The Splendid Wayfaring: The Story of the Exploits and Adventures of Jedediah Smith and his Comrades, the Ashley-Henry Men, Discoverers and Explorers of the Great Central Rout

309 Pages·2008·9 MB·English

by  John G. Neihardt

THE SPLENDID WAYFARING

THE
SPLENDID
WAYFARING
The story of the exploits and adventures of Jedediah
Smith and his comrades, the Ashley-Henry men, dis
coverers and explorers of the great Central Route from
the Missouri River to the Pacific Ocean, 1822-1831
John G. Neihardt
excelsior editions
State University of New York Pres
Albany, New York
Copyright © 1948 by John G. Neihardt
All rights reserved.
Reprinted from the original 1920 edition by The Macmillan Company
Reprinted by arrangement with the John G. Neihardt Trust.

No part of this book may be used or reproduced in any manner whatsoever
without written permission. No part of this book may be stored in a retrieval system
or transmitted in any form or by any means including electronic, electrostatic,
magnetic tape, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise
without the prior permission in writing of the publisher.

Printed in the United States of America

First Excelsior Editions book printing: 2008
Excelsior Editions is an imprint of State University of New York Press, Albany
www.sunypress.edu

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

Neihardt, John Gneisenau, 1881-1973.
The spendid wayfaring : Jedediah Smith and the Ashley-Henry men, 1822-1831 / John
G. Neihardt.
p. cm.
Originally published: New York : Macmillan Co., 1920, with subtitle: The story of the
exploits and adventures of Jedediah Smith and his comrades, the Ashley-Henry men,
discoverers and explorers of the great central route from the Missouri River to the Pacific
Ocean, 1822-1831.
ISBN 978-1-4384-2566-5 (pbk. : alk. paper) 1. West (U.S.)--Discovery and exploration.
2. Overland journeys to the Pacific. 3. Frontier and pioneer life--West (U.S.) 4. Smith,
Jedediah Strong, 1799-1831. 5. Smith, Jedediah Strong, 1799-1831--Friends and
associates. 6. Explorers--West (U.S.)--Biography. 7. Pioneers--West (U.S.)--Biography.
I. Title.
F592.N39 2008
917.804'2--dc22
2008044788

10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1
TO
MY GOOD COMRADB
JULIUS T. HOUSE
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CONTENTS
CHAPTER. PAOli
I DOWN THE OHIO 1
II AT ST. LOUIS 24-
III NORTHBOUND WITH THE ROBINS. 35
IV THE BATTLE 48
V THE EXPRESS TO HENRY. 61
VI THE Two PARTIES UNITE 75
VII THE LEAVENWORTH CAMPAIGN 85
VIII WESTWARD BY THE GRAND 98
IX JED WRESTLES WITH DEATH u6
X THE GHOST • 127
XI THE FIRST \VHITE MEN THROUGH
SOUTH PASS • 139
XII TREASURE AND TROUBLE THEREWITH 147
XIII THE RETURN 159
XIV ASHLEY'S LONG WINTER TRAIL 170
XV DOWN GREEN RIVER 186
XVI THE RENDEZVOUS. Ig6
XVII BACK TO THE STATES 209
XVIII GENERAL ASHLEY RETIRES 220
XIX
TH E FIRST AMERICANS OVERLAND TO
CALIFORNIA • 233
XX SMITH'S SECOND JOURNEY 257
XXI THE END OF THE TRAIL 274
LIST OF SOURCES 288