CHAPTER XXI.
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 shortlyafter agreed to accompany an expedition of Bent & St. Vrain's wagons tothe States. When part way across the plains, they struck the old SantaFe trail and came upon an encampment of Captain Cook with four companiesof United States Dragoons.
They were engaged in escorting a train of Mexican wagons to the boundaryline between New Mexico and the United States. The train was a veryvaluable one and an escort of a hundred men were hired to accompany itthrough the Indian country.
The situation of this train was an alarming one. It was the duty ofCaptain Cook and his soldiers to guard it as far as the fording of theArkansas, at that time the boundary line between the two countries.There was good reason for believing that a strong band of Texan rangerswere waiting beyond, with the intention of attacking and plundering thetrain. Indeed the Mexican who had it in charge had received informationthat left no possible doubt of the fact.
His face lighted up when he recognized Kit Carson. Hardly waiting untilthey had greeted each other, he offered him a liberal reward if hewould 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 trainthither.
Carson unhesitatingly accepted the offer and with his usual promptnessstarted almost immediately on his delicate and dangerous business. Thejourney was one of several hundred miles through a country swarming withIndians, and all the skill, cunning and vigilance of the great scoutwould be required to succeed. But he never faltered in the face ofperil.
A veteran mountaineer agreed to keep him company, but, when Bent's Fortwas reached he refused to go further, and Carson, as he had often donebefore in critical situations, went on alone.
The news which he heard at the fort was of a startling nature. The UtahIndians were hostile and his long journey led him directly through theircountry. He could not censure his friend for declining to go further,nor could he blame others whom he asked to accompany him, when theyshook their heads. Mr. Bent understood the peculiar danger in which Kitwould be placed, and though he was splendidly mounted, he loaned him amagnificent steed which he led, ready to mount whenever the necessityshould arise for doing so.
That journey was one of the most remarkable of the many made by KitCarson. It would have been less so, had he possessed a companion ofexperience, for they could have counselled together, and one would havekept watch while the other slept. As it was, Carson was compelled toscan every portion of the plain before him, on the constant lookout forIndians, who would have spared no effort to circumvent and slay him, hadthey known of his presence in their country. He was so placed, indeed,that only by the most consummate skill could he hope to run thecontinuous gauntlet, hundreds of miles in length.
He had gone but a short distance when he detected the trails of hisenemies, showing they were numerous and liable to be encountered atany moment. When night came, he picketed his horses and lay down on theprairie or in some grove, ready to leap to his feet, bound upon one ofhis steeds and gallop away on a dead run. Where the hunter has no friendto mount guard, he is often compelled to depend upon his horses, whofrequently prove the best kind of sentinels. They are quick to detectthe approach of strangers, and a slight neigh or stamp of the foot isenough to give the saving warning.
A large portion of the country over which he rode, was a treeless plainand the keen blue eyes of the matchless mountaineer were kept on acontinual strain. A moving speck in the distant horizon, the faintcolumn of thin smoke rising from the far off grove, or a faint yellowdust against the blue sky, could only mean one thing--the presence ofenemies, for he was in a region which contained not a single friend.
One afternoon Carson discovered an Indian village directly ahead of himand on the trail which he was following. He instantly withdrew beyondsight of any who might be on guard, and, hunting a sparse grove oftimber, kept within it until dark; then he made a long circuit, and cameback to the trail far beyond it. He travelled a long distance that nightand by daylight was in no danger of detection.
By using such extreme caution and watchfulness, he succeeded in passingthe entire distance without exchanging a hostile shot with anyone. Hereached Taos, where he waited as agreed upon, until his message couldbe sent to the Governor at Santa Fe. While in Taos he learned thatone hundred men had been sent out to meet the caravan and the Governorhimself was about ready to follow with six hundred more. It may bestated in this place that the smaller company, while looking for thetrain was attacked by the Texan rangers and with a single exceptionevery man was killed; but venturing into American territory, the rangerswere disarmed by Captain Cook and his dragoons, and the wealthy wagontrain, with its valuable cargo reached its destination in safety.
Having accomplished his mission, Carson set out on his return to Bent'sFort. This time he took a Mexican boy with him. The mountaineer hadbecome 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 themselvesconfronted by four Utah Indians on the war path. They appearedso suddenly, that the two friends were given little time to makepreparation; but, as some distance separated the parties, Kit and thelad hastily consulted over what was best to do.
"It is you whom they are seeking," said the youth, "and your life isworth a great deal more than mine; you have a swift horse; mount himand dash off; perhaps they will spare me, but you cannot help me bystaying."
"Your offer is a kind one," said Carson much touched by the words of hisyoung 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 warriorwith us."
The leading warrior sauntered toward the couple, while they were hastilyconsulting together, after the manner of one who felt he was master ofthe situation. A broad grin stretched across his painted face, as heextended one hand to salute Carson, while he reached for his rifle withthe other. Just as his fingers were closing around the weapon of themountaineer, the latter struck him a violent blow in the face, whichsent him staggering several paces backward. The other Utahs instantlyran forward to the help of their comrade.
When they were within a few rods, Carson brought his gun to his shoulderand peremptorily ordered them to halt. They hesitated, as if uncertainwhat to do, when he told them that if they advanced another step or madeany hostile demonstration, both he and his companion would fire. Theywould be sure of hitting two of the warriors, when it would becomesomething like an even fight, with two on each side, and with theprospect that the red men might suffer still further.
But the Indians were not to be bluffed in such an easy fashion. Theybrandished their guns, shook powder in the pans and talked boastingly ofwhat they meant to do. They were double the number of their enemies andthey would teach them how brave Utah warriors were.
Neither Carson nor the lad was disturbed by these demonstrations, whichmeant to intimidate them. The mountaineer whispered to his brave youngcompanion to keep on his guard against any sudden rush or demonstration.But the lad scarcely needed the warning. He was as alert and vigilantas his friend. Had the red men attempted anything hostile, the two wouldhave fired instantly and then drawn their pistols and been ready for theothers.
The Utahs finally saw it was useless to attempt to bluff the man andboy, and they rode away without offering them the least harm. Carson andhis young companion instantly resumed their journey, still watchfuland alert; but they reached Bent's Fort without molestation, and thedangerous venture was over.