Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1871-07-20
"Reminiscences OF Ola Bob Carson

"Reminiscences OF Old Bob Carson.
In the town of Arrow Rock, on the
Missouri river, the celebrated noun
taineer and trapper, Bob Carson, yet
lives; is hale, stout and hearty, able and
willing to make many more like trips.
He is full of anecdotes, and gives us
many hairbreadth escapes from noun
tcin storms and Indian fights
He says the last tight place he got into
was in the year lS49, during the Mexi-
can war. The Mexicens were commit
ting depredations, and had stolen some
of our government horses and mules
Captain Price-afterward Gen. Sterling
Price-was in command of company
of United States volunteers, who were
ever ready for a scout or a fight. He
was ordered to make a detail of twelve
of his best men and send them in search
of the stolen property. Twelve choice
and tried men were chosen. Then came
the query-who is able and willing to
take command of this squad2 1t must
be some man who can talk with the diff
ferent Indian tribes through which they
may have to pass in pursuit Of the Mex
leans.
Luckily for the squad, at this moment
Bob Carson rode up, well mounted on
his favorite hunting horse, Joe. A shout
from the twelve brave men bid him vel
come; their object stated and requesting
him to take command. Nothing suited
Carson better than this.
He told Capt. Price that he could fol-
low cold trail as fast as any living man
could, and to give himself no uneasiness,
that he would bring his Twelve men back
and not lose a scalp.
The sequel shows how he succeeded.
The second day out they struck the
trail; late in the evening they saw in the
distance large party of Indians, and as
they we're on friendly terms with the diff
ferent tribes, Carson and his band hurried
to overtake them, hoping to gain some
information concerning the stock.
The Indians saw them approaching,
and halted for them to come up. AS
Carson and his men cameup, his keen eye
discovered that they were on the war
path, but knowing no fear, he rode up,
and the Indians, four hundred strong,
closed wings, and completely surrounded
them. Ssndivere, the chief, rode up to
Carson, exclaiming:
" Yeds teddy are my prisoner.
Carson, after questioning the chief a
short time, found that they were also in
pursuit of lost stock, stolen, as they con-
sidered, by the United States troops.
The Mexicans had told him this tale
to screen themselves. But all of their
intrigue could not induce Sandivere to
release him and his twelve men.
The next morning the old chief COM
menced making preparations to shoot
and scalp his prisoners. Carson called
him aside for a talk, and finally per-
suaded him to send one cf his best run
ners to Captain Prices camp, and if
things we're not found just as repre-
sented, that on the fourth day Of de-
parture Of said runner, at twelve o clock,
he might do with his prisoners as he
pleased. The runner started. Carson
and his men, sanguine that everything /
would prove satisfactory to the chief, re-
mained their prisoners eheerfully and |
happy.
On the morning Of the fourth day all /
we're momentarily expecting the runner /
to appear Ten o'clock came and no /
runner in sight; eleven and no runner in |
sight Everything in camp was excite