Guns on the Early Frontiers: A History of Firearms from Colonial Times through the Years of the Western Fur Trade by Carl P. Russell (review)

256 THE CANADIAN HISTORICAL REVIEW Gunson the EarlyFrontiers: A Historyof Firearms fromColonial Times through theYears oftheWestern FurTrade. ByCAaL P.Rvss•s.•.. Berkeley: University ofCalifornia Press. 1957Pp.xvi,895,illus. $8.50. Fo• thepastdecade weinNorthAmerica havebeenexperiencing a tremendous re-awakening ofinterest in gunlore.Not onlydonewgunmagazines blossom overnight, buta casual perusal of newsstands reveals thatalmost everypublication manages tosqueeze in anarticleonguns. Toooften,however, theycater to the "bloodand thunder"school, wherethe factualside of gun lore is obscured bythesmoke ofblazing sixguns inthehands ofthesteely-eyed hero. Gun collecting too, hasundergone a greatrevival.Reputable dealers are doinga brisktrade,but others lesscapable are entering the field.Far too manyamateur collectors paylargesums forguns, littleornothing forreliable books of reference. It is,therefore, a refreshing change topickupa trulyfinebook ontheearly history offirearms inNorth America. Guns ontheEarlyFrontiers isobviously the resultof longandpainstaking historical research. Encompassing that period fromthebeginning oftheguntradeintheearly1600's tothedecline of thetrader onthewestern plains, theauthor hasskillfully interwoven the history ofthesettlement witha detailed history oftheguntrade. Chapter headings, such as"Trade Muskets and Rifles Supplied totheIndians," "Military Arms oftheFurTrade Period," "Powder, BallandAccessories," giveonlya clue tothehighly informative text. Allthedevious means bywhich theIndian wassupplied--the machinations oftraders, politicians, andwarring nations-arewelldealt with.Herealso welearn ofthesurprisingly exacting demands of the "primitive" Indianfor sound firearms. The guns themselves, well described and illustrated, include matchlock, flintlock and percussion. Emphasis naturally isplaced ontheguns made expressly fortrade, butmilitary arms ofthetrade period are wellcovered and include theearly revolving arms. Nottheleast interesting portions ofthis book arethenotes and glossary and theexcellent bibliography. Here, then, wehave a book designed primarily fortheserious collector orgunhistorian, butwhose readable style should appeal evento thecasual amateur. Thecollecting of oldguns, whether privately orbya public institution, involves a certain responsibility. These guns, whose history is inextricably linked withthehistory of settlement, require something morethancareful preservation. Theyrequire--and the present volume goes fartosupply--accurate documentation. R. W. SUTTON The Manitoba Museum ...