This Third Expedition, of 1845–1846, again into the Great Basin and across the Sierra Nevada Range to the Valley of the Sacramento, was timed to the conquest of California by American arms; but it is another long story. Following the Third Expedition, having resigned from the Army Colonel Frémont, in 1848–1849, voluntarily conducted a Fourth Expedition, upon which many lives were lost to cold and hunger amidst the winter mountains of south central Colorado; and in 1853–1854, a Fifth Expedition, once more across the Great Basin to California. In these two expeditions Kit Carson did not take part. He had the duties of home, and family, which also are man’s duties; and the duties of agent over the Ute and Apache Indians. After that, came Civil War service for both friends, in fields separate. EDWIN L. SABIN. SAN DIEGO, CALIFORNIA. May 15, 1912. CONTENTS CHAPTER PAGE I. KIT CARSON TO THE RESCUE 17 II. UNDER THE WAGON 30 III. OLIVER WINS HIS SPURS 43 IV. WORD FROM OLD FORT LARAMIE 56 V. FRÉMONT SAYS “ONWARD!” 68 VI. INTO THE WILDER WEST 87 VII. OVER THE FAMED SOUTH PASS 96 VIII. PLANTING THE HIGHEST FLAG 111 IX. THE VOYAGING OF THE PLATTE 124 X. FRÉMONT CALLS AGAIN 135 XI. IN HOSTILE TERRITORY 147 XII. THE EMIGRANT TRAIL 155 XIII. TO THE GREAT SALTY LAKE 167 XIV. SAILING THE INLAND SEA 178 XV. ON TO THE COLUMBIA 192 XVI. SOUTHWARD FOR THE UNKNOWN 203 XVII. SCANT CHRISTMAS COMFORT 216 XVIII. FORCING THE SNOWY SIERRAS 225 XIX. AT THE LAST GASP 235 XX. DOWN THROUGH CALIFORNIA 248 XXI. THE VENGEANCE OF KIT CARSON 259 XXII. POOR TABEAU PAYS THE PRICE 276 XXIII. THE HOME STRETCH 288 ILLUSTRATIONS PAGE “WE TAUGHT THOSE THAR RED DEMONS A LESSON THEY’LL NOT FORGET.” _Frontispiece_ CHRISTOPHER CARSON 22 JOHN CHARLES FRÉMONT 71 THE FIRST BUFFALO HAD FALLEN TO THE CRACK OF KIT CARSON’S RIFLE 104 AS THE BOAT CAME WHIRLING DOWN, HELPLESS AND INERT, HEADS BROKE UP AROUND IT 130 KIT AND THE LIEUTENANT SHOWED THE THREE, BY SIGNS, HOW FROM THE RIFLES AND CARBINES COULD SPEED A BULLET AND BORE THEM THROUGH AND THROUGH 232 CHRONOLOGICAL TABLE CHRISTOPHER CARSON JOHN CHARLES FRÉMONT Born Madison County, Ky., January 21, 1813, born at December 25, 1809. Savannah, Ga.