hour for separation or desertion. This instance affords a fair example
how the minority could easily rule the majority when the minority held
to the side of danger. The whole band were now unanimous in favor of
the attack.

Kit Carson, who had from the first acted as captain, ordered three
men to take the recovered animals back to where they had secured their
saddle horses. Then, with his comrades, he marched directly for the
Indian camp. A dog belonging to the enemy first gave the alarm of
approaching danger to the Indians; but not until Kit and his party
were within a few paces of the first fort. As soon as the occupants
of the fort heard the noise they sprang to their feet, and thus became
fair marks for the unerring rifles of the trappers. The whites did not
throw away a single shot; every ball struck a warrior in some vital
spot. Those who survived retreated to the fort occupied by their
friends, and, as soon as possible, commenced returning the fire; but
without execution, as the trappers, on discharging their first volley,
had well concealed themselves behind trees, from whence they were
shooting only when sure of an object. It was now nearly daybreak; and
as the savages discovered the weakness of the attacking party, they
resolved to charge, feeling sure of success. They did so; but the
white men, who were expert fighters in this kind of warfare, quietly
waited until the Indians were fully exposed. They then fired and
killed five warriors. The remainder immediately retreated into the
fort.

After considerable deliberation, the Indians decided once more to make
a sortie. On they came, and this time with such determination that
the trappers could not withstand the assault, but were compelled to
retreat. They disputed, however, every inch of ground over which they