The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1847-06-28
The Famous Kit Carson, OF the West.
From the Washington Union

Vne Famous Kit Carson, OF the West.
From the Washington Union]
This singular man left Washington this morning. IN
company with Mrs Fremont for the west On entering
Kit Carson? He has this moment left my room; and
singular and striking man he s Modest he Is brave,
with the re Of enterprise In his eye-wth the bearing
OF Indian, walking even with his toes turned in-l
nate rs to miss him though our curiosity was greatly ex
cited; but In tho course of two hours gentleman who
had seen much Of Carson. waited upon and politely
furnished us with the following description ofthis ngu
lar man. The portrait is admirably drawn, and 1t gives
US great pleasure to lay before readers 1t is the
the west whom the peculiar Influences of the frontier
ettlements-bstween the white man and the red man
are 80 wen % 70 produce Carson however
whose adventures we dslightto hear.
XII Carson, within few years has become quite ia
witt the expeditions Of Fremont the best of those
noble and original characters that have from time to
with It to the west and drawing from association with
uncutvated nature not the rudeness and sensualism
Of sne savage put genuine simplicity and truhaness
edness to degree rarely found in society Although
kit has only become known to the reading people
OF the states" and Of Europe through Fremont's
reports, ne was long ago famous In q world
tended not as populous; famous tor excelling in all
the qualities that life in the trackless and
quires and develops. He has been celebrated hough
now aged only about 81 years. hunter. trapper
guide or pilot Of the prairie and Indian fighter unit
Ing to the necessary of that
and sturdy class kindness of heart and genteness of
that relieves It Of any possible ha rshness or u.s.
perity He Is now in the States" having recently ar
rived with dispatches from California; and have taken
the opportunity to extract from him few incidents of
his eventfu life. He is worthy of an honorable aud
more extended memoir; and were his adventures fully
written out they would possess an interest equal to any
personal narrative whatever.
Christopher Carson was born In Kentucky In the
1870 or his father having been Of the early
tiers, and also noted hunter and Indian fighter In
sake Of than the advancing
OF Kentucky left them to the territory Of Missouri
On this frontier bred to border he Kit remained the
age OF fifteen when he joined trading party Santa
Fc This his introduction those vast plains that
stretch beyond the State Of Missouri Instead of re-
turning home Kit found his way, by various adventures
south. through New Mexico, the copper mines of
chihuahua where he was employed some months as a
teamster.
When about seventeen years old he made his first ex
petition as trapper This with party which had
been induced by favorable accounts Of fresh trapping
grounds on the Rio Colorado Of California adven-
ture thither; SO that Kits first exploits were In the
same remote and romantic region where during
have earned mpsrshable honor. The enterprise was
successful and Kit relates many interesting
Of the hsrasps Of the wilderness and Of the
and settlers In California that time jealous
Of tho Americans threatened to even this in
made good their return however to Taos in New Next
co; whence, after Kit Joined trapping party to
the head waters of the Arkansas likewise region en-
braced since the last published expedition, in the sur
veys OF Col Fremont Without recrossing the praires
KIT went northward to the region Of the Rocky
and thors nssr ,ht r ~ ~
important occupation of trapping The great demand
paid for the peltres gave an additional o
adventurous spirit Of the Young men of the west
drew nearly all who preferred the exctements and ha
the recesses Of the Rocky Mountaina Hsra necni;sr
class formed the elements the sturdy enterprng
and uncurbed character of the frontier the circu-
stances that influenced and formed IT, nature in her
widest toughest and grandest aspects-savases both
as associates and foes OF every cast from the
Root drrersto the vndjctive Blacfeet and the
geous and warEke Crows-and a vocation of constsnt
labor pryation and peril in everv shans vet Of gains 81
nature and degree to give It somewhat Of the charac
teris les of gambling The decrease of the beaver be-
pursuit of the poor animal so ruthless as was thus
for the beaver fur have left trapping scarcely worth fol-
lowing as vocation; and the race of has
their lodges where they set their traps for the wy
beaver and where their frequent cobats with the
savages and with wild beasts not less Formidable In
the school of men thus formed by hardship EXPOSURE
peril and temptation, our hero aca ured ali their yr
tues and escaped their vices lie became noted through
the extent Of the trapping grounds and on both
Of the Rocky mountains Us successful trapper an nm
failing shot unerring guide and for bravery saga.
city and steadiness in all circumstances He was cho-
to lead In almost all enterprises of unusual
and In all attacks the Indians At one time with a
party of twelve he tracked band of near sixty Crows
who had stolen some of the horses belonging the
pers cut loose the animals which tied within ten
feet Of the strong fort Of logs In which the Indians had
taken shelter attacked them, and made good his re-
treat with the recovered horses Indian of another
tribe who with the trappers, bringing away Crow
scalp rs trophy In one combat with the Blackfeet
Carson received rifle ball in his left shoulder breaking
It, Save this he has escaped the manifold dangers to
which he has been exposed without serious bodily pju-
ry Of course, in turbulent and unrestraned life
there not unfrequent personal renconters among
the trappers themselves could the most peaceably
disposes always avoid them. These freq
and savage 1T the periods when the trsppers
the rendezvous were called the points where the
companies kept their establishments for receiving the
peltrics and supplying the trappers Here a few
days of indulgence were commonly allowed him.
sell oy the trapper and there was much drinking and
gampnng' anu consequently nghtng. feuds growing
out Of NATIONAL Feelings; would also naturally enough
occur among the trappers-there being Cana
dians ana Mexcans " well as the Amercans all having
prioe OF race ana country On one occasion, French
man, VINO ranked a. Duiiy, nad whipped good many
Canadians ana then began 10 insult the Americans
ing they were only worth being whipped with switches
Az TINS larson nred up ana said, HE was the most
uinng one among the Americans, and to begin with
nm AFTER some little more LAX, each went OF and
aLmed mmsen.Carson with pistol, the Frenchman
with rine-and Doth mounted Tor the night Riding up
ahth their horses heads toocned thy nred almost ut
,he same instant, larson NIUE the quickest and his
pail passing tnrougn the Fre"cnmans hanh, made him
JERK up ms gun ana sent the ball which Was intended
ior larson nsart grazing ty his LEFT eye and siDgeing
lhs nnlU hsIRn lat