ually as if
he had the satisfaction of scalping the perpetrator of his real or
supposed injury. It is a fact--alas too frequently true--that the
parties who are strong in numbers, courage, and equipment, while
crossing the plains, are prone to treat, in an overbearing and
insolent manner, the bands of Indians with whom they chance to come
into contact. For these insults and injuries weaker parties who travel
upon the same road are held to a strict and revengeful account by
being made to suffer even with their lives, as well as effects. Kit
Carson and his small force, unfortunately, or rather, fortunately, so
far as Kit himself was concerned, for no man could be better fitted to
deal with such a crisis of trouble than he, were the first white men
who came along after the flogging of their warrior had wrought up the
temper of the Cheyenne nation to a degree which nearly bordered on
frenzy.

As soon as the whites were discovered, the Indians went into council
evidently to decide on the best mode of attacking and making away with
them. Kit Carson, though he did not know that this tribe had declared
war, and much less their reasons for so doing, when he first saw them,
was not long in coming to a conclusion, from their actions, that there
was a screw loose somewhere. He, therefore, began to act with more
than usual sagacity and caution. He ordered his men to keep their
wagons close together, to have their rifles in good trim and be ready
for an instant fight. In this manner, with every man on the watch,
he pushed on for a distance of twenty miles. Although he had left
the Indians far behind, he did not relax his vigilance, being still
impressed with the belief that a storm was brewing. His surmises began
to be verified soon after, for the Indians, in parties of two, three,
and four, appeared in sight, arrayed and painted in their full
war costume. Having approached some of them to within a distance
sufficiently near so to do, Kit Carson commenced talking to them in
a conciliatory manner. They were inclined to heed his words; and, in
order to make it appear that he was not intimidated by their actions,
he went into camp, and invited these advance parties of the Indians to
come in and have a talk and smoke with him. The savages accepted the
invitation and were soon seated in a circle. After the pipe had passed
from one to the other, until all present had had a puff or two from
it, they began to talk loud among themselves.