the night, while they were encamped. These savages
threw a good round number of arrows into the midst of his men, which,
however, did no damage, as, early in the commencement of the assault,
he had directed them to hold up before them their pack-saddles, behind
which they could pretty securely conceal themselves while lying upon
the ground. He also directed the men not to talk, lest they should
indicate their positions. It was very dark, and the Indians, from the
above precautions being taken, were frustrated in their plans. His men
lay very still; and, having previously received the order so to do,
they awaited the near approach of the red men, when they were to use
their rifles as clubs. The reason which made this latter command best
was, because no man could see to shoot; hence, were they to fire at
random, they would only expend their ammunition, a loss they were in
no situation to sustain. However, the Indians became weary of their
shooting after a few hours, and did not hazard a close attack, but
went away to parts unknown.

Kit Carson and Lieutenant Beale arrived at Washington in the following
June, having accomplished their journey overland, a distance of nearly
4,000 miles, in about three months, a record which shows that they
had not been idle while on the route. With the exception of the Indian
attack sustained on the Gila, they were not again annoyed by the red
men, although, over the vast tract of wild territory which they
had traversed, there roam thousands of savages who often, for the
slightest pretext, and frequently without any reason whatever, will
murder the unsuspecting traveler, as it chances to please them. Hence,
to accomplish this journey, it was not only necessary to know the
direction to shape their course, but also to be familiar with the
haunts and habits of these various tribes, in order to avoid them. All
of this knowledge, Kit Carson, the mainspring of this little party,
was well possessed of, and, as a matter of business, guided himself
and men in a direct and safe course.

The hardships and privations of this trip were trivial affairs
when compared to most of Kit Carson's previous adventures, and not
considered by him as worthy of mention. Indeed, Kit Carson appears so
hardened in all kinds of vicissitudes, that a man, in his eyes,
must have stood on the brink of death before he has seen much real
suffering; but, probably, if the reader had been one of the members of
this party, he w