Saddle Up Partner! The Old West

What people usually think when they hear Wild West.

We all know, hear and love the old West. Cowboys, horses, cattle, gunfights, outlaws. You name it and they had it. The West was full of legends and stories, dreams and fears. The East Coast could never get enough of the wildness of it all, the "romance" of "way out there." 

Yet the old West was so much more than that. Sure, they had all the things you watch on Rawhide and Bonanza, (though not nearly so dramatized.) but there was a lot of things that happened first that lead to the famous time period in history that we now call the Wild West. 

Let's began with a brush-up on who explored the West. Yep. Lewis and Clark, the famous explorers from the year 1804. When America bought the Louisiana Purchase ( parts of Montana, N. Dakota, Wyoming, S. Dakota, Minnesota, Nebraska, Iowa, Nebraska, Missouri, Colorado, Kansas, Oklahoma, Arkansas and of course, Louisiana) they hired Captain Merriweather Lewis and Second Lieutenant William Clark. But did you know that before them Captain James Cook had sailed the Pacific Ocean before? He sure did! We came along once, and... okay, getting ahead of myself. 

The migration West took place over several years, and more often than not was more of a trickle. Fur traders, mostly Russians, did wander up and down the Pacific Coast and traipse along the mainland, but for the most part the land west of Colorado was owned by the Spanish and Mexicans. It was known as the Spanish Territory. Later, the Spanish Territory would eventually be fought over and the Americans would come to settle it, but we're not going to get into that right now. Y'know, remember the Alamo. That's for another time. 

One major event that brought settlers to the West was the Oregon Trail. The first migrant organized wagon train started in Independence, Missouri, and headed down the trail to Fort Hall, Idaho. Many more followed. Trails were perilous, dangerous and ridden with disease and sickness. Many settlers never made it to the West, but died along the way. Their grave-markers can still be found today.  

Fast-forward again to the California Gold Rush. You remember what we covered? Hordes of people began to race West with Gold Fever, itching to get rich quick. This took place in the 1840s. Like we'd discussed a couple months back, though a lot of those people didn't become rich, they settled the Northwest and other Western states to become homesteaders and ranchers.  

A cattle drive to Oklahoma.

In other parts of the country, places like Texas, Arizona and other hot states were great places to raise cattle. Lots of land, sunshine and food. As early as 1836 ranchers in Texas began to drive their cattle along a "Beef trail" to New Orleans. By the 1840s that trail expanded towards Missouri and included towns like Sedalia, Bazter Springs, Springfield and St. Louis. The main trail was Shawnee Trail (also known as the Texas Road or Texas Trail), until 1853, when the farmers got afraid that the cattle were carrying the Texas Fever (caused by ticks) and blocked the trail. The Texas cattle were immune to it, but the local cattle were not and the farmers began to seize and kill any infected cattle they came across. Drovers than began to take their herds up the eastern edge of Kansas, but there they were also met with opposition.  

The West was a huge expanse of land to be covered, full of exotic creatures settlers from the East that had never seen such things as buffalo, marmots and other creatures native to the drier climates of the Western states. Tales were spun and sent back to the relatives left behind in the old settlements, and these were no doubt the wild stories of outlaws and Indians we hear today. Some of it was true, but a good amount of it could be disposed of as a "yarn", or a tall tale to rouse the curiosity of those who lived too far away to see the real deal itself. 

Now about cowboys. 

This was a little excerpt we read online that Wikipedia wrote up. 

The English word cowboy has an origin from several earlier terms that referred to both age and to cattle or cattle-tending work. 

The word "cowboy" appeared in the English language by 1725.[3] It appears to be a direct English translation of vaquero, a Spanish word for an individual who managed cattle while mounted on horseback. It was derived from vaca, meaning "cow,"[4] which came from the Latinword vacca. Another English word for a cowboy, buckaroo, is an Anglicization of vaquero.[5] 

Originally, the term may have been intended literally—"a boy who tends cows." By 1849 it had developed its modern sense as an adult cattle handler of the American West. Variations on the word "cowboy" appeared later. "Cowhand" appeared in 1852, and "cowpoke" in 1881, originally restricted to the individuals who prodded cattle with long poles to load them onto railroad cars for shipping.[6] Names for a cowboy in American English include buckaroo, cowpoke, cowhand, and cowpuncher.[7] "Cowboy" is a term common throughout the west and particularly in the Great Plains and Rocky Mountains, "Buckaroo" is used primarily in the Great Basin and California, and "cowpuncher" mostly in Texas and surrounding states.[8] 

So there you have it. The origin of the word "Cowboy".  

Cowboys from the West.

The most famous time that most people remember when they think of the Wild West is the years between 1870s-1880s. These were the years that infamous outlaws like Jesse James, Billy the Kid, Cherokee Bill, Bonnie and Clyde, The Sundance Kid and Butch Cassidy. Everyone who heard their names knew to fear them, and wild tales of their many crimes were spread from territory to territory. Those days were also the years of the most

famous cowboys and cowgirls of the time, with names such as Wyatt Earp, Calamity Jane, Buffaloo Bill, Annie Oakley and Wild Bill Hickok gracing the pages of history. To this day you can type up any one of these names and you'll find numerous books and movies on any one of these people. Their legends live on to this day. 

To be honest, there is so much that one cannot even begin to tell about the West and the stories of those who experienced it first hand. If you were to mention anything about the "West" to your fellow Americans, the first picture they'd get in their mind was of outlaws stealing money from a bank, shooting at lawmen and then taking off on their horses. Though that did happen, most of the time life "out there in the Wild West" was more a day-to-day survival experience than a rough and tumble shootout.  

The old West will always be remembered as one of the great moments in American history. Ask any foreigner what the greatest events in America's life before the World Wars and they'd probably say, "The Revolutionary War, the Civil War and the old West."  

Perhaps the reason the American settlement of the Western States is so fondly remembered with such great romanticized stories is because deep down, we'd all like to live in a time where an honest man could get what he deserved by working hard, loving his family and loving God. Good always triumphed over evil, and Christian values prevailed over all. I think we'd all like to live in a time like that. 

Today in History: On this day in history, Flour was in high demand in San Francisco, California. Not very interesting, right? Well, the Los Angeles Herald wrote that: The demand is fair and the prices are firm. Wheat- Demand good and holders Arm, shipping is $1, milling is $1. Wish we could buy wheat flour for that price these days!

Little-known Fact: Did you know that Camels used to live in California? We're not kidding! On May 14th, 1856, the camels arrived in America as part of a United States military experiment. They were going to use the camels to ride across deserts like Death Valley, but discovered that camels aren't exactly the nicest of creatures ever. Plus, their horses were terrified of them, which didn't help much at all. The project was abandoned and the camels died out, but you can now safely tell someone that camels used to live in California!

Come back next week and we'll give you some great reads to satisfy that wild side of yours for old West adventures!

The Unknown: Part Four

Back at the military base, the one that our heroes have no idea exists or what they have planned...

The Major was expecting the phone call. He knew it would come.
He tapped his fingers on the desk and watched the clock tick by. He's going to call any minute now, he thought glumly.
Still, the phone did not ring.
He'd been at the desk for twenty-five minutes. His failure to get Preposition TTGS up and going was apparent by the time graph flashing on his screen, proving that Trevor Trekker had once more changed history.
The big man was not going to be happy about this.
His intercom buzzed and he absent mindedly hit the response button. "Major here, what do you want?"
"Sir." It was the guard at the hallway entrance. "There is a man here to see you." A pause, then, "He's got something important to discuss with you. Should I let him in?"
"I don't have time for this," the Major snapped.
"But sir," the guard stammered on the other end. "He as credentials."
Credentials or not, I do-not-have-time-for-this, he growled inwardly. Nothing he could do about it. No doubt it was his superior officer Colonel Steiner, checking on his progress on Project Thirty-Six. He's not going to enjoy this report. 
The Major sighed. "Fine, send him in."
"Will do, sir."
He leaned back in his chair and ran his fingers through his hair. If it is Colonel Steiner, what if the Big Man calls in? What do I do then? Yes, the CIA was authorized to find Trevor and arrest him. Yes, the President had agreed Trevor and Marin were dangerous, changing history and nobody knowing when it happened. But if they knew about the other figure he was reporting to...
"Hello Timothy."
He froze, his eyes widened. The Major's heart began to pound against his chest and he swallowed. It can't be. He'd only heard the voice over the phone, he'd never actually met him in person. But he'd used his real name-
Major Timothy slowly looked up and stared into the eyes of a medium height man with a pleasant smile and a dangerous look in his green eyes. "It's nice to finally meet," he said in an almost cheerful manner. "I came stateside yesterday and thought I'd come to see you." He gestured to a chair. "Mind if I sit down?"
"No, no! I mean, no, of course not," Timothy stammered. He leapt up and offered the guest chair to the light blond-haired man. "Please, sit down."
He needed to sit down. His mind was having trouble processing what was happening, who was even now sitting in the chair across from his desk. Him. The big man, the guy pulling all the strings. The one who knew his name. Who knew what he'd done.
"I'm glad I surprised you, I thought it would be jolly good fun to come unannounced," he said once he was seated, his eyes glinting as he smirked. "I am most pleased by your reaction."
Major Timothy sunk into his chair and clasped his hands on the handles. "How? Why?" he managed. "Why are you here?"
Once more a cat-like grinned cross his face, and he laughed. "I like how you get right to the point, Timothy." He drew out the Major's name for emphasis. "It never ceases to amaze me how a man such as yourself could let an idiot like Trekker slip through your fingers countless times." Now all the playfulness was gone, and in its place was pure evil. His eyes no longer glimmered, they snapped like a winter's cold spell. His face was etched in a frown as he leaned forward. He tapped the computer screen of Timothy's laptop. "You read the graph, yes?"
He could only nod.
"Then you can see that Trekker has done it once more," the blond-haired man snapped. "TTGS never lies. The timeline has wavered and bent, whatever you did to try and change Gettysburg didn't work. They stopped it. Just like the collapse of the dam, and the attempt to have the crooked deputy round them. My patience is running thin, Major Timothy. And you're not helping the situation."
"Please," Timothy stammered, "Give me another try at it. I'm doing the best I can, I want to catch him as much as you do."
He cocked an eyebrow and settled back in his seat. "Do you? Or is your conscience getting to you?" he snarled.
"What? No! I am doing everything I can, I'm using the device like you told me, I've followed all the instructions. If Trevor realizes what he has then-"
"Then your career is over, as well as a good chunk of the CIA agents you've paid off," he finished. "I know. That's why I sought you out for this job. You're in a bad position, Timothy. Either Trevor will spill the beans on who really killed Harriet," he paused, then lowered his voice, "or I will." Standing up, he scowled at the Major, then hissed, "You have one more chance to catch him in the act. TTGS tracked them to the old West. I expect you to catch them this time. Do not fail me."
He turned around and left, leaving Timothy in a state of shock and numbness. One thing was for sure- if he didn't catch the time traveler and his assistant this time around, he would wind up dead. Just like the others.

Part Five to come at the end of August.

The Month Ahead

Hope you enjoyed his month's adventures! It was kind of scary, but I'm glad Jimmy was agreeable to help. What was your favorite part of our adventure?
As always, if you have any questions please feel free to ask them! We'll do our best to answer. So fire away! Also, if you'd like to recommend our blog to your friends we'd really appreciate that. The more readers the better, we want to reach as many of you as we can.
Well, we're getting into the month of August this next week. So it's time we go to a new era, one that you are all very familiar with. We're going to...

August

2014

Week	Topic	What to expect
1	Saddle Up, Partner! The old West.	An introduction of the Wild West, some historical facts, today in history and a little known fact.
2	Ride On: Book Recommendations on the Wild West	Three books/series we think you'll like about the West.
3	Back to the Drawing Board	Trevor and I return to California to find things are as crazy as ever.
4	Back to the Drawing Board: Part 2	Trevor and I make a new friend who's as curious about us as we are about her.

Here's a preview picture of next month's adventure! Can't wait for you to join us!

Hmm, looks exciting, doesn't it?

Spies Be Warned: Part Three

Sitting on the edge of your seat to find out what happened? Hope so! Here’s the conclusion to our story!

I recognized the voice. I knew it from somewhere...but were?

This was the least of my worries at the moment, though, for my captor began to drag me back. “I remember you,” he hissed in my ear.

I do too, but from where? I thought miserably. My heart pounded against my chest and I wished Trevor was here. Oh Trevor, where are you? This was bad. Really bad. Trevor wasn’t here and I was in unfamiliar territory in a time period I didn’t belong in. What if this guy really shot me?

“You’re that drummer boy who was with the Colonel,” my captor continued. “I remember when I ran into you your hat flew off, and you had braids. I thought perhaps I was mistaken, but no, I see I’m right. You are a girl! And you’ve come to chase me down, have you? You and that Colonel?”

The spy! That’s where I recognized the voice from. This was the same boy we were trying to find!

“Oww!” he yelped as I bit down hard on his hand. He let go for a quick instant.

I took this opportunity to yell at the top of my lungs, “Trevor! Help me!”

“Oh, no you don’t!” He roughly shoved me down and pushed my face into the dirt. “Don’t mess with me!”

Could it be? Did I detect...fear, uncertainty in his voice? He was acting like he’d kill me any second, but his voice didn’t coincide with his claims. Is he scared? I wondered.

“Now, get up slowly and don’t make one more sound,” he growled fiercely. “If you do I swear I’ll shoot you on the spot, even if you are a girl.”

Okay, so perhaps it's too early to make a good judgement at the moment, I decided. But let’s keep the door open for possibilities. Even if he is threatening to kill me.

I slowly stood up and complied with what he said. I didn’t know if he was bluffing or not, but it was best not take any chances. I knew better than that. And Trevor wasn’t here to help me.

“Turn around,” he ordered.

I did as he ordered and faced him. He held his gun steady and looked me in the eye. I returned his gaze. He was young, much too young to be a soldier in my eyes. His boyish face looked frightened, but he continued to scowl like he was confident of his situation.

He glanced me over and his look softened. “You’re really young,” he commented. He frowned and scratched his head. “What’s a young girl like you doing in the Union Army?”

“I could ask the same about you,” I replied. “And I must wonder why you’re a spy. You seem too young to be a spy.”

“No one suspects a seventeen-year-old,” he retorted. “That’s why they made me a spy.” he cocked his head a little. “You are after me, aren’t you? How many of them are there?”

My previous fear was beginning to fade away. There was something in his mannerisms, or perhaps it was because I could see in his eyes that he didn’t want to hurt me. I couldn’t lie to this boy. He was only six years older than me. “Only me and Trevor,” I admitted.

The boy stiffened. “Trevor? Is he the Irish Colonel?”

“Don’t ever let him catch you saying that, he’s Scottish.” I giggled. “But yes, he’s...he’s the one pretending he’s a Colonel.”

This really threw the boy for a loop. He lowered the gun in his hand and stared at me. “Pretending to be?” he repeated. “You mean he’s not-”

“He’s not a real Colonel,” I finished. What is wrong with you? This boy has stolen the plans for the battle of Gettysburg and you’re going to let him get away with it? Something told me to continue the way I was going, to let the conversation go on. I knew it was the Holy Spirit guiding me, so I took a deep breath and tried to ignore the small remnant of fear inside.

“Then how do you know I’m a Confederate spy and why are you after me?” the boy asked suspiciously, unconscious that he’d raised his weapon once more.

“Because we’re just that awesome!”

It happened so fast, I didn’t even realize it was Trevor until he’d gotten off the young spy with the gun in his hand. He’d tackled that kid like a pro, I’d thought for sure another Union officer had shown up.

“Trevor!” I cried, coming forward and hugging him. He continued to aim the gun at the boy and patted me on the head.

“You okay?” he asked.

I nodded.

The Confederate boy stared at Trevor in terror, his eyes wide as he clutched his chest.

“You threatened my daughter,” Trevor growled. “And I take that as a serious offense. You also stole some very important documents that we’re going to be needing back.”

“Trevor, he didn’t hurt me,” I objected, noting the dangerous look in his eyes. “We were starting to talk, it’s okay. He wasn’t going to hurt me.”

At this the kid grew a little offended. “How do you know that?” he snapped. “I could have shot you any time I liked.”

Not helping, I mouthed as Trevor glared at him.

“Look, guys,” I stepped between my adopted father and the young Confederate boy, “I’m sure we can solve this without the gun.” I turned to the boy and asked, “What’s your name?”

“Jimmy,” he muttered. “And yours?”

“I’m Marin and this is Trevor.” I gestured to my time traveling friend. “We’re not going to hurt you. We just want the papers back and you can go on your way.”

“What!” Trevor yelped. “But he’s a spy!”

I ignored him, knowing he’d come to see it from my point of view in a little while. “I promise, you can go back to the South and no one will catch you.”

Jimmy glanced at me and frowned. “How do I know you’re telling the truth?” he sniffed. “This is my job, I have to do my job, or I dishonor my country.”

“Your country is the US of A, pal,” Trevor muttered. “Not some stupid South versus North argument. Don’t you get it? All of you are brothers!”

“You’re not making a lot of sense.” Jimmy glanced at Trevor. “You’re talkin’ like you know how everything is going to end.”

It was risky, I knew, but it might be worth a shot. “That’s because we do, Jimmy,” I said. “We’re time travelers.”

Trevor was silent. Jimmy’s mouth dropped open and he blinked a couple of times.

“I don’t think I heard you correctly,” he stammered. “What did you say?”

I smiled. “Trevor and I are time travelers. That’s why we must get those plans back.”

~oOo~

Back on our island, I was trying to teach our parrot Fruity-Toot to sing one of Leoš Janáček’s songs. “Come on, Fruity-Toot,” I coaxed. “Like this. Moje láska je na volném moři, k němu jsem se utéct, Odletět s větrem mé lásky, běh na břehu se se mnou setkat.”

At that second Trevor walked in, a huge electronic contraption in his arms and a smile to match. “Nice song, Marin,” he commented. He set down the device and wiped his brow. “Whew, this is heavy.”

“What is it?” I asked, forgetting about Fruity-Toot.

“A Lexicorphograph Laenin Factorial Composit Defunct,” he replied with a wild grin. “It’s really cool.”

“I’m never going to learn your language,” I teased.

“Yeah, well, I’m still having trouble learning you, period!” Trevor retorted. He leaned against his contraption and winked. “I’m still shocked how you got Jimmy to hand over the papers. It usually doesn’t work like that.”

I shrugged. “He seemed like a nice boy. And scared. I felt sorry for him, that’s all. I’m glad we were able to persuade him to help us.”

“After you put the fear of God in him about what would happen if America didn’t win the war.” Trevor chuckled. He walked over to me and gave me a friendly squeeze. “I must admit, I’m getting more and more impressed with your history knowledge, Marin. I can see you’re really trying to learn.”

I gave him a huge smile. For Trevor to say that meant he really was impressed. Perhaps I was finally getting the hang of this time traveling!

“Now, why don’t you join me on a nice trip to a pirate ship?”

Okay. Maybe not.

The End