
High up on the ragged crest of the Big Wind River Mountains, the world unfolds in a cathedral of granite, ice‑capped peaks, and endless sky. A lone guide stands on a towering platform, watching a thin ribbon of rail snake across the wilderness, while eagles wheel above and the distant roar of geysers hints at hidden power beneath the landscape. The air is thin, the terrain unforgiving, and every step feels like a claim on a frontier that few have ever dared to cross.
Beside him, a second pioneer—half‑Indian, half‑settler—matches his resolve, his mixed heritage offering both insight and tension as they plunge into the darkness of the mountain’s steep descent. Their partnership, forged in the roar of steam and the whisper of wind‑driven sleds, promises encounters with restless rivers, restless spirits, and the raw, untamed heart of the West. As night falls and the stars of the Great Bear blaze overhead, the adventure begins, inviting listeners to follow their daring trek through a world where nature reigns supreme.
Language
en
Duration
~7 hours (413K characters)
Publisher of text edition
Project Gutenberg
Credits
Produced by Camille Bernard and Marc D'Hooghe (Images generously made available by the Hathi Trust.)
Release date
2014-03-01
Rights
Public domain in the USA.
Subjects

1818–1883
Best remembered for fast-paced adventure novels set in the American West and Mexico, this 19th-century French writer turned years of travel into stories full of scouts, frontier conflict, and dramatic escapes. His books helped feed Europe's fascination with the Wild West.
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