Here are some more great quotes that members of the RMO party have picked. They are not on the home page of the site though, because they have not been matched up with a photo.
Each man selected for himself a blanket, or robe, which, with such other necessaries as he could conveniently carry, was bound in the form of a knapsack and strapped to his shoulders; our animals were then heavily laden with provisions, and the remaining luggage (consisting of arms taken from the enemy, saddles, robes, blankets, knives, &c.,) committed to the flames;
Rufus Sage, Rocky Mountain Life
Submitted by Bradley C Bailey
The long winter evenings were passed away by collecting in some of the most spacious lodges and entering into debates arguments or spinning long yarns until midnight in perfect good humour and I for one will cheerfully confess that I have derived no little benefit from the frequent arguments and debates held in what we termed The Rocky Mountain College and I doubt not but some of my comrades who considered themselves Classical Scholars have had some little added to their wisdom in these assemblies however rude they might appear
Osborne Russell, Journal of a Trapper, p.95
Submitted by Bradley C Bailey
The hunters form for themselves a peculiar kind of cap;- it has two ears with a flap reaching to the shoulder. This is worn with double object in view, one of which is to deceive the buffalo in approaching, under such guise, the hunter is mistaken by the animal for a wolf, and is suffered to approach quite near.
Alfred Jacob Miller, Approaching Buffalo
Submitted by Bill Gantic
... on Sundays, when we have in addition a kind of French dumpling, made of minced meat, rolled into little balls enveloped with dough, and fried in the marrow of buffalo; which is both rich and pleasant to the taste.
Warren Ferris, Life in the Rocky Mountains
Submitted by Bill Gantic
We easily came to a good understanding together. They told as extravagant yarns as they pleased, and we believed as little as we liked. Both had reason to be pleased with the arrangement, and many an hour I sat and listened to extempore adventures, improvised for the occasion, compared to which those of Colter and Glass, (both of which I'd read years before,) were dull and spiritless.
Warren Ferris, Life in the Rocky Mountains
Submitted by Scott Walker
Strange, that people can find so strong and facinating a charm in this rude, nomadic, and hazardous mode of life, as to estrange themselves from home, county, friends, and all the comforts, elagances, and privileges of civilization; but so it is, the toil, the danger, the loneliness, the deprivation of this condition of being, fraught with all of its disadvantages, and replete with peril, is they think, more than compensated by the lawless freedom, and the stirring excitement, incident to their situation and pursuits.
Warren Ferris, Life in the Rocky Mountains
Submitted by Steve Chin
A Totally differnt class of men has now sprung up: "the Mountaineers," the traders and trappers that scale the vast mountain chains, and pursue their hazardous vocation amidst their wild recesses. They move from place to place on horseback. The equestraian exercises, therefore, in which they are engaged, tha nature of the countries they traverse, vast plains and mountains, pure and exhilarating in atmospheric qualities, seem to make them physically and mentally a more lively and mecurial race... We find them, accordingly, hardy, lithe, vigorous, and active; extravagant in word, and thought, and deed; heedless of hardship; daring of danger; prodigal of the present, and thoughtles of the future.
Washington Irving, The Rocky Mountains: or Scenes, Incidents and Adventures in the Far West, Vol 1
Submitted by Steve Chin
Soon careless groups were idly loitering on the ground in various positions; others trying to excel one another in shooting; some engaged in mending their clothes or moccasins; here one fondling a favorite horse, there another, galloping, in wild delight, over the prairie; a large band of horses quietly feeding about camp; large kettles supported over fires by "trois-pied" (three feet) and graced to overflowing with the best of meat; saddles and baggage scattered about; and to finish the description, fifty uncovered guns leaning against the fort or pen ready for use, at any moment. Such was the aspect of our camp, which was now settled; and a stranger uninformed of the late disastrous occurrences, would not have discovered that anything had happened, to mar our usual tranquility.
Warren Ferris, Life in the Rocky Mountains
Submitted by Steve Chin
...and last, though not least, to kindle a fire and heap on the wood in plenty, which we did, and made, what would be called at home, a rousing one. In the evening we dried our moccasins, ate some dried meat, and finally threw ourselves down to sleep, covered by our two blankets; and as the night was pleasant we rested well, warm and comfortable.
Warren Ferris, Life in the Rocky Mountains
Submitted by Steve Chin
The process of butchering was a new development of that most useful science. The carcase was first turned upon the belly, and braced to a position by its distended legs. The operator then commenced his labors by gathering the long hair of the "boss," and severing a piece obliquely at the junction of the neck and shoulders, -then parting the hide from neck to rump, a few passes of his ready knife laid bare the sides, -next paring away the loose skin and preparing a hold, with one hand he pulled the shoulder towards him and with the other severed it from the body;- cutting aslant the uprights of the spina dorsi and "hump ribs," along the lateral to the curve, and parting the "fleece" from the tough flesh at that point he deposited it upon a clean grass-spot. The same process being described upon the opposite side, the carcase was then slightly inclined, and, by aid of the leg-bone bisected at the kneejoint, the "hump-ribs" were parted from the vertebra; after which, passing his knife aside the ninth rib and around the ends at the midriff, he laid hold of the dissevered side, and, with two or three well directed jerks, removed it to be laid upon his choicely assorted pile; a few other brief minutia then completed the task.
Rufus Sage, Rocky Mountain Life
Submitted by Bradley C Bailey
for we had no plates or other superfluous kitchen furniture – the only articles requisite to a mountaineers cuisine being a long knife and a tin cup.
Lewis Garrard, Wah-to-Yah and the Taos Trail, p.207
Submitted by Bradley C Bailey
I must confess that the very happiest moments of my life have been spent in the wilderness of the Far West; and I never recall, but with pleasure, the remembrance of my solitary camp in the Bayou Salade [Salt valley of South Park, Colorado], with no friend near me more faithful than my rifle, and no companions more sociable than my good horse and mules, or the attendant cayute which nightly serenaded us.
George F. Ruxton, Life in the Far West, p.v
Submitted by Bradley C Bailey
... how it seems to carry us back to the dear scenes which we have exchanged for the wild and pathless wilderness!
John K Townsend, Narrative of a Journey
Submitted by Bradley C Bailey