on of many personal
friends, Christopher Carson dictated the facts upon which this book
is written. They were then placed in the writer's hands, with
instructions to add to them such information as had fallen under his
observation, during quite extensive travels over a large part of the
wide expanse of country, which has been Christopher Carson's theatre
for action.

The book is a book of solid truth; therefore, the faults in the style,
arrangement and composition, become affairs of minor consideration.
For this reason, the writer makes no apologies to embarrass the
critics.

Christopher Carson, physically, is small in stature, but of compact
frame-work. He has a large and finely developed head, a twinkling
grey eye, and hair of a sandy color, which he wears combed back _a la
Franklin mode_. His education having been much neglected in his
youth, he is deficient in theoretical learning. By natural abilities,
however, he has greatly compensated for this defect. He speaks the
French and Spanish languages fluently, besides being a perfect master
of several Indian dialects. In Indian customs, their manners, habits
and the groundwork of their conduct, no man on the American continent
is better skilled.

The writer, while on a foreign tour, once had the opportunity and
pleasure of hearing Gordon Cumming and other hunters of less note,
discourse on their hunting exploits; furthermore, in our own country,
while seated around camp-fires and in log houses, he has listened to
the adventures of ancient and modern Nimrods in the chase; besides
these facts, he has both seen and read much of hunting exploits; but,
no hunter ever filled his fancy so perfectly, as does Christopher
Carson, a man who acts and never boasts.

Without further comment, the reader is presented with the work, while
the writer cherishes the hope, that the facts, which for the first
time are given to the world, will prove to be both interesting and
important as jottings of history.

The author begs leave to return to his friend, C. HATCH SMITH, A.M.,
of Brooklyn, New York, his acknowledgment for valuable assistance in
revising, correcting and arranging his manuscript.

196 Twenty-third street, New York.

CONTENTS.

CHAPTER I.

Carson's Birthplace--His Emigration to Missouri--Early Prospects--Is
an Apprentice--Stories of the Rocky Mountains--He Enlists to go
there--Adventures on the Prairies--Broaders is Wounded--Carson's Nerve
put to the Test