The Life and Adventures of James P. Beckwourth, Mountaineer, Scout, and Pioneer, and Chief of the Crow Nation of Indians

Buried amid the sublime passes of the Sierra Nevada mountains are old men, who, when children, strayed away from our crowded settlements, and, gradually moving farther and farther from civilization have, in time, become domicilated among the wild beasts and wilder savages - have lived scores of years whetting their intellect in the constant struggle of self preservation; whose only pleasurable excitement was in facing danger; whose only repose was to recuperate, preparatory to participating in new and thrilling adventures. Such men, the simple tale of which pale imaginative creations of our most popular fictionalists, sink into their graves unnoticed and unknown. Indian warriors, whose bravery and self-devotion finds no parallel in the traditions preserved in all history; end their career on the "war path", sing in triumph their death-song and become silent, leaving no impression on the intellectual world. Among the many men who have distinguished themselves as mountaineers, traders, chiefs of the great Indian nations, and as early pioneers in the settlement of the Pacific Coast, is James P. Beckworth, whose varied and startling personal adventurures would have found no record but for the accident of meeting with a wanderer in the mountains of California, who became interested in the man and patiently listened to his story, proceeded, as it fell from his lips to put it upon paper. This autobiography was thus produced and is the result of some months labour in the winter of 1854 - 55. In prosecuting the task, the author has in no instance departed from the story of the narrator; but it was taken down literally as it was day to day related. Beckwourth kept no journal, and, of course, relied upon his memory alone; consequently dates are often wanting, which it was impossible to give with accuracy when recurring to events transpiring in the course of very many years. Beckwourth is personally known to thousands of people "living on both sides of the mountains," and also, from his service under the United States government, has enjoyed the acquaintance of many officers of the United States Army, who have been stationed in Florida, Mexico, and California. In his long residence with the Indians he adopted their habits, and was in every respect conformed to their ways: the consequence was, from his great courage and superior mental endowments, he rose rapidly in their estimation, and finally became their chief. As an Indian, therefore, he speaks of their customs, a

שנה

2005

שפה

English

הוצאה

Adamant Media Corporation

מהדורות

1

עמודים

543

ISBN

9781421270418

מקור הנתונים: Wikidata