Of all that has been written of the cowboy and the life of the cattle range, very little has been written by the principal actors themselves. The same is equally true of the famous government scouts, mail riders and other adventurous figures, who were men of deeds rather than words. Not many possessed, like David Crockett and W. F. Cody, the power to dramatize themselves. James H. Cook, the author of Fifty Years on the Old Frontier, first published in 1923, was, however, a genuine cowboy, and he was able to recount in a most readable way his adventures over half a century. During the Seventies and part of the Eighties he rode the ranges in Texas and New Mexico. A vivid account is to be found in the first part of the book of the life of the cattlemen in the Southwest, including such details as rounding up entirely wild cattle and horses, and the conveying of droves of animals hundreds of miles through extremely rough, Indian-infested territory. Those who desire thrills can find them here. The author served as government scout in the campaign against Geronimo in 1885, and later, in the North, saw much of the unfortunate troubles with the Sioux and the Cheyennes, whom he showed to have been shamefully misused by the Bureau of Indian Affairs. Much space is given to the Sioux chief, Red Cloud, of whom Cook was a champion and faithful friend. Not the least entertaining parts of the book are the narratives of hunts after big game in the Rockies, during the years when Cook was one of the foremost guides and hunters of the regions bordering the one transcontinental railway. An invaluable addition to any Old West collection!

"James Cook came west before he reached his teens, and his life encompassed most of the raw material that today comprises our mythology: trail driving, scouting, big-game hunting, Apaches, ranching, drought, desert and cow-country interest. All of these he not only saw but was actively engaged in."--San Francisco Chronicle

Includes articles and reviews covering all aspects of American history. Formerly the Mississippi Valley Historical Review,

American Historical Review is the oldest scholarly journal of history in the United States and the largest in the world. Published by the American Historical Association, it covers all areas of historical research.

Authoritative guide to everything in print about lawmen and the lawless—from Billy the Kid to the painted ladies of frontier cow towns. Nearly 2,500 entries, taken from newspapers, court records, and more.