THE BEN LILLY LEGEND. By J. Frank Dobie.

(1950) 1952 1st UK edition. 8vo (133 x 205mm). Ppxviii,237. B/w photographs, illustrations. Yellow boards, spine titled in black.

The story of Ben Lilly, "the greatest bear hunter in history after Davy Crockett. ...Lilly was born in Alabama in 1856, followed the bear and the panther westward through Mississippi and Louisiana to Texas, leaving a trail of stories about his prowess as a hunter and his goodness as a man. He was at one time 'chief Huntsman' to Teddy Roosevelt, hunted in Texas and Mexico, and came to be known as the master sign reader of the Rockies. Here are all the stories Ben Lilly told and a great many more Frank Dobie has heard about him..." Chapters include:- Mister Ben Lilly and his book;' The cowwhip; That hawk kept flying; Teddy Roosevelt's chief huntsman; In Texas and Mexico; Master sign-reader of the Rockies; "That Taos Bear"; The Lilly dogs; Ben Lilly on panthers; The smell of mortality.