circumstance put the Mexicans to flight. One of the trappers, named
James Higgins, without any provocation and without any excuse, except
that he was intoxicated, shot a man named James Lawrence, inflicting
a slight wound. Such conduct so terrified the Mexicans that they took
sudden and precipitous leave. This happened, very fortunately, before
the party arrived at the mission of San Gabriel, where they would
all have been arrested, and perhaps killed, by the Mexicans, aided by
parties and reinforcements at the mission.

About dark, Young, by urging his half-drunken men into a forced march,
succeeded in overtaking Carson. At the first supply of water, they
went into camp. A night of sleep soon set the brains of Young's
trappers once more to rights. The next day the party, most of them
sufficiently ashamed of their drunken debauch, commenced with vigor
the homeward march. They continued nine days almost upon their former
track, when outward bound. On the ninth day, they once more stood on
the banks of the Colorado River.

While encamped on this stream, a band of five hundred Indians made
their appearance and entered the camp. The rascals professed the
greatest friendship for the trappers, but their actions not fully
measuring their words, the white men looked to Carson for advice. He
had discovered that beneath their articles of dress their weapons were
very carefully concealed; and from this circumstance it became quite
clearly apparent the Indians intended to massacre the entire party.
Here Carson's boldness proved, as it had before, and did many a time
afterwards, the safety of himself and friends or associates. At the
time the Indians entered the camp, Carson, with only a few of the
party, occupied it; the rest were out visiting their traps, which it
was their general custom to set whenever they arrived at a suitable