In 1809, ruthless businessman John Jacob Astor schemes to send an overland expedition to the mouth of the Columbia River. Destination Astoria reveals the remarkable odyssey of one young fur trapper, Dutch Blackwell, who joins that enterprise. From Boston, Dutch travels cross-country with his dog and two horses to meet up with Astor's brigade in St. Louis. Along the trail, he encounters Mountain Jack, a seasoned frontiersman. The two men form an alliance, forsaking the Astorians, and cross the continent together. During their tormented passage, the men face death from starvation, dehydration,...

The Early Years: Trail of Discovery (Third Edition) We all come into this world alone, and go out the same. Between coming and going, is life. The Early Years is a story about life and how a yearlong adventure defines the future for a young man named Dutch Clarke. Manipulated by the terms of his dead Grandfather's will, Dutch undertakes a one-year ordeal in the rugged wilderness of British Columbia in 1941. This is a classic story of one man's personal struggle to come of age against all odds. Dutch begins his trek accompanied by his horse Blaze, two mules and a half wild dog, Gus. As they...

Joseph Blackwell, a lad without prospects, befriends a mysterious sea captain and secures a berth on his ship. The year is 1787, and two American ships laden with supplies set sail from Boston Harbor. Their venture: to round Cape Horn and sail to the Northwest coast of America, to trade with the Indians for sea otter pelts. Once their cargo is secured, they will sail to China via the Sandwich Islands and trade the valuable skins for tea, before returning to Boston via the Cape of Good Hope. During their stormy passage, the two ships lose contact with each other. As a result, the sloop Lady...