They have not failed to inherit the superstition of their forefathers.  Not withstanding the changes which time, with its cohorts of emigration, books, religious teachings, association with other races, mechanics, science and art, in greater or less degree, has introduced into their country, and accomplished under their eyes, they still believe that some day their great chief will return to them; accordingly, in each and every one of their towns, they keep a watch-fire burning, in order, on his advent, to let him know where his children live.

At Los Angelos the Mexican authorities came to the trappers and demanded their passports.  On finding that such articles of paper authority did not form any part of a trapper’s outfit, they determined to arrest them.  Fear, however, prevented their determination from assuming any very formidable action.  Former experience in a similar matter of official duty had taught those Mexicans that the American trappers were men of a peculiarly resolute nature.  Fair and legitimate means were therefore laid aside, and a foul policy adopted.  They commenced supplying them with “firewater,” thus attacking them in a weak point.  When they should become fully inebriated they considered the matter of their arrest both easy and certain.

Mr. Young, seeing the intentions of the authorities, and their underhanded method of carrying them out, determined to thwart them.  He directed Carson to take three men, the loose animals and the camp equipage, and move on, with the instructions, that if he did not soon join him, to push on; that if he did not eventually overtake him, to report in New Mexico that the main party had been massacred.  Young succeeded in collecting his men as best he could, for they were yet sufficiently sober to retain a little of their reason.  The treacherous Mexicans, however, continued annoying the commander of the trappers by gratuitously offering the men all the liquor they desired.  One by one, the trappers were allowing themselves to be easily conquered, as the effects of the liquor began to be more active.  They would soon have fallen a complete prey to their enemies, had not a most singular circumstance put the Mexicans to flight.  One of the trappers, named James Higgins, without any provocation and without any excuse, except that he was intoxicated, shot a man named James Lawrence, inflicting a slight wound.  Such conduct so terrified the Mexicans that they took sudden and precipitous leave.  This happened, very fortunately, before the party arrived at the mission of San Gabriel, where they would all have been arrested, and perhaps killed, by the Mexicans, aided by parties and reinforcements at the mission.

About dark, Young, by urging his half-drunken men into a forced march, succeeded in overtaking Carson.  At the first supply of water, they went into camp.  A night of sleep soon set the brains of Young’s trappers once more to rights.  The next day the party, most of them sufficiently ashamed of their drunken debauch, commenced with vigor the homeward march.  They continued nine days almost upon their former track, when outward bound.  On the ninth day, they once more stood on the banks of the Colorado River.