CHAPTER XXXIII.
Carson Visits St. Louis on Business--Encounter with Cheyenne on his Return--His Sagacity Does not Fail Him--Carson's Last Beaver Expedition--His California Speculation.
Maxwell, the mountaineer and intimate friend of Carson, was quitewealthy and was of great assistance in several schemes which theyundertook in partnership. One of their enterprises was that of sending atrain of wagons belonging to the two to the States. Carson took charge,and, jogging along at a comfortable rate, they reached in due time theMissouri, where he went by steamboat to St. Louis. There he purchaseda large amount of merchandise which was taken up stream on the boat,transferred to his wagon train, and the faces of all were then turnedtoward New Mexico.
Everything went well until they approached the fording of the Arkansas,when they came upon a large village of Cheyenne Indians. Unfortunatelysome days before, a company of recruits had shown such cruelty towardseveral warriors belonging to that tribe, that they were roused to thehighest point of fury, and were only waiting an opportunity to visitpunishment on the first whites that came in their way.
Carson knew nothing of the occurrence nor did he know of the bitterhostility of the Cheyennes, but when they went into council, and heoverheard some expressions, he saw that something was wrong. He warnedhis men to be ready for instant attack, never permitting the Indians tocatch them off their guard for a single moment.
The warriors fell behind, but after awhile, a number rode up onhorseback. They were in their war paint and there could be no doubt oftheir hostility. Carson spoke in a conciliating manner and invited theminto his camp to have a smoke and talk. The invitation was accepted.The hypocritical ceremony continued some time, when the warriors begantalking among themselves.
They spoke in Sioux at first, their purpose being to lay the impendingmassacre against those people, but in their excitement, they droppedback to their own tongue and the whole appalling truth became speedilyknown to Carson and through him to his companions.
He sat on the ground with the furious warriors, and heard them agreethat at the moment the leader (as they recognized Carson to be), laiddown his arms to take the pipe in his mouth, they would leap upon andkill him. They would then massacre all the rest. Inasmuch as they werepowerful enough to carry out this diabolical plan, it will be admittedthat Carson's nerves were pretty thoroughly tested, when the pipepassing from one to the other was within a few minutes of reaching him.
Most of the men with the mountaineer were Mexicans, very deficient incourage and in a hand to hand encounter, the Cheyennes could overcomethe party in the space of a few minutes.
It was in such crises as these that the remarkable fertility ofresources possessed by Kit Carson displayed themselves. He seemed toperceive by intuition the wisest course to adopt and that perceptioncame to him the instant the demand for it appeared.
Rising to his feet and grasping his weapons, he strode to the middle ofthe group and astounded them by beginning his address in their nativetongue. He reminded them that that was proof he comprehended every worduttered by them. He spoke as if grieved by their course, for he insistedhe had never wronged any one of their tribe, but on the contrary hadbeen their friend. He then commanded them to leave the camp withoutdelay or they would be riddled with bullets.
Carson's blue eyes flashed and his face was like a thunder cloud. It wasthe Cheyennes who were surprised and they could but obey orders, thoughfrom their manner, it was clear the trouble was not yet ended. Theywithdrew and went into council, while Carson and his friends pushedrapidly forward.
The peril in which this little command was placed could not beoverestimated. There were not twenty men all told and except two orthree, were Mexicans who in no respect were the superiors if indeedthey were the equals of the Cheyennes. Had Carson been absent a score ofwarriors could have charged into camp and slain every one. Instead ofa score there were several hundred of them: if they chose to make theattack he knew there was no escape.
The horses, therefore, were lashed to do their utmost. The train pushedforward with all speed, while the apprehensive leader continuallyglanced back over the prairie, almost certain of seeing the Cheyennesgalloping toward them. When night came, there was little sleep in camp.Nearly every one stood on guard, but the night and the following daypassed without molestation.
Convinced beyond question that the attack would be made unless someextraordinary means was taken to avert it, Carson took one of thefleetest footed Mexican boys outside the camp, and, pointing in thedirection of the ranche of himself and Maxwell, nearly three hundredmiles away, told him he must make all speed thither, and tell thesoldiers that unless they hurried to his help he and all his companionswere doomed to certain death at the hands of an overwhelming war partyof Cheyennes. Everything depended on the quickness with which theMexican youth brought assistance. The latter being promised a liberalreward, bounded away with the fleetness of a deer, and quickly vanishedin the gloom. He went on foot because he could travel faster and lastlonger than could any animal in camp that he might ride.
Carson went back to his friends and kept watch until morning. As soonas it came to light, the animals were hitched to the wagons and urgedforward again to the fullest extent of their ability.
Some hours later, several Cheyenne horsemen were seen riding rapidlytoward them. When a hundred yards distant, Carson compelled them tohalt. Then he allowed them to come closer and told them he had lostpatience with their annoyances, and the night before had sent an expressto Rayado (where his ranche was built), asking the troops to see thatthe persecution was stopped. Should it so happen that the soldierscame and found the party massacred, they would take the trail of theCheyennes and punish them for what they had done.
The cunning Indians, before accepting the statement of the leader, saidthey would examine the prairie for the trail of the messenger. Carsonassisted them in the search, and it did not take long to find themoccasin tracks. A brief scrutiny also satisfied the warriors he hadstarted so many hours before, that it was useless to try to overtakehim.
The result was the attack and massacre were not made, and, though theassistance which was asked was sent, yet it was not needed. One ofthe two experienced mountaineers with Carson on that eventful journey,declared afterward, that had any other living man than he been at thehead of the party not one would have escaped. The achievement certainlyranks among the most extraordinary of the many performed by a mostextraordinary man.
It would be thought that after such an experience, Carson would becontent to settle down and give his entire attention to his ranche.While it cannot be said that he neglected his duties as a farmer, yethe loved the mountains and prairies too well ever to abandon themaltogether.
He and Maxwell, his old friend, determined on having one more oldfashioned beaver hunt, such as they were accustomed to a score of yearsbefore. They did not mean it should be child's play and they admitted noamateur hunters and trappers: all were veterans of years' standing, and,when the party was fully made up, they numbered about a score.
The expedition was a memorable one. They fixed upon one of the longestand most dangerous routes, which included many Rocky Mountain streamsand involved every possible kind of danger.
In one respect, the party were pleasantly disappointed. Years before thebeavers had been so effectively cleaned out that they expected to findvery few if any; but because the business had been so little followedfor so long a time, the animals had increased very fast and thereforethe trappers met with great success.
They began operation on the South Fork of the Platte and finally endedon the Arkansas. They were gone many weeks and when they returned totheir homes, nearly if not all felt that they had engaged on their lasttrapping expedition.
Carson had not wrought very long on his ranche, when he learned of thescarcity and high prices of sheep in California. He at once set aboutcollecting several thousand, hired a number of men and drove the herdto Fort Laramie: thence he made his way by the old emigrant trail toCalifo
rnia where he disposed of the sheep at prices which brought him aprofit of several thousand dollars.
While in San Francisco, he visited a prominent restaurant where heordered a good substantial dinner for six persons. When it was ready hesurveyed it for a moment with satisfaction, and, seating himself at thetable, disposed of it all. His journey across the plains had given him asomewhat vigorous appetite.