Arkansas intelligencer., 1849-03-17
TGREGG'S ROUTE TO SANTA FE.

~ TGREGG'S ROUTE TO SANTA FE.
q At the request Of several OF our citizens, we
here give hasty yet correct sketch of the route
pursued by JOSIAH GREGG, from Van Buren 10
Santa Fe, in 1889. MIR. G. speaks of this beng,
certainly, the BEST roufs to Santa Fe, for re rea
that it is shorter, less interrupted BY large
hills and streams, and ntersected by more woody
grassy spring branches, than any known.
On the 2ist April, he left VAN BUREN, with
about $4,000 worth Of goods. fourteen wagons.
one half drawn by mules, the others by oxen,
(eight of each to the ,eam,l carriage, and Jer
sey wagon. They also had two swveIs mounted
upon one pair Of wheels, but one of them was at.
tached TO movable ,ruckle, sot that upon stopping
it could be transfer ed TO the other side of the
gons Besides these the party was well supplied
with small The whole party, inc! udng
himself and brother, numbered thirty five men,
composed of Americans, foreigners and Indians.
They proceeded on the north side of the Arkan-
sas to Webber's Falls, distance thirty miles,.
Here, Gregg crossed about FIVE miles above The
mouth Of the Canadian on the 2Sth, having been
delayed on the road in consequence of The loss Of
teamsters. From this point he proceeded,o TO the
North Fork. and crossed it about mile above its
mouth. He followed the dividing ridge between
the latter stream and the Canadian, from which
he could see the timbered valleys Of both streams,
an nfahble guide, as the emgrant has to travel
up between these two streams nearly the whole
distance to Santa Fe. At the Cross Timbers
Gregg's party was joined by Lieut., Bowman, and
forty Dragons. who accompanied him to iong-
tude 100 deg. the Mexican boundary line.
| From the Arkansas river to Cho.eau's fort, his
route presented an unbroken succession of grassy
! plains and fertile glades. intersected here and
there with woody belts and numerous rivuets !;
and as far as Camp Holmes. he had good wa gon
road, which was opened BY the military in 1885,
| and which was afterwards kept open by the In
dian traders. He sa VS. tha, notwithstanding. this
stretch gave them trouble, a nd twas the worst
part of the whole route. A Camp Holmes, Gregg
was met by party of Comanche Indians where
whole day spent in smoking and making
protestations Of friendship. o - rr,r,
This point was at that Time the extent Of the ex
pIorations of Americans. aud was counted more
| than AGO fni'ss from Santa Fe. On the 18Th of
May, he set out from here, upon the unknown
part of his route. He says d" from this forward
our wagons marched in two iines and re-
guarly formed at every camp, to constitute
a for,iica,ion and corral for the stock This is
different from the forming Of the large cara
vans. Two front wagons driven up, side by
side with their tails little inclined outward
A bout half of the drn wn up in the same
manner. bat each stopped with the fore.w heel n
little back Of the hind wheel of tile next ahead -
The remainder are similarly brought up, but u
cline inward behind, nearly to close again
at the rear Of the pen; leaving gap through
which 10 Introduce the stock. Thus the corral
remains of an ovate form. After the drivers be.
come expert, the whole is performed in very
short time -......... .... ..... ..
The next day after leaving this place. he traded
with the Comanches, for five mules. which he
greatly needed. After leaving Fort Holmes, he
kept on the ridge between the Canadian and The /,
North Fork, crossing sometimes the tributary
brooks Of the and sometimes those of the
others. for about eighty miles, when they entered
"a most charming prairie vale, which he called
:" Spring Valley on account Of the numerous
springfield ris, and gurging rivuels that greeted
the sight in every direction, the streams abound.
ing ia swarms of trout. Here is splendid place
TO stop and recruit the emgrant's cattle, and to
rePenish their stock Of provisions, large droves
of bufialo roam through this region. Gregg met
with large numbers, daily. I".'. ...@li
On the 7;h June they reached point they sup
posed 10 be the Mexican boundary line, and -Lt
Bowman, with his Dragons, left them and return
ed TO Fort Gibson. Their journey up to this point
had not been interrupted by single annoying in.
cldent, except one OCCASION, when they failed
TO reach water until near midnight. se.a
For several days they travelled over a dreary
pain, barely affording water sufficient for their
stock, when again they approached the Canadian,
where there was ereaser degree of fertility but
they found large ,chasn,s and canons to interrupt
the directness of their course. Now, Gregg began
10 look out for cart road to Santa Fe, made bv |
the Z" Ciboleros" and not seeing it, apprehensions
were beginning TO be felt, that they were lost
However, after few days travel. they were
overtaken by a party of" Comancheros," Or Mex
lean Co'narrche traders, when they had the salts.