“Nothing would induce us,” said these barbarian diplomatists, “to commit any depredations upon our friends the white men.”

Such barefaced falsehood did not, for a moment, deceive Kit Carson.  But it was needful for him to move with great caution.  The number of the Indians, their position, their weapons, and the nature of the ground upon which they had met, rendered the result of a battle very doubtful.  It would not do for Carson to manifest the slightest trepidation, or the least doubt of his ability to recover the stolen property, and to chastise the marauders.

After some pretty severe questioning, he suggested that since they were friends, they should all meet in council unarmed, and smoke the calumet of peace.  There are generally some points of honor, which will bind the most abandoned men.  Such was the smoking of the pipe of peace with the savages.  A large fire was built.  The two parties met around it.  The calumet was lighted, and passed around to each person present.  Every one of the savages first puffed two whiffs, and the white men then did the same.  This was the solemn pledge that there should be no treachery.

The council then commenced.  Several of the Indian warriors made long and wordy speeches, with many protestations of friendship, but carefully avoiding any offer to restore the stolen animals.  Mr. Carson listened patiently and made no response, until they had talked themselves out.  He then simply replied, that he was very happy to learn that the Indians were friendly in their feelings toward the whites, and that the taking of the animals was a mistake.  The trappers would therefore overlook the affair, and peacefully return home with the restored horses.

The Indian orators again began to chatter, branching off upon various points irrelevant to the question at issue.  But Mr. Carson was in no mood to be drawn into a profitless palaver.  To these eloquent speeches he made no response, but simply demanded the return of the horses.

The Indians began to bluster, to talk loud and to grow insolent.  But Mr. Carson never allowed himself to lose his temper.  A man in a passion seldom acts wisely.  With calm persistence he said, “I can listen to no overtures of peace, until our horses are restored.”  Still the Indians hesitated to provoke a battle in which some of their warriors would undoubtedly fall.  At length they sent out and brought in five of the poorest and most exhausted of the horses, saying that these were all that they could or would restore.

The trappers accepted this as a declaration of war.  In a body they retired to seize their rifles and to submit the question to the arbitrament of battle.  The savages also, with tumultuous howlings, rushed to grasp their guns.  The battle immediately commenced, each party seeking the shelter of trees.  But for the dread in which the savages stood of the powers of the white men, the advantages would have been in