Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1898-06-09
Though seldom fashly timpfudent,


Though seldom fashly fimpfudent,
no was fearless as an enraged grizzly
and as inflexibio as fate, while his
skill in following o trail, and in
avoiding traps set for him, was SO
extraordinary that any band ol
marauding savages dreaded his sin
igle pursuit moro than that of a hun
dred ordinary foes. The hundred
might fail in inflicting punish
ment, but "Sure Kill Kit" never did
yet, throughout his whole career, he
was the steadfast friend of all peace
able, well-disposed Indians. I have
known him to feed destitute families
OF such Indians for months, wait per-
sonally upon their sick, even when
the disease was smallpox. l have
known him, at the risk of his life, to
defend and saccor friendly Indians
who, because Of their friendship for
him, were in danger of Immediate
massacre by members of hostile
tribe. Once, in Arizona, l saw him,
backed only by my then inexperi-
enced self, ride down upon whole
band of Apaches, and rescue Pah-
Ute prisoner whom they had tied to
a stake and were about to torture to
death.
On riding over tho crest of bluff
one morning, wo came unexpectedly
upon this band, and of course would
have reJreatcd at once had not Car
son recognized in tho prisoner an old
friend.
"lt's a desperate venture" he said ;
"but We'll at least try to save that
poor fellow. See, the reds have dis
covered us, and are running off to
get their ponies in order to give
chase. Now's our time! Keep
close to me-"
Carson was riding powerful stall
lion, and had an equally swift horse.
Without another word we dashed
down the slope at headlong speed,
reaching the prisoners side in less
than five seconds. The man, already
singing his death song, was bound to
the stake simply by rawhidc lariats
passed around his waist, his legs and
arms being left free so as to afford
greater sport to his torturcrs.
Without dismounting, Carson cut
these thongs with single stroke of
his knife; then, he on one side and
| on the other, we caught the pris-
oncr under the armpits, and bore
him away between us before the
savagcs had got halfway to the
grove where their ponies were con-
ccalcd.
Almost in n twinkling, amid a
shower OF arrows, we had surmountcd
the hill, and by the time the first
pursuing Indian appeared on its
crest were half a mile away. Then
came the chase. Incumbcrcd as we
were, the Apachcs gained on us
steadily, and by and by the foremost
one, evidently the chief, came within
long rifle rangc--a fatal mistake on
his part. Never slackening speed,
Carson half tnrncd in his saddle,
threw up his rifle with one hand, and
seemingly without taking aim,
brought the warrior to the ground.
This somewhat checked tho ardor of
pcrsuit, but still the redskins followed
us mile after mile, until they and me
caught sight of a long cmigrant train
coming slowly over the eastern plain.
Then the whole crew fed prccipi-
lately. We gained the train and
were safe.
"Wasn't that a close call, Kit ?"
asked.
"Nothing to speak Of" he coolly
replied. "With our repeating rifles
and four rcvolvcrs we could have
kept those hounds off all day and
hcl p was sure to come before night.
az we're on the main line of cmigrant
travel"
1t was by such deeds that Kit Car
son won the hearts Of all worthy
persons who knew him. No thought
of self, no consideration of personal
peril, ever had feathers weight
with him when distress was to be re-
iIcvcd, or endangered captivcs were
to be rescued.
Within easy reach of Carson's
home there aboundcd great quantities
of game, from bulfalocs to jack rab-
bits, and we passed the greater part
of each day in hunting. On these
occasions had ample opportunity of
observing, not only his thorough
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