Evidently they considered them to be an advance party of some strong
force, acting with a view of decoying them into a close fight. Acting
upon this they began to fly in every direction except that from which
danger impended. Kit and Godey, as they had calculated, were thus,
quite unceremoniously, left masters of the enemy's camp. Besides the
recaptured horses, they had two trophies lying upon the ground in
the shape of a brace of stalwart warriors. In order to show their
companions on their return that they were not given to boasting, they
followed the example and practice of the savages and scalped the two
Indians. The common expression now in use is that they proceeded to
"take the hair" of their victims. The performance of this act was a
matter of choice and fell to the lot of Godey, while Kit Carson,
with the two rifles, ascended an eminence near at hand for the double
purpose of standing guard over his companion and also to reconnoitre.
Godey commenced his operations on the savage which he himself had
shot. Having finished with him, he started for the other Indian hit by
Kit Carson. But this fellow after he had fallen had crawled quite out
of view among some rocks. Being only wounded, he raised up and sent
an arrow at Godey as he approached which pierced his shirt collar.
The Indian had already lost a large amount of blood. His last act so
exhausted him that he sank back upon the ground and expired. They next
proceeded to collect the horses. Upon counting them they found the
number stated by the Mexican to be correct with the exception of five
killed by the Indians for their feast. The animals were now driven to
the spot where their own horses had been left.. Here they held another
council and determined to seek out the fate of the remainder of the
Mexican party. They therefore bent their steps towards the late camp
of the Mexicans. There they found the bodies of the two men terribly
mangled. The savage ferocity of the rascally savages had here had full
play as soon as they found that the two who were on guard had broken