Life of Kit Carson: the great western hunter and guide. Comprising wild and romantic exploits as a hunter and trapper in the Rocky Mountains; thrilling adventures and hairbreadth escapes among the Indians and Mexicans; his daring and invaluable services as a guide to scouting and other parties, etc., etc. With an account of various government expeditions to the far West

Front matter

KIT CARSON.

LIFE OF KIT CARSON:

THE GREAT WESTERN HUNTER AND GUIDE.

Preface

In offering to the public a revised and complete history of the most remarkable of American frontiersmen, we perform a pleasing task. All the attainable circumstances connected with his life, adventures and death are fully set forth, and we offer this in confidence as a reliable authority for the reader.

No one should hesitate to familiarize himself with the exploits of the subject of this volume. They evince a magnanimity and an uprightness of character that is rarely found in one leading so daring and intensely wild a life, and cannot but contribute their share of lustre to the interesting records of the Far West. "We regret that his modesty, equally proverbial with his daring, prompted him to withhold many of the exciting incidents of his career from the public.

We have compiled a portion of this work from such official reports of his great skill, indomitable energy, and unfaltering courage as have been com-

4 PREFACE.

municated by his friend and commander, Col. Fremont, who has invariably awarded to him all the best attributes of manhood, when opportunity afforded. Added to these, our hero had been prevailed upon by a few of his friends to communicate some of the records of the most important passages in his extraordinary and eventful life, which are embodied in this volume.

His has indeed been a life of peculiarly exciting personal hazards, bold adventures, daring coolness, and moral and physical courage, such as has seldom transpired in the world, and we have been greatly impressed, in its preparation, with the necessity for a thorouo:h work of this kind. All are aware that the young, and even matured, often seek for books of wild adventure, and if those of an unhurtful and truthful character are not found, thoy are apt to betake themselves to trashy and damaging literature. In this view, this work has a purpose which, we trust, will commend it to every family ^hr»7V^)*«at the land.

Chapter I

Hero of the narrative — from what race descended — ^his fame — theater of his exploits — nativity — his father emigrates to Missouri — father's occupation — Kit's apprenticeship—dissatisfaction with his trade — joins an expedition to Santa Fe — surgical operation — Santa Fe, its situation, business, style of buildings, water, appearance, altitude, scenery, population — spends the winter at Taos — learns the Spanish language — joins a party bound to Missouri — returns to Santa Fe — becomes a teamster — El Paso, its grape culture, style of living of its people, name — youth of traveler — new occupation for the winter — ^becomes interpreter for a trader 13

Chapter II

Cliihuahua, cathedral, statues, public buildings, convent, mint, trade, age, population — Carson longs for the prairie — changes employment — returns to Taos — -joins a party of hunters and trappers to punish the Indians — resultof the affray — Indian style of fighting — method of trapping for beaver — beaver signs — setting the traps — bait —

fastening the traps — caution in setting the traps 21

CHAPTER III. PAf»

Carson s qualifications for a trapper — starts for California — desert in the route — Mohave Indians,^ non-intercourse with whites, appearance, dress, ornaments, painting their bodies, money — Mission San Gabriel, cattle, horses, sheep, mules, vineyards, income — other Missions in California, when founded, laborers — Missions of Upper California — Missionary subscriptions — management of the fund — Commandante-general — the Monks — golden age of the Missions 29

Chapter VIII

Trapping with Young upon the Colorado — captures cattle and horses from the Indians — goes to Santa Fe, disposes of furs, and sows his wild oats — coureurs des hois, travels

CONTENTS.

dress, habits — joins Mr. Fitzpatrick trapping among the Nez Perces — winters in the New Park — punishes the Crow Indians for horse-stealing — pursues and punishea rubbers of a cache — flies from a party of sixty Indians... 76

Chapter IX

Hunts with two companions — saving his money — trading with Captain Lee — pursues an Indian horse-thief and recovers the horses without assistance — traps on the Laramie — fight with two grizzlies — description of the grizzly bear, his food — traps among the Black feet — unsuccessful attempt to cliastise Blackfeet horse-thieves — Carson is wounded — Bridger's pursuit without finding them 83

Chapter X

Oarson, recovered, attends summer rendezvous on Green River— description of the rendezvous — camp, traders, charges — British Fur Company — the Indians bringing in furs — appearance of Montreal at a fair for the Indians — trappers and traders from the States — purchases of the trappers, necessaries, luxuries, Indian wife 93

Chapter XI

Green River rendezvous again — the backwoodsman — Carson the peace-maker — Sherman the bully, his punishment — cause of the duel — trapping and parley with the Blackfeet — on Humboldt River — explores the desert — discovers the river afterwards named for him 101

Chapter XII

Dreary prospect on the Humboldt — Humboldt Lake — sinks of other rivers^-overflow of Humboldt Lake and River — station at the sink, the traders — Humboldt Indians — Fourth of July on the Humboldt^ — Humboldt sinking — land available for agriculture on this river 1(HI

Chapter XIII. Paob

Carson on the Humboldt — sufferings of the return party — P^'ramid Circle — a horse purchased for food — buffalo hunt, meat jerked — horses stolen by the Indians — -extent of buffalo ranges — buffalo upon the Platte in 1857, numbers, trails crossing the river, animals killed 116

Chapter XIV

Carson traps with a party of a hundred in the Blackfeet country — winter camp among the Crows — Indian lodges — ^winter life of the trappers — fight with the Blackfeet — Carson saves the life of a friend, dislodges the Indians from a rocky fastness, and compels their flight — no more molestation — the rendezvous — trade with the Navajos Indians — fort at Brown's Hole — goes again against the Blackfeet, a thousand warriors assemble, retire without an engagement — traps on the Salmon River — among the Blackfeet, another fight, leaves their country — Chinook and Flathead Indians — process of flattening the head.. 126

Chapter XV

Carson continues trapping — the trade becomes unprofitable — war of extermination upon the beaver, silk for hats prevents — Carson's experience enables him to aid one who should explore in behalf of science — knowledge of the countr}' — comes to Bent's Fort, forsaking trapping — becomes hunter for the fort — his employers — his business — reputation as a hunter — fulfills the early hopes of him — knowledge of the country — regard shown him, especially by the Indians — diplomatist between the Sioux and the Camanches — marriage — death of his wife — takes his child to St. Louis for education — changes at his old home — reception at St. Louis — meets Col. Fremont — engages to guide Fremont's exploring party to the South Pi\ss in tb^ Rocky Mountains 139

'CHAPTER XVI.

MAI

Party of explorers starting — style of encamping — defense — morning in camp — ford of the Kansas — India-rubber boat — ^accident from overloading the boat — Carson illlies in camp on the prairie 152

Chapter XVII

Road over rolling prairie — Pawnee country — false alarm of the presence of Indians — Carson rides to discover the cause — coast of the Platte River — party of trappers from Fort Laramie — one of this party joins Fremont's company — ^buffalo — appearance of the herds — feasting in the camp — Carson's mishap in the hunt — Carson, Maxwell, and Fremont join in the chase 157

Chapter XVIII

Fremont divides his party — attempt to lasso a wild horse- Maxwell prevents an Indian attack — Indians on a buffalo hunt — return laden with meat — Cheyenne village — tripod support for their weapons — Fremont entertained by the chief — tribute to the Great Spirit on taking the pipe — Jim Beckwith — other settlers on the mountain streams — St. Vrain's Fort-^Fort Laramie — Carson's camp — excitement in the company — hostile intentions of the Indians — preparations for continuing the explorations — one of the command dismissed 167

Chapter XIX

The growth of Artemisia — fate of the Indian party so much dreaded — cache of wagons and other effects-— value of Carson's aid to Fremont — propriety of calling this an exploring party — ascent to the South Pass — • exploration up a tributary of Green River — lake at its source — continue to explore in tne mountains — Fremont climbs the highest summit — why Carson was not with him ITS

Chapter XX

Party returns to Fort Laramie — Carson remains — ^marriage —joins Fremont — a second exploring expedition — object of tlie expedition — Great Salt Lake — Fremont's description — current impressions in regard to the lake — Beer Springs — Hot Springs — Standing Rock 188

Chapter XXI

A part of Fremont's men return East — leave Fort Hall, en route for the valley of the Columbia — difficulty of finding camping places — Carson kills buffalo — melancholy looking country — crossing Snake River — fish-eating Indians — refitting equipage at the Dalles — proposed return route — spirits of the party — Tlamath Lake — sufferings of the party 208

Chapter XXII

Fremont's story of the difficulties and exposures of his party — hot springs — explorations for grass — mountain lake — central ridge of the Sierra Nevada — Indians — talks by signs — Indian guide — encouragement afforded by Carson's descriptions of California — provisions low — snow deep — animals weak — Indian harangue — guide deserts — Carson recognizes Sacramento valley and the coast range — taking the horses through the snow — sleds for the baggage — pine nuts the food of the Indians — glorious sunrise 217

Chapter XXIII

Thunder storm — view of the Sacramento, and Bay of San Francisco — mauls to path the snow — Carson saves Fremont from drowning — rauid river, snow, grass, pines, live oak, mistletoe — division of the party — horses lost — members of the party wander, return — horses killed for food — country improving in beauty — arrival at Sutter's Fort — description of & cache 237

CHAPTER XXIV^

Caroon at lioma in Taos — decides to commence farmingpreparations — Fremont requests his service for a third expedition — meeting at Bent's Fort — head-waters — Great Salt Lake — expedition divides — Horse-Thief Indians — the skirmish 250

Chapter XXV

Arrival at Sutter's Fort — command of G-en. Castro to leave the country — his march against Fremont — Fremont departs for Oregon — Indians instigated by the Mexicans, Fremont's march against them — he returns to California — another Indian fight 264

Chapter XXVI

Loss to Fremont's party — Carson's attack upon Indian village — start for the Sacramento — Fremont's campaign against the Mexicans — captures Sonoma — calls American settlers into his service — Gen. Castro leaves San Francisco — Fremont garrisons Sutter's Fort — marches to Monterey — Commodore Sloat in possession — hoists the flag of the United States 273

Chapter XXVII

i remont marches on, and occupies Los Angeles — appointed Governor of California — Carson starts for Washington as bearer of dispatches — unexpected meeting with Apache Indians — meets the expedition of Gen. Kearney — ^returns to California as guide 280

Chapter XXVIII

March to California — Mexicans intercept Kearney's troops — American attack on the Mexican force— disastrous result — Carson and Lieut. Beale reach San Diego — reinforcements sent by Com. Stockton — capture of Los Angelos — Mexicans surrender to Fremont — want of harmony in the American camps 1^85

Chapter XXIX

fAmn

Graphic Jescription of tlie entrance into Monterey, of Fremont, Carson, and party — indiscretions of American officers — Kearney's dispatch to the War Department — Fremont's extraordinary ride 302

Chapter XXX

Fremont visits his Mariposa purchase — grand hunt and ball — the fandango — Carson and Beale ordered to Washington — kind reception — appointed to a lieutenancy — encounter with Camanches — arrival at Los Angelos — sent to the Tejon Pass — again to Washington — arrival at home — the warlike Apaches — Carson entertains Fremont and suffering explorers 315

Chapter XXXIV

Grand trapping expedition — the Mountain Parks — Pike's Peak — Carson drives sheep to California — San Francisco — appointed Indian Agent — habits — services in New Mexico — his death at Fort Lyon — summing up 369

LIFE OF

CHRISTOPHER CARSON

Chapter I

As, for their intrepid boldness and stern truthfulness, the exploits and deeds of the old Danish sea-kings, have, since the age of Canute, been justly heralded in song and story ; so now by the world-wide voice of the press, this, their descendant, as his name proves him, is brought before the world : and as the stern integrity of the exploits and deeds of the old Danes in the age of Canute were heralded by song and story ; so too, in this brief and imperfect memoir, are those of one who by name and birthright claims descent from them. The subject of the present memoir, Christopher Carson , familiarly known under the appellation of Kit Carson, is one of the most extraordinary men of the present era. His fame has long been established throughout this country and Europe, as a most skillful and intrepid hunter, trapper, guide, and pilot of the prairies and mountains of the far West, and Indian fighter. But his celebrity in these characters is far surpassed by that of his individual personal traits of courage, coolness, fidelity, kindness, honor, and friendship. The theatre of his exploits is extended throughout the whole western portion of the territory of the United States, from the Mississippi to the Pacific, and his associates have been some of the most distinguished men of the present age, to all of whom he has become an object of afi*ectionate regard and marked respect. The narrative which follows will show his titles to this distinction, so far as his modesty (for the truly brave are always modest) has permitted the world to learn anything of his history.

It appears, from the various declarations of those most intimate with Christopher Carson, as well as from a biography published a number of years before his death, that he was a native of Madison county, Kentucky, and was born on tbe 24th of December, 1809. Colonel Fremont in his exhaustive and interesting Report of his Exploring Expedition to Oregon and Xorth California, in 1843-44, says that Carson is a native of Boonslick county, Missouri ; and from his long association with the hunter, he probably makes the statement on Carson's own authority. The error, if it is an error, may have arisen from the fact stated by Mr. Peters, that Carson's father moved from Kentucky to Missouri, when Christopher was ^nly one year old. He settled in what is now Boward county, in the central part of Missouri.

At the time of Mr. Carson's emigration, Missouri was called Upper Louisiana, being a part of the territory ceded to the United States by France in 1803, and it became a separate State, ander the name of Missouri, in 1821. When Mr. Carson removed his family from Kentucky, ind settled in the new territory, it was a wdld region, naturally fertile, thus favoring his views as a cultivator ; abounding in wild game, and affording a splendid field of enterprise for the hunter, but infested on all sides with Indians, "»ften hostile, and always treacherous.

As Ml Carson united the pursuits of farmer ind hunter, and lived in a sort of block-house or fort, as a precaution against the attacks of the neighboring Indians, his son became accustomed to the presence of danger, and the necessity of earnest action and industry from L .a earliest childhood.

At the age of fifteen, Kit Carson was apprenticed to Mr. Workman, a saddler. This trade requiring close confinement, was, of course, utterly distasteful to a boy already accustomed to the use of the rifle, and the stirring pleasures of the hunter's life, and at the end of two years, his apprenticeship was terminated, for Kit, who, with his experience as the son of a noted hunter, himself perfectly familiar with the rifle, and, young as he was, acknowledged to be one of the best and surest shots, even in that State, where such merit predominated at that time over almost every other, could not bear in patience the silent, sedentary monotony of his life, voluntarily abandoned the further pursuit of the trade, and sought the more active employment of a trader's life.

His new pursuit was more congenial. He joined an armed band of traders in an expedition to Santa Fe, the capital of JN'ew Mexico. This, at that period, (1826,) was rather a perilous undertaking, on account of the Indian tribes who were ever ready to attack a trading caravan, when there was any prospect of overcoming it. 'No attack was made on the party, however, and no incident of importance occurred, if we except the accident to one of the teamsters who wounded himself by carelessly handling a loaded rifle, so as to render it necessary to amputate his arm. In this operation Carson assisted, the surgical instruments being a razor, an old saw, and an iron bolt, heated red hot, in order to apply the actual cautery. IN'otwithstanding this rough surgery, the man recovered.*

In November (1826) the party arrived at Santa Fe, the capital, and the largest town in the then Mexican province of JN'ew Mexico. This place is situated on the Rio Chiuto, or Santa Fe river, an affluent of the Rio Grande, from which it is distant about 20 miles. It was then, as now, the great emporium of the overland trade, which, since 1822, has been carried on with the State of Missouri. The houses are chiefly built of adobes, or unburnt bricks, each dwelling forming a square, with a court in the centre upon which the aj)artments open. This mode of building, originally Moorish, prevails in all the colonies settled by the Spaniards, as well as in Old Spain, and the oriental countries. It makes each house a sort of fortress, as General Taylor's troops learned to their cost at the siege of Monterey. The

2 * Peters.

front entrance of each house is large enough tf» admit animals with their packs.

Santa Fe is well supplied with cool water from springs within its limits, and from fountains above the city near the neighbouring mountain. The appearance of the place is inviting and imposing, as it stands on a plateau elevated more than 7000 feet above the sea, and near a snow capped mountain, which rises 5000 feet above the level of the town ; but the population is said to be exceedingly depraved. The present population is about 5000 ; but at the time of Carson's first visit, it was comparatively a small town.

Soon after their arrival at Santa Fe, Carson left the trading band, which he had joined when he abandoned the saddlery business, or trade, as the reader may choose to term it, and of which we have previously spoken, and proceeded to Fernandez de Taos. In this place Carson passed the winter of 1826-7, at the house of a retired mountaineer. And it was while residing there, that he acquired that thorough familiarity with the Spanish language, which, in after years, proved of such essential service to him. In the spring he joined a party bound for Missouri, but meeting another band of Santa Fe traders, he joined them and

LIFE OF CHRISTOPHEE CARSON. 19

returned to that place. Here his services being no longer required by the traders, he was again thrown out of employment. He now engaged himself as teamster to a party bound to El Paso, a settlement, or more j)roperly a line of settlements, embracing a population of about 5,000, situated in the rich, narrow valley which extends 9 or 10 miles along the right bank of the Rio Grande, in the Mexican State of Chihuahua, 350 miles S. by W. of Santa Fe. Here the grape is extensively cultivated, and considerable quantities of light wine and bran* d}'', (called by the traders Pass ivine and Pass hrandf/,) are made. The houses are like those of Santa Fe, built of adobes with earthen floors. With abundance of natural advantages, the people are content to live without those appliances of civilized life, considered indispensable by the poorest American citizens. Glazed windows, chairs, tables, knives and forks, and similar every day conveniences are unknown even to the rich among the people of El Paso. The place is the chief emporium of the trade between New Mexico and Chihuahua, and its name, " the passage" is derived from the passage of the river through a gorge or gap in the mountain just above the town.

On his arrival at this place, young Carson might justly be considered in view of his age^ (not yet 18,) more than an ordinary traveler. He had arrived at a spot where everything was strange to him. JN'ew people, new customs, a new climate, a wine country, a population of mixed breed, half Indian, half Spaniard — everything wearing a foreign aspect ; everything totally different from his home in Missouri.

He did not remain long in this place, but returned to Santa Fe, whence he again found his way to Taos, where he passed the winter in the service of Mr. Ewing Young, in the humble capacity of cook ; this he soon forsook for the more pleasant and profitable position of Spanish interpreter to a trader named Tramell, with whom he, for the second time, made the long journey to El Paso and Chihuahua.

Chapter II

Chihuahua, where Carson had now arrived, IS the capital of the Mexican province bearing the same name. It is situated on a small tributary of the Conchos river, in the midst of a plain. It is regularly laid out and well built ; the streets are broad and some of them paved. Like other cities built by the Spaniards, it has its great public square, or Plaza Major, on one side of which stands the cathedral, an imposing edifice of hewn stone, built at a cost of $300,000. It is surmounted with a dome and two towers, and has a handsome facade with statues of the twelve apostles, probably the first statues that Carson had ever seen. Other public buildings surround the square, and there is a fountain in the middle. The city contains a convent founded by the Jesuits, and an aqueduct 3ir miles long, supported by vast arches and communicating with the river Chihuahua,

It has also its mint, and in the neighborhooa are silver mines with furnaces for melting the ore. It carries on an extensive trade with the United States by means of caravans to St. Louis in Missouri, and San Antonio in Texas. It was founded in 1691, and during the time when the silver mines were in successful operation, it contained 70,000 inhabitants. The population at present is 14,000.

As he had come with one of the trading caravans in the service of Colonel Tramell as Spanish interpreter, we might naturally expect that the engagement would be a permanent one. But such was not the case. The monotony of this life soon disgusted him, and after weary weeks passed in comparative idleness, he longed again for the freedom of the prairie and the forest, and gladly abandoning the rather dignified position of interpreter to Colonel Tramell, entered into the service of Mr. Robert M. Knight, in the more humble capacity of teamster in an expedition to the copper mines on the river Gila, whence he soon after found his way back to Taos.

It was during this visit to Taos that Carson was first enabled to gratify the desire which he had long entertained of becoming a regular hunter and trapper. A party of trappers in the service of Carson's old friend, Mr. Ewing

Young, had returned to Taos, having been beaten off from their hunting and trapping grounds by a hostile band of Indians. Mr. Young raised a party of forty men, for the double purpose of chastising the Indians, and resuming the business of trapping, and Carson joined them. The fact that he was accepted for this service was a marked token of esteem for his valor, as Avell as his skill in hunting, parties of this description always avoiding the enlistment of inexperienced recruits, as likely to embarrass their operations in the field.

The ostensible object of the expedition was to punish the Indians, but its ultimate purpose was to trap for beavers. The Mexicans by an express law had forbidden granting licenses to any American parties, and in this instance a circuitous route was chosen to conceal their real design.

They did not fall in with the Indians of whom they were in pursuit, until they had reached the head of one of the afiluents of the Rio Gila, called Salt River. Once in presence of their enemies they made short work with them, killing fifteen of their warriors, and putting the whole band to rout. Such occurrences were by no means unfrequent, as we shall see in the course of this narrative. A small body of

24 LIFE OF CHEISTOPHEE CAESON.

experienced hunters and trappers, confident in their superior skill and discipline, never hesitates to attack a greatly superior number of Indians, and it was a rare thing that success did not attend their daring. The Indian is not fond of a " fair stand up fight." He prefers stratagem and ambush, and reverences as a great " brave," the warrior who is most successful in circumventing his enemies, and bringing oif many scalps without the loss of a man ; but when a considerable number of Indians are shot down in the first onset, the remainder are very apt to take to flight in every direction.

We have said that Carson joined the party of trappers under the command of Mr. Ewing Young, and it may not be out of place to describe briefly the mode of life which parties in that pursuit have to adopt, with a few remarks upon the habits and haunts of the animal, for whose sake men were then so willing to risk their lives, and to undergo such hardships.

The method of trapping for beaver formerly employed by the trappers in the western country, is thus described by one who has had considerable experience in the art ; and we quote it as illustrating the severe training to which Carson had voluntarily subjected himself:

"To be a successful trapper, required great caution as well as a perfect knowledge of the habits of the animal. The residence of the beaver was often discovered by seeing bits of green wood, and gnawed branches of the basswood, slippery elm, and sycamore, their favorite food, floating on the water, or lodged on the shores of the stream below, as well as by their tracks or foot-marks. These indications were technically called heaver sign. They were also sometimes discovered by their dams, thrown across creeks and small sluggish streams, forming a pond in which were erected their habitations.

" The hunter, as he proceeded to set his traps, generally approached by water, in his canoe. He selected a steep, abrupt spot in the bank of the creek, in which a hole was excavated with his paddle, as he sat in the canoe, sufficiently large to hold the trap, and so deep as to be about three inches below the surface of the water, when the jaws of the trap were expanded. About two feet above the trap, a stick, three or four inches in length, was stuck in the bank. In the upper end of this, the trapper excavated a small hole with his knife, into which he dropped a small quantity of the essence, or perfume, which was used to attract the beaver to the spot. This stick was attached by a string of horse hair to the trap, and with it was pulled into the water by the beaver. The reason for this was, that it might not remain after the trap was sprung, and attract other beavers to the spot, and thus prevent their going to where there was another trap ready for them.

" The scent, or essence, was made by mingling the fresh castor of the beaver, with an extract of the bark of the roots of the spice-bush, and kept in a bottle for use. The making of this essence was held a profound secret, and often sold for a considerable sum to the younger trappers, by the older proficients in the mystery of beaver hunting. Where they had no proper bait, they sometimes made use of the fresh roots of sassafras, or spice-bush ; of- both these the beaver was very fond.

"It is said by old trappers that they will smell the well-prepared essence the distance of a mile. Their sense of smell is very acute, or they would not so readily detect the vicinity of man by the smell of his trail. The aroma of the essence having attracted the animal into the vicinity of the trap, in his attempt to reach it, he has to climb up on to the bank where it is sticking. This eifort leads him directly over the trap, and he is usually taken by one of the fore legs. The trap was connected by a chain of iron, six feet in length, to a stout line made of the bark of the leatherwood, twisted into a neat cord, of fifteen or twenty feet. These were usually prepared by the trappers at home or at their camps, for cords of hemp or flax were scarce in the days of beaver hunting. The end of the line was secured to a stake driven into the bed of the creek under water, and in his struggles to escape, the beaver was usually drowned before the arrival of the trapper. Sometimes, however, he freed himself by gnawing off his own leg, though this was rarely the case. If there was a prospect of rain, or it was raining at the time of setting the trap, a leaf, generally of sycamore, was placed over the essence stick, to protect it from the rain.