NATCHEZ &045;&045; Until the advent of the steamboat in the early 19th century, fur traders traveling north from Natchez followed the Natchez Trace &045;&045; an ominous journey wrought with highwaymen and natural dangers.

Illustrating the challenges those frontiersmen faced, the Natchez Trace Parkway held its fifth annual Frontier Days Saturday at Mount Locust.

&uot;We used to have a living history program like this in the 70s, and we thought it would be good to renew that,&uot; said park guide Mike Hazlip.

Centuries ago, herds of buffalo and elk migrated between present-day Natchez and the salt licks of the Tennessee hills.

&uot;That trail became known as the Natchez Trace. ‘Trace’ is from the French word meaning footpath,&uot; Hazlip said.

Between 1790 and 1810, trappers boated furs down the Mississippi and sold them to the Spanish. They sold their boats, too, since travel upstream was impractical.

&uot;They would walk, or ride horses, back along the trace.

They usually traveled in groups of 15 to 20 for safety from robbers who wanted the Spanish gold they were carrying,&uot; Hazlip said.

In the peak year of 1810, as many as 10,000 traveled the historic trail.

Corn farmers at Mount Locust provided food for their journey.

On Saturday, frontier enthusiasts wearing buckskin clothes erected wedge tents with sugar cane frames and stewed chicken in Dutch ovens over open fires.

The event also featured dulcimer players and an African drum and dance display.

&uot;There are 43 slaves buried in the cemetery here at Mount Locust. We wanted to include their history and culture, too,&uot; Hazlip said.

Elsewhere, Pearl resident Lane Williams demonstrated other frontier skills, such as throwing knives and tomahawks. &uot;In those days, they used to throw tomahawks as a way of displaying their skills to those who might want to rob them,&uot; he said.

Visitors were also given guided tours of the home at Mount Locust.