Page:The Prairie Flower; Or, Adventures In the Far West.djvu/73



and myself were alongside, imitating to the best of curability his noble example,) and still that weapon, already reeking with blood, was hurled upon them with the same astonishing rapidity and the same wonderful success.

On every hand we were hemmed in, and every man" among us was fighting valiantly for his own life and vengeano . There was no opportunity for cowardice no chance for flight retreat was cut off we must tight or die. All seemed to under stand this, and used superhuman exertions to overcome the foe, who fell before us as grass before the scythe of the mower; but alas for us! only to have their places sup plied by others equally as blood-thirsty and equally as determined on our annihilation.

On all sides resounded hideous yells, and curses, and groans, and shouts min gled with the reports of firearms, and the clash of deadly weapons. Fear we knew not at least I judge by myself for under the intoxicating excitement of the time, I experienced no passion but uncontrollable rage, and a desire to vent it upon our swarthy foe. Success so far had been with us, and" numbers of the enemy had fallen to rise no more, while all but two of our own party were in their saddles, though some of them badly wounded. Above the tumult and din, I could now distinguish the voices uf Carson r the trappers and Teddy, showing that each was doing his duty.

"Down, old paint-face!" cried one.

"Take that, and keep them company as has gone under afore ye!" shouted another.

"H-ll's full o' sich imps as you!" roared a third.

"To the divil wid ye now, ye bloody oarers for attacking honest, dacent white paples- ye murthering tieves of Sathan, yees!" yelled the excited Irishman, as, in all the u'lory of making a shelaleh of his rille, he laid about him right worthily.

At this moment, when, the foot began to waver when victory was almost ours up thundered some thirty horsemen to rein force our foes, revive their courage, and render our case terribly desperate, if not hopeless.

"At 'em, boys!" shouted C-irson, apparently not the least disheartened; and driving his spurs into his horse, dropping

his bridle rein upon the saddle bow, hurl ing his already broken and useless rille at the heads of the nearest Indians, and draw ing his knife and tomahawk, he charged upon the new comers, seemingly with as much confidence in his success as if backed by a whole battalion.

No wonder Kit Carson was famous for he seemed a whole army of himself. A bare glimpse of one of his feats astonished me, and for the moment almost made me doubt my senses. Two powerful Indians, hard abreast, weapons in hand, and well mounted, rushed upon him at once, and involuntarily I uttered a cry of horror, for I thought him lost. But no! With an intrepidity equalled only by his activity, a weapon in either hand, he rushed his horse between the two, and dodging by some unaccountable means the blows aimed at his life, buried his knife in the breast of one, and at the same moment his toma hawk in the brain of the other. One frightful yell of rage and despair, and two riderless steeds went dashing on.

Side by side with Huntly, I fought with the desperation of a madman, and per formed feats which astonished even myself. Thrice did I find my bridle rein seized by no less than three or four stalwart savages, and thought that all was over; but as often by some inexplicable means, my path was cleared, and not a scratch upon my person.

For ten minutes did the carnage rage thus, during which time no less than forty of uar foes had been killed or disabled, and six of our own gallant band had gone from among the living. Still the savages pressed around us, and I now found my situation growing more and more desper ate. From over exertion, I began to feel weak; and my gallant steed, having been less fortunate than I, was already stagger ing under his wounds. A few more pain ful efforts to bear down upon his foes, and he reeled, dropped upon his knees, tried to recover, failed, and at last rolled over upon his side and expired.

As he went down, I leaped from his back to the ground, and instantly found myself surrounded by savages. Striking right and left with renewed activity, I shouted to Huntly, and in a moment he charged to my rescue, a