army, returned to Los Angelos and was assigned to do duty in the
company of United States dragoons commanded by Captain Smith. Kit was
allowed little time to recruit, but his restless disposition did
not ask, nor his habits require it; consequently, he remained at Los
Angelos only a short period. With a command of twenty-five dragoons,
he was ordered to proceed to Tajon Pass, the main outlet through which
hostile Indians went out of California, bearing the proceeds of their
incursions, such as cattle, horses, sheep and captives. Kit Carson's
duty in this place was to intercept the Indians and examine their
_papers_ and _cargoes_. He spent the winter in doing much good in this
service. In the spring, he was again ordered to proceed overland to
Washington, with dispatches. An escort being furnished him, he was
soon under way, and had reached Grand River without encountering any
serious difficulty. At this place an accident happened to his party
while crossing the river on rafts.

During the early part of summer, the fording of streams which have
their source in the Rocky Mountains is no safe or easy task. When the
sun and the warm south winds begin to melt the immense piles of snow
and ice in the mountains, the water comes tumbling down in torrents;
and, having overflowed the rivers' banks, floods the adjacent country.
By this means, new gullies and ravines are continually forming, which,
when the melting process ceases, are converted into dry beds. With
this rush of angry water, large rocks and masses of earth are swept
from their natural seat, leaving a wreck behind that is fearfully
grand to behold. The roaring of these torrents as they come leaping
past and over every obstacle, resembles a low, rumbling thunder, which
is reechoed through the deep forests and cañons. Sometimes travelers
are compelled to wait weeks before these rivers fall sufficiently
to allow a safe transit. Heavy rains have the same effect to enlarge