A Cycle of the West is a collection of five epic poems (called "Songs") written and published over a nearly thirty-year span by John G. Neihardt.
The story begins in 1822—and follows an expedition of Major Andrew Henry during a series of arduous journeys over the Trans-Missouri region: following the Grand, Missouri and Yellowstone Rivers.
The story begins in 1823—just after the Leavenworth campaign against the Arikara Indians—and follows an expedition of Major Andrew Henry during a series of arduous journeys over the Trans-Missouri region.
Jamie and his fellow cover their cowardice with a specious lie: that they left only after Hugh died of natural causes, whereupon they first buried him before riding north to rejoin the trapping-party.
Then—fired by a relentless hate to punish those who left him to die—Hugh claws his painful way back to the land of the living: but only to set out to track down his betrayers and deal out some requisite summary justice.