The Wolf Point herald. (Wolf Point, Mont.) 1913-1940, 1920-02-12

minute half a dozen saddles of the
Californians were emptied, and one
of the trapperS had fallen with a bull
let through his heart. Fra Augustin
shot the ancient cannon in the air,
but it did no more harm than to
knock him down, and the fight was
over.
For three days the mountain men
Toasted and drank. Then they ga
thered a choice herd of 400 horses
and started back, for it was now
October and they wished to cross the
Rockies again before winter set in.
On their return, the trappers fol-
lowed for a distance the old Spanish
Trail, which led them south of the
Sierra Nevadas. Their trip across
the desert was attended by Indian
attacks, but they came through safe
ly and in early December crossed a
divide of the Rockies, losing many
horses in the snow. They struck for
the head waters of the Arkansas river
in Colorado and followed that stream
to a valley in the mountains known
as the Bayou Salade, famous as a
rendezvous for traders and trappers.
Here they let their stolen horses
grow fat. They then took them to
Bent's fort, on the Arkansas, where
they sold the animals for a big
price. The money was evenly divid-
ed, and the IL trappers proceeded
to have a huge carousal that lasted
for several weeks.
Meet Kit Carson
A few weeks later Killbuck and
La Bonte threw in with a company
of trappers headed for Taos, New
Mexico, a visit to Taos being the only
civilized relaxation Coveted by the
m~ountaineers. In this band were
many famous frontiersmen, including
Dick Wooton, who died in Colorado
less than 20 years ago; RUDE Her
ring, Marcelline and Chabonard. Not
one of these trappers measured less
than six feet, six inches in height.
.illbuck and La Bonte were almost
Of equal size. The smallest man in
stature, but first in every other quail
.ty that made the free trappers fam
ous, was Kit Carson, paragon of the
mountain men and the most famous
,rontiersman of them all.
Slight of build and slenderly limb
I'd, with fair hair and quiet manner,
who did not know Carson would
suppose that he was a very devil
n an Indian fight and had raised
more hair from the heads of red
kins than any other two men in the
western country. At this time, al
hough but thirty years old, he was
It the height of his reputation.
When the trappers reached Taos,
hey rode Gathering down the street,
While the dark eyes of the senoritas
ollowed them, and the wners of the
yes began at once to make prepara-
ions for the dance, or fandango,
always followed the advent of
he mountaineers. The men of the
own we're not so pleased and leaned
ulkily against the walls, their SER
pes turned over their left shoulders
~concealing the lower part of the
ace. The ONE found the dashing
fountain men entertaining company.
he men hated the intruders and
,oked on them with jealous eyes.
Dance and a Fight
When evening came the women
altered briskly for the fandango,
leir men sullenly following them to
be held. The dusky beauties were
arrayed in similar style. Their
ing, black hair was combed tightly
ehind their ears and plated in a
ing queue down their backs. Pet
coats of gaudy color were fastened
round the waist with ornamental
and above this a snow-white