The south-western. [volume] (Shreveport, La.) 1852-1870, 1866-11-28
Celebrated Plains Characters.


thus Of two well-known plains characters-Ki
Carson and Pfefer
KIT CARsoN.-Gen. Sherman having fin
ished speaking, an officer in United States
uniform, sitting next to him, took up the word
and translated into Spanish for the chiefs
This officer was man of about Ave feet four
inches in height, stout and somewhat heavy,
but with frame alert and active. His light
brown hair, sprinkled with gray. was thin,
worn rather long and thrown behind his ears
and his face was rough with beard unshaven
\ for day or two His wel-worn uniform of a
! colonel of cavalry was carried carelessly and
1 loosely, as though the wearer was unaccus-
toned to the restraints of buckram and but
tons. The man was the famous Kit Carson
He is only ffty-six wears old. but his life
has been full of adventure. Born in Ken
lucky be came at an early age 10 this wild
region, and his name was soon known among
the local records of border warfare, dauntless
exploration. His narratives of personal adYen-
ture and Indian warfare are exceedingly inter-
estng. He is very quiet in manner, and his
voice is soft and low" as have frequently
found to be the case with men of his exciting
life; the constant presence Of danger and even
death, and the constant necessity of caution,
putting a.restraint upon their tongues.
Coz PFEIFFER.-I must introduce you to
one more character, scarcely less famous than
Kit Carson, for his personal prowess and wild
life of adventure. AS he comes towards us
we are struck by his singular appearance. His
red beard grows in patches, the intervening
beard growing skin dlscolored and DESTROYED
he wears blue goggles toshield his weak eyes
from the suns glare-weak, but clear and
quick as ever; and his face is almost ghasty
in its signs of suffering. He walks with a
cane; and there is a stiffness in his move
ments which betrays the soldiers honorable
wounds. Thisis Albert H. Pfeifer, lieutenant
colonel of Carson's regiment. Born in Fries
land, he came to this country quarter Of a
century ago, and during all that time he has
served his adopted government in various sta
tons; as private in the ranks, as an explorer
of new countries. as a guide through passes
known only to him and the Indians, as an In
dian fighter, or pacfcator, as the case de-
handed.
You will not wonder at his limp and his
stiffness when you know that he is SCARED
with nearly twenty wounds; that he carries,
embedded in his body, some Indian souvenirs
Of bullets; and that two frightful scars show
where an arrow has pierced him directly
through the body, Just below the heart-and
his countenance will lose that ghastly appear
ance when you have heard the old brave talk
for few moments, and tell you how it became
50 shocklngy SCARED; his very Slight accent
gives PIquancy to the low, smooth tones:
g Yes, | will tell you about it, if you really
want TO hear Though don't often care to
think OF 1t at all, for it was nasty business
1t happened in 1868, when was captain in my
regiment and was stationed at fort McCrae,
in New Mexico. Those id red skins had
put some of the poison-what they use for
their arows-where | handled it, and pois-
oned my face and hands 1t was dreadful,
that sickness; and l went to battle in the sui
Phur springs, near the fort. They are very
good for such things. took few Of my
men with me, for protection, and to keep
guard-ior we must be very watchful there
there were SO many red devils about. My
wife-she was Mexican girl-had come with
me, though l had begged her not TO expose
herself to this danger; but she had insisted
on it, and would not allow me to 60 alone"
His voice is very low and distinct here, as if
he would linger awhile.
My corporal-he was good and faithful
soldier, God save him-had also his Mexican
wife with him.
It was sunny, bright morning, and two
of my peons-,some Mexican servants had
brought-were packing me in sheets at the
spring, Il was about twenty yards from the
tent. The sentry had been called in from the !
bluffs to his breakfast, and the rest of the |
party were scattered about. At once, without
one word OF warning, comes a volley of mus
kerry and a shower of bullets and arrows from |
the rocks. My poems fall dead, but the bull
lets they pass over me, as | am lying down.
l spring up, naked as [ was born, and I see
fifty Or sixty of the Navahoes burst from the
bluffs, and run down, some of them at me,
some for tie tent
Every morning before this I have taken
my arms with me to the spring, but just this
one time | have not done it F.; | run for my
tent, aud, as [ run, they fire and fall fat,
TO dodge their balls So my men they think
| am killed, they all run away to the fort all
but one see standing there. 1t is my brave
corporal; he stands, for you see those devils |
have his wife now, and mine run on it is /
a close race between me and the Indians; but
[ am in the tent, and grab my gun just as
they slit up the back Of the tent and rush in
on me- So [ rush back to my corporal, and
we face EN- all. They stand there, afraid to
come on, for they know my rifle. Yes, they
stand there and fire on US, until my corporal
is wounded three times, his arm broken and |
he falls. And all this time | can't fire at
them, because big rascal holds my wife in
front of them. You see why l can't fire
But at last | make her understand that l want
her to drop down. SO she falls to the ground
and sheet the big rascal just between the
eyes. | start to run to her; but just then
some have got behind me, and shoot me this
arrow through and through my body, SO the
point sticks out in front. try to pull the id
thing out, but can't move it,
Then they come on, and see l have no
chance but to run for the river. AS [ am
running trip and fall, and at once big In
dian stands over me, with his bow bent and
an arrow at my very heart. In one moment
see life and death. l wonder in a lazy way
what the future can be it is a wild dream,
sharp frenzy-and know nothing for second
till am on top of that Indian, and his arrow