In the Rocky Mountains

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In the Rocky Mountains, by W. H. G. Kingston

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Title: In the Rocky Mountains
Author: W. H. G. Kingston
Illustrator: J.F.
Release Date: May 15, 2007 [EBook #21466]
Language: English
Character set encoding: ASCII
*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK IN THE ROCKY MOUNTAINS ***

Produced by Nick Hodson of London, England

In the Rocky Mountains, by W H G Kingston.
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This is a very nicely written little book. It is easy to read or listen to, yet is full of real-sounding dangerous situations from which the young heroes escape with difficulty.
The hero and his sister, Ralph and Clarice, are from a farming family in the middle states of America. The father, unwillingly followed by the mother, decide to move to the west, but unfortunately first the mother, and then the father, dies, and the two young people are left without an adult to guide and lead them. Luckily, at that moment, a wagon train comes by, and the children hail it. The man in charge of the wagon train realises he is actually the uncle of these children, and agrees to take them with him, becoming their greatly beloved Uncle Jeff.
Much of the rest of the book is taken up with various confrontations with Indians, with wolves and a bear or two thrown in for good measure.
You will enjoy reading this book, and it certainly converts well to an audiobook so that you can listen to it.
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IN THE ROCKY MOUNTAINS, BY W H G KINGSTON.
CHAPTER ONE.
HOW UNCLE JEFF CAME TO "ROARING WATER"--THE SITUATION OF THE FARM--THE INMATES OF THE HOUSE--MY SISTER CLARICE AND BLACK RACHEL--UNCLE JEFF-- BARTLE WON AND GIDEON TUTTLE--ARRIVAL OF LIEUTENANT BROADSTREET AND HIS MEN--THE TROOPERS QUARTERED IN THE HUT--OUR FARM-LABOURERS--SUDDEN APPEARANCE OF THE REDSKIN WINNEMAK--HIS FORMER VISIT TO THE FARM-- CLARICE ENCOUNTERS HIM AT THE SPRING--BADLY WOUNDED--KINDLY TREATED BY CLARICE AND RACHEL--HIS GRATITUDE.
We were most of us seated round a blazing fire of pine logs, which crackled away merrily, sending the sparks about in all directions, at the no small risk of setting fire to garments of a lighter texture than ours. Although the flowers were blooming on the hill-sides, in the woods and valleys, and by the margins of the streams; humming-birds were flitting about gathering their dainty food; and the bears, having finished the operation of licking their paws, had come out in search of more substantial fare; and the buffalo had been seen migrating to the north,--the wind at night blew keenly from off the snow-capped mountain-tops which, at no great distance, rose above us, and rendered a fire acceptable even to us hardy backwoodsmen.
Our location was far in advance of any settlement in that latitude of North America, for Uncle Jeff Crockett "could never abide," he averred, "being in the rear of his fellow-creatures." Whenever he had before found people gathering around him at the spot where he had pitched his tent, or rather, put up his log-hut, he had sold his property (always to advantage, however), and yoking his team, had pushed on westward, with a few sturdy followers.
On and on he had come, until he had reached the base of the Rocky Mountains. He would have gone over them, but, having an eye to business, and knowing that it was necessary to secure a market for his produce, he calculated that he had come far enough for the present. He therefore climbed the sides of the mountain for a short distance, until he entered a sort of canon, which, penetrating westward, greatly narrowed, until it had the appearance of a cleft with lofty crags on either side,--while it opened out eastward, overlooking the broad valley and the plain beyond.
He chose the spot as one capable of being defended against the Redskins, never in those parts very friendly to white men,--especially towards those whom they found settling themselves on lands which they looked upon as their own hunting-grounds, although they could use them for no other purpose.
Another reason which had induced Uncle Jeff to select this spot was, that not far off was one of the only practicable passes through the mountains either to the north or south, and that the trail to it led close below us at the foot of the hills, so that every emigrant train or party of travellers going to or from the Great Salt Lake or California must pass in sight of the house.
A stream, issuing from the heights above, fell over the cliffs, forming a roaring cataract; and then, rushing through the canon, made its way