but expressive words, indicating the obligations which the donors
considered themselves laboring under towards their deliverer. Such a
testimonial to an unselfish heart like that which beats in the breast
of Kit Carson, is a prize of greater value than any more substantial
gift, which money could purchase. These beautiful weapons, Kit Carson
prizes very highly; and, the donors may here learn the fact that, in
the hands of their owner, they have since been duly initiated into
active service, and found to perform their necessary duties most
admirably.

After the task of the arrest of Fox was thus successfully undertaken
and consummated, by his being securely lodged in jail and placed under
suitable guard, Kit Carson returned to Rayado, where he spent the
winter in a very quiet manner. We use the term quiet manner: it should
be qualified with the phrase, quiet manner for him. He found plenty
of employment in looking after his animals, besides spending a large
share of his time in hunting. This, however, although always attended
with paying practical results, he did as much for pleasure as from
necessity. He always found a large number of hungry mouths ready to
relieve him from any superabundance of game; and, as his hospitality
to all classes is unbounded, he took especial delight in feeding and
liberally bestowing his bounties upon his poor Mexican neighbors, to
whom powder and lead were more of a desideratum than to himself,
and with whom his experience and skill as a hunter, were a source of
support which they could only wish for.

Early the next summer Kit Carson, in charge of a train of wagons
belonging to himself and his friend Maxwell, set out for the United
States. After an unusually pleasant journey, he reached the Missouri
River, and proceeded down it, in a steamboat, to St. Louis. Here he