Chief of Scouts | Page 7

said to Uncle Kit, "Say, Kit, ain't
you taking desperate chances with these boys?"
This surprised me, for I had never heard him address Carson as Kit
before in all the time I had known him.
Carson laughed and answered, "Not in the least; for they have got a
good escort to go with them." Then he explained to Freemont that he
had hired some Indians to go with us through the entire hostile country,
telling him that the boys were just as safe with those Indians as they
would be with the command, and more safe, for the Indians would
protect them, thinking they would get his trade by so doing. Uncle Kit
then explained to him that the Sighewashes were known to all the tribes
on the coast and were on good terms with them all, and therefore there
was no danger whatever in sending the boys through the Indian country.
The Col. answered, "Of course, you know best; I admit that you know
the nature of the Indian thoroughly, but I must say that I shall be
uneasy until I hear from the boys again."

Uncle Kit said, "Wait until tomorrow morning, and I will convince you
that I am right."
The next morning we were up early and had breakfast, and before we
had our animals half packed the old chief and hundreds of the Indians
were there. Those that the chief had selected to accompany us were on
horse back, and the others had come to bid us farewell, and that was
one of the times I was tired shaking hands.
When we were about ready to mount our horses and had shaken hands
with Uncle Kit and the balance of the company, the Indians made a
rush for us. Both bucks and squaws shouted, "Ideose, ideose," which
means, "good bye, good bye," and every one trying to shake our hands
at once, and of all the noise I ever heard, this was the worst. After this
racket had been going on some fifteen or twenty minutes, I turned and
saw Uncle Kit and Col. Freemont standing on a big log laughing like
they would split their sides. Finally Uncle Kit motioned for me to
mount my horse. I mounted and the other boys followed suit, and when
we started of all the noise that ever was made this beat any I ever heard
in all my life. At the same time the Indians were waving their hands at
us.
As soon as we left the crowd of Indians Uncle Kit and Col. Freemont
joined us. The Col. said to me, "Willie, this is one of the times you
have had your hand well shaken, I really felt sorry for you, but I didn't
see how I could assist you, and I am in hopes you will not get such a
shaking up in a good while. Now, my boy, be very careful, and try and
get through safe and sound, and when we come along back next fall, we
will all go to St. Louis together."
Uncle Kit told me to not let the Indians turn back until we crossed the
divide at the head of Blue river. He said, "Then you will be out of the
Ute country, and all danger to you will be over, but do not put too
much confidence in these Indians although I think they are reliable and
will do just as I have told them to do. But I want you to be on the
lookout all the time yourself. I know there will be no danger in the
daytime, and when night comes be sure and put your fire out before it
gets dark, and when you get to Taos rest up a few days, and then hunt

up Jim Bridger or Jim Beckwith, and they will advise you what to do. It
may be that I will get home myself, in which case you will not need
their advice."
We now bid them "good bye" and started on what would be called now
a long, tedious and dangerous journey, but at that time we thought
nothing of it.
How long a time it took us to make this trip I do not remember. The
Indians traveled in the lead the most of the time. When near the middle
of the afternoon, I would ask them in Spanish how far they were going
tonight, and they would tell me the number of hours it would take to go
but seemed not to understand the distance by miles. The Indians
showed more judgment in selecting the camping ground than I
expected they would.
In a few days we were in the Ute country, and we saw plenty of Indian
sign every day. I think it was on one of