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Show OLD SANTA FE TRAIL 125 Americans were in camp, a small party of Indians rode up and demanded presents. These Dr. White refused to give them, and drove them out of the camp; they returned shortly and were again treated in the same manner. This time they did not go away, but commenced an attack upon the party by shooting the negro and Mexican, the latter falling upon the fire. The others made an attempt to escape, but were all killed except Mrs. White and child, who were made prisoners. The bodies of the dead were laid along side of the road, but were not scalped or stripped. A short time afterward a party of Mexicans came along and began to plunder the wagon, when the Indians, who had concealed themselves, fired upon them and wounded a boy, who was left for dead. He laid still until the Indians had left, when he got up and started toward the settlements, with an arrow sticking between the bones of his arm. He came up with a party of Americans the same day and came through in safety. The Indians who committed the outrage were a raiding party who had been in the southern part of New Mexico. Fé, When a company the of facts of dragoons, the outrage with Kit became Carson as known at guide, was Santa sent They struck the trail and followed it for three or four in pursuit. days, when they came up with and attacked the Indians. They succeeded in killing several of the savages, but during the fight the latter murdered both Mrs. White and the child. Several of the women and children of the Indians perished in a snow storm that came on, and the troops came near sharing the same fate. The barbarous character of these Indians may be understood when it 1s known that the principal chief of this band came into Santa Fé Wearing a necklace made of the teeth of Dr. White, according to Colonel Carson. Some conception of the dangers which beset the trader and traveler, even as late as the year 1850, may be had from reading portions of a report made by James L. Collins, a trader from BooneVille, 1852. Missouri, to William Carr Lane, governor of New Mexico in Governor Lane asked for the information contained in the re- port for the purposes of making recommendations to Washington relative to the advisability of keeping the trail open in the winter “me. Mr. Collins says: “The first attempt was made by a small party from St. Louis |