The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1893-07-02

mliar name ran down our extended ranks
like a cheer. We all hurried to the front
10 shake hands with the famous scout.
Carson was at this time IN the prime of
life-about 40 years old, think. A cas-
uai observer noting his rather under
sized form, peaceful appearance andmod-
est, unassuming manners, would never
have dreamed Of selecting him from out
crowd as the most daring rider, fearless
explorer and successful Indian fighter
known tc western fame. A closer look,
however, might have detected in the
clear, gray eyes, the resolute mouth and
in & certain air OF reserved power, 1ndi-
cations OF the qualities which had earned
for him the hatred of all the ''bad Ind
ians'' on the plains.
Carson went on to answer the guides
question:
ssrve got men and horses camped down
on the Little Colorado, but l have been
riding alone for week, trying to select
the shortest and easiest wagon route
through his part Of the country. Three
days ago / ran on Geronimo's warriors Just
after they'd wiped out a party of emf
grants. The remains of four wagons were
still smoking, and, as nearly as / could
Judge, sixteen bodies had been piled up
with them. Eight mules lay dead around.
Looking down on their camp yesterday
discoveries they had five American horses
and men, he added slowly; They've
got a young white woman prisoner
At this point in Carson's narrative Alec
Fraser, 4 young fellow from Kentucky,
said TO ne with a shudder, .'I'm glad my
sister is safe in California by this time.
Her husbands party left st. Louis a
month before me-the journey was her
wedding trip
'sHow many Indians are there in the
band and how are they armed?'' asked
Sam Lount.
There were a hundred and SIX" Car
son replied with a grim smile; 'there
are ninety-nine now. Most are armed
with bows and arrows, tomahawks,
lances and knives, about thirty carry old
smooth bore fiint-lock guns
'fAnd you think they know that we're
coming?" asked Eount.
stim sure Of 1t, answered Carson.
Sand now,' continued the scout, be-
coming serious. ssit must never be said
that thirtv-six American men allowed a
countrywoman of theirs to be carried off
TO tate worse than death by band of
savages. If YOU IL Join IN and do exactly
as / say, We'll rescue that girl before to-
morrow morning Who says yes2''
Il. shouted every man Of us.
every well, then. y said Carson. with
n sudden, sunny smile. "Unhitch for
dinner now. and we shall not start again
until the middle of the afternoon. The
plan is to reach Baby Range just before
SHUTDOWN and camp little this side.'
Carson managed SO that we arrived,
seemingly in the ordinary course of travel
at the appointed spot shortly after the sun
had disappeared behind the rang. In
order to avoid all chance OF his dreaded
presence being deserted by the Indians he
had dismounted when within mile of
the mountain, placed his famous horse in
the rear among our led animals, ard
1.r- i
wagons.
Everything in the vicinity was quiet as
the grave, but the redoubtable scout as
sured Us that lying behind the froWning
heights We're fve-score savages, and that
probably one or two were looking down
upon US.
After forming corral in tho leisurely
manner Of men unsuspicious of danger,
we plcketed the stock out to Craze as
usual, and then cooily sat down to our
evening meal.
After supper Carson gathered rs around
him and said in his peculiarly soft. low
voice: Near the south end OF this little
range there is, as your guide knows. a
deep, ragged ravine winding around to
the west and nnally running out on the
open plain quite close TO the trail
'tGeronimo's men won't make a move
while this wind is blowing to carry n
sound to us, but they know that it win
die away Just before daybreak. They
propose then to steal through the pass
form up en- this side, make a rush. and
take us by surprise-if they could do
that, not a man Of you would escape to
tell the story.
Now, l propose about midnight.
when the horses viii all be IN the corral
TO take twenty men, ride straight down
the east side of the range to the ravine.
pass through It ike shadows and come
out on the trail in their rear. Here the
real trouble viii begin, as we shall then
nave to sneak. down wind, over a mile
of open ground.
s'Under ordinary circumstances. at
tempting to surprise band of Indians in
this way would be childish, but these
fellows are gorged with stolen food, are
intent only upon wip:ng out this party
will never dream of being attacked from
the vest, and If they keep watch at all
it viii be only for short time and in
this direction.
- feel confident Of being able to gain