In his lifetime, Smith would travel more extensively in unknown territory
than any other single mountain man. He traveled in the central Rockies,
then down to Arizona, across the Mojave Desert and into California
making him the first American to travel overland to California through
the southwest. In a most amazing journey, he also came back from
California across the desert of the Great Basin. The heat became so
unbearable Smith and his men had to bury themselves in sand to keep
cool.

    "Mr. Smith, a young man of our company made a powerful prayer
    which moved us all greatly and I am persuaded John died in
    peace."

Smith proved himself a leader quickly on the trail. On his
second expedition, he was attacked by a grizzly bear. The bear
came out of the thicket and mauled Smith violently, throwing
him to the ground, smashing his ribs and literally ripping off his
scalp. When the attack was over, the scalp was hanging on to his head by
an ear. Smith instructed Jim Clyman to sew it back on. Clyman did the
best he could, but thought nothing could be done for the severed ear.
Smith insisted that he try. According to Clyman,

    "I put my needle sticking it through and through and over and
    over laying the lacerated parts together as nice as I could with
    my hands."

After two weeks of rest, Smith resumed his duty as captain of the party.

In 1830, Smith, rattled over the death of his mother and his neglect of
family duty, decided he had had enough of mountain life. He purchased
a farm and townhouse, complete with servants, in St. Louis. However, he
would have to make one more fated trip into the wilds of the Southwest.
When Smith sold his shares in the Rocky Mountain Fur Company the year
before, he had agreed to help procure supplies for the subsequent
owners. He left in the spring of 1831 and while looking for water on the
Santa Fe Trail, he was killed by Comanche warriors.

Most of Smith's knowledge died with him. His plans to edit and publish
his journals and have a master map constructed were never realized.
Nevertheless, Smith was satisfied with his wilderness career.

    "I started into the mountains, with the determination of
    becoming a first-rate hunter, of making myself thoroughly
    acquainted with the character and habits of the Indians, of
    tracing out the sources of the Columbia River and following it to
    its mouth; and of making the whole profitable to me, and I have 
    perfectly succeeded."