File:The great plains; the romance of western American exploration, warfare, and settlement, 1527-1870 (1907) (14592444358).jpg

Identifier: greatplainsroman01parr (find matches)
Title: The great plains; the romance of western American exploration, warfare, and settlement, 1527-1870
Year: 1907 (1900s)
Authors: Parrish, Randall, 1858-1923
Subjects:
Publisher: Chicago, McClurg
Contributing Library: The Library of Congress
Digitizing Sponsor: Sloan Foundation

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vere fight on the same spot. In 1866 Wooton built
a log house in the Raton Pass, and remained there
until his death, collecting toll from those travellers
who used the road he had made across the moun-
tains. Frequently he was obliged to extract pay at
the muzzle of his rifle, but very few ever got by him
scot-free. He died at the age of ninety, and many
of his adventures have found record in the pages of
Inman. Old Bill Williams, the guide who led Fremont
astray on his last expedition, was a unique char-
acter. He had been a Methodist preacher in the
East, but was on the Plains long before Kit Carson
left the Missouri. No man knew the mountains
better, unless it was Jim Bridger. A man of educa-
tion, he easily mastered the different languages of
the tribes, but to both Indians and Mexicans he re-
mained an unsolvable riddle and a terror. As a
trader he was a total failure, and many of his com-
panions considered him partially insane, although
a brave, warm-hearted, and generous man. He was
finally killed by Indians.
James Hobbs had a remarkable career during
his long life on the frontier. He was for years a

[362]
Text Appearing After Image:

JAMES P. BECKWOURTH
AN EARLY CALIFORNIAN FAMOUS AS TRAPPER AND SCOUT

FRONTIER SCOUTS AND GUIDES

prisoner among the Indians, a soldier in the war
with Mexico, an officer in the revolt against Maxi-
milian, an Indian-fighter, miner, trapper, trader,
and Government scout. Tom Tobin was the last of these famous trappers
and hunters of the old regime to pass away. He
was a quick-tempered Irishman, under the average
stature and red-faced, always ready for fight or
frolic. He was present at most of the famous In-
dian battles of the early explorers; but his greatest
achievement was killing the notorious Mexican
bandit Espinosa in a desperate hand-to-hand con-
flict in 1864.

William F. Cody and Amos Chapman

William F. Cody (Buffalo Bill) and Amos
Chapman were the best-known bordermen of later
days, and were worthy to rank with those mentioned
above. Cody began his career on the Plains as a
mere boy on a caravan trip to Santa Fe, became
teamster on a bull train, driver on the Overland,
and Pony Express rider efore he was of age.

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