their perilous errand.

On this occasion, as on innumerable other ones, Carson showed most
excellent judgment. His scheme was to keep entirely to the streams
never once venturing upon the plains. Several advantages were likely
to flow from this course. During the summer season the mountain
Indians generally placed their women and children in charge of the
old men and a few warriors and came down from their retreats to
engage in hunting bison or in marching on the war path. Occasionally
they are at peace with the Indians of the plains, which was a bad
thing for the Mexican settlements, for they left a track of desolation
among them.

Few of the trappers ventured far into the mountains, where game was
abundant, so that Carson was confident of finding plenty of beavers.
In this he was not mistaken. The fur bearing animals seemed to be
overrunning the country, while the Indians acted not only as if
unaware of the fact but as if entirely ignorant of the little party
of visitors, who, making hay while the sun shines, were not long
in finding themselves with as large a supply as they could carry
home.

This was the ordeal more to be dreaded than all the others. While
on their way to the beaver runs, they had nothing to do beyond taking
care of themselves; but now their valuable peltries were liable to
be captured by the Indians, who could compel their abandonment by
pressing the owners hard.

But extreme and altogether unexpected good fortune attended them,
and they reached Taos, without receiving a scratch or losing a fur.