The sun., 1897-02-14
A HUNT WITH KIT CARSON.
MS ELsT VAT OF BRIyGTSG DoWS
4 GRIZZLY AND TBO COUGIRs.
Swiu Work ut Close Quarters with the
sse CosEnr-Reeoiieetio-- OF the Great
Tr.pp-r's Life by One who Knew Iiua.

Sse CosEnr- -Reeoiieetio-. OF the Great
Trrpp-r's Life by o-e who Knew uiw.
/ Ipresume that almost every reading person,
and especially every reading tnv. in these
I United States II more or less familiar with the
history OF tho world.renowned trapper. scout,
/ hunter. explorer. and Indian fighter. Chris
/ topher. or XII" Carson. who. born In Ken
tucky in 1909. died at Fort Lyon. Colorado. on
I May %. 1865. leaving behind i'm the record Of
: aspotle>s character and reputation for deeds
/ ofchivalrous darinG and adventure which have
| made his name household word.
! Although Carson was fifteen years older than
| I Il was my privilege to know him we'll and
| look back to the various periods passed with
| him ~ among the happtest OF my life. I first
7 became acquainted with MIN white crossing the
I great plains in isi9 and was then M eyewit-
ness TO his marvellous rescue OF two white
women the sole survivors OF their party from
/ a band OF Apaches: but a. I've already pub.
I lished that story I will not repeat IL now.
From the time OF this trst meeting until the
day OF his death never entirely lost track OF
this famous man. In 1885 shared many perilous
adventures with him. and in the fall OF 81 was
for several weeks a guest at his home In the
queer old village of Taos. y. VI. His house
there was an immense one-story building. COW
erin= more than q quarter acre. and was q
fsvorite rendezvous for neigh boring Mexican..
T hUu lrlcuuIy iulIhus among WaOEn
he was anectionately known Rs Father Kit.
There. too. used 10 come great nun bers OF ira.
eller-. many Of whom had ridden scores OF miles
OF their direct route to visit one of whom they
had heard 80 much that was good and nothing
that was bad. Carson laughingly called this big
house his city residence" in contrsdisttnction
to his farmhouse at Rezada. where. In partner
ship with hts old friend. Maxwell. he had a
large and we'll stocked ranch.
Mrs. Carson. young and very attractive
woman. was alive at this time. She WAS Kits
second wife, devotedly attached TO him and her
children and a charming hostess. She died in
Colorado on April 20. 1868. and there is no
doubt that her death ha-tened that OF her hus-
band. who loved her with all the strength OF hIa
nature. At the time OF my visit Carson was ~
years old. and. though oy no means n large man.
was phenomenAily strong and active. n superb
horseman. and capable OF bearing any fatigue
He was the exact opposite In person OF wha, one
who h al heari Of his wonderful eI ploits but had
never seen him would naturally expect to find
Instead OF beiag atruculent-look ms loud DICED.
violent-tem pered giant. as some have pictured
him. he was OF a singularly mild cas-; OF counte-
nance. q kindly, equAb.e temper. and an exceed.
ingly benevolent d disposition. His voice was soft
AMI low a. that of a cultured woman. But when
aroused by wrong or oppression. particularly
toward the weak and defenceless. Carson could
be terrible. At such times bis grry eyes would
flash. lis lips meet In stern resolve, and his
whole form dilAte with righteous anger and
TO the deiinquents. white or red few or
many. upon whom that anger should fall. for in
the cause OF right K.i never counted ODDS.
Though seldom rashly imprudent, lie was fear
less as 40 enrased grizzly aud inhexible AS fate.
while his SKIN IN following trail and in avoid
ing traps set for him was so extraordinary that
any baud Of marauding savages dreaded his
single pursui, more than that OF hundred ordl-
nary foes. The hundred might fail in inhcting
punishment, but sure Kill Kit" never did
yet. throughout his whole career. he was the
steadfast friend OF all peaceablc. well-disposed
Indians. have known him 10 feed destitute
families OF such Indians for months, wait per-
sonally upon their sick. even when the disease
was SMALLPOX. have known him. at the risk Of
his life, to defend and siccor friendiv Indians
who. because OF theIr friendship for him. were
in danger OF immediate massacre by members
OF hostile tribe. Once. In Arizona. I saw him,
backed only by my then ine1 1perienced self ride
down upon q whole baud OF Apaches and rescue
Pah-Uts prisoner whom they had tied 90
stake and were sbou; to torture to death.
on rIding over the crest OF a blug one morn
ins. We came unexpectedly upon this band and.
OF course. would have reirea;ed at once had rot
Carson recognized In the prisoner an old friend
u kuecpcrhte he tAll. out We u
at least try TO save that poor fellow. see the
reds have discovered US and are runnlng OF 10
get their ponies In order TO give chase. Nov's
our time . Keep close to me"
Carson was riding a powerful stallion. and I
had an equally swift horse. Without another
word We dashed down the slope at h,adlong
speed. reaching tho prisoners side in less than
FIVE seconds. The man. already singing his
death song. was bound to the stake simply by
rawhide lariats passed around his waist, his
legs and arms being left free so Rs TO afford
greater sport to his torturers. without dis
mounting Carson cut these thongs with a sim
gle stroke OF his knife; then. he on one side and
/ on the other. we caught the prisoner under
the armpits and bore him away between us
before the sayages rad got half way to the
grove where their ponies were concealed. Al-
most In a twnklinG. amid a shower OF ar
rows. we had surmounted the hill. and by the
time the hrst pursuing Indian appeared on It's
crest were half a mile away. Then came the
gained on u. steadily. and by and by the fore.
most one. evidently the chief, came within long
,s bss s.;, mistake On b; part Eeys.
saddle, threw up his rife with one hand. and.
seemingly without taking aim. brought the
the ardor OF pursuit, bat stil the redskins fol.
lowed US. mile after mile. until they and we
slowly, over the eastern plain. Then the whole
crew fet precipitately. We gained the train
and were safe.
Wasn't that close call. KIP" Insked.
Nothing to spsak Of" he coOlly replied.
with our repeSting rifles and four rcvolvers
we could have Kept those hounds of all day:
and help was sure to como before night as we're
on the main line OF EN- grant travel"
II was by such deeds that Kit Carson won the
hearts OF all worthy persons who knew him.
No thought Of self. no consideration OF personal
peril ever had n feathers weight with him when
distress was 10 he relieved or endangered cap
tives were to be rescued.
Within easy reach Of Carson's home there
abounded great quantities Of game. from buria-
loes In jack rabbits. and we passed the greater
part ot each day In hunting on these occasions
] had ample opportunity ot observing. not only
his thorough knowledGe of woOdCrnft, but also
his wonderful skill with rife and revolver. |
had thought myself an expert In the use Of these
weapons. but soon found that. compared with
Carson. ! was tyro, At this time hs had
among his retaners green young iri-hman.
Barney O'BrIen. As We killed good deal ~
neavy game and supplied many Taos families
with fresh meat, We generally took Barney and
one or two pack mules With US on our more d.
tant hunts, much TO his qualification and our
own entertainment for II. fellow was chock
foil .: fun, though in III. way OF shooting he
cOuld hardly have hit n harm al ten wards