Journey to the Far West: A Young Irishman’s Journey in Search of Freedom

Journey to the Far West is a search for freedom for the Irish character Git. It is a tale of a growing friendship between Chomper (Mandan name Eagle Hand) and Git. The journey is long and full of danger for the tribes in the Far West all have their hunting grounds and if they find a small party on their hunting grounds they will kill them and scalp them. There is plenty of adventure along the journey. There are friendly tribes along the way and Git and Eagle Hand find one in the Pawnees. The book depicts village life among the Pawnees. There is a Pawnee buffalo hunt which is made possible by the medicine men searching the land for buffalo in their dreams and finding them and the medicine men lead the tribe to the buffalo. The tribe rejoices in having meat, skins and the tools the buffalo provide. Git and Eagle Hand attend a fur trapper rendezvous where games are played and the Indians bet at every game. Rifles, knives and clothing of every color are sold at the rendezvous in the mountains. The battle of Pierre’s Hole takes place south of the rendezvous. It pits the Blackfoot tribe against the trappers and friendly tribes such a the Salish, Shoshone and Snake tribes. Git loses some friends in the battle and the Blackfoot sneak away from the battle. Git and Eagle Hand must traverse hostile Blackfoot territory on their way to the Mandan village. When they arrive at the Mandan village it feels like home to Git.