The business of trapping for beaver is no child’s play.  A person unaccustomed to it may possibly look upon it as no very difficult task.  A single trial is usually sufficient to satisfy the uninitiated on this point; for, the beaver, above all other wild animals of America is endowed with an extraordinary amount of instinct.  His handiwork and habits sufficiently attest this.

There are bands of Indians living in the Northwestern part of America who really believe that the beaver has almost as much intelligence as an Indian, holding and maintaining that all the difference that exists between a beaver and an Indian, is, that the latter has been endowed by the Great Spirit with power and capabilities to catch the former.  Some of the stories which old mountaineers occasionally inflict upon an inquisitive traveller are somewhat startling; nevertheless, what this amphibious animal really performs is truly astounding, and oftentimes the truth fails to gain credence.

During the winter the trappers had many very pleasant times, for they had little work beyond the task of making themselves comfortable.  The snow fell to a great depth, which proved rather hard for their animals.  By dint of cutting down cottonwood trees and gathering the bark and branches for fodder, they managed to prevent them from dying of starvation.  The buffalo existed about there in great abundance; and, early in the winter, they had taken the precaution to kill and prepare a large supply of this kind of game, while it was in good condition.  As the season advanced therefore, the trappers found themselves living quite sumptuously.

In the month of January, the daily routine of their lives was rather unpleasantly disturbed.  A party of fifty Crow Indians made an unfriendly visit to their camp on one very dark night.  They succeeded in stealing nine of their loose animals, with which they escaped unperceived.  Early the next morning, the signs of the Indians were discovered.  Kit Carson, with twelve of his companions, immediately saddled their horses and started in pursuit.  It was very difficult to follow the trail of the Indians from the fact that many herds of buffalo had crossed and repeatedly recrossed it during the night, making the tracks very indistinct.  Having traveled forty miles, their horses, which were very poor in flesh, became fatigued, causing them to think of making a halt.  After due consultation, it was agreed that they had best go into camp.  With this object in view they traveled towards some timber which was near by.  On arriving at the woods, the advance of the party, to their surprise and not less to their satisfaction, discovered the smoke of their enemies’ fires.  The distance between the parties was inconsiderable; but, in order that their movements might be made unobserved, the trappers retreated to a secluded spot where they awaited the night, judging it best to take the party by surprise.  Their first care was to secure and