viands. Doubtless stolen fruit made the feast all the sweeter to the
savages, but Kit determined to mingle a little of the bitter as a
condiment to the roasted flesh. Gathering his men well together, and
approaching very close to the foe without being discovered, he gave
the order to charge. His men needed no second command. They fell upon
the feasting savages like a thunderbolt, scattering them right and
left without mercy. Eight of the warriors were killed in the short
conflict which ensued. The remainder were allowed to escape. With some
difficulty they next succeeded in recovering all their horses, except
the six which had been killed. With their horses, and three children
taken prisoners, they returned to camp. It is unnecessary to add that,
to men thus isolated in the wilderness, Kit and his party were hailed
with joyful greetings when their complete success became known. To
them their horses were like the good ship to the hardy sailors on the
mighty ocean. The joyful reaction which followed such complete success
was in ratio to the fears which the continuing suspense had excited.

Kit Carson, though at that day a youth in years and experience when
compared with the other members of the party of which he was then an
associate, had risen rapidly in the estimation of all, and had excited
the admiration and enlisted in his behalf the confidence of the entire
band. When called upon to add his counsel and advice to the general
fund of knowledge offered by the trappers concerning any doubtful or
difficult enterprise, his masterly foresight and shrewdness, as well
as clearness in attending to details, alone gave him willing auditors.
But it was the retired manner and modest deportment, which he
invariably wore, that won for him the love of his associates. Such
characteristics failed not to surprise, in no ordinary degree, those
who could boast a long lifetime of experience in Indian countries.
Kit Carson's powers of quickly conceiving thoughts, on difficult