The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1893-03-04
HUNTING WITH KIT"
A TRIP AFTER BLACKTAIL DEER
ON THE TURKEY MOUNTAINS.

cal Camp Fire story-Days of Keen
Fun and Nights OF Dreamless Rest
in the "Good Old Days That Are
Gone"
From the Neio York Recorder,
TOPEKA. Feb. 13.-After the close of the war
7 was ordered on stsff duty at Fort Union. \.
n There we're no railroads across the CONT
nent them and was compelled TO take the
Overland coach" at the Missouri river. which
Craversed the rather monotous route of the
cold santa Fe trail"
In the summer Of 1856 I renewed my acauaint-
ancs with the venerable Kit Carson, and an in
timacy sprung no between US, only ending in
his death two years later. He passed a great
deal OF his time in my quarters at the fort
where his early and lifelong comrade, Lucien
B. Maxwell, was visiting me IN order to have an
operation performed by the post surgeon, Incl,
dent to an injury by the premature discharge
Of a cannon at his ranch on the Fourth of July
preceding.
Both Kit and Maxwell were as keen on the
trail Of an Indian, buffalo, hear, elk or deer as
when quarter OF a century previously they
made world wide record as guidesland hunters
IN Gen. Fremont's celebrated expedition Their
opinion OF hunting was exactly that OF Keno
phone himself keen sportsman, as well as "a
great soldier and historian. Both these old plains
men and the famous Greek said that hunting
made men hardy, awoke their courage, habitu-
",
induced old age, increased all the powers of the
senses. and subdued the bad effects generally
accompanying prolonged idle life
Fort Union was situated at the base of the
Sierra de los GallionoB, or Turkey mountains
whose valleys were the habitat of the common
bear lynx, panther and blacktaI deer, the
latter the best venson in the world The black
tail deer are larger than the common red deer
They possess the same curiosity as the antelope
and that peculiar oval opening below each eye
which the animal has the power to open and
shut at pleasure-common TO all the species
though 1t is more marked in the backtail. It
was general belief In the olden time that deer
wept when torn by the hounds. Shakespeare
refers to this, but it is Illusion caused by the
lining OF the depression referred to being of
dark color, as If made by continual! dropping of
water from the eye.
II was in the glorious summertide" when
Kit, now that Maxwell had recovered from the
result OF the operation, suggested one evening
that Maxwell, he and should take a vacation
go up in the mountains and hunt the blacktail
We took with us a Sibley tent, wagon drawn
by four mules two Ute boyo to act as our val
cts, Spencer Carbine each, good stock Of
flour, bacon and salt, to say nothing particu-
larry OF half gallon Of old rye, as an antitode
to the bite of the rattlesnake. We also provided
ourselves with conical-shaped stove, an APP
purtenance Of the Sibley tent, for the purpose
OF warming the interior at night. Our cooking
was to be done on the fire outside, with coffee
pot and frying pan, the latter not to be used for
neat-that method OF preparing venisOn would
81
live Intended TO make ourselves as comfort
able as possible, and did not propose to become
martyrs, as the ordinary trapper and hunter is
compelled TO do. He usually sleeps with his
feet to the fire, clothes on, wrapped in single
blanket or robe, bothered half the night
through by hungry wolves that sit around his
camp ana howl at him for hours, We took for
bedding rubber poncho each, three buffalo
robes to place on them and three other fine
skins as a covering.
It was delicious Sunday morning when we
rode through the little valley which. meander-
ing around the basis of the foothills at first,
then by an almost imperceptible grade reached
the summit of one of the loftiesc peaks we had
previously selected as our hunting ground,
where We arrived at O'Clock, tired and hungry.
After the animals had been watered and pick
eted out by hair larats, a circular hole in the
earth and with diameter not quite equal to
that of the tent W g dug over which when com
pleted the tent was erecUed, the edges fastened
down, and then banked up with the dirt thrown
out OF the pit. Thus we had a luxurious apart
ment, roomy, warm and entirely wind
proof. The diameter of the hole being not
quite equal to that of the tent left broad shelf
upon which were placed our traps. 1t was
nearly dark before our arrangements we're COM
pleted, and we sought our beds of buffalo robes
after partaklng generously of slRpjackS, coffee
and bacon. then INDUCED in a meerschaum
(haviDg long since learned to prefer a cob Max
well used briarwood, and Kit cornshuck CT
garettes, which he made himself. The Ute boys
rolled themselves III their blankets under the
wagon, and as there we're no hostile Indians
near the fort we slept the sleep of the just.
We were out of our beds by the first streak of
dawn nextmorning. Two successive meals Of
bacon alone for meat had whetted our appe-
titles, and we were not long in getting started
on our tramp. In less than miles distance
from camp we came upon the tracks of dozen
deer going northward under the great piueS
around US The footprints we're NOT half an
hour old, both Kit and Maxwell declared, and
sending the Ute boys on detour to the
left to turn the animals, we quietly
nlWAa han ind svr,V,
and awaited the result More than half
an hour passed, when was distinctly
heard very near us a sound as of the breaking
Of small twigs. Kit gave glance toward where
Maxwell stood, and both raised their rifles
Presently a fine buck, Weighing at least 200
pounds, accompanied by two does came eau
tiously toward US, their heads up. shifting in
their characteristic manner when alarmed or
doubtful of their whereabouts. Kit turning to
me, said in a whisper: "Maxwell and l. will kill
the does, you take the buck; be sure you hit
him"
When the beautiful animals got within range
the carbines of my two companions sounded
simultaneously, anu the does fell dead. | did
not fire at the buck as he rushed away in his
fright, but waited until his natural curiosity
should bring him back TO learn what had be-
come Of his mates Kit and Maxwell when
their game had fallen, rushed TO cut their
throats ana eviscerate them, and as l had sus-
pected, before they had half completed the job
my buck came cautiously toward where | was
still masked by the tree trunk; waited until he
was within $50 yards, then pulled the trigger
He fell sprawlng to the earth, and hurried out
TO cut his thrc at while h. yet paralyZed, Tor
| saw that had only CREASED" him, got to him
Just in time, or he would have jumped up, been
OIL and out Of sight in another moment. l had
an experience of that kind six years later with
an antelope on the pTairies of Eastern Montana.
The Indians were sent back to camp for the
wagon. When it arrived we transported the
ueaQ animals to our rendezvous, cut off what
we thought would last us for a couple of days,
ana as it was only 10 o'clock dispatched the re-
Ihalnder to the fort, a dozen miles away, for the
use OF our friends and officers. Then Maxwell
ulaue the coffee, Kit the slapjacks, while held
Iue choicest slices OF venison before the fire on
cotIon wood splits until they were cooked to a
Lurn. After banging up the hams and should
eTs OF the deer TO protect them from the var
i nilnts, as Kit expressed it, we improvised ia
S Sle rom the end gate of the wagon which the
OOys hau been ordered TO leave behind, and
ssLhered around feast fit for the gods
we must have eaten at least three pounds
aplece OF the delicious venson, after which we
MeIe not IN condition tor very active exercise.
aIIIiSaLuIdns our post-prandial smoke, Maxwell
anu MI indulged in round of old sledge; Kit
n19 1ne pest player, OF that ancient game ever
saw anu MS partner nearly his match. | threw
LlIyseiL on my bed Of robes and SKINNED over
9e oacK number Of Rdrper'S and Scribner's
Anau brought from the fort, but in a short time
we were sleeping soundly.
We We're aroused by the arrival of the Ute
Ooys win the wagon. After reading our letters
anu Blancng at the news we again smoked but
mere was no disposition to do any more hunt
ing mat day. just before shutdown, however
MT became restless. declared he must 90 ont
and see what he could find 10 the way of game
None Of us offered to accompany him so the Old
man started off alone. Teturninv met artr