Pioneer Life and Frontier Adventures. An Authentic Record of the Romantic Life and Daring Exploits of Kit Carson and His Companions From His Own Narrative.” by DeWitt C. Peters, illustrated, published in 1883.
LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS.
A pleasant Encounter Frontispiece.
Perils of Frontier Life vii
Crossing the Sierra Nevada 24
River Scene in New Mexico 40
Spanish Monastery in California 44
Shoshonee Falls, Snake River, Idaho 56
The Garden of the Gods 60
Emigrants ox Western Waters 76
Hunters and Trappers in the West 84
Fight with Grizzly Bears 90
Home of the Grizzly Bear 98
Whooping Indians 102
Punishing a Braggadocio 112
Restoration of Captives 116
Upper Falls, Yellowstone River 118
Yellowstone Lake 118
A Blackfeet Warrior 128
The Death Shot 136
Long's Peak 142
An Indian War-Dance 146
Basin on the Columbia River 154
The Pipe of Peace 166
Kit and his favorite Horse "Apache" 168
Buffalo Hunt 174
The first white Men on "The Great River" 182
A perilous Passage down the Platte 192
Lake Klamath 204
Mining in Colorado 210
Settlers massacred by Indians 214
A bold Attack 220
Street Scene in Taos 230
A Mexican Cart 234
The Pueblo of Taos 234
A Mexican Garden 238
A View on the Plains 244
Mount Shasta 252
A Fight in the Lava Beds 264
Fremont saves Carson's Life 270
Mission at Monterey 274
Fremont in the Rocky Mountains 302
Warlike Exercises of the Camanches 314
Emigrants attacked by Indians 326
Hacienda at Rayado 334
Mrs. White a Captive 336
A terrific Snow-storm 346
Rio Colorado 362
Fine Lands well watered 368
" Lo ! the poor Indian " 378
Torture a la Mazeppa 394
Gold-washing in California 410
A Prairie on Fike 418
An Indian Stronghold 426
Mountain Scenery 430
Fight with the Red Skins 450
A Mountain Gorge 474
Fort Massachusetts, New Mexico, in 1855 484
A captive Child pleading for Mercy 490
Thrilling Adventure with an Apache 502
Indian Scalp Dance 508
An Indian Village on the Move 512
Slaughter of the Indians 522
Attack on Wagon Train . . . . ; 530
Kit Carson's Home at Taos, New Mexico 536
Border Settlers 546
The Navajoes in Camp 550
SAMPLE TABLE OF CONTENTS
CHAPTER I
Carson's Birthplace — His Emigration to Missouri — Early Prospects — Is an Apprentice — Stories of the Rocky Mountains — He Enlists to go there — Adventures on the Prairies — Broader is Wounded — Carson's Nerve put to the Test — Rude Amputation — Safe Arrival at Santa Fe — Goes to Taos and learns the Spanish Language — Early icissitudes — Disappointment and Attempt to return to Missouri — Wants a Woolen shirt — Is Employed as an Interpreter, Teamster, etc.
OHAPTEE II.
The News of the Defeat of Mr. Young's Trapping Party by the Indians reaches Taos — Young raises a Party to Chastise the Indians — Kit Carson becomes a Conspicuous Member of the Expedition — The Indians are found on Salt River — The Fight — Trapping Exploits — A new Country — Trials and Vicissitudes — Sacramento Valley — California and its Roman Catholic Missions in 1820 — Another Indian Fight —
Sale of Furs — Indian Depredations — Kit Carson and Twelve Trappers engage with the Indians in a Battle — Return to the Camp with recovered Property.
CHAPTER III.
The Return from California to New Mexico — San Fernando and the Peublo of Los Angelos — Description of these Peublos — Passports demanded at Los Angelos — Trouble with the Mexican Authorities — Kit Carson sent on with the Pack Animals — One Trapper shoots another — The Mexicans become frightened — Indians come into Camp with their Weapons concealed — Cool Reception by Kit Carson — Paying off old
Scores — Recovering Stolen Property — Arrival at Santa Fe and Taos — Money realized soon parted with — Carson joins another Expedition — The Rivers trapped on — Four Men Killed by Blackfeet Indians — Kit Carson joins Gaunt's Party — The Parks — Winter Quarters — Crow Indian Depredations — Kit Carson and his Party in Pursuit — The
Fight — Winter on the Arkansas — Another Expedition — Two Deserters— Kit Carson sent in Pursuit — The Fate of the Runaways — Adventures with Indians — Hair-breadth Escape made by Kit Carson.
CHAPTER IV
Kit Carson and two Companions plan a Hunt for themselves — The Great Success met with — Return to Taos — Sale of the Beaver Fur — Kit Carson joins Captain Lee and goes on a Trading Expedition — Winter Quarters — Kit Carson is sent in Pursuit of a Thief— Overtakes and is obliged to Shoot the Runaway — Property Recovered — The Return to the Camp — The Sale of Goods — Kit Carson joins Fitzpatrick and
Party — Kit Carson organizes a Hunting Party — His Encounter with
two Grizzly Bears — The Summer Rendezvous — Kit Carson joins fifty
Trappers and goes to the Country of the Blackfeet Indians — Annoyances received from these Indians — Winter Quarters in 1832 — Horses Stolen — Kit Carson and eleven Men in Pursuit — A Parley — A Fight — Kit Carson severely Wounded — His great Sufferings and Fortitude — His Convalescence — The Retreat — A New Expedition — A Braggadocio— Kit Carson Fights a Duel and Wounds his Man — Duels in the Rocky Mountains in Olden Times.
CHAPTER V.
The Fall Hunt — McCoy of the Hudson's Bay Company organizes a Trapping Party which Kit Carson joins — The Hunt — Scarcity o:.' Kcavcr on Humboldt River — The Party is divided — Kit Carson with a majority of the Men goes to Fort Hall — Hardships and Privations met with Bleeding Mules and drinking the warm blood to keep from starving — Buffalo Hunt — All their Animals Stolen in the Night by a Party of
Blackfeet Indians — Arrival of McCoy from Fort Walla Walla — The Rendezvous — Kit Carson joins a strong Band — The Small-Pox among the Blackfeet Indians — The Crow Indians on good terms with the Whites — Intense Cold — Immense Btcrds of Buffalo — Bangor of their Goring the Horses to Death — The Spring Hunt — The Blackfeet Indian
Village overtaken — A desperate Fight with these Indians — The Rendezvous— Sir William Stuart and a favorite Missionary Kit Carson goes on a Trading Expedition to the Navajo Indians — The Return — He accepts the post of Hunter of the Trading Post at Brown's Hole
CHAPTER VI.
Bridger and Carson trapping on the Black Hills — The Main Camp — The Rendezvous — AVinter Quarters on the Yellow Stone — Carson with forty men in a desperate tight with the Blackfeet Indians — A Council — Sentinel posted — One Thousand Warriors come to punish the Trappers — The War Dance — The Courage of the Savages deserts
them — Winter Quarters — The Spring Hunt — Another Fight with the Blackfeet — Continued Annoyances — The Trappers abandon the Country— Scenery on the Columbia — The Rocky Mountains and Alps compared — Other Trapping Expeditions — Beaver becoming scarce — Prices of Fur reduced — Kit Carson and the Trappers give up their
Vocation — The Journey to Bent's Fort — Mitchell the Mountaineer — His Eccentricities.
CHAPTER VII
Kit Carson is employed as Hunter to Bent's Fort — His career for Eight Years — Messrs. Bent and St. Vrain — The Commencement of his Acquaintance with John C. Fremont on a Steamboat — Is employed as a Guide by the Great Explorer — The Journey — Arrival at Fort Laramie— Indian Difficulties The business of the Expedition completed
— Return to Fort Laramie — Kit Carson goes to Taos and is married — He is employed as Hunter to a Train of Wagons bound for the States — Meeting with Captain Cook and four companies of U. S. Dragoons on Walnut Creek — Mexicans in Trouble — Kit Carson carries a letter for them to Santa Fe — Indians on the route — His safe
Arrival — Amijos' advance Guard massacred by the Texans — The one Survivor — The Retreat — Kit Carson returns to Bent's Fort — His Adventures with the Utahs and narrow escape from Death — The Texans disarmed — The Express Ride performed.
CHAPTER VIII.
Kit Carson visits Fremont's Camp — Goes on the Second Exploring Expedition— The Necessary Arrangements — Trip to Salt Lake — Explorations there — Carson is dispatched to Fort Hall for Supplies — Their Operations at Salt Lake — The Great Island — The Journey to the Columbia River in Oregon — Incidents on the Route — Klamath Lake
— The Journey to California — The Trials and Privations met with while crossing the Sierra Nevada Mountains — Mr. Preuss is lost but finds the Party again — Arrival at Sutter's Fort in a Destitute Condition— Two of the Party become deranged — The Route on the Return Trip — Mexicans come into their Camp asking Aid and Protection —
Indian Depredations — Carson and Godey start on a Daring Adventure— The Pursuit — The Thieves overtaken — These Two White Men attack Thirty Indians — The Victory — Horses retaken — The Return to Camp — One of their Companions killed — The Journey continued — Arrival at Bent's Fort — The " Fourth of July" Dinner.
CHAPTER IX.
Kit Carson concludes to become a Farmer — He is joined in the Enterprise by a Friend — They build a Ranche on the Cimeron River — Descriptions of Mexican Customs and Country — Fremont once more at. Bent's Fort — Express sent for Kit Carson to join the Expedition as Guide — The Ranche sold, and the Departure — The Third Expedition
and its Explorations — Difficulties with the Mexican-Californians — General Castro's Orders to leave the Country — Determination to Fight — Fremont goes to Lawson's Fort — Fremont and his Men encounter a Thousand Indians — The Battle and the Victory — The news that War had been declared between the United States and Mexico reaches Fremont — Lieutenant Gillespie rescued from the Indians — Three of the party killed in the Night by Indians — The Savages repulsed— The Burial of Comrades.
CHAPTER X.
Fremont en route for California — His men are anxious to Punish the Klamath Indians — Kit Carson, in command of Ten Men, is sent on ahead to reconnoitre — He discovers the main Village of these Indians — The Attack and the Victory — Beautiful Lodges — The Trophies mostly destroyed— Fremont saves Kit Carson's Life — The Journey resumed—The Sacramento Valley — An Indian Ambuscade — One Savage defies
the Party — Kit Carson shoots him — The Klamath Indians still on the War Path — Another Lesson given to them — A Thief is shot — Arrival at Lawson's Trading Post — A period of Inactivity — A Detachment sent to capture Sonoma — Prisoners taken — The Mexicans come to punish the Americans — Their Courage deserts them — The Retreat —
The Pursuit — Fremont goes to Sutter's Fort and establishes a Military Post — Monterey is taken by the American Squadron — Fremont marches there — Further Operations — The Taking of Los Angelos.
CHAPTER XI.
Kit Carson is sent Overland as Bearer of Dispatches to Washington — The
Preparation and the Start — The Journey — Privations and Sufferings —
Meeting with General Kearney — The General takes Carson as his
Guide and sends on his Dispatches by Fitzpatriek — The March — Ar-
rival at Warner's Rancke — Mexicans on tlie Road — Preparations for a
Battle — The Battle — Disastrous Consequences — Kit Carson and Lieu-
tenant Beale offer to run the lines of the Mexican Sentinels and carry
Information to San Diego of Kearney's Critical Position — The Daring
Undertaking — The Sufferings they Encountered — Their Arrival — Re-
inforcements sent out — Lieutenant Beale is Delirious from the Priva-
tions he has undergone — General Kearney and his Command finally
reach and join the other American Forces in California.
CHAPTER XII.
A Command of Six Hundred Men is sent against Los Angelos — The
Mexican Army evacuates the Town — Its Capture — Rumors of an
Attack to be made on Fremont's Command — The Mexicans surrender
— The Winter Quarters — Kit Carson is ordered to carry Dispatches
overland to Washington — Lieutenant Beale accompanies him — A Night
Attack made by the Indians — Arrival in the United States — Kit Car-
son's Introduction to Colonel Benton and Mrs. Fremont — Hospitality
offered to him at Washington — Kit Carson receives the Appointment
of Lieutenant in the Rifle Corps of the United States Army from
President Polk — He is ordered to Carry Dispatches to California — The
Journey — A Brush with the Camanche Indians — Arrival at Santa Fe
— More Trouble with Hostile Indians — Arrival at Los Angelos — Dis-
patches delivered — Kit Carson is Assigned to do Duty with the Dra-
goons— Is ordered to Guard Taj on Pass — The Winter spent there —
Is ordered again to Carry Dispatches to Washingto
CHAPTER XIII.
Kit Carson at his Home — The Apache Indians become Hostile — An Ex-
pedition sent against them — It is not Successful — Another is organ-
ized, with which Kit Carson goes as Guide — Two Indian Chiefs
captured — Other Incidents of the Trip — Colonel Beall attempts to force
the Indians to give up Mexican Captives — Two Thousand Savages on
the Arkansas River — The Visit to them — Kit Carson emigrates and
builds a Ranche at Rayado — Description of the Valley — The Massa-
cre of a Santa Fe Merchant — His Wife is made Prisoner — The Expe-
dition sent to rescue her — The Indians overtaken — Bad Counsel and
Management — The Commanding Officer Wounded — Mrs. White's
Body found — Severe Snow Storm on the Plains — One Man frozen to
Death — Kit Carson returns to Rayado — The Occupation of a Farmer
resumed — The Apaches steal from the Settlers nearly all of their Ani-
mals— Kit Carson with thirteen others in Pursuit — The Surprise — A
running Fight — The Animals recovered — A gallant Sergeant and his
Fate — Kit Carson and Goodel go on a Trading Expedition to meet
California Emigrants at Fort Laramie — Humorous Adventures — The
Dangers that beset the Road to New Mexico — Hair-breadth Escape —
Arrival at Taos.
CHAPTER XIV.
Kit Carson reaches Home — Himself and Neighbors Robbed by the Apaches
— Major Grier goes in Pursuit of, and Recaptures the stolen Stock —
A Plot organized by White Men to Murder two Santa Fe Traders for
their Money — The Disclosure — Kit Carson goes to the rescue of the
Traders — The Camp of United States Recruits — Captain Ewell with
twenty Men joins Kit Carson — The Arrest of Fox — Gratitude ex-
pressed by the Traders — Money Offered but Refused — The Prisoner
taken to Taos and Incarcerated — Kit Carson receives a Magnificent
Pair of Revolvers as a Present from the grateful Traders — The Re-
turn to Rayado — A Trading Expedition to the United States — The
Return Journey — An Encounter with the Cheyenne Indians — A State
of Suspense — The Deliverance from Danger by a Message sent by a
Mexican Runner — The arrival at Rayado.
CHAPTER XV.
Kit Carson's last Trapping Expedition — He Embarks in a Speculation—
His Trip to California with a large Flock of Sheep — The Methods em-
ployed by Mexicans in driving Herds and their Dexterity — Kit Carson
goes to San Francisco — Its wonderful Growth — Maxwell joins Kit
Carson at Sacramento City — The Lucky Speculation — The Return
, Trip to New Mexico and its Adventures — The Mormon Delegate to
Congress informs Kit Carson of his Appointment as Indian Agent —
Kit Carson enters upon the Duties of his Office — Bell's Fight with the
Apaches on Red River — Kit Carson's Interview with the same Indians —
High-handed Measures on the Part of the Apaches — Davidson's Des-
perate Fight with them — The Soldiers defeated with Severe Loss —
Davidson's Bravery is unjustly Questioned — Kit Carson's Opinion of
it — The Apaches elated by their Victory — Their Imitations of the Ac-
tions of Military Men.
CHAPTER XVI.
A fresh Campaign set on foot — Colonel Cook in Command — Kit Carson
goes as Guide — The Apaches and Utahs leagued together — The Rough-
ness of the Country and the Privations to which the Command was
exposed — The Indians overhauled — A running Fight — The Advantages
gained — The Chase resumed — The Apaches resort to their old Tricks
—Colonel Cook is obliged to return to Abiquiu — A Utah taken Pris-
oner through Mistake — Kit Carson goes to Taos and has a Conference
with the Chiefs of the Utah Nation — Cook's second Scout — He is
caught in a furious Snow-storm and is obliged to return to Rio Col-
orado— Major Brooks and Re-inforcements come to the Rescue — Major
Brooks on the Lookout, but fails to find the Indians — Carleton's Ex-
pedition— Kit Carson goes with it as Guide — The Adventures met
with — Kit Carson's Prophecy comes true — The Muache Band of Utahs
summoned by Kit Carson to a Grand Council — Troubles brewing
among these Indians — The Small-Pox carries off their Head Men.
CHAPTER XVIII.
Larson not allowed to Remain Idle — His Position in our late Civil War —
He is Needed on an Important Field of Army Operations — His Love
for the Union — His Promise to Stand by the Old Flag — His Fulfill-
ment of the Promise — Is Appointed Colonel of the First New Mexico
Volunteers — His Friendship with General Canby — Lieutenant-Colonel
Pfiefer — Valuable Service against the Camauches, Arrapahoes and
Cheyennes — Overpowered and Defeated — Fearful Loss — A Brilliant
Campaign against the Navajoes — Increased Fame — The War Depart-
ment sound his Praises in Flattering Terms — Brigadier General of
Volunteers — Detailed for Responsible Duty — Appointed Peace Com-
missioner to the Sioux — A Delicate Mission — The Indian Policy of our
Government — A Reformation Movement — A Wise and Humane Policy
— Kit Carson's Opinion as to what Should be Done — His Wonderful
Success in Treating with the Savages — Beloved and Feared — The Visit
of Indian Chiefs to Washington — The Effects of Civilization — Recep-
tions and Speeches of Buffalo Good and Little Raven — The Indian
Question, and What Has Been Done, and What Must Be Done, to Se-
cure Lasting Peace — The Death of General Kit Carson, at Fort Lyon,
Colorado — His Death Hastened by the Loss of his Wife — A Man of
Striking Virtues — Kit Carson as a Free Mason — Masonic Signs among
the Indians.
CONDITION: See listing description and photos. Overall good condition with light antique wear.
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