By: Milton R. Hunger 

This book was published in 1946 by the Deseret News Press. It begins with the exploration of the Spanish and the Mexican Traders, an invasive force that often stole native women and children, having recognized them as easily obtainable objects of trade.

The trappers and traders began to move across what is now the American continent, building supply stations, enjoying a yearly rendezvous, and killing wildlife, especially the beaver. Hats, made of beaver pelts, became fashionable across much of Europe until they were replaced by silk sometime in the mid-nineteenth century.

Then came the explorers: Bonneville and Fremont each made several expeditions. All the while, the Indian continued to thrive in the Great Basin Area, often avoiding the white man.

The home builders took a heavy toll on the land and the people. “Go west, young man,” were words written in newspapers across the land and then replayed in the minds of those of a more adventurous spirit. The once pristine land became marked by trails, and the burgeoning traffic along these same trails was unceasing. Where was the Indian to go? What impact did these changes have on the lives of the red man? There are many tales to tell. This book beautifully describes the land, and its people. It is a treasure for the story it tells, the illustrations it shares, and the look into the distant past it portrays.