The men wore fur hats and other clothes fashioned from animal skins. They were reasonably armed with Hawking rifles and pistols for firearms. Some of the men were also armed with knives axes, and hatchets. They also had a sufficient supply of ammunition but it was clear that the men would rather not have to use their weapons if they could afford it. The men were mostly white Protestants, early settlers of this relatively young country. They had come to these wild parts to trap and hunt for animal furs and make their dangerous living.
The men were mountain men, and they were quite weary. They had already seen their fair share of dangerous encounters from native Indians and wildlife.