Prairie Traveler

[Niederlander]

Gentlemen, I've started re-reading the Prairie Traveler, by Marcy.  I'd sort of forgotten how good it is! 

[Tsalagidave]

Great Book, the 1861 revision has a lot more in it.

-Dave

[Books OToole]

Great Book, the 1861 revision has a lot more in it.

-Dave

And the 4th edition (published in London) is edited and annotated by Capt. Sir Richard Francis Burton.

Books

[Tsalagidave]

And the 4th edition (published in London) is edited and annotated by Capt. Sir Richard Francis Burton.

Books

Very interesting. I didn't know that.

-Dave

[Books OToole]

Very interesting. I didn't know that.

-Dave

I have yet to find a 4th ed. that I could afford. But hope springs eternal.

Books

[Mogorilla]

So did Burton use it a source during his 1860 visit?   Always found him fascinating
. 

[Books OToole]

So did Burton use it a source during his 1860 visit?   Always found him fascinating
.

Yes.  That is what prompted him to do the London edition.

Books

PS - The Prairie Traveler is the book that started me in the book business.  I was at a living history event and one of the CW re-enactors had a copy.  I was so impressed I tracked down a copy for myself.  And then friends saw my copy and said that's neat; find me a copy.
etc. etc.

[bear tooth billy]

I built my table and cots from drawings in the book. I use them
at my NCOWS primitive camp. That book was one of the cheaper things
Books got me excited about and had to have  LOL.


                                 BTB

[Tsalagidave]

I built my table and cots from drawings in the book. I use them
at my NCOWS primitive camp. That book was one of the cheaper things
Books got me excited about and had to have  LOL.


                                 BTB

Do you have pictures to post Billy? I was thinking about making one myself.

-Dave

[bear tooth billy]

Sorry, I don't have any pictures and all my camp gear is buried in my trailer.
you should be able to make them off of the drawings in the book, probably
will show more detail than a picture. Maybe someone else has some pictures
of my stuff, I know a few people have taken pictures.

                      BTB

[River City John]

Try this:

[bear tooth billy]

Thanks for posting RCJ. You can see the table, but as I said probably not a lot of details.
There is a wooden (spring) that snaps into place to hold the legs in place, planed to3/8 ''
notches on the end to double as a gun rack. The table is cherry that I had cut at a sawmill.
A couple tips, you can buy square nails, also use screws for a flat screwdriver, and wire brush
the nickel plating off, a little salt water will rust (antique) in a couple days. good luck!!

                    BTB

[BlackButtes]

Reading Prairie Traveler again, since I read this.
This is my second copy. In 2016 my wife and I follwed the trails west and got the book stamped along the way at the historical sites.

On that trip I wish we would have taken some historically correct clothes and probably a pyramid tent, would have made for some good pics and just plain fun.

[Davem]

Yeah, I like it alot. I also do pre-1840 mountain man and the Marcy book mentions mountain men made sort of a conical mini tepee except instead of a round hole for a front door the front was split open to the top.  Years ago there was a movie about mountain men with Kirk Douglas. I don't know who who the thing but they did their research, such as cordeling or using a rope to pull keelboats up through rapids, etc. The movie had these mini- tepee tents.

[Tsalagidave]

I was fortunate to pick up a Mummey reproduction that is accurate right down to the embossed black cover and Harper & Brother gold leaf. The main thing that sets it apart from originals is that it looks brand new.

[Dave T]

The above example is just a taste of what Dave's library is like.  He's got some originals which will have you saying, "Oh wow".

Dave

[Tsalagidave]

The above example is just a taste of what Dave's library is like.  He's got some originals which will have you saying, "Oh wow".

Dave

Thanks Pard. I could say the same about your fine collection.

-Dave

[Books OToole]

Here is some of the Primary source books that I have found useful in creating a 19th century outfit.

The Art of Travel by Francis Galton
Guide to the Rocky Mountains Goldfields by Redpath
Hardtack and Coffee by Billings

Books

[Tsalagidave]

Books, those are some great resources. I see you have a couple of Mummey books too. Those are great resources.  I also recommend Frederick Ruxton's work.

-Dave

[Davem]

Marcy wrote several books and they are all good. One deals with exploring the headwaters of the Red River and a lot of places from Waco to Lubbock.  Interesting if you live or lived in that area.  One of his junior officers was George McClennan- future major Yankee general.  At the Headwaters- 25 miles south of the Canadian and maybe a little north of Amarillo- they buried a glass bottle with all their notes in the roots of a cottonwood tree along the stream bank- today its private land and the bed of the stream probably moved but I've asked local historians, etc. if anyone found the bottle and I don't think they have.  Written by McClennan.