The Life and Adventures of Kit Carson, the Nestor of the Rocky Mountains, from Facts Narrated by Himself

by De Witt C. Peters

In obeying this command, the soldiers had not more than wheeled about, when down came the foe in full pursuit, making the very air ring with their war-whoops and unearthly shouts. So bold did these Indians become from the victory which they had achieved, that they charged so hotly and so near the soldiers that the latter were compelled, in self-defence, to turn and, in a hand to hand contest, beat them off. After resisting a succession of these assaults, the command finally gained the main road. Upon counting his men, Lieutenant Davidson found that twenty of them were killed and left behind on the battle-field; and that, out of the surviving forty, hardly one man had escaped being wounded, thereby showing, considering the numbers engaged, how bravely the fight had been maintained, and how gallantly each one had endeavored to turn the tide of affairs to a more favorable result.

The course pursued by, and even the bravery of, Lieutenant Davidson in this affair, has been unjustly assailed and questioned by some persons who have probably been misinformed on the subject. Judging from the evidence of his companions, there was not a more courageous man on that ground than the officer in command. Kit Carson refutes the accusation made against his friend in the following strain: "I am intimately acquainted with Lieutenant Davidson and have been in engagements with him where he has taken a prominent part and can testify that he is as brave and discreet as it is possible for a man to be. Nearly every person engaged in and who survived that day's bloody battle has since told me that his commanding officer never once sought shelter, but stood manfully exposed to the aim of the Indians, encouraging his men and apparently entirely unmindful of his own life. It was, however, in the retreat they say that he acted the most gallantly, for, when everything was going badly with the soldiers, he was as cool and collected as if under the guns of his fort. The only anxiety he exhibited was for the safety of his remaining men."

The Indians must have lost many of their warriors in this fight, but the exact number has never been ascertained. The news of the defeat was brought by the retreating soldiers themselves to the town of Taos, where on hearing it, for short time, consternation seized hold of its inhabitants; but slowly they calmed down, and a party, consisting of Americans and Mexicans with wagons, was sent out to bring in the mutilated remains of the fallen. On reaching the field, the dead were found, but they were all mutilated and stripped of all their clothing. The Indians had left nothing which they thought might be turned to the least account. One poor fellow had escaped the rigid scrutiny of the red men by crawling to an obscure place where he had died from his wounds. On his body was found a belt that contained three hundred dollars in gold—his hard earnings that he had been saving up against a day of need. Had the savages known of this money, they would not have left it, for they are quite familiar with the use, if not with the real value of gold. A few days later, the Apaches made their appearance in a small Mexican settlement which was far distant from the scene of their success. They were dressed in portions of the uniforms and accoutrements taken from the dead dragoons; and, as they sauntered about the town, they would salute each other in military style, and otherwise mock the actions of the military men. Calling for a piece of paper, one fellow, with a bit of charcoal, pretended to write on it an order. No doubt, by so doing, he thought he was imitating something of the kind which he had seen done at a military post. After making a few scratches on the paper, he handed it to one of his red companions, and, with a smile on his rough countenance, addressed to him some directions in reference to the document. Although the Mexicans were much amused at these burlesque actions of the Indians, yet they did not dare to show their mirth until the latter had departed and left them in possession of their lives.

The day following the one on which the fight had taken place, Kit Carson returned from Santa Fé and passed near to the spot where the soldiers had been so roughly handled; but he did not see a visage of an Apache. They had, by that time, traveled to the west side of the Rio del Norte. Indeed, he anticipated no danger to himself, as he was well aware, that the safest time to travel through any section of an Indian country, is just after the savages have been guilty of some highhanded act. They are then, instinctively, as some may say, but, as the fact appears to us, by use of their reasoning powers, well aware that active measures will be set on foot to repay them for their rascality.

The trail which, on this occasion, Kit Carson traveled over in coming from Santa Fé, is one of the most interesting routes, in safe times, that the mere traveler can select. It comprises some of the most beautiful scenery in New Mexico. The length of the trail is about seventy-five miles, and so many windings and turns does it make through mountains, forests and gorges, that every hundred yards furnishes a suitable place for an Indian ambuscade. The largest part of the country which lies between Taos and Santa Fé, is mountainous; therefore, this trail is one series of ascents and descents. The greatest pitch is near the scene of the fight in which Lieutenant Davidson and his command were engaged, where the path, in order to avoid an almost perpendicular declivity, makes a zig zag course. To accomplish the ascent of this mountain on a good riding animal, it takes, at least, two hours; therefore, the height of the mountain can be easily imagined by those accustomed to mountain climbing. On reaching some of these immense eminences, the scenery is principally formed by the broken country, studded here and there with mountains, which appear as if in miniature, as well as real. Between are valleys, rivers, creeks, cañons, etc., which render the views truly grand. There is sufficient woodland, plenty of pure air, and different species of game, in great abundance, playing about, and filling up the picture with life. To use the words of romance, this does not fail to make the scenery perfect. The trail runs through hamlets and villages, which come in at the proper distances and form great auxiliaries to the traveler, when fatigued by horseback riding; for, at most of these places, the traveler can find rest for the night, always provided that he be willing to submit to a multitude of inconveniences.

The most desirable place at which to stop, on this trail, is a town nearly midway between Taos and Santa Fé. It is called Rio Arriba. In this village, the traveler can obtain many comforts which are denied him even in the larger towns. At the present time it is a very difficult matter for loaded caravans to pass direct from Santa Fé to Taos; but the United States government has taken the matter in hand and has appropriated large sums of money for making a good road between the two places; therefore, it will not be a long time before the transit will be accomplished with ease and safety. Scattered over the country adjacent to this trail now under consideration, there are many hamlets and villages which are being greatly augmented by new settlers yearly. Many of these have been seldom, if ever, visited by white men, and the minute geography of this tract of country is still in the embryo. Perhaps a new El Dorado is there in store for mankind, and that some day its resources will receive an impetus and be developed by the sudden discovery of valuable mines therein. This is no chimerical illusion; it scarcely rests upon an uncertainty; for, the mineral wealth of New Mexico, we are firmly persuaded, is still in its infancy. To use trapper language, judging from "signs" which exist there in abundance, we shall not be surprised to hear, in time, that this territory has turned out to be a second California. Rumors of gold, and even specimens of the article itself, are frequent in many parts of the country; but the poverty of the inhabitants keeps them from searching as they ought in order to make the discovery. The Americans find a more profitable business in commerce and trade, therefore they but seldom indulge in speculations designed to develop the mineral wealth of the country; but nevertheless, they have faith that gold, in immense quantities, exists there, and believe that, in time, scientific men will disclose the fact and position. We have seen quills full of gold dust which has been collected there, and we are well acquainted with men who have washed out from several streams in the northern part of the Territory, the value of two and a half dollars per diem; but, with the high prices of living, this rate of produce cannot be made to pay unless the work shall be carried on by the assistance of capital.

On this trail to Santa Fé, there are several small Pueblos which are inhabited by the descendants of the ancient Aztecs. These settlements, generally, are quite thrifty, and exhibit many external appearances of comfort. To prepare and cultivate the soil, it takes much labor in irrigating and bestowing other farming operations upon the land in order to bring crops to perfection. Hence these people, like the New Mexicans, can realize from their toil but little beyond their own subsistence. This trail, as it approaches Santa Fé, enters through groves of small pines which are many miles in extent. In such places the ground is sandy and the vegetation poor in the extreme. It has proved an exceedingly difficult problem, for more than one mind, to solve the reason why the capital of the Territory should have been located in such a barren section of the country. Perhaps it was because this was the most central spot that could be selected, although such a reason can hardly be offered in sober earnestness. The most charitable reasoning which we can offer for it, is because the Mexicans knew no better. It is true there are valuable silver mines near by; but this could only cause a town to be raised to suit the miners and not to form the attraction where the élite of New Mexican society should for so many years congregate.

Santa Fé is located on a plateau of ground which is about seven thousand feet above the level of the sea. The town itself contains about five or six thousand inhabitants which includes all races. It is built of adobes, or sun-burnt brick, and occupies both sides of a small stream which is called the Rio Chicito and which flows into the Rio Grande nearly twenty miles from the town. The site of Santa Fé is low when compared with the altitude of the surrounding country, being bounded on nearly all sides by lofty mountains. One of these mountains is quite famous. It is the loftiest of all in that section of country, and is capped during the greater part of the year with snow. As is invariably the case with the large majority of Mexican towns, there is but little regularity in the streets of Santa Fé; but yet, the plaza is easily reached by several avenues. Santa Fé forms the grand commercial emporium of the great interior continent of North America; and its trade diverges to every point of the compass. The extent of this trade can be realized when we assert the fact that with the State of Missouri alone it amounts annually to several millions of dollars. In the south it has overland communication even with the city of Mexico. If the tariff between the two countries could be arranged upon a more equitable footing than it now is, the Mexican trade would swell into an enormous sum. Every acquisition of a new territory in the far west and southwest aids in developing the commerce of Santa Fé; therefore, until steam shall cause a revolution in the course of trade, this town must necessarily increase greatly in importance. The stores in the town are mostly owned, and the mercantile business chiefly carried on, by Americans. These American speculators are celebrated for the daring manner with which they launch out their money upon various enterprises. With them, the greater the risk when their chances appear that the gain will be large, the more eager they are in facing the hazard. They sometimes lose, but oftentimes realize large fortunes. The appearance of these stores is captivating to the fancy, and many of them would be ornaments to any of the larger cities or towns of the east. The most expensive articles of luxury and dress are to be found in them, and in these distant parts, such property commands a price which would startle and quite shake the nerves of a prince; but, when the people can obtain the money, they purchase everything which their fancy dictates. A Santa Fé señorita dashes in her rich silks which have cost hundreds of dollars with as much grace as does one of the Washington or Fifth Avenue belles, clothed in the same luxuriant style. In Santa Fé, we are sorry to say, it requires vice of the worst shade for women to support such a style of living; but the morals of the Mexicans are so loose in all classes, that virtue is boldly parted with by both sexes in a spirit which the triumphs of natural reason alone ought to prevent, and which no lover of humanity can admire or tolerate. Gambling, in this town, has long held its full sway, and many is the victim which this wretched wickedness has prematurely hurried into a vortex, from which there has been no recovery.

The palmy days of gambling, in San Francisco, have been rivaled in the little town of Santa Fé, and the boldness with which the Mexican player will part with his last dollar, shows the hardened state to which the man, and, what is perhaps worse, the woman, have been brought, by years of habitual playing for money. In olden times, the Mexicans used to travel hundreds of miles, and bring their money with them in order to squander it at their favorite game of monte. Not only this fact is true, but men will often sell themselves into the slavery of debt in order to satisfy their craving desire to gamble.