THE TRAPPERS OF ARKANSAS

OR

THE LOYAL HEART

BY

GUSTAVE AIMARD

AUTHOR OF

"SMUGGLER CHIEF," "STRONG HAND," "PRAIRIE FLOWER," ETC.

LONDON

WARD AND LOCK, 158, FLEET STREET

LONDON

MDCCCLXIV

PREFACE.

The publication of the present volume of Gustave Aimard's works rendersthe series complete. It takes its place as the first of all: and it issucceeded by the "Border Rifles," "Freebooters," and "White Scalper."In exciting scenes and perilous adventures, this work, if possible,surpasses all those which have as yet been offered to the Englishreader. Moreover it enables the development of Aimard's literary talentto be distinctly traced. The critic will discover, that, at first,Gustave Aimard's brain so teemed with incidents, that he paid slightattention to plot, and hence this volume—as is indeed generally thecase with works relative to Indian life and character—consists ratherof a succession of exciting adventures than of a regularly developeddrama. This fault our Author has corrected in his later works: hishand, at first better suited to wield the bowie knife than the pen, hasregained its pliancy; and the ever increasing encouragement bestowed onhis stories in England, is a gratifying proof that his efforts afterartistic improvement have been fully appreciated.

L.W.

CONTENTS.

PROLOGUE.

PART I.