Original subtitles

♪♪ [ trumpet ]

Senator Thomas Hart Benton was early dedicated

to America's westward expansion.

However, there were no roads west of the Mississippi,

so, before any migration started, someone had to prove

that it was possible and practicable

to even travel through that wild and unknown country.

For that job, Senator Benton

chose Lieutenant John C. Fremont.

His party was soon on its way into the wilderness,

escorted by a group of mountain men

under a tough little trapper named Kit Carson.

Carson and his men were not much on Bible reading,

but they were the best Indian fighters in the world,

and, when the need arose, they turned out to be pretty good...

[ snoring ]

[ man screaming ]

MAN: Help! Help!

Help! It's biting me! Get it off!

Look at him!

Somebody give me a hand here.

Help!

Get it off!

Thank goodness. It was only a horned toad.

Only? Only?

That thing was biting me.

I've been poisoned. I may die.

There's no danger, Mr. Gilpin.

It wasn't poisonous, and it couldn't bite you.

You lie. I could feel the fangs.

Don't tell me I don't know when I've been bitten.

All right, let's have a look.

Don't just stand there, you nitwit,

go get the medicine kit!

Dalton, get breakfast started.

Fisher, look to the horses.

Now, see here, Fremont.

No, you see here.

A horn toad has no teeth, no fangs, and no poison,

and you don't need any medicine.

But I could feel the...

No teeth at all?

None.

They're quite harmless.

Oh, I see.

Oh, yes I do see.

Another little joke of those unwashed animals

you call mountain men.

Carson and Godey probably thought it was very amusing.

Men. They ought to be chained and kept in caves.

Calm down, Mr. Gilpin. You're not hurt.

I must admit, they are a little crude.

Crude?

I wouldn't say that, my dear fellow.

What I would say is that they're the filthiest,

most immoral bunch of heathen savages that ever existed.

I don't know where you found such treasures,

but you'd better teach them some decent manners.

I'm warning you, Fremont.

I've stood all I'm going to from those filthy brutes.

All right, where are they?

Where's Carson and Godey?

Just hot enough, the pot.

Where's Carson and Godey?

Oh, them two.

The last I saw, they was strolling off

not more than minutes ago.

Strolling where? Where'd they go?

I don't rightly know for swearing,

but Kit was dragging a fishing line,

and only-est place around I know for fish is down the creek

and, I reckon it ain't stretching it too far to say

maybe he's gone fishing.

Always in a hurry, that fella.

[laughing]

Oh, that Gilpin, he hopped pretty good, eh, Kit?

Like one big fat toad.

Ain't nothing wrong with his lungs, neither.

He was screeching worse than a gut-shot painter.

Pretty good listener, eh, old hawk?Ow!

Listen, Kit, one day I break off the elbow of yours

and make you eat it.

Ain't that a beauty?

Ah, she don't look like no bog to me.

Well, you ain't no trout.

Eh, Kit, listen, how come you always take the whiskers

from me to make the bog, huh?

It's quality. Yeah.

Them trout's mighty particular.

Them big ones, they won't wiggle a fin

for nothing but French whiskers.

Oh?Shh.

He's heading right over.

That big fella.

[ rustling ]

Hold it.

Oh, the fish!

Come on.

Dang you, Fremont.

You just cost me the biggest trout I ever saw.

And the best hook, too.

And don't forget all the good French whiskers, too.

Whiskers and trout, I wish I could lose you two devils.

Oh, no, we don't do nothing. Do we, Kit?

We're as innocent as a couple of newborn cubs, we are.Shut up, the both of you.

Look, Kit.

I don't blame you and Godey for not liking Gilpin.

He's an arrogant snob.

But that's because he doesn't understand men like you.

Sure, we savvy.

Then for Pete's sake, act like it

and stop bedeviling the poor man.

You're not being paid to play games.

This is an important mission,

not only to me, but to Senator Benton and the entire nation.

I figured things are going along

pretty good so far, Lieutenant.

They have.

But finding passable routes to California and Oregon

is only the first step.

We then have to get the information to the public,

arouse their enthusiasm for Western migration,

and, in order to do that, we have to have

favorable newspaper stories, editorials, and publicity.

Gilpin.

Exactly.

And because he's with us, he can ride with authority,

and people will believe him.

The right kind of stories will mean everything, Kit.

Wrong kind will kind of mess things up some, huh?

That's right.

He could probably set the development

of the West back 20 years,

not to mention getting me kicked back to garrison duty

and lousing up the Senator's career.

Eh, Kit, maybe we should be real friendly with Gilpin?

Oh, like two fat little puppy dogs.

You stay away from him. Do you understand?

Kit, you're in charge of the mountain men,

and that's an order.

Now, stay away from him, and stop those childish pranks,

or I swear I'll fire the lot of you!

Oh, now, listen here, what's he talking about?

Shut up, Godey.

You pay our wages, Lieutenant.

Allows how you get the right to hand out the orders.

We're going to do our best not to trample

on Gilpin's toes no more.Oh, certainly.

That's all I ask.

Thanks, Kit.

Oh, and I'm sorry about the fish.

Whiskers?

What's the matter with you, old horse?

You've been acting sulk as a flathead squaw all day.

Oh, you go away from me, you little weasel.

Go away and don't speak to me.

I do something?

You tell Fremont that we're going to be nice to Gilpin.

Why you say such a thing?

He pays us good, don't he?

Yeah, but he don't fire us, Kit.

I got nothing to do with it.

But I don't still like Gilpin.

I don't think he loses any love over us either.

Well, pretty soon, I step on him and squash,

like the tumble bug.

You do and Fremont will have your scalp.Ah!

And if he don't, I will.

Hold!

Well, there's your pass, Lieutenant.

Take a look, Mr. Gilpin.

In two years, wagons and people

will be moving through that pass.

Some day, even a railroad.

It's a nice dream, anyway.

[ shouting ]

[ squirming ]

No, don't take so much. Ah!

There, that ought to be enough.

Well, that's all you'll get, Kit.

Oh, bon dieu,by the time we reach California,

you will have me naked like a baby.

They'll grow back.

Mr. Godey...

as a boone to my sensitive nostrils,

would you mind shifting a little downwind

before I'm completely asphyxiated?

What's that you're saying, Gilpin?

What's this asphy--

I'm merely saying that you exude

an aroma far from fragrant.

In a word, my unbathed friend, you stink.

Ah, so, let's you and me go down to the creek, huh,

and take a nice bath, huh?

Come on. I teach you how to swim under water.

Put me down, you ugly ape.

What's the matter, mon ami?

You don't want to swim in the creek? [ laughs ]

I said turn me loose!

Why you little pipsqueak...

[ screaming ]

Ah, so now I take you into little pieces, eh Gilpin?

Ah, you little pipsqueak.

[ grunting ]

Let go of me, Kit.

I'm going to cut his head off.

Cool off, now.

I'm going to cut his head off.

All right, cool off.

[ grunts ]

[ struggling ]

Have some coffee, Gil.

You clumsy idiot!

[ horses neighing ]

[ struggling ]

Give me a hand here!

[ speaking Spanish ]

Boy seems more worn out than anything.

This one's pretty well scratched up from an Indian lance.

Get him into my tent. Put the man in my cot.

Let's take him up.

Kit, listen, you speak Spanish.

Soon as they can talk, find out what happened, will you?

Right.

Old man's name is Andreas Fruentes.

Raises horses.

Boy's name is Pablo Hernandez.

Indians raided their camp,

killed a bunch of Fruentes' cousins

and a couple of other people.

Fruentes and the boy's night-herding the horses.

Indians stampeded the horses and ran off with most of them.

How many Indians, Kit?

He figured 100, but you know how that goes.

I guess maybe 10, 15.

And the horses?

Fruentes said they left them down at Wolf Springs.

Poor devils.

FREMONT: Those horses were probably everything

he owned in this world.

You're dead right about that, Fremont.

Well...

Don't just sit there. Let's get started.

Get started where?

You heard him. Indians have murdered

and robbed an innocent man.

Let's go after them. We can't just sit here.

I ain't lost me no Indians.

No, I think if we go after those Indians,

maybe they get mad and kill us, too, eh?

That's exactly what I'd expect of you and Carson, but you, Fremont?

You're an officer in the United States Army.

Surely you see what has to be done.

Perhaps better than you do, Mr. Gilpin.

Please sit down.

No, we're going to huddle around the fire

like a bunch of cowards?

I'm in command here, Mr. Gilpin.

Sit down and be quiet.

What do you think, Kit?

Any chance those horses may still be at Wolf Springs?

Well, there's a chance of finding snowballs in hell.

There's no point looking for them at night.

We'll take a party and see what we can find in the morning.

Plenty a sign, nary a horse.

They just picked them up last night,

drove them south.

There's nothing more we can do here.

Let's rest and water these horses and return to camp.

Dismount!

Lieutenant Fremont, don't you realize that man

lost his family, his ranch, everything he owns?

In the very name of decency--

I don't need a lecture on decency, Mr. Gilpin.

I'd like nothing better than to punish those Indians

and get Fruentes' horses back for him.

The next word is "but."

Exactly.

But I wasn't send out here to chase Indians,

no matter what they've done.

My first duty is to--

Duty makes a very convenient excuse, doesn't it?

Are you accusing me of cowardice?

No, of course not.

Then just understand this--

I'm not risking this important mission

and the lives of my men just because I feel sorry

for a Mexican horse rancher.

Now where'd he go? Where's that Carson?

Dalton, where's Kit?

Well, I wish he was sizzling in the Devil's fry pan.

I had that handle fixed up real good with a piece of wire,

and that little varmint swiped it

to make his self some fish hooks.

Never mind that. Where'd he go?

And where's Godey?

They went off a little bit ago.

Off? Where?

They knew we were going back to camp.

Kit said something about us going ahead,

and they'd join us back in camp.

Dang him anyway.

I'd give a prime beaver pelt for that piece of wire.

Is that all he said?

He mentioned something about getting that Mexican's horses.

More than likely, they'll get their backsides

stuck full of Indian arrows.

Stop wearing out your boots. How can I concentrate?

I'm sorry.

Oh, how are they?

Oh, the boy's fine. The man's got him a touch of the fever.

Keeps muttering about them horses.

Get you some coffee, lieutenant?

No, thanks.

Cup of coffee's mighty good for the nerves.

Nothing wrong with my nerves.

Blasted lunatics.

Even if they do catch those Indians,

what can they do about it?

Well, now, that Kit could be a might stubborn.

He sets out to get them horses back,

he mighty likely to do her.

Yes siree, and get himself

a bunch of Indians in the bargain.

Well, if they do manage to steal back those horses,

at least we'll have seen the last of that pair.

What does that mean?

Don't be a fool, Fremont.

Those horses are worth a fortune

to men like Carson and Godey.

You really don't think those charming savages

are risking their lives to help a Mexican, do you?

That's exactly what I think, Mr. Gilpin.

Delightful faith in human nature, but wasted, I'm afraid.

I doubt if those two ever heard of the word "compassion."

You better pray that you're wrong, Mr. Gilpin.

Oh, shall I get on my knees?

You suit yourself.

We still have a lot of wild country ahead of us.

If Carson doesn't get back,

your scalp will probably be drying

on a lodge pole this winter.

You know, old horse, I got me an idea.

I don't like it.

Why, you pig-head, you ain't even heard it yet.

I figure we ought to keep on going.

Ah, listen, we can hardly see the sun in daylight.

Are we going to smell the trail, like dogs?

Why follow the trail?

Long, dry country ahead.

The way I figure it, there's only one place

they can graze and water that many horses.

Mais oui! At Diamond Springs.

They have to come there tonight.

There is no other place.

The way I figure it, we move fast enough,

we ought to be able to locate their camp by dawn.

Why you sit there like a lump on a log?

Come on. We got those Indians at Diamond Springs.

Well, if you're sure they're there.

Of course they're there.

[ sighs ]

Means a long night ride, but if you say so.

Just remember, this was your idea.

Come on, then.

Me, I'll take care of that pony guard.

Oh, no. That's my job.

You go get our horses and bring them round

in back of that herd.

Soon as I take care of that Indian guard,

you come hustling.

We'll drive those horses right through them Indians.

Move, dang it, before they start waking up.

[ war cry ]

Ah! Ah!

Say, Kit, what's the matter with Gilpin, huh?

All day long, he keeps looking at us and shaking his head.

Belly ache.

I feel that way myself sometimes when I look at you.

Oh, listen, he is looking at you

more than he's looking at me.

[ laughing ]

[ speaking Spanish ]

Gracias,Lieutenant. Gracias.

Good luck, señor.

Amigos.

[ speaking Spanish ]

What was that he said, Kit?

Thanks.

The next time you two decide to volunteer for something,

I'd appreciate you letting me know.

All right, I want to know.

Why did you do it? The real reason.

Now what have we done?

You know what I mean.

Getting back those horses for Fruentes.

Oh, that was Godey's idea.

Ah, you lie.

Now, look, Mr. Gilpin.

There ain't no law out here,

so folks got to help each other sometimes.

They kinfolk was murdered, they were robbed

of everything they owned.

Somebody had to give the poor devils a hand.

Man couldn't just turn his back

and pretend not to see their need.

Not if they're good Samaritans.

Hey, what you call us?

Never mind.

I guess I owe you thanks for curing me of some prejudices

and shining up the world for me.

When I see Frenchmen and a man from Boonslick, Missouri

risking their lives to help two Mexicans

they don't even know,

world seems like a nicer place to live in.

Now I guess I'd better make some changes

in those stories I've been writing.

Lieutenant Fremont's expedition was so successful

that he went down in our history books

as The Pathfinder.

But the Carson story spread all over the world,

so that the name of Kit Carson has become a legend

and the symbol of the very best in manhood.

Next week, another true story of the people who won the West.

See you then.

♪♪