Whilst the greatest effort has been made to ensure the quality of this text, due to the historical nature of this content, in some rare cases there may be minor issues with legibility. In answer to the solicitation of many friends, I have concluded to write something of my personal history and experience in frontier life, especially relating to that por tion spent among the Indians and Mexicans. In doing this I shall aim to write the plain, simple truth. I have to trust mainly to my memory, never having kept a jour nal. I have preserved a few letters that will aid me, but the greater part of this history will be given as it comes to my mind, just as it occurred to me at the time, modi fied or strengthened, as the case may be, by after circum stances. One rule I shall endeavor to follow - to speak the truth without malice toward anyone. This will doubtless be hard for me to carry through, but I make a record of the desire, that it may be continually before me.

In answer to the solicitation of many friends, I have concluded to write something of my personal history and experience in frontier life, especially relating to that por tion spent among the Indians and Mexicans. In doing this I shall aim to write the plain, simple truth. I have to trust mainly to my memory, never having kept a jour nal. I have preserved a few letters that will aid me, but the greater part of this history will be given as it comes to my mind, just as it occurred to me at the time, modi fied or strengthened, as the case may be, by after circum stances. One rule I shall endeavor to follow — to speak the truth without malice toward anyone. This will doubtless be hard for me to carry through, but I make a record of the desire, that it may be continually before me.