MOUNTAIN MAN-authored by Vadis Fisher in 1965 is a "superb novel of the mountain West, a triumph of historical fiction"(Chicago Daily News)

Robert Redford's JEREMIAH JOHNSON  theatrical film was based on MOUNTAIN MAN..........................A 351 page tomb to the Mountain Men who between the time of Lewis & Clark and the Goldrush to California(roughly 1800-1850,) lived the true life of a free man.................as W.A. Ferris wrote in his LIFE IN THE ROCKY MOUNTAINS:

                                "STRANGE THAT PEOPLE CAN FIND SO STRONG AND FASCINATING A CHARM IN THIS RUDE, NOMADIC AND HAZERDOUS

                                 MODE OF LIFE AS TO BE ESTRANGED THEMSELVES FROM HOME, COUNTRY, FRIENDS AND ALL THE COMFORTS, ELEGANCES

                                 AND PRIVILEGES OF CIVILIZATION. BUT SO IT IS, THE TOIL, THE DANGER, THE LONELINESS, THE DEPRIVATION OF THIS

                                 CONDITION OF BEING FRAUGHT WITH ALL ITS DISADVANTAGES AND REPLETE WITH PERIL, IS THEY THINK MORE THAN

                                 COMPENSATED BY THE FREEDOM AND THE STIRRING EXCITEMENT.

                                 THE VERY DANGER HAS ITS ATTRACTIONS.................................................................................................................................................

                                 THE COURAGE, CUNNING AND SKILL AND WATCHFULLNESS MADE NECESSARY BY THE DIFFICULTIES THAT THEY HAVE TO

                                OVERCOME, THE PRIVATIONS THEY ARE FORCED TO CONTEND WITH, BECOME AT ONCE THEIR PRIDE AND BOAST. YET SO

                                ATTACHED TO IT THEY BECOME, THAT FEW  EVER LEAVE THIS LIFE..............AND THEY DEEM THEMSEVLES FAR HAPPIER

                               THAN THE IN-DWELLLERS OF TOWNS AND CITIES, WITH ALL THE GAY AND GIDDY WHIRL OF FASHIONS MAD DELUSIONS".

"THESE WERE THE MEN OF DESTINY, WHOSE SKILL AND COURAGE ENABLED THE AMERICANS WHO FOLLOWED THEIR TRAIL TO CONQUER A CONTINENT"---WASHINGTON IRVING

WHAT DID THESE MEN SEE AND ENCOUNTER??????

-"BIG MIGRATIONS OF BUFFALO, WHEN A HERD WAS A FULL 100 MILES ACROSS, AND EXTENDED TO SUCH A DEPTH THAT A MAN COULD ONLY GUESS AT THEIR NUMBER.  JIM BRIDGER AND OTHER MOUNTAIN MEN HAD SEEN HERDS AF AT LEAST A MILLION BEASTS, WITH 10.000 WOLVES AROUND THE CIRCUMFRENCE".

-"COYOTES WERE A WORSE NUISANCE THAN FLIES WHEN YOU WERE BUTCHERING. THEY WOULD COME IN CLOSE AND STRIDE OFF WITH A PIECE OF MEAT..................AND THEN THE WOLVES FARTHER OUT WOULD TEAR IT FROM THEIR JAWS".

"THE GREENHORNS BACK EAST TOLD TALES OF FEROCIOUS MAN-EATING WOLVES; BUT SAM KNEW OF NO ATTACK OF MAN BY WOLVES AND THE MOUNTAIN MEN KNEW OF NONE".

"SAM HAD LIVELY ADMIRATION FOR THE BIG GRAY WOLF. hE THOUGHT IT THE MOST INTELLIGENT OF ALL THE WILD BEASTS-IN TRACKING, IN DODGING ENEMIES INCLUDING MANS TRAPS, AND IN LOYALTY TO IT'S OWN KIND. THE HUMAN ANIMAL WOULD EAT IT'S OWN KIND, BUT NOT THE WOLF. ON THE CONTRARY, THE WOLF FAMILY  WOULD FIGHT TO THE DEATH TO PROTECT ONE ANOTHERAND THAT WAS MORE THAN MOST HUMAN FAMILIES WOULD DO. nO OTHER BEAST AND ONLY A FEW OF THE BIRDS WOULD DO THAT. HE LIKED THE CLEAN, DEADLY  WAY THAT THEY FOUGHT. AROUND THE CAMPFIRE, THE MOUNTAIN MEN WOULD ARGUE WHO WAS THE ANIMAL KING OF THE ROCKY MOUNTAINS. SOME SAID THE GRIZ, AND HE INDEED WAS BEAST FOR BEAST. BUT SAM HAS NOW TWICE WITNESSED A WOLF FAMILY PUT A GRIZZLY ON THE RUN".