Hornaday's Campfires

[greatwestern]

LAST EDITED ON Apr-23-12 AT 10:11PM (MST)[p]LAST EDITED ON Apr-23-12 AT 10:08?PM (MST)

I was poking around for a copy of WT Hornaday's "Campfires on Desert and Lava" to replace the weathered copy my grandfather had given me as a boy (which was later stolen along with some others of my wonderful old naturalist books), when I came across an 'online' version of this title, as well as one for one of the author's earlier works "Campfires in the Canadian Rockies"

I thought some of you fellow Mountain and Desert hunters here would enjoy these colorfully descriptive journals of two early 20th century expeditions by one of our Continent's (highly underappreciated) pioneering Conservation visionaries.

Some wild and woolly adventures indeed, and some fine specimens procured

http://www.archive.org/stream/campfiresincanad00hornuoft#page/n0/mode/2up

http://www.archive.org/stream/campfiresondeser00hornrich#page/n3/mode/2up

Enjoy!

**edit---damn links better work this time

 

[littlebighorn]

Very cool find GW!
Winter would have been a better time to read, but I will fit those in somehow. Those boys lived in quite an amazing era, when much of our beloved country was unspoiled and still wild.
Thanks for sharing.

 

[downsouth]

Very cool!!!

Everybody should take the time to at least read pages 355 & 356 of the "Campfires on Desert and Lava" book.

Thanks for posting the links.

 

[mesquitehunter]

Thanks for posting GW..This is sime classic stuff.






















Gun control is a good aim and a steady rest

 

[littlebighorn]

GW,
I just finished reading some classic JOC and it reminded me of this post. I was glad I did because it is shaping up to be a long cold winter here!
I am guessing others needed a reminder, so I bumped this post.

By the way does anyone know how I can get an online version of Jack's "Sheep and Sheep Hunting"?

 

[littlebighorn]

I'm not trying to whip a dead horse, but man GW's recommendations on those old classics was purrrrfect cold weather medicine! Mr. WT Hornaday and his pals definitely had some fine adventures.
I bookmarked those links and then had a hard time leaving them alone.

Thanks again greatwestern. I highly recommend that exercise to all!

http://www.archive.org/stream/campfiresincanad00hornuoft#page/n0/mode/2up

http://www.archive.org/stream/campfiresondeser00hornrich#page/n3/mode/2up

 

[stinky]

I first read Desert and Lava when I lived in Ajo, 15-20 years ago and many of the places in the book I was familiar with, or had been to. You can travel the same route that he did, in about 12 hours, on asphalt (or within about 25 miles of his actual route) on AZ highways 86, 85 and the Mexican Highway 1 and ?. There are dirt roads that travel the Pinacate park and you can drive to the top of Cerro Colorado (or you used to be able to)....except for their southern loop.

I am working on get it read again now. Funny, many of the names, for places, used in the book, are no longer used.

Jeff Milton is sorta understated in the book. Read, I think, "Jeff Milton, a Good Man With a Gun" The Tucson Public Library used to have both (the library is hooked in w/the county system and you could order them in Ajo). He was a Texas Ranger, Chief of Police in El Paso, train Police (they would go out and get on the tracks of train robbers and then track them down), Mounted Customs Patrol and then with INS (as mentioned) and probably more.

The racism in the book, I missed it the first time. It was pointed out to me by a friend that worked for Cabeza Prieta. I haven't found the part he was talking about. But, I have found where Hornady says that the sooner the Yacquis are gone the better and that Mexicans get buck fever and can't shoot straight.

A different time and a dif day.
John 14:6