The Life and Adventures of Kit Carson, the Nestor of the Rocky Mountains, From Facts Narrated by Himself

CHAPTER I.

Carson's Birthplace--His Emigration to Missouri--Early Prospects--Is an Apprentice--Stories of the Rocky Mountains--He Enlists to go there--Adventures on the Prairies--Broaders is Wounded--Carson's Nerve put to the Test--Rude Amputation--Safe Arrival at Santa Fe--Goes to Taos and learns the Spanish Language--Early Vicissitudes--Disappointment and Attempt to return to Missouri--Is employed as an Interpreter, Teamster, etc., 13

CHAPTER II.

The news of the Defeat of Mr. Young's Trapping Party by the Indians reaches Taos--Young raises a Party to chastise the Indians--Kit Carson becomes a Conspicuous Member of the Expedition--The Indians are found on Salt River--The Fight--Trapping Exploits--A new Country--Trials and Vicissitudes--Sacramento Valley--California and its Roman Catholic Missions in 1829--Another Indian Fight--Sale of Furs--Indian Depredations--Kit Carson and Twelve Trappers engage with the Indians in a Battle--Return to the Camp with recovered Property, 30

CHAPTER III.

The Return from California to New Mexico--San Fernando and the Peublo of Los Angelos--Description of these Peublos--Passports demanded at Los Angelos--Trouble with the Mexican Authorities--Kit Carson sent on with the Pack Animals--One Trapper shoots another--The Mexicans become frightened--Indians come into Camp with their Weapons concealed--Cool Reception, by Kit Carson--Arrival at Santa Fe and Taos--Money realized soon parted with--Carson joins another Expedition--The Rivers trapped on--Four Men Killed by Blackfeet Indians--Kit Carson joins Gaunt's Party--The Parks--Winter Quarters--Crow Indian Depredations--Kit Carson and his Party in Pursuit--the Fight--Winter on the Arkansas--Another Expedition--Two Deserters--Kit Carson sent in Pursuit--The Fate of the Runaways--Adventures with Indians--Hair-breadth Escape made by Kit Carson, 42

CHAPTER IV.

Kit Carson and two Companions plan a Hunt for themselves--The Great Success met with--Return to Taos--Sale of the Beaver Fur--Kit Carson joins Captain Lee and goes on a Trading Expedition--Winter Quarters--Kit Carson is sent in Pursuit of a Thief--Overtakes and is obliged to shoot the Runaway--Property recovered--The Return to Camp--The Sale of Goods--Kit Carson joins Fitzpatrick and Party--Kit Carson organizes a Hunting Party--His Encounter with two Grizzly Bears--The Summer Rendezvous--Kit Carson joins fifty Trappers and goes to the Country of the Blackfeet Indians--Annoyances received from these Indians--Winter Quarters in 1832--Horses Stolen--Kit Carson and eleven Men in Pursuit--A Parley--A Fight--Kit Carson severely wounded--His great Sufferings and Fortitude--His Convalescence--The Retreat--A New Expedition--A Braggadocio--Kit Carson Fights a Duel and Wounds his man--Duels in the Rocky Mountains in Olden Times, 68

CHAPTER V.

The Fall Hunt--McCoy of the Hudson's Bay Company organizes a Trapping Party which Kit Carson joins--The Hunt--Scarcity of Beaver on Humboldt River--The Party is divided--Kit Carson with a majority of the Men goes to Fort Hall--Hardships and Privations met with--Buffalo Hunt--All their Animals stolen in the Night by a Party of Blackfeet Indians--Arrival of McCoy from Fort Walla Walla--The Rendezvous--Kit Carson joins a strong Band--The Small Pox among the Blackfeet Indians--The Crow Indians on good terms with the Whites--Intense Cold--Immense Herds of Buffalo--Danger of their goring to death the Horses--The Spring Hunt--The Blackfeet Indian Village overtaken--A desperate Fight with these Indians--The Rendezvous--Sir William Stuart and a favorite Missionary--Kit Carson goes on a Trading Expedition to the Navajoe Indians--The Return--He accepts the post of Hunter of the Trading Post at Brown's Hole, 106

CHAPTER VI.

Bridger and Carson trapping on the Black Hills--The Main Camp--The Rendezvous--Winter Quarters on the Yellow Stone--Carson with forty men in a desperate fight with the Blackfeet Indians--A Council--Sentinel posted--One Thousand Warriors come to punish the Trappers--The War Dance--The Courage of the Savages deserts them--Winter Quarters--The Spring Hunt--Another Fight with the Blackfeet--Continued Annoyances--The Trappers abandon the Country--The Rocky Mountains and Alps compared--Other Trapping Expeditions--Beaver becoming scarce--Prices of Fur reduced--Kit Carson and the Trappers give up their Vocation--The Journey to Bent's Fort--Mitchell the Mountaineer--His Eccentricities, 127

CHAPTER VII.. Kit Carson Is Employed As Hunter to Bent's Fort--His Career for

Kit Carson is employed as Hunter to Bent's Fort--His Career for Eight Years--Messrs. Bent and St. Vrain--The commencement of his Acquaintance with John C. Fremont on a Steamboat--Is employed as a Guide by the Great Explorer--The Journey--Arrival at Fort Laramie--Indian Difficulties--The business of the Expedition completed--Return to Fort Laramie--Kit Carson goes to Taos and is married--He is employed as Hunter to a Train of Wagons bound for the States--Meeting with Captain Cook and four companies of U.S. Dragoons on Walnut Creek--Mexicans in Trouble--Kit Carson carries a Letter for them to Santa Fe--Indians on the Route--His safe Arrival--Amijos' advance Guard massacred by the Texians--The one Survivor--The Retreat--Kit Carson returns to Bent's Fort--His Adventures with the Utahs and narrow escape from Death--The Texians disarmed--The Express Ride performed, 147

CHAPTER VIII.. Kit Carson Visits Fremont's Camp--Goes on the Second

Kit Carson visits Fremont's Camp--Goes on the Second Exploring Expedition--The Necessary Arrangements--Trip to Salt Lake--Explorations there--Carson is dispatched to Fort Hall for Supplies--Their Operations at Salt Lake--The Great Island--The Journey to the Columbia River in Oregon--Incidents on the Route--Tlamath Lake--The Journey to California--The Trials and Privations met with while crossing the Sierra Nevada Mountains--Mr. Preuss is lost but finds the Party again--Arrival at Sutter's Fort in a Destitute Condition--Two of the Party become deranged--The Route on the Return Trip--Mexicans come into their Camp asking Aid and Protection--Indian Depredations--Carson and Godey start on a Daring Adventure--The Pursuit--The Thieves overtaken--These Two White Men attack Thirty Indians--The Victory--Horses retaken--The Return to Camp--One of their Companions killed--The Journey continued--Arrival at Bent's Fort--The "Fourth of July" Dinner, 178

CHAPTER IX.. Kit Carson Concludes to Become a Farmer--He Is Joined in the

Kit Carson concludes to become a Farmer--He is joined in the Enterprise by a Friend--They build a Ranche on the Cimeron River--Descriptions of Mexican Customs and Country--Fremont once more at Bent's Fort--Express sent for Kit Carson to join the Expedition as Guide--The Ranche Sold, and the Departure--The Third Expedition and its Explorations--Difficulties with the Mexican-Californians--General Castro's Orders to leave the Country--Determination to Fight--Fremont goes to Lawson's Fort--Fremont and his Men encounter a Thousand Indians--The Battle and the Victory--The news that War had been declared between the United States and Mexico reaches Fremont--Lieutenant Gillespie rescued from the Indians--Three of the party killed in the Night by Indians--The Savages repulsed--The Burial of Comrades, 232

CHAPTER X.

Fremont en route for California--His men are anxious to punish the Tlamath Indians--Kit Carson, in command of ten Men, is sent on ahead to reconnoitre--He discovers the main Village of these Indians--The Attack and the Victory--Beautiful Lodges--The Trophies mostly destroyed--Fremont saves Kit Carson's Life--The Journey resumed--The Sacramento Valley--An Indian Ambuscade--One Savage defies the Party--Kit Carson shoots him--The Tlamath Indians still on the War Path--Another Lesson given to them--A Thief is shot--Arrival at Lawson's Trading Post--A period of Inactivity--A Detachment sent to capture Sonoma--Prisoners taken--The Mexicans come to punish the Americans--Their Courage deserts them--The Retreat--The Pursuit--Fremont goes to Sutter's Fort and establishes a Military Post--Monterey is taken by the American Squadron--Fremont marches there--Further Operations--The taking of Los Angelos, 261

CHAPTER XI.. Kit Carson Is Sent Overland As Bearer of Dispatches to

Kit Carson is sent Overland as Bearer of Dispatches to Washington--The Preparation and the Start--The Journey--Privations and Sufferings--Meeting with General Kearney--The General takes Carson as his Guide and sends on the Dispatches by Fitzpatrick--The March--Arrival at Warner's Ranche--Mexicans on the Road--Preparations for a Battle--The Battle--Disastrous Consequences--Kit Carson and Lieutenant Beale offer to run the lines of the Mexican Sentinels and carry Information to San Diego of Kearney's critical position--The Daring Undertaking--The Sufferings they encountered--Their Arrival--Reinforcements sent out--Lieutenant Beale is Delirious from the Privations he has undergone--Gen. Kearney and his Command finally reach and join the other American Forces in California, 274

CHAPTER XII.

A Command of Six Hundred Men is sent against Los Angelos--The Mexican Army evacuates the Town--Its Capture--Rumors of an Attack to be made on Fremont's Command--The Mexicans surrender--The Winter Quarters--Kit Carson is ordered to carry Dispatches overland to Washington--Lieutenant Beale accompanies him--A Night Attack made by the Indians--Arrival in the United States--Kit Carson's Introduction to Col. Benton and Mrs. Fremont--Hospitality offered to him at Washington--Kit Carson receives the Appointment of Lieutenant in the Rifle Corps of the U.S. Army from President Polk--He is ordered to carry Dispatches to California--The Journey--A Brush with the Camanche Indians--Arrival at Santa Fe--More trouble with hostile Indians--Arrival at Los Angelos--Dispatches delivered--Kit Carson is assigned to do Duty with the Dragoons--Is ordered to Guard Tajon Pass--The Winter spent there--Is ordered again to carry Dispatches to Washington--The Journey and its Adventures--The return to New Mexico, 297

CHAPTER XIII.. Kit Carson At His Home--the Apache Indians Become Hostile--an

Kit Carson at his Home--The Apache Indians become hostile--An Expedition sent against them--It is not successful--Another is organized, with which, Kit Carson goes as Guide--Two Indian Chiefs captured--Other Incidents of the Trip--Colonel Beall attempts to force the Indians to give up Mexican Captives--Two thousand Savages on the Arkansas River--The Visit to them--Kit Carson emigrates and builds a Ranche at Rayado--Description of the Valley--The Massacre of a Santa Fe Merchant--His Wife is made Prisoner--The Expedition sent to rescue her--The Indians overtaken--Bad Counsel and Management--The commanding Officer wounded--Mrs. White's Body found--Severe Snow-storm on the Plains--One Man frozen to Death--Kit Carson returns to Rayado--The occupation of a Farmer resumed--The Apaches steal from the Settlers nearly all their Animals--Kit Carson with thirteen others in the Pursuit--The Surprise--A running Fight--The Animals recovered--A gallant Sergeant and his Fate--Kit Carson and Goodel go on a Trading Expedition to meet California Emigrants at Fort Laramie--Humorous Adventures--The Dangers that beset the Road to New Mexico--Hair-breadth Escape--Arrival at Taos, 322

CHAPTER XIV.. Kit Carson Reaches Home--Himself and Neighbors Robbed by the

Kit Carson reaches Home--Himself and Neighbors robbed by the Apaches--Major Grier goes in Pursuit of, and recaptures the stolen Stock--A Plot organized by White Men to murder two Santa Fe Traders for their Money--The Disclosure--Kit Carson goes to the Rescue of the Traders--The Camp of United States Recruits--Captain Snell with twenty Men joins Kit Carson and they two make the Arrest of Fox--Gratitude expressed by the Traders--Money offered but refused--The Prisoner taken to Taos and incarcerated--Kit Carson receives a magnificent Pair of Revolvers as a Present from the grateful Traders--The return to Rayado--A Trading Expedition to the United States--The return Journey--An Encounter with the Cheyenne Indians--A State of Suspense--The Deliverance from Danger by a Message sent by a Mexican Runner--The arrival at Rayado, 361

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