they might rightly attempt to redress by wreaking their vengeance upon any
pale face, however innocent he might be. Thus hundreds of Indian warriors
might, at any time, come swooping down upon Mr. Carson's cabin, laying it
in ashes, and burying their tomahawks in the brains of his family.

The few white men, some half a dozen in number, who had gathered around
Mr. Carson, deemed it expedient for self-defence to unite and build a
large log cabin, which should be to them both a house and a fort. This
building of logs, quite long and but one story high, was pierced, at
several points, with portholes, through which the muzzles of the rifles
could be thrust. As an additional precaution they surrounded this house
with palisades, consisting of sticks of timber, six or eight inches in
diameter, and about ten feet high, planted as closely as possible
together. These palisades were also pierced with portholes.

With a practiced eye, these men had selected a very beautiful spot for
their habitation, in what is now called Howard county, Missouri, just
north of the Missouri river. It seems that they had much to fear from the
Indians. There were at this time, frequent wars with them, in the more
eastern portions of the continent, and the rumors of these conflicts
reached the ears of all the roving tribes, and greatly excited them. It
became necessary for the settlers to go upon their hunting excursions with
much caution.

As the months passed rapidly away, other persons one after another, came
to their fort. They were glad to find a safe retreat there, and were
welcomed as giving additional strength to the little garrison. Game began
to be scarce around their lonely habitation, for the crack of the rifle
was almost incessantly heard there. It thus became necessary to resort
more generally to farming, especially to raising large fields of corn,