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From: owner-hist_text-digest@lists.xmission.com (hist_text-digest)
To: hist_text-digest@lists.xmission.com
Subject: hist_text-digest V1 #1205
Reply-To: hist_text
Sender: owner-hist_text-digest@lists.xmission.com
Errors-To: owner-hist_text-digest@lists.xmission.com
Precedence: bulk
hist_text-digest Sunday, June 8 2003 Volume 01 : Number 1205
In this issue:
-áááááá Re: MtMan-List:Books the Mt. Man Had
-áááááá Re: MtMan-List:Books the Mt. Man Had
-áááááá Re: MtMan-List:Books the Mt. Man Had
-áááááá Re: MtMan-List:Books the Mt. Man Had
-áááááá MtMan-List: Mountain Man's horse
-áááááá Re: MtMan-List: Mountain Man's horse
-áááááá Re: MtMan-List: Mountain Man's horse
-áááááá Re: MtMan-List:Books the Mt. Man Had
-áááááá Re: MtMan-List:Books the Mt. Man Had
-áááááá Re: MtMan-List:Books the Mt. Man Had
-áááááá Re: MtMan-List:Books the Mt. Man Had
-áááááá Re: MtMan-List:Books the Mt. Man Had - Here is the Article
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Date: Sat, 7 Jun 2003 12:11:13 -0600
From: David A Miller <dammiller@juno.com>
Subject: Re: MtMan-List:Books the Mt. Man Had
This message is in MIME format. Since your mail reader does not understand
this format, some or all of this message may not be legible.
- ----__JNP_000_1fb8.5e27.35e1
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Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit
Same here Jim!!!
Dave
On Fri, 6 Jun 2003 21:34:27 -0400 "Ikon" <ikon@mindspring.com> writes:
Jim,
I would not mind reading it if'n ya want to email a copy to me.
Thanks,
Frank V. Rago
- ----- Original Message -----
From: lares
To: hist_text@lists.xmission.com
Sent: Friday, June 06, 2003 8:15 PM
Subject: Re: MtMan-List:Books the Mt. Man Had
Please send a copy by e-mail.
Thank you,
Jim "Bear"
PS. address is lares@gate.net
- ----- Original Message -----
From: Casapy123@aol.com
To: hist_text@lists.xmission.com
Sent: Thursday, June 05, 2003 6:42 PM
Subject: Re: MtMan-List:Books the Mt. Man Had
Mark,
I did a research paper on the books the trappers had during the Rocky
Mountain fur trade period. Would you like a copy of it? If so, would you
rather I mailed it to you or sent it as an attachment to e-mail?
Jim Hardee, AMM #1676
P.O. Box 1228
Quincy, CA 95971
- ----__JNP_000_1fb8.5e27.35e1
Content-Type: text/html; charset=us-ascii
Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable
<!DOCTYPE HTML PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD HTML 4.0 Transitional//EN">
<HTML><HEAD>
<META http-equiv=3DContent-Type content=3D"text/html; charset=3Diso-8859-1">
<META content=3D"MSHTML 6.00.2800.1170" name=3DGENERATOR>
<STYLE></STYLE>
</HEAD>
<BODY bgColor=3D#c8e0d8>
<DIV>Same here Jim!!!</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>Dave </DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>On Fri, 6 Jun 2003 21:34:27 -0400 "Ikon" <<A=20
href=3D"mailto:ikon@mindspring.com">ikon@mindspring.com</A>> writes:</=
DIV>
<BLOCKQUOTE dir=3Dltr=20
style=3D"PADDING-LEFT: 10px; MARGIN-LEFT: 10px; BORDER-LEFT: #000000 2px =
solid">
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>Jim,</FONT></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial>I would not mind reading it if'n ya want to email=
a copy=20
to me.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial>Thanks,</FONT></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial>Frank V. Rago</FONT></DIV>
<BLOCKQUOTE=20
style=3D"PADDING-RIGHT: 0px; PADDING-LEFT: 5px; MARGIN-LEFT: 5px; BORDER-=
LEFT: #000000 2px solid; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0px">
<DIV style=3D"FONT: 10pt arial">----- Original Message ----- </DIV>
<DIV=20
style=3D"BACKGROUND: #e4e4e4; FONT: 10pt arial; font-color: black"><B>=
From:</B>=20
<A title=3Dlares@gate.net href=3D"mailto:lares@gate.net">lares</A> </=
DIV>
<DIV style=3D"FONT: 10pt arial"><B>To:</B> <A=20
title=3Dhist_text@lists.xmission.com=20
href=3D"mailto:hist_text@lists.xmission.com">hist_text@lists.xmission.=
com</A>=20
</DIV>
<DIV style=3D"FONT: 10pt arial"><B>Sent:</B> Friday, June 06, 2003 8:15=
=20
PM</DIV>
<DIV style=3D"FONT: 10pt arial"><B>Subject:</B> Re: MtMan-List:Books =
the Mt.=20
Man Had</DIV>
<DIV><BR></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>Please send a copy by e-mail. </FONT><=
/DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>Thank you,</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>Jim "Bear" </FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>PS. address is <A=20
href=3D"mailto:lares@gate.net">lares@gate.net</A></FONT></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<BLOCKQUOTE=20
style=3D"PADDING-RIGHT: 0px; PADDING-LEFT: 5px; MARGIN-LEFT: 5px; =
BORDER-LEFT: #000000 2px solid; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0px">
<DIV style=3D"FONT: 10pt arial">----- Original Message ----- </DIV>
<DIV=20
style=3D"BACKGROUND: #e4e4e4; FONT: 10pt arial; font-color: black"><B=
>From:</B>=20
<A title=3DCasapy123@aol.com=20
href=3D"mailto:Casapy123@aol.com">Casapy123@aol.com</A> </DIV>
<DIV style=3D"FONT: 10pt arial"><B>To:</B> <A=20
title=3Dhist_text@lists.xmission.com=20
href=3D"mailto:hist_text@lists.xmission.com">hist_text@lists.xmission=
.com</A>=20
</DIV>
<DIV style=3D"FONT: 10pt arial"><B>Sent:</B> Thursday, June 05, 2003 =
6:42=20
PM</DIV>
<DIV style=3D"FONT: 10pt arial"><B>Subject:</B> Re: MtMan-List:Books =
the Mt.=20
Man Had</DIV>
<DIV><BR></DIV><FONT face=3Darial,helvetica><FONT lang=3D0 face=3D=
Arial size=3D2=20
FAMILY=3D"SANSSERIF">Mark,<BR><BR>I did a research paper on the books=
the=20
trappers had during the Rocky Mountain fur trade period. Would you =
like a=20
copy of it? If so, would you rather I mailed it to you or sent it as =
an=20
attachment to e-mail?<BR><BR>Jim Hardee, AMM #1676<BR>P.O. Box=20
1228<BR>Quincy, CA 95971<BR></BLOCKQUOTE></BLOCKQUOTE></FONT></=
FONT>
<DIV> </DIV></BLOCKQUOTE></BODY></HTML>
- ----__JNP_000_1fb8.5e27.35e1--
________________________________________________________________
The best thing to hit the internet in years - Juno SpeedBand!
Surf the web up to FIVE TIMES FASTER!
Only $14.95/ month - visit www.juno.com to sign up today!
- ----------------------
hist_text list info: http://www.xmission.com/~drudy/mtman/maillist.html
------------------------------
Date: Sat, 7 Jun 2003 18:04:12 -0600
From: "Steve Banks" <sbanks@wyoming.com>
Subject: Re: MtMan-List:Books the Mt. Man Had
This is a multi-part message in MIME format.
- ------=_NextPart_000_0052_01C32D1F.338E3660
Content-Type: text/plain;
charset="iso-8859-1"
Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable
Jim,
If it would not be too much trouble, I would appreciate a copy. Send =
to:
sbanks@wyoming.com
Thanks, Steve Banks
----- Original Message -----=20
From: Casapy123@aol.com=20
To: hist_text@lists.xmission.com=20
Sent: Thursday, June 05, 2003 4:42 PM
Subject: Re: MtMan-List:Books the Mt. Man Had
Mark,
I did a research paper on the books the trappers had during the Rocky =
Mountain fur trade period. Would you like a copy of it? If so, would you =
rather I mailed it to you or sent it as an attachment to e-mail?
Jim Hardee, AMM #1676
P.O. Box 1228
Quincy, CA 95971
- ------=_NextPart_000_0052_01C32D1F.338E3660
Content-Type: text/html;
charset="iso-8859-1"
Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable
<!DOCTYPE HTML PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD HTML 4.0 Transitional//EN">
<HTML><HEAD>
<META content=3D"text/html; charset=3Diso-8859-1" =
http-equiv=3DContent-Type>
<META content=3D"MSHTML 5.00.2919.6307" name=3DGENERATOR>
<STYLE></STYLE>
</HEAD>
<BODY bgColor=3D#ffffff>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>Jim,</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>If it would not be too much trouble, I =
would=20
appreciate a copy. Send to:</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2> <A=20
href=3D"mailto:sbanks@wyoming.com">sbanks@wyoming.com</A></FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>Thanks, Steve Banks</FONT></DIV>
<BLOCKQUOTE=20
style=3D"BORDER-LEFT: #000000 2px solid; MARGIN-LEFT: 5px; MARGIN-RIGHT: =
0px; PADDING-LEFT: 5px; PADDING-RIGHT: 0px">
<DIV style=3D"FONT: 10pt arial">----- Original Message ----- </DIV>
<DIV=20
style=3D"BACKGROUND: #e4e4e4; FONT: 10pt arial; font-color: =
black"><B>From:</B>=20
<A href=3D"mailto:Casapy123@aol.com"=20
title=3DCasapy123@aol.com>Casapy123@aol.com</A> </DIV>
<DIV style=3D"FONT: 10pt arial"><B>To:</B> <A=20
href=3D"mailto:hist_text@lists.xmission.com"=20
title=3Dhist_text@lists.xmission.com>hist_text@lists.xmission.com</A> =
</DIV>
<DIV style=3D"FONT: 10pt arial"><B>Sent:</B> Thursday, June 05, 2003 =
4:42=20
PM</DIV>
<DIV style=3D"FONT: 10pt arial"><B>Subject:</B> Re: MtMan-List:Books =
the Mt. Man=20
Had</DIV>
<DIV><BR></DIV><FONT face=3Darial,helvetica><FONT face=3DArial =
lang=3D0 size=3D2=20
FAMILY=3D"SANSSERIF">Mark,<BR><BR>I did a research paper on the books =
the=20
trappers had during the Rocky Mountain fur trade period. Would you =
like a copy=20
of it? If so, would you rather I mailed it to you or sent it as an =
attachment=20
to e-mail?<BR><BR>Jim Hardee, AMM #1676<BR>P.O. Box 1228<BR>Quincy, =
CA =20
95971<BR></BLOCKQUOTE></FONT></FONT></BODY></HTML>
- ------=_NextPart_000_0052_01C32D1F.338E3660--
- ----------------------
hist_text list info: http://www.xmission.com/~drudy/mtman/maillist.html
------------------------------
Date: Sat, 7 Jun 2003 19:44:44 -0700 (PDT)
From: Samuel Keller <wolftalk_98@yahoo.com>
Subject: Re: MtMan-List:Books the Mt. Man Had
Mr. Hardee:
If it is not too much trouble, could you
send me a copy also???
My address is; wolftalk_98@yahoo.com
Thank you;
Sleepingbear
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: Casapy123@aol.com
> To: hist_text@lists.xmission.com
> Sent: Thursday, June 05, 2003 6:42 PM
> Subject: Re: MtMan-List:Books the Mt. Man Had
>
>
> Mark,
>
> I did a research paper on the books the trappers
> had during the Rocky Mountain fur trade period.
> Would you like a copy of it? If so, would you rather
> I mailed it to you or sent it as an attachment to
> e-mail?
>
> Jim Hardee, AMM #1676
> P.O. Box 1228
> Quincy, CA 95971
>
>
__________________________________
Do you Yahoo!?
Yahoo! Calendar - Free online calendar with sync to Outlook(TM).
http://calendar.yahoo.com
- ----------------------
hist_text list info: http://www.xmission.com/~drudy/mtman/maillist.html
------------------------------
Date: 08 Jun 2003 11:27:43 -0600
From: Phyllis and Don Keas <pdkeas@market1.com>
Subject: Re: MtMan-List:Books the Mt. Man Had
Sounds like you would save time by just posting it on the list . Don
On Saturday, June 7, 2003 8:44 PM, Samuel Keller <wolftalk_98@yahoo.com> =
wrote:
>Mr. Hardee:
> If it is not too much trouble, could you
>send me a copy also???
>My address is; wolftalk_98@yahoo.com
>
>Thank you;
>
>Sleepingbear
>>=20
>> ----- Original Message -----=20
>> From: Casapy123@aol.com=20
>> To: hist_text@lists.xmission.com=20
>> Sent: Thursday, June 05, 2003 6:42 PM
>> Subject: Re: MtMan-List:Books the Mt. Man Had
>>=20
>>=20
>> Mark,
>>=20
>> I did a research paper on the books the trappers
>> had during the Rocky Mountain fur trade period.
>> Would you like a copy of it? If so, would you rather
>> I mailed it to you or sent it as an attachment to
>> e-mail?
>>=20
>> Jim Hardee, AMM #1676
>> P.O. Box 1228
>> Quincy, CA 95971
>>=20
>>=20
>
>
>__________________________________
>Do you Yahoo!?
>Yahoo! Calendar - Free online calendar with sync to Outlook(TM).
>http://calendar.yahoo.com
>
>----------------------
>hist_text list info:
>http://www.xmission.com/~drudy/mtman/maillist.html
>
- ----------------------
hist_text list info: http://www.xmission.com/~drudy/mtman/maillist.html
------------------------------
Date: Sun, 8 Jun 2003 11:57:16 -0700
From: "DOROTHY MORRIS" <DKM2001@msn.com>
Subject: MtMan-List: Mountain Man's horse
This is a multi-part message in MIME format.
- ------=_NextPart_000_0039_01C32DB5.1B188C70
Content-Type: text/plain;
charset="iso-8859-1"
Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable
Can anyone tell me how a Mountain Man took fed his horse while up at a =
trapping camp during a Rocky Mountain Winter? I hear the horses ate the =
inner bark of the cottonwood tree, but how was it gathered and by whom? =
Did the horses roam at will to eat and risk being food for wolves? Were =
there enough cottonwood trees? What else did they eat? What were the =
logistics of this situation? Anyone know? Love to hear from you.
DKM
- ------=_NextPart_000_0039_01C32DB5.1B188C70
Content-Type: text/html;
charset="iso-8859-1"
Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable
<!DOCTYPE HTML PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD HTML 4.0 Transitional//EN">
<HTML><HEAD>
<META http-equiv=3DContent-Type =
content=3Dtext/html;charset=3Diso-8859-1>
<META content=3D"MSHTML 6.00.2800.1106" name=3DGENERATOR>
<STYLE></STYLE>
</HEAD>
<BODY id=3DMailContainerBody=20
style=3D"PADDING-LEFT: 10px; FONT-WEIGHT: normal; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; =
COLOR: #000000; BORDER-TOP-STYLE: none; PADDING-TOP: 15px; FONT-STYLE: =
normal; FONT-FAMILY: Verdana; BORDER-RIGHT-STYLE: none; =
BORDER-LEFT-STYLE: none; TEXT-DECORATION: none; BORDER-BOTTOM-STYLE: =
none"=20
leftMargin=3D0 topMargin=3D0 acc_role=3D"text" CanvasTabStop=3D"true"=20
name=3D"Compose message area"><?xml:namespace prefix=3D"v" =
/><?xml:namespace prefix=3D"o" />
<DIV>Can anyone tell me how a Mountain Man took fed his horse while up =
at a=20
trapping camp during a Rocky Mountain Winter? I hear the horses =
ate the=20
inner bark of the cottonwood tree, but how was it gathered and by whom? =
Did the=20
horses roam at will to eat and risk being food for =
wolves? Were there=20
enough cottonwood trees? What else did they eat? What were =
the=20
logistics of this situation? Anyone know? Love to hear from=20
you.</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>DKM</DIV></BODY></HTML>
- ------=_NextPart_000_0039_01C32DB5.1B188C70--
- ----------------------
hist_text list info: http://www.xmission.com/~drudy/mtman/maillist.html
------------------------------
Date: Sun, 8 Jun 2003 14:55:24 -0600
From: "Wynn Ormond" <cheyenne@pcu.net>
Subject: Re: MtMan-List: Mountain Man's horse
This is a multi-part message in MIME format.
- ------=_NextPart_000_0060_01C32DCD.FDA991C0
Content-Type: text/plain;
charset="iso-8859-1"
Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable
Ms. Morris
You ask more questions than I am going to have knowledge or time to =
answer, but let me put a little into the fire.
First from Zenas Lenard. There are more than one type of Cottonwood and =
horses will not touch the bitter stuff. His group watched every animal =
they had starve to death one winter from making this mistake. He said =
the sound was most pitiful.
Second horses are fairly resourceful. Early ranchers in Montana put =
horses with their cattle in winter pasture because the horses would dig =
through the snow so the cattle could get the idea and find feed. =
(Source forgotten in too much reading of history) So we are only =
talking the worst part of winter that cottonwood was required.
Third, it may be a stretch but I believe a lot of horse care was learned =
from the Indians who supplied a significant part of the beasts in the =
first place. From John Ewers book The Horse in Blackfoot Culture. =20
"In winter cautious owners no longer delegated care of their horses to =
adolscent boys. They cared for the animals themselves. . . ponies were =
remarkably adept at [rustling food]. . . some horses "chewed like =
beavers"on the cottonwood branches without waiting for their owners. . . =
[There was an] ever present threat of diaster to horse herds in the area =
of severe winters. . . .
He quotes Ashley in 1826 saying:
". . . .horses may be wintered with little inconvience. . . suppose it =
almost as nutritous as timothy hay. (42-45)
Fourth, dispite popular image of the lone trappers living alone for =
months at a time, most trapper were closely united to a group of some =
type. They might spend a lot of time out traveling alone or in small =
groups but they were within a maxuim of a couple days ride of the main =
group. I have read that in a typical brigade at least half of the men =
were likely to be camp keepers. Gathering enough feed for the horses =
and mules to survive an average winter was probably not that tough in =
times when there wasn't much else to do.=20
Fifth, I dont believe wolves were that big a concern to a herd of =
horses tough little mountain ponies, wondering to far or being wondered =
by another tribe would be a greater concern and that did not change no =
matter the time of year.
Wynn Ormond
----- Original Message -----=20
From: DOROTHY MORRIS=20
To: hist_text@lists.xmission.com=20
Sent: Sunday, June 08, 2003 12:57 PM
Subject: MtMan-List: Mountain Man's horse
Can anyone tell me how a Mountain Man took fed his horse while up at a =
trapping camp during a Rocky Mountain Winter? I hear the horses ate the =
inner bark of the cottonwood tree, but how was it gathered and by whom? =
Did the horses roam at will to eat and risk being food for wolves? Were =
there enough cottonwood trees? What else did they eat? What were the =
logistics of this situation? Anyone know? Love to hear from you.
DKM
- ------=_NextPart_000_0060_01C32DCD.FDA991C0
Content-Type: text/html;
charset="iso-8859-1"
Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable
<!DOCTYPE HTML PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD HTML 4.0 Transitional//EN">
<HTML xmlns:v xmlns:o><HEAD>
<META http-equiv=3DContent-Type =
content=3Dtext/html;charset=3Diso-8859-1>
<META content=3D"MSHTML 5.50.4522.1800" name=3DGENERATOR>
<STYLE></STYLE>
</HEAD>
<BODY id=3DMailContainerBody=20
style=3D"PADDING-LEFT: 10px; FONT-WEIGHT: normal; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; =
COLOR: #000000; BORDER-TOP-STYLE: none; PADDING-TOP: 15px; FONT-STYLE: =
normal; FONT-FAMILY: Verdana; BORDER-RIGHT-STYLE: none; =
BORDER-LEFT-STYLE: none; TEXT-DECORATION: none; BORDER-BOTTOM-STYLE: =
none"=20
bgColor=3D#ffffff leftMargin=3D0 topMargin=3D0 name=3D"Compose message =
area"=20
CanvasTabStop=3D"true" acc_role=3D"text">
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial>Ms. Morris</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial>You ask more questions than I am going to have =
knowledge=20
or time to answer, but let me put a little into the fire.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial>First from Zenas Lenard. There are more =
than one=20
type of Cottonwood and horses will not touch the bitter stuff. His =
group=20
watched every animal they had starve to death one winter from making =
this=20
mistake. He said the sound was most pitiful.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial>Second horses are fairly resourceful. =
Early ranchers=20
in Montana put horses with their cattle in winter pasture because the =
horses=20
would dig through the snow so the cattle could get the idea and find =
feed. =20
(Source forgotten in too much reading of history) So we are only =
talking=20
the worst part of winter that cottonwood was required.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial>Third, it may be a stretch but I believe a lot =
of horse=20
care was learned from the Indians who supplied a significant part of the =
beasts=20
in the first place. From John Ewers book The Horse in Blackfoot=20
Culture. </FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial>"In winter cautious owners no longer delegated =
care of=20
their horses to adolscent boys. They cared for the animals =
themselves. . .=20
ponies were remarkably adept at [rustling food]. . . some horses "chewed =
like=20
beavers"on the cottonwood branches without waiting for their owners. . . =
[There=20
was an] ever present threat of diaster to horse herds in the area of =
severe=20
winters. . . .</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial>He quotes Ashley in =
1826 saying:</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial>". . . .horses may be wintered with little =
inconvience. .=20
. suppose it almost as nutritous as timothy hay. (42-45)</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV> <FONT face=3DArial>Fourth, dispite popular image of the lone =
trappers=20
living alone for months at a time, most trapper were closely united to a =
group=20
of some type. They might spend a lot of time out traveling =
alone or=20
in small groups but they were within a maxuim of a couple days ride of =
the main=20
group. I have read that in a typical brigade at least half of the =
men were=20
likely to be camp keepers. Gathering enough feed for the horses =
and mules=20
to survive an average winter was probably not that tough in times when =
there=20
wasn't much else to do. </FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial>Fifth, I dont believe wolves were that =
big a=20
concern to a herd of horses tough little mountain ponies, wondering to =
far or=20
being wondered by another tribe would be a greater concern and that did =
not=20
change no matter the time of year.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial>Wynn Ormond</FONT></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<BLOCKQUOTE dir=3Dltr=20
style=3D"PADDING-RIGHT: 0px; PADDING-LEFT: 5px; MARGIN-LEFT: 5px; =
BORDER-LEFT: #000000 2px solid; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0px">
<DIV style=3D"FONT: 10pt arial">----- Original Message ----- </DIV>
<DIV=20
style=3D"BACKGROUND: #e4e4e4; FONT: 10pt arial; font-color: =
black"><B>From:</B>=20
<A title=3DDKM2001@msn.com href=3D"mailto:DKM2001@msn.com">DOROTHY =
MORRIS</A>=20
</DIV>
<DIV style=3D"FONT: 10pt arial"><B>To:</B> <A =
title=3Dhist_text@lists.xmission.com=20
=
href=3D"mailto:hist_text@lists.xmission.com">hist_text@lists.xmission.com=
</A>=20
</DIV>
<DIV style=3D"FONT: 10pt arial"><B>Sent:</B> Sunday, June 08, 2003 =
12:57=20
PM</DIV>
<DIV style=3D"FONT: 10pt arial"><B>Subject:</B> MtMan-List: Mountain =
Man's=20
horse</DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial></FONT><FONT face=3DArial></FONT><FONT=20
face=3DArial></FONT><FONT face=3DArial></FONT><BR></DIV>
<DIV>Can anyone tell me how a Mountain Man took fed his horse while up =
at a=20
trapping camp during a Rocky Mountain Winter? I hear the horses =
ate the=20
inner bark of the cottonwood tree, but how was it gathered and by =
whom? Did=20
the horses roam at will to eat and risk being food for=20
wolves? Were there enough cottonwood trees? What else =
did they=20
eat? What were the logistics of this situation? Anyone =
know? =20
Love to hear from you.</DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV>DKM</DIV></BLOCKQUOTE></BODY></HTML>
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------------------------------
Date: Sun, 8 Jun 2003 15:05:34 -0600 (MDT)
From: beaverboy@sofast.net
Subject: Re: MtMan-List: Mountain Man's horse
Had to keep an eye on horses constantly in Indian country. What was
the old saying? "Count their ribs or count their tracks".
bb
> Can anyone tell me how a Mountain Man took fed his horse while up at a
> trapping camp during a Rocky Mountain Winter? I hear the horses ate the
> inner bark of the cottonwood tree, but how was it gathered and by whom?
> Did the horses roam at will to eat and risk being food for wolves? Were
> there enough cottonwood trees? What else did they eat? What were the
> logistics of this situation? Anyone know? Love to hear from you.
>
> DKM
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------------------------------
Date: Sun, 8 Jun 2003 20:09:46 EDT
From: Casapy123@aol.com
Subject: Re: MtMan-List:Books the Mt. Man Had
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I tried to post the article on the list. Can anyone tell me if it came
through? Someone said they did not think you could do it so it might have been lost
somewhere in cyberspace. I have sent a copy by individual e-mail to those who
requested one. (At least I think I got everyone. If you haven't got a copy and
want it, e-mail me again.)
Jim Hardee, AMM #1676
P.O. Box 1228
Quincy, CA 95971
(530) 283-3330 (W)
(530) 283-4566 (H)
(530) 283-5171 FAX
Casapy123@aol.com
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Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable
<HTML><FONT FACE=3Darial,helvetica><FONT SIZE=3D2 FAMILY=3D"SANSSERIF" FACE=
=3D"Arial" LANG=3D"0">I tried to post the article on the list. Can anyone te=
ll me if it came through? Someone said they did not think you could do it so=
it might have been lost somewhere in cyberspace. I have sent a copy by indi=
vidual e-mail to those who requested one. (At least I think I got everyone.=20=
If you haven't got a copy and want it, e-mail me again.)<BR>
<BR>
Jim Hardee, AMM #1676<BR>
P.O. Box 1228<BR>
Quincy, CA 95971<BR>
(530) 283-3330 (W)<BR>
(530) 283-4566 (H)<BR>
(530) 283-5171 FAX<BR>
Casapy123@aol.com </FONT></HTML>
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------------------------------
Date: Sun, 08 Jun 2003 17:52:15 -0700
From: Rick Guglielmi <rickg@oregontrail.net>
Subject: Re: MtMan-List:Books the Mt. Man Had
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Jim,
So far I have not seen your article show up on the list. How about sending
me a copy.
thanks, Rick
At 08:09 PM 06/08/2003 -0400, you wrote:
>I tried to post the article on the list. Can anyone tell me if it came
>through? Someone said they did not think you could do it so it might have
>been lost somewhere in cyberspace. I have sent a copy by individual e-mail
>to those who requested one. (At least I think I got everyone. If you
>haven't got a copy and want it, e-mail me again.)
>
>Jim Hardee, AMM #1676
>P.O. Box 1228
>Quincy, CA 95971
>(530) 283-3330 (W)
>(530) 283-4566 (H)
>(530) 283-5171 FAX
>Casapy123@aol.com
- --=====================_27200000==_.ALT
Content-Type: text/html; charset="us-ascii"
<html>
Jim, <br><br>
So far I have not seen your article show up on the list. How about
sending me a copy.<br><br>
thanks, Rick<br>
At 08:09 PM 06/08/2003 -0400, you wrote:<br>
<blockquote type=cite class=cite cite><font size=2>I tried to post the
article on the list. Can anyone tell me if it came through? Someone said
they did not think you could do it so it might have been lost somewhere
in cyberspace. I have sent a copy by individual e-mail to those who
requested one. (At least I think I got everyone. If you haven't got a
copy and want it, e-mail me again.)<br><br>
Jim Hardee, AMM #1676<br>
P.O. Box 1228<br>
Quincy, CA 95971<br>
(530) 283-3330 (W)<br>
(530) 283-4566 (H)<br>
(530) 283-5171 FAX<br>
Casapy123@aol.com </font></blockquote></html>
- --=====================_27200000==_.ALT--
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hist_text list info: http://www.xmission.com/~drudy/mtman/maillist.html
------------------------------
Date: Sun, 8 Jun 2003 20:10:49 -0600
From: David A Miller <dammiller@juno.com>
Subject: Re: MtMan-List:Books the Mt. Man Had
This message is in MIME format. Since your mail reader does not understand
this format, some or all of this message may not be legible.
- ----__JNP_000_79f6.26fd.7665
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii
Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit
could you send the post to me (dammiller@juno.com). I did not see it
post to the list.
thanks
Dave
On Sun, 8 Jun 2003 20:09:46 EDT Casapy123@aol.com writes:
I tried to post the article on the list. Can anyone tell me if it came
through? Someone said they did not think you could do it so it might have
been lost somewhere in cyberspace. I have sent a copy by individual
e-mail to those who requested one. (At least I think I got everyone. If
you haven't got a copy and want it, e-mail me again.)
Jim Hardee, AMM #1676
P.O. Box 1228
Quincy, CA 95971
(530) 283-3330 (W)
(530) 283-4566 (H)
(530) 283-5171 FAX
Casapy123@aol.com
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Content-Type: text/html; charset=us-ascii
Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable
<!DOCTYPE HTML PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD HTML 4.0 Transitional//EN">
<HTML><HEAD>
<META http-equiv=3Dcontent-type content=3Dtext/html;charset=3DUS-ASCII>
<META content=3D"MSHTML 6.00.2800.1170" name=3DGENERATOR></HEAD>
<BODY>
<DIV>could you send the post to me (<A=20
href=3D"mailto:dammiller@juno.com">dammiller@juno.com</A>). I did not=
see it=20
post to the list.</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>thanks</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>Dave</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>On Sun, 8 Jun 2003 20:09:46 EDT <A=20
href=3D"mailto:Casapy123@aol.com">Casapy123@aol.com</A> writes:</DIV>
<BLOCKQUOTE dir=3Dltr=20
style=3D"PADDING-LEFT: 10px; MARGIN-LEFT: 10px; BORDER-LEFT: #000000 2px =
solid">
<DIV><FONT face=3Darial,helvetica><FONT lang=3D0 face=3DArial size=3D2=20
FAMILY=3D"SANSSERIF">I tried to post the article on the list. Can anyone =
tell me=20
if it came through? Someone said they did not think you could do it so it=
=20
might have been lost somewhere in cyberspace. I have sent a copy by =
individual=20
e-mail to those who requested one. (At least I think I got everyone. If =
you=20
haven't got a copy and want it, e-mail me again.)<BR><BR>Jim Hardee, AMM=
=20
#1676<BR>P.O. Box 1228<BR>Quincy, CA 95971<BR>(530) 283-3330=20
(W)<BR>(530) 283-4566 (H)<BR>(530) 283-5171 FAX<BR>Casapy123@aol.com=20
</FONT></FONT></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV></BLOCKQUOTE></BODY></HTML>
- ----__JNP_000_79f6.26fd.7665--
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------------------------------
Date: Mon, 9 Jun 2003 00:11:09 EDT
From: MarkLoader@aol.com
Subject: Re: MtMan-List:Books the Mt. Man Had
Jim
I ran into this problem trying to send my library list as an attachment on
the list. Maybe you can copy it into a post or two if it is too long. Or send
it to me as a private email.
Thanks Mark "Roadkill" Loader
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------------------------------
Date: Mon, 9 Jun 2003 00:22:05 EDT
From: Casapy123@aol.com
Subject: Re: MtMan-List:Books the Mt. Man Had - Here is the Article
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The Well Read Trapper
By Jim Hardee
"We had an abundance of reading matter with us; old mountain men were al=
l=20
great readers. It was always amusing to me to hear people from the East=20
speak of old mountaineers as semi-barbarians, when as a general rule they we=
re the=20
peers of the Easterners in general knowledge." (Hamilton, 68)
This quote from William T. Hamilton, made in the summer of 1842, calls=20
for reconsideration of the stereotypical view of the Rocky Mountain trapper=20=
as=20
an illiterate ruffian. To learn that mountaineers were avid bookworms chang=
es=20
the outlook of the generally accepted representation of the men who entered=20
the mountains in search of beaver. What publications were present in fur tr=
ade=20
circles? What novels were passed around the fire during winter encampments?=
=20
This article examines the record for evidence of the books found among the=20
packs of traders and fur men.
Many early chroniclers of the westward push toward the Rockies carried=20
books as part of their outfit. Often, a general reference to books is made=20
without specifying titles. Examples of such nonspecific mention include Phi=
llip=20
Maximilian. The Prince of Wied-Neuwied reported his 1832 expedition's=20
necessaries comprised
". . . coffee, sugar, brandy, candles, fine gunpowder, shot of every kind,=20
colours, paper, some books, &c." (Maximilian, 235fn.) =20
Alexander Ross makes another general reference to books. In July 1813, Ross=
=20
wrote
". . .one of the canoes in ascending the rapid, sheered out in the stream,=20
whirled round and round and upset. With great difficulty and danger the men=
=20
were saved, but a good deal of property was irrecoverably lost, and, among o=
ther=20
things, a box of mine, containing books and mathematical instruments,=20
quadrant, sextant, and a valuable pair of pistols - all went to the bottom."=
(Ross,=20
240.)=20
Other general mentions include Narcissa Whitman's complaint that the=20
books they carried had gotten wet several times while traveling along the Sn=
ake=20
River, west of Fort Hall. (Drury, 85) According to his biographer, Manuel=20
Alvarez' journals for the winter of 1833 indicate he must have been reading=20
historical, philosophical or religious books. (Dunham, 187) Job Dye acquired=
a=20
considerable number of books in his later life as employee, Nicholas Dawson,=
=20
states Dye supplied him with large amounts of reading material. Dye's libra=
ry was=20
greatly extended when Commodore Sloat presented Dye's wife one thousand=20
volumes in appreciation of her gift to him of a fine horse. (Cline, 264) Je=
dediah=20
Smith's estate contained a trunk of books with no titles named. Finally,=20
Washington Irving reported the Astorians found a few books scattered about t=
he=20
opened caches near the Caldron Linn. (Irving, 338)
Yet, specific titles are readily found in the annals of the Rocky=20
Mountain west beginning as early as the journals written by the Corps of=20
Discovery. Meriwether Lewis purchased a veritable reference library for the=
ir=20
cross-continent trek in the early 1800s. Among these works were found The N=
autical=20
Almanac and Astronomical Ephemeris, published by order of the Commissioners=20=
of=20
Longitude (London, 1781-1804); Nevil Maskelyn, Tables Requisite To Be Used W=
ith=20
the Nautical Ephemeris for Finding the Latitude and Longitude at Sea (London=
,=20
1781); Richard Kirwan, Elements of Mineralogy (London, 1784); Benjamin Smith=
=20
Barton, Elements of Botany (Philadelphia, 1803); John Miller, An Illustratio=
n=20
of the Sexual System of Linnaeus, vol. 1 (London, 1779) and An Illustration=20=
of=20
the Termini Botanici of Linnaeus, vol. 2 (London, 1789); and Patrick Kelly,=20=
A=20
Practical Introduction to Spherics and Nautical Astronomy (London, 1796). =20
These tomes were to be used to help the Captains identify flora and fauna,=20
establish their position, and accomplish the other more scientific related t=
asks of=20
their trek.. (Jackson, 70, 75n, 96, 99n)=20
Stephen H. Long, leader of another government-sponsored expedition in=20
1819-20, also carried books into the wilderness. Edwin James, a scientist=20
assigned to the expedition and writer of the official report, was not as gen=
erous in=20
delineating titles as was Lewis. James recorded "We were furnished with an=20
adequate supply of arms and ammunition, and a collection of books and=20
instruments." (James, 44) Being lumped with instruments may well indicate t=
hese were=20
reference works intended to guide the scientific and exploration aims of the=
=20
journey. James makes several references to the narrative of Lewis and Clark=
so=20
it is likely Long was provided with a copy of The History of the Expedition=20
Under the Commands of Captains Lewis and Clark, finally edited and published=
by=20
Nicholas Biddle in 1816 in two volumes.
It makes sense that parties venturing into relatively unknown regions=20
would bring the records of those who had gone before them. A prime example=
is=20
Nathaniel Wyeth's party of 1832. The captain's brother, John B. Wyeth, did=20=
not=20
enjoy his trip west and wrote a somewhat pessimistic account of his=20
experiences. In this book he wrote, "The journal of Lewis and Clarke to the=
Pacific=20
ocean, over the Rocky Mountains, was a popular book in the hands of every bo=
dy;=20
and the Expedition of Major Long and company was as much read=E2=80=A6" (Wye=
th, 82). =20
He also refers to an "engraved representation" of the Flathead Indians in "M=
r.=20
Long's book. (Wyeth, 53) =20
Numerous references are made to information contained in the Lewis and=20
Clark Journals by Warren Ferris, writing in the early 1830s. Ferris frequen=
tly=20
relates incidents and sites from his experiences, correlating them to simila=
r=20
events or locations from Lewis and Clark. Examples include, "The Sho-sho-ne=
=20
Cove, where Capt. Lewis in advance of the canoes and with one attendant,=20
discovered the first Rocky Mountain Indian," "through the Rattle Snake Cliff=
s to the=20
forks where Lewis and Clark left their canoes," and "following the same trai=
l=20
that guided Lewis and Clark there so many years before Us." (Ferris, 176,=20
192, 193) Based on the frequency Ferris refers to these early journals, he=20
either knows the journals well or, more probably, has them with him.
Further documentation of trappers possessing the journals form Lewis and=
=20
Clark can be found in the March 16, 1824 entry of Duncan Finlayson in the=20
Edmonton House log. Finlayson wrote "Mess [Patrick] Small & [George] Descha=
mbault=20
finished trading with the Blood Indians - they brought principally beavers &=
=20
Robes - They have brought us some more trophies of their victory over the=20
unfortunate Americans with whom they fought last Summer, such as Rifles, the=
first=20
Volume of the Arabian Nights, Lewis & Clarke's travels in two Volumes, and a=
=20
small quarto marble covered book=E2=80=A6" (Morgan, 44) These were spoils t=
aken from=20
either the Immell and Jones massacre or the run in Andrew Henry and his men=20
had, both events in 1823. The "small quarto marble covered book" was an acc=
ount=20
book listing the names of thirty men in the party so identification of the=20
Americans would have been possible.
Arabian Nights, a collection of about 200 stories, includes such tales a=
s=20
the adventures of Aladdin, Ali Baba and Sinbad. What is more interesting is=
=20
that these tales were translated from the original Arabic to French for the=20
first time in the early 1700s and were not converted into English until the=20
1880s. To enjoy these stories, some American trapper in the Three Forks are=
a had=20
to have been fluent in French; not unusual given the number of=20
French-Canadians in the fur trade.
Other novels provided entertainment for trappers in the field as well. =20
Louis Vasquez wrote his brother, Benito, from Ham's Fork on July 9, 1834, "I=
f=20
you can procure me some novels Mr. Campbell will be pleased to bring them to=
=20
me." (Hafen, 324) While it is not known which novels Vasquez may have found=
=20
among the packs Campbell brought out the next summer, Joe Meek gives some id=
ea of=20
the best-sellers in the mountains. Meek's biographer, Frances Victor, says=20
the mountain men exhausted the retelling of their own adventures then rehear=
sed=20
the tales they had read in their youth. "Robinson Crusoe and the Arabian=20
Nights Entertainment, were read over again by the light of memory; and even=20
Bunyan's Pilgrim's Progress was made to recite like a sensation novel=E2=80=
=A6" (Victor,=20
196) Daniel Defoe, known by some as the father of the English novel, wrote=20
Robinson Crusoe in 1719. John Bunyan wrote his allegorical piece in the lat=
e=20
1600s. These books were recited in the Rockies if not read out right.
Meek provides more information on the literary pursuits of his comrades.=
=20
He tells of the Rocky Mountain College courses that took place during winter=
=20
camp. Meek learned to read by the light of the campfire from a fellow trapp=
er=20
named Green. (Victor, 84) Meek soon acquired enough ability to "enjoy an ol=
d=20
copy of Shakespeare, which, with a Bible, was carried about with the propert=
y=20
of the camp." (Victor, 84) Apparently some books were among the holdings of=
=20
the company rather than the individual mountaineer.
Another book mentioned in Meek's biography is Scottish Chiefs, written b=
y=20
Jane Porter. First published in 1810 to spectacular success throughout=20
Europe, the book was reprinted in 1831 and again in 1839. It is the tale of=
Sir=20
William Wallace and Robert the Bruce. Meek's biographer says "=E2=80=A6his=20=
spouse had=20
carried with her a pretty and sprightly baby-daughter, of whom the father wa=
s=20
fond and proud, and who had been christened Helen Mar, after one of the hero=
ines=20
of Miss Porter's Scottish Chiefs - a book much admired in the mountains, as=20
it has been elsewhere." (Victor, 238) =20
In another biography of Joseph Meek, Harvey E. Tobie cites several other=
=20
volumes to be found among a trapper's plunder. "They had access to the Bibl=
e,=20
to the works of Shakespeare, Byron, Scott and many other writers."(Hafen,=20
Vol. I, 325) Meek apparently knew the Bard well enough to quote him in=20
explaining a prank to John McLoughlin. According to Tobie, Meek said, "=E2=
=80=A6it is not that=20
I love Brutus less, but my dignity more." Warren Ferris also refers to Byro=
n=20
but while it is clear Ferris is quite familiar with the author, it is not=20
clear the book was in his possession. (Ferris, 298-99) =20
Another citation of Shakespeare comes from William Hamilton, quoted at=20
the beginning of this article. Hamilton joined a party of free trappers led=20=
by=20
Bill Williams and George Perkins. Both of the latter men were experienced=20
trappers and undoubtedly among the "old mountain men" referred to by Hamilto=
n. In=20
the Owl Creek Mountains, the party crossed the trail of a small party of=20
mountaineers who had recently been attacked by Blackfeet. Hamilton describe=
d the=20
three survivors as "nervy=E2=80=A6one was a Scotchman, one a Frenchman from=20=
St. Louis,=20
and the third came from Kentucky=E2=80=A6I found the Scotchman and the Kentu=
ckian=20
well educated men. The latter presented me with a copy of Shakespeare and a=
n=20
ancient and modern history which he had in his pack." (Hamilton, 68)
Tobie does not provide sources for his claim that the books he names=20
were present in the mountains although it is probably Osborne Russell. Writ=
ing=20
from the vicinity of Fort Hall during the winter of 1839, Russelll states he=
=20
and his party "passed an agreeable winter=E2=80=A6We had some few Books to r=
ead such=20
as Byrons Shakespeares and Scotts works the Bible and Clarks Commentary on=20=
it=20
and other small works on Geology Chemistry and Philosophy--" (Russell, 109)=20=
=20
Classics in their day as well as now, Sir Walter Scott penned a long series=20=
of=20
works called the Waverly novels, but he may be best known as the author of=20
Ivanhoe. Lord George Gordon Byron was an English romantic poet who wrote wi=
th an=20
underlying theme insisting that people be free to choose their own course in=
=20
life; just the sort of reading that a mountaineer might fancy. Byron's=20
masterpiece was undoubtedly the legend of the epic hero, Don Juan.
Here again is mention of both Shakespeare and the Bible. Another religious=20
oriented item is the Bible Commentary written by Adam Clarke. This was a=20
multi-volume work begun in 1810. How many of the eight volumes were accessi=
ble is=20
not clear. =20
Apparently, reading the Bible and Clarke's Commentary had a tremendous impac=
t=20
on Russell that changed him spiritually. A deep religious conviction=20
developed as he carefully studied the Bible while trapping the area around G=
ray's=20
Marsh with partner Elbridge Trask. According to Reverend George H. Atkinson=
,=20
Russell became convinced of the Bible's truth and knew he had not lived up t=
o its=20
principles. He then abandoned his life as a mountaineer and went to the=20
Willamette Valley with the wagon train led by Elijah White in 1842. (Russel=
l,=20
viii)
It is also interesting that Russell mentions texts on geology,=20
chemistry and philosophy. By that time, the Hudson's Bay Company owned For=
t Hall,=20
Nathaniel Wyeth having sold out in 1836. Factor John McLoughlin maintained=20=
a=20
circulating library at Fort Vancouver, sending books to various out lying po=
sts=20
on a rotating basis. It is likely Russell borrowed the publications=20
mentioned in his journal from the HBC staff at Fort Hall. In May of 1840 Ru=
ssell and=20
his partner, Trask, separated leaving him alone with his two horses and "som=
e=20
books I brot from the Fort. (Russell, viii, 111)
These are but a few of the titles that appear in the primary record.=20=
=20
There are others, but enough are presented here to establish the literary=20
worthiness of the well-read trapper. It is plain to see that the mountainee=
r in=20
the Rocky Mountains was aware of classical literature and kept relatively=20
current on the best sellers of that era.
=20
References:
Cline, Gloria G. "Job Francis Dye," in Mountain Men and the Fur Trade of the=
=20
Far West. Vol. I. Leroy Hafen, ed. Arthur H. Clark, Glendale, CA 1965.
Drury, Clifford M. First White Women Over the Rockies. Vol. I. Arthur Clark=20
Co. Glendale, CA. 1963.
Dunham, Harold H. "Manuel Alvarez," in Mountain Men and the Fur Trade of the=
=20
Far West. Vol. I. Leroy Hafen, ed. Arthur H. Clark, Glendale, CA 1965.
Ferris, Warren A. Life in the Rocky Mountains. Leroy R. Hafen, ed. Old West=20
Publishing Co. Denver, CO. 1983.
Hafen, Leroy R. "Louis Vasquez," The Mountain Men and the Fur Trade of the=20
Far West. Vol. II. Leroy Hafen, ed. Arthur H. Clark Co., Glendale, CA=20=
=20
1965.=20
Hamilton, William T. My Sixty Years on the Plains. E.T. Seiber, ed. Long's=20
College Book Co. Columbus, OH. 1951
Irving, Washington. Astoria. Binfords & Mort. Portland, OR.=20
Jackson, Donald, ed. Letters of the Lewis and Clark Expedition with Related=20
Documents, 1783-1854. University of Illinois Press, Chicago. 1978.
James, Edwin. Account of an Expedition From Pittsburgh to the Rocky=20
Mountains. Reuben G. Thwaites, ed. Early Western Travels, Vol. XIV. AMS=20=
Press, Inc.=20
New York. 1966.
Maximilian, Phillip. Travels in the Interior of North America. Reuben G.=20
Thwaites, ed. Early Western Travels, Vol. XXII. AMS Press, Inc. New York. 1=
966.
Morgan, Dale. The West of William Ashley. Old West Publishing, Denver, CO.=20
1964.
Ross, Alexander. Adventures of the First Settlers on the Oregon or Columbia=20
River. Reuben G. Thwaites, ed. Early Western Travels, Vol. VII. AMS Pres=
s,=20
Inc. New York. 1966.
Russell, Osborne. Journal of a Trapper. Aubrey L. Haines, ed. Oregon=20
Historical Society, Champoeg Press. Portland, OR. 1955.
Tobie, Harvey E. "Joseph L. Meek" The Mountain Men and the Fur Trade of the=20
Far West. Vol. I. Leroy Hafen, ed. Arthur H. Clark Co., Glendale, CA =20
1965.=20
Victor, Frances, F. The River of the West. R.W. Bliss & Co. Hartford, CT.=20
1870.=20
Wyeth, John B. Oregon; or A Short History of a Long Journey From the Atlanti=
c=20
Ocean to the Region of the Pacific by Land. Readex Microprint Corp. 1966=
.
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<HTML><FONT FACE=3Darial,helvetica><FONT SIZE=3D2 FAMILY=3D"SANSSERIF" FACE=
=3D"Arial" LANG=3D"0"> &nbs=
p; The Well Read Tr=
apper<BR>
=20=
=20=
By Jim Hardee<BR>
<BR>
"We had an abundance of reading matter with us; old mountain men were al=
l great readers. It was always amusing to me to hear people from the E=
ast speak of old mountaineers as semi-barbarians, when as a general rule the=
y were the peers of the Easterners in general knowledge." (Hamilton, 68)<BR>
<BR>
This quote from William T. Hamilton, made in the summer of 1842, calls f=
or reconsideration of the stereotypical view of the Rocky Mountain trapper a=
s an illiterate ruffian. To learn that mountaineers were avid bookworm=
s changes the outlook of the generally accepted representation of the men wh=
o entered the mountains in search of beaver. What publications were pr=
esent in fur trade circles? What novels were passed around the fire du=
ring winter encampments? This article examines the record for evidence=
of the books found among the packs of traders and fur men.<BR>
Many early chroniclers of the westward push toward the Rockies carried b=
ooks as part of their outfit. Often, a general reference to books is m=
ade without specifying titles. Examples of such nonspecific mention in=
clude Phillip Maximilian. The Prince of Wied-Neuwied reported his 1832=
expedition's necessaries comprised<BR>
<BR>
". . . coffee, sugar, brandy, candles, fine gunpowder, shot of every kind, c=
olours, paper, some books, &c." (Maximilian, 235fn.) &n=
bsp; <BR>
<BR>
Alexander Ross makes another general reference to books. In July 1813,=
Ross wrote<BR>
<BR>
". . .one of the canoes in ascending the rapid, sheered out in the stream, w=
hirled round and round and upset. With great difficulty and danger the=
men were saved, but a good deal of property was irrecoverably lost, and, am=
ong other things, a box of mine, containing books and mathematical instrumen=
ts, quadrant, sextant, and a valuable pair of pistols - all went to the bott=
om." (Ross, 240.) <BR>
<BR>
Other general mentions include Narcissa=
Whitman's complaint that the books they carried had gotten wet several time=
s while traveling along the Snake River, west of Fort Hall. (Drury, 85) =
; According to his biographer, Manuel Alvarez' journals for the winter of 18=
33 indicate he must have been reading historical, philosophical or religious=
books. (Dunham, 187) Job Dye acquired a considerable number of books in his=
later life as employee, Nicholas Dawson, states Dye supplied him with large=
amounts of reading material. Dye's library was greatly extended when=20=
Commodore Sloat presented Dye's wife one thousand volumes in appreciation of=
her gift to him of a fine horse. (Cline, 264) Jedediah Smith's estate=
contained a trunk of books with no titles named. Finally, Washington=20=
Irving reported the Astorians found a few books scattered about the opened c=
aches near the Caldron Linn. (Irving, 338)<BR>
Yet, specific titles are readily found=20=
in the annals of the Rocky Mountain west beginning as early as the journals=20=
written by the Corps of Discovery. Meriwether Lewis purchased a verita=
ble reference library for their cross-continent trek in the early 1800s.&nbs=
p; Among these works were found The Nautical Almanac and Astronomical Epheme=
ris, published by order of the Commissioners of Longitude (London, 1781-1804=
); Nevil Maskelyn, Tables Requisite To Be Used With the Nautical Ephemeris f=
or Finding the Latitude and Longitude at Sea (London, 1781); Richard Kirwan,=
Elements of Mineralogy (London, 1784); Benjamin Smith Barton, Elements of B=
otany (Philadelphia, 1803); John Miller, An Illustration of the Sexual Syste=
m of Linnaeus, vol. 1 (London, 1779) and An Illustration of the Termini Bota=
nici of Linnaeus, vol. 2 (London, 1789); and Patrick Kelly, A Practical Intr=
oduction to Spherics and Nautical Astronomy (London, 1796). These tome=
s were to be used to help the Captains identify flora and fauna, establish t=
heir position, and accomplish the other more scientific related tasks of the=
ir trek.. (Jackson, 70, 75n, 96, 99n) <BR>
Stephen H. Long, leader of another government-sponsored expedition in 18=
19-20, also carried books into the wilderness. Edwin James, a scientis=
t assigned to the expedition and writer of the official report, was not as g=
enerous in delineating titles as was Lewis. James recorded "We were fu=
rnished with an adequate supply of arms and ammunition, and a collection of=20=
books and instruments." (James, 44) Being lumped with instruments may=20=
well indicate these were reference works intended to guide the scientific an=
d exploration aims of the journey. James makes several references to t=
he narrative of Lewis and Clark so it is likely Long was provided with a cop=
y of The History of the Expedition Under the Commands of Captains Lewis and=20=
Clark, finally edited and published by Nicholas Biddle in 1816 in two volume=
s.<BR>
It makes sense that parties venturing into relatively unknown regions wo=
uld bring the records of those who had gone before them. A prime=
example is Nathaniel Wyeth's party of 1832. The captain's brother, Jo=
hn B. Wyeth, did not enjoy his trip west and wrote a somewhat pessimistic ac=
count of his experiences. In this book he wrote, "The journal of Lewis=
and Clarke to the Pacific ocean, over the Rocky Mountains, was a popular bo=
ok in the hands of every body; and the Expedition of Major Long and company=20=
was as much read=E2=80=A6" (Wyeth, 82). He also refers to an "engraved=
representation" of the Flathead Indians in "Mr. Long's book. (Wyeth, 53)&nb=
sp; <BR>
Numerous references are made to information contained in the Lewis and C=
lark Journals by Warren Ferris, writing in the early 1830s. Ferris fre=
quently relates incidents and sites from his experiences, correlating them t=
o similar events or locations from Lewis and Clark. Examples include,=20=
"The Sho-sho-ne Cove, where Capt. Lewis in advance of the canoes and with on=
e attendant, discovered the first Rocky Mountain Indian," "through the Rattl=
e Snake Cliffs to the forks where Lewis and Clark left their canoes," and "f=
ollowing the same trail that guided Lewis and Clark there so many years befo=
re Us." (Ferris, 176, 192, 193) Based on the frequency Ferris refers t=
o these early journals, he either knows the journals well or, more probably,=
has them with him.<BR>
Further documentation of trappers possessing the journals form Lewis and=
Clark can be found in the March 16, 1824 entry of Duncan Finlayson in the E=
dmonton House log. Finlayson wrote "Mess [Patrick] Small & [George=
] Deschambault finished trading with the Blood Indians - they brought princi=
pally beavers & Robes - They have brought us some more trophies of their=
victory over the unfortunate Americans with whom they fought last Summer, s=
uch as Rifles, the first Volume of the Arabian Nights, Lewis & Clarke's=20=
travels in two Volumes, and a small quarto marble covered book=E2=80=A6" (Mo=
rgan, 44) These were spoils taken from either the Immell and Jones mas=
sacre or the run in Andrew Henry and his men had, both events in 1823. =
The "small quarto marble covered book" was an account book listing the name=
s of thirty men in the party so identification of the Americans would have b=
een possible.<BR>
Arabian Nights, a collection of about 200 stories, includes such tales a=
s the adventures of Aladdin, Ali Baba and Sinbad. What is more interes=
ting is that these tales were translated from the original Arabic to French=20=
for the first time in the early 1700s and were not converted into English un=
til the 1880s. To enjoy these stories, some American trapper in the Th=
ree Forks area had to have been fluent in French; not unusual given the numb=
er of French-Canadians in the fur trade.<BR>
Other novels provided entertainment for trappers in the field as well.&n=
bsp; Louis Vasquez wrote his brother, Benito, from Ham's Fork on July 9, 183=
4, "If you can procure me some novels Mr. Campbell will be pleased to bring=20=
them to me." (Hafen, 324) While it is not known which novels Vasquez m=
ay have found among the packs Campbell brought out the next summer, Joe Meek=
gives some idea of the best-sellers in the mountains. Meek's biograph=
er, Frances Victor, says the mountain men exhausted the retelling of their o=
wn adventures then rehearsed the tales they had read in their youth. "Robins=
on Crusoe and the Arabian Nights Entertainment, were read over again by the=20=
light of memory; and even Bunyan's Pilgrim's Progress was made to recite lik=
e a sensation novel=E2=80=A6" (Victor, 196) Daniel Defoe, known by som=
e as the father of the English novel, wrote Robinson Crusoe in 1719. J=
ohn Bunyan wrote his allegorical piece in the late 1600s. These books=20=
were recited in the Rockies if not read out right.<BR>
Meek provides more information on the literary pursuits of his comrades.=
He tells of the Rocky Mountain College courses that took place during=
winter camp. Meek learned to read by the light of the campfire from a=
fellow trapper named Green. (Victor, 84) Meek soon acquired enough ab=
ility to "enjoy an old copy of Shakespeare, which, with a Bible, was carried=
about with the property of the camp." (Victor, 84) Apparently some bo=
oks were among the holdings of the company rather than the individual mounta=
ineer.<BR>
Another book mentioned in Meek's biography is Scottish Chiefs, written b=
y Jane Porter. First published in 1810 to spectacular success throughout Eur=
ope, the book was reprinted in 1831 and again in 1839. It is the tale=20=
of Sir William Wallace and Robert the Bruce. Meek's biographer says "=
=E2=80=A6his spouse had carried with her a pretty and sprightly baby-daughte=
r, of whom the father was fond and proud, and who had been christened Helen=20=
Mar, after one of the heroines of Miss Porter's Scottish Chiefs - a book muc=
h admired in the mountains, as it has been elsewhere." (Victor, 238) <=
BR>
In another biography of Joseph Meek, Harvey E. Tobie cites several other=
volumes to be found among a trapper's plunder. "They had access to th=
e Bible, to the works of Shakespeare, Byron, Scott and many other writers."(=
Hafen, Vol. I, 325) Meek apparently knew the Bard well enough to quote=
him in explaining a prank to John McLoughlin. According to Tobie, Mee=
k said, "=E2=80=A6it is not that I love Brutus less, but my dignity more."&n=
bsp; Warren Ferris also refers to Byron but while it is clear Ferris is quit=
e familiar with the author, it is not clear the book was in his possession.=20=
(Ferris, 298-99) <BR>
Another citation of Shakespeare comes from William Hamilton, quoted at t=
he beginning of this article. Hamilton joined a party of free trappers led b=
y Bill Williams and George Perkins. Both of the latter men were experi=
enced trappers and undoubtedly among the "old mountain men" referred to by H=
amilton. In the Owl Creek Mountains, the party crossed the trail of a=20=
small party of mountaineers who had recently been attacked by Blackfeet.&nbs=
p; Hamilton described the three survivors as "nervy=E2=80=A6one was a Scotch=
man, one a Frenchman from St. Louis, and the third came from Kentucky=E2=80=
=A6I found the Scotchman and the Kentuckian well educated men. The lat=
ter presented me with a copy of Shakespeare and an ancient and modern histor=
y which he had in his pack." (Hamilton, 68)<BR>
Tobie does not provide sources for his=20=
claim that the books he names were present in the mountains although it is p=
robably Osborne Russell. Writing from the vicinity of Fort Hall during=
the winter of 1839, Russelll states he and his party "passed an agreeable w=
inter=E2=80=A6We had some few Books to read such as Byrons Shakespeares and=20=
Scotts works the Bible and Clarks Commentary on it and other small wor=
ks on Geology Chemistry and Philosophy--" (Russell, 109) Classics in t=
heir day as well as now, Sir Walter Scott penned a long series of works call=
ed the Waverly novels, but he may be best known as the author of Ivanhoe.&nb=
sp; Lord George Gordon Byron was an English romantic poet who wrote with an=20=
underlying theme insisting that people be free to choose their own course in=
life; just the sort of reading that a mountaineer might fancy. Byron'=
s masterpiece was undoubtedly the legend of the epic hero, Don Juan.<BR>
Here again is mention of both Shakespeare and the Bible. Another relig=
ious oriented item is the Bible Commentary written by Adam Clarke. Thi=
s was a multi-volume work begun in 1810. How many of the eight volumes=
were accessible is not clear. <BR>
Apparently, reading the Bible and Clarke's Commentary had a tremendous impac=
t on Russell that changed him spiritually. A deep religious conviction=
developed as he carefully studied the Bible while trapping the area around=20=
Gray's Marsh with partner Elbridge Trask. According to Reverend George=
H. Atkinson, Russell became convinced of the Bible's truth and knew he had=20=
not lived up to its principles. He then abandoned his life as a mounta=
ineer and went to the Willamette Valley with the wagon train led by Elijah W=
hite in 1842. (Russell, viii)<BR>
It is also interesting that Russell men=
tions texts on geology, chemistry and philosophy. By that time,=20=
the Hudson's Bay Company owned Fort Hall, Nathaniel Wyeth having sold out in=
1836. Factor John McLoughlin maintained a circulating library at Fort=
Vancouver, sending books to various out lying posts on a rotating basis.&nb=
sp; It is likely Russell borrowed the publications mentioned in his journal=20=
from the HBC staff at Fort Hall. In May of 1840 Russell and his partne=
r, Trask, separated leaving him alone with his two horses and "some books I=20=
brot from the Fort. (Russell, viii, 111)<BR>
These are but a few of the titles that=20=
appear in the primary record. There are others, but enough are present=
ed here to establish the literary worthiness of the well-read trapper. =
It is plain to see that the mountaineer in the Rocky Mountains was aware of=
classical literature and kept relatively current on the best sellers of tha=
t era.<BR>
<BR>
<BR>
References:<BR>
<BR>
Cline, Gloria G. "Job Francis Dye," in Mountain Men and the Fur Trade of the=
Far West. Vol. I. Leroy Hafen, ed. Arthur H. Clark, Glendale, CA 1=
965.<BR>
Drury, Clifford M. First White Women Over the Rockies. Vol. I. Arthur Clark=20=
Co. Glendale, CA. 1963.<BR>
Dunham, Harold H. "Manuel Alvarez," in Mountain Men and the Fur Trade of the=
Far West. Vol. I. Leroy Hafen, ed. Arthur H. Clark, Glendale, CA 1=
965.<BR>
Ferris, Warren A. Life in the Rocky Mountains. Leroy R. Hafen, ed. Old West=20=
Publishing Co. Denver, CO. 1983.<BR>
Hafen, Leroy R. "Louis Vasquez," The Mountain Men and the Fur Trade of the F=
ar West. Vol. II. Leroy Hafen, ed. Arthur H. Clark Co., Glen=
dale, CA 1965. <BR>
Hamilton, William T. My Sixty Years on the Plains. E.T. Seiber, ed. Long's C=
ollege Book Co. Columbus, OH. 1951<BR>
Irving, Washington. Astoria. Binfords & Mort. Portland, OR. <BR>
Jackson, Donald, ed. Letters of the Lewis and Clark Expedition with Related=20=
Documents, 1783-1854. University of Illinois Press, Chicago. 1978.<=
BR>
James, Edwin. Account of an Expedition From Pittsburgh to the Rocky Mountain=
s. Reuben G. Thwaites, ed. Early Western Travels, Vol. XIV. AMS Press, I=
nc. New York. 1966.<BR>
Maximilian, Phillip. Travels in the Interior of North America. Reuben G. Thw=
aites, ed. Early Western Travels, Vol. XXII. AMS Press, Inc. New York. 1966=
.<BR>
Morgan, Dale. The West of William Ashley. Old West Publishing, Denver, CO. 1=
964.<BR>
Ross, Alexander. Adventures of the First Settlers on the Oregon or Columbia=20=
River. Reuben G. Thwaites, ed. Early Western Travels, Vol. VII. AMS Pres=
s, Inc. New York. 1966.<BR>
Russell, Osborne. Journal of a Trapper. Aubrey L. Haines, ed. Oregon Histori=
cal Society, Champoeg Press. Portland, OR. 1955.<BR>
Tobie, Harvey E. "Joseph L. Meek" The Mountain Men and the Fur Trade of the=20=
Far West. Vol. I. Leroy Hafen, ed. Arthur H. Clark Co., Glend=
ale, CA 1965. <BR>
Victor, Frances, F. The River of the West. R.W. Bliss & Co. Hartford, CT=
. 1870. <BR>
Wyeth, John B. Oregon; or A Short History of a Long Journey From the Atlanti=
c Ocean to the Region of the Pacific by Land. Readex Microprint Cor=
p. 1966.<BR>
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