Christopher Carson, Familiarly Known as Kit CarsonAbbott, John S. C. (John Stevens Cabot)
History
Christopher Carson, Familiarly Known as Kit Carson
Abbott, John S. C. (John Stevens Cabot)
Carson Kit, 1809-1868
"The winter seasons in the Rocky mountains are usually fearful and severe.
There snow-storms form mountains for themselves, filling up the passes for
weeks and rendering them impracticable either for man or beast.
"The scenery is indescribably grand, provided the beholder is well housed.
If the case be otherwise, and he is doomed to encounter these terrible
storms, his situation is dreadful in the extreme. Even during the summer
months the lofty peaks of this mighty chain of mountains are covered with
white caps of snow. It affords a contrast to the elements, of the grandest
conception, to stand in the shade of some verdant valley wiping the
perspiration from the brow, and at the same time to look upon a darkly
threatening storm-cloud powdering the heads of the hoary monster mountains
from its freight of flaky snow.
"So far these American giant mountains are unsurpassed by their Alpine
brothers of Europe. Not so in the glaciers. Throughout the great range
there are no glaciers to be found which can compare with those among the
Alps."
In the spring the trappers scattered in small bands throughout that
region. They were in the territory of the Utah Indians, just north of the
Great Salt Lake. Kit Carson was well acquainted with them and they were
all his friends. The trappers, therefore, wandered at pleasure without
fear of molestation. Mr. Carson took but one trapper with him, with two or
three pack mules. They were very successful, and in a few weeks obtained
as many furs as their animals could carry.
With these they went to a trading post, not very far distant from them
called Fort Robidoux. Here their furs were disposed of to good advantage.
Mr. Carson, having judiciously invested his gains, organized another party
of five trappers, and traversed an unpeopled wilderness for a distance of
about two hundred miles until he reached the wild ravines and pathless
solitudes of Grand river. This stream, whose junction with the Green
river forms the Colorado, takes its rise on the western declivity of the
Rocky mountains, amidst its most wild and savage glens. Trapping down this
river with satisfactory success, late in the autumn he reached Green
river. Falling snows and piercing winds admonished him that the time had
come again to retire to winter quarters.
He repaired to Brown's Hole, the well known and beautiful valley which he
had often visited before. Here he passed an uneventful but pleasant
winter. With the earliest spring he again directed his footsteps to the
country of the Utahs in the remote north. He was successful in trapping,
and as the heat of summer came, he again turned his steps, with well laden
mules, to Fort Robidoux. Here he found, to his disappointment, that beaver
fur had greatly deteriorated in value. His skins would scarcely bring him
enough to pay for the trouble of taking them. This was caused mainly by
the use of silk instead of fur, throughout Europe and America, in the
manufacture of hats.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account