CHAPTER XXVII.
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 byhearing a number of peculiar sounds like the barking of dogs. Attentivelistening, however, satisfied them that it came from an Indian villageclose by, whose women and children were calling out and lamenting. Thisconstituted positive proof that the friends in advance were in troublewith the red men and there was not a minute to lose in going to theirrescue.
A half mile further, the explorers galloped over a slight ridge, whenthey suddenly came in sight of several hundred Indians, who were makingtheir way up two sides of a knoll, on the crest of which the four scoutshad entrenched themselves among the rocks and trees and were coollyawaiting the attack of their enemies.
The little party had run so suddenly into danger that they werecompelled to make a flying leap from their horses, in order to securea suitable shelter. The assailants had almost captured the abandonedhorses, when relief came. The two Delawares made a dash to recover theiranimals, their companions shooting the foremost of the thieves. Theproperty was saved and then all fell back to their own camp.
As the aboriginal horse thieves were so numerous, Fremont kept upan unremitting watch all through the night. Singular noises werecontinually heard and there could be no doubt that the women andchildren 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 aprowling 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 havingbecome lost, Carson was sent to find them. He succeeded with littledifficulty and the companies reunited.
Their course was now directed toward Monterey on the sea coast, wherethey were confident of securing all they needed, but before reaching theplace, a messenger arrived from General Castro, the Mexican commander ofthe territory, ordering the Americans to leave at once or they would bedriven out.
Fremont immediately intrenched himself and waited for the Mexicans tocarry out their threat. He waited three days, and then, as no attemptwas made, withdrew to the Sacramento, which stream was followed toLawson's Trading Post, where the commander hoped to purchase the outfitfor the journey homeward.
Moving northward toward the Columbia, they encountered an enormous forceof marauding Indians with whom a fierce battle was fought. The savageswere defeated and lost a large number of warriors.
While encamped near Klamath Lake, two horsemen galloped up withdespatches to Fremont from Washington, forwarded by LieutenantGillespie, of the United States Marines. This officer was making his waythrough the Indian country with six men as an escort, when his animalsbegan 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 thedespatches. He begged Fremont to forward him assistance, as he doubtedhis ability to reach him without such help.
But the most startling news brought to camp was that war had beendeclared between the United States and Mexico. When Fremont had read hisdespatches from his Government, he appreciated the imminent danger inwhich the Lieutenant was placed, and, without any tarrying, perfectedmeasures for his rescue.
He immediately selected ten of his men, Carson, as a matter of coursebeing among them, and pushed on with all haste, leaving directions forthe rest to follow as rapidly as they could.
Fremont and his little company had journeyed something over fifty mileswhen they met the officer and his companions. The meeting was of thehappiest nature, for the Lieutenant, in fact, was in greater danger thanhe suspected, the Indians around him being among the most treacherous oftheir race.
Those who have been placed in a situation resembling in a slight degreethat of Fremont, can appreciate the interest with which he perused theletters and papers from his distant home. After the parties had goneinto camp, the Captain sat up till after midnight reading by the lightof the camp fire. Tired out at last, he stretched out with his blanketabout him and sank soon into heavy slumber.
The night was cold, and Carson and Owens, with their saddle blanketswrapped around them, lay down close to the fire. All at once Carsonheard a peculiar noise, as though some one had struck a quick blowwith an axe. Wondering what it could mean, he called to one of themountaineers.
"What's the matter over there?"
There was no answer, for the head of the poor fellow had been cleft byan axe in the hands of one of the Klamath Indians who had crept intocamp. A Delaware had already been killed by the treacherous redskins,that night being the second among all those spent in the west, when theexplorers 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 aimof their enemies.
One of the other Delawares who leaped to his feet snatched up thenearest rifle which unfortunately was not his own, and was unloaded.Unaware of the fact, he tried to fire it over again and again, withoutsuspecting the cause, while a Klamath launched arrow after arrow intohis body. The first penetrated his left breast and was fatal; but hebravely kept his feet trying to discharge the useless gun, until fourother 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 tohis shoulder. Just as his finger pressed the trigger, he recollectedthat that, too, was unloaded.
By one of those singular fatalities which sometimes occur, Carson hadbroken the tube the night before, and left the weapon unloaded. Withouttrifling with it, he threw it down, drew his single barrelled pistoland ran toward the Klamath, who was coolly launching his arrows into thebreast of the poor Delaware.
The Indian leaped from side to side, so as to distract the aim of hisenemies, and, instead of hitting him, Carson only cut the string whichheld a tomahawk to the warrior's arm. The mountaineer had no other shotat 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 generaland the assailants fled.
There was good reason to believe that the Klamath Indians had set thesnare for Lieutenant Gillespie and his escort. As it was, the wonder wasthat Fremont's command did not suffer to a greater extent; for havingno sentinels on duty, the warriors might have perfected their schemes insecurity 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 fortyarrows were left in his quiver. Carson pronounced them the mostbeautiful and warlike missiles he had ever seen.
As may be supposed the explorers "slept on their arms" for the rest ofthe night, but the assailants had fled.
They had killed three of the explorers, besides wounding another of theDelawares, who took characteristic revenge by scalping the leaderthat had been left where he fell. The dead were given the best burialpossible. As illustrating the ingratitude and perfidy of these redmen, it may be stated that it was only a few days before that they hadvisited Fremont's camp, and, though provisions were very scarce, theyhad been given considerable food, besides tobacco and a number ofpresents.