In The Brooding Wild

by Ridgwell Cullum

In The Brooding Wild is a novel written by British author Ridgwell Cullum and first published in 1905. Set in the Canadian wilderness, the novel follows the story of a young man named Peter Gross who sets out to find his father, a trapper who has gone missing in the wild. Along the way, Peter encounters a variety of challenges and dangers, including hostile wildlife, harsh weather conditions, and dangerous criminals. As he navigates the rugged terrain, Peter also discovers a deep connection to the natural world and learns to rely on his own instincts and survival skills. The novel is known for its vivid descriptions of the Canadian wilderness and its portrayal of the rugged, self-reliant individuals who make their living in this harsh environment. It is a classic adventure story that captures the spirit of the early 20th century and the thrill of exploration and discovery in the great outdoors.This scarce antiquarian book is a facsimile reprint of the old original and may contain some imperfections such as library marks and notations. Because we believe this work is culturally important, we have made it available as part of our commitment for protecting, preserving, and promoting the world's literature in affordable, high quality, modern editions, that are true to their original work.

274 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1905

About the author

Pseudonym of Sidney Groves Burghard

Ridgwell Cullum was a British adventurer who left England at age seventeen to go gold-prospecting in the Transvaal. He then removed to the Cape of Good Hope, where he joined up with a league of freebooters fighting against the Boers. Unable to keep still, he crossed the seas and settled in the Yukon region of Canada. During his stay in that area, he narrowly escaped starving to death. He next crossed the Canadian border, and became a successful cattle-rancher in Montana. It is said that during this period he took part in Sioux uprisings on the Pine Ridge and Rosebud reservations. In 1903, Cullum published his first novel, The Devil's Keg. After its immediate success, Cullum decided to become a full-time writer. Dozens of novels followed throughout a career of nearly forty years. His principal early works include, Hound from the North (1904), The Night Riders (1906), and The Compact (1909). In 1931, these, along with The Purchase Price (1917), were published in an omnibus edition of his works. Despite Zane Grey's success in England, Cullum continued to hold his own in sales and popularity. His characters are larger-than-life, his descriptions vivid, and his plot mechanisms fool-proof.

Reviews

[Suzanne · Rating 2 out of 5]

Sad story. Can't imagine living in such a cold climate.

[Perry Whitford · Rating 3 out of 5]

Ralph and Nicol Westley are brothers, born and raised in the isolation of the Canadian Rockies. Strong yet simple and superstitious, they 'had been born to the life of the trapper and knew no other ... they were creatures of Nature who understood and listened when she spoke.'

A local trader named Victor Gagnon learns that they have discovered some gold and plays on their ignorance by concocting the story of the White Squaw, a beautiful, blue-eyed daughter of the Moosefoot tribe.
Then suddenly, she appears.

This is a hard and stormy tale of trickery, murder and madness, as rugged as the terrain in which it's set. The prose is similarly toughened, only a little overcooked at times. There's nobody to like, and the elements are unforgiving.

That said, like the other novel I have read by Cullum, The Way of the Strong - which started out much as this story before opening out into something more ambitious - there is no denying that he could write, even if there was something of a meanness about him.