engage with the Indians in a Battle--Return to the Camp with
recovered Property.


The news of the attack and defeat of his men by the Indians, was
brought to Mr. Ewing Young at Taos by a member of the unfortunate
expedition. On learning the causes which brought this unpleasant
termination to his enterprise, Mr. Young raised a party of forty men,
consisting of Americans, Canadians and Frenchmen, and put himself at
its head. Kit Carson was received into the party, and soon became
one of its most prominent and efficient aids. Mr. Young's object was
two-fold: first, to chastise the Indians; and, second, to make all he
could out of the expedition by employing the men in their calling
as trappers. Under the Mexican laws, licenses were required from the
government to all Mexicans who set out on trapping expeditions. These
were not granted to citizens of the United States. This was not
the mere will of governmental officials; the Mexican statutory law
prohibited the granting of licenses to citizens of the United States.
This law was, however, often made a dead letter by Americans; for,
they frequently, but stealthily evaded it. In order, therefore, to
hoodwink the Mexican authorities, Mr. Young had to resort to various
expedients. His preparations were so carefully and secretly made, that
the real business he had in contemplation did not transpire, or even a
suspicion gain currency as to his intended whereabouts.

In April, 1829, the party set out, eager to bring about results equal
to their anticipations. At first, to avoid the curiosity and inquiring
disposition of the Mexicans, they traveled northward, as if their
destination was into the territory of the United States. Hints had
been sufficiently freely bestowed upon the Mexicans to lead them to