Christopher Carson | Page 6

to seize the horses

and mules and effect a stampede with their treasure. This being
accomplished they would torture and murder the traders in mere
wantonness. The savages had a very salutary caution of rifles which
could throw a bullet twice as far as the strongest bow and the most
sinewy arm could speed an arrow.
With the swoop of the whirlwind they approached until they came
within gun-shot distance, when they as suddenly stopped. Each trader
had fastened his horse or mule with a rope and an iron pin two feet long
driven firmly into the ground. They knew that if they were captured a
cruel death awaited them. They therefore prepared to sell their lives as
dearly as possible. There was no trunk or tree, or stone behind which
either party could hide. The open prairie covered with grass was
smooth as a floor.
For a short time both bands stood looking at each other. The traders in
a small group had every man his rifle. Had the Indians in their resistless
strength come rushing simultaneously upon them, they could easily
have been trampled into the dust. But it was equally certain that twelve
bullets, with unerring aim, would have pierced the hearts of twelve of
their warriors. The Indians were very chary of their own lives. They
were never ready for a fight in the open field, however great might be
the odds in their favor.
The savages having halted and conferred together, endeavored to
assume a friendly attitude. With a great show of brotherly feeling they
cautiously approached one by one. The traders not wishing to
commence the conflict, began to move on, leading their animals and
with their rifles cocked, watching every movement of the intruders. The
mounted Indians followed along, quite surrounding with their large
numbers the little band of white men.
Two of the mules lagged a little behind. One or two of the bolder of the
savages made a dash at them and shot dead a man by the name of Pratt,
who had them in charge. It was the signal of battle. A shower of arrows
fell upon the traders, another man dropped dead, and an arrow buried
its head in the thigh of another. Several of the Indians also fell. But the
savages manifested a great dread of the rifle; and though they were

forty to one against the white men, they retreated to a safe distance. As
they felt sure of their victims, they did not wish to peril their own lives.
The traders hastily took the packs from the mules and piled them
around for a barricade. The Indians were very wary. But by entirely
surrounding the little fort and creeping through the long grass they
succeeded in a few hours in shooting every one of the mules and horses
of the traders. The savages kept up an incessant howling, and thirty-six
dreadful hours thus passed away. It seemed but a prolongation of
death's agonies. Hunger and thirst would ere long destroy them, even
though they should escape the arrow and the tomahawk. It was not
deemed wise to expend a single charge of powder or a bullet, unless
sure of their aim. And the Indians crept so near, prostrated in the long
grass, that not a head could be raised above the frail ramparts without
encountering the whiz of arrows.
The day passed away. Night came and went. Another day dawned, and
the hours lingered slowly along, while the traders lay flat upon the
ground, cramped in their narrow limits, awaiting apparently the sure
approach of death.
The night was dark, dense clouds obscuring the sky. The Indians
themselves had become somewhat weary, and deeming it impossible
for their victims to escape and feeling sure of the booty, which could by
no possibility be removed, relaxed their watchfulness. As any death
was preferable to captivity and torture by the Indians, the traders
resolved, in the gloom of midnight to attempt an escape, though the
chances were a hundred to one that they would be almost buried
beneath the arrows of the howling savages.
Cautiously they emerged from their hiding-place, creeping slowly and
almost breathlessly through the tall grass of the prairie, till quite to their
surprise, they found themselves beyond the circle of the besiegers.
There were ten men, one wounded, fleeing for life, expecting every
moment to be pursued by five hundred savages. It was a long, dark,
dismal winter's night, for in that changing clime a freezing night
succeeded a sunny day. Like spectres they fled over the open prairie.
That their flight might not be encumbered they had taken nothing with

them but their guns and ammunition.
They were determined men. In whatever numbers and with whatever
speed the mounted Indians might ride down upon them, ten