(A story about the Mountain Man, Hugh Glass)
By Jennie Fisher
What are you looking at? So you're looking at me are you? I know what
you're thinking. You're thinking that I look like a monster, aren't you? Here,
take a closer look. If you're going to gawk, you might as well settle your
curiosity. Here, let me take off my hat for you. What are you afraid of? Ok,
so now you've seen that I don't have half my face. You don't see the hair on
this side because of the scarring. And I don't have an ear. So do you trust
me? Could you trust a face like this? Yeah, that's what I thought. Well, you
can bet that I don't trust you either! You're a young'un and you're a
tenderfoot. Yes, that means you don't know nothing and you're scared to death.
I can see that fear in your eyes...and yes, you'd better be scared. This is not
just some romantic adventure out west you've committed to. Oh, its an adventure
alright, but your number one enemy lurking around every corner is death. In
fact, some have said that I have had what you might call four incarnations.
Before my western experience, I was a mariner until captured by Jean Lafitte, a dreaded pirate. I too became a pirate until I decided to pursue a more noble profession. I escaped—which nearly cost me my life the first time. Well, I escaped quite successfully for a short while. Yes, a very short while. I unexpectedly ran across some Pawnee Indians who captured me. So I lived as a Pawnee for four years. Once again I escaped, nearly losing my life for the second time. Upon reaching St. Louis, I joined a group of beaver trappers to open up the fur-rich, Indian -held territory of the upper Missouri River. It was during this time that I nearly lost my life twice more. The first of which I will tell you about. As you're listening, take warning young fellows...it may be worth your life.
Our trapping party was nearing Grand River, South Dakota. I went on ahead to scout around. It didn't matter to me that we were deep into Indian territory. I wasn't scared.....Up ahead, I heard some rustling in the bushes, so I crept nearer to see what I might be able to set my sights on. What I didn't know was that I was creeping upon a white bear and her young. Now some of you may not know why such a bear is the most feared of all, but trust me, if you make it out long enough with us, you'll find out. By this time, I was getting pretty close to the rustling bushes. Whatever it was, it must've been big because it sure was making a lot of racket. Faster than I could realize what it was, I was creeping upon, a mammoth of a shape stood looming over me. Well, I was able to set my triggers, and I believe I even got off a shot, but that is all I remember for a long while. This next part is the story was told to me by other members in my party.
The grizzly we called Old Ephraim grabbed me by the throat and raised me from the ground. The old girl ripped at my body and dropped me to the ground. I tried desperately to escape, but she came back and seized me by the shoulder. My left arm was lacerated terribly and my head was half torn off, leaving my brain exposed.
Those watching thought I was a goner fer sure. But unable to stop in unknown territory, they wrapped me up and drug me outta there. When they finally did stop for the night they put their heads together and discussed what to do with me. Because the party had to keep going to avoid an Indian ambush, they drew straws and offered to pay the two rooks, Fitzgerald and his partner Jim Bridger, to stay with me until I died. They felt that I needed to be buried proper.
Being scared and inexperienced, Fitzgerald and Bridger they waited around for a couple days, and figuring on me dying stole my gun and everything on me. They didn't even have the nerve to leave a piece of flint or knife. The only thing left on me was a bit of a razor. Anyone knows that a man is left destitute in the wilderness without a gun, but without fire it is a sure bet you wouldn't be able to get on too well. In any case, all I had was a bit of a razor.
I can't say if it was Providence or a sheer act of will, but I came out of my comatose state and shrugged off the fever that ailed me. I was able to drag myself over to the creek bed and slowly regained some strength. When I was finally able to pull myself up on my hands and knees, I began crawling my two thousand mile trek through the wilderness. The only motivation I had to go on, was to regain my favorite rifle that those two wretched-yeller-footed babies stole. I was even able to nurse some of the wounds I could reach. The only wound I couldn't reach was the one on my back shoulder and I knew it was festering up mighty bad. It wasn't until I ran across some Indians that had sympathy enough to nurse the festering wound that it was finally able to heal.
Well, summer had gone and fall was drawing near to close, and I still hadn't caught up to Fitzgerald and Bridger. In fact, when I finally did catch up to Bridger, he was so scared I thought he would die of fright. I was aim'in to kill the two and regain my gun, but I had compassion and said instead, "Go, my boy, - I leave you to the punishment of your own conscience and your God. If they forgive you, then be happy- I have nothing to say to you - but don't forget hereafter that truth and fidelity are too valuable to be trifled with." I was just glad to feel my favorite rifle back in my own two hands again.
Before regaining full recovery, Hugh Glass joined another beaver trapping party. It was this trapping party that was ambushed by Arikara Indians. Hugh was one of two survivors. However, it wasn't until after the fourth attack that Hugh endured when the Arikaras finally did catch up to him. Glass and two other trappers were ambushed, shot, and scalped by the Arikaras when crossing the Yellowstone River. In 1833, Hugh was buried in an unmarked grave. Some say that Hugh Glass's gun, his only prized possession, was last seen in the hands of an Arikara warrior. It is this story of the grizzly bear attack that Hugh Glass is most remembered for.
Story directed for grade six and up.
Story Questions:
- Hugh Glass voluntarily and involuntarily took part in four different lifestyles. What different lifestyles did Hugh Glass have?
- Who was the dreaded pirate that captured Hugh?
- What kind of trapping party was Hugh part of?
- If you were Fitzgerald or Jim Bridger would you have left Hugh Glass and go against your word to stay with him until he died? Did Fitzgerald and Bridger do the right thing?
- Imagine yourself as Hugh Glass. Would you have the willpower to survive in the condition that he was in? What would keep you going?
- Could the west have been explored and settled without Mountain Men such as Hugh Glass?
by Jennie Fisher
Story Outline and Props:
1. Create a visual picture of what Hugh Glass would look like
a. scars, rugged appearance, tough (deer hide jacket, coon skin hat)
2. Recap Hugh Glass's experiences
a. mariner/ pirate (pirate flag); Pawnee (Indian pouch); Mountain Man (piece of
rabbit fur or some other kind of fur, rifle)
3. Joined beaver trappers on the upper Missouri River
a. joined trapping party in St. Louis, Missouri
b. bear attack near Grand River, South Dakota
4. Grizzly Bear attack/injuries
a. torn shoulder and arm
b. exposed his skull on one side
5. Fitzgerald and Bridger
a. paid to watch Glass
b. left before Glass died
6. Glass's survival and recovery
a. had a small piece of a razor (razor, flint)
b. crawled on hands and knees
c. helped by Indians
7. Death
a. 1833—ambushed by Arikara Indians on the Yellowstone River
Answers to Story Questions
- Mariner, pirate, Pawnee, Mountain Man (beaver trapper)
- Jean Lafitte
- Beaver trappers
- Answers may vary. No, Fitzgerald and Bridger did not do the right thing. A man's word should always be kept. A man with integrity and fidelity should always speak and keep the truth and remain loyal to his friends.
- Answers may vary. I would like to say that I would have the willpower to survive, but I don't think the driving force would be to regain my gun.
- Answers may vary. The type and extent of wilderness found in the West is extremely rugged and dangerous. With hostile Indians and animals, it would take very strong, tough men to be able to explore and settle the unknown territories.
Myers, John Myers. The Saga of Hugh Glass. Lincoln: Bison Book, 1976.
Terry, Karen. "A Passion for Beaver Pelts." Cobblestone. Dec. 1991: 6-9
Zuber, Shari Lyn. "Sensational Sagas." Cobblestone. Dec. 1991: 20-26