Fergus County argus., 1890-06-26
KIT CARSON.
The Famous Ken,uckian Who Has Figured
in Border History.

Christopher Carson, Or Kit Carson"
a> better known to the readers of
western history. was "a native OF Ken
tucky and was born on Tate's creek,
IN Madison county, Dec. ~. 1903.
When young Christopher was seven
teen years old he Joined IA hunting ex-
petition. which initiated him into
border excitement and gave him n
taste for { he free, Wild lii, he ever after
ward lived. The vast plains of the
west had q iascinat ion for him hey yond
all things else. Like Daniel Boone. he
could not stand the smoke of civiliza-
tion. and he despised its restraints
trapper, and for similar period he
was chief hunter for the garrison at
Bent fort. For almost the remain
der Of his life he was guide, scout and
Indian fighter on he western frontier
lie acted rs guide to Gen. John &. Ere
mont in his celebrated exploration be-
yond the Rocky mountains in u si2
and ip 1913 1, considered at that
time one oi the grandest achievements
of the time. Cars on gives the follow
ing account of night attack OF Tia
math Indians: "Tnis was the only
night in ali our travels, except the one
night on an island IN the Salt lake.
that we failed to keep guard, as the
men were tired and as we expected no
attack. The colonel didn't like to ask
it of them, but sat up late himself.
Owens and ] were sleeping together,
and We were walked at the same time
by the licks of the AK that killed our
men. At first | didn't know it was
that, but ] called to Basil. who was on
that side: What's there? What that
fuss about He never answered, for he
was dead then, poor fellow. and he
never knew what killed him: his head
had been cut in his sleep; the other
groaned a little AS he died. The Della
wares 1--WE had four with us) were sleep
ing at that time, and they sprarg up
as the Tlamaths charged them. One
OF them caught up gun that was
loaded, but although he could do no
SNe'utiOii ic hVIt. tictI Ut OuN, neilt
ing like u soldier, AMI didn't give up
until he was shot full of arrows-three
entering his heart. He died bravely.
As soon as ! had called out | saw it
was Indians in the camp, and and
Owens together cried out, Indians"
There were no orders given; things
went on too fast, and the colonels had
men with them who didn't have to be
told their duty. The colonel and |,
Maxwell, Owens, Cooley and Stepp
jumped together-we six-and ran to
the assistance OF our Delawares. |
don't know who fired and who didn't;
but ] think 1t was Stepp's shot that
killed the Klamath chief, for it was at
the crack OF Stepp's gun that he fell.
lie had an English halifax strung o his
wrist by cord, and there were forty
arrows left in his quiver-the most
beautiful and war-like arrows that
ever saw. When the Tlamaths saw
HIM tall they ran, but we lay, every
man with his rifle cooked, until day
light, expecting another attack. In
the morning we found from the tracks
that from fifteen to twenty OF the
T'lamaths had attackedu us. They had
killed three OF our men and wounded
one OF the Delawares-beside one killed
who scalped the chief, whom we left
where he fell. Our dead we carried ON
mules, but after going about ten miles
We found it impossible to get them any
further through the thick timber, and
finding a secret place We buried them
under logs and chunks, having no way
to dig grave"