CHAPTER XXIX--THE GREAT SCOUT AND THE GREAT EXPLORER
Several days elapsed before the young trapper obtained any definiteclue concerning his father. At that time, however, he was informed bythe woman with whom he was boarding that she also had been makinginquiries for him, as she had become greatly interested in her youngboarder. She had been informed by a woman who occasionally visited herplace with vegetables for sale that she had heard of a man named Bentonwho was in the poorhouse in a nearby town.
Faint as the clue was, Reuben decided to follow it. When at last he wasadmitted into the room in which the man who bore the same name as hewas found, he said quickly: "That's not the man. He isn't my father."
"Better look again," suggested the keeper of the place. "You say it hasbeen a good many years since you saw him."
"Yes, it has been a long time," replied Reuben slowly, as again helooked keenly at the old and decrepit man before him. The man's hairwas long, his clothing unkempt, but what appealed most strongly toReuben was the fact that the man was totally blind.
At the sound of his voice there had been a strange and sudden movementon the part of the blind man. He turned his sightless face in thedirection from which Reuben's voice had been heard and a change in hisexpression quickly came over his countenance. There was a change, too,in Reuben at the same moment, for in the face upon which he was lookingthere now were certain features that somehow dimly reminded him of thefather he had known in the years long gone.
"Your voice sounds like the voice of a boy of mine," suggested the oldman in trembling tones.
"What was his name?" inquired Reuben.
"Reuben Benton."
"And what is your name?"
"My name is William Benton."
"How long have you been here?" inquired the young trapper.
"I don't know. It seems like many years."
"Do you like it here?"
"Do I like it? I wish I was dead."
Reuben's face was glowing with a more tender expression than had beenseen upon it in many a day. "We'll try to arrange it so that you won'thave to stay here much longer," he said.
"What do you mean?" demanded his father so eagerly that Reuben's heartsmote him again.
"I mean that I am your son and that I have come here to makearrangements to take you out of this place."
Abruptly, and to Reuben's intense surprise, his father suddenly buriedhis face in his hands and cried and sobbed as a little child might havedone. It was long before Reuben could comfort him, but when at last thesightless old man was convinced that Reuben had in reality returned andthat he was able to provide for his wants in his declining years, thecountenance of William Benton was lighter than it had been for manydays.
Nor was Reuben disappointed. In a brief time he was able to obtain therelease of his father and also to purchase a little house in which theyboth might live. Reuben's share in the furs which had been secured, aswe know, had brought him no small amount of money, and through theinfluence of Kit Carson he had been able to save most of that which hehad received. Because of this he was now able to provide for hisfather, and there was no hesitation on the part of the young trapper indeciding to remain at Pain Court, or St. Louis, as the place now wascommonly called.
With Kit Carson, however, the case was radically different. He had notfound any trace of his own family, and when a few days had elapsed hisstay in St. Louis was ended. The strange sights of the life in the cityand the activities of the busy city people were all interesting, but asKit explained to Reuben, he wanted to be where there weren't so manyothers, where there wasn't so much noise, where he could have all theair he wanted to breathe and all the sky there was to be seen.Accordingly on the first steamboat that departed westward on theMissouri River, Kit Carson was a passenger.
Among those who were also on board was a man to whom Kit Carson feltdrawn almost instinctively when first he discovered him. It was notlong before he learned that the name of the stranger was LieutenantJohn C. Fremont, who at that time was conducting a band of men toexplore and survey certain regions of the great West.
When at last young Lieutenant Fremont found himself talking to thefamous scout he explained that the guide whom he had expected to meethim had not appeared and that it was now necessary for him to findanother. Kit Carson, in his quiet manner and smiling as he spoke,explained that he himself had had considerable experience in thewestern country and that he would be willing to accompany the party asits guide. Somewhat suspicious at first, Lieutenant Fremont's fearssoon were allayed, and Kit Carson became the guide of the expedition.
As they proceeded on their way more and more the daring younglieutenant became interested in the modest story which Kit Carson hadto tell of his experiences in the great West; more and more convincedwas Fremont that he had secured a man who was certain to be veryvaluable in the perilous expedition in which he was engaged. At lastthe party left the boat when it arrived at the mouth of the KansasRiver, and at once the explorers set forth on their pathless journey.
To the men it seemed as if the necessities of life which they weretaking with them had been reduced to the smallest possible number, butthe scout looked on their equipment with amazement. It had never beenhis privilege to sleep under canvas tents or cross streams in rubberboots. We may be sure, however, that simple as were the tastes of KitCarson, he found the conveniences which his new friends were carrying asource of comfort before many days had elapsed.
Steadily the party pushed forward on its journey westward. All day longthe great stretches of level plains extended in every direction. Theherds of buffalo were so many that only the choice bits of those thatwere shot were eaten. Indeed, some of the men saved for cooking onlythe marrow-bones and the tongues of the buffalo.
Then came the first sight which many of the explorers had ever had ofthe wonderful Rocky Mountains. And what a sight they were and are. Someof them stood with their summits hidden above the clouds and with greatchasms cut into their sides. Some had heavy borders of trees as far uptheir sloping sides as the timberline, and others had rushing, noisy,clattering streams dashing down their sides from the fields of meltingsnow near the summits.
And now Kit Carson's experience became of steadily increasing value tothe young lieutenant. More and more the friendship between the two menbecame close. Kit Carson, who knew all about the buffalo and the otheranimals of the plains, who was modest in his manner and yet wonderfullywell informed concerning most of the points about which Fremont wishedto learn, his skill as a hunter and his knowledge and friendship of theIndians, daily became of greater help to the explorers.
Indeed, it was not long after this time, when Kit Carson was carrying amessage to Santa Fe, that the great scout showed his fearlessness evenamong the most hostile Indians. At that time all the tribes in thevicinity were on the warpath, and Kit Carson was compelled to go aloneon his long ride to Santa Fe, because most of the white men were afraidof the painted savages. The scout, however, selecting a different routefrom that which he had followed before, confidently continued on hisway. Suddenly a band of braves were seen not far before him. Slippingto one side of his horse and clinging by one arm and one leg to theanimal, which was running at its swiftest paces, he passed directly infront of the band of warriors without exciting any suspicion that theybeheld anything more than a stray pony, which was fleeing in terror atthe sight of the red-skinned warriors.
When Kit Carson returned from his long journey, his friendship with thedaring explorer had become very strong. Fremont had come to value notmerely the immense fund of information which the scout possessed, butalso the traits of character which had endeared him to almost all hisacquaintances.
When the scout was returning, accompanied only by a young Mexican, theymet a party of four Indians. Although Kit Carson was suspicious of themen, for he was aware of the discontent among the tribes, henevertheless disguised his feelings, and when one of the Indiansadvanced toward him with outstretched hand Kit Carson approached him inthe same manner. When
the brave was about to grasp his hand as a tokenof friendship he suddenly changed his tactics and tried to seize andobtain the gun which the scout was carrying.
Instantly Kit Carson struck the treacherous redskin a blow between hiseyes with his fist. The Indian fell to the ground, but he instantlyleaped to his feet and ran back to his friends as swiftly as he wasable. Immediately all four Indians turned and fled from the place. Theywere not accustomed to that method of fighting.
When at last Carson and his young companion arrived at the place theywere seeking, it was to learn that Fremont already had gone on hiswestward journey.
Determined to overtake him, the scout quickly set forth from the fort.It was not difficult for him to rejoin the party which was moving inadvance of him, and plans were quickly made by which he was once moreto become the guide of the explorers. He explained, however, to Fremontthat he wished to return to Fort Bent to secure mules which would benecessary to carry their burdens when they were journeying over themountains.
It was not long before Kit Carson had secured the animals for which hehad left his companions, and in a brief time he rejoined the men ontheir march. After they had failed to find a better route for thewagons through South Pass they decided to go to Salt Lake, of whichthey all had heard but which none had seen.
"Instantly Kit Carson struck the treacherous redskin ablow between his eyes with his fist"]
On that difficult journey across the plains it is impossible todescribe all the sufferings through which the men passed and thehardships they were compelled to endure. Throughout them all, however,it was Kit Carson who proved to the lieutenant that he was equal toevery emergency. When the men were near starvation it was his prowessas a hunter that secured meat for them. When their horses nearlydropped upon the sands through exhaustion and hunger again it was thescout who discovered the place where grass was to be found. When theleader one day fell into the depths of a rushing torrent it was KitCarson who saved him from drowning. When they were threatened by theIndians, again the scout was the one upon whom all depended to obtaintheir friendship and secure permission to pass through the countrywithout molestation.
Again Fremont decided to explore the region of the Oregon or theColumbia River. When their work was ended the explorer decided to gosouthward to California. This was a difficult journey and compelled theband to cross the lofty range of the Sierra Nevada Mountains. Snowsthat were so deep that a man might be buried in them had to be crossed.Paths for the mules and horses had to be made. Sometimes it wasnecessary for the men to set fire to the fallen trees so that the snownearby would be melted and they might obtain places where theirblankets might be spread for the night.
The determination of the leaders was shared by their followers, and atlast they arrived at Fort Sutter, where, with an abundance of food andother fresh supplies, they soon regained their strength and spirits.
While they were returning from this expedition Kit Carson, who had beenthe life and inspiration of all the men, chanced to meet a Mexican andhis little boy, who apparently were in great sorrow. As Kit Carsonspoke Spanish fluently he entered into conversation with the man andsoon learned that the Indians had stolen his horses and carried awayhis friends. Without stopping to consult Lieutenant Fremont, Kit Carsonsucceeded in inducing one of the explorers to accompany him, andtogether the two men set forth in their endeavour to regain the losthorses for the Mexican.
There was swift riding that night for the two men. Nor did they stopuntil the sun peered above the eastern horizon, and then they stoppedonly because they had discovered not far before them the camp of theIndians which they were seeking. Instantly Kit Carson and his companionurged their tired horses forward, and yelling as loudly as their lungspermitted, the riders dashed into the camp.
At that time the Indians were busy in their preparations for theirbreakfast. Before they were fully aware of what was occurring theIndian chief fell before the sure aim of Kit Carson. Withoutretreating, although they were two against thirty or more, the twohardy men seized their pistols and continued the attack.
The astonished redmen turned and fled from the place. Doubtless if theyhad known how many were in the attacking party that would have been thelast we ever should have heard of Kit Carson and his deeds. As it was,however, the redmen, without waiting to discover the numbers of theirenemies, fled from the spot, leaving behind them the horses which theyhad stolen. These were secured by the scout, and with them he returnedto the camp and gave back to the heart-broken Mexican the ponies whichhe had lost.
Scouting with Kit Carson Page 29
