Daniel Boone and Kit Carson, while wandering in the wilderness in their explorations, applied and encountered similar approaches and situations. First, as indicated in chapter one of both books, the wild was covered with forests and plenty of wild animals ranging from buffaloes to bears.
The inhabitants of the forest were mainly hunters and gatherers traversing through the wild. Boone and Kit Carson journeyed through the woods of the wild and penetrated different parts of the vast rough country. In their exploration of the wild, the factions of both men came into realities with the cruelty of the wild. For instance, Boone and his companions faced the effects of a thunderstorm in the forest.
Further, wild animals such as buffaloes and bears attacked the groups. Also, the fearless Indians hunters in the forest were a real threat to the groups as they were concerned about the increasing number of whites in the region. As a result, they often engaged in running battles with the Indians and eventually lost their companions through the Indian bullets or arrows. On the same note, Kit Carson and his comrades faced similar challenges in the wilderness.
For example, the group was not only attacked by the game but also faced the threat of harsh weather conditions such as strong winds and thunderstorms. Further, the hostilities between the Indians and the whites exposed them to the frequent attacks from the fearless Indian savages. Despite all these setbacks and bottlenecks in their exploration, the groups pursued their mission through the application of bold means (Adventures of Boone chapter three, Adventures of Carson chapter three).
To have a good view of the locations of their enemies and their possible threats, they built forts to guard against intrusions by their foes. Like in the case of Daniel Boone and his company, during their sleeping time, they lit fire to scare away the dangerous game. Also, two of his men could keep watch while sleeping to ensure their safety.
Further, to guard themselves against the Indians, they built a fort at a salt lick near the south bank of River Kentucky. On the other hand, Kit Carson and his comrades established their camps on the headwaters of the River Arkansas found in the center of the Rocky Mountains, protecting them from the savages. The major functions of these camps were to serve as ideal locations staying safe from the incursions of the Indians (Adventures of Boone chapter three, adventures of Carson chapter three).
In both the frontier expedition models, the explorers befriended the savages when they were captured and used it as a means of escape. In the case of Carson and his comrades, they were so friendly to the Indians in their captivity, making it impossible for the savages to know their intentions, thereby facilitating their escape.
On the same note, when the Indians captured Daniel Boone and his men, they used similar tricks of Carson and managed to escape in the middle of the night without their captors noticing. Another interesting feature showing the similarity in the approaches applied by Carson and Boone is the use of fire and ammunition in their defense against incursions as well as in hunting their food.
Also, both the explorers valued the significant roles played by the horses in undertaking their activities and movements within the wilderness. Horses increased efficiency and effectiveness in movement and general work performance (adventures of Boone chapter three, Adventures of Carson, chapter three).
Differences between the frontier scouting models
Unlike Daniel Boone and his companions, Carson and his company of traders stressed on the significance of surgery in circumventing the hardships that may arise in the path of trade and exploration in the wilderness.
Surgery was evident when one of the companions of Carson unintentionally released a rifle shattering one of his comrade’s arms. The presence of razor, handsaw, and bar of iron was very effective in the performance of the surgical procedure, thereby preventing the amputation of the arm and further bleeding (Adventures of Carson chapter two).
Further, Carson recognized the importance of education in making communication between different parties effective and easy. In this regard, Kit Carson pursued an education in the Spanish language at the Kin Cade cabin crew academy and graduated with the highest qualifications. As a result, he was able to communicate with proficiency and fluency with people from diverse backgrounds in trade. He became a renowned interpreter and a guide to different traders in the wild.
On the other hand, Daniel Boone and his comrades while in their exploration missions in the wild are not concerned with knowing any language. Boone is more concerned on the wellbeing of his family members and the threats posed by the savages (Adventures of Carson chapter two, adventures of Boone chapter two).
Another interesting difference worth noting is that in the Carson frontier scout, every undertaking followed a military precision. In other words, the operations of the group were conducted in an orderly manner such that Kit Carson gave signals to his group every dawn to prepare for their duties. The impact of such signals ensured the accomplishment and better preparation for any attack from the game or the Indians.
Daniel Boone and his team on their part lacked clear-cut organizations in their wanders in the wild. A clear case is indicated when the supply of ammunition began to diminish, and he had to send for additional supplies for ammunition to boost their food supply and protection against attacks without considering the safety of his group members. The full picture is portrayed when Boone began to worry about the whereabouts of other group members (Adventures of Carson, chapter three, Adventures of Boone chapter two).
Filson and Abbot’s views and attitudes toward Indians and the natural world
In both cases, the world is viewed as beautiful and rich with stunning valleys and clear rivers. Further, Filson and Abbot view the new world as a land of freedom and prospect in which human beings are capable of re-inventing themselves through self-reliance, audacity, and hard work. However, the possibilities of attacks are imminent due to the presence of members of diverse ethnic backgrounds roaming on the land. Also, Filson viewed Indians as people who were hostile and fearless.
Further, the Indians were viewed as heartless people. For example, the Indians who emerged from the canebrake killed Stewart, one of Boone’s comrades on the spot. Also, Indians were seen as individuals who were capable of establishing the locations of the intruders due to their experience in the wilderness.
Boone and his brother realized that the Indians definitely knew their locations and therefore had to relocate to another location. They also had to change their camp every night to avoid attacks by the Indians (Adventures of Boone chapter one, Adventures of Carson chapter two).
Interestingly, Boone acknowledged that Indians as people who were resilient and strong since they underwent training from tender ages, making them stronger enough to withstand the harshness of the wilderness. The Indians are also viewed as people who were vengeful. In this regard, their greatest weapons depended on the number of scalps. Therefore, they strived to carry out attacks on the enemy as possible.
Further, Indians were decent people as Filson shows by the decent way in which they conducted their marriage and the burial ceremonies. Moreover, Boone recognized the organization of the Indian warriors when they are approaching a battle. To them, the war was very sacred, and they had to follow the instructions of their leader to the latter. Also, in the celebration of war victories, every individual is assigned a specific role to play promoting smooth operations.
The cruel nature of the Indians is portrayed by their atrocious way of torturing the prisoners. The prisoners were often tied in a pile of wood and then burnt. The Indians were also seen to be peace-loving citizens as Boone witnessed several peace treaties between warriors (Adventures of Boone chapter three).
On his part, Abbot sees the Indians as individuals who were flexible and as such, can adapt to the savage mode of life with a lot of ease. Also, he recognizes the fact that the Indians are strategic concerning their preparedness to war. Moreover, Carson observes that Indians were so obsessed with their traditions.
The evidence can be observed in the celebrations marked by the burning of two horses. The Indians are also portrayed as individuals who applied unorthodox means and force in stealing their enemies’ property. For instance, Carson and his company lost several horses and other animals to the Indian warriors (Adventures of Carson, chapter four).
Historical developments that might account for the differences frontier heroism
The differences in the border bravery have been attributed to several developments ranging from the civil wars to the introduction of diverse cultural practices. To begin with, as indicated in lecture four, the importation of the eastern civilization had a far-reaching outcome on the frontier scout. For instance, cattlemen have diverted from the conventional shepherding by the wild cowboys to embracing fenced ranches. Also, due to the introduction of eastern cultures, women engaged in acts of prostitution and joined the army explorers.
Further, the development of new regulations concerning the lives of wild animals prevented the explorers from killing the game for food. As such, an alternative mode of survival during exploration was farming. The discovery of precious stones and minerals such as gold also diverted the attention of the explorers from game hunting to mining.
Moreover, the improvements in transportation and communication infrastructures have led to significant changes in frontier scouting. For instance, lecture four indicates the construction of the railroads increased the prospect of transportation and movements of the explorers easy and simple. On the same note, the advancements in the telecommunication have made contacts between voyagers efficient and easy. The plain Indians abandoned their hunting expeditions in the wild to engage in the building of railroads.
The continued wars in the wild had the effects of secessions by different groups as some maintained loyalty. The consequence was regular attacks by members of different fonts. The opening of the western world has immensely influenced the frontier exploration. For instance, the diminishing population of beavers in the west forced them to embrace the scouting for soldiers and founders as opposed to trappers. Further, changes from apprenticeship to hunting also affected the nature of explorations.
Another key development that has influenced the differences in the frontier exploration, as shown in lecture four has been the undertakings as the agents of establishing the eastern civilization. Also, during the renaissance of civilization, the populations concentrated on the plains of the coast, leaving the vast land inhabited by wildlife and forest. With the developments in religion, education, and intermarriages, many populations settled and lived together in harmony devoid of attacks.
The rise of the Black Country as drawn from lecture two has influenced the way whites view the blacks, thereby enhancing trade and harmonious living between diverse cultural orientations. The massacres that were continuously experienced indicated the fragility between the coexistence of original inhabitants and the explorers of the frontier.
Further, the lack of peace instilled fear in the explorers in their endeavors in the wild. The natives have the conduct of taking justice in their own hands without following the laws of the land. The repression that the western country faced from the easterner’s authorities led to resentments among the settlers since they felt alienated and wanted to be left alone. As a result, they undertook the cause of going to the wilderness for explorations.
Further, the Indian mode of attacks characterized by their thoughts based on tribal orientations was directed towards torturing and killing women and children. The relinquishing of land claims by different states led to the abolishment of slavery, allocation of land to small lots, and the establishment of equality between the eastern and western inhabitants. As such, the frontier scouts considered the equality of humanity in the adventures.