Origin and progressive Development of the Santa Fé Trade- Captain Pike's Narrative- Pursley La Lande - Expe- dition of McKnight and others — Glenn Becknell - Cooper Sufferings of Captain Becknell and his Com- panions First Introduction of wheeled Vehicles - Colonel Marmaduke - Hostility of the Indians - Recriminations Head Quarters of the Santa Fé Trade-Independence and its Locale A Prairie Trip an excellent Remedy for chronic Diseases - Supplies for the Journey - Wagons, Mules and Oxen Art of Loading Wagons-Romancing Pro- pensity of Travellers - The Departure - Storms and Wagon-covers- Quagmires - Tricks of marauding In- dians - Council Grove Fancy versus Reality- Election- eering on the Prairies - The Organization - Amateur The 'Catch up'- Breaking up of the Encampment - Perversity of Mules Under Way - The Diamond Spring - Ec- centricities of Oxen - First Glance of the Antelope - Buf- falo Herds and Prairie Novices A John Gilpin Race- Culinary Preparations - A Buffalo Feast - Appetite of [xii] Prairie Travellers Troubles in Fording Streams Alarms and their Causes - A Wolfish Frolic Arkansas River Pleasing Scenery - Character of the Country- Extraordinary Surgical Operation - The 'Pawnee Rock'- Salutary Effects of Alarms - New Order of March. Prairie Encampment and 'Upholstery'- Hoppling and Tethering of the 'Stock'- Crossing the Arkansas - Great Battle with Rattlesnakes - A Mustang Colt and a Mule CHAPTER IV A Desert Plain - Preparation for a 'Water-Scrape'- Accident to a French Doctor - Upsetting of a Wagon and its Consequences A Party of Sioux Warriors The first real Alarm Confusion in the Camp-Friendly Demonstrations of the Indians - The Pipe of Peace-Squaws and Papooses An Extemporary Village Lose our TrackSearch after the Lost River - Horrible Prospective — The Cimarron Found at last A Night of Alarms - Indian Serenade and Thieving - Indian Diplomacy - Hail-stones and Hurricanes - Position of the Captain of a Caravan – His Troubles, his Powers and Want of Powers More Indians - Hostile Encounter Results of the Skirmish Vizcarra and the Gros The 'Battle-Ground'- Col. CHAPTER V Fourth A Beautiful Ravine -'Runners' Starting for Santa Fé [xiii] CHAPTER VI Sketches of the Early History of Santa Fé - First Explorations Why called New Mexico - Memorial of Oñate — His Colony - Captain Leyva's prior Settlement - Singular Stipulations of Oñate - Incentives presented by the Crown to Colonizers-Enormities of Spanish Conquerors - Progress of the new Colony Cruel Labors of the Aborigines in the Mines Revolt of the Indians in 1680 — Massacre of the Spaniards - Santa Fé Besieged - Battles - Remaining Spanish Population finally evacuate the Province Paso del 218 232 Norte Inhuman Murder of a Spanish Priest Final Recovery of the Country - Insurrection of 1837 — A prophecy Shocking Massacre of the Governor and other distinguished Characters - American Merchants, and Neglect of our Government Governor Armijo: his Intrigues and Success-Second Gathering of Insurgents and their final Defeat, 257 CHAPTER VII Geographical Position of New Mexico - Absence of navigable Forest Growths Piñon and Mezquite - Mountain Cottonwood - Palmilla 277 CHAPTER VIII The Mines of New Mexico - Supposed Concealment of them by the Indians Indian Superstition and Cozenage - Ruins of La Gran Quivira · Old Mines Placeres or Mines of Gold Dust - Speculative Theories - Mode of Working the Placeres - Manners and Customs of the Miners — Arbitrary Restrictions of the Mexican Government upon Foreigners Persecution of a Gachupin - Disastrous Effect of official Interference upon the Mining Interest - Disregard of American Rights and of the U. States Government [xiv] - Gambucinos and their System - Gold found throughout New Mexico - Silver Mines - Copper, Zinc and Lead -Salinas or Salt Lakes - Sulphurous Springs — Gypsum, and Petrified Trees, 299 CHAPTER IX Indifference on the Subject of Horse-breeding - Caballos de Silla nessing and lading Mules for a Journey - Arrieros and their - the Muleteers and Vaqueros The Lazo and its Uses CHAPTER X Condition of the Arts and Sciences in New Mexico - Neglect of - Other Fabrics - Want of Machinery. CHAPTER XI Style of Dress in New Mexico - Riding-dress of the Caballero 312 329 tions La Siesta. 339 COMMERCE OF THE PRAIRIES [PART 1] CHAPTER I Origin and progressive Development of the Santa Fé Trade - Captain Pike's Narrative Pursley La Lande- Expedition of McKnight and others Glenn - Becknell - Cooper - Sufferings of Captain Becknell and his Companions - First Introduction of wheeled Vehicles - Colonel Marmaduke - Hostility of the Indians - Recriminations - Indian Ethics - Increase of Outrages - Major Riley's Escort Annoyed by the Indians Government Protection - Composition of a Caravan. THE overland trade between the United States and the northern provinces of Mexico, seems to have had no very definite origin; having been rather the result of accident than of any organized plan of commercial establishment. For a number of years its importance attracted no attention whatever. From Captain Pike's narrative we learn, that one James Pursley, after much wandering over the wild and then unexplored regions west of the Mississippi, finally fell in with some Indians on the Platte river, near its source in the Rocky Mountains; and obtaining information from them respecting the settlements [18] of New Mexico, he set out in company with a party of these savages, and descended, in 1805, to Santa Fé, where he remained for several yearsperhaps till his death." It does not appear, however, that he took with him any considerable amount of merchandise. 'Our knowledge of James Pursley is chiefly derived from the journals of Lieutenant Zebulon M. Pike, who met him in Santa Fé, and relates his adventures. Coming from Bardstown, Kentucky, to Missouri (1799), he set out on a hunting and trapping expedition in the spring of 1802 toward the sources of the Osage. There being robbed of his horses, he descended to the Missouri in a canoe, in time to join a party going up the river in search of trade. Going among the Paduca and Kiowa tribes, a sudden Sioux raid drove them into the mountains. The Indians sent Pursley to the neighboring Spanish settlements, to arrange for trade. |