for the fugitives. They were found secreted in an Indian village,
the inhabitants of which were not on friendly terms with the priest's
party. A demand was made that the deserters should be given up, which
being refused, a fight ensued, and the priest's party was defeated.
Assistance was now asked from the trappers. The request was complied
with by Carson and eleven of his companions, who volunteered for the
occasion. Thus reinforced, the vanquished party returned and resumed
the fight, but with a far different result. The Indian village was
captured and one third of its inhabitants killed. The day following
a second demand to deliver up the deserters was complied with. Carson
and his companions then left the priest's party and rejoined their
camp. A short time after this affair had happened, Mr. Young carried
the furs he had on hand to the Mission of San Rafael, where he was
so fortunate as to find a captain of a trading schooner to whom he
succeeded in disposing of the entire stock. With the money accruing
from the sale, he purchased horses and then rejoined his company.

A circumstance occurred a few days after Mr. Young's return, which
proved to be a good warning to the party for their future vigilance.
During one dark night, some Indians, eluding the watch of the
sentinels, succeeded in entering the camp and moving off sixty horses.
As soon as the robbery was discovered, which had been the more easily
accomplished because the trappers, not apprehending danger, had
allowed the animals to take care of themselves, Mr. Young directed
Kit Carson to take twelve men with the remaining horses, fourteen in
number, and pursue the thieves. Carson, in obedience to his orders,
immediately started for the Sierra Nevada Mountains, following the
trail of the Indians. After travelling one hundred miles he came up
with the robbers, and discovered them in the act of feasting upon
horse-flesh, six of their own animals having been killed to supply the