. Our pioneer heroes and their daring deeds . ence over the Indians, however, was considerable ; theyrespected his courage too highly for him to be unpopular amongthem. There was a greater danger to be encountered among the whitemen. A French Canadian, John Shuman, was notorious as abully and a braggart. So often had his acquaintances been intim-idated by him, that none of them dared resent the insults which hetook pleasure in heaping upon them. Encouraged by their sub-mission, and greatly under the influence of liquor, he began totry the same treatment with the Americans. Eiding about theenca
. Our pioneer heroes and their daring deeds . ence over the Indians, however, was considerable ; theyrespected his courage too highly for him to be unpopular amongthem. There was a greater danger to be encountered among the whitemen. A French Canadian, John Shuman, was notorious as abully and a braggart. So often had his acquaintances been intim-idated by him, that none of them dared resent the insults which hetook pleasure in heaping upon them. Encouraged by their sub-mission, and greatly under the influence of liquor, he began totry the same treatment with the Americans. Eiding about theencampment, he denounced them as lily-livered cowards, weakerthan women, fit for no manly sport or occupation, and deservingliberal applications of hickory, outwardly. Human nature can-not stand everything ; Carson threw aside his role of jDcace-mak- KIT CARSON. 417 er, and stepping out from the crowd, said, in his softest and qui-etest tones : *I am an American, and one of the least of them. If youwant to fight any of us, you can begin with Carsons dukl with the brXggart. The gigantic Shuman looked contemptuously down from hisseat in the saddle upon the slender, smooth-fjiccd young man whostood before him ; then, putting spurs to his horse, and riding offto a little distance, then back again, raised his rifle and took had sprung upon a horse and was ready with his pistol. Both 418 KIT CARSON. fired at the same instant, Shumans hall grazing Carsons cheekand cutting off a lock of his hair. Kit had not aimed at a vitalpart, wishing to teach the hully a lesson, not to kill him; his ballentered Schumans hand, came out at the wrist, and passedthrough his arm above the elbow. He begged abjectly for hislife, and never insulted Americans again. Arrangements were made at the rendezvous for the fall hunt,and Carsou started thence with a party to the with little success, they removed two or three times andfinally determined upon a wandering hunt. Through the g
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Keywords: ., bookcentury1800, booksubjectindiansofnorthamerica, bookyear1887
