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[Illustration: FIGHT WITH THE GRIZZLY BEARS. _p. 290._]




  THE
  BACKWOODSMAN;
  OR,
  =Life on the Indian Frontier.=

[Illustration]

  LONDON:
  WARD, LOOK, AND TYLER,
  WARWICK HOUSE, PATERNOSTER ROW.




  THE
  BACKWOODSMAN
  OR
  =Life on the Indian Frontier.=

  EDITED BY
  SIR C. F. LASCELLES WRAXALL, BART.

[Illustration: WL&T]

  LONDON:
  WARD, LOCK, AND TYLER,
  WARWICK HOUSE, PATERNOSTER ROW.




  LONDON:
  PRINTED BY J. OGDEN AND CO.,
  172, ST. JOHN STREET, E.C.




[Illustration]

CONTENTS.


   CHAP.                                     PAGE

      I. MY SETTLEMENT                          1

     II. THE COMANCHES                          6

    III. A FIGHT WITH THE WEICOS               12

     IV. HUNTING ADVENTURES                    19

      V. THE NATURALIST                        30

     VI. MR. KREGER'S FATE                     41

    VII. A LONELY RIDE                         53

   VIII. THE JOURNEY CONTINUED                 66

     IX. HOMEWARD BOUND                        82

      X. THE BEE HUNTER                        99

     XI. THE WILD HORSE                       114

    XII. THE PRAIRIE FIRE                     126

   XIII. THE DELAWARE INDIAN                  137

    XIV. IN THE MOUNTAINS                     151

     XV. THE WEICOS                           162

    XVI. THE BEAR HOLE                        173

   XVII. THE COMANCHE CHIEF                   185

  XVIII. THE NEW COLONISTS                    208

    XIX. A BOLD TOUR                          224

     XX. THE ROCKY MOUNTAINS                  238

    XXI. LOST IN THE MOUNTAINS                253

   XXII. BEAVER HUNTERS                       267

   XXIII. THE GRIZZLY BEARS                   282

    XXIV. ASCENT OF THE BIGHORN               300

     XXV. ON THE PRAIRIE                      326

    XXVI. THE COMANCHES                       345

   XXVII. HOME AGAIN                          363

  XXVIII. INDIAN BEAUTIES                     381

    XXIX. THE SILVER MINE                     396

     XXX. THE PURSUIT                         412

[Illustration]




[Illustration]

THE BACKWOODSMAN

CHAPTER I.

MY SETTLEMENT.


My blockhouse was built at the foot of the mountain chain of the Rio
Grande, on the precipitous banks of the River Leone. On three sides it
was surrounded by a fourteen feet stockade of split trees standing
perpendicularly. At the two front corners of the palisade were small
turrets of the same material, whence the face of the wall could be held
under fire in the event of an attack from hostile Indians. On the south
side of the river stretched out illimitable rolling prairies, while the
northern side was covered with the densest virgin forest for many miles.
To the north and west I had no civilized neighbours at all, while to the
south and east the nearest settlement was at least 250 miles distant. My
small garrison consisted of three men, who, whenever I was absent,
defended the fort, and at other times looked after the small field and
garden as well as the cattle.

As I had exclusively undertaken to provide my colony with meat, I rarely
stayed at home, except when there was some pressing field work to be
done. Each dawn saw me leave the fort with my faithful dog Trusty, and
turn my horse either toward the boundless prairie or the mountains of
the Rio Grande.

Very often hunting kept me away from home for several days, in which
case I used to bivouac in the tall grass by the side of some prattling
stream. Such oases, though not frequent, are found here and there on the
prairies of the Far West, where the dark, lofty magnolias offer the
wearied traveller refreshment beneath their thick foliage, and the
stream at their base grants a cooling draught. One of these favourite
spots of mine lay near the mountains, about ten miles from my abode. It
was almost the only water far and wide, and here formed two ponds, whose
depths I was never able to sound, although I lowered large stones
fastened to upwards of a hundred yards of lasso. The small space between
the two ponds was overshadowed by the most splendid magnolias, peca-nut
trees, yuccas, evergreen oaks, &c., and begirt by a wall of cactuses,
aloes, and other prickly plants