"A man doesn't have the claws a bear has, nor the strength of a bull. He doesn't have the nose of a wolf, nor the wings of a hawk, but he has a brain." p 57 "Try to foresee the worst things that could happen, and plan for them." p 58 "They say little pitchers have big ears, and they should have. That's the way to learn. ... Even a fool can teach you not to be foolish." p 145 The unusually underage hero takes a long route to safety with the requisite helpless adorable female, tackling the ubiquitous harsh Western nature and simply bad men. Hardy Collins 7, heading west to join his pa Scott, misses the wagon train massacre, with his pet, stallion Big Red, and tagalong toddler Betty Sue Andy 3. He can find and build shelter, fish, trap, track, hunt, and survive, but winter snow comes. The gleaming horse-flesh attracts trouble. Coup-heavy Ashawakie first crosses paths with "Little Warrior" at the same time as his ornery 900-pound grizzly opponent, previously crippled thus dubbed Old Three-Paws, then gets backup warriors. A fire tempts the children to white murderers, thief Jud and trigger-happy cruel Cal. Thinking like the boy, good guys follow - Scott, Bill Squires, and Frank Darrow.Cliff-hanger suspense ends chapters. Colloquial drawls to the point. Wham-bang action. None of the troubling boxing terminology in some L'Amours, emphasis on the courage, resourcefulness, and down-deep honor of his heroes makes this a favorite of mine. These days the average reader is totally ignorant of the skills demonstrated here, "tests where the result was not just a bad mark if one failed. The result was a starved or frozen body somewhere, forgotten in the wilderness." p125, clear in the ending of North to the Rails. Modern solutions focus on high tech forensics, specialized combat weapons and skills; this is back to basics. We can learn from Pa. (Personal opinion: School taught boo-all past 'three Rs', useless. Best lessons were outside academics: survival, first aid, self-defense, driving, navigation, swimming, sailing - none in current curriculums. School may teach a bit about people, a lot about bullies, not in a positive way. 'Education' can do more bad than good.)(view spoiler)[ Scary stutter-hiccup when the kids pass their saviors' track p169. Hardy deduced Schifflin's gold was nearby p201. Why couldn't his request to keep the prospector's buffalo robe "from a dugout a ways back" p221 continue to details of the treasure stash? Then motherless duo, and friends who forsook obligations to help, could have had a more substantial reward than togetherness, at least the potential for searching come spring. (hide spoiler)]
3.5 stars. Quick, easy, fun read. A 7 year old boy and 3 year old girl escape when their wagon train is ambushed. With only a horse, a knife, and thin clothing, they try to make it West on their own. Hardy has learned a lot from his dad as they traveled sometimes living off the land and learning from the Indians. He is now responsible not just for himself and beloved horse, but also a young girl. Using his wits and what he has learned he does a fine job as they encounter hunger, an Indian wanting to steal the horse, crooks wanting to kill them and take the horse, wild animals and even snow.*My grandfather was a cowboy, herding cattle, hunting, and scouting trails. I heard many stories of his adventures. Found myself thinking about him a few times while reading this story.* Sometimes the help they found along the way was too convenient, shelter, food, waterways, blankets, etc. Not in an over-the-top way, but with so many things over and over again falling into place it was unbelievable. They still struggled a lot and things were definitely not easy. I really felt for the kids and rooted for them in all they went through. Still a good story of survival and hope.
What do You think about Down The Long Hills (1984)?
One of my favorite L'Amour booksWhat a grand adventure book! It is told mostly from the point of view of Hardy, a seven-year-old boy. It tells of the wagon train he was traveling on to meet his father and the Indian attack on that wagon train. Luckily Hardy and three-year-old Betty Sue and Hardy's stallion, Red, escape the attack.Now they are on their own with winter coming on - no food, no blankets. But luckily Hardy is one savvy young man. His father has trained him well to live in hard country. Now Hardy and Betty Sue need to make their way west trying for Fort Bridger, Wyoming, hoping to find Hardy's father.They must battle cold, hunger, fear, the elements, wild animals, Indians and bad guys.This is a fast-paced story that will definitely hold your interest. Great dialogue, well researched by L'Amour like all his books - this one is definitely a keeper. And even though the protagonist is a young boy, this tale will appeal to all ages.
—Cheryl
A story of two children alone on the plains after Indians massacred the adults in the wagon train. They have to survive as they trek across America to where the boy's father waits. The boy is seven-years-old and the girl (her parents were killed in the massacre) is three-years-old. It’s unrealistic how intelligent and survival-skills-savvy the boy is. Regardless what his father had taught him about survival, he’s only seven. I know some boys around that age, and imagining them in the same situation as this character is impossible. L’Amour head-hops in his stories. In one paragraph you’re in one character’s head and the next you might be in another character’s head. The change is abrupt and jarring. His descriptions are good though, almost lyrical at times. But I only gave it 4 stars for the jarring head hopping and the unrealistic situation of a small boy who acts like a man.
—Lorna
I am now hooked on Louis L'Amour. I decided to start reading Louis L'Amour because I loved books I read this year by McMurtry, also The Homestead, and other historical fiction focused on US in the late 1700s and early to mid-1800s. Down the Long Hills is about a smart little boy and a three-year-old girl who are away from their covered wagons when the wagon train is attacked and everyone is killed. The little boy has to remember everything his father ever taught him to survive in the natural world while protecting the little girl. I love survivor stories and this one is especially wonderful and exciting. I don't want to spoil anything, so I will only say it was a lovely book and I am planning to read everything written by Mr. L'amour.
—Teresa
