They were not
very friendly toward the new arrivals.
Among the party was a big fellow by the name of Shewman, that
seemed to think himself a very bad man; he did not appear to have
any love or respect for any American trapper, which was the case
with the general run of those French Canadians who were in the
employ of the Hudson Bay Company.
This man Shewman seemed to have a great antipathy toward Kit
Carson.
If the reader will pardon me, I would like to say just here, that
while Kit Carson was the last man to offer an insult, yet, at the
same time, if challenged, he would fight any man living rather
than be called a coward, and in those days the character of men
concerning whom this work is written quarreled but very little. If
a man insulted another, ten chances to one he would be challenged
to fight a duel; and in such a case he would either have to fight
or be branded as a coward, and the sooner he left the crowd the
better it would be for him, for he could see no peace while
remaining with them.
The third day we arrived at the place spoken of, this man Shewman
got pretty well ginned up and started out to look for Uncle Kit,
saying that he had heard a great deal of Kit Carson and of his
fighting proclivities, and that he would lick him on sight. One of
Shewman's friends, knowing Kit Carson by reputation, tried to
induce him to let Kit alone and have nothing to do with him, but
the more they said to him the madder he got, until finally he was
raging with anger.
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