The Life of Kit Carson

he Ambush-A Daring and

pointments

exceedingly lively for Kit C

exploration. To do this, it was necessary to ride over a lofty Rocky Mountain peak or take many hours to pass around it. Very nat

l search failed to show the first sign of a beaver and they had their labor for their pains. The toil of climbing the mountain peak was so severe that the hunters concluded to take the longer route home. Their steeds had been pushed so hard, that they were permitted to set their own pace on the return. This naturally enough was

nted, their hair ornamented with stained eagle feathers, their ugly countenances daubed with yellow,

the braves was a challenge to the hunters wh

their horses to a dead run, with the purpose of bringing them within range of their rifl

ted and accoutred, dashed out to intercept the enthusiastic hunters. Just then it dawned upon Kit and his companions t

which would have been equally disastrous. Most probably they would have reined up or wheeled about and fled in the opposite direction. The whole band would have dashed in pursuit and the running fight between four men and more than twelve times their number, every one of w

e least. On the contrary, he urged him to his utmost, and the four sped straight

over the side of their horses, ran the terrible gauntlet. No one of the trappers fired a shot, for if dismounted

re thundering in front of them. Then the warriors opened fire, and the bullets whistled about the horses and riders, who k

eeper significance than appeared on the surface. The ambush into which he and his friends had been led was only a part of the campaign against the entire party, who, weakened by the absence of Carson and his companions were likely to fall victims to such a large band of warriors. Trembling with fear for

that it was found necessary to carry him on a litter until the main camp was reached. There he was allowed to rest and everything possible was done to make him comfortable. When he had fully recovered, the entire company headed for Old Park, o

to be "a day too late for the fair;" the beaver runs had been worked

possesses a most wonderful instinct. They live in communities and prefer to build their houses by

of making sure of a full supply of water at all times and seasons. These dams are composed of stones, mud

dams are mostly from six to eight inches in diameter, though some have been found nearly two feet through. The enormous number of such logs used may be imagined perhaps, when the ponderous character of the dams is remem

hree times as great as within. The roof is finished off with a thick layer of mud, laid on with wonderful smoothness and renewed every year. The severe frosts of winter freeze the lodge into such a solid structure that the beaver is safe against th

frozen. Into this opens all their dwellings, the door being fa

summer they secure their stock of food by gnawing down hundreds of trees, the trunks or limbs of which are sunk and fastened in some peculiar manner to the bott

animal does its work, for as it never toils in the day ti

among the trappers. The odor is powerful and is so attractive to the animals themselves, that the trapper has only to smear some of it near the t