Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1870-08-11

gain fair view of those around it. No
white men were there; in their places
were adozen Navajoe Indians quitely
encarnped, and SO unsuspicious ofdanger
that nothing of any sentinelsA could be
seen. --' -'s '8,'-a4i lt..--' q
Having fully satisfied themselves
upon this point, he pursuers steaithily
withdrew to where they had left their
horses.
1--WE have made mistake t'said Car
son. ave shall have to wait until
morning before trying to do anything
more.n 9i' a.- -Ha
Withdrawing to safe point, they lay
down, and slept soundly during the re-
mainder of the night, for they need rest
no less than do their horses. When
they were fairly awake on the morrow,
they consulted together as to- what was
best to do. So long as there was any
prospect of recovering the stolen pro-
perty, neither of them felt inclined to
give up the pursuit. rs r .
"I am afraid they have given US the
Slip" remarked Carson's companion.
"It does look little that way. 1t
may be, however, that we are ahead of
them"
"If that is so, there is still a chance
of coming across the thieves"
The leader replied in the affirmative,
and after scanning every portion of the
sky, added. "But if we just missed
them-that is, if they weIe ahead of us
in reaching the passive may as well
give up the chase and go back to camp"
With this conviction, they rode quiet
Iy along, until the great portion of the
forenoon was passed; but not sign of
the runaways did they discover. Grad
ually the conviction forced itself upon
them that the prudent course was now
for them to return to camp. The pur-
suit had led them into the most danger
Gus portion of the Navajoe country.
where the greatest care was necessary
to escape collision with there implaca-
BILE enemies. ~.
When the sun had reached meridian,
without any signs of the deserters, the
chase was given up entirely. 4
.. They've got ahead of us, that's GER
tain,' said Kit. as they turned their
horses heads homeward.
"There isn'tany use in pursuing them
further?'
''No; the time is lost. When eget
back to Toas we may meet them, and
we will then settle this account"
With this consolation, they continued
on heirjourney towards camp-In the
afternoon, they crossed small stream,'
where ito their surprise they detected
the trail of deserters. The footprints
showed that their animals were at full
speed; and more extended scrutiny OF
the soft earth along the stream revealed
the fact that the party undoubtedly had
been hotly pursued by Indians 1.-THE
time.
The trail led towards wood about
half mile to the left; and under the
conviction that fight must have taken
place at the point, the two hunters rode
at gallep toward it. They were not
mistaken in their supposition; for, less
than hundred feet from the edge of
wood, all three of the horses were found
stretch ed upon the ground, perfectly
riddled with bullets.
"But where are they?" asked the hun
ter of Carson, after they had surveyed
the sickening sight for few minutes.
Let US look about u.s." was the reply.
as they moved on with their horses.
Thinking that the bodies of the men
must be somewhere near at hand, they
marched awhile for them, but discover
ed not the lesst trace. They even went
through the entire wood with no better
success. The conviction of both Carson
and his companion was, that they had
been captured by the Navajoes, carrie d
away, and put to a terrible. death. In
this they were undoubtedly correct, as
not one of the men was ever heard of
afterwards.
The trappers now took the most di-
rect route homeward, riding along at an
easy gallop, and saving the strength of
their horses as much as possible. AS
they were in constant danger of an en-
counter with Indians, this was no more
than prudent. Every now and then
they came across signs of savages, but,
by great care, they avoided them until
they had passed over the greater part of
the distance. They were riding along
catching and loughing with each other,
when there suddenly appeared Indians
ahead ofthem. They were alIvery well
mounted, painted, and decked out in
their most gaudy feathers, showing
Enthusiastically that they were on thu
war path.
Kid Carson now did something which
to an inexperienced person, would look
like the hight of rashness, but which
demonstrates as to what is the best to
do in sudden crisis like the present
The instant he caught of the Indians,
he exclaimed, ina suppressed UNDER
tone, "Charge!" aea
Tho command had eoaroaIy ,.o. - A