The American Fur Trade of the Far West Volume 1; A History of the Pioneer Trading Posts and Early Fur Companies of the Missouri Valley and the Rocky Mountains and the Overland Commerce with Santa Fe (Paperback)

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1901 Excerpt: ...fix these few memorials of a transient state of things fast passing into oblivion." Such was the purpose--to "fix" the "details" of events--and this motive finds expression in the remarkable accuracy which runs through the entire work. As to the charge of undue subservience to Mr. Astor's views, it is difficult to see upon what it is based unless it be the fact that these gentlemen were warm friends. No evidence of it can be found in the book itself, which, though full of admiration for Mr. Astor's enterprise, is no more so than the subject deserves. Irving's treatment of the leading members of the company is eminently fair, and errs, if at all, on the side of generous indulgence. How could he treat more considerately than he has the action of Mr. Hunt or the conduct of Captain Thorn? McDougal might indeed wince under the lash of Irving's pen, but he could scarcely complain that the punishment was greater than the crime. An oft repeated charge against Irving is that he made use of other authorities without due acknowledgment--and of Franchere's Narrative in particular. This is always a serious charge, and particularly reprehensible in an eminent author who filches from the works of obscure writers. Let us see what are the facts. At the time of the publication of Astoria, there were four published works which treated of portions of the enterprise. These were the works of Brackenridge and Bradbury, which related only the journey from St. Louis to the Aricara villages; and those of Franchere and Cox, which treated of the general history of the enterprise. What reference does Irving make to these works, and what is his own statement concerning the "sources of his inspiration "? He says: "All the papers relative to the ent...