the Colorado, in pursuit of furs.  At Taos they were west of the Rocky mountains, and the route which they were to take led them still farther in a northwest direction, a distance of three or four hundred miles.  It was known that the region was full of roving Indians, and it was not doubted that the savages, if they saw any chance of overpowering the trappers, would do so, and seize their effects, which to the Indians would prove booty of almost inconceivable value.  The rifle gave the trappers such an advantage over the Indian, with his bow and arrows, that they never hesitated, when upon the open plain in encountering almost any superiority of numbers.

This party of eighteen trappers, with their horses and heavily laden mules, had advanced but a few days’ journey, over an almost unexplored region, when they fell in with a powerful tribe of Indians, who, after a little palaver, seeing their weakness in numbers and the richness of their treasure, attacked them with great fury.  The Indians had adroitly selected a spot where they could fight Indian fashion, from behind trees and logs.  The battle lasted a whole day.  We are not informed how many of either party fell in the fray.  But the Indians seemed to swarm around the trappers in countless numbers, and the white men were, greatly to their chagrin, driven back with the loss of several mules.

As the discomfited party returned with their tale of disaster, the ire of Mr. Young was raised.  It is a comment upon the number of men then roving the wilderness, that Mr. Young was in a short time enabled to organize another party of forty men, to resume the enterprise.  It was a motley collection of Spaniards, Americans, Mexicans and half-breeds.  Proudly this powerful band, well armed, well mounted and with heavily laden pack mules, commenced its adventurous march, burning with the desire to avenge the insult which the previous expedition had encountered.

Mr. Young had learned highly to prize the capabilities of young Carson, and engaged him to take a prominent position in this company on its hazardous tour.  After a march of about a hundred miles, they reached the region occupied by the Indians who had attacked and defeated the former band.  The savages, flushed by success, were all ready to renew the conflict.  Mr. Young himself was the leader of the party.  The Indians, by their gestures and shouts of defiance, gave unmistakable evidence of their eagerness for the fight.

There was some little delay as both parties prepared for the deadly strife.  Mr. Young, a veteran in the tactics of the forest, posted his men with great sagacity.  He had forty, as we have mentioned, in all.  Twenty-five of them he hid in ambush.  With the other fifteen he cautiously advanced, and at length, as if alarmed, halted.  The eminences all in front of them, seemed filled with the plumed warriors.  The previous conflict had taught them the powers of the deadly rifle bullet.  They kept at a respectful distance, never advancing unless protected by some tree or rock.