Gold Hill daily news. [volume] (Gold Hill, N.T. [Nev.]) 1863-1882, 1868-03-09
"UNcrE JACK,
From the sweetwa,sr Mincs.'I

Kit Carson and Jim Bridger are names
that have already become historical in
connection with pioneer life on the
great Western frontier. But q no
less remarkable parsonage rs regards
the many traits Of character n modes
Of life of the trontiersman is Jack Rob
inson. "Uncle jack" rs be is famili-
arly called, was for several years the as
sociate Of the two more noted mountain
GERS | have named. He was born and
reared near st. Louis, No., and when
about merging int manhood commence
ed his frontier life by cmigrating with n
company of traders to New Mexico.
After a short stay in that locality he re-
moved North, and was for several years
an employee of one of the fur companies
| trapping for beaver, otter, and other FUR
animals in the section of country now
the Territories Of Utah and Dakota.
" Uncle Jack" was not exactly an en-
| ploye. There were two classes OF trap
pers. One was of men hired by the
company for q monthly or yearly pay,
and the other class were men who trap,
ped with them, but for no stipulated
pay, aud collected from the company the
value of the furs they obtained. Or
latter class were Uncle Jack and Nit
Carson. Being very Democratic they
were styled "free men" and could go
and come where and when they pleased
without let or hindrance, except 80 far
as the Indians were concerned. The
spirit of adventure for which Carson
has since become so noted was not I'M
developed in those days, aud he n
Uncle Jack would often take their
squaws TALL trappers couldn't afford to
have squaws in those days, as they were
worth from $50 to 500 each aud ven
ture out to localities not visited by the
company's hired men, thus securing
more furs than if they had trapped
where larger numbers were similarly
occupied. Such excursions were re-
garded as very hazardous, and only
such men as Uncle Jack and Kit Carson
would incur the risk in losing their hair
BY m u~nfriendly red skin but their
knowledge of the habits of Indians and
proper p~recaution prevented accidents
on all such occasions.
The trappers' subsistence was proVid-
ed by his rife. IT'S true, the fur COM
panies agreed to feed their employees,
but the rations furnished was very SIM
pie and easy of transportation, consist
ing principally of a rifle with some pow
der and balls-rather indigestible arti-
Giles if considered as food in the abstrat;
but the abundance Of game in the coun-
try rendered them o very eNsy means OF
procuring o more savory aliment. On
game they subsifted almost entirely.
Uncle Jack informs me that he has fire.
quently for months together been with
out -four or vegetable diet Of any kind,
and in his case no injury or inconveni-
ence resulted from au exclusive meat
diet, and he is disposed to regard man
as q c%arnivorous animal, and thinks
doctors have yet something to learn MS
to the causes Of scurvy.
The company trappers were furnished
yearly o small quantity Of flour, coffee,
sugar and salt but the years allowance
of these articles would not satisfy our
soldiers for the period of one ration re-
turn-ten days. 49,.
Ihaye omitted one article which might
have been regarded as very essential
alcohol. Whisky contained 1t too dilute
for economical transportation, hence the
"pure stuff" was provided, and the
trapper made it d~rinkable by n mixture
of two parts Of WAGER to n of the al
cohol. Uncle Jack, aud he is good au-
thority, pronounces the mixture, as n
beverage, vastly superior to " Valley
Tan" or ever the estates whisky Of
the present day.
The amusements Of the trapper con-
sisted in horse races, foot races, wrest-
ling and the classical game Of seven
up" All these were made exciting by
the risk of beaver skins or other equiya-
Tents of money, or promises to pay, on
the result, and q trapper's promise .
was considered as good as his skins or
his cash. Men would sometimes lose q
years prospective pay at gambling but
would serve the fur company faithfully
until it was due and then pay 1t over to
the winner with the utmost cheerfulness
and start afresh hoping for better luck.
If a trapper should r~cpudiate a gamb-
ling debt it were better for him that he
had never visited the frontier.
must not occupy too much space in
defining generalities and neglect my
hero. Uncle Jack abandoned trapping
about the time gold was discovered in
California, and the tide of emigration
commenced pouring across the conti-
nent, and became q trader with emil
grants. In that capacity he was quite
successful, but his wealth consisted in
stock, and in an Indian country stock is
very precarious property, certainly Uncle
Jack had that demonstrated to him on
an unlucky day when the Utes ran off
several hundred horses. His misfortune
led him to abandon his calling, and he
was then hired at q French trading post
in the Uintah mountains where he re-
manned o few years, and again COM
menced trading on the overland emigrant
route and has continued to do so up to
the present time. In winter he lives in
cabins on Smiths Fork, about six miles
from Fort Bridger, and in summer pitch
es his lodge near the stage road. Uncle
Jack is not a Mormon, though polyga-
mist having two squsws who have lived
with him for many years. His habits
of life are simple, but his fondness for
his toddy is not less than with most
mountaineers. Did I say toddy2 beg
his pardon. Uncle Jack is in principle
opposed to mixing water and sugar with
whisky. he says the former is admira-
bly, adapted for the purposes for which
nature designed it-navigation, ablu-
tions, &C., but as a drink it is a very
dangerous article, particularly In the