others set out to join a party which he knew was trapping in the
Blackfoot country. Upon coming up with them, he was told that they
had had several sharp skirmishes with the Indians, in one of which
a trapper was severely wounded. The following morning, Carson and
his comrades parted from the rest and were trapping slowly up stream,
when they were fired upon by Blackfeet and compelled to retreat.
They hurried back and succeeded in escaping a serious danger; but
the pursuit was so close that Carson hastily stationed his men in
ambush. A hot fire dropped several of the warriors and caused the
others to hesitate.

The halt was just long enough to allow the trappers to reload
their pieces, when the Blackfeet made a fiercer rush than before;
but with that pertinacious courage for which the tribe is noted,
they kept up the fight through the rest of the day, determined
to throw away no advantage they might gain. Had Carson chosen his
position with less judgment, he and his command must have been
overwhelmed, for nothing could have exceeded the daring of their
assailants, who in their desperation set fire to the thicket in
which the mountaineers had ensconced themselves; but the shrubbery
was too green to burn well, and, after a little while, it died
out. Then it must have been the red men concluded it was useless
to strive further, and, learning that the main body of the trappers
were not far off, they departed.

The annoyance from these Indians was so great that it was decided
to leave the country. While the trappers were able to hold their
own against them, yet it was impossible to make much progress in
taking furs, when their attention was mainly taken up in fighting
the warriors, who varied their shooting by destroying the traps