When Kit1 Carson and the other scouts2 found the main trail, they eagerly took up the pursuit. They had not gone far when all doubt was removed: they were upon the track of a large hostile body of warriors3 and were gaining steadily4; but so rapid was the flight of the marauders that it was not until the sixth day that the first glimpse of the Indians was obtained. They were encamped on a mountain peak, devoid5 of trees, and seemingly beyond the reach of danger; but such was the energy of the attack that they reached camp before the Indians could collect their animals and make off. The fight was a hot one for a few minutes during which quite a number of warriors were killed and wounded.
When night came a squad6 of men hid themselves near the camp, from which the Indians had fled, in the expectation that some of them would steal back during the darkness to learn what had been done. The dismal7 hours passed until near midnight, when one of the soldiers made the call which the Apaches use to hail each other. The sound had hardly died out, when two squaws and two warriors appeared and began groping silently around in the gloom. The soldiers were cruel enough to fire upon the party, but in the darkness only one was killed.
Dr. Peters states that on the morning of the day when the Apache encampment was discovered Kit Carson, after diligently8 studying the trail, rode up to Major Carleton and told him that if no accident intervened, the Indians would be overtaken at two o'clock in the afternoon. The officer smiled and said if the Agent proved a genuine prophet, he would present him with the finest hat that could be bought in the United States.
The pursuit continued for hours, and, when the watches in the company showed that it was two o'clock, Carson triumphantly9 pointed10 to the mountain peak, far in advance where the Indian encampment was in plain sight. He had hit the truth with mathematical exactness.
Major Carleton kept his promise. To procure11 such a hat as he felt he had earned, required several months; but one day the Indian Agent at Taos received a superb piece of head gear within which was the following inscription12:
AT 2 O'CLOCK. KIT CARSON, FROM MAJOR CARLETON.
Dr. Peters adds that a gentleman who was a member of the expedition subjected Carson some years later to a similar test, and he came within five minutes of naming the precise time when a band of fugitives13 was overtaken.
Having done all that was possible, Major Carleton returned with his command to Taos and Carson resumed his duties as Indian Agent. Some months later, another expedition was organized against the Apaches but it accomplished14 nothing. In the latter part of the summer Carson started on a visit to the Utahs. They were under his especial charge and he held interviews with them several times a year, they generally visiting him at his ranche, which they were glad to do, as they were sure of being very hospitably15 treated.
This journey required a horseback ride of two or three hundred miles, a great portion of which was through the Apache country. These Indians were in such a resentful mood towards the whites that they would have been only too glad to wrench16 the scalp of Father Kit from his crown; but he knew better than to run into any of their traps. He was continually on the lookout17, and more than once detected their wandering bands in time to give them the slip. He was equally vigilant18 and consequently equally fortunate on his return.
Carson found when he met the Indians in council that they had good cause for discontent. One of their leading warriors had been waylaid19 and murdered by a small party of Mexicans. The officials who were with Carson promised that the murderers should be given up. It was the intention of all that justice should be done, but, as was too often the case, it miscarried altogether. Only one of the murderers was caught and he managed to escape and was never apprehended20 again.
To make matters worse, some of the blankets which the Superintendent21 had presented the Indians a short while before, proved to be infected with small pox and the dreadful disease carried off many of the leading warriors of the tribe. More than one Apache was resolute22 in declaring the proceeding23 premeditated on the part of the whites. The result was the breaking out of a most formidable Indian war. The Muache band of Utahs, under their most distinguished24 chieftain, joined the Apaches in waylaying25 and murdering travellers, attacking settlements and making off with the prisoners, besides capturing hundreds and thousands of cattle, sheep, mules26 and horses. For a time they overran a large portion of the territory of New Mexico. Matters at last reached such a pass, that unless the savages27 were checked, they would annihilate28 all the whites.
The Governor issued a call for volunteers. The response was prompt, and five hundred men were speedily equipped and put into the field. They were placed under charge of Colonel T. T. Fauntleroy, of the First Regiment29 of United States Dragoons. He engaged Kit Carson as his chief guide.
The campaign was pushed with all possible vigor30, but for a time nothing important was done. The weather became intensely cold. On the second campaign, Colonel Fauntleroy surprised the main camp of the enemy and inflicted31 great slaughter32. A severe blow was administered, but the reader knows that the peace which followed proved only temporary. The Apaches have been a thorn in our side for many years. General Crook33 has shown great tact34, bravery and rare skill in his dealings with them and probably has brought about the most genuine peace that has been known for a generation.
It would not be worth while to follow Kit Carson on his round of duties as Indian Agent. He had to deal with the most turbulent tribes on the continent, and enough has been told to prove his peerless sagacity in solving the most difficult questions brought before him. He rode thousands of miles, visiting remote points, conferred with the leading hostiles, risked his life times without number, and was often absent from home for weeks and months. While it was beyond the attainment35 of human endeavor for him to make an end of wars on the frontiers, yet he averted36 many and did a degree of good which is beyond all calculation.
"I was in the insignificant37 settlement of Denver, in the autumn of 1860," said A. L. Worthington, "when a party of Arapahoes, Cheyennes and Comanches returned from an expedition against the tribe of mountain Indians know as the Utes. The allied38 forces were most beautifully whipped and were compelled to leave the mountains in the greatest hurry for their lives. They brought into Denver one squaw and her half dozen children as prisoners. The little barbarians39, when the other youngsters came too near or molested40 them, would fight like young wild cats. The intention of the captors, as I learned, was to torture the squaw and her children to death. Before the arrangements were completed, Kit Carson rode to the spot and dismounted. He had a brief, earnest talk with the warriors. He did not mean to permit the cruel death that was contemplated41, but instead of demanding the surrender of the captives, he ransomed42 them all, paying ten dollars a piece. After they were given up, he made sure that they were returned to their tribe in the mountains."
This anecdote43 may serve as an illustration of scores of similar duties in which the agent was engaged. It was during the same year that Carson received an injury which was the cause of his death. He was descending44 a mountain, so steep that he led his horse by a lariat45, intending, if the animal fell, to let go of it in time to prevent being injured. The steed did fall and though Carson threw the lariat from him, he was caught by it, dragged some distance and severely46 injured.
When the late Civil War broke out and most of our troops were withdrawn47 from the mountains and plains, Carson applied48 to President Lincoln for permission to raise a regiment of volunteers in New Mexico, for the purpose of protecting our settlements there. Permission was given, the regiment raised and the famous mountaineer did good service with his soldiers. On one occasion he took 9,000 Navajo prisoners with less than 600 men.
At the close of the war, he was ordered to Fort Garland, where he assumed command of a large region. He was Brevet Brigadier General and retained command of a battalion49 of New Mexico volunteers.
Carson did not suffer immediately from his injury, but he found in time that a grave internal disturbance50 had been caused by his fall. In the spring of 1868, he accompanied a party of Ute Indians to Washington. He was then failing fast and consulted a number of leading physicians and surgeons. His disease was aneurism of the aorta51 which progressed fast. When his end was nigh, his wife suddenly died, leaving seven children, the youngest only a few weeks old. His affliction had a very depressing effect on Carson, who expired May 23, 1868.
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1
kit
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| n.用具包，成套工具；随身携带物 | |
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2
scouts
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| 侦察员[机，舰]( scout的名词复数 )； 童子军； 搜索； 童子军成员 | |
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3
warriors
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| 武士，勇士，战士( warrior的名词复数 ) | |
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4
steadily
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| adv.稳定地；不变地；持续地 | |
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5
devoid
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| adj.全无的，缺乏的 | |
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squad
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| n.班，小队，小团体；vt.把…编成班或小组 | |
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dismal
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| adj.阴沉的，凄凉的，令人忧郁的，差劲的 | |
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8
diligently
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| ad.industriously;carefully | |
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triumphantly
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| ad.得意洋洋地；得胜地；成功地 | |
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pointed
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| adj.尖的，直截了当的 | |
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procure
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| vt.获得，取得，促成；vi.拉皮条 | |
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inscription
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| n.（尤指石块上的）刻印文字，铭文，碑文 | |
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fugitives
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| n.亡命者，逃命者( fugitive的名词复数 ) | |
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accomplished
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| adj.有才艺的；有造诣的；达到了的 | |
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hospitably
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| 亲切地，招待周到地，善于款待地 | |
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wrench
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| v.猛拧；挣脱；使扭伤；n.扳手；痛苦，难受 | |
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lookout
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| n.注意，前途，瞭望台 | |
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vigilant
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| adj.警觉的，警戒的，警惕的 | |
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waylaid
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| v.拦截，拦路( waylay的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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apprehended
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| 逮捕，拘押( apprehend的过去式和过去分词 )； 理解 | |
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superintendent
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| n.监督人，主管，总监；(英国)警务长 | |
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resolute
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| adj.坚决的，果敢的 | |
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proceeding
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| n.行动，进行，(pl.)会议录，学报 | |
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distinguished
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| adj.卓越的，杰出的，著名的 | |
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waylaying
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| v.拦截，拦路( waylay的现在分词 ) | |
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mules
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| 骡( mule的名词复数 )； 拖鞋； 顽固的人； 越境运毒者 | |
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savages
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| 未开化的人，野蛮人( savage的名词复数 ) | |
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annihilate
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| v.使无效；毁灭；取消 | |
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regiment
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| n.团，多数，管理；v.组织，编成团，统制 | |
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vigor
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| n.活力，精力，元气 | |
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inflicted
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| 把…强加给，使承受，遭受( inflict的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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slaughter
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| n.屠杀，屠宰；vt.屠杀，宰杀 | |
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crook
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| v.使弯曲；n.小偷，骗子，贼；弯曲(处) | |
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tact
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| n.机敏，圆滑，得体 | |
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attainment
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| n.达到，到达；［常pl.］成就，造诣 | |
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averted
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| 防止，避免( avert的过去式和过去分词 )； 转移 | |
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insignificant
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| adj.无关紧要的，可忽略的，无意义的 | |
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allied
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| adj.协约国的；同盟国的 | |
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barbarians
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| n.野蛮人( barbarian的名词复数 )；外国人；粗野的人；无教养的人 | |
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40
molested
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| v.骚扰( molest的过去式和过去分词 )；干扰；调戏；猥亵 | |
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41
contemplated
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| adj. 预期的 动词contemplate的过去分词形式 | |
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42
ransomed
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| 付赎金救人，赎金( ransom的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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43
anecdote
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| n.轶事，趣闻，短故事 | |
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44
descending
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| n. 下行 adj. 下降的 | |
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45
lariat
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| n.系绳，套索；v.用套索套捕 | |
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46
severely
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| adv.严格地；严厉地；非常恶劣地 | |
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47
withdrawn
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| vt.收回；使退出；vi.撤退，退出 | |
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48
applied
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| adj.应用的；v.应用，适用 | |
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49
battalion
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| n.营；部队；大队(的人) | |
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50
disturbance
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| n.动乱，骚动；打扰，干扰；(身心)失调 | |
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51
aorta
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| n.主动脉 | |
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