San Gabriel,one of those extensive establishments formed by the Roman Catholicclergy a hundred years ago. There were over a score, San Diego being theoldest. Each mission had its priests, a few Spanish or Mexican soldiers,and scores, hundreds and sometimes thousands of Indian converts whoreceived a scant support and some religious instruction.
The Mission of San Gabriel was by no means the largest in California,and yet at the time of Carson's visit it owned 70,000 head of cattle,200 horses, 3,000 mares, hundreds of mules, oxen and sheep, while thevineyards produced 600 barrels of wine every year.
Those old sovereigns of the soil dispensed hospitality without stint toall who knocked at their gates. When the trappers caught sight of theMission, as they rode out from the wilderness, they knew what awaitedthem in the way of entertainment. They were treated right royally, butremained only one day.
Not far away they reached another Mission of less extent than theformer, but, without halt, they pressed steadily forward toward theSacramento River. The character of the section changed altogether. Itwas exceedingly fertile and game was so abundant that they feasted totheir heart's content. When fully rested, they proceeded to the SanJoaquin river down which they began trapping.
While thus employed, they were surprised to discover signs of anothertrapping party near them. They wondered where they came from and itdid not take them long to learn that their neighbors were a company oftrappers belonging to the Hudson Bay Company--that enormous corporation,founded two centuries before, whose agents and employees tramp overBritish America, far to the northward of the frozen circle, and until arecent date hunted through Oregon.
The two parties were rivals in business, but they showed excellentsense by meeting on good terms and treating each other as friends. Theytrapped near each other until they came to the Sacramento once more,when they parted company. The Hudson Bay trappers started for theColumbia River, while the one to which Carson was attached went intocamp where they were for the rest of the summer. With the approach ofwarm weather the trapping season ended and they devoted themselves tohunting and making ready for cold weather.
It will be borne in mind that Kit Carson was still a youth, not havingreached his majority. He was of short, compact stature, no more thanfive feet, six inches tall, with light brown hair, gray eyes, largehead, high forehead, broad shoulders, full chest, strong and possessingremarkable activity. Even at that early age, he had impressed theveteran hunters and trappers around him as one possessing suchremarkable abilities, that, if his life was spared, he was certain tobecome a man of mark. If we should attempt to specify the particularexcellencies in which he surpassed those around him, it would be saidthat while Carson was one of the most fearless men who lived, yet hepossessed splendid judgment. He seemed to know instinctively what couldbe accomplished by himself and friends in positions of extreme peril,and he saw on the moment precisely how to do that which often wasimpossible to others.
His knowledge of woodcraft and the peculiarities of the savage tribesaround him was as perfect as it could be. He was a matchless hunter,and no man could handle a rifle with greater skill. The wilderness, themountains, the Indians, the wild animals--these constituted the spherein which nature intended Kit Carson should move and serve his fellow menas no one before or after him has done.
Added to these extraordinary qualifications, was the crowning one ofall--modesty. Alas, how often transcendent merit is made repelling byoverweening conceit. Kit Carson would have given his life before hewould have travelled through the eastern cities, with his long hairdangling about his shoulders, his clothing bristling with pistols andknives, while he strutted on the mimic stage as a representative of theuntamed civilization of the great west.
Carson was a superior hunter when a boy in Missouri, and the experiencegained among the experienced hunters and trappers, soon caused him tobecome noted by those who had fought red men, trapped beaver and shotgrizzly bears before he was born. And yet it could not have been thatalone: it must have been his superior mental capacity which caused thoseheroes of a hundred perils to turn instinctively to him for counsel andguidance in situations of extreme peril. Among them all was no one withsuch masterful resources in that respect as he.
While the trappers were encamped at this place, a messenger visitedthem from the Mission of San Rafael, with a request that they would helpchastise a party of Indians, who, after committing some outrages at theMission, had fled to an Indian village. When a demand was made for thesurrender of the refugees, the villagers not only refused to givethem up, but attacked the party and drove them off. Appreciatingthe importance of upholding their authority, the priests sent to thetrappers for assistance in bringing the guilty ones and their friends toterms.
As soon as the request was made known, Carson and eleven of hiscompanions volunteered to help their visitors. Thus reinforced, thecompany from the Mission set out again for the Indian village.
Nothing can attest more strongly the skill and bravery of Kit Carson,than the fact that he was at once selected to lead the party on itsdangerous errand. While he was as modest as a woman and with a voice asgentle and persuasive, he could not be ignorant of his own capacities,and he assumed charge without any pretense of unfitness.
It is easy to understand the great care required in this expedition,for the warriors in the village, having beaten off their assailants,naturally looked for their return with reinforcements, and, in order toinsure success, it was necessary that the attack should be a surprise.
Having brought his men quite close to the village unperceived, Kit gavethe signal and the whole company swept through the place like a cyclone.There were a few minutes of terrific fighting, during which a score ofwarriors were killed, and then the entire village was captured. Carsonas the leader of the assailants, demanded the surrender of the offendersagainst the Mission. Not daring to disobey such a summons, they weredelivered up to the authorities, and Carson, seeing nothing more todo for his friends, returned with his companions to camp and resumedhunting and their preparations for cold weather.