which exhibits Kit
Carson in his true character both as a faithful and earnest friend,
and a determined and dangerous adversary. Such is his character. A
life of most singular events has never yet found him false to his
friend or his manhood. While he is not rash in judgment, he is
consummately skillful, quick and brave. Onward he dashed, never for an
instant taking his eagle eye from the tracks which formed his compass.
Think not that such tracks are easily traced. None but a practised and
ready eye can follow them to any advantageous end. To trace them even
at a snail's pace, for an unpractised eye, is like the child putting
pen and ink to paper through his first copy-book of penmanship. Many
and many an awful blot and horribly crooked line will doubtless carry
the simile fully and strikingly to the mind. But the result which
crowned Kit's effort showed conclusively that, notwithstanding he had
followed the trail for over one hundred and thirty miles, he had made
no blots or crooked lines. At the distance of thirty miles from the
place where he parted with his Indian companion, Kit discovered the
chase. His pace now became tremendous. The wily savage had descried
him almost at the same instant that he was discovered by Kit, and
instantly prepared for a desperate encounter. With this object in
view, the savage turned to seek a cover from whence he could fire upon
his adversary and reload long before he should himself become exposed
to a shot. The rascal's plan was good enough, but he was too slow in
its execution to overcome Kit's activity. Kit had unslung his rifle as
soon as he saw his enemy. Anticipating the object of the savage, he,
instantly, covered him with his rifle. His horse was now at full speed
and he was rapidly nearing the Indian. At the moment he discovered
that the Indian had reached his cover and before he could take
advantage of it, without relaxing his horse's speed, he fired. The
ball from Carson's rifle was so well directed that the Indian, as it
struck him, gave one bound and then fell dead in his tracks. At the
same instant the rascal's rifle went off with a sharp report, sending
a bullet whizzing at some distance from the line of Carson's approach.
The fact of the Indian's rifle being fired at all is a sufficient
explanation of what was his intent, had his career not been so
suddenly cut short, thereby preventing its fulfillment.

The words of an old trapper are here very much to the point. The