Wild Life in the Far West: Being the Personal Adventures of a Border Mountain Man. Captain James Hobbs

      Wild Life

      IN THE

       FAR WEST;

      PERSONAL ADVENTURES

      Of a Border Mountain Man.

      COMPRISING

      Hunting and Trapping Adventures with Kit Carson and

      others; Captivity and Life among the Comanches;

      Services under Doniphan in the War with

      Mexico, and in the Mexican War

      against the French; Desperate

      Combats with Apaches,

      Grizzly Bears,

      etc., etc.

      ________________________

      By Captain JAMES HOBBS,

      OF CALIFORNIA.

      ________________________

      ILLUSTRATED WITH NUMEROUS ENGRAVINGS,

      Published by Subscription Only

      _____________________

      HARTFORD, CONN.:

      WILEY, WATERMAN & EATON.

      F. A. HUTCHINSON & CO., ST. LOUIS, MO.; CHICAGO, ILL.; CINCIN-

      NATI, 0.— A L. BANCROFT & CO., SAN FRANCISCO, CAL.

      1875.

      ______________________________________________________________

      Entered, according to Act of Congress, in the year 1872, by

      WILEY, WATERMAN & EATON,

      In the Office of the Librarian of Congress, at Washington.

      ______________________________________________________________

       PRESS OF

      WILEY, WATERMAN & EATON,

       HARTFORD, CONN.

      INTRODUCTION.

      _________

      IN presenting this work to the public, it is not the intention of the publishers to add another to the already numerous histories of the parts of country which are the scene of the adventures herein recited, but to give what the title page promises, an account of the personal adventures of the author during a long and wild life in the far West. He belongs to that class of pioneers and trappers, now become nearly extinct, of which the famed Kit Carson, who was for many years the companion of the author, has been considered the most perfect type.

      In addition to his experiences as a hunter and trapper, we have an account of his life as a prisoner among the powerful and warlike Comanches, his adventures as a trader in Mexico, his services as interpreter and guide, under Doniphan, in our war with Mexico, and with the Liberals in the Franco-Mexican war as Captain of artillery, as well as his experience in mining in the days of the "forty-niners" in California, and elsewhere.

      Probably no man living has passed through so varied and exciting a life as this one. At times he has seemed on the high road to fortune, when by a turn of the wheel he would find himself penniless. But in what-

      4 INTRODUCTION.

      ever condition he was, he was always ready to respond to any call for aid from the famishing emigrant train who were lost on the great plains, or the settlers who were in peril from the remorseless cruelty of the savages.

      In writing out the incidents of this strangely event- ful life, no attempt has been made to put them in glow- ing colors, but we have the account in few words. There are many incidents and descriptions that occupy but part of a page, which could easily have been spread over several pages; but the fact is there. Had as many words been used to say as little as there are in many books, it would have required several volumes the size of this to have contained the account of the author's experiences.

      One thing the author wishes distinctly understood; he has in no case "drawn upon his imagination for his facts." There are a few incidents given upon what he considers reliable information, and they are so desig- nated; but nearly all is from his own experience. As he never contemplated the publication of his adven- tures, he kept no diary or record of events, but relies entirely upon his memory, which prevents his giving exact dates in all cases. But this does not affect his own acts, and as has been stated, this is not intended for a history.

       THE PUBLISHERS.

      LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS.

      ____________

       PAGE.

       1. CHROMO, AUTHOR AS A COMANCHE - - - FRONTISPIECE

       2. WARLIKE EXERCISES OP COMANCHES, - - - - - 27

       3. COMANCHE WARRIOR, (TAIL-PIECE ) - - - - - 31

       4. COMANCHES MOVING, - - - - - - - - 38

       5. INDIAN "WELCOME, (TAIL-PIECE,) - - - - - - 50

       6. BRINGING MEAT INTO CAMP, - - - - - - - 55

       7. FANDANGO, - - - - - - - - - - 63

      8. INDIAN ON GUARD, (TAIL-PIECE,) - - - - - - 66

      9. COMIC BULL FIGHT, - - - - - - - - - 79

      10. INDIAN SCOUT, ENEMIES, (TAIL-PIECE,) - - - - 100

       11. COMBAT WITH INDIAN CHIEF, - - - - - - 151

      12. A HORN TOO MUCH, - - - - - - - - - 157

       13. MONTEREY AND BUENA VISTA, - - - - - - 161

      14. MATAMORAS, (TAIL-PIECE,) - - - - - - - 168

       15. GENERAL TAYLOR, - - - - - - - - 173

      16. THE GREASER'S MISTAKE, - - - - - - - 185

      17. CASTLE OF SAN JUAN D' ULLOA, (TAIL-PIECE,) - - - 188

      18. GREAT SQUARE, MEXICO, - - - - - - - 197

      19. THE LAST ARROW, (TAIL-PIECE.) - - - - - - 215

      20. FATAL ENCOUNTER WITH GRIZZLY BEAR, - - - - 229

      21. RANCHEROS, - - - - - - - - - 269

      22. EXECUTION OF MAXIMILIAN, - - - - - - 311

      23. CORPUS CHRISTI, (TAIL-PIECE,) - - - - - - 312

      24. PLAYING A LONE HAND, - - - - - - - 319

      25. CAVALRY VIDETTE, (TAIL-PIECE,) - - - - - - 356

      26. MEXICAN ROBBERS, (TAIL-PIECE,) - - - - - - 374

      27. AN UNWELCOME VISITOR, - - - - - - - 389 28. MR. JONES IN A DEER TRAP, - - - - - - - 395 29. APACHE COURTESIES, (TAIL-PIECE,) - - - - - 411

      30. HUNTING THE BEAR, (TAIL-PIECE,) - - - - - 438

      31. COMANCHES CATCHING WILD HORSES, - - - - - 461

      32. LASSO FIGHT WITH ELK, - - - - - - - 473

      33. NOVEL BARRICADE, - - - - - - - - 481