The proclamation of the governor had contained no promise whatever of pardon to any of the gang.  These two men were immediately arrested, as robbers and murderers.  They were tried, condemned and hung.  The robber band, thus deprived of its leader and of two of its most desperate men, was broken up and the wretches dispersed, to fill up the measure of their iniquities in other regions.

But let us again cross the Rocky mountains, and contemplate some of the strange scenes of violence and blood which were occurring there.  We have mentioned, that Kit Carson had been appointed, by Government Indian Commissioner.  This gave him much satisfaction, for it was an office he felt perfectly competent to fill.  It also was an evidence that, at last, his ability and services had been appreciated.  He at once accepted the appointment and entered upon its duties.

He soon found the office no sinecure.  The Apaches began to commit depredations upon the property of the settlers in the northern part of New Mexico.  Some of the citizens fell a sacrifice to their barbarity.  Mr. Carson at once sent Lieutenant Bell, a United States officer, with quite a force of dragoons, in pursuit of them.  Although the red men were quite willing to scalp peaceful and unarmed citizens, when they found their own ranks torn and bleeding by the balls of their foes, and their chiefs biting the dust in the death agony, then courage gave place to terror, and flight became their resource.

Not long after, news came to Mr. Carson that another insurrection had appeared among the Apaches.  They were encamped about twenty miles from Taos, upon quite a little ridge of mountains.  Mr. Carson proceeded unattended, to their lodges, to meet the chiefs for a friendly talk.  Having been among them for so many years, he was well known by nearly all the Rocky mountain tribes.  Mr. Carson, by his gentle words and his personal influence, succeeded in pacifying them, and obtaining promises of friendly relations.  Hardly had he left their lodges, when the treachery of the Indian became manifested in new crimes and barbarities.  Carson, distrusting them, was not unprepared; but with a band of tried men inflicted such blows as were not soon forgotten.

Lieutenant Davidson was not long after this sent with a force of sixty United States Dragoons, to attack and dislodge an encampment in the mountains.  They were all men who understood Indian character and warfare.  Repairing to their fastnesses, they found the Indians well posted, and expecting a visit from the white men.  Two hundred and more warriors were on the highest crags of the hills.

The Indian loves a palaver or talk; and the Lieutenant sent one or two men to endeavor to settle affairs thus amicably.  But the savages, perceiving the inferior numbers of the white men, were not inclined to be communicative, or to listen to peaceful terms.  Fight, blood, scalps, they thirsted for, and those they would have.