Or, the Journal of a Santa F Trader, During Eight Expeditions Across

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Please do not assume that a book's appearance in 'The Builder' library means it can be used in any manner anywhere in the world. Copyright infringement liability can be quite severe. The Webmaster % » i * '« * * *t * *^ 4r «'» -r % % «. # # "^ ft' » * » # » * i **>*:$ * d» ? * *% it A * * t i'* ft « - *. '» * * • % * % * §!««' ft * #.* * * • » ^ % COMMEECE OE THE PEAIRIES OR THK tomtrw^H « ^ S^mto iffi ^^mn^ DURING EIGHT EXPEDITIONS ACROSS THE GREAT WESTERN PRAIRIES, AND A RESIDENCE OF NEARLY NINE YEARS IN NORTHERN MEXICO. lUtiGtratebr xtjitl) i\\ap5 anb ©njgratJincjs BY JOSIAH OEEGG. IN TWO VOLUMES. VOL. IL FOURTH EDITION. > • •• • • • * PHILADELPHIA: J. W. MOORE, 193 CHESTNUT STREET. 1849. ^1 THE ^EW YORK ASTOR, LENOX AND TILDEN FOUNDATJONS R 19;6 Entered according to the Act of Congress, in the year 1844, by J. W. MOORE. la the Clerk's office of the DisrricI Court for the Southern District of Nrw Yorlt. • *•• • — CONTENTS OP VOL. II. CHAPTER I. rage A Return to Prairie Life— Abandonment of the regular Rdute—The Siari—A Suicide—Arrest of a Mulatto lor Debt—Cherokee 'Bankrupt Law'— Chuly, the Creek In- dian— The Muster and the Introduciion —An ' OLla Po- drida'—Adventure of a ' Down-Easter'— Arrival of U. S. Dragoons—Camp Holmes, and the Road—A Visit from a Party of Comanches— Tabba-quena, a noted Chief —His extraordinary Geographical Talent— Indians set out for the ' Capiian Grande,' and we through an unexploied Regit)n— Rejoined by Tabba-quena and his ^ suite'—Spring Valley—The Buffalo Fever—The Chase—A Green-horn Scamper—Prairie Fuel, .... 9 CHAPTER n. Travelling out of our Latitude—The Buffalo-gnat—A Ki- awa and Squaw—Indian crim. con. Affair—Extraordinary Mark of confidence in the White Man—A Conflagration An Espy Shower—Region of Gypsum—Our Latitude A Lilliputian Forest—A Party of Comanches— A Visit to a ' Dog-Town'— Indian Archery—Arrival of Comanche Warriors—A ' Big Talk' and its Results—Speech of the Capiian Mayor— Project of bringing Comanche Chiefs to Wa>hington — Return of Lieut. Bowman, and our March resumed—Melancholy Reflections—Another Indian Visit — Mexican Captives—Voluntary Captivity —A sprisrhtly Mexican Lad— Purchase of a Captive—Comanche Ti;ule and Etiquette—Indians least dangerous to such as tiade with them, , . • .27 — — ——: Ir CONTENTS. CHAPTER III. Page Ponds and Buffalo Wallows—Valley of the Canadian, and romantic Freaks of Nature—Formation of Ravines—Mel- ancholy Adventure of a Parly of Traders in 1832—Fears of our being: lost —Arrival of a Party of Comancheros, and their wonderful Stories—Their Peculiarities and Traffic —Bitter Water, and the Salilre of New Mexico—Avant- couriers for Santa Fe—Patent Fire-arms and their Vir- tues—Ranchero Ideas of Distance, and their Mode of giv- ing Directions—The Angostura, and erroneous Notions of the Texans—A new Route revealed— Solitary Travel Supply of Provisions sent back—Arrival at Santa Fe Gov, Armijo, etc. —A ' Flare-up' with His Excellency, 47 CHAPTER IV. Preparations for a Start to Chihuahua—Ineptness of Mar- ried Men for the Santa Fe Trade—Annoying Custom- house Regulations—Mails in New Mexico—Insecurity of Correspondence— Outfit and— Departure Derecho de Con- sumo— Ruins of Valverde ' Towns without Houses'— La Jornado del Muerto—Laguna and Ojo del Muerto A Tradition of the Arricros— Laborious Ferrying and Gluagmires—Arrival at Paso del Norte—Amenity of the Valley Sierra Blanca and Los Organos—Face of the Country—Seagrass—Medanos or Sand-hills—An acci- dental River— Carrizal — Ojo Caliente—Laguna de En- cinillas—Southern Haciendas—Arrival—Character of the Route and Soil, . .64 CHAPTER V. Trip from Chihuahua to Aguascalientes, in 1835—Southern Trade and Ferias—Hacienda de la Zarca, and its innu- merable Stock—Rio Nazas, and Lakes without outlet Perennial Cotton —Exactions for Water and Pasturage Village of Churches—City of Durango and its Peculiari- ties— Fruits, Pulque, etc.—Persecution of Scorpions— Negroship in the ascendant —Robbers and their modus operandi—City of Aguascalientes—Bathing Scene— Haste to return lo the North—Mexican Mule-shoeing— Diflicul- lies and Perplexities—A Friend in time of need—Reach Zacaiecas—City Accommodations— Hotels unfashionable — Ijoailc, Fortifications, etc.. of the City of Zacatecas Siege by Santa Anna and his easy- won Victory—At Du- rango again —Civil Warfare among ihe ' Sovereigns' — — CONTENTS. V Hair-breadlh 'scapes—Troubles of the Road— Safe Ar- rival at Chihuahua—Character of the Southern Country, 84 CHAPTER VI. Visit to the Mining Town of Jesus-Maria—Critical Roads Character of the Town—Losing Speculations—Mine of Santa Juliana—Curious mining Operations—Different Modes of working the Ore—The Crushing-mill, etc. Barras de Plata—Value of Bullion —The Silver Trade- Return to Chihuahua—Resumption of the regular Nar- rative—Curious Wholesales—Money Table—Redundancy of Copper Coin —City of Chihuahua and its Peculiari- ties—Ecclesiastical Architecture—Hidalgo and his Mon- ument—Public Works, and their present Declension Fete in honor of Iturbide— Illiberality towards Americans Shopping — Mania—Anti-Masonic Auto de Fe^ . 105 CHAPTER Vn. Departure for Santa Fe—Straitened for Food—Summary Effort to procure Beef—Seizure of one of our Party—Al- tercation with a Rico—His pusillanimous Procedure- Great Preparations in Chihuahua for our Arrest—Arri- val of Mexican Troops—A polite Officer—Myself with three of my Men summoned back to Chihuahua—Amia- ble Conduct of Sefior Artalejo Junta Departmental and Discussion of my Affair—Writ of Habeas Corpus not in vogue—The Matter adjusted and Passports granted—The Morale—Impunity of savage Depredations—Final Start Company of Pasefios with their Fruits and Liquors—Ar- rival at Santa Fe . .122 CHAPTER VIII. Preparations for returning Home—Breaking out of the Small-pox—The Start—Our Caravan—Manuel the Co- manche—A new Route—The Prairie on Fire—Danger to be apprehended from these Conflagrations—A Coman- che Buffalo-chase—A Skirmish with the Pawnees—An intrepid Mexican—The Wounded—Value of a thick Skull—Retreat of the Enemy and their Failure—A bleak Northwester—Loss of our Sheep—The Llano Estacado and Sources of Red River—The Canadian River—Cru- elties upon Buffalo—Feats at ' Still Hunting'—Mr.Welh- ered's Adventure— Once more on our own Soil—The False Washita—Enter our former Trail—Character of the Country over which we had travelled—Arrival at Van 1* —— — ^ CONTENTS. Pag« Buren—The two Routes to Santa Fe—Some Advantages of that from Arkansas— Restlessness of Prairie Travellers in civilized Life, and Propensity for returning to the Wild Deserts, . • • • .136 CHAPTER iX. CONCLUSION OF THE SANTA FE TRADE. Decline of Price?— Statistical Table—Cliihuahua Trade Its Extent—Different Ports throus:h which Goods are in- troduced to that Market— Expedition between Chihuahua and Arkansas—The Drawback—The more recent Inci- dents of the Santa F6 Caravans— Adventures of 1843 Rubbery and Murder of Chavez— Expedition from Texas Defeat of Gen. Armijo's Van-guard— His precipitate Re- treat —Texan Grievances— Unfortunate Results of indis- cnminaie Revenge—Want of discipline among the Tex- ans— Disarmed by Capt. Cook—Return of the Escort of U. S. Dragoons, and of the Texans—Demands of the Mexican Government—Closing of the Santa Fe Trade, 159 CHAPTER X. GEOGRArnY OF THE PRAIRIES. Extent of the Prairies—Mountains Mesas or Table-lands El Llano Estucado— Canoncs— Their Annoyance to the early Caravans—Immense Gullies—Coal Mines and other Geological Products—Gypsum — Metallic Minerals— Sa- lines—Capt. Boone's Exploration 'Salt Plain' and ' Salt Rock'— Mr. Sibley's Visit— Saline Exudations—Unhab- itablcness of the high Prairies — Excellent Pasturage Rich border Country suthcient for two States—Northern Texas— Rivers of the Prairies — Their Unfitness for Navigation —Timber—Cross Timbers—Encroachments of tlie Timber upon the Prairies—Fruits and Flowers Salubrity of Climate, .

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