The returning hunter or warrior was expected to tell what he had done and how it was done. In so doing he taught others not only how to hunt and trap but how to conduct a war party. No doubt the tales of returning hunters and warriors were not thought of as educational. They were entertainment, theatre, and news.
He may have drawn a map in the dust. "We started from camp when the sun was over our left shoulders, and we entered the forest near the big hollow tree. We walked to the water that falls over rocks into the deep pool, and then we went down the hill to the swamp where we drive the mammoth to kill them."
Here could have been the beginning of geography. It may also have been the beginning of navigation.
The hunter may have told of a hot spring he found, and of a hill where there were chips of flint, and this could have been the beginning of geology.
No doubt at first the accounts were told in the stark details, brief and to the point, while the hunter took great bites from the fresh meat, but such storytelling would not satisfy. Then as now people love drama, excitement, and interesting detail.
The bears or lions he killed would soon become larger and fiercer, the enemies stronger and better armed. To simply win a battle was not enough, there must be detail. "My spear went deep into the flesh near the left shoulder, and it died." Here, perhaps, the beginning of anatomy.
To embellish his stories the hunter and the warrior learned to add details, to describe the setting, to identify it by references to where certain edible plants have been found or where a kill was made, all of which made the stories more interesting to the listener.
The children, as well as others, listening to the stories, learned not only how to hunt and fight but where water might be found, salt and wild rice or nuts might be. So was knowledge passed on to the children, and so was the story begun.
We still, today, learn from stories, and the apt story of anecdote remains in the mind when details are forgotten.
It has often been said that we have but one life to live; that is nonsense. If one reads fiction he or she can live a thousand lives, in many parts of the world or in outer space. One can cross a desert, climb the Himalayas, or experience the agony of defeat, the triumph of victory, the pangs of starvation, or the choking thirst of the desert, all while safely at home.
The book has been man's greatest triumph, his most profound success. Seated in my library I live in a Time Machine. In an instant I can be transmitted to any era of history, any part of the world, even to outer space. Often I am asked in what period of history I would have preferred to live, and I wonder that they do not see, for I have lived in them all. I have listened to Buddha speak, I have marched with Alexander, sailed with the Vikings, or in their double canoes with the Polynesians. I have been at the courts of Queen Elizabeth and Louis the XIV; I have explored the West with Jedediah Smith and Jim Bridger; I have been a friend to Captain Nemo and have sailed with Captain Bligh on the Bounty. I have walked in the agora with Socrates and Plato, and listened to Jesus deliver the Sermon on the Mount.
Above all, and the most remarkable thing, I can do it all again, at any moment. The books are there. I have only to reach up on the shelves and take them down and live over again the moments I have loved. Surely, we live today in the greatest moment of history, for at no other time have books been so readily available, in the book stores, in the public libraries, and in the home.
GLOSSARIES
FOR THE SACKETT NOVELS
GLOSSARIES FOR THE SACKETT NOVELS
FICTIONAL AND HISTORICAL
CHARACTERS IN THE SACKETT NOVELS
Abel, RIDE THE DARK TRAIL
Abreu, Martin, THE DAYBREAKERS
Achilles, TO THE FAR BLUE MOUNTAINS
Acho Apache (people), JUBAL SACKETT
Adams, John, RIDE THE RIVER
Adapa, TO THE FAR BLUE MOUNTAINS
Africans (people), THE WARRIOR'S PATH
Aiken, THE DAYBREAKERS
Akicheeta, JUBAL SACKETT
Alexander the Great, SACKETT'S LAND
Ali Baba, TO THE FAR BLUE MOUNTAINS
Alicia, RIDE THE RIVER
Allah, TO THE FAR BLUE MOUNTAINS
Allen, Dodie, THE SACKETT BRAND
Allen, Gabriel, MOJAVE CROSSING
Allen, Skeeter, THE SACKETT BRAND
Allen, Vancouter, THE SACKETT BRAND
Alleyn, SACKETT'S LAND
Allison, SACKETT
Allison, Clay, THE DAYBREAKERS
Alvarado, Drusilla, THE DAYBREAKERS; SACKETT; TREASURE MOUNTAIN;
THE SACKETT BRAND Alvarado, Luis, THE DAYBREAKERS Alvarado (family), THE LONELY MEN Americans (people), JUBAL SACKETT; THE DAYBREAKERS; THE LONELY
MEN; LONELY ON THE MOUNTAIN
Ananta (king of Kashmir), TO THE FAR BLUE MOUNTAINS Anderson, Bloody Bill, MOJAVE CROSSING Anderson, Curly, THE SACKETT BRAND Andrew, THE WARRIOR'S PATH
GLOSSARIES FOR THE SACKETT NOVELS
Angles (people), TO THE FAR BLUE MOUNTAINS; JUBAL SACKETT
Anglos (people), THE DAYBREAKERS
Apaches (people), JUBAL SACKETT; THE DAYBREAKERS; SACKETT; LANDO;
MOJAVE CROSSING; MUSTANG MAN; THE LONELY MEN; GALLOWAY;
TREASURE MOUNTAIN; RIDE THE DARK TRAIL; THE SACKETT BRAND Appleton (family), LANDO
Ar the Silent, TO THE FAR BLUE MOUNTAINS Arabs (people), TO THE FAR BLUE MOUNTAINS; THE WARRIOR'S PATH;
JUBAL SACKETT Arapahoes (people), THE DAYBREAKERS; SACKETT; MUSTANG MAN;
GALLOWAY
Archie, RIDE THE RIVER Aristotle, THE WARRIOR'S PATH Arnaud, GALLOWAY Arribas, Dolores, RIDE THE DARK TRAIL Arthur (King of England), SACKETT'S LAND Asatiki, JUBAL SACKETT Ashanti (people) THE WARRIOR'S PATH Ashbrandson, Bjorn, TO THE FAR BLUE MOUNTAINS Asiatics (people), JUBAL SACKETT Atasha, JUBAL SACKETT Avicenna, TO THE FAR BLUE MOUNTAINS Ay lion, Lucas Vazquez, TO THE FAR BLUE MOUNTAINS Aztecs (people), TO THE FAR BLUE MOUNTAINS
B
Babcock, THE DAYBREAKERS
Baca, MUSTANG MAN
Baca, Antonio, THE DAYBREAKERS
Bacon, Francis, THE WARRIOR'S PATH
Bainbridge, William, SACKETT
Baker, RIDE THE RIVER
Baker, TREASURE MOUNTAIN
Baker, Bully Ben, THE DAYBREAKERS
Baker, Cullen, LANDO; MUSTANG MAN
Baker, Jim, THE DAYBREAKERS
Bald Knobbers, LANDO; THE SKY-LINERS
Baldwin, THE SKY-LINERS
Baltimore (Lord), THE WARRIOR'S PATH
BaptlSte, LONELY ON THE MOUNTAIN
Bardie, Nick, SACKETT'S LAND; TO THE FAR BLUE MOUNTAINS; THE
WARRIORS PATH Barres, TREASURE MOUNTAIN Barthram, Doll, SACKETT'S LAND Bashford, THE LONELY MEN
Basques (people), TO THE FAR BLUE MOUNTAINS; THE DAYBREAKERS Baston, Andre, TREASURE MOUNTAIN Baston, Fanny, TREASURE MOUNTAIN Baston, Paul, TREASURE MOUNTAIN Baston, Philip, TREASURE MOUNTAIN Battles, John J., THE LONELY MEN Bauer, Max, THE WARRIOR'S PATH Beale, THE DAYBREAKERS; MOJAVE CROSSING Beeson, Chalk, THE SKY-LINERS Belden, THE DAYBREAKERS Belisarius, SACKETT'S LAND BenitO, THE LONELY MEN Benson, Bully, RIDE THE RIVER Benton, Thomas Hart, THE SACKETT BRAND Benton (family), MUSTANG MAN Bents, THE DAYBREAKERS
Berglund, Pat ("Swede"), GALLOWAY; TREASURE MOUNTAIN Berkeley, John, TO THE FAR BLUE MOUNTAINS Bermudez, Juan de, TO THE FAR BLUE MOUNTAINS Berry man, SACKETT'S LAND Bett, THE WARRIOR'S PATH Bianco, Andrea, TO THE FAR BLUE MOUNTAINS Bienville, TREASURE MOUNTAIN Bigelow, Benson, SACKETT Bigelow, Ira, SACKETT Bigelow, Tom, SACKETT Bigelow, Wes, SACKETT Bigelow (family), SACKETT
Binny, Dorset, THE LONELY MEN; TREASURE MOUNTAIN Birkbeck, RIDE THE RIVER Bishop, Noble, MUSTANG MAN Bishop, the, LANDO Black Knight, the, THE SKY-LINERS Blackfeet (people), THE DAYBREAKERS; LONELY ON THE MOUNTAIN; THE
SKY-LINERS Blackstone, William, THE DAYBREAKERS; SACKETT; TREASURE MOUNTAIN
Bland, Jeannie, THE LONELY men
Blaxton, William, THE WARRIOR'S PATH
Blount, LANDO
Blue, TO THE FAR BLUE MOUNTAINS
Bob, LONELY ON THE MOUNTAIN
Bogardus, Rafe, THE WARRIORS PATH
Boleyn, Anne, TO THE FAR BLUE MOUNTAINS
Bonaparte (mule), LANDO
Bontemps, Pierre, TREASURE MOUNTAIN
Boone, Daniel, RIDE THE RIVER
Boone, James, RIDE THE RIVER
Boudicca, TO THE FAR BLUE MOUNTAINS
Boyd, Will, SACKETT
Brady, Martin, THE DAYBREAKERS
Brand, Isom, LONELY ON THE MOUNTAIN
Brannenberg, Dutch, RIDE THE DARK TRAIL
Breedlove, THE SKY-LINERS
Brennan, Mary, RIDE THE RIVER
Bretons (people), SACKETT'S LAND
Bretons (people), SACKETT
Brewer, Jim, RIDE THE DARK trail
Bridger, Jim, THE DAYBREAKERS; TREASURE MOUNTAIN; THE SACKETT
BRAND; THE SKY-LINERS Briggs, SACKETT Briggs, Harry, THE SKY-LINERS Briscoe, THE SACKETT BRAND
British (people), THE WARRIOR'S PATH; RIDE THE RIVER Brock, Bill, RIDE THE DARK TRAIL Brook, Harry, THE LONELY MEN Brooks, Al, THE DAYBREAKERS Brown, Caribou, THE DAYBREAKERS Brown, Kootenai, LONELY ON THE MOUNTAIN Browne, TO THE FAR BLUE MOUNTAINS Brunn, Adam, RIDE THE RIVER Brunn (Adam's widow), RIDE THE RIVER Bruno (dog), SACKETT'S LAND Brus, Robert de, RIDE THE DARK TRAIL Bryan, THE sky-liners Buchanan, Essie, RIDE THE RIVER Buck (horse), THE DAYBREAKERS Burbage, Cuthbert, SACKETT'S LAND Burbage, James, SACKETT'S LAND Burbage, Richard, SACKETT'S LAND
GLOSSARIES FOR THE SACKETT NOVELS
Burke, Pimmerton, TO THE FAR BLUE MOUNTAINS
Burns, THE SACKETT BRAND
Burrough, THE WARRIORS PATH
Burshill, Trent, THE SKY-LINERS
Button, Charlie, MOJAVE crossing
Button, Willie, MOJAVE CROSSING
Butts, Ephraim, RIDE THE river
Cabot, John, TO THE FAR BLUE MOUNTAINS
Caddoans (people), JUBAL SACKETT
Caffrey, Duncan, LANDO; TREASURE MOUNTAIN
Caffrey, Will, LANDO
Caffrey (Mrs.), LANDO
Cagle, Larnie, THE SKY-liners
Cain, RIDE THE DARK TRAIL
Cajuns (people), TREASURE mountain
Californians (people), MOJAVE CROSSING
Campbell, LONELY ON THE MOUNTAIN
Canadians (people), LONELY ON THE MOUNTAIN
Canton, TREASURE MOUNTAIN
Carboy, Tom, THE WARRIORS PATH
Caribs (people), THE WARRIORS PATH
Carlisle, Bob, MOJAVE CROSSING
Carney, Reed, THE DAYBREAKERS; MUSTANG MAN
Carpenter, Jim, THE DAYBREAKERS
Carson, Kit, THE DAYBREAKERS; SACKETT; TREASURE MOUNTAIN; THE
SACKETT BRAND; THE SKY-LINERS
Carthaginians (people), TO THE FAR BLUE MOUNTAINS; JUBAL SACKETT Cartwright, LANDO Case, THE LONELY MEN Catawbas (people), TO THE FAR BLUE MOUNTAINS; THE WARRIOR'S PATH;
JUBAL SACKETT Cator, Jim, MUSTANG MAN
Causie, Nathaniel, TO THE FAR BLUE MOUNTAINS Celts (people), SACKETT'S LAND; TO THE FAR BLUE MOUNTAINS; JUBAL
SACKETT; TREASURE MOUNTAIN; RIDE THE DARK TRAIL Chantry, TO THE FAR BLUE MOUNTAINS Chantry, Dorian, RIDE THE river Chantry, Finian, RIDE THE RIVER Chapman, Joseph, MOJAVE CROSSING
GLOSSARIES FOR THE SACKETT NOVELS
Charlemagne, LONELY ON THE MOUNTAIN
Charles, THE warriors path
Chemehuevis (people), MOJAVE CROSSING
Cheng Ho, TO THE FAR BLUE MOUNTAINS
Cheno, see Cortina, Juan Nepomuceno
Cherokees (people), TO THE FAR BLUE MOUNTAINS; THE WARRIOR'S PATH; JUBAL SACKETT; RIDE THE RIVER; SACKETT; LANDO; THE LONELY MEN; GALLOWAY; TREASURE MOUNTAIN; RIDE THE DARK TRAIL; THE SACKETT BRAND
Cheyennes (people), THE DAYBREAKERS; SACKETT; MUSTANG MAN; THE LONELY MEN; TREASURE MOUNTAIN; LONELY ON THE MOUNTAIN; RIDE THE DARK TRAIL
Chickasaws (people) TREASURE MOUNTAIN; RIDE THE DARK TRAIL
Chinese (people), LONELY ON THE MOUNTAIN
Chippewas (people), LONELY ON THE MOUNTAIN
Choctaws (people), JUBAL SACKETT; TREASURE MOUNTAIN; RIDE THE DARK TRAIL
Chowanokes (people), TO THE FAR BLUE MOUNTAINS
Churchill, Clark, THE SACKETT BRAND
Cisneros, Luis, THE LONELY MEN
Claiborne, William, THE WARRIOR'S PATH
Clark, Jim, THE DAYBREAKERS
Clark, William, THE DAYBREAKERS
Claw, TO THE FAR BLUE MOUNTAINS
Clay, Cassius, THE SACKETT BRAND
Clyde, Fiora, RIDE THE river
Clymer, MOJAVE CROSSING
Cobbett, Sam, TO THE FAR BLUE MOUNTAINS
Cochise, THE LONELY MEN
Coe, William, MUSTANG MAN
Coleus of Samos, RIDE THE DARK TRAIL
Coley (mule), RIDE THE DARK TRAIL
Collins, THE SACKETT BRAND
Colt, Sam, LANDO
Columbus, Christopher, SACKETT'S LAND; TO THE FAR BLUE MOUNTAINS
Comancheros (people), MUSTANG MAN
Comanches (people), TO THE FAR BLUE MOUNTAINS; THE DAYBREAKERS; SACKETT; MOJAVE CROSSING; MUSTANG MAN; GALLOWAY; TREASURE MOUNTAIN; THE SKY-LINERS > see also Komantsi
Cominazzo (family), JUBAL SACKETT
Conchita, THE LONELY MEN
Conejeros (people), jubal SACKETT
Conn of the Hundred Battles, TO THE FAR BLUE MOUNTAINS
Cook, Dave, THE SKY-LINERS
Cookie, SACKETT
Cookie, GALLOWAY
Cornwallis, Charles, RIDE THE RIVER
Corte-Real, Gaspar, TO THE FAR BLUE MOUNTAINS
Cortes, Hernando, TO THE FAR BLUE MOUNTAINS
Cortina, Juan Nepomuceno, LANDO
Corvino, SACKETT'S LAND
Costello, THE SKY-LINERS