Log Cabin Library: The Queen of the Canons

About this issue

The Black Scout of Arizona by Burke Brentford follows Juan Camargo, a swarthy young man of Mexican appearance, as he travels from Fort Yuma toward his uncle's ranch in Arizona Territory. Accompanied by Brazos Bob (a scarred attendant) and Jingo Josh (a large Black guide and banjo player), Camargo journeys to meet his cousin Bertha and claims her affections ahead of a rival suitor, Captain Markham of the U.S. Army. The party encounters a pitched battle between Apache warriors and U.S. troops; the three men take defensive positions and fight alongside soldiers who arrive to relieve them. After the engagement, they continue to the ranch, where Camargo encounters Bertha during a wild boar hunt. She displays remarkable horsemanship and spear skill, killing the wounded animal. The narrative combines frontier adventure and romantic tension as Camargo reunites with his cousin.