Wheeling times and advertiser. [volume] (Wheeling, Va. [W. Va.]) 1839-1849, 1846-05-05
A pEspERATE ADVENTURE.
FROM cAPrAis FRENoNTs EXPEDITION TO IL
pocEN N~n1fNTAfyS

A DESPERATE ADVENTURE.
lfRoM CAPTAIN EXPEDITION TO n
ROCKY NoUNTAINs.l
While cncamped, ON the 2ih of April, at
a spring, near the Spanish trail, we were sur
Prised by the sudden appearance among ms oil
two MeSicans-a man aud a boy; the name oil
the man was Andreas Fuentas, aud that oi the
boy ia handsome lad, eleven years old) Palby
Hernandez. With a cavalcade OF about thirty
horses, they came out from Puebla de los An
gelas, near the Pacific; had lost half of their
animsls,-stolen by Imiians,-and now sought
my camp for aid. Carson aud Cooley, two of
my men volunteered 10 pursue them, with the
Mexican; and, well mounted, the three setoit
on the trail. In the evening Fuentas return
ed, hs horse having failed, but Carson and
Godey had continued the pursuit.
In the afternoon of the next day a war
whoop was heard, such as Indians ma Ike when
returning rom a victorious enterprise; and
soon Carson and Cooley appeared driving be-
lore them a band OF horses, recognized BY
fuentas to be a part OF those they had lost.
Two bloody scalps, dangling from the end OF
Godey 5 gun, announced that they had over
takeh the Indians as wellas the horses. They
had continued the pursuit alone, after Fuen
tas tad left them, aud towarde nightiall enter.
ed the mountains iuto which the trail fed.
NNN' "Nto(ss AAAN haNG AAAfsA 1lN ~ y
followed the trail by moonlight, until late in
the night, when IL entered a narrow defle
and was difficult TO follow. Here they lay
IRON midnight I'LL morning. Atdoylighi they
resumed the pursuit, and at sunrise discover
ed the horses; aud Immediately d~ismounting
and tying up their own, they crept cautiously
to a rising ground which intervened, from the
crest of which they perceived the encamp-
ment OF four lodges close by. They proceed
ed quietly, and had got within thirty or forty
yards OF thqir object, when a movement among
the horses discovered them to the Indians.
Giving the war shout they instantly changed
into the camp, regardlesso of the number which
the tour lodges might contain.
The Indians received them with a flight of
anows, shit from their long bows, one OF
which passed through Godcy's shirt collar,
barely missing the neck. Our men fired their
rides upona steady aim, and rushed in. Two
Indians were stretched upon the ground fatally
pierced with bullets; the rest fled, except a
isl who was captured. The scalps OF the fall
lea were instantly stripped oil; but in the
process, one ot them, who had two halls
through his body, sprang 10 h~isteet, the blood
streaming from bis skinned head, and u~ttering
a hideous howl. The fnghtiul spectacle APP
palled the stout hearts OF our men; but they
did what humanity required, aud quickly ter
minated the sgoniSs OF the CORY savage
They were now masters OF the camp, which
was a pretty little recess in the mountains,
Win d bne spring, and apparently sale from
all invasion. Great preparations had been
made Tor ieastlng a large party, for it was a
very proper place for a rendezvous. and for the
nciebrstion Of such orgies as robbers OF the
desert would delight in. Several OF the best
horses had been Killed, skinned and cut up:
Tor the Indians living la the mountains, aud
only coming INTO the plains 10 rob and muir
der, make no other use Il horses than TO eat
hem. Large earthcu vessels were on The fire,
BOILING and stewing the horse beef and seve.
rai baskets, containing hiy or sixty pairs OF
noccaSslGs Indicated the presence or expecta-
non oil a large party. They released the boy.
VINO had gwen strong evidence oil The stoieisrn
something else, oil the savage character. by
commencing his bseakfastupon a horses head
an soon IA he found he was not 10 be killed
but only tied as a prisoner.
Their object accomplished, our men Rather-
her pr",,a. ~ns..rieE horses ,fllerp il. npm;
US at our camp in the afternoon OF the same
day: They had rode about one hundred miles
ia me pursuit and return, and ell in thirty
hours. The time, place, object, and numbers
considered, this expedition Of Carson and
Cooley may be considered among the boldest
and most disinterested which The annals OF
western adventure, so full OF daring deeds can
present. Two men, in a savage wilderness.
pursue. day aud night, All unknown bod al
Indians into the dehles OF an unknou n monn-
taIn-atlack them at night without %countino
numbers. and deteat them in an instant. and
Tor what To punish the robbers OF the des-
ert, aud revenge the wrongs of Mexicens
whom they did not know. / repeat, IL was
Carson and Cooley did this-the former .
native OF Boouslick county, Missouri. the laf.
Ter (oi French p~aTcntage) born in 81. Lonis
ia the same State; both of them trained h
western enterprise from early life.