Deerfoot on the Prairies

A small party sets out from a frontier town and treks westward toward the Pacific, led by a skilled Shawanoe horseman and accompanied by two brothers and a Blackfoot companion. Their episodic journey across prairies, mountains, and rivers mixes hunting and camp-life detail with narrow escapes, skirmishes, and acts of courage, and includes encounters with other Indigenous groups, wild terrain, and changing plans. The narrative emphasizes horsemanship, loyalty, and resourcefulness as the travelers face natural hazards and interpersonal tests, press onward through difficult country, and finally descend the great river toward their destination.