d wandered over a wild territory equal
in its dimensions to nearly all of the empires, kingdoms and
principalities of Europe combined. His journeys, as it has already
appeared, were made sometimes on foot and sometimes on horseback. By
themselves, his travels will be called no trivial undertakings.
Each fresh adventure led him into regions where but seldom, and more
frequently never, had a white man trod the soil. He was, therefore,
now an explorer in every sense of that distinguishing word, with the
single exception that he had not produced the results which the early
culture and advantages of a scientific and classical education
might have brought about. But the history of the world furnishes few
examples, if indeed any, where the physical training, practical skill
and knowledge of a country, as possessed by Kit Carson, have been
united with scholastic lore. At all events, in the wisdom of that
special Providence which was intending the gold mines of California to
be consecrated to the advancement of American civilization, with
its religious freedom, personal liberties and sacred literature,
the novitiate of Kit Carson was decreed to be wholly of a practical
nature. But while Kit Carson, with his rifle, was thus reared up
in character, courage and experience, the same All-wise hand was
directing the pathway of a mind, equal to accomplish His call, through
all the labyrinths of Science, History and the Arts, endowing that
mind with a keenness of intellectual grasp in strange contrast with
the practical skill of its future guide. Those who see no God in
nature, no God in events, may batter away at this proposition. The
record of Kit Carson's future tasks will prove it to be an invincible
stronghold of theory.

Kit Carson's mind had now become well stored with facts and localities
which were destined to be made known to the world through his
connections with others. It is not detracting from the merits of
any one to assert that, without frontiers-men like Kit Carson, the
numerous scientific expeditions which have been sent out by the United
States Government to explore the far West would have returned but
sorry and meagre records for their employers. After reading some of
the many printed accounts which parties of a more recent date have
gathered from their experience while making their way overland to the
Pacific, and also the sad fate of some brave men with noble hearts
who have fallen a sacrifice upon the altar of sc