The Life of Kit Carson

of the Hunters-The Mis

racteristics of Carson-

Village and Secur

rious climate," has its belts of sterility and desolation, where the bones of many a traveller and animal lie bleachi

ll their skill in the use of the rifle was of no avail, when there was no game to shoot and it was not long before they were forced to live on hors

now make their home on the Mohave and Colorado rivers in Arizona. They are tall, well formed, warlike and industrious cultivators of the soil. Had they chosen to attack the hunters, it would

ve establishments formed by the Roman Catholic clergy a hundred years ago. There were over a score, San Diego being the oldest. Each mission had its priests,

ime of Carson's visit it owned 70,000 head of cattle, 200 horses, 3,000 mares, hundred

s. When the trappers caught sight of the Mission, as they rode out from the wilderness, they knew wha

the Sacramento River. The character of the section changed altogether. It was exceedingly fertile and game was so abundant that

them long to learn that their neighbors were a company of trappers belonging to the Hudson Bay Company-that enormous corporation, founded two centuries

ame to the Sacramento once more, when they parted company. The Hudson Bay trappers started for the Columbia River, while the one to which Carson was attached went into camp wh

at that early age, he had impressed the veteran hunters and trappers around him as one possessing such remarkable abilities, that, if his life was spared, he was certain to become a man of mark. If we should attempt to specify the particular excellencies in which he surpassed those around him, it would

hunter, and no man could handle a rifle with greater skill. The wilderness, the mountains, the Indians, the wild animals-these cons

onceit. Kit Carson would have given his life before he would have travelled through the eastern cities, with his long hair dangling about his shoulders

men, trapped beaver and shot grizzly bears before he was born. And yet it could not have been that alone: it must have been his superior mental capacity which caused those heroes of

ting some outrages at the Mission, had fled to an Indian village. When a demand was made for the surrender of the refugees, the villagers not only refused to give them up, but attacked th

companions volunteered to help their visitors. Thus reinforced,

to lead the party on its dangerous errand. While he was as modest as a woman and with a voice as gentle and per

village, having beaten off their assailants, naturally looked for their return with reinforce

a score of warriors were killed, and then the entire village was captured. Carson as the leader of the assailants, demanded the surrender of the offenders against the Mission. Not daring to disobey such