Life Among the Apaches (Classics of Old West) [Englisch] [Ledereinband]

I borrowed a copy of this Time-Life book from my sister and I liked it so much that I decided to buy my own copy! This volumn has great first hand knowledge presented about the author's experience with the Apache Indians in the 1860's - a MUST READ for any fan of the history of the Old West! I will get more of this series as I can find/afford them!

I bought,read and added the US Cavalry officer John C. Cremony's true account of Life Among The Apaches to our family library. Time Life in its Classics Of The Old West did a great job of putting Cremony's true accounts through his years in the US Calvary out west with the Apaches in a nice 322 page leather bound book. Its a page burner. I read it in 2 days. The reader wants to read on and learn the real deal about the Apaches. The author tells the reader in the very beginning not to expect flashy glowing descriptive writing. Its the authors idea to give a true factual description of the events that transpired while he was with the Apache Indians out west in the 1840s- 1860s.

We lean the Apache were very superstitious, cunning, and intelligent with their own language. They were one of the very few tribes that could count with individual names to ten thousand plus. Cremony is the first white man to learn their language. We learn they were the ultimate desert camouflage experts and very patient before attacking their enemies be they Mexican, American,Comanche, or Navajo. The Apache had very little love for any not of their own race.

Also Cremony has a microscope and is looking at a common flea. Rather than try to teach the Apache and show his superior scientific intelligence he lets the Apache's curiosity work. The Apache asks what he is doing and he says the microscope will make the flea as big as a dog and you can see all the details. The Indian wants to see and is amazed. Cremony is now "Big Medicine". The Apache did not like to be taught and never wanted to learn to read or write. They considered it lowly work not suitable to an Apache.

Cremony has a list of great Apache warriors and we learn the Apache tended to be a loose set tribe without a central chief... usually. The individual considered himself as good as any other and women were counted as almost nothing. When a squaw died it was said it was only a women. The Apache children were bought up to learn torture by both mother and father. They were actively shown how to torture small animals including their dogs. Because many braves were killed, polygamy was the norm.

We see the Apache could actual read how the grass was bent... how many people passed. Their sex by their urination spots and where their feet were. By their droppings...either American (barley)or Mexican(maze). By their moccasin prints what tribe of Indians. Remarkable. Also smoke signals and rock layering alongside a path to tell about people that passed. Kit Carson was the best at reading the Apache rock layering alongside of a pass.

Being great at stealing was a major asset. If a warrior could steal enough horses and other material from the whites or others including from their own tribe and could support many wives in comfort his squaws thought the provider great. If the warrior was brave and killed many men in battle but was not good at stealing and providing for his family he was thought to be a fool by his squaws. A young squaw would like to be the third or fourth wife so she would not have to work as much as the women did almost all the work.

Cremony tells us about many great warriors. Both the warrior and he gain respect for each other. However they can never be trusted and will steal and kill if the white man is not armed and on constant watch. We see how many large white groups that where not prepared and ready for a possible fight were easily massacred, while smaller groups that were heavily armed and prepared for a possible fight many times were not attacked by a much larger Apache group.

Very interesting when Cremony has a telescope and tells threatening Navajo Indians he is going to kill the moon for revenge against the Apache. Of course Cremony has an almanac and knows when a lunar eclipse will start and end. The Navajo see their moon darkened and dieing. They plead with Captain Cremony to spare the moon. They are really terrified. He convinces them to not attack any more and "saves" the moon. He now is nicknamed Captain Kill Moon.

Lots of other true adventures with the Apache by himself and others. This is a fascinating true book about the Apache, and some about the Navajo. Anyone wanting to learn the true culture of the Apache will love this book. It dispels the Western movie myths about the Apache and the reader can see how they actually lived and their intelligence but also their cunning, stealing, torturing and not to be trusted ways. 5 stars