Jim Bridger, one of the most important scouts in the history of the West. By 1824, when he was only twenty, he had discovered the Great Salt Lake. Later he was to open the Overland Route, the path of the Overland Stage, the Pony Express, and the Union Pacific. One of the foremost trappers in the Rocky Mountain Fur Company.

This antiquarian volume contains a detailed and insightful biography of Jim Bridger, written by Stanley Vestal. Vestal is well-known for his books about America. In Jim Bridger he paints a bold and authentic picture of a doughty explorer and of the richness of the American nation when it was still young. Full of colourful anecdote and fascinating insights into the life of Jim Bridger, this text will appeal to those with an interest in this noteworthy explorer, and it would make for a wonderful addition to any personal collection. The chapters of this book include: 'Enterprising Young Man', 'Set Poles for the Mountains', 'Tall Tales', 'The Cheyennes' Bloody Junket', 'Fort Phil Kearney', 'Red Cloud's Defiance', 'The Cheyennes' Warning', 'Shot in the Back', 'Arrow Butchered Out', 'Old Cabe to the Rescue', etcetera. We are republishing this volume now complete with a specially commissioned biography of the author.

Disclaimer: I review books on how they stand alone without regards to anyone’s personal views about the author. I review based upon readability and how the book affects my life for good, and less upon literary style.

I love this book and the light it sheds on many aspects of Jim Bridger's life, the life of Native Americans, and the wild nature of the west in those days. Jim Bridger obviously was very skilled because he kept his scalp and survived harsh conditions. There are many aspects of life that can be enriched or improved by following his example.
One such trait is his kindness and generosity as quoted in the book, "He had learned the hardest way that a man's wisest plan is to follow duty, not selfish interest; for every man knows where his duty lies, but no man is smart enough to see the way to his own best interests. All the rest of his life Jim Bridger looked out for other men, until his nickname 'Old Gabe' became a synonym for courage, unselfishness, generosity, looking out for others less capable or more reckless than himself. Sometimes a bad mistake in early life proves to be the making of a man - if he has the making of a man."
Jim served many people who were settling the west and served by building his fort, Fort Bridger. When he came up with the idea, "Nobody knew the country better than Jim Bridger, nobody could manage the cussed Injuns better, or fight them harder - if it came to that. No man was a better judge of horseflesh. But that was not all. He was one ahead of the other mountain men; he was a skillful blacksmith, who could shoe a horse or an ox, repair a wagon or gun. And if his fort should stand on the bank of some river, he knew how to run a ferryboat to help folks across."
He was also careful and vigilant when exploring, "In following a trail he rode or ran a little to one side of it, so as not to obliterate the tracks in case he had to go back and verify his observations. He generally looked several yards ahead rather than straight down, since in that way he could see several tracks - instead of only one, which he might miss. This enabled him to follow at a good rate of speed. If he lost a trail, he had only to circle the last visible track until he picked it up again. But his main resources in trailing were his long experience, his imagination... He had a phenomenal memory... Jim had trained himself to look backward every little while, so that he saw the country he was traversing from both sides." This careful way of exploring not only saved his hide, but it served others well. Also, he did not delight in bloodshed. He was not afraid of a fight, but he didn't seek a fight. ( )