, 1899-03-07
THE HISTORY OF WYOMING.

A anticipated by this paper. Colonel
Coutant's History Of Wyoming is meet
ing with a very fiattering reception.
From time to time The Republican has
referred to the splendid character Of
the work, having been privileged to
look over advance sheets. but the COM
pleted volume far surpasses anything
we had anticipated. 1t is a handsome
book. and the authors style rivets the
attention of the reader from beginning
to end. There is a charm about it that
could only have been given by the
trained newspaper man after a life
time Of experience, hard study and la
borious. p~ainstaking research. There
10 no greater honor that can come to a
man than to be accredited the accurate
historian of his state.
The Denver News has given the his
tory such a splendid endorsement that
we cannot refrain from r~epublishing
It In full. 1t says:
The first volume of the History of
Wyoming" from the earliest known
discoveries" by C. G. Coutant, has just
been PUBLISHED. 1t comprises 712 pages,
well printed and bound, and illustrated
with pictures Of pioneer hunters and
military posts. and maps of the routes
followed by the early expeditions
which penetrated the Rocky mountain
region within and across the present
borders OF that state.
The appearance OF this volume has
been awaited with NO small degree of
interest by those interested in the ear
ly history of the mountain region. To
the successful accomplishment of his
task it was known that the author
would bring industry, research, ability
Is a writer and enthusiasm in his work.
The volume more than yindicates the
confidence which has been felt in Colo
mel Coutant's undertaking. The auth
or's style Is graphic. There are no at
tempts at fine writing Or philosophical
discussion. but each chapter is a dra-
matte recital of the events of the period
OF which ii treats.
This volume possesses all the inter-
est of a a Indeed. borderland
history Is always romantic. and the
nnaus OF Wyoming begin away
back in the days OF the
French voyagers, half a century before
the declaration of independence, while
tradition, substantiated by discovered
ruins. run back to a Spanish explora-
ton oo-incident with the date of the
settlement OF New England by the Pill
grim fathers. About these early expe-
diticps, with their stories of adventure
and heroism, OF hardship and death, of
hunting and trapping and gold discov-
cries and combats with Indians, there
must always cling a charm of historic
interest, and as they are unfolded in
Colonel C%outant's narrative they claim
the attention of the reader undated to
the end of the volume.
The chapters cover a period extend
ing from the Spanish exploration in the
early part of the sixteenth century,
down to the building Of the Union Pa
cihc railroad in 186S-an eventful per-
iod of $50 years. The French-Can-
adian expeditions early in the century
OF 100; the American explorers, begin
ming with Lewis and Clark in 1904, and
JOhn Golfer the first American to enter
Wyoming: the Ezekial Williams party;
the Astoria expedition; Robert Stuart's
discovery OF the overland trail; Ash
ley's trapping expedition; the explora-
lions OF Bonneville and of Fremont; the
establishments Of Forts Laramie and
Bridgsr; the Oregon emigration; the
overland trail opened; the pony ex-
press. and the overland stage line; the
building OF the Union Pacific; bloody
years on the plains and the Indian
wars Of the carly '6Os-these are the
tQpdas which Colonel Coutant has ham
dlsA In a manner that leaves nothing !
v bs desired, either az to correctness