LIFE IN THE FAR WEST. 199 



room the whites stand shoulder to shoulder — covering the floor with 

 Mexicans by their stalwart blows ; but the odds are fearful against 

 them, and other assailants crowd up to supply the place of those 

 who fall. 



The alarm being given by the shrieking women, reinforcements 

 of Pelados rushed to the scene of action, but could not enter the 

 room, which, was already full. The odds began to tell against the 

 mountaineers, when Kit Carson's quick eye caught sight of a liigh 

 stool or stone, supported by three long heavy legs. In a moment 

 he had cleared his way to this, and in another the three legs were 

 broken off and in the hands of himself, Dick Wooton, and La 

 Bonte. Sweeping them round their heads, down came the heavy 

 weapons among the Mexicans with wonderful effect — each blow, 

 dealt by the nervous arms of Wooton and La Bonte, mowing down 

 a good half-dozen of the assailants. At this the mountaineers 

 gave a hearty whoop, and charged the wavering enemy with such 

 resistless vigor, that they gave way and bolted through the door, 

 leaving the floor strewed with wounded, many most dangerously ; 

 for, as may be imagined, a tlirust from the keen scalp-knife by the 

 nervous arm of -a mountaineer was no baby blow, and seldom fail- 

 ed to strike home — up to the " Green River" ^ on the blade. 



The field being won, the whites too, beat a quick retreat to the 

 house where they were domiciled, and where they had left their 

 rifles. Without their trusty weapons they felt, indeed unarmed ; 

 and not knowing how the affair just over would be followed up, 

 lost no time in making preparations for defense. However, after 

 great blustering on the part of the prefecto, who, accompanied 

 by a 'pos&e comitatus of "Greasers," proceeded to the house, and 

 demanded the surrender of all concerned in the affair — which prop- 



* The knives used by the hunters and trappers are manufactured at the " Green 

 E-iver" works, and have that name stamped upon the blade. Hence the moun- 

 tam term for doing any thing effectually is " up to Green River." 



