Mexico passes over this road; and, during the summer months, the
heavily-laden caravans are continually traversing it.

CHAPTER XVI.

A fresh Campaign set on foot--Col. Cook in Command--Kit Carson
goes as Guide--The Apaches and Utahs leagued together--The
Roughness of the Country and the Privations to which the
Command was exposed--The Indians overhauled--A running
Fight--The Advantages gained--The Chase resumed--The Apaches
resort to their old Tricks--Col. Cook is obliged to return
to Abiquiu--A Utah taken Prisoner through Mistake--Kit Carson
goes to Taos and has a Conference with the Chiefs of the
Utah Nation--Cook's second Scout--He is caught in a furious
Snow-storm and obliged to return to Rio Colorado--Major Brooks
and Reinforcements come to the Rescue--Major Brooks on
the Lookout, but fails to find the Indians--Carleton's
Expedition--Kit Carson goes with it as Guide--The Adventures
met with--Kit Carson's Prophecy comes true--The Muache Band
of Utahs summoned by Kit Carson to a Grand Council--Troubles
brewing among these Indians--The Small Pox carries off their
Head Men.

To retrieve the ground lost, and also, to show the Jiccarilla Apaches
that their recent victory had tended only to stimulate the movements
of the Americans to a display of greater activity and energy, after a
brief space of time, a large body of regular troops were made ready to
take the field against them. The commander of this expedition was Col.
Cook of the 2d Regiment of United States dragoons. That officer chose
for his principal guide Kit Carson, whose peace duties as Indian Agent
had been abruptly arrested by the warlike attitude of some of his
Indians. It was necessary, also, that Kit Carson should be on the
ground in case the red men were overtaken, in order to ascertain
whether, or no, the Utahs were mixed up with the operations of the
Apaches. A large branch of the former tribe were part and parcel of
his agency, and the two nations were known to be on very friendly
terms with each other; consequently, it was surmised that they might
be secretly, and under disguise, acting together in the war.

Col. Cook employed, besides the troops of the line which were under
his command, some forty men selected from among the Mexican and Pueblo
Indians, whose duties were to act as spies and trailers.

These Pueblos were selected for spies on account of their being
fam